Tag Archive for bicycling

A busy bike week in the L.A. area, followed by your weekend reading list

January 5, 2013 / / Comments Off on A busy bike week in the L.A. area, followed by your weekend reading list

I haven’t had a chance to update my Events list lately. And my schedule this week meant choosing between giving you the latest news links, or the coming events.

So naturally, I chose both, starting with a brief listing of this week’s happenings, followed by all the news that seems to fit.

And I promise to get to that full Events listing soon.

No, really.

………

A memorial ride for Steve Bowen will be held at 8 am today starting at the Riviera Village in Redondo Beach; the owner of Palos Verdes Bicycle Center collapsed while riding in the Malibu Hills just before Christmas.

Flying Pigeon will hold their monthly Brewery Ride today, meeting at 3 pm at 3404 N. Figueroa St, and rolling to Golden Road Brewery at 3:30 pm.

A memorial will be held Sunday for Newport Beach lifeguard Brian Gray; reports are he didn’t die as a result of falling from his bike, as initially reported.

This month’s LACBC Sunday Funday Ride will explore sites along the Metro Orange Line. The ride is free for LACBC members and a guest, and meets at North Hollywood Red Line Station at 8:30 am, rolling at 9.

Maybe the Sunday Funday ride can make a stop at Pierce College for the finale of the SoCal Cross Prestige Series from 8 am to 4 pm Sunday, January 6th; 6201 Winnetka Ave in Woodland Hills.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles will host the License to Ride: Bicycles & Transit Workshop on Monday, January 7th from 3 to 5 pm, in the 4th Floor Conference Room of the Citibank Building, 5000 Sunset Blvd. The free workshop is open to anyone between the ages of 12 to 24; light snacks and refreshments will be provided, and a bike is not required.

The quarterly Bike Plan Implementation Team (BPIT) meeting will take place this Tuesday, January 8th from 1 to 4 pm at the LADOT – Caltrans Building, 100 S. Main Street, Downtown.

Registration has opened for this year’s LA River Ride, to be held Sunday, June 9th, starting and ending in Griffith Park. If you haven’t done the River Ride, I highly recommend it; if you have, then what are you waiting for?

………

South African Olympic mountain biker Burry Stander was killed in a collision with a taxi driver who claims he never saw him; a homicide investigation has been opened. Stander’s wife of just seven months cradled him as he died, while pro riders call for safety reforms.

………

L.A. Councilmember and former LAPD officer Joe Buscaino asks for council action on the city’s hit-and-run crisis; NPR picks up the hit-and-run story. Two L.A Councilmembers propose borrowing $3 billion to fix our streets; yes, it’s badly needed, but there’s no mention of installing bikeways after repaving and not a dime dedicated to fixing the city’s sidewalks. Maybe that driver really didn’t see you, since he might have been sleeping. L.A. mayoral candidates debate transportation in Beverly Hills. The Source celebrates their addiction to cycling; I think we all know the feeling. Redondo Beach considers a cycletrack on Harbor Drive connecting with the Hermosa Beach Strand. Delivering Kombucha by bike in Long Beach.

Automotive design guru Imre Molnar died of a heart attack while riding somewhere in California last week; thanks to Michael Eisenberg for the heads-up. Anaheim’s bike share program to debut later this month. The League of American Bicyclists notes the fundraising efforts of two incredible women, including April Morris, organizer of the successful Newport Beach Memorial Ride. Why Newport Beach needs a new bicycle master plan. The San Diego Union-Tribune talks with one of my favorite bike advocates, Sam Ollinger of BikeSD. San Francisco installs a new bike lane with back-in angled parking. Cyclists need parking spaces just as much as drivers do.

Bike lawyer Bob Mionske looks at the legalities of the no-contact crash. The Bike League looks at the key players for bicycling in the new Congress; sorry, but my cynicism about Congress is at an all-time high, and inversely proportionate to my faith they’ll do anything to benefit bicyclists or anyone else. An Arizona driver is charged with second degree murder in the DUI hit-and-run death of a California college student. A Dallas cyclist is intentionally run down by an angry driver, while the city considers a vulnerable user ordinance; sounds like they need it. An Illinois woman turns down a plea bargain after killing a nine-year old bike rider while allegedly high. After complaints by residents, a protected Chicago bike lane will be converted to a buffered lane. Abysmal pavement quality in a new Chicago bike lane; we have the same problem here when lanes are painted without repaving first. A New York cyclist is killed when she’s Jerry Browned by a garbage truck, then falls under its wheels; note to New York Post, even if she’d worn a helmet, it wouldn’t have done a damn bit of good. Turns out that safer streets don’t slow emergency responders after all. The New York Times reports Lance Armstrong may be ready to ‘fess up; Kent Peterson of Kent’s Bike Blog reminds up that the Onion broke the story a couple years back. Virginia prohibits tailgating cars but not bikes, and has no law requiring drivers to exercise due car to avoid cyclists and pedestrians; hopefully, the legislature will change that — and ban dooring while they’re at it. A Florida woman dies falling from her bike after apparently drinking heavily; in this case, a helmet might have made a difference. A salmon cyclist is killed after being hit by four separate vehicles on a rain-slicked Florida highway.

