Today’s ride, on which I find genuine humanity in an unexpected source. And not so much from others.

May 12, 2010 / / 10 comments

Around noon today, I had some unexpected down time as I waited for a client to get back to me. So not wanting to waste an opportunity — or a beautiful day — I grabbed my bike and hit the road.

About 20 miles into my ride, I stopped for a quick snack, reaching into my seat bag for the box of raisins and Kashi granola bar I usually carry with me.

While I did, I saw a homeless man shuffle past, his skin and clothes filthy from head to toe. He stopped at a nearby trash can, staring at it for a few moments before lifting the lid and digging through the trash; after several seconds he came back up holding a half-eaten bag of fruit someone had thrown away.

I looked at him, then down at the unopened Kashi bar in my hand.

It wasn’t like I was considering anything all that unusual. I’ve given away a few spare tubes and patch kits to riders in need, and even been known to leave behind a multi-tool, chain tool or spanner along with my phone number — and yes, I’ve always gotten them back.

So I rolled over, held out the granola bar and asked if he’d like it. He looked it over, studying it carefully before softly saying “Yes.”

Then he slowly looked up at me, revealing crystal clear blue eyes. And looking deeply into mine, he said simply “Thank you,” with a gentle sincerity that took me by surprise.

It was all I could do to say “You’re very welcome” as I turned away, my lip quivering and tears in my eyes, humbled that anyone would be so grateful for such a small gesture.

And I rode off, thinking that, as hard as these times may be, I’ll go to bed tonight with my belly full and a roof over my head, and a wife who loves me. And a new appreciation for the many people and kindnesses and blessings in my life.

I was still thinking about that about half an hour later as I was riding in the bike lane on San Vicente Blvd.

I watched warily as a car waited to cross on a side street; just as I decided he was going to let me pass, it pulled out directly in front of me. I hit my brakes and leaned hard to the left to pass behind him, clearing his car by just inches.

As I came around on the other side, I held out my hands in the universal “What the F***?” gesture. He responded that he just didn’t see me; I said, with as much restraint as I could muster under the circumstances, “Well look next time, it’s not like I’m invisible.”

Evidently offended that his use of the universal Get Out of Jail Free excuse hadn’t bought him absolution this time, he yelled back “F*** you!”

And don’t even get me started on the driver who blared his horn when I had to swerve to avoid a right-hook, even though I barely broke the plane of his lane and didn’t obstruct his path or delay his passage one whit.

But it struck me odd that in the course of one ride, in the span of less than an hour, I saw genuine humanity and gratitude in a man who had nothing. And just the opposite from people who clearly had so much more to be grateful for, yet couldn’t spare a few seconds of their day for the life and safety of another human being.

It’s something I’ll be considering for a very long time.

But I can tell you right now which one earned my respect.

And who I can only hope to emulate.

………

The Conejo Valley Cyclists and the city Thousand Oaks will sponsor the annual Ride of Silence next Wednesday, honoring cyclists who’ve been killed on the roads; we need to see one here in L.A. next year.

………

Hemet police offer incorrect advice in response to a rash of bike crashes; instead of telling cyclists to “always ride single file” and ride “as far to the right as possible,” why not offer a little accurate advice to the people in the big dangerous machines?

………

LACBC and the Ridazz ask for your input on the top 10 finalists in their Bike Awareness slogan contest. Next up in Will Campbell’s Bike Every (Satur)Day in May series is the Frank Lloyd Wride. LACBC stops cyclists for a pre-sharrows survey. Round two of public workshops for the upcoming L.A. County bike plan. Here’s your chance to comment on NBC’s plans to blockade a planed bikeway along the L.A. River. A beginner’s guide to professional cycling. San Francisco cyclists and drivers are urged to metaphorically sing Kumbaya on the city’s streets. Bob Mionske looks at what happens when a local ordinance conflicts with state law. Cyclelicious asks why you bike to work; actually, I often bike to get away from it for awhile. Dave Moulton discovers a Fuso Tricycle made by his ex-apprentice. The newly formed Bicyclists Against Distracted Drivers offers stickers to remind cell phone users not to. A week after a pedestrian in my hometown begs bikers not to warn him, another one says please do. Even if the new bike laws pass, police can’t ticket drivers who park in nonexistent bike lanes. A Chattanooga cyclist experiences one of the best reasons to keep riding. Maryland drivers are even worse than Texans at sharing the road. Louisville offers a new bike safety video. An 80-year old truck driving gutter bunny in Florida. Two downed New York cyclists, two videos, only one conviction. Four stages of the Giro, four cyclists in pink; you’d think no one wanted it. A specter of possible sabotage for next Sunday’s 4,500 rider Etape Caledonia charity ride in Scotland. An Edinburgh cyclist says a popular street may be too dangerous for cyclists. London’s mayor offers details on the city’s planned cycling revolution.

