Tag Archive for bicycling

Morning Links: Sad Fiesta Island news, for and against the 3-foot law, and a new reflector could stop cars sooner

August 21, 2014 / / 8 comments

We have a lot to catch up on after yesterday’s unexcused absence,* so let’s get to it.

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Bad news from San Diego. The wife of the cyclist critically injured by an allegedly drunk and/or high wrong way driver on Fiesta Island says he’s on a breathing machine and fighting for his life; if he survives, he’ll be paralyzed from the waist down.

Sounds like prayers or good wishes are in order, whichever you’re comfortable with.

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The family of fallen randonneur Matthew O’Neill encourages drivers to observe the new three-foot passing law and change lanes to pass a cyclist.

Meanwhile, a website uses video from the Rock Store climb, aka The Snake, to suggest the three-foot law will make driving impossible, even though passing at an unsafe distance has always been illegal; the only thing this law changes is specifying just what a minimum safe distance is. And the rider in question is legally taking the lane on what is clearly a substandard lane.

Bottom line, as a side-by-side comparison of these two stories make clear, observing the three-foot law is a question of safety — that is, someone’s life — versus a minor inconvenience to impatient motorists.

I know which side I fall on.

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This could be a big step forward in bike safety, as a new reflector tricks the Crash Avoidance System found in many new cars into seeing a cyclist or pedestrian as being closer or larger than they really are. The makers are looking for a strategic partner to help bring it to the right markets; this could be a great investment for someone with the right knowledge.

And yes, I want one. Now.

Thanks to new ROAD Magazine editor Chris Klibowitz for the heads-up.

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Time to loosen up those wallets. The Kickstarter for BikinginLA sponsor AnyKicks has just over $18,000 to raise with two weeks to go.

Let’s push ’em over the top and show bike shops and manufacturers that advertising on here really works. And fund a deserving project while we’re at it.

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Evidently, the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree, either. The father of the teenage driver who got off using the affluenza defense was arrested last month for impersonating a police officer.

If you’ll recall, his 16-year old spawn got away with killing four people in an under-aged drunken crash when the judge agreed his parents were too rich for him to be expected to take responsibility for his own actions.

Thanks to the Witch on a Bicycle for the link.

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Elia Viviani wins the fourth stage of the USA Pro Challenge after retiring rider Jens Voigt fades after a 40 km solo breakaway; that other famous bike rider from my hometown keeps the leader’s jersey.

Is it just me, or is there less interest in the Pro Challenge this year? There seems to be a lot less press coverage this time around. Except for the drunk driver who somehow made it onto the closed course.

Italy’s economic woes lead to the merger of the Cannondale/Liquigas and Slipstream teams. And Vavel previews the first seven stages of the Vuelta, along with the seven that follow.

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Local

Boyle Heights residents worry the new Eastside extension of the Downtown CicLAvia route will lead to increased gentrification, while LA’s incredibly popular open streets event officially comes to the San Fernando Valley next March.

A ride marshal is ticketed — and may have been intentionally doored by police — for running a red light on the Clitoral Mass ride.

The LA Times looks at the new Timbuk2 store on Abbot Kinney in Venice.

Sweet Ride USA invites you to explore the intersection of bikes and sweets in Little Tokyo this Saturday. The Santa Monica Museum of Arts’ Tour Da Arts rolls on Sunday, as does the LACBC’s Sunday Funday ride through Carson.

A chef famed around the world for his cuisine and temper gets his new bike on at Cynergy.

The bike friendly Fiesta La Ballona takes place in Culver City this weekend.

LACBC local chapter Bike Walk Glendale sponsors Operation Firefly to give free bike lights to riders without them.

 

State

The state legislature passes a bill allowing local jurisdictions to tack an extra $5 onto vehicle registration fees to fund bicycle infrastructure. But what are the chances of actually getting 2/3 of drivers to tax themselves to fund bike projects?

Laguna Beach votes to explore ways to ease congestion and improve bike and pedestrian access on Laguna Canyon Road.

The Bike League profiles BikeSD’s own Sam Ollinger, who has quickly risen to become one of the leading bike advocates — not women’s bike advocate, thank you — in the US.

An Ohio man pleads no contest in the alleged DUI hit-and-run that took the life of a Chico State cyclist.

The EPA honors a 116-mile bike path from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake; when a new segment opens, it will be 75% complete.

 

National

CNN asks if Lance’s lies and bullying can be forgiven. The former, maybe; the latter, not so much.

Protected bike lanes are rapidly spreading throughout the US.

Our own Boyonabike looks at riding in bike friendly Portlandia.

Life is cheap in Utah, when not even killing a bike riding judge while driving distracted is enough to get authorities to take traffic crime seriously, as the driver gets off with a lousy $670 fine and six months probation.

Seventy-year old basketball great Rick Barry is slowly recovering from a bad solo bike crash in Colorado.

University of Chicago Hospitals illegally applies stickers to discourage legal bike parking.

A New York cyclist is fined $675 and loses her drivers license for running a red light on her bike and not having a bell — $5 more than some states fine drivers for killing someone.

The Washington Post asks if bike riders should be allowed to roll stop signs. The obvious answer is yes, but good luck convincing most motorists. And voters.

