Tag Archive for bicycling

The problems with Griffith Park from a cyclist’s perspective — and how to fix them

December 20, 2010 / / 6 comments

One of the big problems cyclists — as well as other L.A. residents and visitors — face around here is that the things that should be our greatest assets are often virtually unusable due to a lack of planning and/or maintenance.

From a pedestrian-choked beachfront bike path to a proposed bike boulevard rutted with potholes and misplaced bike routes that thrust unknowing riders onto streets most cyclists choose to ignore, too many areas in this city fall far short of what they could be. And should be. Yet in most cases, it would only take a little effort and minimal investment to correct the problems.

Today, Patrick Pascal, cyclist, Downtown professional and fellow founding member of the League of Bicycling Voters LA — and yes, the LBVLA is still alive and preparing to play a role in next year’s council elections — joins Ross, Zeke, Damien and Eric in stepping into my shoes for a day with a guest post on riding in Griffith Park, and how it can be improved to benefit everyone.

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Griffith Park from a Cyclist’s Perspective

Griffith Park, despite increasing urban encroachment, remains a remarkable oasis of tranquility within central Los Angeles.  To preserve the already low level of park space within the City, citizens must be vigilant in protecting existing places like Griffith Park.  Minor improvements and changes to Park policies and infrastructure can both ensure and increase this tranquility for many more years.

Like many aspects of Los Angeles’ management, Griffith Park demonstrates a disconnect between purpose and policy.  Most can generally agree that the purpose of the Park is to provide a welcoming and bucolic setting where Angelinos can safely enjoy a variety of physical, recreational and social activities.  Below, specific policies that are contrary to the purpose of the park which demonstrate this disconnect between purpose and policy are identified along with potential remedies.

Is it a Park or a Thoroughfare?

Park roads should only be used by and designed to accommodate Park patrons.  Speed limits are presently so high that they encourage commuters to bypass the (5) Freeway during traffic periods, which undermines the safety, atmosphere and the infrastructure of the Park.  The speed limit inside Griffith Park should be at a speed that considers the many (non-auto) recreational users who are present.  A strictly-enforced limit of 20 miles/hour would keep nearly all Park attractions within 5 minutes of an entry point, while making the Park safer, quieter, less-crowded and cleaner.  There is simply no park-centric reason for a higher speed limit.

Park Access by Bicycle

By encouraging patrons to come by bicycle, Griffith Park could accommodate more visitors with a lower impact.   An entire family should be able to safely ride their bicycles to Griffith Park from most parts of the city, however, at present, it isn’t even safe from adjoining Los Feliz or Atwater.  A family should be able to safely use the Griffith Park Blvd Bike Lane to reach the Park and a family should be able to safely use the Los Angeles River Bike Path to reach the Park, but neither of these routes safely accesses the Park.  They both again demonstrate the basically deficient policies that do not consider actual purpose—the paths themselves don’t really go anywhere.

Take the Griffith Park Blvd Bike Lane.  After coming north from Sunset Blvd for over two miles (don’t get me started on the condition of the roadbed), the bike lane abruptly ends just 50 yards short of Los Feliz Blvd.  Putting a bike lane where there is a need and plenty of room is appreciated, but easy.  Abandoning a rider, just when a lane is most needed, gives the rider little opportunity to react and adapt before the busy intersection.  The bike Lane should be merged into the middle traffic lane to cross Los Feliz Blvd and on to the northern terminus of Griffith Park Blvd.

Right-of-way link between Griffith Park Blvd & Park

At the end of Griffith Park Blvd. the roadbed of the original street (which once continued under what is now the (5) Freeway) remains, extending to Griffith Park Drive within the Park (see above).  This abandoned right-of-way has been used by pedestrians and bicycles for decades.  It would take little effort to install a safe, sanctioned access way for these few yards.  Making these two minor improvements would, for the first time, link the core of Los Angeles with a safe bike route all the way to its most important park.

Recently the city dedicated the southern portion of the Los Angeles River Bike Path which will now make it easier for bicyclists from southern Atwater, Highland Park and beyond to come to Griffith Park.  Many other residents along the path can easily avail themselves to this option to reach the Park.  Remarkably, despite passing within 50 yards from the Park for about four miles, not one of the four possible entry points can be considered reliably safe.  From north to south the following conditions face riders:

  • Riverside Drive at the north terminus of Bike Path.  From the end of the River Bike Path to the bike lane within the Park the distance is less than 75 yards.  However this ride entails a left turn across a shoulder-less, 4-lane, high-speed roadway and across busy on and off-ramps to the 134 Freeway, two stop signs and another left turn at a busy intersection—all within 75 yards.  This entrance is particularly unsafe during traffic hours.

    Riverside Drive meets the Park (LA River Bike Path terminates in the distance near power pylon)

  • Zoo Drive. This is probably this safest route on which to enter the park.  A few signs and markings could make it the preferred entry for safety minded bicyclists.  The entry/exit gate is narrow, with a small sign so riders must pay close attention.  Zoo Drive has single, wide lanes with ample room for both auto and bicycle traffic.  There are still two on-ramps for the (5) Freeway with which to contend, but they are not as busy as the others and cars tend to travel at lower speeds.  The bridge over the freeway may provide the biggest hill to climb of the whole ride.  If the DOT and Park Dept were more serious about safety, they would make this the preferred, designated and marked route between the park and the bike path.  It is not the most convenient entry point, but it is the best one for those considering safety alone.

    Looking east on Los Feliz Blvd from Park (LA River Bike Path 400 yards away)

  • Los Feliz Blvd. This is the most dangerous route between the Bike Path and the Park.  Both exits from the Path are hard upon either a freeway on or off-ramp.  My experience suggests that the closer a driver is to a freeway, the more (s)he drives as if already on the freeway and Los Feliz Blvd. is a good example of the behavior.  After negotiating across those ramps, each side of the road has two more ramps which propel traffic onto busy Los Feliz blvd at a dangerous speed.  Los Feliz Blvd itself is another shoulder-less road with six lanes of speeding cars that do not afford safe bicycling.
  • Lastly, is the bicycle/pedestrian bridge, over the (5) Freeway from the River Bike Path, and into the Park near the tennis courts and soccer field south of Los Feliz Blvd.  At the park side landing of the bridge walkers and pedestrians are met with 75 yards of a fenced off, dirt path before reaching any paving.  In the summer the path is dry and dusty, but in the winter it is often muddy and sometimes impassible.

