Tag Archive for bicycling

Upcoming events — including two you’ll need to hurry for — and some hot weekend links

February 12, 2011 / / 3 comments

Welcome to an ever-growing list of upcoming events, and a lengthy reading list for the weekend. And yes, this will be on the test.

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

Unless you read this overnight, it may be too late to make the Tour de Palm Springs, offering five rides of varying lengths from 7 to 9:30 am.

If you hurry, you could still make Chinatown’s Firecracker Bike Ride with 20 and 30 mile routes starting at 9 am; registration starts at 7:30.

Attend a free bike mechanics workshop presented by Bici Digna on Saturday, February 12th at 1 pm at Corazon del Pueblo, 2003 1st Street in Boyle Heights.

Meet CD4 City Council candidate and leading bike advocate Stephen Box from 2 – 4 pm Sunday, February 13 at William Kestling’s Johnstone House at 3311 Lowry Road, Los Angeles.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on February 12th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles invites you to explore the latest offerings from leading European manufacturers on February 17th, 2300 Santa Monica Blvd in Santa Monica.

Celebrate the official opening of L.A.’s first official bike corral on Friday, February 18th in front of Café de Leche, 5000 York Blvd in Highland Park. LACBC, Flying Pigeon and C.I.C.L.E. will all lead a rides to the opening.

UCLA will host a free day-long Complete Streets workshop on Friday, February 25th; participation is open to registered attendees. The workshop will take place from 8:30 am to 7 pm at the Japanese American National Museum at 369 East 1st Street Downtown. Contact d.grantham@ucla.edu to register, or call 310/562-7356.

GOOD is hosting a fundraising party for CicLAvia from 2 to 7 pm on March 5th, at Atwater Crossing, 3229 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles; tickets range from $20 to $500.

Mark your calendar for the next three CicLAvias on April 10th, July 10th and October 9th; if you missed the first one, don’t make the same mistake again.

The Santa Clarita Century is scheduled to roll on Saturday, April 2nd with rides ranging from a family ride to a full century.

This year’s Blessing of the Bicycles will take place on 8 to 9:30 am on May 17th at Downtown’s Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Street.

L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride rolls on June with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registration is open now.

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Alex Thompson says the Mar Vista neighborhood on L.A.’s Westside could soon be a bicycling paradise. LADOT Bike Blog reports on Wednesday’s Council committee hearing on the draft bike plan, while Damien Newton says it was a rocky road getting there; LACBC invites cyclists to help make sure the plan is implemented. The City Maven reports on Thursday’s debate with the candidates for L.A.’s 4th council district, including bike activist Stephen Box and incumbent Tom LaBonge, while Streetsblog looks at the candidates for CD8. The Downtown News says it’s time to move to a life with fewer wheels.

A look at the 7th, and possibly decisive, stage of the Amgen Tour of California from Claremont to Mt. Baldy as well as the final stage in Santa Clarita. Alcohol is the common element in most Santa Clarita bike collisions. CdM Cyclist offers a podcast interview with bike lawyer Bob Mionske. An 18-year old Carlsbad cyclist is seriously injured after running a red light; two drivers narrowly missed him, the third didn’t. San Mateo County will redesign a highway interchange where a cyclist was killed last year; the case has been reopened, but why do these things only get fixed after someone dies? Stats show biking by the Bay could be hazardous to your health.

Ernest Hemingway said you learn the contours of a country best by bike; thanks to the L.A. Times Martin Beck for the link. Oregon considers banning loose dogs in cars that could distract drivers; personally, I find loose women far more distracting. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz mocks bike lanes while cyclists continue to be injured on New York streets, and New York media treat cyclists like bedbugs in need of extermination. Charges have been filed in last year’s fatal 9/11 dooring of a New York cyclist. A Harvard study shows cycle tracks raise the rate of riding while reducing the rate of injuries. Lloyd Lemons offers his thoughts on the freedom, simplicity and solitude of cycling.

We may not be entirely sane, but crazy cyclists are not the majority. Advice on how to avoid five common beginner’s mistakes. Prosecution of a truck driver who killed a cyclist is dropped after police fail to get vital security footage. The UK’s Bike to Work program is getting more people to ride while creating better motivated employees. The road course route for the 2012 Olympics is confirmed; word is it will be technical and tactical, while plans are made for a one-time pre-Olympic race along the course. In a typical day in the Netherlands, 5 million cyclists make 14 million journeys; even more impressive for a country of just 16 million people. Cycling in Sydney is now twice as fast as driving at the morning rush hour. A look at decidedly non-recreational riding in Hanoi.

Finally, framebuilder Dave Moulton entertainingly throws a spanner in the works by looking at the conflicting terminology used in the bike world; part of that can be blamed on the age old problem of two nations divided by a common language.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Bike plan moves forward, police crackdown in OC, Box and bikes profiled in LA Weekly

February 10, 2011 / / 3 comments

First the big news, as the joint Transportation and Planning and Land Use Management votes to move forward with the draft bike plan, with a five year plan for implementation.

While that’s great news for city cyclists, it also means no for now to the proposed South Venice Beach bike path extension.

The debate was dominated by discussion over whether to allow bikes on city trails currently used by hikers and equestrians — something that safely occurs around the world, yet according to the local horse crowd, would lead to inevitable disaster here in L.A.

While there’s an obvious need for people to use trails safely and courteously, and observe the rights of other users, public parks and trails belong to everyone and shouldn’t be set aside for any single group. Or exclude any single group of users.

The committee voted to have the Planning Department negotiate language between both types of riders; however, anything that doesn’t find a way to accommodate all users would be a failure.

