Tag Archive for bicycling

L.A. County’s Bike Advisory Committee comes out of the closet

January 14, 2010 / / 4 comments

Tuesday, Stephen Box revealed the existence of the county’s newly formed Bicycle Advisory Committee — and their plans to hold the first official meeting in private.

He also provided contact information for the L.A. County Supervisors who appointed most of them, just in case someone might have something to say on the subject. A few hours later, along with a number other people active in the cycling community, I received an email from county Bikeway Coordinator Abu Yusuf inviting one and all to attend its inaugural session tomorrow night.

Just a coincidence, I’m sure.

According to Stephen’s article, the County of Los Angeles BAC — not to be confused with the city BAC chaired by Glenn Bailey — was formed to advise the county on its new bike plan, currently being developed by the highly respected Alta Planning and Design. The same Alta Planning responsible for the much-maligned bike plan currently under consideration in the City of Los Angeles.

Although, to be fair, the assumption in most cycling circles is that Alta wasn’t allowed to do their best work.

To put it mildly.

So now they have another chance to develop a comprehensive Los Angeles bike plan, for one of the few local governments that may actually be more dysfunctional than the City of L.A.

As Stephen Box points out, this plan will only affect unincorporated parts of the county, which are scattered in and around the 88 municipalities within the county. Which means areas as varied as the bay-side former singles paradise of Marina del Rey and East Los Angeles — the real Eastside, on the other side of the L.A. river, now accessible to Westside urban tourists via the Gold Line.

But what’s really needed is an umbrella plan that will coordinate and unite bikeways throughout those 88 communities and countless unincorporated areas that make up the this county of nearly 10 million people. So you can actually start in one city, and ride throughout the county without dealing with the current mishmash of disconnected bike systems.

Or none at all, if you happen to find yourself in bike-unfriendly Beverly Hills. Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to be on anyone’s agenda, including this one:

Agenda

Bicycle Advisory Committee Meeting #1

County of Los Angeles Bicycle Master Plan

January 14, 2009

6:30PM – 8:00pm

Introductions (10 min)

Overview of Bicycle Master Plan Process (15 min)

•    Draft Goals and Objectives of Plan

•     Work Completed to Date

Purpose of BAC (30 minutes)

•     Staff describes intended purpose (e.g., review of deliverables, advise/assist on outreach, etc.)

•     Q&A

Outreach Strategy (20 minutes)

•     Tapping into Existing Meetings and Planning Processes

•     Formal Workshops

o     Locations

o     Potential Dates

o    Meeting Format

Next Steps/Action Items (15 minutes)

•    BAC to provide input on Goals and Objectives by 02/05/2010

•    BAC to provide input on meeting locations and dates by 01/29/2010

Still, it’s a start. And the fact that the county has discovered bicycles is a good thing.

Now let’s see if they can give Alta the freedom LADOT didn’t.

Details — including this nifty chart of bike parking facilities — below.

Building Address Number of Racks
County of Los Angeles Hall of Administration (West Side of building on N Grand Avenue) 500 West Temple Street Los Angeles, CA 2 inverted U racks
Los Angeles County Superior Court (west side of building 110 N Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 2 Inverted U racks
Los Angeles County Superior Court (east side of building) 110 N Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 6 Inverted U racks
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion 135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 2 Inverted U racks
Metro Civic Center Station Intersection of Hill Street and 1st Street 6 rack parking spots

This is to inform you that the first Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting for the County’s Bikeway Master Plan has been scheduled for Thursday, January 14th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The meeting details are as follows:

Location: Room 150 – County Hall of Records

320 W. Temple Street

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Contact: Abu Yusuf, ayusuf@dpw.lacounty.gov, (626) 458-3940

Agenda: See attached agenda.

Parking: Parking is available at the music center located at the corner of Grand and Temple, or at the Cathedral which is right across from the Hall of Administration.  The table below lists some of the bicycle racks in the area.

Transit: Both the Metro Purple Line and Red Line subways are serviced by the Metro Civic Center located at the intersection of 1st Street and Hill Avenue.  Many buses also service this location.  Metro lines 70, 71, 76, 78, 79, 96,378, 439, 442, 485, 487, 489, and Metro Silver Line stop at this location as well as Foothill Transit lines 493, 497, 468, 499, and 699.

Please feel free to inform others who may be interested in attending this meeting.

