Tag Archive for bicycling

Weekend Links: Venice bike rider accidently shot by LAPD officer, and Westwood Greenway in the works

November 5, 2016 / / Comments Off on Weekend Links: Venice bike rider accidently shot by LAPD officer, and Westwood Greenway in the works

You’ve got to be kidding.

A woman was shot while riding her bicycle on the bike path in Venice beach because a cop forgot one of the most basic guidelines for use of force.

Make sure there are no innocent people in the line of fire.

According to multiple sources, LAPD mounted officers had approached a group of transients when one woman became angry, causing her pit bull to become agitated and bite one of the officers on the hand. He responded by shooting the dog, killing it.

Unfortunately, he failed to make sure there was no one else in the way. The bullet passed through the dog and struck a tourist in the calf as she passed by on her bike.

The good news is, she remained conscious and appeared to be okay as she was wheeled into an ambulance.

And she can expect a pretty big check from the city in the not too distant future.

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A sign went up Friday announcing the coming of the Westwood Neighborhood Greenway, which will follow long-wasted space along the Expo Line between Westwood Blvd and Overland. When finished, it will include a bikeway and pedestrian walkway on the south side, with another walkway on the north side.

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Local

LADOT unveiled their latest Venice bike corral on West Washington Blvd.

The first segment of the Rail to Rail/River trail connecting Inglewood with the LA River is scheduled to open in 2019.

The second location of Pittsburgh’s Banker Supply bike shop opens in Echo Park, designed to cater to people who ask “why am I driving?”

Pasadena will get bikeshare next summer; the question is whether the city will be ready for it.

Lucas Guidroz is expected to be sentenced to 10 year behind bars next week for the drunken hit-and-run death of cyclist, musician and math teacher Rod Bennett on Placerita Canyon in Santa Clarita.

The LACBC hosts their monthly Sunday Funday ride this Sunday, with an easy to moderate 16-mile loop from Highland Park to The Wheelhouse in DTLA. Thanks to Pedro Avalos for the heads-up.

 

State

Caltrans is asking for local bike and pedestrian count data to determine where improvements are needed.

Orange County’s Revolution Bike Fest kicked off yesterday, offering three days of bikes, music, beer, food and other spectator-friendly activities.

The nine-year old Murietta boy injured in yesterday’s hit-and-run is recovering after being knocked unconscious on the collision; he reportedly was released from the hospital with bumps and bruises.

The Camarillo Acorn talks with pro triathlete Jordan Rapp about his 51st place finish in Ironman World Championship, six years after he nearly died in a hit-and-run.

Bicycling collisions dropped by more than half in Hanford after police cracked down on bicyclists and visited schools to discuss bike safety; police in the wider Kings County area blame riders for eight of the nine collisions involving cyclists this year. Evidently, drivers there are nearly perfect, at least in the eyes of the local police.

Who was that flannelled man? A man in red flannel is credited with stopping someone from stealing a bike off a San Francisco bus.

A young man’s body was found buried on the campus of Sonoma State University recently, after he disappeared upon leaving his home for a bike ride last month.

Secure bike lockers will be available when the new Sonoma-Marin rail system begins operations next year, though bike advocates say it won’t be enough to meet demand.

Trial began on Friday for a Sacramento man facing 19 charges, including three counts of attempted murder, for running down three bike riders during an alleged meth-fueled rampage.

 

National

Protect your eyes. A new Johns Hopkins study shows female bike riders are more likely to suffer eye injuries than women participating in other sports.

Evidently accepting his inevitable defeat in Tuesday’s election, Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson makes plans to ride in next year’s 2,745 mile Tour Divide.

Colorado puts its money where its mouth is, offering a total of $500,000 for ideas to stop the rise in bicycling and pedestrian deaths.

A Northwestern University professor is working on five bicycle dynamics projects, including eliminating the dreaded death wobble, and building a bike with rear wheel steering.

New York’s Mayor De Blasio says the city is fully funding Vision Zero efforts, but the numbers tell a different story.

Evidently, drivers in the Bronx are being terrorized by preteen bike riders.

 

International

CyclingTips looks at the rise of crowdfunding for bicycle projects, despite the cautionary tale of an Irish company that won’t ship its promised products or provide refunds.

A Toronto writer says drivers are horrible, but cyclists are the ones who scare her, and would it hurt you to wear orange and obey red lights?

The UK’s Trump-less version of The Apprentice tackles the crowdfunded bicycling industry.

Caught on video: A headphone-wearing British cyclist gets on the wrong busy expressway headed the wrong way, where bikes aren’t allowed anyway. So of course the kindhearted driver who says he was so worried about his safety tells him to just keep going.

A new British study finds that the handful of people willing to help a stranger after a fake bike accident are also more likely to help a stranger taking a survey. Apparently, though, the overwhelming majority of people just don’t give a damn.

Sorry Amsterdam scooter riders, your snorfietsen have been banned from the bike paths.

 

Finally…

All it takes is a little toilet paper to keep fresh tar off your tires. Your next track bike could be a steal at just $26,000.

And if you’re going to steal a bike, try not to take it from a champion cross country runner.

 

Category: Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Law Enforcement, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: BOLO alert for Long Beach hit-and-run driver; bike-riding Tuskegee Airman passes away at 106

November 4, 2016 / / One comment

It takes a real jerk to leave a kid lying in the street.

Long Beach police are looking for the hit-and-run driver who struck a 15-year old boy Thursday morning as he was riding his bike at the intersection of Anaheim Street and Obispo Ave in the city’s Zaferia neighborhood.

Fortunately, the victim was not seriously injured.

According to the Press-Telegram, the driver, who stopped briefly before fleeing, appeared to be a blond haired, blue eyed male in his 20s. He was driving a newer model sedan, possibly a Honda, with a flat-black paint job with possible damage to the right front turn signal, as well as previous damage to its front passenger-side door.

Anyone with information is urged to call Long Beach police investigators at 562/570-7355.

Meanwhile, the CHP is searching for the heartless coward who drove away after hitting a nine-year old Murrieta boy as he was riding to school Thursday morning; fortunately the boy, the son of a Marine first sergeant stationed at Camp Pendleton, only suffered minor injuries.

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Heartbreaking news, as a genuine American hero died at the VA hospital in Westwood last month.

According to the LA Sentinel, 106-year old Redondo Beach resident Walter Crenshaw, Jr. was the oldest surviving member of the Tuskegee Airmen when he passed away on October 7th.

