Tag Archive for bicycling

Today’s post, in which I shill for Clif Bar, and offer a long and ever growing list of year-end events

November 10, 2012 / / 3 comments

This seems to be an email sort of week.

Earlier this week, I received an invitation from our friends at Clif Bar to participate in a webcast with pro cyclist Peter Stetina and Olympic mountain bike and cyclocross racer Todd Wells, along with ultrarunner Scott Jurek and snowboarder Kimmy Fasani.

The session is open to the public, and scheduled to take place Thursday, November 15th from 1:30 to 2:30 L.A. time; you can ask questions via Twitter or Facebook.

CLIF Bar is kicking back with a few of its pro athletes and would like to invite you, your readers, cycling loving friends and fellow athletes everywhere join in via webcast Thursday, Nov. 15 from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. EST / 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. PST.

Pro Cyclist, Peter Stetina, and three other world-class Team CLIF Bar athletes from different sports will be available to answer questions on everything from training, to nutrition, to what common experiences they share. Take advantage of this opportunity to learn from four athletes at the top of their respective sports by sending us your burning questions in advance of the webcast so we can make sure they’re answered.

Here’s how to tune in:

  1. Visit www.ClifBarLive.com and follow the instructions to participate
  2. Ask questions via Twitter hashtag: #AskTeamCLIFBar, CLIF Bar’s Facebook page or chat them directly into the webcast
  3. Bonus: Winners will be selected during the webcast to receive prizes from CLIF Bar!

Team CLIF Bar Athletes in Attendance:

  • Peter Stetina – Cyclist; member of the Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda team; two-time USA Cycling U23 National Time Trial Champion, 2008 and 2009
  • Todd Wells – Olympic Mountain Bike and Cyclocross Racer; member of three Olympic teams (2004, 2008 and 2012); in 2010, became first athlete to win national titles in cross-country mountain bike, short track cross-country mountain bike and cyclocross in same year
  • Scott Jurek – Ultrarunner; winner of the Western States 100 mile Endurance Run 1999-2005; author of Eat & Run
  • Kimmy Fasani – Snowboarder; first woman in more than five years to score the cover of Transworld Snowboarding Magazine and only the fifth woman in the magazine’s history

Speaking of Clif Bar, they recently sent me a small care package of their holiday season flavors to try out.

Full disclosure, I use their products to begin with. For me, they’re easy to carry on my bike, provide the energy boost I need without the sugar crash I get from some other products, and are substantial enough to stave off hunger for a couple hours.

Which is why you’ll usually find a couple in my bike bag on long rides. On the other hand, you can get similar results with a box of raisins and a decent granola bar.

That said, I liked the Peppermint Stick and Iced Gingerbread flavors; the first was cool and refreshing, perfect for a cold winter’s day or a warm SoCal ride, while the latter was like a mini holiday party in my mouth.

On the other hand, while I love pumpkin, the Spiced Pumpkin Pie missed the mark for me; it was a little too strong and too heavily spiced.

But your taste buds may disagree.

And either way, two out of three ain’t bad.

………

Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

A new support group is forming for people who have been involved in a bicycle collision. Everyone is welcome to share your experiences, gain insight and understanding into your emotional state and develop new coping strategies. The group will meet Saturdays from 11:30 am to 1 pm at 6310 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 401. Current LACBC members receive a discount. To learn more, contact Aurisha Smolarski at 323/203-1526 or email aurisha.smolarski@gmail.com.

The stepdaughters of fallen cyclist Benjamin Torres are hosting a BikeRun in honor of their stepfather on Saturday, November 10th starting at Rowley Park in Gardena, and proceeding to Wilton Place and 135th St. The ride assembles at 3:30 pm and rolls at 4 pm. I highly recommend this one to honor a hit-and-run victim who should still be with us.

Flying Pigeon hosts the monthly Spoke(n) Art Ride on Saturday, November 10th, to visit galleries as part of the NELAart’s Second Saturday. Riders meet at the Flying Pigeon LA Bike Shop, 3404 N. Figueroa St at 6 pm, departing at 6:30 pm. That will be followed by the Get Sum Dim Sum Ride on Sunday, November 18th.

Sunday, November 11th, the Culver City Bicycle Coalition is holding their first annual Cruise the Creek Fun Ride and Membership Drive. The intermediate level ride will run roundtrip from Culver City’s Syd Kronenthal Park, 3459 McManus Ave, to Manhattan Beach and back, followed by a family picnic and raffle in the park. Riders assemble at 9:30 am, departing at 10, with a kids ride in the park from 11 am to 1 pm and lunch from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. The ride is free for CCBC members, $10 for non-members.

The LACBC is urging cyclists to attend the sentencing of Sidrath Misra, accused killer of bike rider Alan Deane in Pasadena last year. The hearing is scheduled for 1:30 pm on Tuesday, November 13 in Department N of Los Angeles Superior Court, 300 East Walnut in Pasadena. Bring your helmet into the courthouse with you so the judge can see the cyclists in the room.

The Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills considers their exceptionally modest efforts at accommodating cyclists in two City Council sessions on Tuesday, November 13th. The afternoon study session will look at the city’s negligible bike rack program, while the evening session will look at the exceptionally modest proposal for two pilot bike routes. Both sessions take place in City Council Chambers, 455 North Rexford Drive in Beverly Hills; the afternoon session starts at 2:30 pm, and the evening session at 7 pm.

CORBA (the Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association) invites riders to meet at the Hub in Topanga State Park on Saturday, November 17th to celebrate their 25th anniversary and show that mountain bikers can co-exist on off-road trails. Riders will meet at 10 am, with a group photo and cash prizes starting at 10:30.

Also on the 17th, C.I.C.L.E. is hosting the Made in LA Ride: Wine, Robots and Hot Spicy Tomato Sauce! from 10 am 1:30 pm, departing at 10:30. The ride starts the LA State Historic Park entrance to Chinatown Station, 901 N. Spring Street, and will explore institutions associated with products made in the City of Angels. A $10 donation is suggested, however, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Here’s your chance to ride with Mayor Frank Quintero at Walk Bike Glendale’s 2nd annual Mayor’s Bike Ride. The family friendly ride is open to all ages, and meets at Glendale City Hall, 613 E. Broadway, starting at 9 am on Sunday, November 18th.

Also on Sunday the 18th, you’re invited to tour the beautiful and historic San Gabriel foothills the LACBC and the authors of Where to Bike Los Angeles. The 50 mile, intermediate-level ride is free for LACBC members and a guest. Meet at Classic Coffee, 148 North Glendora Avenue in Glendora at 8:30 am, departing at 9 am.

Sunday, November 18th, the Westside’s Bikerowave is holding a free basic bike fitting class starting at 4 pm at 12255 Venice Blvd; RSVP at bikerowaveclasses@gmail.com.