………

On a related subject, the South Bay Bicycle Coalition is pushing for a regional bike plan throughout the seven-city area to address the problem of disconnected jurisdictions. And a recent study notes that each additional mile of new bike lanes per square mile results in a corresponding 1% increase in bike commuting.

………

Dr. Alex asks why we should adopt a new bike plan if it doesn’t improve on the last one, while Jeremy Grant suggests keeping the Dept. of DIY’s guerilla sharrows in Highland Park. Here’s your chance to become an L.A. Bike Cop. Streetsblog reports on former police officer and Council Member Dennis Zine’s apparent commitment to supporting L.A.’s current car culture, as well as LACBC’s recent success in developing a Bike Parking Resource Guide. The Swedish rapper who beat a Hollywood jazz musician to death for touching his car continues to claim it was self-defense. In an incident reminiscent of the recent hit-and-run murder of Robert Painter, a Morgan Hill woman was charged with manslaughter for the death of a cyclist riding in the crosswalk; writing on BicycleLaw.com, Rick Bernardi examines the complicated legal issues involved. Bernardi also takes up the related subject of whether a crosswalk is part of the highway or an extension of the sidewalk. A solution for crossing busy intersections; I’ll let someone else try it first, thank you. Winter riding tips from GOOD — including the first one, which suggests riding here in SoCal. New York takes another stab at a vulnerable users law. Webster’s word of the year for 2009 is “distracted driving.” Dark clothing at night is risky, whether in Abilene or L.A. A London cyclist uses his helmet cam to catch drivers at their worst, proving it’s not just L.A. after all. Memorial planned for four Welsh cyclists killed in the UK’s worst cycling disaster. Scotts turn down a proposed road tax on cyclists. A UK coroner urges parents to ensure children’s bikes are properly maintained.

Finally, Boise, Idaho passes new three-foot passing and anti-harassment laws, along with a ban on reckless riding, while the LACBC writes about the failure of our own anti-harassment ordinance to get past the Public Safety Committee. Is anyone else embarrassed that towns like Boise and Columbia, Missouri do more to protect their citizens than our own once-great city?

Category: Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , ,

Our government in action: Encouraging drivers to park in bike lanes

January 12, 2010 / / 12 comments

It’s against the law to drive in a bike lane. But not, apparently, to park in one.

At least, not here in the late great Golden State.

I found that out this morning as I was reading through the California Driver Handbook, looking for ways it could help educated drivers about the rights of cyclists, and how to drive safely and courteously around bikes. And there it was, on page 26, in the section on Bicycle Lanes.

You may park in a bike lane unless a “No Parking” sign is posted.

Evidently, the DMV thinks drivers should have the right to park here.

That set me off on a daylong search of the California Vehicle Code. And unbelievably, I couldn’t find a single word prohibiting parking in bike lane. Or any specifically permitting it, for that matter.

A Class 1 off-road bike path, yes.

In fact, you’re not allowed to sit, stand, block, park, or otherwise obstruct an off-road bike path in any way. Which would no doubt come as a surprise to the many people who sit, stand, block and otherwise obstruct the beachfront bike path through Santa Monica and Venice.

But while that can be a major pain in the butt when you’re out for a ride, it’s not likely to result in serious injury.

On the other hand, blocking a bike lane could, by forcing cyclists out into the traffic lane where drivers aren’t likely to be looking for them — especially if there’s a bike lane present.

As noted above, there are restrictions against driving in a bike lane, except to turn or park. There are restrictions against parking on a sidewalk, in a crosswalk, within 15 feet of the driveway of a fire station, or next to an obstruction or excavation if it would block a traffic lane.

But parking in the only lane on the street specifically devoted to bikes?

No problem.

Cyclists are actually required to use the bike lane if there’s one available on the street they’re riding, although they are allowed to leave it to pass, turn or avoid an obstruction. Such as a car parked in their way, for instance.

The only good news is, it is against the law to double park. And as Enci points out, most bike lanes in L.A. — and throughout California — run adjacent to the parking lane.

So there actually is a benefit to all those bike lanes that force you to ride in the door zone.

At least it keeps cars from parking there.

Try it yourself. Take a look at the DMV’s list of traffic infractions, and see if you can find a single one for parking in or blocking an on-street bike lane.