The Guardian asks if cyclists and pedestrians can safely share the road; walkers and riders make much better allies than enemies. Someone is booby trapping a popular off-road riding area near Manchester England in a deliberate attempt to injure or kill mountain bikers. Traveling from London to Sydney by bike. Czech riders can now enjoy a robotic, glass tower bike parking facility. A UK cyclist riding from England to India returns home to visit his sick grandmother. Delhi cyclists get reflective tape to improve safety. A New Zealand woman is still haunted by witnessing the death of her husband while they were riding together one year ago. Biking in Afghanistan isn’t exactly Portland. The gift of a single bicycle makes a difference for a Cambodian village.

Finally, fight fat with sanitized tape worms, and other health and bike ads from the 1890s. And maybe it’s cars that need the hi-viz, not bicyclists.

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

Today’s post, in which I post elsewhere

January 4, 2013 / / Comments Off on Today’s post, in which I post elsewhere

Just a quick note.

I’ll be writing a series of articles on bicycling in Santa Monica for LA Streetsblog over the next several days. The first, an apology to the city and people of Santa Monica for opposing the city’s designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community, appears today; others will appear next week.

Meanwhile, no more information yet regarding the cyclist killed in San Diego last night. I’ll update the story as details become available.

Category: General, Guest Columns / Tags: , , ,

Lots of fresh 2013 links, surprising health studies, and more on the last SoCal cyclists killed in 2012

January 2, 2013 / / 2 comments

Looks like we all made it through the holiday’s in one piece.

At least, I’m still here. And if you’re reading this, I have to assume you’re still with us, as well.

So welcome to 2013; oddly, it doesn’t seem any different here in the future than it did way back in those fateful final days of 2012.

And speaking strictly for myself, I’m happy to have the holidays behind us and move on to whatever it is that passes for normal these days.

So settle in for a quick read. Then get up and get out on your bike if you can.

Because it looks like we’ve some great riding weather to start off the year.

………

The L.A. Times reports that Johnathan Coontz, who was killed in a collision with a cyclist on the Santa Ana River Trail last week, was homeless at the time of his death and had multiple convictions for drinking in public. However, they contradict earlier reports that he was riding a bike.

It’s sad enough that Coontz lost his life in what appears to be a tragic accident. The real tragedy is how he ended up on the streets with an apparent drinking problem, after growing up as a skilled athlete and surfer.

And no, the problems he had in life do nothing to negate the tragedy of his death.

However, it does throw into question how many cyclists died on SoCal streets and trails last year. As it stands now, the count remains at 74 after the OC Coroner concludes lifeguard Brian Gray wasn’t riding his bike when he died, while Coontz appears to have been riding or may have been walking his; authorities plan an autopsy to determine exactly how he died.

Unless they conclude he wasn’t actually riding or walking his bike, he’ll end up as the region’s final cycling fatality of 2012, barring any late-breaking news.

And frankly, I’d say 74 fallen bike riders is about 74 too many.

………

Not surprisingly, much of today’s news involves getting in shape. What’s surprising is some of the conclusions they reach.

For instance, fructose, which now permeates the typical American diet, may cause overeating; although as long as they keep it out of whiskey and craft beers, I should be safe. You may only need a hard ride around the block every day to get back in shape. Olympic athletes may not be healthier than your average golfer. And maybe being a little fat may not be so bad for you after all.

Then again, I’d tell you to take these studies with a grain of salt, but that’s supposed to be bad for you, too.

………

Be on the lookout for a 74-year old Hispanic man suffering from Alzheimer’s disease who disappeared in West L.A. while riding a light blue bicycle. When you stop and think of it, the ding of a bike bell does sound a lot like a lot like the ring of a cash register. Will Campbell offers one of his typically great timelapse videos of his last off road ride of 2012. Biking to yesterday’s Rose Bowl game.

Calbike unveils their strategic plan for the next five years; then again, you know who else used to make five year plans, so maybe those Agenda 21 wackos are onto something after all. The Orange County Register names globe trotting paraplegic triathlete and marathoner Beth Sanden their Outdoor Sportsperson of the Year. Thanks to me, cdmCyclist’s Frank Peters is now paranoid about motor vehicle traffic; I guess my work here is done. Yerba Buena gets artistic new bike racks. If you’re carrying illegal drugs on your bike while on parole and probation, you’re probably better off not running from the police for a simple traffic stop.