 

International

A writer for the Vancouver Sun says bike lanes will do more to protect cyclists than helmets.

Toronto authorities exonerate a local police department on accusations that they whitewashed a case involving the wife of an officer who killed a cyclist. Even though they failed to test the driver for drugs or alcohol and allowed her to drive home while the investigation at the scene was still ongoing.

Northern Ireland plans a two week bicycling festival.

Caught on video: An Edinburgh cyclist learns first hand the dangers of getting a wheel caught in tram tacks.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: Sometimes it’s the other riders you have to watch out for. It doesn’t even take a whole car to send a cyclist to the hospital; sometimes, a stray part is enough.

And Gizmodo looks at seven bikes that, thankfully, didn’t change bicycling forever.

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*My apologies for missing yesterday’s post, as well as a few others in recent weeks. I try to post every weekday; however, while my diabetes is officially under control, I’m still having major health problems that may or may not be related, and which leave me largely incapacitated for much of the day — and have kept me off my bike for the better part of two months. Most days, I’m able to rally long enough to get a new post online, but others — like yesterday — find me down for the count.

Hopefully, my doctors will finally figure out what’s going on, and this too shall pass.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Details come out in death of randonneur Matthew O’Neill; new Chinese bike doesn’t need you

August 19, 2014 / / 3 comments

Finally, more details on the death of SoCal randonneur Matthew O’Neill outside of Santa Maria earlier this month.

According to the Santa Barbara Independent, O’Neill was riding far to the right on a straight, if narrow, stretch of roadway and was “lit up like a Christmas tree” when he was hit by a truck driven by the unnamed 16-year old son of former Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado.

A spokesman for the CHP says the investigation will take some time, and that all factors — including speed and distracted driving — are being considered. However, they do not believe drugs or alcohol use played a role.

There’s also some question whether the boy was legally allowed to drive the truck and horse trailer, as California law prohibits drivers under 18 from operating a vehicle with a passenger under the age of 20 unless accompanied by an adult over 25 years old. The only passenger in the truck was his 18-year old brother; he was also a passenger when his mother was involved in another fatal collision on the same stretch of roadway two years earlier.

Reading between the lines, it sounds like an inexperienced driver attempted to squeeze past the victim’s recumbent bike without changing lanes, and sideswiped him with the truck or trailer.

Whether that’s enough for the CHP to recommend charges against a member of a politically powerful family remains to be seen.

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Good read from Streetsblog’s Sahra Sulaiman on how bikes can help reclaim public space for marginalized communities.

There is no earthly reason that men of color should feel that the act of walking or riding a bicycle down the street is akin to extending an embossed invitation to police to stop, question, and frisk them, hand them bogus tickets (for not having bike lights in the day time, for example), or worse.

Amen, sister.

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Matthew Gomez writes to report the city of Arcadia just installed new bike lanes on 1st between Colorado and St. Joseph. It’s only three blocks, but it’s a start.

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Local

LA cyclist Zachary Rynew looks at the anatomy of a bike wreck, which, like most, clearly didn’t need to happen; he reports the injured riders still aren’t back on their bikes.

A occasionally bike riding columnist for the Pasadena Star-News just doesn’t get the animosity some drivers and San Marino residents have for cyclists.

KCET looks at plans for an Emerald Necklace greenbelt around LA County.

 

State

Despite increasing ridership rates, bike versus pedestrian injuries have declined in New York and California.

More than 1,000 riders of every description — including the city’s bike riding mayor — turn out to ride in support of San Diego cyclist Juan Carlos Vinolo, paralyzed by an alleged drunken wrong way driver on Fiesta Island last week.

San Diego’s Bike the Bay rolls this weekend, giving cyclists a once-a-year opportunity to ride the iconic Coronado Bay Bridge.

Our neighbor to the south unveils a website for San Diego’s new Bicycle Advisory Committee.

San Bernardino authorities are looking for a hit-and-run driver who fled on foot after striking another car, then spinning into a cyclist, leaving the critically injured rider in a medically induced coma.

Not surprisingly, San Jose merchants object to the removal of parking spaces in order to install bike lanes. Just like virtually every other merchants in virtually every other city — even though it’s been repeatedly shown bike lanes are good for business.

 

National

Lance still believes he won seven Tours de France; then again, he was there.

Six things to like about Seattle’s new two-way separated bike lanes.

Marijuana-related traffic fatalities are up 100% in pot-friendly Colorado.

Somehow, a South Dakota driver didn’t break any laws in killing a bike rider — despite being cited for failure to use due caution and failure to yield. But other than that…

A new, narrow bike lane may have contributed to a fatal New Hampshire dooring.

New York won’t consider bike lanes or other infrastructure on Park Avenue, despite the recent deaths of three bicyclists.

Caught on video: New York police search for a hit-and-run driver who made a U-turn to intentionally run over a pedestrian.

 

International

Chilean students design a bike that doesn’t need a lock. Because it is one.

If legendary rock drummer Ginger Baker hadn’t been hit by a car while riding his bike when he was 16, he might have become a professional cyclist, instead; he credits long-distance riding with the stamina needed to play the drums.

Despite calling for them now, London cyclists fought separated bike lanes 80 years ago.