Update: Stephen Box, L.A.’s leading bike activist, points out that parking in a bike lane is prohibited in Los Angeles under the city’s Municipal Code, under a revision passed just three years ago — and which was, not surprisingly, opposed by LADOT. There’s also an argument to be made that CVC 21211 prohibits parking in on-street (Class II) bike lanes; however, since it refers specifically to Class I bikeways, that’s a grey area at best. And it does nothing to address a state Drivers Handbook that tells motorists they can park in any bike lane they want, unless there’s signage specifically prohibiting it.

………

The LAPD demonstrates a lack of understanding of state traffic laws; evidently, the California Highway Patrol doesn’t do much better. A reader forwards the webpage for Robert Painter’s ghost bike, the cyclist killed in North Hollywood last month. Stephen Box says words matter when you call traffic motorists and collisions accidents. Bob Mionske writes that the Thompson trial was just one case, not a sea change for cyclists. A local rider recalls his two greatest calamities, as evidence that we have a long way to go. The next Dim Sum Ride kicks off this Sunday. In praise of cheap neon fixies. A new bike mural debuts in Atascadero. A Connecticut writer says Vulnerable Users laws have a downside, too. Who needs headphones when you can turn your helmet into a speaker? You do wear a helmet, right? Is there sexism in cycling? U.S. bicycling trips are up 25% — to a whopping 1% of all trips. Facebook refuses to remove the anti-cycling hate group; that may be okay, though, because cyclists are taking it over. Lance says he can beat Contador; the odds makers beg to differ. An English rider writes in Time about going motor-free for a full year. A Budapest transit strike means opportunity for that city’s cyclists. This beautiful Japanese bike was handcrafted almost entirely in wood. Sometimes, pretty pictures of Scotland in winter are enough. Finally, a hilarious take on a Colorado cycling fail. And Yahuda Moon reminds us that visionary cycling plans start with politics.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , ,

From the high of the TranspoComm, to the low of the Public Safety Committee

January 12, 2010 / / 5 comments

Last month, cyclists stormed the bike-only Transportation Committee meeting. And left feeling we like were finally getting somewhere.

That was then.

Today, the Public Safety Committee took up the proposed anti-harassment ordinance, and it couldn’t have been more different.

These bikes, and the riders on them, were nowhere to be seen at yesterday's committee meeting.

It started out in front, where the line of bikes that had been chained to the City Hall railings last month were noticeably missing. And continued into the lobby, where the guard at the front desk noted that I was only the 4th visitor to arrive for the meeting.

Aside from LADOT Bicycle Coordinator Michelle Mowery, there were only three people there to speak in support of the measure — Aurisha Smolarski and Allison Mannos from the LACBC, and myself.

As it turned out, we were vastly outnumbered by the four council members. Jan Perry and Tony Cardenas seemed open-minded, although Cardenas commented that it’s so dangerous to bike in L.A. that he won’t let his children ride on the streets.

What does it say about this city when even members of our own government say it’s too dangerous to conduct such a benign and legal activity as riding a bicycle?

However, Cardenas offered to work with us and use his contacts in the state legislature to address some matters on the state level, such as increasing the amount of bike-related content in the state driver’s handbook.

After talking with Aurisha and Allison afterwards, we have every intention of taking him up on his offer. Although, as usual, I intend to push my luck and try to get more bike-related questions on the drivers test, as well.

Dennis Zine, a former police officer, and committee chair Greig Smith were a different matter. Despite their assertions to the contrary, if either of them support cycling, they did a damn good job of hiding it.

When Perry brought up the increasing popularity of late night group rides, Zine shot back “And they break every law in the book.” Which, of course, had nothing to do with the topic of conversation.

Smith also questioned whether there was anything the city could do about banning harassment, since many of these things are already against the law and most traffic laws are regulated by the state. And Zine stressed that no enforcement of such an ordinance would be possible unless a police officer actually saw the infraction.

Sort of like the situation right now, in other words.

As Zach Behrens noted on LAist, Zine made the point that L.A. is now, and probably always will be, a city dominated by car traffic at the expense of other modes of transportation.

To which Aurisha boldy shot back, despite Smith’s repeated attempts to cut her off, that we can’t continue to follow the same old car-centric model. And that this is an opportunity for much needed change.

The end result, though, was that the matter was referred to the City Attorney’s office for a report on what was possible — rather than simply coming back with a recommendation for an ordinance. Or as Damien Newton put it on Streetsblog, adding an unnecessary third step to a simple two-step process.