The paper reports he used to ride his bike to the Santa Monica pier three or four times a week when he lived in the city.

The Tuskegee Airmen were among the best pilots in the air in WWII, despite dealing with relentless discrimination in the Jim Crow South and on the battle fields of Europe; they proved that black men could fly just as well, if not better, than the white pilots they fought with and against.

Their success in the air paved the way for the integration of the armed forces, and for the civil rights battles that followed after the war.

They were heroes in every sense of the word, yet came back to an America where they were second class citizens.

………

A British website says slower races and lower power to weight ratios are a sign that pro cycling’s doping era really is over.

Chinese rider Meiyin Wang is called China’s best cyclist ever as he prepares to make his pro debut.

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Local

Streetsblog lists five reasons people who bike should vote for Measure M, including support for Complete Streets and a dedicated funding stream for active transportation projects; at least some CSUN students agree.

CiclaValley offers a preview of the 2017 Amgen Tour of California.

Culver City Walk and Roll will host a Wheels and Heels group ride this Sunday to have fun and discuss bike safety.

 

State

Simi Valley police use bait bikes to bust six bike thieves; three of the people arrested have already pled guilty to felony grand theft charges.

Santa Barbara is on the short list to receive $15.5 million in state funding for four bicycle projects, including a long crosstown bike boulevard.

The investigation continues in Santa Cruz into the death of a bicyclist who grew up in Laguna Beach; no charges have been filed yet because police have been unable to identify the driver.

Alameda advocates are calling for a bicycle drawbridge to connect with Oakland; riders currently have to use a narrow, dark and dangerous tunnel filled with exhaust and the roar of traffic.

Bay Area bike advocates are demanding changes to an East Bay freeway interchange where two riders have been killed, and two more seriously injured in the last 20 months.

A Davis cyclist has ridden across the US twice after taking up riding to recover from a car wreck that left him immobile for years; now he rides a Penny Farthing to call attention to plans for a National Bicycle Greenway across the US.

Sacramento volunteers will build 4,000 bikes this weekend to donate to deserving kids. Then again, every kid deserves a bike.

The San Jose Mercury News suggests taking an autumn bike ride around Lake Tahoe. Or using snowshoes if you wait too long.

 

National

Momentum Magazine says protected intersections are the latest trend in bicycle safety, because a bikeway is only as strong as its weakest link.

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein may be a bad rapper, but she’s a fan of bicycles.

An auto-centric Seattle radio host calls the author of the excellent Seattle Bike Blog “a notoriously hyper-critical bike activist” for saying a proposed eight-lane waterfront roadway should put people first, instead of cars; he insists the plan does put people first because people drive cars.

Outside Magazine says Crested Butte CO is the country’s best mountain bike destination.

An Iowa driver has been found guilty in the collision that left a cross-country bicyclist paralyzed below the waist.

Protected bike lanes are spreading throughout the US, even popping up in rural Arkansas.

It takes a major scumbag to leave an Indiana hit-and-run victim to die alone in the street, and an even bigger one to come upon the scene and steal his bicycle as he lay dying.

A New York Uber bike courier has filed a proposed class action suit against the company demanding to be classified as an employee, rather than an independent contractor.

 

International

Quartz says the real reason behind the worldwide bike boom is concern over weight loss. Except in Paris, where web searchers want to know why cyclists shave their legs.

Riding the entire length of South America on a bamboo bike.

Real funny. A group of kids in the UK post video of assaulting random people with a pie in the face, including one attack that knocked a man off his bicycle, which could have resulted in serious injuries.

London Vogue editors consider whether it’s safe, if not fashionable, to ride in the city.

Caught on video: A London cyclist records a year’s worth of close calls, while the Daily News calls him a drama queen who blames everyone but himself.

London’s Telegraph wonders what the bicycles of the future will look like, as bike racing’s governing body gets ready to scrap the 3:1 rule that limits innovative frame designs.

A Polish bike rider was collateral damage when a high-powered bullet fired by hunter passed through a deer, and traveled nearly 1,000 feet before striking him in the head.

A South African grandfather was caught in the crossfire between two gangs while riding his bicycle and was killed by a stray bullet.

 

Finally…

Everyone needs a good cycling excuse every now and then. Seriously, don’t threaten other riders with a knife. Or anything else.

And a hit-and-run driver tried to bury evidence of his crime. Literally.

 

Category: Bikes & the Law, Hit-and-Run, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Whittier bike rider dies of heart attack, LACBC hosts cop talk, and Amgen ToC comes back to SoCal

November 3, 2016 / / 3 comments

Sometimes the dangers we face don’t come from careless drivers, but from our own bodies.

That was the case last month, when the owner of the Toyota of Whittier dealership died of an apparent heart attack while riding on the Greenway Trail. Curt James was just 53 when he succumbed on October 21st, while riding the bicycle he had purchased in July.

His death serves as a tragic reminder that while bicycling may be good for your health, you should always talk to your doctor before changing your riding habits or beginning any new physical activity.

His death is the 68th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 28th in Los Angeles County; at least four of those deaths have been due to natural causes.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Curt James and all his family.

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As we mentioned last week, BikinginLA sponsor Jim Pocrass will be part of a free panel discussion on bicycle laws hosted by the LACBC on November 14th, along with representatives of the LAPD, CHP and LA County Sheriff’s Department.

ask_an_officer_flyer_f

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Next year’s Amgen Tour of California — America’s only men’s WorldTour race — will feature four SoCal stages, with finishes in Santa Clarita, Mount Baldy and Big Bear, along with the final stage in Pasadena. It won’t drop south of Los Angeles this time, although it may come back to San Diego in the future.

Cycling Tips talks with LA pro cyclist Phil Gaimon about retirement and reinvention. Or you can hear Gaimon speak for himself on his weekly podcast.

Petaluma’s Alison Tetrick became a successful pro cyclist after trading one saddle for another.

The German-based Giant-Alpecin cycling team is looking for closure in civil and criminal cases against the 73-year old British driver who crashed head-on into six members of the team on a training ride last year.

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Local

A writer for the Guardian looks at three American cities addicted to cars and their efforts to kick the habit, including our own City of Angels. And goes for an informative ride with Streetsblog’s Joe Linton.