Use of Existing Assets

Except in front of the Greek Theatre and around the Zoo, all roadways within Griffith Park are single lane.  However, the north-south route across the Park along the (5) Freeway from Los Feliz Blvd to the golf courses is comprised of a two-lane, one-way, northbound Crystal Springs Drive and a two-lane, one-way, southbound Griffith Park Drive.   The present configuration allots a total of 44’ of width for cars, and 18’ to be shared by walkers, runners, horses and bicyclists.  The purpose of Griffith Park is not to serve as an alternate route for harried commuters, but this two-lane, one-way design encourages commuters to speed through Griffith Park as an alternate to a busy freeway.

For the past year Crystal Springs Drive has been closed for major water-works and all traffic has been diverted onto just Griffith Park Drive which now handles all auto and bicycle traffic.  Despite this 50% reduction in automobile capacity and narrowing of bicycle lanes, traffic has not been heavy or slowed.  Before reopening Crystal Springs Drive to traffic configured as before, consider restoring it as a two-way, single-lane roadway without a bike lane; make the dirt trail along Crystal Springs Drive’s east side a “horses only” trail (no pedestrians) and; close Griffith Park Drive, north of Los Feliz Blvd, to automobiles altogether.  Split the newly-closed, segregated roadbed into dedicated bike, running and walking paths with benches, water and picnic amenities.  Only the entrance to the Tregnan Golf Academy would need anything but cosmetic alterations.  These small, inexpensive changes would greatly add to the easily accessible areas that can be used by recreational Park patrons and further reduce the city’s footprint in the Park.

Mt Hollywood Drive north of Observatory

Mt Hollywood Drive north of Observatory

For a number of years Mount Hollywood Drive, which runs from behind the Observatory (just north of the tunnel) over the top of Mount Hollywood and down into the San Fernando Valley, has been closed to cars.  It is one of the few hill-routes bicyclists can ride without concern for cars.  Recently, the condition of the roadbed has become a bigger concern than any auto traffic could pose.   Present conditions are such that patching and other cosmetics now could extend the useful life of the surface, but if this roadway continues to be neglected, it will soon be impassible and expensive to restore.  If the Park is here to provide a welcoming and bucolic setting where Angelinos can safely enjoy a variety of physical and recreational activities, it should be policy to invest the small sum needed to maintain this route.

The four broad improvements listed above could all be realized at very little cost and with great benefit to all Park users—not just cyclists.  They offer a low bar by which to judge the City’s commitment to providing constituent friendly amenities.  While many of these efforts may appear bicycle-centric, they will improve the quality and experience of the park for all users.  More patrons choosing bikes on which to visit the Park means more available parking, less traffic, less pollution, less noise, and a better utilized park for all.  They do not threaten non-bike-riding park users, instead, bicycle riders represent elemental and environmental changes that all users can enjoy and embrace.

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A cyclist was rescued from the rain-swollen L.A. River after slipping off the bike path and falling into the water. Bicycle fixation interviews LADOT Bicycle Coordinator Michelle Mowery about the planned 4th Street Bike Boulevard, among other issues. Hearings are coming up next month for the South Bay Bicycle Master Plan. Do your part to help stop bike thieves in Venice. The Valley News profiles Peter Zupan, the Lake Elsinore native killed while riding his bike to collect recyclables last September. Phil Wood, founder of Ten Speed Press died over the weekend; his first title was Anybody’s Bike Book, the bible for all home bike mechanics in the ‘70s and ‘80s — I still have my copy on my bookshelf.

As if ex-former Tour de France champ Floyd Landis didn’t have enough credibility problems, now comes word he wore a wire in a meeting with Michael Ball, owner of the Rock Racing pro team. The Lovely Bicycle looks at the safety frame, resulting in a truly lovely bike. Arizona’s great Tucson Velo website asks if our roads are really a matter of us vs. them. An 18-year old Hawaiian cyclist is killed in a hit-and-run, while riding at the head of a group of 35 riders. A masked man yells a racial slur at a Seattle-area cyclist before chasing down and punching him, while a cyclist gets egged in Denton, Texas (home to the world’s best nuevo polka band.) Sometimes riding is a melancholy experience, even if you don’t get egged or punched. Now this is more like it, as a driver gets 36 years for killing a cyclist; then again, he did use a gun instead of a car. The founder of Design Within Reach is recreating his life as the head of Public Bikes. How to encourage the great mass of potential cyclists.

After barely surviving a collision with a drunk driver, a recuperating cyclist faces discharge from the Navy. Motorists come to the rescue of a severely injured cyclist in Australia. Converting car parking to bike parking.

Finally, if bikes get their own lane, why not build one for everyone — except drivers.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Guest Columns / Tags: , , ,

LACBC Family Holiday ride, advice for wet weather, and don’t blame Vail for the idiots who work there

December 18, 2010 / / Comments Off on LACBC Family Holiday ride, advice for wet weather, and don’t blame Vail for the idiots who work there

The LACBC is sponsoring its free 2nd Annual Family Holiday Bike Ride Sunday starting at 4 pm in the Larchmont Village area, including a possible visit from Santa Claus; word is the ride will go on rain (likely) or shine (not so much). And if you need gift ideas for the rider on your list, they have a few suggestions.

Courtesy of DC comes word that Team In Training is hosting a cycling training program geared towards a century ride next spring in Lake Tahoe, with a preview this Sunday at 3 pm in Newbury Park.

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Speaking of rain, if you’re going to ride in this weather, remember that puddles can hide potholes, so slow down and try to go around them if possible. And drivers will have a harder time seeing you with fogged-up rain-streaked windshields, so look out for them — because chances are, they won’t be looking for you.

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The Vail newspaper says the judge failed to judge in the case of a high-income driver who claimed he ran down a cyclist and fled the scene because he was overcome by the new car smell. Meanwhile, Vail takes the blame for it, even though the collision occurred in a nearby town and the DA who let him off the hook doesn’t even live there.

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The Wall Street Journal has a detailed report about the money men behind America’s success in international cycling over the past few decades, who helped build what was arguably the best team in the history of pro cycling — and how their efforts ended in acrimony and scandal; link courtesy of George Wolfberg.