Finally, a driver’s perspective on sharing the road with cyclists that actually makes sense. Can we clone him? Thanks to the always excellent Baltimore Spokes for posting the link.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Another OC cyclist killed, another giant yawn from the local press

May 11, 2010 / / 11 comments

One hundred words.

That all the life of an Orange County cyclist was worth today.

Allen Earl Miller, a 55-year old cyclist from Costa Mesa, was riding north on Temescal Canyon Road south of Indian Truck Trail between Corona and Lake Elsinore around 2:40 yesterday afternoon when a Ford SUV driven by Scott Reis drifted off the road for unknown reasons and struck him from behind; Miller died at the scene.

According to the Orange County Register, which offered the best coverage, no one has been arrested; the CHP is still investigating. Neither of the people in the truck were injured.

It took the Register exactly 100 words to tell the story, not counting the headline. The sum total of a life, nothing more than name, age and cause of death.

A story so insignificant, it didn’t make the first 10 pages of news stories in a Google search last night or again this morning. And didn’t even make the news at all just a few miles north in L.A. — then again, neither did the tragic death of Jorge Alvarado.

It’s only another death on the roads.

Only another cyclist killed.

………

Chances are, I still wouldn’t have know about Miller’s death if the Claremont Cyclist hadn’t picked up the story.

I cringed when I saw the image of the Ghost Bike on his site, because it meant another cyclist had died. And I hope Michael will forgive me for quoting liberally from his post. But he has something important to say.

Explain to me again how someone just drifts “off the road for an unknown reason”….  I do not think I will ever understand why there is not more widespread outrage over these incidents. Just because a cyclist has lost his life, does not mean this is solely a cycling concern – it is a societal concern. This driver could just as easily have drifted the other direction for an unknown reason, hitting a car head on instead. Indeed most crashes involving cars are with other cars, not bikes, not pedestrians. Getting and keeping people who cannot, or will not, take driving seriously off the roads benefits everyone, not just cyclists.

………

Metro leaks the date for the upcoming CicLAvia; evidently, I broke the story and didn’t even know it. So when they make the official announcement, everybody act surprised, okay?

………

A great view of Highland Park as seen from a bike on a clear, sunny SoCal day. The LACBC gears up for their best ever River Ride. Metro began a bike count and survey on Tuesday. San Francisco cyclists are urged to shop locally by bike. A cyclist says she’s never seen a rider stop for a stop sign; I assume that means she doesn’t, either. CNN takes note of the conflict between cyclists and drivers on America’s roads. A New Jersey cyclist is dragged 30 feet under the SUV of a right-hooking driver who just didn’t see him, which makes it okay, right? A New York blogger comes home to discover a bike-loving friend has been seriously injured in a collision. If bicycle safety is a two-way street, why do all the articles seem to focus on wearing a helmet? A Huntsville, Alabama editorial urges both cyclists and drivers to use the roads more carefully. North Carolina cyclists debate a proposed law that would limit them to riding no more than two abreast, and just single file when cars are passing. A Detroit cyclist is critically injured when a driver hits him, then gets out of his car to pull the rider off his windshield and remove his license plates before fleeing the scene. Evidently, someone’s stealing bikes from bloggers; just a week after Witch on a Bicycle had his handmade custom bike stolen, another blogger loses hers when a thief unbolts the scaffolding she’d locked it to. Maybe they should have watched this Brit Beat the Thief video first. An Oxfordshire doctor on a five-year round-the-world bike tour only makes it through Europe before his knee gives out. Giro riders complain about being forced to sit down to a midnight meal.

Finally, the Mounties always get their man — even if it’s just for riding without a helmet.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Today’s post, in which I direct your attention elsewhere

May 11, 2010 / / 3 comments

I read a lot about bicycling.

Between keeping up with local bike news and searching the internet for insights into infrastructure, advocacy and safety, I probably scan a few hundred stories each day. And stop to actually read through maybe a quarter to half of those — the best of which I try to share with you on here.

It’s not often, though, that I find something that stops me in my tracks, and causes me to go back and read it again to catch every detail.