In yet another anti-bike terrorist attack, a young British girl is nearly decapitated when someone strings a bike brake cable across a popular pathway.

If cyclists are breaking the law, there’s a problem with the street.

Caught on video: A Dublin tour guide is a Facebook hero after tackling a bike thief.

French pro Thomas Voeckler suffers his fourth broken collarbone in a collision with a car.

The author of an anti-bike Aussie Facebook page now calls for détente between cyclists and motorists.

 

Finally…

There’s got to be a story here, as a Burlingame cyclist gets into an argument with a man whose dog peed on his bike helmet; hopefully, he wasn’t wearing it at the time.

And forget driverless cars; a Chinese firm is developing an autonomous, self-riding bike. But then, what would be the point?

 

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

Morning Links: What DTLA can learn from NYC, guilty plea in Fallbrook hit-and-run, new distracted driving app

August 18, 2014 / / 2 comments
Local

What Downtown LA can learn from New York City — starting with road diets and pedestrian plazas.

Metro wants your help to plan possible bike share locations.

Setting an example by what you wear when you ride.

The LA Times endorses closing a loophole that allows hit-and-run drivers to buy their way out of criminal charges.

The LACBC offers photos from Sunday’s Hot August Bikes at Amoeba Records.

The sixth edition of the Santa Monica Museum of Art’s popular Tour de Arts rolls this Sunday.

 

State

Laguna Beach city councilmembers get on their bikes to get a feel for bike safety.

Anaheim opens up for comments on the city’s proposed bicycle master plan.

San Diego cyclists plan to recreate last week’s ill-fated Fiesta Island ride that sent several riders to the hospital, thanks to an allegedly drunk and possibly high wrong way driver.

A Fallbrook driver pleads guilty to a hit-and-run that seriously injured a cyclist.

 

National

Not surprisingly, the more cities invest in bicycling infrastructure, the more they get out of it in the long term.

New heads-up display app gives drivers something to pay attention to. Other than what’s on the road in front of them, that is.

How to claim your place among the wealthy elite on bikes.

Bike lawyer Bob Mionske rebuts arguments that call for licensing cyclists.

The 18-year old Aspen kid who beat Lance on a mountain bike rides his first year as a road pro, while Taylor Phinney is back in BMC colors, albeit far from ready to race.

A Pittsburgh shopper goes on strike against his favorite store until they install bike racks.

A scofflaw Jared Leto illegally rides on a New York sidewalk. As has been pointed out before, though, few cyclists will ride on the sidewalk if they feel safe on the street. Celebs included.

 

International

A look at what may be Britain’s most dangerous bike lane.

London’s Evening Standard looks at bike bells.

A New Zealand political party calls for scrapping the country’s mandatory helmet law to boost bicycling.

 

Finally…

A British gang drives off with a woman’s car after tricking her into thinking she’d hit a cyclist. Of course, that wouldn’t work in LA, because the driver probably wouldn’t stop.

 

Category: General, Morning Links / Tags: , ,

A big bike weekend, with the Grand Opening of Timbuk2 and Aika Trading, and Amoeba’s Hot August Bikes

August 14, 2014 / / Comments Off on A big bike weekend, with the Grand Opening of Timbuk2 and Aika Trading, and Amoeba’s Hot August Bikes

Timbuk2 WindowBig bike events are on tap for the weekend, starting with the Grand Opening of the new Timbuk2 store in Venice.

After unofficially opening on Abbot Kinney a few weeks back, the new Timbuk2 store is celebrating its arrival in LA this Saturday and Sunday.

The popular bike bag maker was founded 25 years ago by a San Francisco bike messenger who was frustrated that he couldn’t find a decent messenger bag to meet his needs. His designs proved so popular, he soon found himself with a new career making custom bags for cyclists throughout the Bay Area.

Today, they’re one of the leading makers of custom and off-shelf messenger bags, bike packs, camera pouches, seat packs, backpacks, laptop bags and panniers. Even a new line of suitcases made to their own exacting standards.

All still made in San Francisco’s Mission District. And each complete with a lifetime warrantee.

Appropriately located almost directly across from the Linus bike store, at 1410 Abbot Kinney Blvd, the store is just the company’s sixth brick and mortar location, in a chain that stretches from Singapore to Toronto.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAmd7vRUVzU&feature=youtu.be

Despite the Venice store’s relatively small size, they hope to become a hangout for bike riders, just like the other locations.

As soon as you walk in — past the usually full bike rack on the sidewalk out front — you’ll see a small nook on your left, with seating, bike maps and other assorted materials, as well as a charging station and free WiFi. You’re welcome to hangout there as long as you want, whether or not you ever buy anything.

You’ll also find a free bike repair station with tools and floor pump for minor work, and friendly employees with basic wrenching skills who can probably show you how to do it.

Timbuk2 signAnd soon, they plan to offer their own bike share program, with a pair of bikes to loan on a first come, first serve basis. And yours free for a full day, if you can get there before someone else grabs them.

Step in a little further, and you’ll find a full selection of their offerings, including a smartly designed women’s line that goes far beyond “shrink it and pink it.” Like a pannier that converts to an attractive shoulder bag once you get to your destination.