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s Civic Engagement Committee meets at 6:45 pm on the last Tuesday of each month. The last meeting of this year will be held on Tuesday, November 27th, at the Culver Hotel, 9400 Culver Blvd in Culver City. This month’s meeting will focus on finalizing questionnaires for L.A. Mayor and City Council candidates in the March election, as well as a possible debate for Mayor and candidate forums for City Council candidates. Email bikinginla at hotmail dot com to be added to the email list.

Few things go together better than bikes and beer, which is what you’ll get with the Stone Brewing Company Brewcyclers Ride on Saturday, December 1st. Riders will meet at Stone Brewing, 1999 Citracado Parkway in Escondido at 8:30 am, departing at 9 am sharp on a 20 mile roundtrip loop.

The LACBC’s second Tour de Taste is scheduled for Sunday, December 2nd; mark your calendar for a unique combination of bikes and great food. And yes, I’ll be there in some capacity to be determined.

The LACBC is hosting Ride Lankershim for a people-friendly North Hollywood on Saturday, December 8th to support bike improvements on Lankershim Blvd called for in the 2010 L.A. bike plan. Riders meet at Metropolis Bikes, 4660 Lankershim Blvd at 10 am.

High Desert Cyclists win the award for the first scheduled Christmas party of the year, to be held at 7 pm on Monday, December 17th at the Texas Cattle Company, 44206 10th Street West in Lancaster. You can also buy a $40 raffle ticket for a chance to win a $600 Bicycle John’s gift certificate; the raffle ticket includes a free one year family membership to the HDC.

Registration is now open for a six-day ride through San Diego and Riverside Counties between the holidays. The HI-USA Christmas Trip, which has rolled every year since the mid-1950s, starts in San Diego on December 26th and returns on December 31st, with five overnights in between. Total mileage runs between 360 and 400 miles, with terrain ranging from urban to rural, mountains to desert. Thanks to Marvin Davis for the heads-up.

Make your plans for the Malibu 7-Canyon Ride on Saturday, March 23rd with rides of 100 mile, 100 kilometers and 50 miles. The fully supported ride will begin at Zuma Beach, and pass through Latigo, Encinal, Decker, Mulholland, Little Sycamore, Yerba Buena and Deer Creek Canyons, with over 9,000 feet of climbing on the century ride. The first 200 people to register before November 15th will get a 15% discount; enter the code First200 on the registration page.

………

On a personal note, may I offer a heartfelt FU to Time Warner Cable, who mistakenly turned off our cable service when they were connecting someone else in our building. And can’t be bothered to come back and correct their own mistake until well into next week.

With service like that, it’s a wonder they have any customers at all.

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

Update: Cyclist gets double smackdown crossing PCH — seriously injured by car, then blamed by police

November 7, 2012 / / 10 comments

First he gets run down by a car on PCH.

Then he gets smacked down once more by the LAPD.

According to Pacific Palisades Patch, a bicyclist was riding his bike in the crosswalk across Pacific Coast Highway at Temescal Canyon Road at 7:51 am on Tuesday, October 30th when he was hit by a car heading north on PCH.

The rider, identified only a 30-year old white male, suffered severe injuries, including broken legs and lacerations to his arms and chest.

Then, Patch reports, police blamed him for the collision simply because he was riding in the crosswalk.

(Officer) Johnson said the accident report has the bicyclist listed as the cause of the accident.

“Bicyclists can’t ride in the crosswalk,” he said. “You have to walk it. As soon as you start pedeling (sic) you’re basically considered a vehicle and have to consider the rules of the road.”

Never mind that in order for the collision to occur the way it’s described, someone had to run the red light. Either the cyclist was crossing against the light — which would seem unlikely, given the heavy traffic on PCH at that hour — or the car that hit him ran it.

Either way, that would seem to be a more immediate — and important — cause of the collision than the simple presence of the rider in the crosswalk.

And never mind that the explanation given by Officer Johnson would appear to be in direct contradiction to state law.

According to California law, bikes are allowed to use crosswalks, which are legally considered an extension of the sidewalk. So if it’s legal to ride on the sidewalk — which the City of Los Angeles allows — it’s also legal to ride your bike in the crosswalk.

Sort of.

In a failed attempt to clarify the law, the state legislature recently amended the law to say that cyclists can ride along a crosswalk. Yet failed to clarify what exactly that means.

After all, you can ride along a pathway or along a river, with very different meanings. One puts you on it, the other next to it.

So depending on who is interpreting the law, and how, you can either ride on the crosswalk or alongside it.

Thanks for the clarification, guys.

Then there’s the question of which way you can ride on the crosswalk. And that’s where it really gets complicated.

According to the LAPD, after consulting with the City Attorney, they’ve come to the following, extremely convoluted, interpretation of the law.

As we discussed, cyclists are allowed to ride on the sidewalk in Los Angeles. And since sidewalks don’t have any direction, bike riders can legally ride either way — as long as they remain on the sidewalk.

But in what appears to be a gross misinterpretation of the law, the LAPD says as soon as a bike enters the street, it becomes a vehicle. Even if it’s just crossing the street. And regardless of whether it’s in — or next to — the crosswalk.

And since it’s a vehicle, it then has to be ridden in the direction of traffic.

Even though pedestrians are allowed to use the crosswalk going in either direction. And even though state law says absolutely nothing about direction in allowing bikes to ride along the crosswalk.

That would appear to be the actual violation the police were referring to in this case, rather than riding in the crosswalk.

And there is nothing — absolutely nothing — that I am aware of in state law that says riders must dismount and walk their bikes across the street.

In fact, that would appear to be another violation of state law, which assigns bike riders all the rights and responsibilities of other vehicle users. I am unaware of any requirement that drivers have to get out of their cars and push them across the street before being allowed to get back inside and drive off.

Which brings up the other problem with this collision.

This intersection is a popular route for riders leaving the beachfront bike path along Will Rogers State Beach, whether to ride up Temescal Canyon or cross to the other side of PCH to continue on towards Malibu.

But there is no way for cyclists to trigger the green light at this intersection. The signal detectors embedded in the pavement don’t recognize bikes, and there is no push button for bikes or pedestrians headed east across PCH.

During busy summer months, that’s usually not a problem. Cars leave the parking lot on a regular basis, triggering the light and allowing riders to cross with the light.

But this time of year, you can wait hours for a car to come by and trigger the signal.

So the workaround many riders use — myself included — is to ride over to the north side of the intersection, push the signal button at the crosswalk, then ride across the street on or next to the crosswalk.

Which is probably exactly what the victim was doing that morning when he was hit by a Subaru. And which is now illegal, according to the LAPD.

So first this cyclist was victimized by bad roadway design, which robbed him of his right to ride like any other vehicle, and forced him to use the crosswalk.

Yes, state law does require signal detectors that recognize the presence of bikes, but only when the intersection is repaved or rebuilt in some other way. And just like drivers, cyclists are legally allowed to cross against the red light if it fails to change for several cycles.

Although you might have a hard time explaining that to a cop. And it would be a foolish thing to attempt at rush hour on a busy, high-speed highway like PCH.

Then he was hit by car, which may or may not have run the red light.