The LACBC offers their endorsements on the local measures on Tuesday’s ballot, along with a questionnaire from county commissioner candidate Janice Hahn. It says something about our local government that Hahn wants to step down from the US Congress to serve on the county board. And I’m not sure that it’s good.

KPCC’s AirTalk program examines five things you should know before voting on Measure M.

A bike rider standing on a Norwalk street corner pulled out a rifle and took several shots at a motorist who slowed down because he thought the man looked suspicious. Evidently, he was right.

 

State

Oceanside hosts a century ride this Saturday with the Bike the Coast/Taste the Coast Ride and Exposition.

San Diego’s eight-term Republican Congressman Darrel Issa campaigns by bicycle as he struggles to retain his seat.

The San Diego Bike Coalition is giving away free bike lights this afternoon in anticipation of the clock change this weekend.

Hesperia authorities are looking for a bike-riding man in a hockey mask who stabbed another man outside a convenience store.

The San Luis Obispo sheriff’s office is looking for unloved bicycles that can be refurbished and given to kids for the holiday’s. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

 

National

Outside Magazine sounds the death knell for the local bike shop, as they face increased competition from direct-to-consumer sales by bike makers. Although online dealers can’t set up your bike for you, and won’t be there for you when you need help down the road.

Evidently, a Portland driver thought repeatedly driving on a suspended license was funny, even after he killed an innocent bike rider.

A Seattle bike writer says plans for a new eight-lane waterfront roadway are too car-centric, despite having pedestrian and bicycle pathways.

A Colorado city is spending $30,000 to rip out bike lanes on one street, after spending $39,000 to paint them. All because confused drivers couldn’t figure out what to make of them.

The Guardian offers a photographic look at Detroit’s custom bicycles. Some of which almost stack up to LA’s own East Side Riders.

Bighearted Connecticut cops buy a 14-year old boy a new bike after his was stolen at gunpoint.

After years of complaints, New York asks bicyclists to report blocked bike lanes. Whether that will have any effect on the NYPD, which is among the city’s worst offenders, remains to be seen.

A road raging New Orleans-area cyclist faces charges for punching a woman in the face after she honked at him for swerving into his traffic lane. No matter what a driver may do, violence is never the answer. Period.

A Florida newspaper gets it, saying the death of a young cyclist should be a wakeup call for a community that too often gets caught up in debates over bike lanes, and misses the point that better-designed roads are safer for everyone. Actually, any traffic death, anywhere, should be a wakeup call, but seldom is.

Apparently, if you want to avoid jail time for a fatal hit-and-run, you just have to be old. An 89-year old Florida man got one year of house arrest for fleeing the scene after killing a man riding a bicycle; on the other hand, he won’t be able to legally drive again until he’s 99.

 

International

A travel website lists the Europe’s five most epic cycling climbs.

If you have wear hi-viz, at least it can look good.

Police in a British city insist they don’t have the manpower to investigate dangerously close passes, but do have the time to stop 450 law abiding bike riders to give them a safety chat.

A New Zealand bike rider gets 20 points against his driver’s license for riding through a stop sign, even though he doesn’t have one.

Life is cheap in Singapore, where a bus driver got a whole 15 days for carelessly killing an elderly bike rider. Meanwhile, a writer says the island city/state must do more to make bicycling a better alternative to driving. Like maybe stopping bus drivers from killing people.

 

Finally…

Stressing over KOMs can be harmful to your relationship. Who needs an engine when your car has pedals?

And yes, you can be a country music star and still wear spandex when you ride your bicycle.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: More on Measure M, Bouquet Canyon closed until April, and a pair of tough young cyclists

November 2, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: More on Measure M, Bouquet Canyon closed until April, and a pair of tough young cyclists

Local

The LA Times lays out Metro’s transportation battle plan if Measure M passes, and if it doesn’t. Hint: We’ll all be better off if it does.

Here’s another reason to vote for Measure M: The half-cent sales tax increase could be used to fix the roads in the LA area, which are rated the second worst in the US. And bad roads affect people on two wheels more than those on four.

Glendale kicks off a new bike and pedestrian safety campaign timed for the end of Daylight Savings Time. And no, we are not impressed.

Bike SGV is hosting a free learn to bike class from 9 to 11 am this Saturday, although the date and time are missing from the page.

CiclaValley writes that the popular Bouquet Canyon riding route will be closed until April to protect from flooding.

 

State

The CTC proposes over $23 million in funding for the CV Link multi-use path circling the Coachella Valley, despite rejection of the proposed route by Rancho Mirage and opposition in Indian Wells.

A Redlands couple riding around the US on a tandem bike fell short of their nearly 10,000 mile goal when their bike was struck by a distracted driver in Kingman AZ; fortunately, both only suffered minor injuries. You have to be pretty damn distracted not to see two people on a bicycle directly in front of you.

A San Francisco bicyclist suffered life threatening injuries in a collision caused by someone running a red light; police hope to find security video and talk to the rider when his condition improves to determine who was at fault.

A Bay Area website recommends a scenic, 25-mile loop around Stinson Beach, offering 3,000 feet of climbing and thrilling descents.

 

National

People for Bikes says bicycles belong on main streets, not side streets, so people can use them for utilitarian errands rather than just riding to work.

An Oregon paramedic says we all have to try harder to make sure everyone gets home safely.

Utah installs signage for two US Bicycle Routes across the southern portion of the state.

A terminally ill Colorado man is going out on his own terms by starting his own Hospice Racing team after entering hospice care.

A Chicago entrepreneur is proposing a floating bike lane over the city’s eponymous river.

The Department of DIY has opened a branch in Cambridge MA, where cyclists are responding to the death of a fellow rider by crowdfunding their own posts to create a guerilla protected bike lane.

Ride your bicycle through 400 years of history on the 52-mile Virginia Capital Trail.

 

International

A skill every bike rider should master: How to correctly wear a cycling cap. Personally, I still prefer the cap on backwards with the bill turned up.

An Italian prince was killed in a London collision when he tried to overtake a truck, whose driver was unable to see his bike because the steering wheel was on the wrong side — the equivalent of a right-hand drive truck on US roads; the victim was heir to a Florence noble family dating back to the Middle Ages.

London’s former cycling commissioner says the city’s new mayor must do much more to show a commitment to bicycling.

Anti-bike terrorists strike in the UK, where someone booby trapped a bike trail with wooden spikes that could have seriously injured someone. Or worse.

The historic island state of Malta is getting its first bikeshare system, with 53 stations serving a population of 400,000.

