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Morning Links: New plant-based cookbook by LA nutritionist and bicyclist, scary NY vigilantes, and bike riders behaving badly

July 17, 2019 / bikinginla / 8 comments

Anyone looking to improve their diet — or performance on their bike — could do a lot worse than the new plant-based sports nutrition book co-written by Los Angeles nutritionist and enduro-cyclist Matt Ruscigno.

Longtime BikinginLA readers will know Ruscigno as founder of LA’s legendary Feel My Legs, I’m a Racer hillclimb competition.

Correction: I originally identified this as a cookbook; thanks to Matt Ruscigno for setting me straight.

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A frightening assault in New York was compounded by an apparently uncaring cop.

A small, older woman on a bikeshare bike was physically detained, despite her repeated screams for help, by two large men in a massive black SUV who claimed she had somehow scratched it.

https://twitter.com/Tellythecairn/status/1151142869664768005

And the New York traffic officer who finally arrived was apparently fine with the vigilante detention. Even though the men could have been charged with kidnapping and assault.

And probably should have been.

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In what’s becoming an annual event, yet another mountain biker has jumped over the Tour de France peloton.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes goes on… and on…and on…

A Seattle bicyclist posted a photo of the mark left on his thigh left by the driver who deliberately ran him off the road.

https://twitter.com/sejdevries/status/1151299527111917568

A road-raging British driver has been convicted assault by dangerous driving after getting out of his car to threaten a bicyclist, which was followed by a brake check, followed by slamming into the victim, breaking his pelvis, all despite the bike rider’s repeated attempts to get away.

Sometimes, though, it’s the people on bikes behaving badly.

Illinois police are looking for the adult male bike rider who stopped kids on a bike path, dropped his pants, and offered them money to change his diaper. Twice.

A bike-riding man stole a New Jersey boy’s unattended backpack while the kid was fishing a short distance away.

Former New York Rangers hockey player Sean Avery is continuing his one-man defense of the city’s bike lanes, posting obscenity-laced videos on Instagram that deservedly, but rudely, call out the delivery people who block them; he’s currently facing charges for smashing his scooter into a driver’s car.

A bike-raging Montreal rider is expected to face charges for smashing the windows of a bus with his bike lock because the driver was following his bicycle too closely.

Police in Halifax, Nova Scotia, are looking for a pair of men who yelled at a woman and slapped her in the face after catching up to her car at a stop sign, shortly after she had passed their bikes. Something tells me there’s more to this story. But still, just…don’t.

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Local

Streetsblog looks at the new traffic diverters on Rosewood Ave that allow bike riders and pedestrians to cross La Brea Ave, while forcing drivers on Rosewood to turn right.

Officials responsible for revitalizing the upper part of the Los Angeles River went fishing for feedback on a proposal to connect the Verdugo Mountains and San Rafael Hills in Glendale in some vague, undefined way that could possibly involve a bike path or some other type of trail. Or not.

Google Maps will soon be able to show you, not only where bikeshare docks are located, but how many bikes are there, in 24 cities around the world — including Los Angeles.

UCLA parking meister Donald Shoup talks micromobility and e-scooter parking.

Mavic, the French bike component and equipment maker, is now owned by a Beverly Hills private equity firm.

Santa Monica has clipped Bird’s wings, cutting the number of scooters they’re allowed to deploy on the streets by a third in response to continued complaints and data anomalies.

One of the counter protesters at the recent small demonstration demanding the removal of the Broadway road diet in Long Beach was the CEO of the company hired to manage the city’s bikeshare program, who carried a sign saying road diets save lives — even though his car’s mirror was knocked off by a passing driver while parked on the street.

State

The OC Register profiles Tustin’s Geoff Frost, a butterfly gardener, pine cone jewelry designer, didgeridoo craftsman, and now, beekeeper. And when he’s not doing all that, he sidelines as the manager of the Path Bike Shop.

Santa Barbara police released photos of an alleged hit-and-run driver who injured a bike rider last month.

A Frazier Park woman suffered major injuries in a crash police are investigating as a hit-and-run, after she somehow came off her bike and crashed into a railing or the pavement.

A new study has identified San Jose’s most dangerous neighborhoods and intersections for car crashes.

Atlas Obscura offers an appreciation of San Francisco’s 400-foot Duboce Parkway Mural, an “ode to bicycling” painted by volunteers with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.

National

Now you, too, can buy a numbered, limited edition version of Specialized’s new e-roadie for the low, low price of just $17,000. But at least it’s pretty, right?

Bicycling talks with YouTube’s bike pump playing musician.

People for Bikes announced the recipients of their latest round of small grants, most of which went to organizations in the South and Midwest; only one went to a group west of the Mississippi — and none in California.

A 69-year old Portland man had his $11,000 Colnago stolen in a strong-arm robbery when a pair of young men knocked him off his bike and into some bushes and made off with his bicycle; one of the alleged thieves was later caught on video riding it.

Colorado bike riders will face a 1.6-mile detour after a separated bikeway between Denver and Boulder was closed when a bridge collapsed due to the ground subsiding beneath it.

A San Antonio TX driver learns the hard way that it’s probably not the best idea to run over a bike cop’s bicycle while fleeing a simple traffic stop.