Meanwhile, the plan will now go to the full committee for final approval before going to the Mayor for his signature; all indications are Villaraigosa will sign off on the plan.

You can still follow yesterday’s live coverage of the meeting from L.A. Streetsblog, LACBC and Christopher Kidd of LADOT Bike Blog by clicking here.

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New York cyclists have been justifiably up in arms the last few weeks over the NYPD’s efforts to crack down on lawbreaking cyclists, while ignoring more dangerous violations by drivers.

Now a similar move is underway here as the Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach and Costa Mesa police departments are banding together to conduct a “specialized Bicycle Safety Enforcement Operation” on the 19th and 24th of this month.

Despite the title, the press release promises officers will address traffic violations by cyclists and other vehicle operators that could “lead to bicycle vs. vehicle collisions, injuries and fatalities.”

The goal of the program is to educate the public about the safe and lawful use of bicycles, as well as the safe and lawful use of vehicles that share the roadway with bicycles. Prevention is a key component of the program, which centers on the traffic laws that can prevent bicycle riders from becoming injured to killed due to illegal use or reckless behavior by bicyclists and vehicles. In addition, the Police Departments involved may be required to enforce obvious violations to the City’s Municipal Code to maintain safe operations.

I don’t have any problem with enforcing traffic violations by cyclists; frankly, I’ve seen some cyclists who should be ticketed, if not thrown into leg irons. However, I would expect — and all cyclists have every right to expect — that unlike the situation in New York, the crackdown will address violations by drivers as well as cyclists.

And it should take into account which violators pose the greater risk to others.

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Neon Tommy Editor-at-Large Hillel Aron offers an in-depth profile of CD4 City Council Candidate Stephen Box and the history of L.A. bike activism in this week’s L.A. Weekly.

As the article notes, it’s almost impossible to unseat a sitting council member in L.A.; even the most unpopular usually cruise to victory over seemingly more worthy opponents once special interest money starts pouring in. Despite that, there’s a growing sense that Box may have a real shot at forcing incumbent Tom LaBonge into a runoff next month.

LaBonge has long supported cycling, though not always in the way cyclists would prefer; if he were smart, he’d move to strengthen his support of bicycling to undercut Box’s strongest base of support. Instead, he seems to be focused on shoring up support from the anti-bike crowd, as many cyclists see him, rightly or wrongly, as an obstacle in the way of many bicycling issues.

And it’s hard to take the other candidate in the race, Tomas O’Grady, seriously when he ignores questions from the city’s leading newspaper.

You have your own chance to evaluate the candidates tonight when the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council hosts a candidate’s forum at Silver Lake Community Church, 2930 Hyperion Ave. Or you can meet Stephen Box at an open house from 2 to 4 pm this Sunday at 3311 Lowry Road in Los Angeles.

Box has also received an endorsement from MobileFoodNews; not to surprising since LaBonge has been seen as an opponent of L.A.’s popular food trucks.

One other note — the writer of the Weekly article gave me every opportunity to attack other bicycle advocates and advocacy groups; I chose not to do that. It’s my firm belief than anyone working to support cycling in Los Angles deserves my support and gratitude, whether or not I happen agree with them. I’m saddened that not everyone feels the same way.

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If you’re looking for a good ride this weekend, consider the Tour de Palm Springs, with rides ranging from 5 to 100 miles. A little further down the road, the Santa Clarita Century rolls on April 2nd offering a full century, half century, 25-mile and family rides.

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CicLAvia has received a $25,000 grant from the California Endowment. Meanwhile, GOOD is throwing a fundraising party to benefit CicLAvia on Saturday, March 5th; tickets range from $20 to $500.

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The newly unveiled draft plans for South Figueroa range from good to wow, though Josef Bray-Ali says they could use some polishing; then again, there are more important things than signing in for a meeting. L.A. will soon get its first bike corral in Highland Park. Rick Risemberg, who appears to be everywhere these days, writes about taking part in last weekend’s LA Brewery Ride with Flying Pigeon. Cool Claremont bike racks. Long Beach replaces a mandatory bike licensing law with voluntary registration through the National Bike Registry.

A popular retired Bakersfield educator died of a heart attack while riding with friends. A three-year old Visalia girl is killed when she’s backed over by a neighbor’s pickup while riding on the sidewalk. San Francisco police have refused to take reports or issue citations for collisions involving cyclists unless an ambulance is called; so not matter what a driver does, if they don’t seriously injure a rider, they walk. Shameful. Matt Ruscigno rides from San Louis Obispo to L.A. in a single day — while sick. This year’s Amgen Tour of California won’t tour California exclusively.

J. Edgar Hoover on a bike, sort of. It’s not the same as an Idaho Stop Law, but Oregon considers lowering the fines for cyclists who roll through stop signs. Somehow I missed this; Dr. Matthew Burke, the orthopedic surgeon, U.S. Army Major and Iraq war vet critically injured by aggressive driver while on a group ride last October, passed away over the weekend after 4 months in a coma; the driver is charged with reckless homicide.

Yet another London cyclist is killed by a large truck, this time a 28-year old art curator. More bikes than cars expected to cross London’s bridges during morning rush hour in 2011. Irish physicians urge the passage of a mandatory helmet law, even though you’re over six times more likely to die walking on the sidewalk. Europe already has the kind of airport bike lanes John McCain wants to kill. Looks like rising star Taylor Phinney will compete in the Tour of Oman after all. South African cyclist Michael Dean Pepper is banned for three years for a failed drug test; sometimes I think we should just ban everyone for two years and start over.