An Aussie paper says “lunatic” bicycle food couriers are “dicing with death” by illegally riding through some of Sydney’s busiest highway tunnels. Although there is another side to the bike delivery question.

A new Australian report calls for simplifying intersections and reducing speed limits to reduce crashes by elderly drivers.

 

Finally…

If you want to sail, get a bike. Evidently, fleeing from police is hungry work.

And this may be the toughest bike rider you see today.

Unless maybe it’s this tiny salmon cyclist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzQ_cwqsRPs

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Morning Links: Jefferson Blvd Complete Streets in line for state funding, and LA pro Phil Gaimon calls it a career

November 1, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: Jefferson Blvd Complete Streets in line for state funding, and LA pro Phil Gaimon calls it a career

Maybe we really will see some changes around here. Particularly in some of LA County’s less advantaged communities.

Richard Parks forwards news that the California Transportation Commission has recommended funding a number of active transportation projects in LA County.

Topping the list from his perspective is a much needed and hard fought effort to transform Jefferson Blvd into a Complete Street.

The California Transportation Commission has recommended $6 million in funding to make Jefferson Blvd. from Vermont Ave. west to Western Ave. a complete street. The plan calls for protected and buffered bike lanes, pedestrian lighting, sidewalk repairs, street trees and more. This project will link to USC’s Jefferson Blvd. Streetscape Plan which intersects with the MyFigueroa project. The CTC will ratify staff recommendations in December.

Other projects on the list include:

  • $3.4 million for the second phase of the West Santa Ana Branch Bikeway in Paramount
  • $1.8 million for bike and pedestrian enhancements on Atlantic Ave in Cudahy
  • $1 million for the first phase of the Pacoima Wash bike and pedestrian path in San Fernando
  • $1.5 million for intersection improvements at the Slauson Blue Line Station
  • $660,000 for the Garfield Avenue Complete Streets Corridor in South Gate
  • $1 million for a Huntington Park Safe Routes to School project
  • $1.1 million for the Southern California Disadvantaged Communities Planning Initiative
  • $5.3 million for Safe Routes to School pedestrian improvements in Lancaster
  • $2 million for a bike lane gap closure project on Spring Street in Signal Hill
  • $1.4 million for phase II of the DWP’s Los Nietos Safe Routes to School

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LA’s own pro cyclist Phil Gaimon calls it a career after failing to find a WorldTour ride for next season. He says don’t call it retirement, though, in a great self-penned piece that reflects the struggles of most pro cyclists; meanwhile, his Malibu Gran Cookie Dough this Sunday will become his semi-official non-retirement party.

On the other hand, British pro Bradley Wiggins considers un-retiring.

And a 25-year old Spanish cyclist gets a four year ban for doping with a drug he denies ever taking.

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Local

Venice Blvd now officially belongs to Los Angeles instead of being under the control of Caltrans, after the state pays LA to take it off their hands.

Metro is asking for input on the coming LAX Connector Line, which includes plans for a bike hub to make it easier to ride to the airport.

 

State

An unidentified bike rider was hospitalized with traumatic injuries after he or she was hit by a Garden Grove police officer. Thanks to Steve Herbert for the heads-up.

A Redlands thief plays Mission Impossible by lowering himself through the roof to steal $200 from a bike shop.

It’s been a rough few days in Fresno; just two days after a bike rider was killed in a collision, another rider suffered life-threatening injuries yesterday.

San Jose church members assemble 60 bicycles to donate to local children.

Palo Alto considers budget options for a new bike bridge after rejecting a previous design that came in over budget.

A Santa Rosa letter writer says the anti-bike residents along a local roadway remind him of Deliverance.

 

National

Streetsblog looks at why American trucks are so deadly for bicyclists and pedestrians, after London takes steps to ban dangerous trucks from the roads.

An Oregon TV station asks if it’s time to put bike lanes on a key bridge after a bike rider was killed by a driver with 31 previous traffic convictions. Bike lanes would be a good idea; keeping demonstrably dangerous drivers off the roads would be better.

Authorities say they know who sabotaged a Colorado bike trail, however, no charges have been filed yet in what the BLM calls an isolated incident.

Texas residents worry about property values plummeting if a proposed bike lane gets built. Never mind that bikeways have consistently been shown to increase property values.

A DC bicyclist dodged a bullet — literally — when a road raging driver took a shot at him; his rear bike tire wasn’t so lucky.

I want to be like her when I grow up. A 90-year old Florida woman consistently holds her own on a 31-mile weekly group ride.

 

International

Riding a bicycle just five minutes a day can cut your risk of early death from heart disease. But it won’t get you very far.

Bicycle Times offers a guide to buying a bicycle.

Bike Radar recommends five bike action cams they like, all of which just happen to be made by GoPro or Garmin.

Who couldn’t use a few tips on dating a female competitive cyclist?

Anti-bike terrorists strike again, this time strewing tacks on an Ottawa bike lane.

Bodyguards ban British Foreign Secretary and former London Mayor Boris Johnson from bicycling over fears that riding a bike would make him a target. Just like it does the rest of us.

China’s maintenance-free, dock-less Mobike bikeshare system is expanding to Singapore, which appears to have won that skirmish in China’s bikeshare startup battle.

 

Finally…

Do Angelenos fear Scientology’s bike-riding security guards because they’re Scientologists, or because they’re on bicycles? Your next racing kit could have as much coffee inside as you do.

And it’s not unusual for a drunk driver to flee from the cops after nearly hitting a bike rider. Except when the driver is just 12-years old.

 

Category: Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: UCLA bikeshare may be doomed, sleep bike riding in the UK, and riding a wave on two wheels

October 31, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: UCLA bikeshare may be doomed, sleep bike riding in the UK, and riding a wave on two wheels

It’s a surprisingly light news day after last weekend’s massive post. So take a few minutes to read today’s post, then get out on your bike and enjoy the cool fall weather.

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Local

A writer for UCLA’s Daily Bruin says the hilly terrain on campus and the lack of safe infrastructure in Westwood could doom the university’s bikeshare system before it starts. You can thank Councilmember Paul Koretz for the lack of bike lanes off campus.

 

State

Victorville cyclists honor a pair of fallen bicyclists at the second annual Victor Valley Bicycle Tour.

Around 850 bicyclists took part in Sunday’s SLO Gran Fondo along California’s Central Coast.