Usually when that happens, it’s because I think the writer got it wrong in some way, whether it’s a misguided attempt to say the right things, or yet another motorhead rant demanding that we get off their precious pavement. It’s not often that I find someone who seems to get it just right, and says it so eloquently that I wish I’d written it.

But that’s what I found last night, as Google carried me north of the border to the small city of Guelph, Ontario, where a writer tried to explain why drivers need to give cyclists one meter of space when passing — roughly equivalent to our three-foot passing distance.

And got it exactly, precisely right.

If you were driving and saw your child walking on the road, how close would you go? Four inches?

The cyclist on the road is someone’s child, a fragile human life.

I know. We are in a hurry. We have somewhere to be. The bike is so slow. Won’t the driver behind me get annoyed if I slow down?

He goes on to note that any time he writes about bicycling, he gets mail saying that cyclists would get more respect if they behaved better — in other words, the same sort of comments you’ll see on just about any online article about cycling, as motorists write in to complain about cyclists, neglecting to mention that most drivers speed, fail to signal and roll through stop signs.

Consider these dangerous cyclists. The way they ride risks their lives and scares the rest of us. Would the world be a better place if they drove a car instead? For now, let’s leave them riding a bike, where the greatest risk is to themselves.

When the roads are safer, careful people will ride bikes on the road. The secret about riding a bike is that, aside from the fear of early death, it is fun — and fast. For now, cyclists often retreat to the sidewalk. It is illegal, but they are scared and feel safer there.

And he concludes by gently humanizing the cyclist on the road ahead, reminding impatient drivers that it’s up to them whether another person will get home safely.

I know. We are commuting, traffic is slow already and we are late. We are all working hard to pay the bills, giving a better life to our children, for whom we would do anything to keep them safe.

Now look ahead. See that wobbly cyclist on the road in front of you. Picture him as your child at eight years old. Now decide. Squeeze through or give him space? Slowing down could delay you by 30 seconds. Picture the eight-year-old child. His life is in your hands.

It’s a quick read.

One that won’t take more than a couple minutes out of your day, and definitely worth clicking on the link.

And one that I wish I could tape to the steering wheel of every car in L.A. before their drivers hit the road today.

………

Alex Thompson shares a moving recount of witnessing the aftermath of a hit-and-run collision, noting that it affects even more drivers than cyclists — in fact, he notes that 38% of all L.A. collisions are hit-and-run. And yes, something needs to be done.

Now.

………

Bike Week Pasadena, or more precisely, Bike Weekend — rolls on May 20. A great look at biking on the (real) Eastside; for a change, the comments are as good as story. Metro offers an all-day symposium Wednesday for those who move on two feet instead of two wheels, along with the follow-up to February’s Metro Bicycle Roundtable. Flying Pigeon offers a midweek Cargo Bike Date Night Ride tonight. LADOT notes that locking your bike to a parking meter is illegal, but rarely enforced; on the other hand, it’s also not smart since a thief can slide your bike and lock over the top of the meter. Dancer a la Mode sings the praises of her LBS. San Francisco cycling goes green. Ten dollars could help make the U.S. Bicycle Route System a reality. Bicyclists have officially infiltrated the White House Press Room. A Columbus writer observes that biking improves his reflexes and awareness. A Massachusetts woman runs down Jesus Christ in a crosswalk, no, really. As an experiment, a cyclist comes to a full, foot down stop every time. A well-reasoned response to last weekend’s article saying cyclists need to earn respect. Headline of the day: Are business folks really swapping Ping for Pinarello?

Finally, maybe it’s time for a mandatory helmet law — for motorists. And the four worst drivers you’re likely to encounter on a daily basis; including the DYPMDB (Don’t You Pass Me Douche Bag) driver.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

East Coast AAA goes on the PR warpath; Chicago drivers think assault is OK

May 10, 2010 / / 5 comments

The Mid-Atlantic AAA went into full PR defense mode after earlier declaring that a new bike lane on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC – that little street that goes past the White House — is part of a “war on drivers.” After getting an earful from bicyclists and bloggers, including some of their own members who apparently have cancelled their memberships, they now want to make it very clear that they are only concerned about the environment and the safety of cyclists. Oh, and following the proper processes, which they could have been a part of, if they had only bothered to participate.

Why does this matter here?