Yes, it really does happen. A Brooklyn bike rider was seriously injured when he suddenly cut across both lanes of traffic, and was hit by a driver traveling in the opposite direction in a crash caught on security cam.

Good question. Gothamist examines the psychology behind the hatred New York drivers and pedestrians have for bike riders, noting that despite the perceived danger, bike riders were involved in just 2% of pedestrian injuries and only one death in 2017, while New York drivers killed 106 people on foot.

New York’s Citi Bike bikeshare finally makes its way the Bronx, following years of criticism for catering to more upscale neighborhoods.

Bicycling injuries are up in eight of New York’s ten “safety priority” districts, sometimes by double digits.

There’s a special place in hell for whoever stole a Pennsylvania combat vet’s bicycle on his first day of work at a pizza joint; it was his only form of transportation. He turned down an offer of a car to replace it because he just doesn’t want one. Now that’s my kind of guy.

An Alabama bike co-op placed a ghost bike for a homeless man who may have been one of their customers.

An Atlanta woman and her husband have raised funds for a $5,000 reward after a hit-and-run driver ran her down from behind as they were riding their bikes in a marked bike lane, in a crash that was also caught on a security camera.

International

Another reminder that people in more enlightened countries can buy insurance to cover them and their bikes when they ride. Unlike the US, where you can only get collision insurance if you own a car. The main reason I’ve held onto my car this long is my reluctance to give up uninsured motorist coverage, which protects you on your bike, as well as your car.

Britain’s Countess of Wessex confessed to giving a male rider a complex about his butt, after she and another woman spent the better part of an hour staring at it on a 445-mile charity ride.

If you want to try riding your bike up the world’s steepest street, you’ll have to travel to Wales, where you’ll find a roadway offering a breathtaking 37.45% grade.

A new Aussie study confirms that active commutes like bicycling or walking can make you happier, and more productive at work.

Competitive Cycling

Cyclist looks at who are the winners and losers in the Tour de France so far.

It will cost you to watch the token women’s La Course by le Tour de France, which offers just a single day of circuit racing compared to three weeks for the men. But at least they offer matching prize money. Pro tip: Save your money and catch the free online streaming of next month’s Colorado Classic, which is now a top tier, four stage women’s race.

One of the champions at the recent USA Cycling Track National Championships in Carson once again was Cal Berkeley law professor Molly Van Houweling, who won the Elite Women’s Individual Pursuit.

Finally…

Seriously, don’t drop your bike to chase down an escaped goat. Your shredded bike tubes could come back as a fanny pack…uh, hip pack.

And the latest bike-themed music video goes a bit goth.

And strange.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: bicycling, bike riders behaving badly, bikeshare, driveway vigilantes, kidnapping, Los Angeles, Matt Ruscigno, New York, the war on bikes

Morning Links: AIDS/LifeCycle Ride arrives with Pride, Gotcha wants ya, and World Naked Bike Ride around the world

June 10, 2019 / bikinginla / One comment

Over 2,000 bike riders rolled up to LA’s Fairfax High School on Saturday during LA Pride celebrations, ending the 545-mile AIDS/LifeCycle ride that began in San Francisco last Sunday.

US Olympic freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy was the top fund-raiser for the ride, bringing in over $238,000 to benefit the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, and HIV/AIDS services at the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

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New San Gabriel Valley e-bikeshare provider Gotcha is looking to fill several positions in the LA/SGV area to help get the system up and running, including —

I might consider the first one, but only if they changed the title to Minister of Propaganda.

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Bike riders around the world dare to go bare for the World Naked Bike Ride, calling for better bike safety by asking “Can you see me now?”

Rides took place in Chicago, Cleveland, New Orleans, Mexico City, London and throughout the UK,

Meanwhile, bike riders in Laredo, Texas kept their clothes on while lighting themselves up.

But seriously, are you really naked if you’re armed to the teeth?

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This is who we share the roads with.

A North Hollywood motor scooter rider was killed by a speeding driver while stopped at a red light, who proceeded to crash into several parked vehicles after fleeing the scene, then tried to walk away after her car caught on fire.

Police said it was unclear if drugs or alcohol were involved, demonstrating that they really do have a sense of humor.

Thanks to Evan Burbridge for the heads-up.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes is all too real.

An off-duty New York firefighter used his car as a weapon to deliberately try to run over a bike rider after smashing the rider’s cell phone, when the bicyclist had the audacity to complain about nearly getting run down by the red light-running motorist. Naturally the driver says it’s no big deal.

And someone intentionally placed an old railroad tie across the entrance to a Portland bike path in an apparent attempt to injure riders.

Reader says someone purposely placed a large railroad tie across the Columbia Slough. He crashed and damaged his body and bike. Anyone else experience this? pic.twitter.com/yFfDUWKwMg

— BikePortland (@BikePortland) June 7, 2019

Seriously, this shit has got to stop.

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Local

City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield say the new bike lanes on Winnetka Ave “won’t prevent all accidents, but it certainly will save some lives.” The new lanes close the gap where Ignacio Sanchez Navarro was killed by a hit-and-run driver two years ago.

Architectural leaders say LA architects have to step up their game, like designing more buildings to accommodate bicycles, because cars may be a thing of the past due to the city’s “notorious traffic congestion.” We can only hope.