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Final candidate list for the March City Council election — Stephen Box in, Glenn Bailey out. LACBC celebrates progress for a new bike-friendly Westwood development. A San Diego area theatre professor died of an apparent heart attack while riding his bike Saturday morning. Santa Rosa replaces traffic circles with stop signs on a planned bike boulevard, on the questionable theory that drivers will actually observe them. San Francisco cyclists and drivers both need an attitude change to usher in what should be a golden age of bicycling in the city. Cyclelicious shares his biking Christmas ornaments. A three-term member of the League of American Bicyclists’ Board of Directors resigns, saying LAB no longer serves the needs of its members. Maybe the solution to encouraging more urban bicyclists is building cycling superhighways. Riding a bike can unify your life. Taking a page from soccer, cyclists can now give drivers a yellow card. A Denver firm buys a membership in the city’s bike share program for all its employees. UK cab drivers say take the money budgeted for cycling and spend it on fixing potholes, instead. A cyclist is afraid to ride again after getting hit for the second time in two years. An Aussie rider says if you can’t sing while you cycle, you’re riding too fast. Singapore drivers complain that maintaining a 1.5 meter – approx. 5 feet passing distance would mean actually slowing down while passing; yeah, life is hell sometimes.

Finally, A Canadian journalist says complaints about cyclists stress the limits of sanity, while a Montreal writer tells a bike-hating sportscaster to stop picking on cyclists, you kook.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

Cyclist killed in La Quinta, bike plan passes Planning, Vail hit-and-run driver walks, and goodbye Aurisha.

December 17, 2010 / / 2 comments

A cyclist was killed in a hit-and-run in LaQuinta, near Palm Desert, on Tuesday afternoon.

Fifty-six year old Joseph Patrick Szymanski was killed while riding on Avenue 54 in La Quinta about 3 pm Tuesday afternoon. Firefighters pronounced him dead at the scene; his body was found lying in the bike lane, though authorities note that they don’t know where he was when he was hit.

Tracey Salter of Merriam, Kansas woman was arrested an hour later about three miles away on suspicion of felony hit-and-run.

The article notes that a police spokesman didn’t know if Szymanski was wearing a helmet. But unless he died of a head injury, whether or not he was wearing a helmet is irrelevant. And even if he did, there’s no reason to believe it would have helped unless he was struck at slow speed.

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After years of contentious debate, the draft bike plan passed the city Planning Commission with near-unanimous support from the cycling community. The only serious disagreement came from equestrians opposed to allowing bikes on off-road trails, updating a conflict that goes back to the earliest days of cycling.

According to the LACBC, the plan will now go to Mayor Villaraigosa’s office for review before heading to the City Council in February for final approval.

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Time to add Vail to your biking boycott list, after the schmuck driver who ran down a cycling transplant surgeon and left him lying critically injured on the side of the road — claiming it was a result of that new car smell — walks with a year’s probation and a suspended jail term.

That’s after the local DA declined to press felony charges because it could affect the driver’s high income career; by that standard, every rich sociopath and over-privileged jerk who commits a crime should get off the hook.

And from the looks of it, it’s possible that one just did.

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Damien Newton talks to the Beverly Hills cop who seemed to suggest a correlation between cyclists and criminal activity; turns out he’s one of us. And didn’t mean it that way.

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In non-wheeled human powered transportation news, Bikeside reports on the impatient hit and run driver who critically injured a Santa Monica pedestrian. And while we’re on the subject, Dj Wheels notes that Moran Bitan, the 18-year old driver who killed a 16-year old Notre Damn High School cross country runner Conor Lynch, faces a pretrial hearing on the 27th at the Van Nuys courthouse.

And still no charges against Stephanie Segal in the alleged drunken hit-and-run death of cyclist James Laing in Agoura Hills this past October.

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Nice KCET interview with L.A Bicycle Coordinator Michelle Mowery about riding the L.A. River; thanks to Bicycle Fixation and Flying Pigeon for the heads-up. Speaking of Flying Pigeon, they’re getting four new Velorbis bikes just in time for Christmas. Or maybe you’d prefer a very cool and unique looking chainless STRiDA folding bike. Another street falls victim to the stupidest and most dangerous law in California.

Employees of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System buy a new bike and helmet for every first grade student at a local elementary school. CalTrans pushes for a bike lane to nowhere in Bakersfield. Berkley is the most dangerous California city of its size for cyclists, pedestrians and conservatives. Evidently, you can have a good ride in Sacramento, even without Lycra. Ross Del Duca continues his thoughts — started here — on divisions, divides and cultures that divide cyclists, or not. California releases the new standards for complete streets. The SF Gate discusses why and how to register your bike; in addition to the National Bike Registry and Stolen Bike Registry mentioned in the article, I like the free international bike registration program from Bike Revolution.

Something tells me this app intended for motorists will prove very popular with cyclists. A women’s bike team can be run for just 5% of what it costs to run a men’s pro team. Bike before breakfast to maximize weight loss and other health benefits. If you think you’re tough, try racing 150 miles through the Alaskan wilderness in the dead of winter. The New York Times points out that there are laws against bad bike behavior. Philadelphia drivers love the city’s new parking contraflow bike lanes. Just in time for Christmas, get an official crown of thorns helmet so you, too, can suffer like Jesus while you ride.

Finally, if you’re going to ride your bike on the sidewalk in Santa Monica, leave your meth and crack pipe at home (scroll down to Monday). And a new study discovers the cause of San Francisco’s traffic problems: cars.

Go figure, huh?

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Photo stolen from LACBC Facebook page

 

On a personal note, best wishes to LACBC’s Aurisha Smolarski, who’s moving on to pursue other career goals. In the 2-1/2 years she’s been working with the bike coalition, I’ve watched Aurisha grow to become one of the city’s most effective advocates for cycling, and a friend. She has arguably done as much as anyone to improve the state of bicycling in Los Angeles, often working quietly behind the scenes to fight for the rights of cyclists and set the stage for our budding biking renaissance.