Consider it a cautionary tale of the battles we’ll have to fight here if the newly revised bike plan comes back with any real teeth. Or do we dare hope that Southern California’s leading drivers’ organization more enlightened than their eastern counterparts?

At least the north-of-the-border equivalent of AAA understands that bikes use the roads, too.

………

Somehow, this one went under the radar last week. A Chicago-area driver fled the scene after hitting a cyclist with her car, then backing up and hitting him again — in front of at least four witnesses — after a dispute over road space. Amazingly, there’s no follow-up on whether the driver was arrested. And not surprisingly, many of the comments suggest the rider had it coming.

So me get this straight.

If a driver gets mad at someone and responds by pulling out a gun and shooting them, would there really be any question about whether a crime occurred or if the victim deserved it?

So what difference should it make if the weapon of choice is two tons of steel and glass?

………

Can bikes bring life to Chinatown after dark? Getting hit on — instead of hit — by the driver you started out arguing with. A Lake Elsinore cyclist died Sunday, three weeks after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver. A look at this past weekend’s Long Beach Bike Festival. The Daily Breeze looks at the South Bay Bicycle Coalition. A master in the fine art of bicycle forensics; I only wish he worked for the LAPD crime lab. A visit to Santa Barbara’s first bike fashion show. The rider who took the podium for last year’s Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race wasn’t the one who entered, criminal charges are pending. Bespoke bikes on display at New York’s Museum of Arts and Design. Memphis prepares to become more bike-friendly. An Arkansas cyclist is killed on a group ride, just a month after her husband died while riding. A Missouri cyclist says newly bike-friendly Springfield needs bikes. Riding from brewpubs to wineries on Missouri’s Katy Trail. Riding to raise money for stroke victims. American Tyler Farrar takes stage two of the Giro D’Italia, Cadel Evans Vinokourov wears the leader’s jersey. A reporter rides along with London’s pedaling paramedics, while a London writer takes a very pessimistic look at the city’s new bike share program. After bike officers made over 100 arrests last year, a UK police chief orders his officers onto two wheels. The four British bike team members injured in Belgium are improving. For some reason, I suddenly want to ride through Scotland. Sydney’s mayor says cycling could save the city’s commuters from chronic diseases. Athens bicyclists ride to demand their rights. Eight cyclists are robbed at gunpoint in South Africa. A Danish right-side left turn lane just for bikes.

Finally, a Boston rider says it’s a cyclist’s responsibility to avoid collisions with drivers, not the other way around; just like when someone gets shot, it’s the victim’s fault for standing in front of the damn bullet. A Las Cruces, NM rider offers much better advice for both sides.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

Long Beach Bike Fest this weekend, River Ride’s just a month away

May 7, 2010 / / One comment

First up, a quick reminder that we’re just under a month from L.A.’s largest and most popular organized group ride, the 10th Annual Los Angeles River Ride, rolling June 6th from Griffith Park. Six rides to choose from, ranging from a free kid’s ride to a full century. And you only have one more week to save $10 on early registration.

And speaking of the LACBC, they invite you to attend the 7th Stage of the Amgen Tour of California at Staples Center on Saturday, May 22nd.

………

If you’re looking for things to do this weekend, you could do worse than a Will Campbell-led tour of Watts. Or maybe you’d prefer a quick trip down to Long Beach for the last two days of the Long Beach Bike Festival; Streetsblog interviews the filmmaker behind Riding Bikes with the Dutch, premiering Sunday as part of the festival.

I’m sure L.A. will sponsor it’s own bike festival any day month decade century now. But at least we get Bike to Work Week.

………

If you’re looking for something to do next Wednesday, have a little LAPD BBQ to benefit Kristina Ripatti-Pearce, the former LAPD officer who retired after being partially disabled when she was shot on duty — and currently training for this year’s Race Across America (RAAM).