Evidently, riding a bicycle on LA freeways is a thing now.

A meeting will be held tomorrow in Pico Rivera to discuss the city’s first protected bikeway.

A Santa Clarita writer looks at the faces behind the area’s many roadside memorials, including ghost bikes for Teresa Mae Angeli and Rod Bennett.

State

San Diego city planners are refining efforts to make the city’s iconic Mission Blvd safer and more welcoming to people, whether they travel on two feet or two wheels.

A salmon cyclist was luck to escape with just a broken leg when he was hit by a driver in San Diego; he also had a passenger on his bike, who wasn’t injured.

Great idea. Chico residents celebrate the city’s 10th annual Bicycle Music Festival by riding to several locations to hear live music, all the while being serenaded by a musician on a bike, amplified with a pedal-powered generator.

Bike author Richard Fox offers safer alternatives to get around locations where bike riders were killed in the Coachella Valley.

Sad news from Bakersfield, where an elderly man riding a bicycle was killed in a collision.

Roughly 100 Santa Barbara teens turned out for a Ride Out on Saturday, sending drivers into a tizzy; good thing they didn’t try it today, when the city is conducting a bike and pedestrian safety sting.

A Santa Cruz writer says you can reduce your carbon footprint by riding a bikeshare ebike.

National

The Flagstaff AZ city council backed off plans to ban ebikes from gravel trails, and will continue to allow soused riders to pedal home.

Boulder CO has placed a monument in a local park to honor the late, great Red Zinger Bicycle Classic and the legendary Coors Classic bike races.

The former head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Grizzly Bear Recovery Team says yes, mountain bikers pose a grave threat to grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area.

Young descendants of the Cherokee tribe made their way through Southern Illinois on the Remember the Removal bike ride, retracing the route taken by tribal members in the infamously brutal Trail of Tears.

There’s a special place in hell for whoever stole a disabled Michigan man’s new bicycle just minutes after he bought it.

Louisville KY bicyclists rode to honor Muhammad Ali, the self-proclaimed greatest fighter of all time.

Maine bike riders say the way to deal with gridlock on Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park is to take your bike and leave the car at home. But they don’t expect tourists to take that advice.

Nice piece in the New York Times profiling a historic black bike club in Brooklyn that may have produced America’s next track cycling star. Thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up.

WaPo says your GPS is breaking your brain.

No surprise here. A poll of DC residents shows drivers are worse than bike riders and pedestrians — or scooter riders, for that matter — when it comes to breaking traffic laws. Meanwhile, a DC writer says it’s time to take a stand against car supremacy, and dethrone cars from their policy throne.

A Florida bicyclist says it was the camaraderie and sense of belonging he found with his fellow bike riders that got him through chemo.

International

Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton is one of us, relaxing between races by riding his mountain bike.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation says studies show bike lanes boost urban businesses.

No bias here. Calgary bike riders caught riding just 6 mph over the city’s 12.4 mph bike path speed limit could face a $400 fine; a driver would have to be doing nearly 20 mph over the limit to face a fine that high.

Montreal merchants are carefully aiming a shotgun at their feet by demanding the cancellation of plans for a bike lane that would result in the removal 275 parking spots. Even though studies consistently show bike lanes are good for business, and bike riders spend more per month than drivers do; see the CBC report two stories up.

A writer for The Guardian says even riding the French Alps is no sweat on an ebike. Meanwhile, another article in the paper recommends some of Europe’s best easy bicycling holidays.

A bronze Mahatma Gandhi rides a bicycle to promote food safety. Even if he does look more like Dobby in the photo.

For years, we’ve joked about airbags for bike riders. You can stop joking now, thanks to an Indian inventor.

Rising Palestinian cycling champ Alaa al-Dali is making a remarkable comeback as a paracyclist after losing a leg to an Israeli sniper

Unbelievable. An 18-year old Saudi Arabian boy faces beheading for leading a bike protest during the Arab Spring when he was just ten years old. Yes, ten.

A South African bike rider learns the hard way that there’s a lot we don’t know about concussions after losing consciousness for several minutes after a fall on her way home.

An Australian father reached out and tried to pull his 12-year old son out of the way as a van driver careened out of control, smashing into them and critically injuring a pedestrian. Although it might be nice if the writer didn’t wait until the very end to even mention that the van had a driver. And then only in passing.

It takes a real schmuck to steal a Kiwi woman’s bicycle as she’s trying to rescue a loose goat.

Competitive Cycling

VeloNews considers the women who ride the Dirty Kanza.

What do you do if you crash your bike in sight of the finish line? Just make a run for it.

Finally…

If someone steals your bike, just pull a page from Reservoir Dogs. What do you do if you’re diagnosed with a grave medical condition? Ride a ‘bent across the US, of course.

And don’t try to snatch the Governator’s bike — at least not when his bodyguards are on duty.

Thanks to Evan Burbridge for that last one.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: AIDS/LifeCycle, bicycling, bike jobs, bikeshare, Gotcha, Los Angeles, the war on bikes, World Naked Bike Ride

Morning Links: LA as West Coast e-scooter capital, vehicular murder slap on wrist, and CiclaValley takes a spill

February 19, 2019 / bikinginla / 4 comments

Assistant Director of LA Bureau of Street Services Greg Spotts says Los Angeles could become the shared mobility capital of the West Coast.