And finally, if the article is correct, he appears to have been victimized a third time. This time by the LAPD, with what looks like a highly flawed interpretation of the law.

He may or may not have been at fault.

But he certainly wasn’t at fault for the reason given.

Update: Now it makes more sense. 

It turns out that the Patch story misplaced the location of the collision, according to the LAPD’s new bike liaison for the West Traffic Division, Sgt. Christopher Kunz, in response to an email from Colin Bogart, Education Director for the LACBC.

Rather than the intersection of PCH and Temescal Canyon, the collision actually occurred about 1700 feet north at the crosswalk leading from the parking lot to the trailer park. 

And rather than being cited for riding in the crosswalk, the primary factor leading to the collision was a violation of CVC 21804(a), entering a highway without yielding to oncoming traffic. Sgt. Kunz says independent witnesses reported the victim rode across PCH at a high rate of speed, in an apparent attempt to beat oncoming traffic.

And failed. 

So while the intersection of PCH and Temescal remains a difficult and dangerous place for cyclists to cross, and the department’s current interpretation of crosswalk law would seem to leave a lot to be desired, neither one had anything to do with this collision. 

Instead it appears to be a case of bad judgement. A rider taking a chance he shouldn’t have taken.

And a news report that only told part of the story.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Law Enforcement, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Accused Ventura drunken serial hit-and-run driver Satnam Singh pleads guilty, now facing 15 to life

November 5, 2012 / / 5 comments

Evidently, the farther you get from San Bernardino County, the more likely cyclists are to see justice.*

Case in point: Satnam Singh, accused in the drunken hit-and-run death of Ventura cyclist Nick Haverland, has changed his plea to guilty to second degree murder and driving under the influence following two days of damning testimony.

The 20-year old college student was riding with a friend to take a college final when he was run down by Singh’s Hummer in May of last year. The Santa Paula liquor store owner reportedly had a blood alcohol level of .39 — nearly five times the legal limit — when he hit Haverland and injured five other people in a series of violent collisions.

Singh now faces 15 years to life in state prison, followed by parole for the rest of his life if he should be released; no word on whether he would ever be allowed to drive again. He was also threatened with deportation upon release from prison if he can’t prove he’s a citizen of the U.S.; odd that something like that should even be in question this far into the case.

Prior to his drunken rampage, Singh had received at least two tickets for speeding, and been accused in another DUI collision just three months before murdering Haverland — a case in which he attempted to have his wife take the fall.

Just more evidence that the state moves too slowly to protect the public in cases like this.

*Then again, Riverside County may not be much better.

………

Sunday’s shift back to Standard Time means bike commuters will now face evening rush hour traffic in full darkness. And that means you need a good headlight and tail light — preferably flashing — in order to make it back home in one piece, let alone avoid a ticket.

Even if you’re just out for an afternoon ride, it makes sense to throw a light set into your bike bag or jersey pocket in case a flat or other mechanical keeps you out later than planned. Or at the very least, toss in some reflective ankle straps just in case.

After all, it’s better to light a single bike headlamp than to curse the darkness after getting run over.

………

Tuesday is Election Day. I won’t tell you to go vote in what may be the closest election of our lifetime — not to mention one with a slate of state propositions and local measure that could affect your life for decades to come.

I assume you’re an adult and know just how important this is.

What I will do, though, is urge you to ride your bike to the polls if at all possible to show that our votes count, too. And that it’s long past time for politicians to address our concerns if they want our votes.

………

Writing for Orange 20 Bikes, Richard Risemberg says that, contrary to perceptions, bikes are actually better for business than cars. Best wishes to LADOT Bike Blogger JoJo Pewsawang as he moves on to hopefully greener pastures. Bike lawyer Bob Mionske looks at California’s cranky and apparently bike-unfriendly Governor Jerry Brown. Calbike says Prop 33 in Tuesday’s election hurts those who are helping the environment — like bicyclists. Maybe your broken carbon frame can be brought back to life after all. The 23rd Solvang Prelude brings thousands of riders to the Santa Ynez Valley. A teenage Santa Barbara hit-and-run driver faces charges for a right hook hit-and-run that critically injured a cyclist. The widow of a Sonoma cyclist now helps others after confronting the man who killed him. A 24-year old Napa driver gets a year in jail for seriously injuring a cyclist while under the influence of marijuana.

Bicycling offers a roster of vintage rides through the wine country, along with five coffee table bike books. CNN talks to gold medal-winning Paralympian and former race car champion Alex Zanardi. A Boulder CO intersection gets a makeover in the wake of two cycling deaths; meanwhile, the city won’t pursue a stage in next year’s USA Pro Cycling Challenge; probably not just because of the tour’s awful name, though. San Antonio’s safe passing law needs better enforcement. A Chicago writer says that cyclists shouldn’t have to bear responsibility for safety or accept that risk is inevitable. Bike Portland’s Jonathan Maus reports on riding in the Manhattan blackout following Hurricane Sandy; the New Yorker asks if Sandy will turn the city’s residents into bike commuters. Charging powerless New Yorker’s devices by bike. Thankfully, former L.A. bike and creek advocate Joe Linton survived Sandy, as well. Why are the rules of the road are a lot longer for Boston bicyclists? What would you do if you came across a bike crash? Yet another delay in the case of accused killer Miami DUI hit-and-run driver and musician Carlos Bertonatti.

A writer says Vancouverites are too old to take advantage of the city’s new transportation plan; you’re kidding me, right? Are bike helmets or bike lanes more important for bike safety? British cycling legend Tommy Godwin passes away at 91. The London Times says bikes are the future, and cities must adapt them — but can’t be bothered to make the story available behind their paywall. A Swiss sportswear company is suing cycling’s governing body over damage to the sport following the Lance Armstrong scandal, while Guam could hold the key to real reform in pro cycling. We have a new candidate for the world’s safest cycling city: Berlin. An Aussie cyclist is shot in the ass as he tries to ride away from a group of men in a park. Bringing the internet to Bangladesh by bike. Even the Indian city of Mangalore gets cycletracks before we do.

Finally, as if doping isn’t bad enough, now former doper Alexandre Vinokourov is accused of paying off another rider to let him win the Liège-Bastogne-Liège classic.

Is it just me, or is pro cycling is starting to give swamp pits a bad name?

Category: Bikes & the Law, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities, Legal Cases, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

More stupid driver tricks for your weekend entertainment, and a long list of coming bike events

November 3, 2012 / / 11 comments

Before we get to this week’s events, let’s take a few seconds — literally — to look at a couple new helmet cam videos from a recent ride.

I’d like to say these are unusual events. No, really, I would.

But I see some sort of stupid driver tricks like this virtually every time I ride. Yet somehow, most drivers only seem to notice the cyclists who blow through red lights and stop signs.

Go figure.