And blowing an easy chance to support the riding community.

Below is the text of my statement to the committee, taken from my notes:

Good morning. I’m Ted Rogers, and I write the blog Biking In LA.

In 30 years as an adult cyclist in cities across the U.S., Los Angeles is by far the most dangerous city I’ve ever ridden in, due to a lack of adequate infrastructure and a minority of dangerous drivers.

In the short time I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve heard from hundreds of cyclists who’ve been harassed and intimidated by drivers. This includes passing too close; lurching towards cyclists; honking to startle or intimidate; throwing objects; touching, pushing or hitting cyclists; and yelling things such as “get off the road.”

These are most likely to happen to less experienced — and therefore, more vulnerable — riders who lack the skills and confidence to assertively take the lane, as well women who may not feel safe on riding less populated side streets alone, and so prefer to ride on busier main streets.

However, it can happen to anyone. Ask any cyclist, and they will have a story to tell about being harassed on the roads; I myself have been a victim of a road rage assault.

At a minimum, this ordinance should ban all forms of harassment; establish a minimum three-foot passing distance; give cyclists unquestioned right-of-way in bike lanes, just as pedestrians enjoy in crosswalks; ban short-stopping, lurching towards or deliberately cutting in front of a cyclist; and require LADOT to educate drivers about the rights of cyclists.

Finally, in conclusion, I would like to read an email that was received by a friend of mine following the Thompson sentencing on Friday.

“I live in L.A. and it really irritates me to see you people riding all over the right hand lane in traffic. I often imagine running you over and speeding away. I think if I ever have the chance to hit one of you on Sepulevda Blvd; you know, that long stretch of road near Skirball Center where it sometimes gets lonely? If I ever have the chance to hit one of you and get away with it — I’m gonna do it.”

KABC Channel 7’s Gene Gleason reported on the committee meeting, including a brief comment from yours truly at the end. And that friend who received the threat was the much-respected Will Campbell.

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

After the road rage case, a Monday hearing on the anti-harassment ordinance

January 10, 2010 / / One comment

In sentencing the soon-to-be ex-doctor Christopher Thompson for the road rage assault on two cyclists in Mandeville Canyon, Judge Scott Millington called the case a wake-up call for motorists and cyclists. And said that people on bikes are particularly vulnerable on the streets of L.A.

A few members of the City Council already knew that.

Transportation Committee Chair Bill Rosendahl and Ed Reyes, Chair of the Planning and Land-Use Management committee, co-sponsored a resolution requesting that the City Attorney work with LADOT to craft an ordinance that would prohibit harassment of bicyclists in Los Angeles.

A motion in favor of the ordinance was approved by the Transportation Committee last month, with the support of Rosendahl and Paul Koretz (CD5) — the only two members still present when it came up for a vote.

Now it’s scheduled for a hearing before the Public Safety Committee this Monday.

As Dr. Alex Thompson notes on Westside Bikeside, attendance by bicyclists probably isn’t necessary at this point.

On the other hand, this is your chance to take a stand in front of a committee that has yet to demonstrate its support for the bicycling community the way Rosendahl and the Transportation Committee have — and to make your suggestions about what should be included in a new law designed to protect cyclists.

And maybe help make us just a little less vulnerable in the years to come.

The hearing will take place Monday, January 11 at 9:30 am  in room 1010 of the Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spring St. The motion — 09-2895 — is #4 on the agenda.

………

Speaking of the road rage doctor, Bob Mionske offers his own insights on the sentencing, as well as what it really does — and doesn’t — mean for drivers and the cycling community. Including this:

And just as cyclists notice—and remember—the occasional dangerous motorist, it is the occasional rude cyclist that motorists notice and remember. It is these minority of bad actors on the road that lead to much of the resentment towards each other. However, the real issue here is not “scofflaw cyclists,” or “motorists hell-bent on killing cyclists,” it is competition for the limited resource of space on the road. And for that, motorists owe a debt of gratitude to cyclists. First, every cyclist on the road represents one less car contributing to congestion. Yes, sometimes motorists will be slowed for a few seconds, but in the larger picture, those few seconds will be offset by the time they save for every car that is not on the road ahead of them. Second, every cyclist on the road represents one less car consuming gasoline, and one less car contributing to air pollution and climate change. Finally, every cyclist on the road represents less wear and tear on the roads. These are benefits that accrue directly to all motorists in the form of less demand for limited resources, less demand for regulation of driving, and less demand for our limited tax dollars. Instead of attempting to harass cyclists off the road and back into their cars, motorists should be thanking cyclists for the benefits they provide — and they can do that by simply respecting cyclists’ need for a safe space on the road.