Well, that’s one more problem we don’t face in L.A. — a South African cyclist survives after using his bike to fight off a leopard attack; evidence suggests that the animal had just escaped from a snare and was fighting for its life, as well.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bikes & the Law / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Help make bicycling a priority in Santa Monica’s next budget

February 8, 2011 / / One comment

Santa Monica Spoke sends out a reminder that tonight’s Santa Monica City Council meeting will address budget priorities for the next two years at tonight’s meeting. Cyclists are encouraged to attend to ensure that bike projects receive the attention they deserve — especially in a city that ranks highest in it’s category for bike and pedestrian collisions.

When: Tuesday, February 8th 6:00 pm
Where: Santa Monica City Hall, Council Chambers (2nd Floor)
1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 393-9975 ‎

Personally, while I support the Spoke, it doesn’t look like I’ll speaking there or anywhere else for the next few days since I lost my voice following Sunday’s bike ride.

Category: Advocacy & Politics / Tags: , ,

A successful LACBC bike ride, VA bike access, and NY may be safer than you think — except for bikes

February 7, 2011 / / One comment

We had a great, if very long, bike ride through the Westside yesterday. I’d planned to write about that this morning, but those of us in L.A. have been blessed with perfect riding weather and I have no intention of wasting it, so bear with me and I’ll get back to that later.

Meanwhile, Michael of the Claremont Cyclist offers some great photos and thoughts on the ride, including a shiny new LACBC membership, while Bicycle Fixation’s Richard Risemberg says the ride offered a reason to get involved.

That reminds me. If you’re looking to save money, the LACBC offers a discount on memberships at the Sunday Funday rides the first Sunday of every month. And that gets you a discount at a number of the area’s local bike shops; I used mine to get 15% off a pair of bike shorts at Cynergy on Saturday.

Or you can become a member by volunteering with the Coalition; contact the LACBC for more information.

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Neighbors are heartsick over the death of San Diego cyclist Ben Acree on Saturday, while the press is — finally — starting to report the story more objectively. Of course, that doesn’t stop the usual bike-hating trolls.

Then again, does anything?

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You’ve got just over two weeks to ask for bike access through the VA grounds and the Los Angeles National Cemetery. Before 9/11, cyclists used to be allowed to ride through the cemetery grounds, providing a safe, fast alternative to dangerous high-traffic Westwood streets.

And for those behind the Orange Curtain, the Newport Beach Bicycle Safety Committee will meet at 4:30 pm Monday with guest speaker Charlie Gandy, Long Beach Mobility Coordinator; thanks to Frank Peters for the news. Meanwhile, Long Beach may be ready to repeal their illegal bike licensing program.

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Contrary to common perception, the New York Times says the city’s streets are among the safest in the country — unless you happen to travel on two wheels, as bike deaths increased a whopping 50% in 2009; that’s still less than the 26 deaths in 2006, though. No word on how many motorists died as a result of all those killer scofflaw cyclists the local press — or an influential Congressmen — has been hyperventilating over recently.

And as it turns out, NYDOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan shares my views on accidents:

“We need to stop thinking about these as accidents,” Ms. Sadik-Khan said. “An accident suggests that it happened by chance. These are crashes that happen by human error, by bad choices, and they are avoidable.”

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L.A.’s new point man in Sacramento helped bring the Bicycling Hall of Fame to Davis before taking his new post; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads up. The Claremont Cyclist takes a driver to task for being unwilling to take two seconds to save a life. Santa Monica ranks highest in its category for bike and pedestrian collisions; is it because of ninja cyclists and careless peds? Considering the poor infrastructure and bad drivers I’ve encountered there, probably not. Gary goes car free, again. Examined Spoke asks if bikes are more like cars or pedestrians. Now you can play Oregon Trail in the real world, or at least what passes for it here in L.A. GT recommends a better ear bud. Downtown News looks at plans to remake the Figueroa Corridor. CicLAvia is looking for a media consultant. Here’s a hint — don’t ride through a red light when you’re on parole and carrying drugs.

LovingTheBike looks at the way of whey. Lies, damned lies and bicycle statistics. I’d spend the extra ten bucks for one of these. Kill a cyclist, find a sympathetic judge, get 78 days. In a rare outbreak of common sense, a Salt Lake bike advocate says planning for street cars and bikes will work a lot better if they’re planned together. The Idaho Senate shoots down three-foot passing and anti-harassment laws; Wyoming rapidly follows suit. Riding in the aftermath of the great blizzard. The Manhattan DA bends himself into knots to find a reason to let the driver in a fatal dooring incident off the hook. DC pedestrians and cyclists urge more and better enforcement. A heartwarming story of local residents pitching in to get a new bike for a dancing former special needs student and part-time traffic guard. Popular cabaret singer Mary Cleere Haran was killed Saturday in Deefield Beach FL, when her bike was t-boned by a car exiting a driveway; link courtesy of George Wolfberg.

Euro cyclists are urged to write their European Parliament members to support a bill that would eliminate blind spots on large trucks; we could use that here. Fewer parking spaces mean lower emission rates. Brits are urged to ride their bikes on streets that could kill them, which could explain why bike deaths and serious injuries are up while the overall death rate is down. Is it smart to dial and ride? Uh, no. A UK writer says let’s get rid of that whole idea that we’re vulnerable road users. British cops fight crime with two wheels, three elephants and lemon curd. Crowd sourced advice on what to do for cycling knee pain. Video of the world’s most effective bike lock. The great debate over whether fixies need brakes reaches Down Under. Ghost bikes have spanned the globe, but evidently not in Christchurch.

Finally, in a case of rampant irrational NIMBYism, after a car skids off a bridge in icy weather, local residents see that as proof that a putting bike lane on the bridge would lead to more deaths because — wait for it — the sight of bikes behind a separated barrier would be too distracting.