The Atlantic Cites hopes pedestrians vs. bikers vs. drivers vs. bus riders vs. train commuters is a trend that dies a rapid death in 2013. Create your own bicycle light wheel animations. For every MIIR bike you buy, they’ll donate another to someone in need. A popular bike blogger vows not to preach about cycling, at least at home. Ranking the 10 worst Colorado bike collisions of 2012. An unusually honest Columbus woman tries to find the owner after realizing she may have purchased a stolen bike for her nephew. If bikes are really the biggest complaint in Boston’s North End, it must truly be a paradise. A hospital employee wants to require hi-viz reflective vests for all cyclists so drivers will see us; God forbid we should expect drivers to actually pay attention. If you’re wanted on various criminal warrants and illegally carrying a semi-automatic handgun on your bike, maybe you shouldn’t run stop signs. Memphis goes from worst to most improved in bicycling; then again, you pretty well have to suck to begin with to be the most improved in anything. A South Carolina man is killed when he tries to carry his bike between the cars of a stopped train; never go through or in front of a stopped train, and be damned careful about crossing behind one.

London’s bike boom appears to have switched direction; maybe the city’s cyclists are tired of ending up under its trucks. A London cycling organization tries to turn a notorious bike hater into a school cycling supporter. More bikes mysteriously trapped in trees. Scots are urged to get on their bikes, as the country invests the equivalent of $86.5 million in new bikeways in 2013. Ireland plans to expand a free bike share program to up to four new cities. Istanbul tries to get bike friendly with help from everyone’s favorite bicycling nation. Japanese police say 32% of cycling violations are for brakeless fixies, and recommend safety training for reckless cyclists.

Finally, maybe an Aussie highway isn’t the best place to take a nap. And Cyclelicious looks back at a booming year in bike music, which should keep you entertained for awhile.

Category: Bicycle Safety, General, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,

Best wishes for 2013

January 1, 2013 / / 2 comments

Please accept my best wishes for a safe, healthy, happy and prosperous new year, for you and all your loved ones. And one free from fear, especially on your bike.

And may the last bicycling death of 2012 be the last one, period.

Category: General / Tags: ,

Presenting a passel of bike links to close out your 2012 reading, and a brief New Years warning

December 30, 2012 / / 7 comments

Welcome to the end of yet another year, with the promise that somehow, tomorrow will be different.

Numerically, at least.

Assuming we all get there.

Think of New Years Eve as the world championships of over-drinking. And almost everyone is in on the competition.

A lot of people will have the day off, and may start drinking — and yes, driving — by midday; others will get off from work early and head straight for the nearest bar, if they don’t start drinking at lunch.

From noon on, you can safely assume many, if not most, of the drivers you see will have had one or more for the road. And if you ride tonight, assume every motorist on the streets will have been drinking, if not actually drunk.

You won’t be far off.

So ride carefully, and extra defensively, at all times.

And no, I’m not kidding. I want to see you back here next year, in one piece.

Please.

If you’re going out tonight, walk, take a cab or catch a free ride on any Metro bus or train. Or if you insist on driving, consider a free tow to get back home.

Or ride a bike.

Yes, drunk bicycling is illegal here in California. But the penalty is nowhere near as stiff as a DUI, and won’t count against your license.

Granted, you might kill yourself riding home under the influence.

But at least you’re not likely to take anyone with you, unlike those who insist on pouring themselves behind the wheel.

And no, I have no sympathy for anyone who gets busted for DUI.

And a hell of a lot less for anyone who kills or injures another person because they’ve been drinking.

Seriously, don’t be that guy. Or girl.

………

Apathy may be the biggest obstacle facing L.A.’s 2013 mayoral candidates; at least one voter wants more bike lanes in Wilmington. The Army Corps of Engineers unexpectedly razes a section of the Sepulveda Basin, a popular Valley biking destination. The Bicycle Kitchen wants your help deciding what color to paint itself. If only more merchants realized their customers don’t always come by car. C.I.C.L.E. hosts a class for traffic-averse cyclists next month. Memorable things happen when you ride a bike. Friends hold a successful Frisbee golf fundraiser for injured Canyon Country cyclist Kevin Korenthal. A new DMV study shows unlicensed and suspended drivers are three times as likely to cause a fatal crash. Carlsbad cyclists are startled to see Superman flying past — yes, Superman. The joys of riding at night. Cyclelicious is giving away books on bikes starting Wednesday.