And L.A. Eastside, which captures the real eastern section of the city — as opposed to what those too afraid to cross the L.A. River consider the Eastside — notes that it’s one down, and thousands more to go. CBS and FoxLA offer coverage, as well.

……….

On the final day to submit comment on the proposed bike plan, LACBC receives strong support for a better bike plan. Travelin’ Local guides you to the best views in Los Angeles. Bicycle Fixation enjoys a used-tire sculpture at Hel-Mel. Long Beach’s cycling expats take a photo tour of Tucson, including the beautiful Bike Church. Bike San Diego reports that carelessly killing a well-lighted, bike lane-riding cyclist isn’t worth a single day in behind bars. But S.D. traffic signals are finally starting to respond to bikes. Philadelphia creates an online system to report bike-related incidents directly to the police. A Wichita rider dies four months after being struck by a hit-and-run driver. Indianapolis adopts a three-foot passing law and gives cyclists exclusive right-of-way in bike lanes; Iowa considers a cycling Bill of Rights. A skinny Lycra-clad columnist for the Orlando Sentinel responds to bike haters. Our forecast may call for rain next week, but things could be worse. Finally, a global campaign is underway to remove the latest bike-hating page on Facebook.

Category: Advocacy & Politics / Tags: , ,

Evil on trial: Perspectives on the Christopher Thompson sentencing

January 9, 2010 / / 16 comments

This is not a happy day.

Yes, the Good Doctor got the sentence he deserved, despite what countless apologists have said online today.

But the sad thing is that a man like that, who clearly has so many supporters, committed such a heinous act. And that so many of these supporters don’t get that what he did was wrong.

You see, I don’t hate Christopher Thompson. I don’t even think he’s a bad man. Not that I ever met him.

He’s just a man who did a very bad thing.

That may sound odd, considering the header at the top of this page. But when I first started writing about the Thompson trial, I wanted to grab peoples’ attention and identify any posts on the subject. What I came up with was what you see above.

I thought someone would challenge me, and ask just what I meant by that. But no one ever did. Not even the Times, which mentioned one unnamed blogger who wrote under the headline “Evil on trial.”

So I never explained that it referred to what he did, not who he was.

During the course of the trial, Dr. Christopher Thompson has been variously described as a good husband, a good friend and neighbor, and a skilled, caring physician. I have no doubt that all of those things are true.

But none of that excuses what he did to Ron Peterson and Christian Stoehr on July 4th, 2008 in Mandeville Canyon. Or what he tried to do to Patrick Watson and Josh Crosby in an earlier incident, and at least one other incident before that.

Now Peterson has permanent scars, despite plastic surgery, Stoehr has had to recover from his injuries, and the others have to live with the memory of having their lives threatened. And an otherwise good man is facing 5 well-deserved years in prison.

According to cyclist/attorney DJ Wheels, who was in the courtroom today, Thompson faced his victims and apologized for his actions, wishing them good health. He claimed that he never wanted to hurt anyone, in a statement that brought tears to the eyes of his many supporters in the courtroom.

The Times quotes Thompson as saying, ” I would like to apologize deeply, profoundly from the bottom of my heart.” He added, “If my incident shows anything it’s that confrontation leads to an escalation of hostilities.”

His father also spoke to the court in support of the Good Doctor. In what Wheels described as a very emotional statement, speaking without notes, he talked about the things his son had done for the surgical community and how he had helped a lot of people. And told how a humiliated Christopher Thompson had to move back into his father’s home in Oklahoma after the incident.

That was offset by statements from three of the cyclists involved, who talked about their injuries, how dangerous it is for cyclists in L.A., and how the punishment should fit the crime. Looking directly at Thompson, Josh Crosby said, “You were upset that we were on your street.”

Judge Scott Millington clearly got the severity of the incident, despite noting that the 270 letters he’d received from cyclists urging a stiff sentence had no bearing on his ruling.

As the Times put it:

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Scott T. Millington called the case a “wake-up call” to motorists and cyclists and urged local government to provide riders with more bike lanes. He said he believed that Thompson had shown a lack of remorse during the case and that the victims were particularly vulnerable while riding their bicycles.