………

Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

A new support group has formed for people who have been involved in a bicycle collision. Everyone is welcome to share your experiences, gain insight and understanding into your emotional state and develop new coping strategies. The group will meet Saturdays from 11:30 am to 1 pm at 6310 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 401. Current LACBC members receive a discount. To learn more, contact Aurisha Smolarski at 323/203-1526 or email aurisha.smolarski@gmail.com.

If you’re reading this on Saturday, you’ve probably already missed the ride to benefit injured cyclist Russell Moon, starting at 7:30 am at Ocean Ave and San Vicente Blvd in Santa Monica. But maybe you can still stop by the same location at the end of the ride, where Moon will be in attendance from 11 am to 12:30 pm.

Flying Pigeon hosts their monthly Brewery Ride on Saturday, November 3rd from 3 to 5:30 pm. Riders meet at the Flying Pigeon LA Bike Shop, 3404 N. Figueroa St, and ride to a local brewery or beer-centric pub and back. That will be followed by the Spoke(n) Art Ride on Saturday, November 10th, and the Get Sum Dim Sum Ride on Sunday, November 18th.

This month’s LACBC Sunday Funday ride will take place on Saturday night, instead. The Haunted Saturday Funday Ride (scroll down) will take meet at 3:45 pm on Saturday, November 3rd at The Georgian, 1415 Ocean Ave in Santa Monica, rolling at 4:15 pm. Led by Executive Director Jen Klausner, the 16 mile ride will visit spooky destinations like the Marquez Family Cemetery, Sullivan Ridge Fire Road and the Murphy Ranch. Expect some climbing and descending; dirt-worthy bikes recommended.

Monday, November 5th, the High Desert Cyclists hold their monthly Cruiser Ride from 9 am to 12 noon. The easy, slow paced rides run about 20 miles, at a speed of about 10 mph, with stops along the way. This month’s ride meets at the north side parking lot at Ave S and the Aquaduct in Palmdale.

The Newport Beach Citizens Bicycle Safety Committee will meet at 4:30 pm on Monday, November 5th in the Friends Room of the Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave. The meeting is open to the public, and anyone who lives or rides in the area is encouraged to attend.

Also on the 5th, the South Pasadena City Council will consider extending the Arroyo Seco bike path, and is asking for input from bicyclists. The meeting starts at 6 pm in the South Pasadena City Council Chambers, 1424 Mission Street.

Tuesday, November 6th is Election Day. Your vote matters, not just in deciding the next president, but for federal, state and local offices, as well as countless state and local measures. Be sure to Bike the Vote by riding to your polling place to show the world that we vote, too.

The stepdaughters of fallen cyclist Benjamin Torres are hosting a BikeRun in honor of their stepfather on November 10th starting at Rowley Park in Gardena, and proceeding to Wilton Place and 135th St. The ride assembles at 3:30 pm and rolls at 4 pm. I highly recommend this one to honor a hit-and-run victim who should still be with us.

Sunday, November 11th, the Culver City Bicycle Coalition is holding their first annual Cruise the Creek Fun Ride and Membership Drive. The intermediate level ride will run roundtrip from Culver City’s Syd Kronenthal Park, 3459 McManus Ave, to Manhattan Beach and back, followed by a family picnic and raffle in the park. Riders assemble at 9:30 am, departing at 10, with a kids ride in the park from 11 am to 1 pm and lunch from 12:30 to 2:30 pm. The ride is free for CCBC members, $10 for non-members.

CORBA (the Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association) invites riders to meet at the Hub in Topanga State Park on Saturday, November 17th to celebrate their 25th anniversary and show that mountain bikers can co-exist on off-road trails. Riders will meet at 10 am, with a group photo and cash prizes starting at 10:30.

Also on the 17th, C.I.C.L.E. is hosting the Made in LA Ride: Wine, Robots and Hot Spicy Tomato Sauce! from 10 am 1:30 pm, departing at 10:30. The ride starts the LA State Historic Park entrance to Chinatown Station, 901 N. Spring Street, and will explore institutions associated with products made in the City of Angels. A $10 donation is suggested, however, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Here’s your chance to ride with Mayor Frank Quintero at Walk Bike Glendale’s 2nd annual Mayor’s Bike Ride. The family friendly ride is open to all ages, and meets at Glendale City Hall, 613 E. Broadway, starting at 9 am.

Sunday, November 18th, the Westside’s Bikerowave is holding a free basic bike fitting class starting at 4 pm at 12255 Venice Blvd; RSVP at bikerowaveclasses@gmail.com.

Few things go together better than bikes and beer, which is what you’ll get with the Stone Brewing Company Brewcyclers Ride on Saturday, December 1st. Riders will meet at Stone Brewing, 1999 Citracado Parkway in Escondido at 8:30 am, departing at 9 am sharp on a 20 mile roundtrip loop.

The LACBC’s second Tour de Taste is scheduled for Sunday, December 2nd; mark your calendar for a unique combination of bikes and great food. And yes, I’ll be there in some capacity to be determined.

High Desert Cyclists win the award for the first scheduled Christmas party of the year, to be held at 7 pm on Monday, December 17th at the Texas Cattle Company, 44206 10th Street West in Lancaster. You can also buy a $40 raffle ticket for a chance to win a $600 Bicycle John’s gift certificate; the raffle ticket includes a free one year family membership to the HDC.

Registration is now open for a six-day ride through San Diego and Riverside Counties between the holidays. The HI-USA Christmas Trip, which has rolled every year since the mid-1950s, starts in San Diego on December 26th and returns on December 31st, with five overnights in between. Total mileage runs between 360 and 400 miles, with terrain ranging from urban to rural, mountains to desert. Thanks to Marvin Davis for the heads-up.

Make your plans for the Malibu 7-Canyon Ride on Saturday, March 23rd with rides of 100 mile, 100 kilometers and 50 miles. The fully supported ride will begin at Zuma Beach, and pass through Latigo, Encinal, Decker, Mulholland, Little Sycamore, Yerba Buena and Deer Creek Canyons, with over 9,000 feet of climbing on the century ride. The first 200 people to register before November 15th will get a 15% discount; enter the code First200 on the registration page.

Category: Bike Events, Car vs Bike, General / Tags: , , , ,

Ride this Saturday to benefit injured cyclist Russell Moon; trial begins in DUI death of Nick Haverland

November 2, 2012 / / One comment

I received an email today from Dan Weinberg of Helen’s Cycles, announcing the Russell Moon Ride this Saturday to benefit a mountain biker who suffered a life-changing injury last year.

He makes a compelling case for why we all should participate.

So I’ll let Dan tell the story.

RUSSELL MOON RIDE

7:30 AM, Saturday, November 3, 2012
Ocean Ave & San Vicente Blvd, Santa Monica

Overview

Just over a year ago, Russell Moon was returning home from a mountain bike ride when a driver turned directly across his path and made contact. Russell sustained a serious spinal cord injury and is now a quadriplegic.

Prior to his life-changing injury, Russell had a thriving dental practice and taught dentistry at UCLA. He now focuses on his recovery participating in intensive physical therapy throughout the week.