She will be very missed.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

Breaking news: Planning Commission approves L.A. bike plan

December 16, 2010 / / Comments Off on Breaking news: Planning Commission approves L.A. bike plan

The Los Angeles Planning Commission just approved the draft bike plan, moving it forward to the City Council for consideration.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

A report on Monday’s Santa Monica Bike Action Plan open house

December 15, 2010 / / One comment

These past few weeks have featured a lot of meetings and events I’ve had to — or will have to — pass on, from Metro’s discussion of the Wilshire BRT to tomorrow’s reconsideration of the draft bike plan by L.A. Planning Commission.

One of the meetings I most wanted to attend, and most regret missing, was Monday night’s open house to discuss the Santa Monica Bicycle Action Plan. Fortunately, Eric Weinstein, an actively involved rider I’ve frequently met at various bike-related meetings, was there to fill us all in with a guest post on what we missed.

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Bicycle Action Plan meeting Dec 13th 2010

Desired locations for bike parking, bike corrals and bike share stations; photo by Eric Weinstein.

The City of Santa Monica held the Public Input meeting for a bicycle plan Monday night.  Hope you were there, with the 100 (or so) other bike activists.

The meeting was organized by Jeff Tumlin. That was kind of a surprise, since rumor had it that the outside consultant was not a bike person, but Jeff is an extremely well spoken bike planner, and familiar from the LUCE (Land Use and Circulation Elements) process. Many of the City’s departments were represented, including the bike-oriented Planning commissioners and City council members. Santa Monica Spoke was there in its entirety, and several other bike interested parties were there, including school staff and SMPD.

The 1st question in the Q&A dismissed bikes and suggested we all “get along” by sharing the road – which was immediately followed by a Spoke member with a call for a more visionary future. Bad start, snappy reply. The meeting soon moved ahead to the input phase – much better than this sort of debate. The endless debate of cars or parking vs cycling is not part my vision of how to implement better transportation. Bikes are vehicles and deserve safe accommodation on the roads. Period.

Most of the items for discussion are laid out in the LUCE, with several areas set up to gather public input, including:

  • A map to mark frequent destinations to aid in planning the bike network
  • A map to mark priorities for “bike street” improvements such as lanes, bikeways and sharrows
  • An aerial photograph to mark where cyclists might get on the forthcoming Expo Line bikeway, to help integrate with the city’s bike network
  • A chart and map to note where the access needed the most improvement in getting to the beach bikeway, along with notes on route and challenges to getting there
  • One I still don’t understand about work sites
  • A place for additional notes on the LUCE bike parking and business section – where else to add bike valets, how to encourage employees to bike to work and customers to bike to shop.
  • A place to note where to put the next bike-improved street for North-South and East-West travel
  • A small section on metrics, with a survey on how optimistic you are that improvements will be made in mode share by 2030 (20% to 50%)
  • And last (my favorite with the most dots) where to put more bike racks, more corrals and bike share stations

These are the elements of the Panning Departments thinking on bike improvements. And from what was put forward, it looks like the next improvements will include at least some of the following: more bikes lanes and sharrows to close the gaps in the bike network, some more (possibly permanent) bike corrals, more bike racks, a bike station at the Santa Monica Place mall downtown, and some better bike-sensing at traffic signals.

All this sounds like great stuff – the more the better. Better cycling roads and much more parking are very important elements to successful bike infrastructure; however, I do feel that there are quite a few areas where other ideas should be put forward.

My take on the most important missing element is the need to educate returning (adult) cyclists for riding again in urban traffic. If we bicycled like we are traffic, we would be traffic, and most of these car/bike conflicts would disappear.

I’m sure that there are many other ideas that are missing. The Santa Monica planning department is very interested in getting more input, so please send them some. Everyone is invited to send in written suggestions or additions to the Bike Action Plan; you can learn more and link to a survey at www.smgov.net/bikesm.

Category: General, Guest Columns, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , ,

Random thoughts at the end of a very long weekend

December 12, 2010 / / 2 comments

I’m still in moving hell for the next few days.

After two solid days of it, our old apartment seems like a clown car; no matter how many things we move out of it, there’s still more left to more. And don’t even get me started on the mess in the new place.

So please forgive me if it takes a few days to catch up and get back to normal. I’m just happy to have internet service again after going cold turkey for 36 hours. In the meantime, a few interesting tidbits have crossed my radar in my few free moments.

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A bike-riding right wing lawyer offers solid advice on how to talk about cycling to a conservative.

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The Times says doubts linger about the official explanation in the murder of Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen; frankly, it seems like everyone other than the Beverly Hills Police doubt that a bike riding ex-con acting alone killed her in random robbery attempt. And check out this comment from BHPD spokesman Lt. Tony Lee —

Lee declined to comment on the specifics of the case, but said, “I can tell you from personal experience that using a bicycle as a mode of transportation is extremely prevalent with criminals. You can’t copy a license plate; they get in and out of traffic; hide into the shadows of the night, through alleyways; and can dump the bike and can jump into a bus. It occurs all the time.”

Maybe that’s why cops are so quick to cuff cyclists during traffic stops. If you assume — despite all evidence to the contrary — that the use of bikes in criminal activity is “extremely” widespread, it’s not a big jump to assume every cyclist is a potential criminal.

Never mind that far more criminals make their getaway by car — or on foot — than on two wheels.

Not that they’d profile cyclists or anything.

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Then there’s this great comment from Traffic-meister Tom Vanderbilt, in response to this article on the great bike lane debate in the New York Times —

770 pedestrians killed by cars between 2005 and 2009 (50% had the ‘walk’), and people are ‘afraid’ of bikes. WTF.http://nyti.ms/h322Cg

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Gary reminds us about the public workshop for the Santa Monica Bicycle Action Plan; 6:30 pm Monday at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. Don’t count on seeing me there, though. My wife’s not letting me out of the house until we get all this crap put away.

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And finally, condolences to GT on the loss of a loyal four-footed friend.

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This seems like a good time to remind you that you can follow me on Twitter @bikinginla. And there’s still time to join Ross, Zeke and Damien in writing a guest post for BikingInLA while my attention is diverted elsewhere. So if you’ve got anything bike-related you want to get off your chest, just drop me a line at bikinginla at hotmail dot com.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

Stephen Box, his campaign, and our game changer

December 10, 2010 / / One comment

Today, Damien Newton, editor of L.A. Streetsblog — by far, the city’s most influential source for transportation news — steps in with a guest commentary, as I continue packing in anticipation of my first move in 17 years.