He sentenced Thompson to the minimum 2 year sentence for each of the two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and added three years each for both counts of battery causing serious bodily injury; however, he ordered that those sentences be served concurrently, rather than consecutively.

There were also sentences of 1-year and 90 days for the lesser charges of reckless driving and mayhem; again, he ordered that those be served concurrently with the other sentences for a total of 5 years.

He also ordered Thompson to pay restitution for the cyclists’ medical expenses, with a hearing set for next month. And he revoked the Good Doctor’s drivers license for the remainder of his life.

However, DJ Wheels says that Thompson could be eligible for parole after serving just half his sentence, with the rest served on parole — assuming Thompson doesn’t get into trouble behind bars. And don’t be surprised if state prison authorities consider the Good Doctor an ideal candidate for early release, if plans to reduce prison overcrowding in California are put into effect.

With the felony conviction, loss of his medical license should also be a foregone conclusion — though a number of people in the medical profession have warned that it may not be as clear cut as it seems.

Of course, that does nothing to address the vitriol flying across the internet today. Like this comment that followed a story on the Arizona Star website, from a woman who claimed to be a personal friend of Thompson’s:

Not only were these cyclists COMPLETELY OUT OF LINE but they were traveling five wide on a road that is less than 9 feet across. He has NEVER injured anyone in his entire life and would never intentionally hurt someone…He caused injury to people by complete accident which could have been avoided if they had OBEYED THE RULES of the road while biking. IT IS THAT SIMPLE!!!

DJ Wheels also notes one other fact that puts this case in stomach-turning perspective. Alejandro Hidalgo is scheduled to be sentenced this Monday for the drunk-driving hit-and-run death of Jesus Castillo last April.

His sentence? Two years.

Two years for getting drunk, getting behind the wheel and running down another human being, then running away and leaving a man to die alone in the street.

Meanwhile, Thompson gets five years for intentionally injuring two cyclists, yet remaining at the scene.

What’s wrong with that picture?

In addition to the Times story, you can read additional coverage of the Christopher Thompson sentencing from L.A. Streetsblog, VeloNews, Huffington Post, KNBC Channel 4 and KABC Channel 7.

Category: Best of, Bikes & the Law, Dr. Christopher Thompson, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , ,

Breaking news: Dr. Christopher Thompson sentenced to 5 years

January 8, 2010 / / 32 comments

According to a report from cyclist/attorney DJ Wheels, Dr. Christopher Thompson has just been denied probation and sentenced to five years in prison for deliberately injuring two cyclists in Mandeville Canyon on July 4, 2008, as well as threatening two other cyclists in a previous incident.

More details to come.

Update: Damien Newton reports on Streetsblog that Thompson received two years for assault with a deadly weapon, with a three year enhancement for causing great bodily injury.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Dr. Christopher Thompson, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , ,

Evil on trial: Stand by for sentencing

January 8, 2010 / / One comment

I’d hoped to be in the courtroom today for the sentencing of Dr. Christopher Thompson in the Mandeville Canyon incident, in which he intentionally injured two cyclists by slamming on his breaks in from of them.

Unfortunately, I’m still homebound as I recover from my recent surgery. But DJ Wheels is in the courtroom as we speak, and promises to send an update as soon as the judge rules. So we should have breaking news soon.

Meanwhile, the Times covers the recent letter writing campaign from both sides to influence the sentencing.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Dr. Christopher Thompson, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , ,

If you were harassed by a driver in a white van Monday morning, Bus Bench has it on video

January 7, 2010 / / Comments Off on If you were harassed by a driver in a white van Monday morning, Bus Bench has it on video

According to L.A.’s Bus Bench website, they were nearly hit by a speeding white van while driving to work on Cesar Chavez Blvd. Monday morning.

Shortly afterwards, they saw a cyclist arguing with the driver of the same white van, who had nearly hit the rider as he sped by. The driver lurched forward as if to strike the cyclist, then swerved away at the last second, nearly hitting another car in the process.

What the driver didn’t count on, however, is that they recorded the incident, as well as license of the van.

So if you had an altercation with a jerk in an older white van about 6:20 am Monday on Cesar Chavez, you’ll find witnesses and video documentation at thebusbench.com.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

A cyclist is killed, ignorance abounds

January 7, 2010 / / 8 comments

Yesterday, Will Campbell was right hooked by a driver in a small car.