Note to drivers: if the mere presence of a bike on the road would cause you to lose control and drive off a bridge, you really don’t belong behind the wheel.

In light of AOL’s $315 million HuffPo purchase over the weekend, I’d like to note that I can be bought.

Seriously.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

Cyclist killed in Long Beach Tuesday night; depth of human compassion runs shallow

February 3, 2011 / / 10 comments

In what is turning out to be a horrible year for SoCal cyclists, a 48-year old Long Beach rider was killed Tuesday night.

According to the Long Beach Post, Fernando Santiago was riding through the Los Coyotes Traffic Circle when he was struck by a car entering the circle from Lakewood Blvd around 7:31 pm. The driver stopped to render aid and was released at the scene, though authorities say charges may be pending.

It’s hard to imagine any circumstances under which the driver would not be at fault in the situation described by the Post; anyone already driving or riding within the circle would have the right-of-way, and vehicles entering from the side would be required to yield.

As is often the case in cases like this, the depth of human compassion runs incredibly shallow in the comments to the online story.

Most blame the victim simply for being there, ignoring the driver’s responsibility to operate his vehicle in a safe and legal manner. After all, it’s your responsibility if you get hit, just like it’s a bank’s fault if it gets robbed.

And yes, that was sarcasm.

Never mind that another human being lost his life, the sympathies of the readers seem to rest squarely with the poor, traumatized driver:

Sad
I feel bad for the driver of the car. Due to the irresponsible decision of a bike rider he will have to deal with this the rest of his life and I am sure be sued.

david631
c’mon, riding a bycycle at 7 pm into the traffic circle. I’ve lived in LB all my life and dread using the Traffic Clr. I hope the driver of the car get’s through this thing ok…

Don’t get me wrong.

I would be devastated if my actions lead to the death of another person, whether I was behind the wheel or in any other circumstances.

But at least the driver went home that night, and his family won’t have to figure out how to go on without him.

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As long as we’re in Long Beach, the anti-bike backlash rears its ugly head even in articles that have nothing to do with bicycling.

In comments to a story about possible teacher layoffs due to the same budget problems experienced by virtually every California school district, readers blamed “wasteful spending” on bike lanes for the district’s budget problems. Never mind that the City of Long Beach and the local school district are two distinct governmental bodies, with separate budgets and tax sources.

They might as well complain about spending in New York for budget issues in Des Moines.

Phil
I’m very glad we will be laying off teachers. We don’t need that many teachers anwyway…we need the new bike lanes going to downtown so cyclists can feel comfortable! April, that’s it, we need to be more green, that’s the answer.

Phil (again)
At least LBUSD is planning for the tax increases not to be extended. I think the tax payors of CA are sick & tired of paying for the out of control spending of politicians at every level…local, state, & federal. I don’t think the extensions will happen, nor should they! Not as long as our money is being wasted on projects like bike lanes instead of hiring enough police, keeping all of the city’s fire trucks in service, adequately funding our schools, fixing the roads, and othe essential services that local government is responsible and should be spending my money on. If there’s any leftover after the governments obligations of providing the essential city services have been met…then go ahead, waste it on a bike lane!

LB Native
Who cares from where the money comes or what grant? I agree with Phil – who needs teachers or public safety officers if we have beautiful bike lanes… oh, and turnarounds up and down Vista, presumably for bicyclists, also. And, while we’re at it, let’s spend millions of dollars to test the feasibility of taking down the breakwater. We may or may not spend the millions more to actually do the job, but we can spend money to see if it’s feasible. Who needs teachers?

Phil
Hey John G., I cited the bike lanes as symbolic of the wasteful spending of our local politicians. There are countless others I could’ve used. However, standing corrected by you, let me correct myself and say that the bike lanes are not stupid spending by the local guys, it’s stupid spending by the federal guys. I stand corrected. I’m sure the teachers feel much better about being laid off now! I’m sure all of the people paying for auto repairs caused by the roads in this city, the police chief who’s trying to protect us all with an insufficient number of officers, and the firemen without equipment they once had all feel better now that know the bike lanes are from federal grant money!

sandy
And how much to put bike lanes on Broadway? Out office is off Broadway and we rearely see any bikes except on the sidewalk and thats only one or two a day. But who needs teashers anyway?

So there you have it.

Bike lanes, and presumably the cyclists who ride them — or not, as the commenters suggest — are responsible for all the problems in Long Beach. I’m only surprised that they didn’t blame cyclists for rising skin cancer rates and the turmoil in Egypt.

Odd though, that the people complaining loudest about teacher layoffs seem to be the ones who evidently paid the least attention when they were in school.

And as for that last comment, I think she pretty well answered that question herself.

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Flying Pigeon suggest that as long as city leaders are planning to turn Figueroa into a complete street, they should extend it to the complete street, suggesting a road diet for the under-utilized Highland Park stretch. Because poorer neighborhoods — and the people who live there — are every bit as important as the one Eli Broad wants to move his artworks to.

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L.A. considers requiring more bike parking and better standards in new developments. You have four more days to contribute your ideas on how to improve Burbank’s North San Fernando Blvd; it would undoubtedly upset some Long Beach people to know bike lanes are in the lead. L.A. County plans to upgrade former singles haven Marina del Rey; maybe they could improve the bike path there while they’re at it. The controversial Wilbur Ave road diet takes center stage in a debate between the candidates for the 12th Council District. Evidently, even militant Angelenos can find serenity on the L.A. River Bike Path. Will’s bike cam captures proof of who was at fault in a traffic collision. Delivering Super Bowl pizzas in OC by electric bike. The owner of a Surf City bar that served 72 drunk drivers says stop picking on me — and those are just the ones who got caught.