Damien tackles the topic of Stephen Box and his campaign to unseat Tom LaBonge as councilmember for L.A.’s 4th Council District. However, he stresses that this piece reflects his personal opinion, and doesn’t reflect the position of Streetsblog or any other organization.

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Photo by Alex Thompson

Usually a City Council election is about the incumbent, and whether or not he deserves to be returned to City Hall.  However, for any cyclist who follows politics in Los Angeles knows, there is one election on the docket for 2011 that is different: Stephen Box’s challenge of incumbent Tom LaBonge in the 4th Council District.

The election of Stephen Box to the City Council would be a watershed moment for cyclists.  No offense meant to Eric Garcetti, Ed Reyes, Bill Rosendahl or even LaBonge himself, but Box has had a laser-like focus on improving safety for cyclists in the city and beyond.

But it’s not just that Stephen understands what’s important to cyclists, he also has an understanding of City Hall and the levers of power that means his ideas can become reality.

The cyclists/LAPD task force was a direct result of Stephen’s advocacy with the police department over the years.  Heck, watch Stephen interact with the police before a Critical Mass ride, and you can forget who is the authority figure and who’s the advocate as police officers happily mug for the camera with Box and his wife, Enci.

Or, just read the newest edition of the Bike Plan and run a search for the word “Backbone.”  Stephen was the leader of the citizen’s group that created the Backbone Bikeway Network after a series of public meetings in 2009.  While a lot of people worked hard to get the Bike Plan changed from the wretched first draft that was dropped in 2009 to what we see today; Box’s imprint, and that of the entire Bike Working Group, is all over the most recent proposal.

Sometimes being a leader means doing something you aren’t particularly thrilled about.  Saddled with a newborn and trying to find the funds to keep Streetsblog going, I had to sit out much of the end of the debate on how Los Angeles will spend its local return funds from Measure R.  The idea of a bike/ped set-aside had originated at the back of the Metro Board Room between myself and LACBC’s Dorothy Le in the summer of 2008, and Box had tried to talk us out of it.

He argued that trying to get a small piece of the pie for bike/ped facilities was the wrong strategy.  Instead we should be pushing for every road project to have a bicycle and pedestrian component.  A fair point.  At the time, I used a football analogy that we were trying to move the ball, but he was going for the touchdown.  A group of people that all wanted the same thing, better designed roads and streets, but had different ideas and plans how to do that.

The point, Stephen wasn’t a fan of the set-aside strategy.  Fast forward to this year.  Both Rosendahl and Mayor Villaraigosa are pushing for 10% of the city’s local return funds to be set-aside for bicycle and pedestrian projects.  The LADOT was agreeing, but was using a budget trick that would have stripped out nearly $20 million of the $60 million that would have been dedicated to cyclists and walkers.

Photo by Enci Box

I read the LADOT’s reports and I missed it.  So did the staff for Council Members Rosendahl, Parks, Alarcon, Koretz and LaBonge.  They missed it.  So did the Bike Coalition (who have been champs on this issue, make no mistake.)  Stephen didn’t.  He called the LADOT out for it during a Transportation Committee Hearing.  Rosendahl directed them to fix the “error.”  And they did.

And remember, he didn’t even like the idea of a “set aside.”

Let’s also remember that he’s not paid for any of this.  In fact, he’s often paying his own money for materials or even a trip to Sacramento.  He doesn’t always win, after all he’s been the poster boy for the fight against raising speed limits on local streets, but it’s not for a lack of effort.

After convincing then Assemblyman Paul Krekorian to introduce legislation that would have pushed back against limit increases that were popping up throughout the valley, Stephen and Enci took a trip to Sacramento, on their own dime, to lobby for the legislation.  It didn’t pass, but if Los Angeles had put the muscle into lobbying for it that Stephen and Enci did, it would have had a much better shot.

Supporters of LaBonge could point to his history of advocacy for issues such as better bicycle facilities on 4th Street, his voting record at the Council, or the annual Tour LaBonge summer bike series.  Others could argue that LaBonge’s record, which includes obstructing the Bicyclists’ Bill of Rights and originally supporting a plan for the Griffith Park Observatory that didn’t include bike parking.  But the reality is that LaBonge’s record shouldn’t matter when discussing this race.  When it comes to bike issues, Box is a once in a generation chance to get a real champion in City Hall.

Conversely, a lot of people have problems with Stephen’s combative style.  Other advocates have complained to me about it and I’ve known some city staff that just can’t stand him.  More than once I’ve been on the other end of some of his pointed criticism, but it’s because he’s always focused on the results.  And for a one-man army armed with only his brain and a social media-network, the results are impressive.

And I would argue that neither Box’s personality nor LaBonge’s record are the issue.  Whether cyclists as a group can embrace this candidacy and push it over the top is.

And while there are plenty of reasons to support his campaign, as cyclists, we honestly shouldn’t need to look beyond our spokes.  Box will be a great Council Man for Neighborhood Councils, for government transparency, for neighborhood empowerment and for always focusing on results, not intentions.

There’s a reason Box won Streetsblog’s “2009 Livable Streets Person of the Year” award and that Alex Thompson bluntly refers to him as “literally the single most important bike activist in Los Angeles ever.”  His record of advocacy is second to none.

He’s also our game changer.  There’s only one Stephen Box, and we may only have one chance to get him in City Hall.

.………

In a bizarre case that just doesn’t seem to add up, the L.A. Times says questions remain in the shooting death of Beverly Hills publicist Ronni Chasen. According to Beverly Hills police, Chasen was shot in a botched robbery attempt by a bike riding ex-con — despite the tight grouping of shots, which would have been difficult to achieve from the saddle of a bike. Let alone the lack of bullet casings at the scene or the fact that nothing appears to have been taken. And evidently, according to the police theory, leaving the bike he was reportedly devoted to at the scene.

As a writer for the Huffington Post put it —

How many robbers in America ride a bicycle seven miles to commit a robbery, approach from the passenger side of a single occupant vehicle, shoot with deadly accuracy, center mass, through the passenger window and then leave after taking nothing? Then, potentially leave their bicycle in the area and walk seven miles home? Take the bus? Hitchhike? More than that what about all the firefighters, ambulance, and police that rolled out no one saw him, interviewed him or anything?