………

A Santa Monica council member says if a better bikeway system can get just 10% of the city’s cars off the street, their traffic problems will be solved. Stephen Box says LAPD Chief Beck’s words don’t mean anything if they don’t translate to the street beat. L.A.’s Department of City Planning has a rare opportunity to reshape the city’s DNA. Bikeside speaks at Bikerowave on May 22nd. Mr. Bicycle Fixation himself is now writing for the Orange 20 website. A very cool look at South L.A.’s Black Kids on Bikes Freedom Ride. A look at the five best bikeways in L.A. Neon Tommy tests a Walmart fixie. A 64-year old cyclist riding without lights is killed in Twentynine Palms. The CHP offers advice on how to share the road for cyclists and motorists. Support for a San Jose cyclist left severely brain-damaged by a hit-and-run driver. Reno gets a bike boulevard that isn’t. In a bizarre bike safety spot, a bike riding octopus takes a spill and injures one of his eight appendages — which is, evidently, proof that you should wear a helmet. The latest update from Long Beach’s biking expats documents a week in Fort Worth. John Leguizamo offers advice on how to ride in the city. How bike collisions — not accidents — occur in Orlando. Overflowing bike racks are a good problem to have. Graphic proof that safety in numbers really works. Baltimore considers five bills to benefit bicyclists. Another Chicago cyclist intentionally run down by a driver. It may be ugly, but it’s electric — and wireless. Another dead British bicyclist, another slap on the wrist; but life in prison for the road raging driver who killed a cyclist for damaging his mirror. Five Brit women cyclists training in Belgium are injured when they’re hit by a car. An Ottawa, Canada columnist shows he just doesn’t get it, saying bike lanes will only benefit the few at the expense of the many.

Finally, on the heels of DOT Secretary Ray LaHood’s support for Complete Streets, the Centers for Disease Control recognizes that transportation reform is health reform.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Introducing the League of Bicycling Voters LA

May 7, 2010 / / 6 comments

The following press release just went out to most of the major media sources in Los Angeles. Feel free to copy, repost or forward it as you see fit. And check back tonight for today’s links.

For immediate release: May 7, 2010

Los Angeles cyclists prepare to Bike the Vote on May 15th — introducing the League of Bicycling Voters L.A.

It’s not hard to have a big influence on local elections. In fact, only 17.9% of registered voters — slightly more than 285,000 people — cast ballots in the last election for Mayor of Los Angeles.

Now consider this:  According to a 2002 survey sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, 27.3% of all Americans over the age of 16 ride a bicycle, which means that somewhere around 400,000 of the city’s 1.6 million registered voters ride bikes. In other words, over 100,000 more than voted for all the candidates in the last mayoral election combined.

That holds true throughout the Los Angeles area, where statistics suggest that over 1 million of the county’s 4.2 million voters are cyclists — making it one of the largest untapped voting groups in Southern California.

That’s about to change.

On May 15th, bicyclists from throughout the County of Los Angeles will be coming together to form the League of Bicycling Voters Los Angeles.

Patterned after the highly successful League of Bicycling Voters in Austin, Texas — which saw their entire slate of candidates elected to office in the last citywide election — the group is being formed at a time when bicycling is more popular than ever.

Yet many cyclists, both beginners and experienced riders alike, believe they have have been ignored by unresponsive local, county and state governments, their safety needlessly endangered by roads and regulations that weren’t designed for bikes and policies that ignore their needs.

“For years we’ve tried playing nice, going along to get along, quietly sitting at meetings, waiting to be asked onto the floor for a dance,” explained Josef Bray-Ali, owner of the Flying Pigeon LA bike shop in Highland Park, and one of the founders of the local League of Bicycling Voters. “We’ve learned that the only place we can get our elected officials to pay attention is at the ballot box.”

According to the group’s website, the League of Bicycling Voters “is not liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican. It does not represent any one group or style of cycling.” Instead, it represents Los Angeles-area bicyclists of every type and description “to help ensure safer streets and a more bike-friendly community for all of us.”

Ted Rogers, author of the blog BikingInLA.com and another of the group’s initial founders, along with UCLA lecturer Dr. Michael Cahn, stressed that the League won’t conflict with other existing bicycle advocacy organizations, such as C.I.C.L.E. and the Los Angeles County Bicycling Coalition.

“This group is a purely political organization. Our purpose is to host forums and debates, get candidates on the record for their stands on bicycling issues, and to endorse and support bike-friendly candidates and propositions — which groups like the LACBC are prohibited from doing due to their non-profit status.”

However, he explained that they do intend to work closely with other biking groups to support similar goals whenever possible; in fact, both Rogers and Dr. Cahn are on the Board of Directors for the LACBC, and many of the initial members belong to other cycling organizations, as well.

The initial organizational meeting is scheduled for 10:30 am on Saturday, May 15th in Room 1347 on the ground floor of the UCLA Law School on the Westwood campus. Anyone who rides a bike and is eligible to vote in the County of Los Angeles is encouraged to attend.

Website: http://bikevotela.org/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=105179589521909&ref=ts

Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/bikevotela

Category: General / Tags: , ,
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