A call for bike safety and traffic calming on San Diego’s Torrey Pines Road. Discover our neighbor to the south with the 2011 San Diego Century Bicycle Tour. The CHP reopens its investigation into the death of a Los Altos cyclist, who they blamed for inexplicably turning into the wheels of a semi-truck, whose driver had been involved in two previous deaths. San Francisco’s Ceasar Chavez Street will undergo a road diet to improve bike and pedestrian safety. The brother of Giants outfielder Nate Schierholtz pleaded guilty of hitting a cyclist, a pedestrian, two cars and a light pole in a drunken hit-and-run. Problems arise with a planned BMX bike park in the Kern Valley.

Bicycling tells you how to perfect your pedal stroke. Tips for riding from a 70-year old racer. It wasn’t bikes that caused this traffic congestion. Cycling the Sundance Film Fest. Colorado’s House approves a bill that would require an alternate route if bikes are banned from any street; am I the only one that envisions cyclists shunned onto dangerous, crappy alleys and backroads? The Chicago rider who swapped his car for a bike in last year’s Tour de Fat continues to ride through this week’s record-breaking storm; in the wake of the storm, it’s nice to know bike life goes on. Reconsidering Rahm Emanuel’s bid for mayor of Chicago based on his support for cycling. A lawyer claims the driver who nearly doored a cyclist, resulting in her death, shouldn’t be charged for driving with a suspended license because “the key was not in the ignition” at the time. Two more cyclists have been killed in the nation’s most dangerous state for bicyclist and pedestrians; wait, make that three.

The Department of DIY opens a branch in Guadalajara. UK figures show a 3% increase in bike-related deaths and injuries. More on the birth of the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain. Champion Brit cyclist Victoria Pendleton says she’d like bigger boobs, even if they wouldn’t be aerodynamic. Edinburgh considers solar-powered lighting to entice cyclists and pedestrians to use canal pathways after dark. Bike paths not only save energy, now they can generate it. An Indian driver mows down four pedestrians, killing one, then kills a cyclist in a successful attempt to flee the scene. Critically injured Aussie racer Amber Halliday continues to improve and could be moved to a rehab facility within days. An Aussie driver is fined a whopping $600 for causing a cyclist to fall by dragging him by his handlebars.

Finally, a Georgia legislator says drivers licenses are unconstitutional because they interfere with your right to travel, because, you know, there’s no viable alternative to driving everywhere.

And remember, you’re not stuck in traffic, you are traffic.

Kung hei fat choi!

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

Izquieta pleads guilty in OC drugged hit-and-run death; Jay Slater elected chair of BAC

February 2, 2011 / / 6 comments

Riverside resident Patricia Ann Izquieta has pleaded guilty in the 2009 death of cyclist Donald Murphy in Newport Beach.

According to KPCC 89.3 – which describes Izquieta as “drug-addled” at the time of the collision — she changed her initial not-guilty plea to admit to charges of felony hit-and-run with death or permanent injury, felony manslaughter while intoxicated and misdemeanor driving without a valid license.

And for that, she is expected to receive a whopping three years in prison — despite being under the influence of several prescription medications at the time of the collision.

On the other hand, Murphy, who spent much of his spare time working with recovering addicts in halfway houses, received the death penalty for the crime of riding a bike on a public street.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad there was a conviction in this case, and that justice was done.

But sometimes justice stinks.

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In a surprising move, Jay Slater is elected Chair of the city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee by a one-vote margin after calling for better outreach to LADOT, the mayor and City Council committee heads; former Chair Glenn Bailey is unanimously elected Vice Chair.

Glenn has done a great job as Chair over the last few years, raising the profile of the BAC and helping restore it to it’s legitimate place as the leading voice for cyclists in L.A. government. Regardless of last night’s vote, he deserves the thanks of the city’s cyclists for a job well done; if you’ve noticed improvement in how we’re treated on the streets and in City Hall, he deserves a lot of the credit.

And congratulations to Jay Slater, who is well-respected in L.A. cycling circles and well-connected to city leadership. Here’s hoping he can build on Glenn’s work and take the BAC to the next level.

I know, like and respect both men. If they can work well together as leaders of the BAC, it should be an unstoppable combination.

Thanks to Christopher Kidd for live tweeting the meeting. Meanwhile, Chris also reports on last week’s meeting of the BAC Bikeways Subcommittee.

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People for Bikes urges everyone to help double their membership by inviting a friend to take the pledge. So I’m asking you. If you haven’t signed up yet, take 30 seconds to do it right now; you could win a free Timbuk2 messenger bag.

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America’s rising bike hero puts his first pro year on hold as Taylor Phinney pulls out of the Tour of Qatar due to tendonitis in his knee. I’ve had the privilege of riding with both his parents — not that they’d remember it — and word is that he’s better than both onboard a bike, which is saying something. And he seems to be a genuinely nice guy, which appears to run in the family.

Meanwhile, Floyd “I was lying then but seriously, I’m telling the truth now” Landis says he had to choose between cheating by doping and being cheated by dopers; the Amgen Tour of California says not on our watch. Alexandre Vinokourov says this will be his last year as a pro cyclist. And Aussie cyclist Jack Bobridge breaks Chris Boardman’s 15-year old world record in the 4 kilometer individual pursuit.

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A DC area writer says cyclists will follow the rules when the rules make more sense. Ohio bike lawyer Steve Magos responds that cyclists need to follow the rules and obey the traffic laws we have now.