Bicycling lists five things cyclists should have in their cars; bike riders need cars? Turns out Kirsten Dunst is one of us. Baton Rouge has tripled its bike lane mileage in just three years; I don’t think they had any when I lived down there a few decades back. Memphis aims to be friendly to bikes as well as blues. A cyclist is killed in the other Hollywood on Sunday. Three cyclists rammed by a car in South Florida last week say it could have been a lot worse. Tampa Bay sees a big jump in bicycling deaths this year. Continuing today’s Florida theme, a cyclist is intentionally pushed to the ground by a bike lane-walking pedestrian.

Riding a bike on Sunday was once seen as a road straight to hell. The UK needs to maintain momentum now that cycling is reaching critical mass (lower case, please), even while the country sees soaring sales of black market bicycles. British cyclists move a house by bike. Cyclists push for road safety in Greenwich. Leicestershire drivers ignore an injured cyclist lying on the roadside. Walking and biking are on a dangerous arc in Scotland, as fatalities could soon surpass those of motor vehicles within a few years.

Finally, helmets are evidently now required for every waking activity. And an Italian judge says cyclists are scruple-less, because we cheat and steal low-quality drugs. So make a resolution this year to only steal top-of-the-line pharmaceuticals.

You’re worth it.

Category: Bicycle Safety, General / Tags: , , , , ,

Update: Homeless man dies in collision with bike on Santa Ana River Trail

December 29, 2012 / / 16 comments

The Orange County Register broke the news late last night that someone had been killed in a collision with a bicyclist on the popular Santa Ana River Trail yesterday evening.

The collision occurred on the trail around 6 pm just north of Atlanta Avenue; the victim was taken to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he died an hour later. Initial reports were unclear whether the victim was another cyclist or a pedestrian.

This morning, a reliable anonymous source in a position to know wrote to clear up the confusion.

58-year-old pedestrian Johnathan Charles Coontz was struck and killed by a cyclist on the Santa Ana river trail in Huntington Beach yesterday evening. He was a homeless guy, the type who collect recyclables, and he usually had a bike that he used for transportation and collecting cans, so my guess (just guessin’ here) is that at the time of the collision, maybe he was pushing a heavily laden bike, either while scavenging, or while returning to his encampment.

Homeless camp out in the clumps of thick shrubbery along this stretch of path. It’s not a place I ride, but not because of the homeless, who generally keep to themselves.  It’s just dark, you need really bright lights and you need to look out for drunks crossing the path.

Still hoping to find out anything about the cyclist.

There was some initial confusion about jurisdiction, but CHP will be the investigating agency.

It’s rare that a collision with a bike results in death, but as this incident shows, it can happen — and has happened before — usually involving a pedestrian, through fatal collisions with other cyclists have occurred, as well.

The statistic I’ve heard is that roughly six people are killed each year nationwide as a result of collisions with bicycles; however, I don’t know where that stat came from or how valid it may be.

But it’s a reminder to ride carefully in areas where other people may be present. I’ve seen cyclists plow through crosswalks crowded with pedestrians, forcing people to dodge them to avoid being knocked down.

And you don’t want to be the one who has to live with something like this for the rest of your life. Which is not to suggest the cyclist is at fault in this collision; we have no way of knowing yet what happened in this case.

As this recent helmet cam video from Michael Eisenberg clearly shows, it’s not always the cyclist’s fault — in fact, he reports he likely would have hit the man if he hadn’t he slowed down to 8 mph in anticipation of pedestrians in the area.

Update: The Register confirms the identity of the victim, though they list his age as 58 — or possibly 52, judging from the headline — rather than 62, and say he was a resident of Costa Mesa.

According to the paper, Coontz was riding north on an Electra Cruiser when he drifted onto the southbound side of the trail, where he collided with another rider. The other cyclist, a 52-year old man from Midway City, was hospitalized, as well.

And let’s not discount the tragedy because he was apparently homeless at the time of his death. Many people have fallen on hard times in this troubled economy, for any number of reasons. Whatever combination of factors may have brought Coontz onto the streets, there are undoubtedly those who loved him, and will miss him.

Update 2: Koontz’s family and friends remember him as one of the best surfers in Newport Beach in the 1970s.

Please accept my prayers and condolences for Jonathan Coontz, and all his loved ones.

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

Tonight’s post, in which I say goodbye to a friend, and your pre-New Year’s weekend links

December 29, 2012 / / 6 comments

This is a sad night.

For the last 20 years, I’ve been friends with an older couple, the parents of one of my wife’s best friends; I’ve known them almost as long as I’ve known her.

For some reason, they both seemed to like me and never failed to make me welcome in their home; perhaps, in part, because I adored them.