A Fresno bike rider was critically injured in a collision at an intersection after allegedly riding though a red light. Somehow, bicyclists always seems to be the ones at fault when they’re no longer around around to tell their side of the story.

 

National

Men’s Journal explains everything you need to know about Everesting, which is repeatedly riding uphill until you reach the equivalent distance of climbing Mt. Everest. Sherpas optional.

Once again, authorities manage to keep a dangerous driver on the road until it’s too late. A Portland driver killed a cyclist after being convicted of 31 driving infractions, including one count of hit-and-run and eleven convictions for driving with a suspended license. Yet somehow, he was still able to remain behind the wheel until he killed someone.

Sad news from Colorado, as a cancer-stricken dog riding across the US with his owner has died, just days after the Marine veteran’s specialized bicycle was stolen; he set off on the cross-country trip to ensure that the dog’s last days would be her happiest.

A Minnesota newsman goes riding with a group of fourth and fifth graders, part of a program to empower kids by getting them out on bicycles for a couple hours after school, rain or shine.

Kindhearted Columbus OH cops take time to fix a little boys bike after responding to another call.

 

International

London cyclists will hold a die-in tonight to protest the death of yet another bike rider killed by a large truck.

A Cambridge traffic planner argues for getting away from distinctions between types of cyclists, saying there’s only one type of person who rides a bike — someone who wants to get from A to B, regardless of how fast or slow they may go.

A British website suggests eleven ways to stay safe when riding this winter.

A Englishman can thank a man out for a run for saving his life after he suffered a heart attack while riding his bike. Meanwhile, a London air ambulance crew saved the life of another rider by preforming a rare heart procedure on the side of the roadway.

In a truly bizarre case from the UK, a retired postman may have been riding his bicycle in his sleep when he rode into a river and drowned.

A French police agency says bike riders are at fault in half of all bicycling collisions, and points the finger at “inconsiderate” riders. Does mean inconsiderate drivers are responsible for the other half?

A Kiwi writer says it’s time to cut bike riders some slack, because we help drivers more than we hold them up. Despite the prime minister’s son’s idiotic assertion that “real men ride women,” not bicycles.

An Aussie Vietnam War vet is nearing the end of a one-legged, 10,000 kilometer ride from Hanoi to Sydney — the equivalent of 6,214 miles — to call attention to veteran suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Singapore cyclists are modifying their ebikes to turn them into virtual motorcycles. And at least one British rider did, too.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: It’s one thing to wave while you ride, another to get carried away by one. When your costume comes from Stranger Things, a bicycle is mandatory.

And your next bicycle could have a four stroke, multispeed gas engine.

Or maybe not.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , ,

Weekend Links: Santa Ana bike rider injured in street racing crash, a close pass in Stanton, and Bike Events

October 29, 2016 / / 3 comments

A Santa Ana bike rider was seriously injured Thursday night, the victim of a driver who was allegedly street racing with another car.

Both drivers fled the scene.

However, 20-year old Christopher Carrasco was arrested about two hours later, after he was encouraged to turn himself in by family members; he was being held on $50,000 bail. Authorities are still looking for the other driver.

The victim was reportedly in stable condition after undergoing surgery Friday morning.

Some news reports have suggested the victim may have been riding without lights, and might have done something that contributed to the crash.

However, no matter what he may or may not have done, street racing is a serious crime with entirely foreseeable consequences, akin to firing a gun down a crowded street. It should not be up to the rest of the world to stay the hell out of the way of dangerous drivers exceeding the speed limit and putting everyone else at risk.

Thanks to Jeff Vaughn for the heads-up.

………

Mike Wilkinson forwards video of a far too close pass in Stanton, which just happened to occur right next to the only parked car on the street.

He notes that, despite the perspective, he was riding outside the door zone. However, in the future, he plans to take the lane where the road narrows there.

………

Let’s catch up on a few upcoming events.

Metro will be hosting a guided Halloween Metro Bike bikeshare ride around DTLA on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, Finish the Ride and Serious Cycling will host a free community ride in Agoura Hills.

The first three-day Revolution Bike Fest will take place on Orange County next weekend, with a full weekend of rides, music and beer.

revolution-bike-fest

If you find yourself jonesing for another ciclovía now that CicLAvia is done for the year, Long Beach hosts the next edition of their Beach Streets open streets event on November 12th.

nov-beach-streets

And the LACBC will host a discussion of traffic laws with representatives of the LAPD, LA County Sheriff’s Department and the CHP, along with BikinginLA Sponsor Jim Pocrass, on November 14th.

………

British Cycling confirms allegations that the head of their bike racing program used inappropriate and discriminatory language in telling a female racer to go and have a baby after her contract wasn’t renewed.

Meanwhile, leaders of the program while face questions in front of Parliament over allegations of legal doping.

………

Local

Representatives of a business group call for passing Measure M because voting no would cost LA County too much. Meanwhile, a writer for UCLA’s Daily Bruin says voters have an opportunity to move the city forward by voting yes on M.

Metro officially votes to expand the Metro Bike bikeshare to Venice, San Pedro/Wilmington and Pasadena, where it will focus on the last mile connection; next up is Central LA, followed by Hollywood and West Hollywood, which already has its own system. Meanwhile, UCLA’s bikeshare system will open next spring.

Speaking of West Hollywood, the city’s bikeshare system will be on lockdown Monday during the massive Halloween celebration.

CiclaValley says every lane is a horse poop lane when you’re following the LAPD’s mounted patrol through the bike lanes of Downtown.

 

State

Streetsblog looks at the challenges in Caltrans efforts to develop a statewide active transportation plan, as they seek the public’s input.

Santa Ana goes beyond Vision Zero with a plan to end traffic collisions, not just deaths, while giving the streets back to people.

San Diego’s KPBS looks forward to Sunday’s annual CicloSDias open streets event. Meanwhile, the city’s downtown library is now hosting a monthly free bike repair co-op.

A San Diego man gets two Cervelos worth $46,000 back after they were stolen, thanks to the sharp eye of a neighbor.

After allowing a previous DIY protected bike lane to stay in place, San Francisco’s transportation department wastes little time in removing the latest guerilla installation.

A pair of bike riders are Bay Area heroes, as one retrieves a lost purse left on a bus, and the other leaps off his bike to save the life of a truck driver who’d just been stabbed.

A Vallejo cop hit a bicyclist while looking for a burglary suspect; the rider allegedly went through a red light while wearing all black with no lights on his bike.