So he kills her but doesn’t have time to grab her purse or anything of value from the scene? That really does stretch the notion of “botched robbery.” Not impossible, but very “weird” nonetheless.

Personally, I suspect Joe Anthony, aka @ohaijoe offered a more credible theory when he suggested that it could have been road rage.

At least that theory makes a little sense.

.………

Transit advocates and cyclists are outraged as the Metro Board discards the recommendations of their own staff and LADOT to exempt the multi-million dollar condos along Wilshire Blvd in the Westwood area from the planned Bus Rapid Transit, or bus-only, lanes.

The lanes would run on either side of Wilshire Blvd; impact on traffic would be manageable, while encouraging alternative transportation and moving more people more efficiently.

Yet somehow, the entire board voted unanimously against the recommendations of the people paid to know what the hell they’re talking about — as well as a room full of people arguing passionately in favor of the extending the BRT the entire length of Wilshire. The attitude of the board seemed to be summed up by County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who responded to the comments with “I respect people’s right to pontificate, but the rest of us have a responsibility to make sure things work.”

Yes, he actually said that.

And yes, the rest of the board voted with him to support the desires of the very wealthy few over the needs of everyone else in the room, exempting an approximately 1-mile stretch from Selby to Comstock.

Personally, I intend to remember that quote the next time Zev asks for my vote.

Pontificate, my ass.

.………

Finally, Chris K, wrench-meister and author of (just) Riding Along, offers up a guest post on Pedalr that they call their best blog post yet. And Long Beach may drop their heavy-handed bike licensing requirement.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Guest Columns / Tags: , , , , , ,

We just ride — coming back to biking as an adult rider

December 8, 2010 / / One comment

Today we have our second guest post, as writers have graciously offered to fill in for me while I’m tied up with packing for my first move in 17 years. And let me tell you, after that long, there’s a lot to pack.

Another of my favorite writers steps in this time, offering his take on coming back to biking as an adult, and unexpectedly finding himself becoming an advocate for cycling. On his own blog, Zeke’s Great Smokies Two-Wheeled Adventures!, Zeke offers his uniquely entertaining take on riding in the countryside and mountains of North Carolina.

And be sure to come back tomorrow for my first ever bike review, just in time for the holidays.

.………

I spent some time pondering  Ross Del Duca’s post on Friday, December 3rd, regarding bike culture and whether the goal was to have a bike culture or not, which is perhaps an oversimplification of his thoughts. I thought of how my own evolution from a somewhat out of shape middle-aged man to an advocate for the development of a bike culture in my home community is almost at the other end of the spectrum that Del Duca was writing about.

My re-introduction, some would save first introduction, to the cycling world came about after a number of years being away from bicycles. In my youth, a bicycle was my unquestioned mode of transportation. I still recall my very first bike. It was a hand me down from my cousin, who was one year older than me. In my mind, it remains a thing of beauty. It sported fat black tires over a repainted red and black frame with coaster brakes and a full metal chain guard. I also still remember my first descent on our short asphalt driveway. It didn’t turn out well given that I took a header and landed on my right shoulder grinding it into the pavement.

I also recall my third instance of experimentation with “blind cycling” in which I rode along with my eyes closed. Why the third and not the first two? Apparently the first two were of short duration and successful, which led to the intense learning experience of the third experiment.  I crashed into a neighbor’s wooden mailbox post. There was not a fourth attempt of riding with my eyes closed.

Were those instances written up in today’s papers, the reporters would surely report that I was not wearing a helmet. Helmet? What helmet? We knew not of such things in those days.

In those days, if I wanted to go to the public outdoor swimming pool, I rode my bicycle. The fence surrounding the pool was always garnished with bicycles belonging to other kids. When we had Little League baseball practice, I hung my glove on my handlebars and rode to the practice field some miles away. Clearly, this predated “soccer mom” existence. My parents thought nothing of us being turned loose around town.  My friend on our local bike advocacy counsel laughs now and says we were the original bike commuters in our hometown. We rode everywhere.

As a young teen, bicycles remained central to my existence. These were my “Easy Rider” years when I graduated from coaster brakes to my Stingray with the banana seat, 3 speed gearing, and “English” brakes. I sported an enhanced “sissy bar” on the back. I still recall many hours in the saddle of what we called “the pack”. We weren’t educated enough about cycling to think of ourselves as a peloton!

I recall only one adult riding a bicycle during those years. He was older than me and had returned home from the Viet Nam War. J.B. rode everywhere in town on, as I recall it, a black bicycle with a basket on the front. As an older teen at this point and working as a life guard at that very same outdoor pool, I can see J.B. riding by with a 6 pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon in the basket. I can remember him going to the local drive-in theater on that bike. I used to see him everywhere in town on that bike.

The years passed and my bicycle days were replaced with new temptations of girls, cars, and motorcycles. Appalachian State University called and I spent 5 glorious years in Boone, NC doing things NOT associated with cycling even though I was in some of the most beautiful cycling territory in the country. A career has come and gone since that time with only a brief interlude of cycling in my late 20’s. It was then that a bicycle took me to my life altering meeting with the Navigator with whom I will shortly celebrate 28 years of marriage.

So, my evolution to bicycle advocate has, in many ways, brought me back to the roots of my youth. We didn’t have a bike culture “back in the day.” We simply rode and it was simply accepted. The environment is different now. Now, we must fight for acceptance and for the infrastructure that supports cycling. Cycling is very much now a “purposeful thought” for me and the members of our infant advocacy council. We find purpose in fighting childhood and adult obesity, dependence upon foreign oil, and for our rights to alternative transportation. In our infancy, we need to develop a bike culture so that we can one day move beyond it and, when asked, be able to say, “What bike culture. We just ride.”

.………

Speaking of Zeke, let’s give a belated shout out to his L.A.-based, recumbent-riding brother Dave, who celebrated his birthday over the weekend.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Guest Columns / Tags: , ,

Details on the August death of cyclist and scientist Doug Caldwell; driver walks with no ticket or charges

December 6, 2010 / / 15 comments

For months, it’s been one of the mysteries of L.A. cycling.

Late last August, word slowly broke that a popular cyclist and leading scientist had been killed while riding to work, and his companion injured.