Russell loved cycling, not only for the fitness benefits, but because of the sense of community it exuded. This non-competitive ride is the opportunity to ride for Russell, and honor his love for cycling.

Russell climbed effortlessly and was a confident descender. Whenever he sees his cycling friends he often says goodbye with the accompanying request; ‘Ride for me’.

All participation fees and additional donations will go directly to Russell for physical therapy and rehabilitation. If you can’t participate in the ride, please sponsor someone who is riding or you can donate here. Thank you.

Course Description

The 62-mile course will start at Ocean Ave and San Vicente Blvd at 7:30 AM on Saturday, November 3rd and take PCH to Encinal Canyon Rd, we will then take a right on Decker, then a left down Mulholland and back on PCH, to the original starting point. Click here for route map.

Helen’s Cycles will provide food and water the top of the 5.9-mile climb located at Decker Canyon Road and Mulholland Hwy.

If you choose not to climb, you can ride on PCH to Trancas Canyon Rd (at the west end of Zuma Beach) and return for a total of 41 miles.

Russell Moon will be at the end of the ride from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM

The plan is for Russell to be on hand at the end of the ride at Ocean Ave and San Vicente Blvd. You will have a chance to give him encouragement and acknowledge his courage over the past year.

Registration
$25 donation on line.
 
Day of Event Registration
7:00 AM at the start of the ride – Ocean Ave and San Vicente Blvd, Santa Monica
$25 cash or check.

Registration & donations

Course map

………

Satnam Singh, accused of killing Ventura cyclist Nick Haverland in a drunken hit-and-run collision spree, is finally on trial. Singh had a BAC of .39 when he was arrested at his home, nearly five times the legal limit. And he was involved in another drunk driving collision just three months before killing Haverland — even if he tried to blame it on his wife.

Hopefully, he’ll get the sentence he deserves following his conviction, which seems inevitable.

………

Sigh.

Try as I might, I just can’t manage to ignore the whole Lance Armstrong doping scandal. Bicycling says even if he did dope — or maybe, even though he doped — the penalties imposed in l’affaire Lance may have broken the rules. Red Kite Prayer offers a 23-year trail of ignored clues that Lance was dirty, and suggests that the real hope for cleaning up pro cycling may come in the form of a reporter’s lawsuit.

………

Maybe we got his attention, as Calbike says Mayor Villaraigosa is ready to try one more time to get a three-foot law passed. Streetsblog looks at UCLA’s new bike box. LADOT Bike Blog reviews last month’s BPIT meeting. Bikerowave hosts a class on basic bike fit on the 18th. Better Bike comes out against Measure J. Will Campbell plays leapfrog with a safe and courteous Dash Bus driver, while Boyonabike! offers tips on bike commuting. Santa Clarita launches a new bike website; we’ll know they’re serious about cycling when they link to this site, right?

The Orange County Bicycle Coalition offers an in-depth look at OC bike injury stats. You don’t expect good things to appear at midnight on Halloween, but the sharrows on the coast highway in Corona del Mar may be the exception. Two-thousand cyclists are expected to participate in Oceanside’s Bike the Coast Ride this weekend. San Diego could get reverse-angle parking spots to improve driver visibility and eliminate dooring. If you want to ride on Edwards Air Force base, you’d better wear a helmet — and be prepared to yield to any motor vehicle, whether or not you have the right-of-way. A 12-year old Santa Cruz rider is intentionally doored on Halloween night. A San Francisco cyclist is wanted for a violent assault on a Muni station agent who tried to stop him from bringing his bike into the station.

Three ingredients for a world-class bicycling network from People for Bikes. Slate says riding with headphones is incredibly dumb. For once, AAA offers motorists good advice on how to drive around cyclists and pedestrians. Good infographic on the nation’s first protected bike lane in NYC. Great series of photos on bicycling in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. The Wall Street Journal says novice New Yorkers are dusting off their bikes, while the NY Times observes it’s an effective way around the post-hurricane traffic mess; now the city just has to keep everyone riding once things improve. And even gas station owners are telling people to try bikes.

Ottawa considers lowering the speed limit on a dangerous roadway to protect cyclists, and confronts the classic conflict between bike and pedestrian advocates and city planning engineers; seems like every city eventually has to fight that battle. An RAF pilot says maybe that driver really didn’t see you. A UK rider punches another cyclist after they collide in a tunnel. If you think you have it rough, try biking in Yemen.

Finally, a Bakersfield driver was twice convicted of DUI and arrested at least three times for driving with a suspended license — yet remained on the road to kill an 18-year old driver on Monday.

And it turns out the bike wasn’t stolen, but the rider was wanted — and carrying nearly 10 grams of drugs.

Category: Bike Events, Guest Columns, Injuries and Fatalities, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , ,

No charges in Sarah Leaf death, guilty plea in North San Diego, vehicle identified in Gardena hit-and-run

November 1, 2012 / / 16 comments

Evidently, they just don’t get it.

Newport Beach police have cleared the truck driver in the death of cyclist Sarah Leaf, concluding that she lost control of her bike and fell under the turning truck on her own, without the truck ever hitting her.

Yet they apparently failed to consider the possibility that it was a massive truck passing too close and/or turning across her path that caused her to lose control.

So let’s get this straight once and for all. Skilled, experienced cyclists don’t just fall over. And a vehicle doesn’t have to actually hit a rider in order to cause her death.

Something made her to lose control. Until the police can offer some reasonable explanation of what that was, we should not accept the results of this investigation.

And until police everywhere figure that out, no bike rider will ever be safe on our streets.

Update: A commenter who claims to have known a friend of Leaf disputes the contention that she was an experienced rider. By his account, she was a novice rider on a borrowed bike, who had been urged by a friend not to ride that day. And according to him, the reason she fell because she was unfamiliar with clipless pedals. However, as he did not actually witness the collision, that should be taken with a grain of salt; hopefully, we’ll learn more on Monday when the Chief of the Newport Beach Police Department meets with the city’s Citizens Bicycle Safety Committee.

………

Jin Hyuk Byun, the 19-year old driver charged with killing 18-year old North San Diego bike commuter Angel Bojorquez in a late night hit-and-run, has pleaded guilty to a single felony count of hit-and-run causing death.

Byun faces up to four years up to four years in prison — or as little as probation. Hopefully, the court deliver a sentence that shows Bojorquez’ life had value.

Unlike courts in, say, San Bernardino.

………

Gardena police have finally narrowed down the type of vehicle used in the hit-and-run death of Torrance cyclist Benjamin Torres on October 10th.

Be on the lookout for a maroon or purple 1995 to 2001 Ford Explorer or a 1997 to 2001 Mercury Mountaineer with light to moderate damage to the right headlight area. Call Investigator Matthew Hassoldt at 310/217-6189 if you have any information.

And on a related note, his step-daughters are asking cyclists to join them in honoring Torres and calling for bike safety on November 10th.