A day earlier, a Long Beach cyclist was killed when a truck driver did virtually the same thing.

In the video he posted, you can clearly see the car cut directly across Will’s path, and his rapid reduction in speed as he brakes hard to avoid a collision. And you can hear his restraint as he urges the driver to be more careful in the future.

Now contrast that with the incident in Long Beach, in which an experienced cyclist collided with a semi-truck making a right turn.

According to published reports, Gustavo Ramirez, a 30-year old resident of the Belmont Shore area, was riding eastbound on the sidewalk along East Shoreline Drive in Long Beach about 10:30 am Tuesday, when he hit the side of the truck as it turned onto Shoreline Village Drive. The driver reportedly had missed his exit off the 710 Freeway and was attempting to turn around when the collision occurred.

The popular cyclist, who worked at the Manhattan Beach REI, had survived another recent accident when a car cut him off while riding in the Bixby Knolls area.

Charles Gandy, the mobility coordinator for the city, was quoted as saying that many cyclists feel uncomfortable riding a busy street with no bike lanes like Shoreline Drive, so they may prefer to ride on the sidewalk.

Judging by the city’s website, that may or may not be legal. Long Beach’s municipal code suggests that riding on the sidewalk is allowed in most areas, with a maximum speed limit of 15 mph — 5 mph when pedestrians are present. However, there are a number of exceptions where it’s prohibited; I don’t know the area well enough to say if any of those would apply around there.

Then again, as complicated as the exceptions are, I’m not sure if anyone else does, either.

As a general rule, I advise against riding on the sidewalk, because drivers anticipate cyclists on the sidewalk even less than they do on the street, and aren’t likely to look for you when they’re pulling out of a driveway or turning onto a cross street. In fact, according to a 1998 study by Dr. William Moritz, there’s a 24.8 times greater risk for cyclists riding on the sidewalk as compared to a typical street with no cycling facilities.

However, I can also understand why a cyclist would make an exception there. The southern end of the 710 Freeway dumps heavy traffic directly onto the street just blocks from where Ramirez was killed; more than a few drivers fail to make the mental adjustment from freeway to surface street driving.

It’s clear from the description of the incident that Ramirez collided with the truck, rather than the other way around, striking it on the right side just behind the cab.

Some of the comments online suggest that proves he was at fault. But as Will’s video clearly shows, when a driver turns in front of you without warning, there’s not much you can do except jam on your brakes and pray. If there’s time.

The fact that Ramirez hit the truck just behind the cab suggests that the driver was just beginning his turn when the collision occurred, so there probably wasn’t enough time to react. It also implies that he was probably already alongside the truck when it turned, so he might not have been in a position to see its turn signal, assuming the driver used it.

And even if he was wearing earphones, as a friend of his suggested, it’s highly unlikely that any experienced cyclist would be unaware of such a large truck on the roadway right next to him.

It’s more likely that the driver failed to see Ramirez before turning in front of him; a classic right hook. And a heartbreaking tragedy for his family and friends.

Still, that didn’t stop the usual online comments blaming cyclists from running red lights, calling for licensing and testing — or expecting cyclists to yield regardless of who has the right of way. Or even demanding that the new health care plans impose a surcharge on people who engage in risky behavior like riding a bike.

And that’s not counting the many comments that were deleted for being too offensive. Like the ones questioning whether Ramirez — or the driver — were in the country legally, just because of their names.

It’s tragic enough when any human being loses his life. But no one should have to die simply for riding a bike.

And it shouldn’t be an opportunity for people who hide behind the anonymity of the internet to show just how little compassion and common sense they have.

Members of Midnight Ridazz are planning a ghost bike and memorial ride for Friday the 15th.

………

A Downtown cyclist was run down by a hit-and-run driver yesterday, yet somehow managed to avoid serious injuries. Damien offers the definitive response to the bike plan; the deadline for comments is tomorrow. An L.A. rider tries, and fails, to reach Downtown by following the county bike map. Flying Pigeon gets Belgian-made Achielle bikes in stock. An East Coast cyclist learns to take the whole lane — and in a skirt, no less. Ft. Collins, CO cyclists demand equality, and get the same traffic-calming surcharge drivers face. A New York school bus driver backs over a cyclist in a fatal collision. A Louisville writer goes car-free, and gets a new Pashley. A North Carolina newspaper complains about a planned bike route for “design cyclists,” whatever that is. The League of American cyclists wants to make U.S. university campuses bike friendly. London cyclists outrace the Tube. The hit-and-run plague even extends to Oxford Dons. Adelaide cyclists get a boost in infrastructure spending. A Canadian cyclist is killed by a truck’s oversize load, yet the court rules no one is at fault. Tips on riding in the snow, not that it’s an issue here. Finally, proof that not all cyclists are nice people, even in Copenhagen; then again, neither is everyone who offers to help recover your bike.