Then nothing.

No news coverage. No additional information. Not one single mention in the local media. And nothing about what happened, or why.

For weeks afterwards, Google’s seemingly infinite well of information came up dry, returning only the story I’d written myself. Had it not been for a brief Facebook comment from the man who’d been riding with him, I might have questioned whether it actually happened.

However, I received confirmation from a number of sources, publicly and privately, that the information I’d reported was true. I held back one piece of information I’d received privately, though; I was told that Caldwell was married to KCRW host Chery Glaser, but because the family had not come forward, I left that out to respect their privacy.

Since then, people have come to my site almost every day looking for more information about what happened, and every few weeks I’d get an email asking for details.

And every time, I’d have to send my apologies, because I didn’t know any more than I did before.

Last weekend, though, I received an email from LAPD Sgt. David Krumer, who’d been asked to look into the matter by Colin Bogart, LACBC PLACE Grant Coordinator in the City of Glendale; evidently, he’d been getting the same requests for information that I had.

And after answering them, he forwarded the information to me, as well.

The driver of the vehicle was traveling eastbound on Foothill Blvd at approx 7:10 a.m. on 08/20/2010  He rear-ended Doug and another cyclist.  It appears he was going the speed limit but too fast for given conditions.  The driver indicated that he had the sun in his eyes and did not see the cyclists.  If glare was an issue then even if he was going the speed limit he was traveling at an unsafe speed and therefore he was in violation of 22350 VC (Basic Speed Law).  The driver was not cited because we can not write a ticket for a violation we did not observe.  The driver was not arrested as there was no evidence that a crime occurred.  Doug died the following day from massive head trauma.  The other cyclist had scrapes and abrasions with the most serious injury being the loss of some front teeth.

Right there, amid the dry details of the tragedy, you’ll find one of the biggest problems cyclists face on our streets.

There’s no shortage of laws already in place to protect us on the roads. But most are unenforceable unless a police officer actually witnesses the infraction. And while they can clearly conclude after the fact what violations occurred, there’s not a damn thing they can do about it unless the infraction rises to the level of a crime.

Sgt. Krumer goes on to note that the collision occurred on a clear day, and the riders were properly positioned in the right-hand lane. And while the driver failed to see two adult cyclists, he had not been drinking and wasn’t using a cell phone at the time of the collision.

And yes, they verified that.

And while it’s commonly assumed that a driver who hits someone else from behind is almost always at fault, that refers to civil liability, rather than criminal culpability. So even though the family may have a wrongful death case, the driver won’t face any criminal action.

It seems beyond comprehension that someone can continue driving — without slowing down — despite being unable to see what’s directly in front of him. And as a result, kill one cyclist and injure another, yet face no criminal charges. Or even a traffic ticket.

But that’s the way our laws are written.

And that’s something that has to change.

.………

In another horrible tragedy, seven cyclists were killed in Southern Italy on Sunday — early reports indicated eight deaths — when a driver hit the riders head-on as he was attempting to pass another vehicle.

Reports indicate that the driver was speeding; he also tested positive for marijuana and had been banned from driving just seven months earlier. Two additional riders were injured, one very seriously, as well as the 21-year old driver and his 8-year old nephew, who was also in the car (earlier reports indicated the injured passenger was the driver’s 10-year old son, which seemed unlikely given the age of both).

Road.cc quoted the one of the paramedics on the scene:

“What we found on our arrival this morning was a terrible scene. Indescribable,” said Silvio Rocco, one of the first paramedics on the scene. “Not even a bomb could have caused something like this.”

He continued: “We were had been alerted about an incident in which, according to initial reports, only one cyclist was involved. Arriving on the scene, however, we saw that we were dealing with a massacre. They were all people whom we knew personally, so the blow was even more distressing. We alerted other emergency staff and the helicopter. It’s something that is truly disturbing.”

Meanwhile, two brothers were killed Sunday in Britain’s Cumbria region when their bikes were run down from behind by a bus, on what is considered the most dangerous road in the country.

And a North Carolina woman remembers her late husband, killed while bicycling last October, by endowing a chair in his honor at the local symphony.

.………

The Elysian Valley segment of the L.A. River Bike Path is now open; Will suggests that we should all cooperate in not being an impediment to other peoples enjoyment on shared-use bike paths, while Bicycle Fixation points out the plusses and minuses of bike paths along the water.

.………

Fourth Street gets sharrows from Hoover to Cochran, while York Blvd gets new bike lanes from Eagle Rock to Highland Park. The UCLA Bicycle Academy revives to stir campus bike advocacy; next meeting is July 7th. Altadenablog looks at the kickoff of Saturday’s Tour of Altadena. Turning your trainer into an Epic Ride. Santa Monica’s Cynergy Cycles hosts Red Bull Pro Rebecca Rusch, the Queen of Endurance Cycling, on Wednesday the 8th at 7 pm. The Inland Empire Women Cyclists will hold a toy ride on Sunday, December 12th. A writer says a planned tunnel to complete a key Marin County bike route makes sense, just not right now.

Cycle chic circa 1945; raise your right hand, and repeat the Cycle Chic Manifesto. The Alliance for Biking & Walking opens nominations for their 2011 Advocacy Awards. People for Bikes says it’s time to make biking contagious, too. Learning to ride just below the sweat threshold. Evidently, human beings just look better on a bike. A planned Mississippi River Bike Route could take riders from the Minnesota headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico. Bike riders must rank below dogs in the moral zeitgeist. An OpEd in the Daily News says New Yorkers should learn to love their bike lanes, but the paper editorializes that NYDOT commissioner Janette Sadik Khan needs to back up bike lanes with facts; what, a 40% reduction in serious injuries and death isn’t good enough for them? In a classic example of government in action, a Boston neighborhood paints — then removes — bike lanes. Thanks to the efforts of local businesses, a sheriff’s supervisor and inmates at a county work farm, a six-year old girl with cerebral palsy will get a custom-made bike for Christmas.

Peter Gabriel rides a bike. How to stay safe on winter rides. Copenhagenize lists the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities based on usage; the only American city on the list is Davis, CA. Bike lane snow removal in Copenhagen. Auckland cyclists say they’re in an undeclared war, as a motorist is charged with careless driving in the deaths of three cyclists last month, and a widowed husband says the driver is a victim, too. A 19-year old Indian woman was killed for not bringing a bicycle as her dowry.