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The L.A. City Council decides not to decide on a proposal for bus and bike-only lanes on Wilshire Blvd. Car-less Valley Girl offers great advice on what not to do when you ride a bike and why; seriously, read it already. REI Santa Monica is hosting a presentation on cycling California’s central coast by the extremely nice and knowledgeable Meghan Kavanagh. Joe Anthony of Bike Commute News writes a great piece on the history and importance of the Save A Cyclist campaign; it’s definitely worth reading — and not just because he quotes me. Good daily news report from L.A.’s 2nd Council District. I spent most of yesterday on Tuesday’s ride from the Ballona Creek outlet to L.A. City Hall hosted by Jared Blumenfield, West Coast Administrator for the EPA. The Valley Bikery celebrated the Grand Opening of their new storefront, with coverage by CicLAvia and Streetsblog’s Damien Newton. Speaking of CicLAvia, mark your calendar for April 11, July 10 and October 9. More on NIMBYist opposition to the proposed extension of the beachfront bike path in Venice, as well as a surprising supporter. Tim Robbins rides a bike in Santa Monica. Long Beach hosts a workshop on the city’s bike master plan Wednesday night, part of a series of upcoming meetings. The city also begins construction on separated bike lanes downtown; thanks to Frank Peters for the heads-up. The Claremont Cyclist examines differences in helmet use between lycra and denim clad riders.

San Diego-area Representative Duncan Hunter, recent recipient of his similarly named father’s hereditary seat, says getting San Diegans out of their cars is not feasible; way to think small, Congressman. Just Another Cyclist says California’s Mandatory Use Law really isn’t. Do SF cyclists consider new center lane sharrows too dangerous to use? A bicycling widow campaigns for safer roads for cyclists a year after his death.

Elly Blue says don’t be afraid to ride a bike, be afraid of what could happen if you don’t. A new $16 tool could save your next bent rim. A University of Arizona student has her first bike commuting collision, with another cyclist no less. Chicago’s leading mayoral candidate is an avid cyclist and bike supporter. Boston Biker astutely tells motorists cyclists are not the ones slowing them down. A columnist for the Boston Globe says if a little less car space is the price we have to pay to see women, children and the elderly pedaling the city’s streets, it’s worth it; thanks again to Frank Peters. John McCain — who I used to admire — has gone from maverick to whack job, insisting that not one federal dime be spend for bike parking at airports; God forbid some crazy person might actually want to ride to one instead of spending hours in backed-up traffic.

A Bahamian cyclist is murdered as witnesses report seeing a driver chase and intentionally run him down. No European-style strict liability for English cyclists; more on that topic soon. The BBC notes the rise of bike helmet cams; here’s a quick overview of some of the leading options. Town Mouse reports on the new Cycling Embassy of Great Britain after failing to get her Boris Bike account to work. Northern Ireland’s Assembly votes to reduce the rate of cycling in the province by requiring mandatory helmet use for all riders. In Copenhagen, parents are afraid to let their children ride because of speeding cyclists. Storming the beaches of Normandy by bike. The number one reason New Zealand is so shit for cyclists — the author’s words, not mine; personally, I think the #1 reason more people don’t ride is because we’re usually treated like #2. Ghost bikes may soon haunt Kiwi drivers; I’m a big supporter of ghost bikes, but what if we just didn’t kill any cyclists so they wouldn’t be necessary?

Finally, Cyclelicious points us towards this story about a new Jakarta bicycle track; maybe it’s just a bad translation, but I really, really like their promise to “sterilize the special track from other road users.” I don’t know what kind of disinfectant they use, but I want some.

Or I could just ride on the other side of the road. As long as it’s not this one.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bikes & the Law, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Breaking News — Charges filed against Stephanie Segal in the death of cyclist James Laing

February 1, 2011 / / 22 comments

Somehow, this one slipped past us.

Along with a number of other cyclists, I’ve been carefully following the case of Stephanie Segal, the driver accused of killing James Laing in a drunken Agoura Hills hit-and-run last October. And wondering why it was taking the DA so long to file charges in a case that seemed so open and shut.

Wonder no more.

The question isn’t when charges will be filed, but why no announcement was made.

After doing a little digging — okay, a lot of digging — cyclist and attorney Dj Wheels discovered that charges were filed on December 27, and Segal was formally arraigned last Thursday. She pleaded not guilty to one count of felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, PC 191.5(a); and one count of felony hit-and-run with injury, CVC 20001(a), and is scheduled to appear for a Preliminary Hearing Setting on March 3rd.

More interesting, perhaps, is that the case is being heard at the same Malibu Courthouse where Robert Sam Sanchez was convicted in the hit-and-run death of Rod Armas — and by the same judge that sentenced Sanchez to 4 years after he pleaded no contest to hit-and-run with injury and vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Although I doubt there are very many people in cycling community who would be satisfied with four years in this case.

Wheels also notes that the judge has ordered Segal not to consume alcohol or controlled substances without a valid prescription, and that she has entered a residential drug and alcohol treatment facility, and was ordered not to leave without the permission of the court or program director.

In other words, she seems to be playing the same Get Out of Jail Free card favored by countless celebrities, entering rehab in hopes of leniency from the court.

The problem is, she may — or may not — sober up. But James Laing will still be dead simply because she chose to get drunk and get behind the wheel — then fled the scene, leaving a husband, son and brother to die in the street.

So let’s hope the judge is too smart to fall for that one.

But let’s make sure they know we’re watching, just in case.

………

In other news, the LA Bicycle Advisory Committee offers up a very full agenda for their meeting Tuesday night at the Community Room of the Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall, 6501 Fountain Avenue. The meeting is open to the public and cyclists are encouraged to attend.