………

The LACBC is launching a safety education and bike light giveaway program dubbed Operation Firefly. The Times looks at the Bicycle Kitchen’s women’s-only Bicycle Bitchen night. Richard Risemberg writes that bike lanes benefit the entire community, including local merchants. Your access to mountain bike trails could depend on playing nice. South Pasadena may consider extending the Arroyo Seco bike path next week. The Culver City Bicycle Coalition is hosting a fundraising ride on Sunday, November 11th, while C.I.C.L.E. is hosting a Made in LA ride on Saturday, November 17.

How not to sell a bike on Craigslist. Video of the amazing turnout at last weekend’s memorial ride in Newport Beach. A new female-centric bike shop opens in Orange County. If you’re looking for a good ride and good beer, you could do worse than a ride to North San Diego County’s Stone Brewing Company. Lucky San Diego cyclists get to choose between two bike supporters for mayor, which is exactly what the LACBC’s Civic Engagement Committee is working towards here in L.A. A nurse has her bike stolen when she stops to help an injured cyclist at San Diego Critical Mass — then a local businessman buys her a new one. A coach with the Sacramento Kings hits a bike-riding child while test driving a new Jaguar, then returns it to the dealership instead of staying to help. Palo Alto police arrest two bike thieves after recognizing them from security footage. Who’s the genius who put a Share the Road sign in the middle of a bike lane? A 92-year old Sonoma driver denies running down two boys in a crosswalk, claiming they were the ones who damaged his car — and that one of them was a girl.

Seven reasons why bikes are for everyone. What does it take to build a world-class bicycling network, and will the US ever embrace bicycling like Denmark has? Why you might need more than one bike. Someday soon, you may never get another flat. Private bike share program Spinlister changes its name to Liquid, in an apparent attempt to conceal what the hell it is from anyone who might be interested. HuffPo looks at the hubris of Lance Armstrong, while the company that gave him $12 million in bonuses wants it’s money back, and an English town prepares to burn him in effigy; thanks to George Wolfberg for the latter link. Drunk Spokane driver gets two-and-a-half years for killing a cyclist. My hometown employs a smartphone app to crowd source cycling data. Oklahoma City gets its first sharrows. A Texas cyclist is under arrest for threatening two pedestrians with a gun. Doorings are down in Chicago, the question is why. Kill a Windy City cyclist in a right hook, and get a ticket for an improper right turn; no, really. The real riders on the storm — New York filmmaker Casey Neistat captures a four-hour ride through hurricane drenched streets. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, bikes provide the best way in, out or around Manhattan, as the city bans vehicles with less than three occupants from Manhattan. The anti-bike New York Post blames bike lanes for bus-bike collisions; yeah, it couldn’t be impatient bus drivers, overly aggressive riders or just plain carelessness. The world’s first car-only roadway is now a bike path, even though motorists used to fear the same vehicle segregation that many now call for. A Pennsylvania man gets six months probation for killing a cyclist while driving under the influence — six-effing-months probation, which is exactly the same sentence he would have gotten for a first-time DUI even if he didn’t hit anyone; nice to know the death of a human being doesn’t matter one damn bit in Western PA.

The popularity of tweed rides has helped increase the sales of more than just bikes. Helmet-cam video results in charges against a Canadian driver who dangerously Jerry Browned a cyclist — even though he could have safely passed a few seconds later. What to do after a crash. The victim is dead, but at least his bike has been returned. Teenage Brit triathlete is seriously injured in an apparent hit-and-run as she’s found on the side of the road after a car passes her, still clipped into her pedals. A new UK website tracks the best deals on bike gear. An Aussie writer asks whether you consider yourself a cyclist; ever notice that no one ever asks if people consider themselves drivers, which everyone becomes the moment they slide behind the wheel?

Finally, South Park takes on l’affaire Lance. A Polish cyclist is charged with speeding in a 30 mph zone — while riding completely naked except for the pants wrapped around his head.

And if you think some drivers are blind, you may be right.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities, Law Enforcement, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Self-entitled bike lane driving SaMo driver

October 30, 2012 / / 8 comments

It’s been one of those days. Besides other commitments, I haven’t been able to pull myself away from the news from the East coast.

So today’s post will be tomorrow’s post.

But in the meantime, here’s the latest stupid driver trick caught on helmet cam to keep you entertained.

Category: Car vs Bike, General / Tags: , , , ,

Over 1,200 cyclists honor two fallen riders and call for bike safety in Newport Beach

October 29, 2012 / / 6 comments

Photos courtesy of April Morris

Sometimes, the SoCal cycling community awes me.

For the past few weeks, Newport Beach cyclists have been planning a memorial ride and fundraiser to honor fallen riders Sarah Leaf and Dr. Catherine “Kit” Campion-Ritz, both killed the same horrible weekend last month.

As well as a third woman, Betty Bustrum, who somehow survived a serious collision on the Coast Highway.

When they first started planning this ride, I think organizers would have been happy if a few hundred riders showed up. Let alone the 600 bicyclists who had signed up to participate as of Saturday night.

Then the morning dawned, and over 1,200 cyclists were waiting at the starting point to honor the dead and injured, and call for better safety on Orange County streets.

I say over 1,200, because that’s when Newport Beach police stopped counting. It could have been 1,300. Or 1,500.

Or more.

More than 1,200 riders whose hearts — amazingly big, caring hearts — were in exactly the right place.

And who have contributed $53,000 and counting to improve bike safety in Newport Beach, with the city pledging to match donations on a three-to-one basis. Which means that $53,000 is really worth $159,000.

It came in the form of t-shirt sales, wristbands and donations ranging from a single dollar to $10,000 donated by our friend Frank Peters of cdmCyclist.

And there’s still time to raise more, as donations will continue to be accepted through the end of this year, in case you happen to find your heart and wallet full at the same time.

I don’t know if any of those riders were there because of anything I wrote about it here. Or if a solitary dime was donated due to anything I may have written.

But it doesn’t matter one whit.

I am simply amazed and gratified so many cyclists gave up their Sunday morning for their fellow riders.

And thankful for April Morris, Joan Littauer, the Orange County Bicycle Coalition, and all the people who volunteered their efforts and gave up far more than one morning to pull this off.

Seriously.

You all are amazing.

………

As long as we’re talking memorial rides, the stepdaughters of fallen cyclist Benjamin Torres are hosting a BikeRun in honor of their stepfather on Saturday, November 10th. If you live or ride in the Gardena area, show up to show the world he hasn’t been forgotten. And that all bicyclists have the right to ride safely.

………

A bicyclist is seriously injured, and a motorcyclist left in critical condition following a crash on Santiago Canyon Road near Modjeska Grade Road. Rancho Santa Margarita Patch quotes an OC Sheriff’s Department spokesperson as saying the collision was severe enough that they initially thought it was going to be a double fatality. But evidently, the OC Register was more concerned with the effect the crash had on traffic conditions.

Redlands police are looking for a hit-and-run driver who ran down a cyclist from behind at 45 – 55 mph, leaving her with critical injuries. The victim is identified only as a black woman in her 30s or 40s; police are looking for a newer black mid-size, 4-door sedan with tinted windows, and damage to the front bumper, windshield and roof.