Along with ultra-lightweight backpacks for both sexes, specifically designed for comfort on a bike. Water-resistant messenger bags with built-in laptop protection and straps that adjust for either shoulder. And rolling TSA-complaint backpacks to ease your transition from bike to airport.

Timbuk2 SwatchesThen there’s an entire back wall devoted to customizing your bag your way, with a near endless variety of swatches and patterns to create a true one-of-a-kind piece. And best of all, custom orders are delivered — not shipped, but actually in your hands — within three to five days.

It’s well worth checking out any day. But especially this weekend.

To commemorate the store’s opening, a Grand Opening Weekend Celebration will take place on Saturday, August 16 from 11AM – 7PM and Sunday, August 17 from 11AM – 7PM. In true Timbuk2 fashion, Timbuk2 Venice Beach will not only celebrate their opening, but also embrace their new community by partnering with nearby businesses to offer complimentary libations and bites. Timbuk2 will also offer $5 Miir stainless steel “tall boy” cups to raise funds for a Los Angeles bike advocacy non-profit.

Other Grand Opening Weekend Celebration highlights include:

  • Local craft beer + tasty bites from local food trucks.
  • Complimentary photobooth.
  • Live music.
  • Surprise giveaways and discounts.
  • Limited-edition Made in San Francisco shopping tote as a gift with every bag purchase.
  • Exclusive access to the Timbuk2 Republic of California Classic Messenger bag, available for purchase in-store only. Only 50 were made and they are available in two sizes.

RSVP on Timbuk2’s Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/events/1433582100259747/.

I hope to make it there myself this weekend. Even if I’ll have to pass on the Jack Daniels.

Meanwhile, they sent me home with one of those heavy-duty, laptop-specific messenger bags to review. Something I’ll look forward to once I get back on my bike.

But I can already tell you it’s the smartest designed bike bag I’ve had the pleasure of using, and tough enough to survive just about anything you or I can throw at it.

If they didn’t think of everything, they came damn close.

SAMSUNG

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Aika-Grand-Opening-662x1024On Saturday, you’re invited to the Grand Opening Aika Trading, a new urban cycling shop in Santa Monica.

The store, located at the intersection of Lincoln and Pearl, promises the best European brands and designs, including Dutch bikes, Bromptons and other unique brands and manufacturers.

The event runs all day Saturday, from 10 am to 7 pm.

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Then on Sunday, Hollywood’s Amoeba Records hosts Hot August Bikes.

HOTaugustBIKESposterThe free event celebrating bike culture takes place in the store’s outdoor parking lot behind the Sunset Blvd store on Ivar from noon to 5 pm. Sponsored by Converse, Bern, Sole Bicycles, the LA Weekly and public radio station KCRW, the event benefits the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, and features a complimentary bike valet hosted by the LACBC.

You’ll find DJ’s — after all, there’s no shortage of great vinyl inside — bike workshops, prizes and raffles, as well as a limited edition T-shirt from Golden Saddle Cyclery. Not to mention free food and drinks from Hubert’s Lemonade, Roots Hummus, Ice Cream Ian, Hollywood Farmer’s Market, Pure Luck Vegan and Bicycle Coffee.

Sounds like a great time for a great cause.

 

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Popular LA cyclist seriously injured, update on the San Diego crash that injured 8 riders

August 13, 2014 / / 5 comments

Lots of news today, so grab some coffee, limber up your clicking finger and settle in for a good read.

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Popular LA cyclist Jo Celso is hospitalized in San Diego after suffering serious injuries while riding at the San Diego Velodrome Tuesday night. Donations to defray medical expenses can be made through PayPal.

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The driver in the San Diego crash that sent eight cyclists to the hospital was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and drugs, possibly including meth; she has a history of petty crime dating back to 2006.

One of the victims reportedly couldn’t feel his legs following the crash, while the Times says one of the injured — most likely the same rider — suffered a major vertebral fracture; sounds like prayers or good wishes are in order.

And BikeSD calls for charges against the driver.

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A Santa Maria TV station confirms the rumors that the passenger in the truck that killed Chula Vista randonneur Matthew O’Neill was the 18-year old son of former Lt. Governor Abel Maldonado. Nicolas Maldonado was also a passenger in another fatal collision involving his mother two years ago.

According to the same rumors, the 16-year old driver who killed O’Neill is also a member of the Maldonado family.

Meanwhile, Stacy Kline offers a moving remembrance of her friend and riding companion.

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More on our fellow cyclist Robin Williams, his big heart and his love of bikes.

First up, noted bike rider Conan O’Brien relates how Williams tried to cheer him up following O’Brien’s dismissal from the Tonight Show by giving him an outrageously silly bicycle.

Then there’s the story told by Bay Area comic Johnny Steele, who said Williams bought him a custom-made bike and became his regular riding partner after Steele told him he didn’t ride because he couldn’t afford it. And all because Williams liked his joke about 65-year old men on $6,500 bicycles.

Meanwhile, a bike shop owning friend of the comedian says Williams told him cycling saved his life after kicking cocaine.

And the Wall Street Journal relates how he once met famed Italian bike builder Dario Pegoretti, and how Williams said he loved riding because it’s a close as you can get to flying.

I think we can all relate to that one. I’ve said the same thing myself more than once.