Spotts notes that 11 companies have applied to provide a total of 37,000 e-scooters, dockless bikes and ebikes to the mean streets of LA.

The city has a series of community meetings coming up to discuss dockless mobility, starting with one in DTLA on the 26th.

Putting 37,000 alternatives to driving on the street is a good thing. But key to the success of any dockless mobility program is providing safe places to ride and park them.

Hopefully, this will spur development of the city bike plan, as city leaders finally recognize the need for safety. And drivers are more willing to sacrifice a few feet of roadway to get scooters out of their way.

It could happen.

The city also needs to provide on-street parking facilities — ideally converting one parking space per block for e-scooter and bike parking.

We should also require every e-scooter to be equipped with a low-volume beeping device to warn pedestrians when one is approaching. And let people with limited sight know when one is parked in their way.

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Talk about getting the story wrong.

Yesterday we linked to a Kansas story about a teen driver getting a reduced sentence for killing a bike rider in a hit-and-run, but criticized the paper for leaving out just how long he would be behind bars.

Apparently, they left a lot more than that out.

Like actual length of the sentence, which turned out to be just two years — far less than the 16 years the prosecution requested.

Not to mention the fact that the crash was intentional.

A passenger in his car told police the driver passed the man as he was riding in the opposite direction, and made a U-turn to deliberately run him down from behind before fleeing the scene.

And never mind that the victim was Latino and the driver was white, giving a racial tint to both the murder and the lack of justice. .

Amazingly, the judge excused the driver’s behavior because of his young age, clean record and that he had accepted responsibility. Although that came long after he had abandoned the car and gone home to play video games, later calling the police to report his car had been stolen.

Sure sounds like taking responsibility to me.

But no matter how sorry he might claim to be, there is no way to justify just two years behind bars for murder.

If he had used any other choice of weapon, from a gun or knife, to a rock or broken beer bottle, it would undoubtedly have been taken more seriously.

Or maybe the problem was just a victim on two wheels, with a Hispanic name.

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A conservative columnist goes out of his way to illustrate exactly what’s wrong with America’s political divide, saying it’s time for liberals to get the hell out.

And they should use “public transportation or ride your ridiculous bikes in your ridiculous bike shorts to your shriveled hearts’ content!” somewhere else, while all those “normal” Americans keep gleefully destroying the planet with their massive SUVs.

Except by repeatedly plugging his books makes it all come off as a shameless effort just to sell a few more.

I don’t care whether you’re conservative, liberal or anything else. Or whether you walk, bike, ride transit or drive.

We’re all need to stop demonizing one another, and work together to make this country succeed.

Period.

And the same goes for our cities and states.

Because the alternative isn’t pretty.

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CiclaValley offers a firsthand view of what it’s like to blow a tire during a descent.

And to have members of one university cycling team help you up while their rival school just rides on by.

Thanks much to the UCLA Cycling team for being very gracious helping me out after yesterday's crash on the Nichols Ride (no one from that other university bothered to stop). Still, trying to figure out why my tire blew out…https://t.co/IdrLFERYKt
— Zachary Rynew (@Ciclavalley) February 18, 2019

Fortunately, he escaped relatively unscathed, walking away with a few bruises and a banged up wheel.

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I want to be like them when I grow up.

A 73-year old Cherokee elder in Oklahoma overcame excessive weight and crippling diets by taking up bicycling in his 60s; now he’s off insulin, and rides across the reservation when he’s not competing in races around the world.

A 77-year old Chicago woman is biking across the US with a group of other older riders.

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Local

You still can’t legally ride an e-scooter in Torrance. The city is slow-walking approving e-scooters, even as other South Bay cities are moving forward with legalizing them.

Speaking of the South Bay, a Kiwi writer raves about his visit to the beachside cities, including an extensive description of a guided bike tour along the beachfront Marvin Braude Bike Trail.

Long Beach is planning a $1 million project to add bike lanes along Edwards Blvd to connect the quarter-mile street with the beach. Correction: Wrong Long Beach, dammit; this one’s in New York. Thanks to Chris Buonomo and James for the correction.

Long Beach police use fake bullets to apprehend a bike rider with a fake gun.

State

The Mercury News comes to the not-so-shocking conclusion that some people don’t like Complete Streets or improving safety if it means they’re going to be slightly inconvenienced.

At least one city is making progress in fighting bike theft, as the crime drops 25% in San Francisco.

Speaking of San Francisco, Uber-owned Jump dockless ebikes are cutting into Uber’s own car-hailing business in the Bay Area. And the company says they couldn’t be happier.

National

The Atlantic says Washington’s Birthday used to be celebrated by taking your bike for a spin, instead of countless car and mattress sales.

Traditionally libertarian Nevada is considering a proposal to require anyone under 18 to wear a bike helmet when they ride.

The Colorado legislature is considering following LA’s bad example by banning red light cameras in an apparent attempt to keep the streets dangerous.

A bighearted Michigan man founded a program to give bicycles to local kids, refurbishing and buying 150 bicycles in its first year.

Cambridge MA is making progress in its goal of reducing car ownership, but is only halfway towards its goal of a 15% reduction by next year.