………

The first NACTO conference reveals cities around the country are making their own transportation improvements without state or federal help. New York’s pro-cycling Mayor Bloomberg declares bicyclists, pedestrians and bus riders are as important, if not more, than motorists; thanks to Michele Bigelow for the heads-up. And NY stats show a 49% increase in retail sales along one new bikeway, and a 49% reduction in commercial vacancies along another.

So much for bike lanes being bad for business.

………

Unbelievably, after all the lies in pro cycling’s recent doping scandal, UCI picks Pinocchio as the mascot for next year’s World Championships. Talk about tone deaf.

Meanwhile, pro cycling’s governing body faces an investigation into its role in l’affaire Lance. The Guardian says UCI has a long way to go to reclaim their credibility, while five Euro newspapers team up to provide a roadmap to recovery.

………

Richard Risemberg offers solutions to the disappearing eastbound bike lane on Santa Monica Blvd in Century City; the current solution is pedal fast and hope for the best. Santa Monica’s Bike Center encourages new cyclists by loaning them a free bike for two weeks. A Downey writer calls on the city to develop an effective bike plan. Chico’s new city manager gets to know the town on two wheels. A pair of Napa cyclists look back on the recent Furnace Creek ultra-distance bike race.

It’s been a bad month for bike shop employees, as two were killed while riding this month. A red light-running New Mexico driver gets a whopping 90 days of home detention for killing a cyclist; way to crack down on dangerous drivers, your honor. A writer in my hometown asks if helmets are necessary in a cycling city. The mayor of Fort Worth conducts her town halls on two wheels. There’s a bicycling renaissance in central Massachusetts. It took a group of NY non-journalists to do the work the press didn’t and help bring doping to light.

A cyclist is being sought by Vancouver authorities for beating another rider, apparently for riding the wrong way on a bikeway. London plans to open the South Bank of the Thames to cyclists and pedestrians. A UK driver gets off with a slap on the wrist after the victim is blamed for his own fractured skull because he wasn’t wearing a helmet; so if I shoot someone, it’s his fault for not wearing a bulletproof vest, right? A British town is up in arms over the presence of a recumbent rider. In a truly heartbreaking case, a British rider is hit and killed by a car while exchanging information with a driver hit him in another collision moments earlier — and to top it off, his bike was stolen following the first collision by two men offering to help. The New York Times reveals why nearly forgotten cyclist Fiorenzo Magni was one of the greatest riders of his era — and not just because he finished 2nd in his final Giro with a broken collarbone and a broken arm. Four months after nearly getting killed in a Santa Rosa hit-and-run, Kiwi pro Michael Torckler makes a near-miraculous recovery to ride competitively once again.

Finally, I know the feeling, but seriously, don’t hit the car back after it hits you. If you’re going to carry your five-year old son on your bike, leave your portable meth lab at home.

And don’t get too comfortable, you can be replaced.

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

Bike Events: Newport Beach Memorial Ride, Tour de Portos and a Bike SGV Halloween Bike Train

October 27, 2012 / / 2 comments

Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

A new support group has formed for people who have been involved in a bicycle collision. Everyone is welcome to share your experiences, gain insight and understanding into your emotional state and develop new coping strategies. The group will meet Saturdays from 11:30 am to 1 pm at 6310 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 401. Current LACBC members receive a discount. To learn more, contact Aurisha Smolarski at 323/203-1526 or email aurisha.smolarski@gmail.com.

Saturday the 27th marks the Glassel Park Murder Mountain Urban CX Race starting at 4 pm at Velo Love, 3421 Verdugo Road, with an after party at Verdugo Bar.

Newport Beach will sponsor a memorial ride for fallen cyclists Sarah Leaf and Dr. Catherine “Kit” Campion Ritz on Saturday, October 28th. The easy, 1.2 mile ride will begin at 8 am, starting from the northwest corner of Santa Rosa and Newport Center Drive, and rolling at a processional pace. A longer, unofficial ride will follow, visiting a number of sites where riders have been injured or killed in the area, as well as the soon-to-be-installed CdM sharrows. The ride will feature a fundraising drive for bike safety improvements, with the city matching all donations on a 3-to-1 basis up to $450,000, and there will be a raffle for prizes including a Specialized Bike and gift cards from local bike shops. If you live or ride in Orange County, you need to be here.

Now here’s a great idea for a ride. The Arthritis Foundation is teaming with one of the L.A. area’s favorite Cuban bakeries and cafés to offer the first ever Tour de Porto’s starting at 8:30 am on Sunday, October 28th. The ride starts at Porto’s in Glendale, travels a short distance to the Burbank Porto’s, then down the L.A. River Bike Path to the restaurant’s Downey location. If the entry fee includes a Cubano or Medianoche, count me in.

The same day, Bike SGV will host a Halloween Bike Train and BBQ, with rides of 25 and 60 miles, as well as a Walk/Jog/Run. The rides start at 9 am and 8 am, respectively, starting at 776 Santa Anita Ave in South El Monte, followed by bike and rider costume contests, barbeque and pumpkin carving.

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s Civic Engagement Committee meets at 6:45 pm on the last Tuesday of each month. The next meeting will be Tuesday, October 30, at Johnnie’s Pizza at Museum Square, 5757 Wilshire Blvd. This month we turn our attention from the November election, and start focusing on next March’s L.A. mayoral and City Council elections. Email bikinginla at hotmail dot com to be added to the email list.

The Eastside Bike Club invites you to the 4th Annual Dia de los Muertos Bike Ride to honor family and friends who have passed. The ride assembles at 3:30 pm on Friday, November 2nd at Hecho En Mexico, 4976 Huntington Drive in El Sereno, rolling at 4 pm.

This month’s LACBC Sunday Funday ride will take place on Saturday night, instead. The Haunted Saturday Funday Ride (scroll down) will take meet at 3:45 pm on Saturday, November 3rd at The Georgian, 1415 Ocean Ave in Santa Monica, rolling at 4:15 pm. Led by Executive Director Jen Klausner, the 16 mile ride will visit spooky destinations like the Marquez Family Cemetery, Sullivan Ridge Fire Road and the Murphy Ranch. Expect some climbing and descending; dirt-worthy bikes recommended.

Monday, November 5th, the High Desert Cyclists hold their monthly Cruiser Ride from 9 am to 12 noon. The easy, slow paced rides run about 20 miles, at a speed of about 10 mph, with stops along the way. This month’s ride meets at the north side parking lot at Ave S and the Aquaduct in Palmdale.

The stepdaughters of fallen cyclist Benjamin Torres are hosting a BikeRun in honor of their stepfather on November 10th starting at Rowley Park in Gardena, and proceeding to Wilton Place and 135th St. The ride assembles at 3:30 pm and rolls at 4 pm. I highly recommend this one to honor a hit-and-run victim who should still be with us.