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Local

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is hosting a fundraising Firefly Ball the day before Halloween, honoring Andy Leeka of Good Samaritan Hospital, Long Beach’s Suja Lowenthal, and legendary BAC founder and bike advocate Alex Baum; tickets start at $250.

Meanwhile, the LACBC is holding a workshop on fundraising for bicycle advocates next Thursday.

Attend a live recording of the Bike Talk podcast at the Levi’s pop-up store this Friday with hosts Nick Richert, Melissa Balmer and Maria Sipin.

The Daily News takes a look at LADOT’s new Bicycle Friendly Business program.

Streetsblog’s Damien Newton offers advice for walking or biking back to school.

 

State

California lists 147 projects that could get funding under the state’s new Active Transportation Program, including several in Southern California.

Calbike offers their monthly update.

New bike lanes are approved near Corona del Mar High School.

A 23-year old Big Bear rider competes in his first year as a professional cyclist.

 

National

Even the feds want you to take a bike tour.

Once again, a foreign tourist riding across the US is killed by a drunk driver, this time an Australian woman who was killed in Indiana just 500 miles from her destination.

Caught on video: Angry motorists confront a Vermont cyclist, saying they should have run him over. And to make matters worse, it was the rider got ticketed — for riding in the traffic lane.

Once again, the NYPD cracks down on the victims of traffic violence, rather than the cause.

 

International

Toronto cyclists win a fight for protected bike lanes.

London cop hops on a stolen bike to chase down a wanted bike thief.

Poetic justice, as a drunken Brit bike thief breaks his ankle when the bike he’s trying to make off with falls on him.

 

Finally…

Kids, don’t do this at home. A Kansas driver pulls into a parking lot to confront a bike rider, who promptly pulls out a gun and shoots him in the face; the rider was taken into custody nearby.

 

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

Morning Links: Bike-friendly LAPD chief reappointed, suspected DUI driver hits 8 riders in San Diego

August 12, 2014 / / 2 comments

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has been reappointed for another five year term.

It was Beck who worked with cyclists to establish the department’s bike liaison program and bicycle task force when he was first appointed five years ago, resulting in a training module to teach patrol officers the rights and responsibilities of cyclists.

And helping to make the LAPD one of the most progressively bike-friendly police departments in the US.

They may not always get it right.

But things are a hell of a lot better than they used to be.

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A wrong way driver crashed head-on into a group of cyclists on San Diego’s Fiesta Island, sending six riders to the hospital with undetermined injuries; two others declined to be transported. Reports are as many as 16 riders hit the pavement trying to avoid the car.

Not surprisingly, the driver has been arrested on suspicion of DUI.

Meanwhile, Riverside hit-and-run victim D’Andre Sutherland remains on life support as police looks for suspects.

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The latest round in the battle over bike lanes on Santa Monica Blvd in the Biking Black Hole takes place on Thursday, August 21st at 8 am as the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce takes up the debate.

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It seems like the whole world is mourning the unexpected death of Robin Williams. But the loss may be hitting a lot of cyclists a little harder than most.

Because, as Cyclelicious notes, he was one of us. And he’s got the photos to prove it.

Williams never hid his love of riding, even going so far as to describe himself as a bike-sexual.

Red Kite Prayer notes he was a customer of Santa Monica’s Bike Effect and City Cycle in San Francisco; I saw tweets Monday saying he was favorite customer of I. Martin, and had stopped by the Bicycle Kitchen at least once to buy T-shirts.

The mere fact that someone like Robin Williams had even heard of the Kitchen — let alone stopped by to support it — speaks volumes about who he was and how important bikes were to him.

He was even stopped by police in New York for riding on the sidewalk. And let go with a warning as soon as officers realized who he was.

As for myself, I had one wordless, non-bike interaction with Williams when I worked in a jewelry store in Denver’s most exclusive hotel back in the 80s. The one where everyone who was anyone stayed when they passed through what was still an oil and cow town.

And where I met celebrities ranging from politicians and religious leaders, to the day’s leading movie stars and models, rock stars and blues immortals.

I was polishing rings in the back room, which faced a secluded hallway often used by hotel guests to escape the press and hoi polloi.

I looked up to see Robin Williams coming down the hall in the company of a woman. And was startled to see his stricken, almost fearful expression when he realized I recognized him, as if begging just to be left alone.

So I nodded, and he looked back at me with a half-smile and a look of relief, clearly grateful to retain a brief moment of privacy before disappearing out the door.

And I learned a lesson that has served me well in my life here in the figurative, if not literal, Hollywood. That being famous shouldn’t mean a loss of privacy, and that even the rich and famous have a right to be left alone.

Robin, you will be missed.

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Local

LADOT expands their Bicycle Friendly Business program throughout the city.

Downtown bike shop Just Ride LA forms a new cycling club.

An online petition calls on the DA to prosecute the sheriff’s deputy who killed Milt Olin on Mulholland Highway. Personally, I’m less concerned with prosecuting the driver than holding the department responsible if it can be shown that their policies, official or otherwise, put us all at risk.

The new LA Times new publisher is one of us; former assistant mayor Austin Beutner suffered a serious biking injury while riding in the Santa Monica mountains a few years ago.