Finally, just a slight boo boo in London, as someone forgot to order the track for the 2012 Olympic velodrome. And a Tennessee PSA says you better be pimpin’ with that helmet on tight.

No really, I think they’re serious.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

A long, long list of upcoming events, and your weekend links

December 4, 2010 / / Comments Off on A long, long list of upcoming events, and your weekend links

Mark your calendar for a long list of upcoming meetings and events, including the opening of the Elysian Valley leg of the L.A. River path, a Christmas parade and toy rides.

.………

The long-awaited Elysian Valley segment of the Los Angeles River Bike Path officially opens this Saturday, December 4th from 10 am to 2 pm at Fletcher Drive and Crystal Street (aka Ripple Street), with the dedication taking place at noon. LACBC is sponsoring a 15-mile ride to celebrate the opening, meeting at 9:30 am at the Autry Center in Griffith Park, with 10 am departure.

Also on Saturday, the 2010 Tour of Altadena bike ride runs from 9 am to 11 am, with registration beginning at 8 am, starting and ending at Loma Alta Park, Bronco Pavilion. Sponsored by the Altadena Sheriff’s Station and L.A. Sheriff’s Athletic Association, the ride offers a 10 mile Family Fun Ride and a 12.5 mile Hill Challenge.

Flying Pigeon’s monthly Brewery Ride will go to the Weiland Brewery, located next to the Little Tokyo Metro Station at 400 E. 1st Street Downtown on Saturday the 4th. The ride will meet up at 3 pm at Flying Pigeon, 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

Holiday events are starting early this year, beginning with the Montrose-Glendale Christmas Parade at 6 pm on Saturday, December 4th. The central viewing area will be at the corner of Honolulu and La Crescenta Avenues in Montrose; cyclists wanting to participate are invited to decorate their bikes and wear festive clothing (no Santa suits allowed), and meet at Honolulu and La Crescenta at 7 pm.

On Sunday, December 5th, SC Velo and Incycle Bicycle Stores are sponsoring the SC Velo Toy Ride, departing from the San Dimas Incycle Store at 561 West Arrow Highway at 8:45 am; all toys donated will be delivered to needy children in the area; thanks to the Claremont Cyclist for the heads up.

Friday, December 10th, Midnight Ridazz will follow-up with the 5th Annual All-City Toy Ride, with 10 or more rides converging on the historic Plaza de Los Angeles gazebo; riders are asked to bring an unwrapped toy valued at $5 to $25.

The Metro Board of Directors will consider the proposed Wilshire Blvd Bus Rapid Transit lane on Thursday, December 9th, at 9:30 am at Metro Headquarters, 1 Gateway Plaza, Downtown. The BRT lane would provide a shared bus/bike lane during morning and evening rush hours, but faces opposition from wealthy condo owners in the Westwood area.

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 Saturday, December 11th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

West L.A.’s Bikerowave bike coop hosts a free bike swap meet on Sunday, December 12th from 11 am to 3 pm at 12225 Venice Blvd in Mar Vista.

Santa Monica will hold a public open house on December 13th to gather input on their proposed new bike plan; the meeting runs from 6:30 pm to 8 pm at the east wing of the Civic Center Auditorium.

Bike Long Beach sponsors a two part Traffic Skills 101 Course to teach cyclists how to ride in traffic. November’s session has been cancelled due to expected rain; the next class is scheduled for Wednesday, December 15th from 6 – 8 pm, with part two following on Saturday, Dec. 18 from 9 am – noon at Cal State Long Beach.

The Los Angeles City Planning Commission will meet at the San Fernando Valley City Hall at 8:30 am on December 16th to consider last minute revisions to the 2010 draft bike plan, based on complaints from cyclists at last month’s meeting.

Mark your calendar for the LACBC’s all-day Holiday Open House on Tuesday, December 28th at the Library Alehouse, 2911 Main Street in Santa Monica. Festivities begin at 11 am and continue until closing with great food and beer, fun and raffle prizes; a percentage of the days sales will be donated to the LACBC.

Explore the effects of bicycles on art and culture at Re:Cycle — Bike Culture in Southern California, at U.C. Riverside’s newly relocated Sweeney Art Gallery at the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts, 3834 Main Street in downtown Riverside, exhibition continues through December 31st.

The Bikerowave will ring in 2011 with a New Years Eve party, starting at 8 pm on December 31st at 12255 Venice Blvd.

And it’s never too early to mark your calendar for the second CicLAvia on April 10th, 2011.

Update: I neglected to mention that the City of L.A. Bicycle Advisory Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 7th at 7 pm at the Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall, 6501 Fountain Avenue, in Hollywood to consider a very full agenda; you’ll have a chance to complain about the condition of L.A. streets as representatives from the Bureau of Street Services will attend for the first time.

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The L.A. Weekly touts Stephen Box as the “only grassroots contender in District 4 with a sliver of a chance” to unseat incumbent Tom LaBonge. Downtown’s Good Samaritan Hospital, home to the annual Blessing of the Bicycles, marks its 125th year. Santa Monica cyclists seem to be gaining clout at City Hall; you can thank the members of the Santa Monica Spoke, among others, for that. Meanwhile, SaMo riders are warned to lock their bikes well, especially during the holidays. Napa cyclists will ride on Sunday to honor Don Mitchell, a killed by a car on November 10th. Portland police search for a suspect in possible gay-bashing of a cyclist. Another option to fight bike theft — a new anti-theft GPS. A University of New Mexico law professor is killed by a garbage truck on his way home from work; absurdly, the story notes that he was wearing a helmet, as if any helmet could protect against a multi-ton trash truck. My hometown teaches cyclists to ride year round, which is a lot easier here than it is there. New York’s Taxi of Tomorrow could eliminate dooring by cab passengers. Hugh Jackman rides a bike in NYC. Taking Maryland to task for a flawed three-foot passing law. A Navy pilot survives a 7-month deployment in the Middle East, only to be killed by a Florida hit-and-run driver. More testing for suspect cyclists in 2011. London’s bike share plan crashes on the day it’s opened to the public.

Finally, even without a single bike lane, it’s faster to bike than drive at rush hour in Lyon, France.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,
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