This bike takes a woman in her 80s riding on the beach nearly every weekday.

This bike takes an 80-something woman riding on the beach nearly every weekday, pretty pink streamers and all.

She’s charming and beautiful and sharp as a whip, even in her 80s. And even in her 80s, took her folding bike to the beach every morning, where she’d find a much younger man to unload it from her car before cruising along the coast.

Or at least she did, until her husband took ill a few months back.

He was fascinating, one of the last surviving members of a generation who knew the last world war on a first name basis, with insights and stories that covered every one of the last nine decades. And yet, he seemed equally fascinated by mine — especially the ones that involved a bike, even though he had to give up physical things like that.

That’s because his big heart was borrowed from someone less fortunate after his gave out over 25 years ago, when life expectation for transplant patients was measured in years, not decades. He spent many of the days after that volunteering at Cedars Sinai, using himself as a model to show patients with newly transplanted organs just how rich their lives could be.

Today, his finally ended.

Yes, I’m sad. If you find any typos in today’s post, blame the tears that keep welling up as I write it.

But I’m glad his suffering of the last few months is finally over. Even more, that he more than made the most of a long, full life that could have ended in the 80s.

And most of all, that I had the chance to know him.

Goodbye, my friend.

The world is a poorer place today.

………

A cyclist — or maybe a pedestrian — was killed in a collision with a cyclist on the Santa Ana river trail Friday; more information was it becomes available.

………

The Orange County Sheriff’s Coroner Division says Newport Beach lifeguard Brian Gray didn’t die from a fall from his bike after all. But they didn’t conduct an autopsy, or offer any enlightenment on how or why he died.

………

A passing plumber rescues a bike riding 16 year-old girl before she could jump to her death onto the Hollywood Freeway. West Hollywood considers a bike share program, possibly joining in L.A.’s Bike Nation network. Padraig of Red Kite Prayer explores the undiscovered country of inland LA; funny how L.A.’s urban riders seldom visit the coast, and coastal riders seldom bike east. Boy on a Bike tells Pasadena to clean up its act. A Frisbee golf fundraiser is planned for Saturday to raise money for cyclist Kevin Korenthal, critically injured in a Canyon Country head-on collision. Long Beach’s biking expats are making their way back home to tour Central and Southern California.

Cyclelicious maps California bike crashes, with an appropriately ugly red blotch over Southern California. Bike Newport Beach looks back at a momentous year in the city, starting with trying to create some good from the tragic deaths of two women riders, and a critically injured third, in three separate collisions in just three days. April Morris, the woman behind the very successful Newport Beach Memorial Ride, has been named cdmCyclist’s Advocate of the Year; speaking of which, Monday is the final day you can donate to the ride fund. San Diego’s Nimitz Blvd gets buffered bike lanes, at least partway. A board member of the San Diego Citizens’ Review Board on Police Practices does everything but call Critical Mass an outlaw anarchist organization hell bent on destroying America; maybe he believes Agenda 21 makes riding a bicycle treason of the highest order. A fallen Thousand Oaks cyclist and physician will be honored on the Donate Life float in this year’s Rose Parade. A Ventura engineer designs his own touring bike and sells them out of his garage. San Francisco’s Valencia street poses a risk to cyclists; unlike every other street, I suppose. Ride through the scenic Marin Headlands.

Bicycling offers an online generator to tell you what to wear to suit the weather when you ride. Pelonton talks with Connie Carpenter, the only Olympic cycling champion I’ve ever ridden with. Rumor has it Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey is abstaining from sex to focus on competitive cycling; yeah, right. Sprint offers an app to help stop distracted driving. AAA — the national one that supports bikes, unlike their local CA counterparts — calls for interlock devices for anyone convicted of drunk driving. Las Vegas physician commutes — and makes his rounds — by bike. Why do bikewear manufacturers insist on making women riders look ridiculous? Two Washington motorists are killed after mistakenly turning onto a bike path and plunging into a river. A Montana man is sentenced to five years in jail after nearly striking a cyclist and a pedestrian before his 7th DUI arrest; I guess the first six weren’t enough. What kind of wine goes with learning to fix flats? Maybe driving while drowsy should be against the law. Baton Rouge is getting more bike-friendly, thanks in part to the local bike advocacy group; compared to when I lived there, anything short of getting run off the road by rednecks and drunken frat boys would be friendlier. Visiting the bike embedded in a tree on Washington’s Vashon Island.