Wolfpack Hustle calls on everyone who cares about safety to write city officials to demand buffered bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides of the soon-to-be rebuilt Hyperion Bridge.

 

State

Bid on a one-of-a-kind 8-speed Linus + SeaVees bike, and all the proceeds will go to benefit the California Bicycle Coalition.

Paso Robles votes to install a four-block bike lane.

A 14-year old Fresno-area bike rider riding with his father is killed in a collision with an 82-year old driver; needless to say, the driver insists the victim inexplicably swerved in front of him.

The leader of the state’s most successful bicycle advocacy group, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, will leave at the end of the year.

Here’s an idea. Keep a bike on both ends of your commute, and you never have to take one with you on the train.

 

National

Thirty-six bike share programs throughout the US, resulting in a combined 23 million rides — and despite the panicked predictions, not a single fatality.

After a Spokane man steals a bike when his gets stolen, the internet helps bring him to justice.

A DC blogger says the Post’s bike-hating columnist may have ridden a bike, but he didn’t learn much.

 

International

A Belizean cycling legend is executed during a rash of gun violence in the Central American country over the weekend.

A new app could help design bike lanes in Germany’s most bike-unfriendly city.

Bike share is booming in Poland.

 

Finally…

Even the trees are out to get us, as a Brit rider barely survives a falling branch. Athens GA police chase a drunken, lightless bike rider.

And two German artists finally claim credit for the white flags that appeared on the Brooklyn Bridge last month, and led the Manhattan DA to subpoena the Bike Lobby parody account.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, General, Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: Unlocked bike recovered in SaMo, PCH bike lane in the ‘Bu, major Riverside hit-and-run

August 10, 2014 / / 6 comments
 
Local

Someone found an apparently lost and unlocked bike at 3rd and Bay St in Santa Monica around 7:30 am Sunday. If you think it might be yours, respond on Craigslist with a description, or tweet @2Laure.

Call it Coastal-geddon. A traffic lane will be closed on northbound PCH in west Malibu to install a bike lane. Yes, a bike lane on PCH.

Props to Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff’s deputies, who hosted a 62-mile bike Honor Ride as part of Ride2Recovery.

 

State

A cyclist was left with significant injuries following a Riverside hit-and-run early Sunday morning. Police are looking for a silver or beige SUV, similar to a Ford Flex, with major damage to the windshield and front end. The victim, 27-year old D’Andre Sutherland, remains on life support.

Eastvale considers a new bike plan to deal with a dangerous non-network of unconnected bike lanes.

The Warm Showers network offers touring cyclists a free place to stay with other riders.

Most of the 130-plus recovered bikes remain unclaimed despite a Marin County viewing over the weekend.

 

National

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are collaborating on a new movie about a bike messenger in WWII. And no, neither of them play the 14-year old messenger.

Momentum magazine asks if everyday bicycling can make you happier. Well, duh.

A bike-hating writer for the Washington Post grudgingly goes for a ride with a group of cyclists. And comes away with a modicum of grudging respect.

 

International

A plan for an elevated bike freeway rears its ugly head once again, this time in Melbourne. A similar plan was recently criticized into oblivion in London; one of the advantages of bicycling is the way it connects us to the city around us, rather than limiting access and removing riders from it.

A Melbourne mountain bike rider slashes the tires of over 100 cars.

An anonymous Aussie donor replaces two boy’s bikes after they were stolen while shopping briefly at Kmart.

Malaysian advocates work to turn Kuala Lumpur into Asia’s latest cycling city.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: A UK rider tries to follow a car through a traffic barricade, and fails. And a Brit student leaves a note for a “douchebag bike thief” claiming the theft was caught on video and tracked by GPS, and demanding the bike’s return. Even if it’s just a bluff, it’s a damn good one.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Weekend Links: Welcome a new sponsor to BikinginLA; good advice for drivers and cyclists from Long Beach

August 9, 2014 / / 2 comments

I hope you’ll join me in welcoming new sponsor AnyKicks, a Kickstarter project from an LA cyclist that promises to let you use any shoes with clipless pedals.

It’s a smart idea; I could use a set myself since I always ride clipless, but often find myself having to carry another pair of shoes for meetings or walking after I arrive at my destination. They still have a long way to go to meet the $30,000 goal, though, with only 25 days left to do it.

So take a moment to click on the link above or the ad over there on the right.

And let’s push this one over the top.

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And let that be a reminder.

If you have a product or service to promote, BikinginLA offers an affordable and highly targeted way to reach bike riders of all kinds here in Southern California and around the world. Ads are available in various sizes and on your choice of pages, whether long or short term. Email the address on the link above for more information.

And of course, donations to support this site are always welcome and greatly appreciated.

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Great pair of articles from Brian Addison of Longbeachize tell both bicyclists and drivers to just stop, already — stop riding on the sidewalk, riding salmon and being an ass, and stop honking, yelling at cyclists and saying “I didn’t see you.”

Seriously, good advice on both sides of the great roadway divide. And something we should all take to heart.

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Metrolink offers a new animated safety video reminding cyclists to stop for trains — and wait until the gate rises in case there’s another train coming.

Important advice, but for some reason, this one misses the mark for me.

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Local

KPCC’s Air Talk looks at the Milt Olin case and the electronic distractions facing law enforcement officers.