 

Category: Bikes & the Law, Injuries and Fatalities, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , ,

A long, long list of upcoming events — your chance to ride with the EPA, LACBC and BikingInLA

January 29, 2011 / / Comments Off on A long, long list of upcoming events — your chance to ride with the EPA, LACBC and BikingInLA

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

The Valley Bikery hosts a Grand Opening party at its new location on 14416 Victory Blvd #104 on Saturday, January 29th from 11 am to 5 pm, including a free Basic Bike Maintenance Clinic from 11 am to noon, followed by a free Urban Expedition Ride with C.I.C.L.E. to Lake Balboa and around the Sepulveda Basin at 12:30 pm.

The LACBC invites you to pitch in to help fix up the new Bike Wrangler space, where donated and abandoned bikes will be repaired for donation to bike co-ops and low income people in high obesity areas. The second work party will be held Sunday the 30th from 11 am to 5 pm at 1205 W. 6th Street; RSVP to bobby@la-bike.org.

The Culver City Bicycle Coalition will host the first of their monthly Family Rides on Sunday, January 30th, at 10 am. The rides will start and end at Town Plaza near the Culver Hotel, 9400 Culver Blvd, and explore the city’s best bike routes; future rides will take place on the last Sunday of the month.

LACBC invites you to ride with Jared Blumenfeld, West Coast Administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as other officials, on Tuesday, February 1st, to draw attention to bikes as sustainable transportation. The ride will assemble at the bridge over Ballona Creek in Play del Rey at 9:15 am, with a 9:45 start time, and make it’s way to Downtown with several stops along the way.

The California Bike Coalition will host a Bike Party in San Diego on Thursday, Feb 3rd from 7 to 9 pm. The party will take place at Velo Cult Bicycle Shop, 2220 Fern Street, with a suggested donation of $100.

C.I.C.L.E. is sponsoring a free basic maintenance clinic on Saturday, Feb 5th at 6 pm at the Bikerowave, 12255 Venice Blvd.

Also on the 5th, Flying Pigeon host its monthly Brewery Ride to a local brewery, winery or watering hole, from 3 to 5:30 pm; the ride begins at Flying Pigeon LA in Highland Park, 3714 N. Figueroa Street.

Explore the romance of Metro L.A.’s near-coastal cities with the LACBC’s second Sunday Funday ride, I ♥ the Westside. Riders will assemble at the Santa Monica Pier, at the end of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica at 9:30 am on Sunday, February 6th, with the ride starting at 10 am. The course will follow a mostly flat route 30-mile route through Santa Monica, Venice, Culver City, Westwood and Brentwood, before returning along the beach to the pier. It’s free to LACBC members and one guest, and will be lead by your humble host at BikingInLA.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on February 12th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

On Tuesday, Feb 17, Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles hosts “In Good Company…A European Shopping Experience” offering the latest products from top European cycling manufacturers, as well as biking celebrities, special promotions, food and drink from 7 pm to 10 pm, 2300 Santa Monica Blvd in Santa Monica.

Ride in support of the Dream Act with the 50-mile L.A. to O.C. Dream Ride on Sunday, February 20th, Starting at Corazon del Pueblo 2003 E. 1st. Street in Boyle Heights and ending at Centro Cultural de Mexico 310 W. 5th Street in Santa Ana. Registration and $15 fee are due by January 28th, including lunch, dinner, maintenance during the ride and an overnight stay in Orange County.

UCLA will host a free day-long Complete Streets workshop on Friday, February 25th; participation is open to registered attendees. The workshop will take place from 8:30 am to 7 pm at the Japanese American National Museum at 369 East 1st Street Downtown. Contact d.grantham@ucla.edu to register, or call 310/562-7356.

It’s never too early to mark your calendar for the second CicLAvia on April 10th, 2011, which promises to be even bigger than the first.

And while you’re at it, mark down Sunday, June 5 when the 11th Annual River Ride, L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride, will roll to benefit the LACBC. Or better yet, just sign up now.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

A threatening Beverly Hills driver offers a reminder that we still have a long way to go

January 28, 2011 / / 6 comments

I got a good reminder yesterday that we still have a long way to go to secure our place on the streets.

I was riding through Beverly Hills, scouting a route for the LACBC’s I ♥ the Westside Ride next Sunday, when I pulled up to a four way stop to make a left.

Yes, I did stop. And even signaled.

I waited for the first car coming the other way started his left, then pulled out to make mine. And while I was still in the middle of the intersection, the car that had been behind that one aggressively pulled out to make a left as well, putting him on a direct collision course with me.

So I jammed on the brakes, and yelled out “What the f***!” as he blew by.

Next thing I knew, the driver screeched to a stop on the far side of the intersection, then whipped around 180 degrees to put himself the same direction I was going.

I’ve learned the hard way that there’s nothing more dangerous than having an angry driver behind me. And it was pretty clear that I was probably going to have to defend myself.

So I quickly pulled over to the side of the road, positioning myself between two parked cars that offered protection from his car, and got off my bike.

He screeched up to a stop next to me, and stared at me in a threatening manner. So I pulled out my cell phone and held it out so he could see me dialing.

“911,” I said. “Do you want to stick around to see what happens next?”

With that, he screeched off down the road, still clutching the illegally hand-held cell phone he’d had plastered to his face the whole time.

I jumped back on my bike and chased after him, holding out my cell phone to take a photo of his license plate, but lost him in traffic before I could get a clear shot. Then rode home angrily replaying the situation in my head, with images of going all De Niro on his ass.

In the end, I think I handled about as well as I could, responding to the threat without escalating the situation — or crossing the line myself.