You can call him Sir Bradley Wiggins now. A British cyclist challenges his Parliament member to ride with him after he’s knocked off his bike twice in three months; surprisingly, she agrees. The London Guardian sues Lance Armstrong to get back the money they lost in a libel case over doping charges, while a UK writer says l’affaire Lance killed innocence in sports fans the world over; seriously, if you’re surprised that any pro cyclist doped, you haven’t been paying attention. Heartless thieves steal a British boy’s new bike on Christmas Day, while a hero postman rescues a paperboy’s stolen bike. Edinburgh cyclists get a new segregated bike path. An Irish man loves riding but hates his fellow cyclists. BMC pro rider Alessandro Ballan is out of intensive care, minus a spleen, following a high-speed crash. A Swedish bike group says failure to clear snow off bike paths first makes streets more dangerous for everyone. Japanese authorities confirm that 31-year old adventurer Haruhisa Watanabe was killed in a collision with a car while riding near the arctic circle in north western Russia. South African cycling made major strides in 2012, yet it remains a country of fearless, adventurous, thick-skinned and often eccentric cyclists. Careless Kiwi cyclists are criticized for posing a risk to other road users; the country averages less than 10 bicycling deaths a year, while I suspect the number of motorists killed by cyclists would be somewhat lower.

Finally, British police now believe a code-breaking, bike riding MI6 agent “probably” crawled into a suitcase dumped in a bathtub on his own, padlocked it from the outside and stayed there until his desiccated body was found weeks later.

British police also reportedly believe in the Easter Bunny, the Loch Ness Monster and Agenda 21.

………

New Years Eve is the year’s high holiday for drunks, and the weekend leading up to it isn’t much better. So assume that every driver you see has been drinking; chances are, you won’t be far off.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Reading between the lines — did California Governor Jerry Brown kill a bike rider with his pen?

December 27, 2012 / / One comment

Sometimes the irony is as tragic as it is overwhelming.

It was just a few years ago that the New Jersey Star-Ledger published an editorial ridiculing efforts to pass a three-foot passing law in the state — one day after printing a story proving the need for it.

The paper said that while they supported “protecting bicycle enthusiasts,” they feared a society in which drivers could get a ticket for passing a cyclist at just 2’11”, and called the proposed law unenforceable.

Pity they don’t read their own newspaper.

Just 24 hours earlier, they’d run a story about a 78-year old man who died after being passed so closely by a school bus that witnesses thought the driver had hit him. Police initially investigated the death as a hit-and-run before concluding that the bus never came in contact with the rider.

It just passed so closely that the rider, an experienced cyclist who averaged 5,000 miles a year on his bike, lost control and fell, fatally, off his bike.

Something a three-foot law might have prevented. Or at the very least, could have provided a basis to charge the bus driver for his death.

Now we have a very similar situation right here in California.

Except instead of an editorial providing an ironic context, we have the veto pen of a misguided governor to blame.

And instead of a 78-year old victim, it was a visiting professor at UC Berkeley who died when he was passed by a dump truck last July.

Israeli professor Shlomo Bentin, a renowned expert in cognitive neuropsychology, was riding his bike next to a line of cars when he was buzzed by the dump truck — once again, so close that witnesses at the scene believed the truck had hit him.

Yet investigators, relying on video, interviews and forensic analysis, concluded that the truck never made contact with the rider.

And even though state law requires drivers to pass at a safe distance without interfering with the safe operation of the bicycle, authorities felt they didn’t have enough evidence to make their case.

Something that probably wouldn’t have been a problem if we had a three-foot passing law in place.

Anyone who has ever been in Bentin’s position knows the sheer terror that comes with having a massive, multi-ton vehicle mere inches from your elbow.

It takes near-superhuman self control not to overreact in that situation, where the slightest mistake could result in a serious, if not fatal, collision with the passing vehicle – or a crash into the parked cars on the right that could throw you under the truck’s wheels or into the path of following cars.*

Or cause you to simply fall on your own, as Bentin and the rider in the New Jersey case appear to have done with tragic results.

And make no mistake. While most falls from a bike are harmless, any fall can be dangerous.

Yet thanks to the veto pen of our misguided governor, California drivers still have no standard in place to tell them what is and isn’t a safe passing distance.

And as this case clearly shows, any pass that doesn’t actually come in contact with the rider is effectively legal under current law.

Even if the rider dies as a result.

Had the governor not vetoed two straight safe passing laws — including one he indicated he would sign after vetoing the first — Shlomo Bentin might be alive today, training the next generation of neuropsychologists.

Or at the very least, the driver could have been held accountable for fatally violating the three-foot rule, rather than walking thanks to the current nebulous and virtually unenforceable standard.

Instead, the governor traded our lives, not for the implausible reasons he gave for his vetoes, but as a political favor to groups he evidently felt were more important than mere bike riders. Or so I’m told by people in a position to know.