CORBA (the Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association) invites riders to meet at the Hub in Topanga State Park on Saturday, November 17th to celebrate their 25th anniversary and show that mountain bikers can co-exist on off-road trails. Riders will meet at 10 am, with a group photo and cash prizes starting at 10:30.

The LACBC’s second Tour de Taste is tentatively scheduled for Sunday, December 2nd; mark your calendar for a unique combination of bikes and great food.

High Desert Cyclists win the award for the first scheduled Christmas party of the year, to be held at 7 pm on Monday, December 17th at the Texas Cattle Company, 44206 10th Street West in Lancaster. You can also buy a $40 raffle ticket for a chance to win a $600 Bicycle John’s gift certificate; the raffle ticket includes a free one year family membership to the HDC.

Registration is now open for a six-day ride through San Diego and Riverside Counties between the holidays. The HI-USA Christmas Trip, which has rolled every year since the mid-1950s, starts in San Diego on December 26th and returns on December 31st, with five overnights in between. Total mileage runs between 360 and 400 miles, with terrain ranging from urban to rural, mountains to desert. Thanks to Marvin Davis for the heads-up.

Make your plans for the Malibu 7-Canyon Ride on Saturday, March 23rd with rides of 100 mile, 100 kilometers and 50 miles. The fully supported ride will begin at Zuma Beach, and pass through Latigo, Encinal, Decker, Mulholland, Little Sycamore, Yerba Buena and Deer Creek Canyons, with over 9,000 feet of climbing on the century ride. The first 200 people to register before November 15th will get a 15% discount; enter the code First200 on the registration page.

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , , ,

Cyclist refuses to back Governor’s Prop 30 in response to Brown’s repeated 3-foot vetoes

October 25, 2012 / / 12 comments

I got an interesting email tonight from a regular reader and bicycling advocate who asked that his name be kept private.

He forwarded an email he sent to Governor Jerry Brown, connecting the dots between Brown’s ill-advised vetoes of two three-foot passing laws, and support for the tax increase Brown is currently pushing. As well as his own safety.

After much soul searching I have decided not to support Prop 30.

As someone who commutes over 5,000 miles per year by bicycle, the Governor’s callous unwillingness to protect my safety by twice vetoing the 3 ft passing law is so important to me, that I cannot bring myself to cooperate with him on an issue of far less importance to me.  Just today I was again struck by a motorist (thankfully uninjured) while riding home in Hollywood.  My life, my safety, is personally more important than the solvency of this state.

If he can’t be bothered to protect me, I can’t be bothered to help him.

Regretfully, 

First of all, let me say I’m glad he’s okay; collisions with cars don’t always turn out so well.

Second, I have to admit, the same thought has occurred to me.

I can’t say I’d recommend basing your vote on a funding measure on Brown’s lack of support for California cyclists. On the other hand, I couldn’t blame you if you did; the governor shouldn’t expect our support when he won’t give us his. Which is something he can ill afford right now.

Meanwhile, Bike San Diego offers an in-depth two-part look at Brown’s veto.

………

On a related subject, I’ve been wracking my brain trying to remember who first came up with the term Jerry Browned to describe getting dangerously buzzed at less than three feet while riding your bike.

I remember seeing it on Twitter. And that took the ball and ran with it, as did Gary the always insightful of Gary Rides Bikes.

It turns out that credit for originally coming up with it goes to our friends at L.A.-based bikewear manufacturer Swrve.

………

The LACBC endorses Proposition J to speed up transit projects. Fighting a valet blocked bike lane. Motor Avenue gets a much needed road diet. Multicultural Communities for Mobility — the former City of Lights program — hosted their annual awards dinner on Wednesday. The history of PCH reveals a troubled and dangerous highway. In an absolutely absurd opinion piece, the L.A. Times compares the green credibility of a $20 cardboard bike with an $845,000 plug-in hybrid Porsche. Malibu officials confirm their commitment to bike safety following the death of Mari Echeverria on PCH this month; Cycling in the South Bay responds with the real problem on PCH. What happens to abandoned bikes in Hermosa Beach. CLR Effect takes a look at fire bikes.

Don’t forget this weekend’s Newport Beach Memorial Ride and Fundraiser; if you ride in Orange County you need to be there. An Orange County assailant escapes by BMX bike after stabbing a woman multiple times; fortunately, her injuries weren’t serious. Signs appear announcing the forthcoming sharrows in Corona del Mar. A Los Olivas DUI driver gets four years and four months in prison for plowing into a group of riders, leaving one in a semi-comatose state with serious brain injuries. A dangerous Santa Barbara street gets the blame for putting a cyclist on life support — though police say it’s because she didn’t use a crosswalk. San Francisco police allegedly beat the crap out of a popular cyclist and bike cap maker for exercising his 1st Amendment rights — then charge him with assaulting three officers and resisting arrest. Bay Area bicyclists say thanks to drivers.

The Bike League has recognized this year’s Bike Friendly Businesses — including Santa Monica’s Helen’s Cycles and Irvine’s Jax Bicycle Center — along with their new Bike Friendly Universities; sorry, USC. Thirteen reasons you should start biking to work. Winter bike commuting in Anchorage AK. An Arizona writer gets it right in responding to complaints from motorists. A Salt Lake City man is under arrest after taking a $5,900 for a test ride and not coming back. A Native American driver shows no remorse when he pleads guilty to running down a cross-county cyclist on a New Mexico reservation; the tribal court has jurisdiction, which is seldom a good thing. A drunk Texas cyclist pulls a machete on a cop; usually not a good idea. A Pittsburgh mom thanks the strangers who helped her bike-riding daughter. An arrest has been made in the case of the Pittsburgh cyclist whose throat was slashed last month. In a horrifying case, two New Jersey brothers are accused of killing a 12-year old girl to steal her BMX bike. Bike Portland says New York streets really do live up to the hype. NYPD forgets to investigate the fatal dooring of a cyclist last April. New York plazas and bike lanes are good for business. Russell Crowe leads the paparazzi on a 7.7 mile bike chase. AAA insists DC-area drivers are the victims of a war on cars; if they don’t figure out soon that a lot of their members also ride bikes, they may lose that war.

America’s only surviving Tour de France winner calls on the head of competitive cycling’s governing body to resign. Lancegate claims another victim, as Team Sky’s Bobby Julich resigns as cycling coach. Motorists say cyclists are endangering their lives by riding on divided highways; yeah, they couldn’t just slow down and drive safely. So much for that cycling paradise, as a Danish princess collides with a cyclist on the streets of Copenhagen. Bangalore gets its first bike lane. Real justice for a fallen cyclist as a Kenyan driver gets life in prison for the hit-and-run death of a bike rider.

Finally, let me get this straight — if 25% of drivers want those “inconsiderate cyclists” to be  taxed and licensed, doesn’t that mean an overwhelming 75% don’t? And a UK cyclist punches a car passenger in an unprovoked assault. So who said it was unprovoked?

Oh, right, the guy who got punched.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, General / Tags: , , , , , , ,
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