Just another angry interaction on the streets, serving as a reminder that things may be improving for cyclists in a lot of ways. But there are still angry, dangerous drivers out there.

And we’re still at risk from them.

It also shows once again why L.A.’s proposed bike anti-harassment ordinance is so vital for our protection. This was a textbook example of exactly the sort of incident it’s intended to address.

Even if it wouldn’t apply on the mean streets of Beverly Hills.

.………

I got an email earlier this week from a reader who recommended the CitySourced app for the Windows, Droid, iPhone or Blackberry smartphones, or Garcetti 311 for iPhones.

These applications allow reporting of all sorts of biking problems in Los Angeles. For example, I was biking up the bike lane on Westwood Avenue a day ago and saw 2 cars parked in the bike lane within a matter of 2 minutes. I often see this illegal parking in the bike lane on Gayley Avenue going past In-and-Out as well. You can now report this with a quick picture of their car/license plate/bike lane (in same photo). You can also report abandoned bicycles, potholes, sidewalk cracks (e.g., Westwood park abandoned bike path), etc. Your reports are saved so you can review them in the future.

On another subject, he also wanted to note that he recently emailed the Westfield Century City mall to ask about bike parking, and was happy to get a response indicating that they have bike racks near the valet station. And he was even more please that they agreed with his suggestion to add that information to their website.

It always makes me a little happier when people become more aware that people use bicycles to shop just like anyone else. And then they respect bike lanes more when they are aware that we’re important customers too.

From what I’ve seen, the bike parking at Westfield Century City could use a lot of improvement.

But he’s right. When businesses understand that cyclists spend money just like drivers do — or as some studies have shown, even more — they’ll make sure we have the facilities we need.

And that our rights are respected in their business, and on the streets around them.

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

San Diego man killed in motorized bike collision; you’re invited to ride with the EPA on Tuesday

January 27, 2011 / / 9 comments

Fifty-seven year old Gary Galvin died a week after suffering severe injuries while riding his motorized bike in Oceanside. The San Diego resident somehow hit a tree on January 17th for unknown reasons; he passed away on Saturday due to blunt-force head injuries, despite wearing a helmet.

.………

Services will be held tomorrow for a Ramona man killed in a SWSS* last Friday when his bike allegedly strayed across the yellow line and struck a flatbed truck.

According to the CHP, thirty-seven year old Steven “Steve” Garner may have been under the influence at the time of the collision. If the driver’s version is true — and he appears to be the only surviving witness — Garner was weaving as he rode, and somehow hit the truck’s trailer.

However, it would seem that a cyclist would have to be extraordinarily drunk to not notice or be able to avoid a large truck on the other side of the road. And how a bike could strike a truck with enough force to be thrown 65 feet through the air would seem to defy explanation.

*Single Witness Suicide Swerve

.………

A nice obituary in the Ridgecrest Daily Independent about Allyn R. Berryman, a WWII vet who lived an interesting life, from consulting with Jacques Cousteau to cycling from Fairbanks to Mexico City.

Just a reminder not to judge people by what they appear to be at the end of their lives; the elderly men and women you meet may have lived a life that would put yours — and mine — to shame. Never hurts to say hello and find out.

.………

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition invites you to ride with the EPA on Tuesday the 1st, and announces the date for this year’s River Ride on June 5th, so mark your calendar. Or better yet, just click the link and register now.

And the Coalition is asking for your input on questions to ask the candidates in this year’s March 8th City Council elections.

.………

The Venice Neighborhood Council votes to support extending the beachfront Marvin Braude Bike Path to the marina inlet jetty, from where it currently stops at Washington Blvd. C.I.C.L.E. is hosting an Urban Expedition Ride around the Sepulveda Dam Basin and Lake Balboa, with a free pre-ride maintenance workshop by the Valley Bikery; thanks to KPCC’s Siel Ju for the heads-up. Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles invites you to explore the latest offerings from leading European manufacturers on Feb. 17th. LADOT continues to stripe bike lanes on Rinaldi and Reseda in the Valley. Flying Pigeon offers a short but delicious list of bike friendly businesses. Volunteers help beautify a neglected bike path in Arleta. How do you say hipster in Español? Los Fixis Bicicletas seems to come pretty close. Four years in jail for the Sacramento woman who dragged a cyclist under her car for a quarter-mile in a drunken hit and run; you may remember the story of a witness running up and grabbing her keys to stop her. Bay Area cyclists look for love on two wheels.

The history of women in cycling. Great series of photos showing stars from Hollywood’s golden age riding bikes. Bike lawyer Bob Mionske offers advice on where and how to pass while on a bike, although the accompanying graphic seems to be missing; my rule of thumb is to give everyone — cyclists, pedestrians and motorists — the same three feet passing distance I expectt. A Denver bike cop is hit by a driver who claims he just didn’t see him; for once, that excuse probably won’t work. The Springfield Cyclist gets a compliment on his bike one night, and nearly run over the next day. Boston goes from worst to one of the country’s best biking cities in just three years. A DC area cyclist is ticketed for speeding, doing 31 in a 25 mph zone. Attention Twitterati — #bikeschool takes place tonight from 6 to 7.

Alberto Contador will be the latest to be stripped of his Tour de France title for after being banned for one year for doping, although he won’t be fined; new winner Andy Schleck says he doesn’t want it. A new social networking campaign says it’s not a race, give cyclists space. Maybe it’s time for a mandatory helmet law for motorists.

Finally, Contador is just the latest, as doping dates back at least 2800 years. Upon further testing of the B-sample, Pheidippides has been disqualified in the first Marathon, and victory awarded to the Persians.

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