The LACBC’s Jen Klausner talks distracted driving and cyclist education with LA Magazine.

Streetsblog reviews the New Streets of LA panel discussion at the Levi’s Commuter pop-up in DTLA.

Rick Risemberg says better infrastructure will get more people to ride, not discounts tied to an LACBC membership. Though I’d hardly call a $35 annual membership pricey.

KCET profiles LA cyclist Daniela Sarmina.

Cycling in the South Bay says cyclists make the worst advocates, which is why Malibu is planning to meet you more than half way Sunday morning.

 

State

A new bill would remove a legal loophole allowing drivers to buy their way out of hit-and-run charges.

The OC Register says it’s time to end bike registration laws. That’s me nodding in agreement; too often registration is just used to harass bike riders.

A Palm Springs security guard photographs a bike thief in action.

Marin County puts a large cache of recovered stolen bikes on display in hopes the owners can reclaim them.

 

National

Bicycling offers six practical tips to teach anyone to ride.

A 70-year old cyclist hopes to beat her own record in the Leadville 100 mountain bike race.

An Illinois cyclist says he was deliberately run off the road by an angry driver; as usual, the motorist in question tells a completely different story.

Cleveland plans to convert abandoned streetcar routes into cycle tracks.

A writer for the Boston Globe looks at the joys of group rides.

No bias here. New Orleans police decide not to file charges against a truck driver who fatally right hooked a cyclist despite failing to speak with a single witness.

 

International

No matter how pissed off you are, don’t punch out another cyclist riding with his daughter. Just don’t.

A road raging UK driver gets 18 months for viciously strangling a cyclist after demanding £50 for non-existent damage when the rider inadvertently touched his wing mirror. Not to mention he never should have been passing close enough for that to happen.

Families of two fallen cyclists call for stiffer penalties for dangerous drivers; shockingly, the drunk/drugged driver who killed them had just gotten back on the road despite 67 previous convictions.

 

Finally…

A Lycra-clad Gordon Ramsey strips to the waist after a power ride through the Palisades. Karma strikes back, as a Dublin bike thief has his own bike stolen the morning of his trial; another hot Dublin bike was somehow sniffed out by the owner’s dog.

And in a case of really not getting the joke, the Manhattan DA issues a subpoena to discover the secret identity of the person behind the Bike Lobby Twitter account, evidently failing — as did AP and the New York Post — to realize it’s a parody account.

Sounds like maybe Manhattan needs a new DA.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , ,

Morning Links: Possible Olin cover-up, USC students launch Nutlock, and the other cyclist from my hometown

August 7, 2014 / / 5 comments

The LA Times updates the lack of action in the Milt Olin case, killed by an LA County Sheriff’s Deputy while riding on Mulholland Highway last December.

The story offers one bit of new information, reporting that an initial examination of the driver’s cell phone showed no activity at the time of the crash, while phone records later showed he had texted six times in the minutes leading up to it.

Which suggests that the texts may have been erased from the phone in an attempt to cover it up — or that someone may have ignored evidence on the phone pointing to his guilt.

Meanwhile, Salon is the first national news source to pick up the story, noting that texting while driving is illegal in California. But they fail to note the exemption for on-duty emergency workers, which could explain why the DA’s office can’t seem to find anything to charge him with.

This one was forwarded from multiple sources, so thanks to everyone who sent it for the heads-up; thanks to Hwy 39 for the Salon link.

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USC students unveil an innovative new wheel lock to help prevent wheel theft and eliminate the need to lock them in addition to the frame. Security is enhanced by plans to create multiple key designs to prevent thieves from simply buying a set to unlock the wheels.

After just two days, their Kickstarter campaign has already raised over $10,000 towards the $15,000 goal. A pledge of just $25 dollars will get you a pair of Nutlocks of your very own.

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The other famous cyclist from my hometown, Teejay van Garderen, will defend his USA Pro Challenge title later this month. Former next big thing pro cyclist Joe Dombrowski has vascular surgery to try and get his leg strength back.

And Peter Sagan may not be headed to Tinkoff-Saxo after all. Update: Yes, he is.

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Local

The LACBC invites you to attend Hot August Bikes at Hollywood’s Amoeba Records on Sunday, the 17th.

London Bridge may not be falling down, but the Riverside Figueroa Bridge is. Or being dismantled, anyway.

No irony here, as Beverly Hills promotes heart health while fighting bike lanes and discouraging bike riding in the city.

Santa Monica gets $4.4 million to improves streets and implement their Bike Action Plan.

Proposed Glendale Green Streets could include bike lanes. And a smart OpEd in the Glendale News-Press patiently explains why motorists are a bigger danger than cyclists.

 

State

Measuring traffic flow by automotive throughput — aka Level of Service — is now officially a thing of the past in California.

BikeSD makes a public call for the resignation of the chair of the city’s Uptown Planners group.

A 73-year old San Diego cyclist suffers major head trauma in a head-on collision with another rider.

Mobile bike repair service comes to San Diego.

BART hopes new signs will keep bike riders from breaking the rules.

 

National

The problem with Share the Road campaigns.

If you want to get cyclists off the sidewalk, build bike lanes.