Residents in a Louisiana city vow to fight a plan for an offroad bike path that could require removing trees and roadside signs.

Kindhearted Florida cops dug into their own wallets to buy a new bike for a man in his 80s after his was stolen.

Heartbreaking story from Florida, where a man was killed in a crash while riding his bike, the same day searchers fund the body of his missing daughter in a swamp; relatives don’t believe he had learned about her death before he was killed.

International

Ella Cycling Tips examines the studies, and concludes that what you wear or what sex you are may affect how closely drivers pass you. Or maybe not.

Cycling Weekly examines how much protein bicyclists really need in their diet.

Bike Radar considers what they consider the five most confusing topics in bicycling.

You may be out of luck if your bike gets stolen in London, as a special police bike theft unit is redeployed to fight youth knife crime.

A British woman got three years for crash that left a bike rider with serious brain damage; she was still high on coke from the night before when she ran him down in the early afternoon crash — 16 times the legal limit, in fact.

A polite Brit bike thief returned a purloined two-wheeler with a note of apology, saying he borrowed it to avoid a three-mile walk home at three in the morning.

A new Irish TV series explores the lack of bike lanes in the Emerald Isle compared to the rest of Europe. If you can’t imagine a TV show like that in the US, let alone a series, there’s probably a good reason for that.

Here’s another one to add to your bike bucket list, which must be getting kind of long by now — a mountain biking trek through the South Caucasus Mountains in Azerbaijan. Unless maybe you’d rather experience India’s tropical state of Goa.

Officials say road safety must be improved in Zambia, where bicyclists and pedestrians make up 70% of traffic deaths.

Competitive Cycling

No ego here. The legendary Eddy Merckx says yes, Peter Sagan is complete cyclist, but he was better.

Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas insists he is definitely not riding in the Giro this year.

A Canadian cyclist rode 5249 laps around a velodrome in 24 hours — the equivalent of 457 miles — to raise funds for much needed repairs; he brought in over $59,000, more than doubling the original $25,000 goal.

Finally…

Nothing goes together like bikes and booze. We may have to deal with LA drivers, but at least we don’t have to worry about getting a monitor lizard stuck in our spokes.

And why shovel the stuff when you can just ride your own bicycle snow plow?

Category: Morning Links / Tags: bicycling, bikeshare, Bureau of Street Services, CiclaValley, e-scooters, Kansas, Los Angeles, vehicular homicide

Morning Links: Raising funds for Woon’s baby, the Onion satirizes LA bike lanes, and taps for WeHo Pedals

December 10, 2018 / bikinginla / 3 comments

And we’re back!

Let’s start with a special thanks to Steve S for debugging the new WordPress upgrade to get us back online in time for today’s post.

Now grab the beverage of your choice and settle in for awhile. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover after missing Friday’s post.

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It’s Day 18 of the 4th Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive.

Your support keeps SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming to your screen every morning.

And allows me to devote whatever I have left on this planet trying to make this a better place for people on two wheels.

Anything you can give helps, and is truly and deeply appreciated!

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Let’s start with a small ray of hope this holiday season.

A baby sized ray, in fact.

Last April, Frederick “Woon” Frazier was run down by a heartless hit-and-run driver as he was riding his bike at Manchester and Normandie in South LA.

Now his infant son is just days from being born, eight months after Woon was killed. A tiny miracle bringing hope and joy to a family so desperately in need of it.

Even if he will have to grow up and spend his entire life without a father. And without a father’s emotional or financial support.

But you can help with the last part, anyway.

A crowdfunding campaign is raising money for his son to help cover medical costs related to the birth, and help him get off to the best possible start in life.

Meanwhile, his killer has still not been charged, despite turning herself in a month later as police were closing in. And after painting her white SUV black in an attempt to cover up the crime.

His mother, who has been outspoken in her calls for justice, is asking everyone to turn out for a candlelight Christmas vigil this Wednesday at the site where Woon was killed. Both to remember her son, and to renew the call to prosecute his killer.

Thanks to Sahra Sulaiman for the heads-up.

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The Onion discovers the nation’s worst bike city, writing with satirical tongue planted firmly in cheek that LA will add a buffer lane for bike riders to recover after they’re hit by a car.

“L.A. has fallen short of bike-friendly places like Portland and Philadelphia for years, which is why the City Council voted today in a landslide 11-0 decision to finally create a bright green pathway where you can get doored and safely roll around, clutching your knee and writhing in unbearable agony,” said mayor Eric Garcetti… “Countless accidents occur every day because of our poor cycling infrastructure, reckless motorists, and many other factors within our control, but luckily Central L.A. will soon have miles of road fully dedicated to letting riders regain consciousness from these collisions. Never again will you be side-swiped, rear-ended, or cut off by a distracted Uber driver without having a place to tend to your wounds.”

Maybe a little open ridicule will be enough to get city officials off their metaphorical asses and actually do something non-satirical to improve safety.

We can dream, can’t we?

Thanks to Patrick Pascal for the tip.

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That music you hear isn’t Jingle Bells. It’s the sound of Taps for West Hollywood’s WeHo Pedals bikeshare program.

The city is pulling the plug on its docked bikeshare system after two years of low ridership and mounting financial losses, and considering opening the door to dockless bikeshare providers as a replacement.