A Folsom restaurant owner is collecting funds from the meals he sells to support the family of an Afghan refugee killed by a distracted driver while riding with his son last year.

 

National

A new report reminds us that homeowners who fight bikeways are just shooting themselves in the foot. Or rather, in the pocketbook.

Robin Williams’ bicycle collection raised $600,000 for charity.

A new study ranks the Philadelphia area as the second best place to ride a bike, behind the Minneapolis area and ahead of New York; the LA/OC region checks in at 37.

A new protected bike lane and wider sidewalks have resulted in zero fatalities on New York’s infamous Boulevard of Death, even though local residents don’t like it.

A Maine newspaper says the state’s Complete Streets policy won’t improve safety on the streets unless people in the state push for it to be fully funded and implemented.

 

International

A new British Columbia study says slow down while riding in urban areas to avoid inhaling toxic air pollution; 9.3 mph is recommended as the ideal speed to avoid sucking in too much smog.

An 83-year old Canadian grandmother is on a mission to give bicycles to underprivileged children, saying every child deserves a bike.

A homeless man gets 16 months in jail for knocking a cross-dressing Englishman off his bicycle with a shopping bag.

British tennis star Heather Watson says she was knocked over and verbally abused by someone on a bicycle.

Caught on video: A British driver makes an unsafe pass, then cuts back into his lane just in time to avoid a truck — and barely misses an eight-year old girl.

An Irish newspaper recounts the history of bicycling on the Emerald Isle.

Caught on video too: A Polish cyclist is lucky to walk away without serious injuries after being hit head-on.

Innovative approaches to bicycling and walking are leading Africa to a greener future, where four countries are among the world’s most dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Impoverished Johannesburg residents question whether bike lanes are racist and classist, after the city painted them without telling anyone who they were for or how to use them.

Life is cheap in Singapore, where the driver of a cement mixer gets a whopping ten weeks behind bars for killing a woman on a bike by failing to look at a pedestrian crossing.

It only took three years and a Freedom of Information request to learn a road raging Minneapolis bike rider and bus driver were both assholes.

Caught in video tres: A Singapore woman repeatedly slaps an elderly bike rider, while claiming she just got out of prison.

 

Finally…

The definition of bad luck: Someone steals your bike just two days after your car was stolen. If you want a free gold-plated Colnago, all you have to do is get elected pope.

And seriously, no sexting behind the wheel.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bike Events, Bikes & the Law, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Road rage assault in San Diego County, and LAPD looking for shooter of Echo Park bike rider

October 27, 2016 / / 3 comments

Come back later today when we’ll have a guest post from Mr. CiclaValley himself as he talks with Toluca Lake resident and pro cyclist Phil Gaimon about next weekend’s inaugural Malibu Gran Cookie Fondo.

………

This is who we share the roads with.

San Diego’s 10News reports a road raging driver intentionally knocked a local radio host off his bicycle as he was escorting a disabled cyclist on the Coast Highway in Carlsbad, just a few miles from the end of the Challenged Athletes Foundation’s 620-mile Million Dollar Challenge.

As the rider worked to make it up a small hill, an impatient driver began honking his horn, despite a support van warning cyclists were ahead. So KOGO host Bob “Sully” Sullivan rode back to explain that his riding partner was a paraplegic using a handcycle to get up the hill.

“‘We’ve gone 590 miles, give me 90 seconds, I’ll have him up and over this grade, you can be on your way,'” Sullivan said he told the man. “Completely agitated, he says to me, ‘I don’t care if it’s f-ing God up there. Get out of the f-ing road.'”

Sullivan said that’s when he stopped talking to the man and got back on his bike. The truck’s driver accelerated and hit Sullivan’s bike, causing him to fall to the roadway.

Yet despite the presence of an off-duty Carlsbad cop riding in the opposite direction, no charges have been filed.

“I think he needs to be arrested,” Sullivan said. “Somebody who purposely hits somebody on a bicycle using his car is either assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, at the very least shouldn’t be driving a car right now.”

Seriously.

Thanks to Todd Munson for the heads-up.

………

The LAPD is asking for the public’s help in finding the person who shot and killed a bike rider in Echo Park last week; 37-year old William Perea was hit with gunfire as he rode at Mohawk and Montana the night of October 17th.

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LADOT says safety remains the top priority on the LA River bike path, as they remind both walkers and bike riders about the statutes governing the pathway and the need to share it safely, in the wake of a collision with a bicyclist that sent an elderly woman to the hospital.

………

Equity is the common theme of the day.

Momentum Magazine looks at the nationwide movement to build greater equity in bicycling.

People for Bikes says the massive racial wealth gap is a major barrier to bicycle use, noting that a bike can’t save you money if you don’t have enough to buy one.

And Curbed looks at the speech given by the LACBC’s Tamika Butler that brought down the house at last month’s NACTO conference.

The LACBC deserves a lot of credit for starting this conversation, even before Butler came on board, with its outreach to lower income immigrant communities in the last decade. Along with notable presentations at the National Bike Summit that marked the bike coalition as a national leader on the subject.

………

Don’t forget to vote for LA Bike Trains and SAFE (Streets Are For Everyone) for this year’s LA2050 challenge grants; voting ends tomorrow.

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Local

KCET discovers the delicious marriage of bicycling and desserts that is Sweet Ride USA, with new episodes appearing online every Wednesday through November 16th.

KPCC discusses solutions to the first mile/last mile problem for transit users.

The Westwood Village Improvement Association discusses how to improve business and better serve the surrounding community. Oddly, making it safer to walk and bike there doesn’t seem to be an option, even though both would benefit the Village’s long suffering businesses.

Pasadena’s bikeshare system is expected to open next July as the Metro Bike system expands northward; the system is expected to have 400 bikes at 34 docking stations around the city.

The new and improved Agoura Road, complete with shiny new bike lanes, opens in Agoura Hills after a year of construction.

Cycling in the South Bay’s Seth Davidson recounts Tuesday’s civil obedience protest ride and lengthy council session in Palos Verdes Estates in his own inimitable style.

 

State

Hats off to OC’s Special Spokes and the San Clemente Rotary for providing special-needs kids with adaptive bicycles. With all the negativity this election year, it’s nice to see people working to make a real difference in kids lives.

A Clovis driver faces up to a year in jail for fatally rear-ending a bike rider last April.