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

After 30 years of bicycling, I now have skin cancer

January 6, 2010 / / 28 comments

I always wear a helmet when I ride. I wear polycarbonate sunglasses to protect my eyes. And padded bike gloves to cushion my hands and prevent road rash if I should fall.

I ride defensively, keeping a close look out for dangerous, careless and otherwise inattentive drivers. As well as dogs, pedestrians, tourists and other cyclists. And bees, of course.

But none of that prevented the sun from shining down on my unprotected face, causing a single, minute cell to mutate. And eventually, develop into a tumor hiding in plain site on the side of my nose.

It could have happened when I lived in Colorado, riding 50 miles a day, seven days a week, in the rarified high-altitude air that lets more of the sun’s damaging rays penetrate. Or maybe it began in San Diego, where the near-perfect weather invited leisurely, day-long rides around the bay or up the coast.

It might even go all the back to my childhood, when family doctors still said the sun was good for you, and suntan lotions magnified, rather than blocked, the sun’s damaging rays.

It doesn’t really matter. It’s done, and I have it.

See the skin cancer in this photo? Neither did the first three doctors I showed it to.

I have skin cancer.

For the first 10 or 15 years of my riding career, it would never have occurred to me to put sunscreen on my face. In those days, it was used to prevent sunburn, not skin cancer. And as a year round cyclist, I had a dark enough tan that sunburn wasn’t an issue.

Eventually, the various warnings about skin cancer got through my thick skull, and I started wearing an SPF 8, then a 25.

Now I wear an SPF 50 on every exposed surface, every time I ride.

Funny thing is, I noticed a hard little spot about the size of a pinhead on my nose three or four years ago; three different doctors dismissed it as harmless.

It was the fourth, a dermatologist, who didn’t.

My doctor had referred me to have something else checked out; she quickly determined that was harmless. But as long as I was there, I pointed out that other spot once again.

As first she agreed with the other doctors, since it lacked the irregular shape and discoloration typical of skin cancers. Then she looked at it again, this time under magnification, and spotted a raised outer ridge and central depression typical of basal cell cancer.

Still, she was reasonably certain it wasn’t cancer. But decided to do a biopsy just to be sure.

Then about a month ago, I was on my bike when my cell phone rang. The doctor said the biopsy had confirmed a basal cell carcinoma. As she put it, “There’s no such thing as a good cancer. But if you’re going to have cancer, this is the one you want.”

The good thing about it, she explained, was that, unlike a squamous cell carcinoma or the more serious melanoma, this type of cancer grows slowly and doesn’t spread. It can be removed surgically, with no further treatment required.

No radiation, no chemo.

But now that I’ve had the first one, I’ll be at greater risk of a recurrence, for the rest of my life.

Unfortunately, its location in the middle of my face meant that she couldn’t do the surgery. It requires a specialist capable of getting all the cancer while minimizing the scarring. She got me a referral, and I made the appointment.

For tomorrow.

As I understand the procedure, they’re going to remove all the cancer they can see, then biopsy it on the spot. If it shows they got it all, they’ll patch me up and send me home; if not, they’ll repeat the procedure until the biopsy comes back clean.

A little discomfort, a few weeks to heal and — hopefully — a small, barely noticeable scar.

I’ll be fine. Really.

But if you want to help, there is something you can do. Put on some sunscreen before your next daylight ride, and every one after that. And if you notice any unusual spots or bumps on your skin, or any moles that change shape or color, show it to your doctor; if it doesn’t go away, don’t take “it’s nothing” for an answer.

Because clearly, drivers aren’t the only danger we face out there. And nothing would make me happier than to know that my cancer helped prevent yours.

If you feel compelled to do something more, consider a donation to the American Cancer Society, so maybe they can find a cure before you or someone you love needs it.

I have skin cancer.

With a little luck, a few hours from now, I won’t.

Category: Health / Tags: , ,
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