Although oddly, not reconsidering their ill-conceived ban on e-scooters.

Much of the blame falls on WeHo’s lack of bike lanes, as well as a sparsity of docking locations in much of the city. And the lack of ebikes didn’t help users navigate the steep hills leading up to Sunset Blvd.

Unfortunately, the closure will leave a large gap in the planned Westside bikeshare system, which was intended to link Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Culver City, UCLA and West Hollywood in a single, interoperable network.

It’s questionable how long the others will be able to survive without private sponsorship, and as dockless ebikes and scooters dominate the bikeshare landscape.

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Bad news from North San Diego County.

Community leader and bike and pedestrian advocate Roberta Walker was critically injured when she was hit by a truck while riding her bicycle in Encinitas around 6 am Saturday.

The executive director of the Cardiff 101 Main Street Association, Walker was riding on North Coast Highway 101 near Phoebe Street when she was run down, resulting in serious brain and spinal injuries, as well as broken bones.

In a tragic irony, she was hit while riding on a section of the Coast Highway where she had advocated for significant safety improvements, including roundabouts and bike lanes, as part of the proposed Leucadia Streetscape project.

Thanks to JMK for the link.

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Congratulations to Eli Akira Kaufman on being named the new executive director of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

I’m told he’ll take the helm of the LACBC in January, after moving over from his current position as ED of River LA.

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Megan Lynch forwards word of a suspicious looking Craigslist post for a high-end recumbent. She identified the bike as a Haluzak Horizon, and says it’s very unusual for someone selling a bike like that to not know, or at least mention, the make and model.

So if you know someone who’s had one stolen, give ‘em a heads-up.

Lynch also says this one looks fishy, with three ‘bents available for sale in Santa Ana, but no brand listed for any of them.

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After moving from Las Vegas to Reno this year, the Interbike trade show may have gone belly-up. Organizers have canceled the 2019 show, while making vague promises to return in 2020… somewhere.

Bicycling Retailer says the country’s largest bicycle trade show died a needless death.

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Before we go on, take a six-minute virtual self-supported mountain bike ride across the beautiful and treacherous volcanic Icelandic landscape.

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Local

We’re not the only ones raising funds this month. Streetsblog LA is holding a fundraiser, hoping to raise $10,000 before the first of the year.

Bike Talk features Scott Gamzon and Terrence Heuston of Keep Rowena Safe talking about their efforts to fight attempts to rip out the successful road diet and bike lanes.

Metro CEO Phil Washington made what may or may not have been a serious suggestion to implement congestion pricing, and use the money to make transit free.

Good Twitter thread from Greg Spotts on where the newly arrived Lyft scooters aren’t welcome to be left or rented on the Westside.

Forbes profiles Los Angeles-based Kym Perfetto, who’s gone from bike messenger to one of the first SoulCycle instructors to fitness social influencer, riding her bicycle across North and South America, Europe and Japan in the process.

Riding a bike across the US may be challenging. But it’s nothing compared to a paraplegic Hollywood man rolling across the country in a hand-propelled wheelchair.

The LAPD is forming a task force to deal with the rising rate of stolen bikes in the Venice area, as well as a number of open air bike chop shops.

Curbed dubs Santa Monica the ebike and e-scooter capital of the world.

The new Spectrum News 1 channel examines Santa Monica’s efforts to corral dockless bikes and scooters in designated parking areas.

State

Apparently, it takes two years for Cathedral City bicyclists to take off their clothes.

No bias here. A San Luis Obispo letter writer complains about the county’s bicycle obsession and the money spent on bikeways, saying “bicycles should be registered and pay.” Never mind that dangerous drivers are the only reason we need safe bike lanes and paths. Or that bicycles don’t actually have any money.

Los Angeles isn’t the only California city with crumbling pavement. Berkeley’s streets are falling apart, with no plans to pave anything this year.

Tragic news from San Francisco, where a surfer died after being revived by paramedics; a passing bicyclist called 911 when he spotted the man floating unconscious in the water.

A Marin public workshop will consider whether e-bikes should be allowed on the mountain considered the birthplace of mountain biking.

National

A new report from American Progress says the dawn of autonomous vehicles presents an opportunity to redesign the surface transportation system to prioritize the needs of nonautomotive users, calling it a “transportation and urban development imperative.”

Nice piece from Bicycling about a woman who cured her depression by taking off on cross-country ride with her ‘bent, a dog and a violin, traveling 4,000 miles, 12 miles at time. Then decided to kep going across Canada. And plans on riding the Pan-American Highway to Argentina next year.

Cycling Industry News asks if belt drive bikes are bad for local bike shops.

Wired considers how e-scooters could save our cities.

Seattle blames historic wet weather for a 20% drop in bicycling rates. Meanwhile, a local magazine makes the case for e-scooters after the city’s mayor call them too dangerous for the streets.

A New Mexican bicyclist says he’s throwing in the towel because the cars have won.

A local writer recommends biking Colorado’s Vail Pass from the top down, while a columnist in nearby Aspen suggests beating the winter blues by riding a bike during ski season.

Denver plans to move e-scooters to the bike lanes, allowing users to ride on the sidewalk only when other options aren’t available — and only at 6mph.