Wearing headphones when you ride may not be smart, but it’s safer than driving with the windows rolled up.

East Texas cyclists start a safety campaign reminding drivers that bike riders are people, too.

A reminder that a new bike path isn’t any good if it’s not maintained, like this one in New Jersey.

A former American Gladiator allegedly flattens a pedestrian while riding in New York’s Central Park.

To protect and serve (pizza). Baltimore bike cops go above and beyond by delivering pizza to a seriously injured cyclist after she’s released from the hospital; link via Bicycling magazine.

The Baltimore airport opens a 12.5 mile bike path, complete with bike share to entertain waiting passengers and employees.

Kill a bike rider in Florida, and lose your license for a whopping six months.

 

International

A Vancouver motorist drives down a protected bike lane, then right crosses a cyclist after leaving it.

Evidently, a unanimous vote of Toronto’s city council doesn’t mean any more than it does here, as they voted for a separated bike lane that never gets built. Sort of like bike lanes on Lankershim, Westwood and North Figueroa.

A London grocery truck gets outfitted with 360-degree cameras in an effort to protect bike riders.

Caught on video: A London bike rider captures a first-person view of a cut-off collision; fortunately, he survived the brutal impact.

Lovely Bicycle meditates on a ghost bike for a 16-year old Irish rider.

A new Chinese bike helmet promises to be a combination turn signal and mood ring for your head.

 

Finally…

After a six-year old Portland girl posts a sign shaming the thieves that stole her dad’s bikes, the publicity helps get them back. After repeatedly giving a Texas man with Asperger’s Syndrome a ride to work, local police pitch in to buy him a bicycle; now that’s class.

And Austrian police tell a naked bike rider to put her damn clothes on, already.

 

Category: Legal Cases, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: KABC talks with Laura Weintraub; great video and photos from Brentwood Grand Prix

August 6, 2014 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: KABC talks with Laura Weintraub; great video and photos from Brentwood Grand Prix

After dealing with breaking news for the last couple days, we’ve got a lot to catch up on. So let’s get right to it.

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KABC-7 talks with former bike-hater Laura Weintraub in the wake of yesterday’s new video calling for greater understanding and a détente between cyclists and drivers.

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A panel discussion at the new Levi’s pop-up store in DTLA this Thursday will consider making LA a more livable city.

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LA’s own former national crit champ Rasaan Bahati narrates his on-bike video of the last laps of Sunday’s Brentwood Grand Prix, while Echelon Design offers some incredible photos of the race.

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Sounds like fun. FAME FEST promises a street-long bike fest and scavenger hunt along famed Melrose Avenue this Sunday.

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England’s Montague Bikes is offering you a chance to win a 7-speed folding road bike.

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Local

Despite earlier bike and sidewalk-free design recommendations, current projections favor bike lanes and sidewalks on both sides of the redesigned Glendale-Hyperion Bridge.

A new road diet and bike lanes finally goes in on Figueroa St. But on south, not Gil Cedillo’s needlessly controversial north, Fig.

The Times’ Steve Lopez asks why an 86-year old cyclist can’t get the dangerous alley behind her home fixed.

CicLAvia begins outreach for October’s ride through Boyle Heights.

A HuffPo writer points out the perils of biking in New York and LA.

Santa Monica Spoke invites you to the Grand Opening of a new Dutch and folding bike shop.

Damien Newton asks if SaMo is ready for Vision Zero; ready or not, every city and state must resolve to eliminate traffic deaths.

Walk Bike Glendale responds to an anti-bike OpEd in the local paper.

 

State

A reminder that women face risks on the road that most male riders don’t, as a San Diego woman is assaulted while riding home from a bar.

A north San Diego area cyclist chases down the hit-and-run driver who ran down his wife.

A Sacramento man is arrested after attempting to stone a bike rider.

Cyclists enjoy a bike tour of historic sites in Napa.

Ten great NorCal bike rides.

 

National

Funding for bicycling and pedestrian projects will continue at current levels under the new Federal transportation budget. That’s the good news and the bad.

Are drivers and cyclists really natural enemies?

Caught on video: A extremely close call with a motorcyclist offers a reminder to always look behind you — and signal — before turning across a traffic lane. And a bike rider reminds us never to tailgate after crashing into a backhoe.

A Massachusetts man loses 200 pounds through cyclocross racing.

A Florida rider fights for his right to take the lane, but unlike California, local state law may not support him.

 

International

Popular young rider Peter Sagan jumps ship, while Tour de France champ Vincenzo Nibali sets his sights on the world championships.

Caught on video: This is why you need a bike cam, as a UK driver faces multiple charges for fleeing the scene after hitting a cam-equipped cyclist head-on.

London buses will test two new systems to alert drivers to cyclists in their path.

A globe-trotting American cyclist may be buried in Russia after no one comes forward to claim his body.

Don’t spit on other road users, no matter how mad you might get. Just don’t.

 

Finally…

An upstate New York man learns the hard way why it’s unwise to confront an ax-murderer wannabe over a $100 stolen bike. A New Jersey writer apologizes for berating the kid who stole his bike.

And if you’re a convicted felon illegally carrying a rifle and shotgun on your handlebars, don’t crash into a damn power pole, already.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , ,
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