Bentin’s body should be laid at Governor Brown’s feet — figuratively, if not literally. Because he’s traded the safety of every bike rider on California streets for political expediency.

And he should be held accountable, morally and politically, for Bentin’s death, and any other cyclists who have been Jerry Browned following his vetoes, or will be.

Our governor has blood on his hands.

And nothing he can do will wash it away.

*If you find yourself in a similar situation, the best course of action is to bail to your right if there’s room — even if that means going over a curb or off the roadway; road rash or a broken arm is a lot better than getting run over. If there’s no room to your right, hold steady and try not to react in any way; it’s not easy, but this is one situation where doing absolutely nothing could save your life.

………

A Canyon Country bicycle advocate was seriously injured in a collision on Saturday.

Kevin Korenthal was riding south on Little Tujunga Road when a 16-year old driver lost control rounding a curve, crossed the center line and hit him head-on. He was airlifted to the hospital, where he underwent 7 hours of surgery for injuries including three broken vertebrae in his neck and back, as well as a broken wrist, tibia, fibula, scapula and femur.

The founder of the Santa Clarita Valley Trail Users, Korenthal lost his lower left leg as a result of another cycling collision 21 years ago; the latest crash left a steel rod in the amputated leg bent at a 45-degree angle.

Thanks to Michele for the heads-up.

………

Finally, the Times offers a great look at L.A.’s jet-beating Wolfpack Hustle.

Surprisingly — or maybe not so much, given the number of cyclists who work for the Times — it offers a fair, balanced and objective look at a leading segment of the city’s formerly underground bike culture.

Although as usual, some of the comments leave something to be desired.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Injuries and Fatalities, Law Enforcement / Tags: , , , , , ,

A manger full of virtually wise man-free Christmas Eve links for those who survived the weekend

December 24, 2012 / / 4 comments

Since you’re reading this, we can assume you managed to survive, not only Friday’s Mayan apocalypse, but this past weekend’s last chance before Christmas full-contact shopping marathon.

And since I’m writing this, we can also assume I somehow managed to control my reaction to the jerk who honked and gestured angrily for my wife and I to get the hell out of his way as we walked through a Costco parking lot.

After all, had I followed the advice of the NRA’s leadership, I might have fired off 20 or 30 rounds from my fully automatic military-style assault rifle before realizing that I don’t in fact own one.

Or want to.

I have a hard enough time controlling the knee-jerk reaction of my middle finger when confronted by aggressive, hostile and/or threatening motorists. God forbid if the one next to it was attached to a trigger at the time.

But still.

It’s remarkable just how shallow the holiday spirit is revealed to be when confronted by the realities of a packed parking lot.

That’s not to say I didn’t see a lot of smiling faces this weekend.

It’s just that none of them were in cars at the time.

………

A great read for the holidays, as a bike shop worker explains that Santa is just as real as Bigfoot, courtesy of Kent’s Bike Blog.

It’s not that I believe in Santa Claus. It’s just that, like Batman and honest politicians, I prefer to live in a world where such things might actually exist.

And in the footsteps of Luka Bloom’s ode to the joys of bicycling, singer Nora Schlang offers a CD full of bike songs, including this one asking for a big red bike for Christmas.

………

Cycling’s governing body finally approves equal prize money for men and women at the world championships; now how about equality on the world tours?  It’s long past time for equal pay for equal work in women’s cycling. But at least Amgen is considering sponsoring a separate but unequal women’s tour in Northern California.

………

L.A.’s Bike Nation bike share program kicks off in Downtown next April, and teams with the Clippers’ Caron Butler to donate bikes to LA Boys and Girls Club members. The Asian Journal looks at LADOT General Manager Jaime de la Vega. Santa Monica Patch maps the location of the city’s five traffic deaths this year, including the still unsolved case of hit-and-run cycling victim Erin Galligan. Vincent Chang and Bike SGV are creating a paradigm shift in SoCal cycling. The Claremont Currier offers a nice look at longstanding bike shop Coates Cyclery. CLR Effect rides the West fork of the San Gabriel River; that’s one I want to try one of these days. Long Beach opens a full-blown multi-media campaign to educate cyclists and drivers about bike safety — although the ad in the story seems to show cyclists riding blissfully in the left lane.