Baltimore has passed a Complete Streets law, requiring all new street construction to have a bike and pedestrian friendly design.

A North Carolina pastor is bicycling across Africa to bring fresh water to the continent.

International

Vancouver bicyclists rode in honor of a 72-year old bike advocate who died after falling off his bike.

Caught on video: A British Columbia bike rider gets doored when a truck passenger opens a door into him.

A bighearted 14-year old Yazidi boy who had been an ISIS captive is behind a Winnipeg program to provide his fellow refugee children with bicycles; thanks to a contribution from an American man, he’s been able to distribute 100 bikes so far.

British bike scribe and historian Carlton Reid has Christmas lunch at the world’s “oldest, poshest and most eccentric” — and exclusively male — Dickensian bike club.

London is the latest international city to get Lime’s e-assist dockless bikes.

A British bike rider is calling for more bike racks at the entrance to a local mall, after counting 200 empty bike racks hidden in the back. American bicyclists would be happy for any bike racks at most malls.

Britain’s Cyclist magazine employs a wind tunnel in an attempt to answer what’s the best descending position. In my case, it’s whichever one keeps me in one piece until I reach the bottom.

A bike-riding serial butt slapper walks with probation for attacking 21 English women after the judge rules he’s too intellectually impaired to cope with life behind bars. And no, there’s not a damn thing funny about that.

The idea that won’t go away. A Swedish company is following in Volvo’s footsteps by encouraging bike riders, pedestrians and yes, even pets, to spray themselves head-to-toe with an invisible reflective paint.

In a frightening story, a South African bike rider describes how he used his bike to fend off an attacker armed with a broken bottle until a passing motorist intervened with a Taser.

I want to be like them when I grow up. A group of Kiwi bicyclists are still riding competitively in their 80s and 90s, with the youngest racer a spritely 79.

No bias here, either. A new “pro-car” political party in New Zealand has its sights set on bicycling, calling it a “150-year-old technology that cars have virtually eliminated.”

Or here. An Aussie website says the roads are plagued by coffee-swilling middle-aged men in Lycra, and that cycling will never succeed in the country without an “international embargo on epilepsy-colored activewear and padded undies.”

A new tongue-in-cheek study in the Medical Journal of Australia says yes, MAMILs exist, even if they don’t ride to work.

An Australian website looks at the Melbourne company whose innovative bike bell took Kickstarter by storm.

Quietly exploring Hokkaido, Japan by bicycle, where “motorists are ridiculously courteous.” Let’s hope that’s contagious.

A new Korean startup hopes to boost bicycling by ending the problem of abandoned and thrown-away bicycles through fixing them up and putting them back on the street.

Bangkok, Thailand closed down 25 streets on Sunday, as part of a nationwide ciclovia.

China’s massive abandoned bikeshare bike dumps caught in pictures.

Competitive Cycling

Hour record holder Bradley Wiggins says his time at the top will be short-lived, insisting Belgian pro Victor Campenaerts will beat his record next year.

Lance Armstrong: venture capitalist.

Finally…

How to suck at cycling. How to ride rollers for 24 straight hours without going crazy. If you’re going to flee the scene after a crash, you might want to take your license plate with you.

And your next mountain bike could be a Lego.

………

Thanks to Ralph D, Kirsten B, Glen S and Janice H for their generous donations to the BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive!

Category: Morning Links / Tags: bicycling, bike lanes, bike theft, bikeshare, Frederick Frazier, LACBC, Los Angeles, The Onion, WeHo Pedals, Woon

Morning Links: E-scooters on fire, free bikeshare and scooter rides on Election Day, and no good guys in Aussie video

November 1, 2018 / bikinginla / One comment

Are we tired of talking about e-scooters yet?

That Bird or Lime e-scooter you rode — or maybe dodged? That was a Segway.

Never mind falling off, Lime is pulling some of their e-scooters from Los Angeles, San Diego and Lake Tahoe because the batteries could catch fire.

………

Speaking of Lime, the company will be offering free e-scooters and dockless bikeshare rentals on Election Day next week. Thanks to Baz for the link.

And you can Bike the Vote with Metro, as Metro Bike will join bikeshare operators around the US in offering free rides on Tuesday, as well as free bus and train rides.

Meanwhile, Metro Bike is offering a chance to win a free $200 gift card for participating in their annual survey.

………

Sometimes there aren’t any good guys.

After a video went viral showing a driver sideswipe an Aussie bicyclist, then get out of his car and toss his bike into the bushes, both men ended up in front of a judge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJhRw0i3ziQ

The guy on the bike got probation and a letter of apology after admitting he keyed the driver’s car before the crash shown in the video.

Not to mention doxing him by posting his name, address and phone number online.

The driver, who was already on probation, had four other charges dismissed after copping a plea to recklessly causing injury, and got off with a $1,000 fine and court costs.

Still unanswered is what the hell the driver did to piss the bicyclist off in the first place.

Because people on bikes hardly ever just key cars at random.

………

Local

Just weeks after writing about the dangers of biking in Los Angeles, and on Spring Street in particular, KPCC and LAist journalist Leo Duran nearly got hit by a red light running driver while attempting to cross on the new bike signal.