An unidentified man was shot and killed as he rode his bike in Fresno Tuesday night; police are unsure if the shooting was gang-related.

 

National

There’s a special place in hell for someone who would steal a bicycle on loan to a vet from Ride 2 Recovery so he could ride across the US with his dog, who’s suffering from terminal cancer. And in my hometown, no less.

Bike lawyer Bob Mionske writes about a new Close Call Database allowing bike riders to report punishment passes from angry motorists to establish a paper trail in case the driver does it again. Or worse.

A Texas rider says learn to ride safely and obey the law, or don’t ride at all.

A Maine newspaper says the technology for today’s carbon fiber bicycles got its start in the state with Aegis Bicycle, but the company couldn’t hold out against increasing competition and the demand for ever lighter frames.

New York tells cyclists and pedestrians to make themselves more visible, and drivers to pay more attention, in advance of the end of daylight savings time next month. Meanwhile, a new proposal would allow bike riders to get a head start at traffic signals by going with the walk signal for the leading pedestrian interval.

Who was that masked man? A Bronx bike rider is a hero after retrieving a woman’s stolen purse, then riding off before she could thank him. No word on whether he left a silver bike chainlink behind.

Philadelphia police arrested a 17-year old boy in the shooting of a Good Samaritan who got off his bicycle to try to stop an armed robbery; he faces charges including attempted murder and aggravated assault.

Bikes and dogs are now officially banned from Arlington National Cemetery.

A Charleston writer says the city deserves the distinction of being called America’s worst city for bicycling.

 

International

You know Calgary has a lot of bike riders when the city’s bike counter gets maxed out with 68 days still left in the year.

Ella Cycling Tips offers advice on how to recover mentally from a bicycling crash.

Life is cheap in Belize, where champion cyclist Marlon Castillo is fined just $13,000 for the careless driving collision that killed his friend.

Ottawa police release a new PSA campaign explaining how to use and drive around the city’s new bike box and bi-directional bike lanes.

Caught on video: A British cabbie clips a cyclist with his mirror, then launches into a foul-mouthed temper tantrum claiming the rider somehow hit him. And yet some actually question who was in the right.

Tom Cruise is one of us, as he reportedly rides through the English countryside with his new girlfriend.

A Brit cyclist born with just one arm is raising funds to buy a prosthetic arm so he can compete in the Paralympic Games; a Go Fund Me account has raised a little more than half of the £7,500 goal, the equivalent of $9157.

A nine-year old cyclist may be a better climber than most of us, topping Italy’s famed Mt. Ventoux and Stelvio climbs in under 48 hours.

An Aussie writer says Sydney needs to focus less on fining bike riders and more on building some decent infrastructure for them.

A German cyclist survives a night in the snake and crocodile-infested Australian wilds after taking a header over his handlebars and dislocating is shoulder.

 

Finally…

If you’re going to use a bicycle to make your getaway after stealing a bag-full of booze, try not to ride into a lamppost. Why settle for a mere sag wagon when you can have your very own bike butler?

And in LA we have police chases; in London, it’s investment bankers biking away from bobbies.

 

Category: Car vs Bike, Morning Links, Road Rage, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Hit-and-run runs rampant throughout CA; video shows plans for Puente Hills Landfill park

October 26, 2016 / / One comment

If you think the hit-and-run epidemic is getting worse, you’re right.

Stats wonk Ed Ryder does a great job of mining the CHP’s SWITRS database; in the past, he’s created detailed charts to help us understand traffic collisions on PCH, as well as in LA and Orange Counties, and around the state.

So when I met with a state legislator to discuss the problem of hit-and-runs recently, I asked Ryder if he could delve into the database once again to show just how big a problem it really is.

And big is putting it mildly.

As his report shows, it’s goes way beyond bad, and it’s only getting worse. Not just here in LA, but nearly everywhere in California.

In fact, from 2004 to now, a driver fled the scene in nearly 20% of all crashes in the state.

1-overview

After dropping to a low of 17.4% of all collisions in 2011, hit-and-run has made a big comeback, climbing to 19.5% in 2015, and 20% to date in 2016.

2-total-collisions

Note: It should be noted that the more recent figures are preliminary, since there’s a significant lag time in reporting statistics to SWITRS. And these stats only include death and serious injuries; adding property damage would boost the percentages significantly.

The sheer numbers are staggering, with nearly 300 deaths due to hit-and-run collisions in recent years, and over 20,000 injuries.

4-killed-and-injured

As the following chart shows, the costs are huge, not just in terms of human suffering, but in the economic loss to society, as well.

3-hit-and-run-costs

Not surprisingly, Los Angeles County is the state’s overwhelming leader in hit-and-run deaths, with San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties fighting it out for 2nd place.

5-fatalities

Injuries paint an even more dramatic picture, with LA County accounting for over half of all hit-and-runs resulting in injuries.

6-injuries

However, that is partly a function of LA’s sheer size. When you look at hit-and-run collisions as a percentage of population, a much different picture appears.

While LA still leads in injury collisions, it drops to ninth in fatalities.

7-fatality-rate

8-injury-rate

It’s possible that may be due to better access to emergency care compared to less urban counties like Kern and Tulare, where it could take significantly longer to get to a trauma center following a crash. As well as slower speeds resulting from traffic congestion and lower speed limits in urban areas.

Regardless, it’s clear that hit-and-run is a problem that affects the entire state.

And it’s not going to go away until we do something about it.

You can download Ed Ryder’s full report here.

………

A new video explains the plan for the Puente Hills Landfill park, which was approved by the county supervisors yesterday.

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The route has been announced for next year’s 100th edition of the Giro d’Italia, once again with a focus on climbing.

A 46-year old British amateur cyclist has received a four year ban for using EPO, just months after being banned for using another substance. But cycling doesn’t have a cheating problem anymore. Right?

………

Local

Today is the last day to weigh in on the proposed Rail-to-River bikeway connecting the Crenshaw Line to the LA River through the southeast cities.

New signs are being installed on the LA River bike path telling riders to slow down in areas where more people walk. CiclaValley prefers to look on the bright side, noting that part of the bike path closure is due to improvements, even though we may not see them for the foreseeable future.

Pasadena will discuss plans for the coming Metro Bike bikeshare system at a public meeting this Thursday.

Long Beach police receive a $400,000 grant to improve traffic safety, including DUI, distracted driving, and bike and pedestrian safety enforcement.