Good looks at the world’s first bikes made from 100% recycled aluminum; something we mentioned here a few weeks back. A young Santa Ana cyclist is expected to survive being shot when he’s challenged over gang affiliations. Bike helmets have to be certified to meet safety standards while skateboard helmets don’t, making them riskier for the BMX riders who use them. Prison inmates refurbish bikes for over 80 children in Imperial County. If you’re going to steal a bike from an El Centro Walmart while carrying illegal drugs, watch out for poles. UPS delivers by bike in Santa Maria; if they’d do that in Santa Monica, I wouldn’t mind so much if they used the bike lane. I’ve never been a 49ers fan, but that might change if they keep building bikes to donate to needy kids; next year, though, let’s make it 490 bikes, not 49. If you’re a white or Hispanic male cyclist, you could represent Verizon in a Bay Area commercial; evidently blacks and Asians — or women, for that matter — don’t fit the image the massive communications company wants to project. A Sacramento cyclist is killed when he swerved to avoid a puddle in a heavy rain; if you ride in the rain, remember that a bike is the last thing drivers are looking for in adverse weather.

Bicycling says how you act can determine whether you get a deal at your local bike shop; I can sum it up in four words — don’t be an ass. Some riders are doing more than dream of a bike Christmas. A New Mexico jury awards $2.1 million in a cycling collision, but places half the blame on the cyclist for allowing himself to get left crossed. The Colorado Mesa University cycling team is looking for a new coach after the current director is implicated in one doping scandal too many. Chicago plans to become a world class bike city, again. Just what Boston cyclists don’t need, as the Boston Globe gets a new anti-bike editor. An upstate New York cyclist dies three months after he was struck in a drugged hit-and-run collision; yes, the driver has been found and will face charges in his death. New Yorkers respond to a proposal to require licenses and insurance for bikes. Jerry Seinfeld cruises New York in Porsches and a Pinarello racing bike. A Long Island cyclist is beaten and robbed by eight to 10 men who fled with his bike. A woman is shot and killed by an apparent acquaintance while riding in West Palm Beach; a 16-year old cyclist was shot and killed a little further south in Miami. A Florida driver plowed into a group of cyclists, injuring four; thankfully, none critically. An Aussie woman learns to ride at the ripe old age of 35.

Turns out bicycling keeps more than just your body in shape. London cyclists will get a new way to bypass stopped buses without having to ride out into traffic, while the Guardian questions whether London Mayor BoJo is spending wisely to encourage safety. A Coventry cyclist maps his own bike network inspired by a clock face. BMC Racing pro Alessandro Ballan is severely injured in a high-speed solo crash while training. An Italian rider becomes the first woman to circumnavigate the globe by bike, completing the trip in just 152 days — or maybe not; thanks to Richard Risemberg for the tip to the second link. The Spanish Supreme Court rules that 2005 Vuelta winner Roberto Heras deserves his title back despite testing positive for EPO during the race; maybe Lance should sue and get his titles back, too. A Sydney man is stabbed when a group of teenagers insist on borrowing his son’s bike; at least, that’s what they called it. A Kiwi driver insists cyclists are putting everyone at risk by riding two and three abreast and — gasp — riding in the traffic lane. A Singapore drunk driver is fined a whopping $1250 for killing a cyclist. Once transportation for the masses, bikes are the new status symbol for China’s rich. If you want to talk extreme cycling, let’s start with riding to the South Pole.

Finally, if you’re going to steal a bike on test ride, don’t leave your name and phone number at the shop first. And a Massachusetts driver rear-ends another car while driving distracted.

By a gerbil.

And no, I don’t want to know any more details, thank you.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

The L.A. hit-and-run epidemic claims yet another victim

December 21, 2012 / / 11 comments

There’s been a lot of talk about L.A.’s hit-and-run epidemic lately, largely driven by a pair of L.A. Weekly articles.

Today it claimed yet another victim.

According to the L.A. Times, a bike rider, identified only as a Latino man in his 20s or 30s, was killed while riding on the 900 block of East 43rd Street in South L.A. around 8:50 Friday morning. The victim was riding west on 43rd when he was hit from behind by a pickup; the driver fled the scene, leaving an innocent man to die in the street.

Police are looking for a red, late-model pickup, possibly with gardening tools in the back. Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD Central Traffic Division Detective Meneses at (213) 972-1850 between 7 am and 5 pm weekdays; call the division watch commander after hours or on weekends at (213) 972-1853. Or visit LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.

He joins a long line of local hit-and-run victims; in fact, 10 cyclists have been killed in L.A. County hit-and-runs in the last two years alone. Too many of the drivers have never been identified, let alone charged their crimes — including the killers of Erin Galligan and Benjamin Torres earlier this year.

And it’s not just bicyclists who are the victims.

This is the 72nd bicycling death in Southern California this year, and the 23rd in Los Angeles County, leaving the county one behind the total for last year.

My prayers and deepest sympathy for the victim and his loved ones.

Update: The identity of the victim has been confirmed as 31-year old Sergio Rodriguez; there will be a press conference on Thursday, February 7th to announce a person of interest in the case. 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Hit-and-Run, Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , ,
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