 

State

A San Diego cyclist is asking for help remembering what the hell happened to him; he found himself standing bloodied and confused in a Target parking lot two miles away with a cracked skull and multiple facial fractures after going for a bike ride, with no idea how he got there.

San Diego offers proposals to discourage driving without increasing density, including counting on autonomous vehicles to reduce the need for parking and room for bike lanes.

While we’re on the subject of our neighbor to the South, San Diego’s CicloSDias ciclovía is looking for volunteers for this Sunday’s 4th annual open streets event.

San Francisco will get its first parking protected, elevated bike lane in the Mission District, but only for one block.

The San Francisco Chronicle looks at the “pack of vigilantes” altering the city’s streets to improve safety for bicyclists; a new video shows how it’s done.

 

National

Streetsblog looks at how American cities can protect cyclists from deadly trucks. It shouldn’t be left to individual cities or states; the federal government should mandate new trucking standards to improve safety for everyone.

Evanston IL city leaders propose removing a new bike lane from one side of the street to improve safety for motorists. Yes, you read that right; they want to sacrifice the safety of people on bicycles to protect the ones surrounded by a few tons of glass and steel. 

A Massachusetts blogger and mountain biker offers real world advice on bike commuting.

A 28-year old New York woman writes in Vogue about learning how to ride a bike as an adult to prepare for a trip to Copenhagen. Yes, Vogue. Evidently, we’ve become stylish.

Bike ridership continues to climb in New York, though lower income communities are being left behind as most protected lanes go into more affluent areas.

A 67-year old Virginia cyclist may be the oldest woman ride solo across the US.

ABC News reports on the South Carolina teacher who is raising funds to buy a bicycle for every student at her disadvantaged school.

 

International

Relatives of people killed on Toronto streets have formed their own traffic safety group to call for an end to road violence.

An Ottawa bike rider was hit by a car while riding in a new bike lane, just hours after it was officially opened. Which is a pretty good sign that a little paint may not be sufficient.

A Canadian city is being sued over an allegedly unsafe bike lane following a collision. Not by the rider who was paralyzed in the crash, but by the driver convicted of causing it by making an unsafe turn.

A UK website goes back 40 years to explain how Edinburgh became a bike-friendly city.

The creepy clown phenomenon continues to spread around the world, as a 15-year old New Zealand boy was frightened by a clown that threatened to kill him as he rode his bike. Although maybe it’s the clowns who should be scared.

Shanghai is offering ebike users a free electronic chip to track their bicycles if they’re stolen.

 

Finally…

Who needs carbon or Ti when you can have wood? It’s one thing to steal a boy’s bicycle; another to apparently steal the boy with it.

And it’s time to make bicycling great again, as a Trump supporter with a megaphone goes on an unexpected bike safety monologue.

Thanks to Cyclelicious for the link.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Hit-and-Run, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: MyFig finally breaks ground, and another LA2050 bike proposal

October 25, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: MyFig finally breaks ground, and another LA2050 bike proposal

Los Angeles city officials finally broke ground on the long-delayed MyFigueroa project on South Figueroa Street.

The three-mile long project connecting USC with Downtown LA will be the city’s first true Complete Street when it’s — hopefully — finished next summer.

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LA Bike Trains has a project competing for a grant from LA2050 to map out safe riding routes and provide wayfinding signs; we mentioned the proposal from SAFE (Streets Are For Everyone) yesterday.

Meanwhile, voting has been extended until Friday.

 

………

Local

Vision Zero LA is asking community groups to apply $25,000 grants to help spread the message on ten of the city’s most dangerous transportation corridors. Or as most people would call them, streets.

A writer for the LA Times says the response of LA voters to Measure M will determine whether Angelenos are still an automotive people.

A USC student writes about her trip down the central California coast with a friend following their high school graduation.

 

State

Stanton hit-and-run victim Deborah Gresham was remembered with a dedication at the end of Sunday’s Walking Dead season premier, as well as on the fan show Talking Dead; Gresham had founded and ran a 21,000-member Facebook page dedicated to the show.

A pair of middle-school cyclists from the Corona del Mar High School Mountain Bike Team gave up their Saturday morning to rebuild a trail in the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.

A San Diego writer urges a no vote on the county’s Measure A transportation tax, saying it doesn’t do enough for low-income communities reliant on bikes and walking, or to bring the transportation system into the 21st Century.

A 67-year old Sunnyvale woman is in critical condition following a hit-and-run while she was riding her bike.

San Francisco’s Department of DIY strikes again, building their own separated bike lane with $800 worth of safe-hit traffic bollards in an early morning raid.

 

National

A singletrack website lists the best beginner mountain bike trails in all 50 states; California’s is at Fort Ord.

A robotics engineer tells a Portland radio host that self-driving cars will make mass transit obsolete. Apparently forgetting that self-driving cars take up as much space on the roadways and do as much harm to the environment as any other cars.

In a rare burst of rationality, Tucson decides to lower speed limits on bike boulevards to 20 mph.

A Utah cyclist tells drivers a three-foot passing distance should be considered the bare minimum.

There’s a special place in hell for the bike-riding thief who snatched an 89-year old Oklahoma war vet’s wallet out of his pants.

 

International

A review of 14 international studies show lower socioeconomic status, rural locations and riding mostly on sidewalks are the most common factors leading to bicycling injuries among children.

A New Brunswick landlord is sentenced to seven years for the hit-and-run death of a bike rider; he also faces charges for allegedly beating a young man to death, and the alleged beating of one of his tenants.

The UK’s Daily Mail stages a race between bike riders and motorists to show how bike lanes are causing congestion, but only manages to prove once again that bikes are the faster option to get around a city.

Scottish police are looking for a road raging bike rider with a black dog and a prosthetic leg accused of shouting racial abuse at a driver. For better or worse, language like that is protected under the 1st Amendment in the US, not so much in many other countries.

An Irish writer complains that cycling may be the new golf, but golfers don’t get in her way on weekends like cyclists do when they should be having sex with their wives or mistresses. Never mind her reference to “the latent homosexuality that pervades all male activity.” No, really.

A 17-year old Kiwi cyclist looks forward to riding with his idol, a four-time champ twice his age.

 

Finally…

No, you wouldn’t want to smash a carbon bike by stamping a license number on it. Evidently, bike-riding zombies are a thing.

And not even brick and mortar business are safe on our streets.

 

Category: Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , ,
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