Los Angeles plans to use eminent domain to acquire the land needed for a pedestrian bridge over the LA River connecting Cypress Park and Frogtown after reaching an impasse with a developer who wants to build on the land, even though it’s in the flood plain.

Another bike event is scheduled for this weekend, as CICLE and Metro are hosting a BEST Ride to tour Scott Froschaur’s The Word on the Street public art project.

A police website profiles Pasadena’s newly reformed Neighborhood Action Team bike cop unit; officers weren’t required to know how to ride a bike when they joined, but had to learn how to fall.

State

The CHP is asking for donations of bike lights and reflective gear to distribute to people in Modesto who can’t afford to get their own. Although it would be nice if they didn’t blame bicyclists and pedestrians for causing most crashes.

Formerly Scotts Valley-based Fox Factory will say hasta la vista to California by moving their HQ to Georgia, and transferring the bike products division to Reno.

Good story from a Redwood City high school newspaper about the city’s new protected bike lane, and how it could encourage more people to ride. Seriously, someone should tell the kid who wrote it that he’s got a great future in the news business.

A Bay Area man describes the day his heart short-circuited while he was riding, pedaling up to the ER with his pulse pounding at 215 beats a minute. Meanwhile, VeloNews examines the effect endurance sports has on your heart.

National

Outside considers those vital beer and candy pairings for your leftover Halloween treats.

Bike Snob wants to make the roads safer by making driving dangerous again.

Bicycling offers five recovery tips.

This is who we share the roads with. A Portland driver was taken into custody for purposely driving into protesters outside the county courthouse.

This is who we share the roads with, part 2. A pair of Portland business owners apparently think it’s okay to run over people with their cars. Or maybe funny, which is worse.

Tacoma WA is finishing the final link on a 15-mile bike path that will give riders a safe crosstown route for the first time. Which is exactly what we need in Los Angeles. And for which there are no current plans.

A writer for a Texas A&M university paper describes a series of wildcat Midnight Crits in San Antonio, saying it’s only for the daring.

Dallas will open up 20 miles of streets on Saturday for their second annual open streets event.

They get it. The prestigious Mayo Clinic is installing 200 bike racks around Rochester, Minnesota in an effort to get more people riding.

Tragic news from Indiana, where a nine-year old girl and her six-year old brothers were killed when a pickup driver ignored the stop sign and warning lights on the bus, and slammed into them as they crossed the street; the girl had stepped in front of her brothers in a vain effort to protect them. The 24-year old woman behind the wheel now faces three counts of negligent homicide. Seriously, this is why drivers are supposed to stop for a school bus, but often don’t. And yes, bike riders are supposed to stop, too.

Baltimore’s new Complete Streets ordinance is attempting to build racial equity into the law.

Forget the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s tests on bike helmets. If you really want to know if a helmet will protect you in a crash, look to studies from the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab, which go far beyond CPSC standards to see how they hold up under tests that simulate real world conditions.

International

Clean Technica blames physics for the rising rate of injuries and fatalities involving ebikes — but fails to take their increasing popularity into account. Never mind that they fail to differentiate between high speed throttle-controlled bikes, and the more common — and significantly slower — ped-assist bikes.

This is who we share the roads with, part three. Prosecutors argued that an Ottawa driver was at best “willfully unaware” that he hit and killed a bike rider after driving home from his brother’s wedding at 4:30 am, and having been awake for 22 hours. Thanks to Stephen Katz for the heads-up.

Caught on video: A Kiwi bike rider is lucky to avoid a crash as a delivery driver swerves directly into her.

Australia’s largest bike advocacy group is calling for a repeal of the country’s law requiring bike helmets, at least for riders on sidewalks and offroad paths.

Competitive Cycling

An Olympic track cyclist decides to ride the Leadville 100 after retiring, and discovers that nothing had prepared him for what he faced.

Lance rides again, taking part in a Costa Rican mountain bike race despite a lifetime cycling ban; the race is held outside of UCI and WADA jurisdiction, which allows him to compete.

The newly crowned women’s masters track cycling champ defends her victory, saying it’s okay for trans women to compete — and win — in women’s sports.

Finally…

A man writing as a woman offers advice on how she’s more comfortable riding men’s bikes instead of women’s, which makes sense since she evidently isn’t one. Zwift goes virtually cycling in a virtually scary Halloween world.

And Taipei’s mayor is one of us, and he raps.

More or less.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: bicycling, Bike the Vote, bikeshare, e-scooters, Los Angeles, road rage

Morning Links: Monterey Park votes for Complete Street, Griffith Park study released, and ebikes are trending

January 18, 2018 / bikinginla / 5 comments

Bike SGV reports that Monterey Park approved plans for a 1.6 mile Complete Streets project and protected bike lanes along Monterey Pass Road.

This will be the first project to be implemented from the city’s 2014 bike plan.

Hopefully many more will follow. And other area cities will take the hint.

………

CD4 Councilmember David Ryu released a study on access to Griffith Park and the Hollywood Sign, which could result in either more or less access to the park, depending on which proposals are implemented.

Not to mention a second Hollywood sign.

………

CNN says ebikes are emerging as a hot trend in the US. Except in New York, that is, where they are banned for reasons no one can seem to explain.

However, sales have nose-dived in Malta, dropping 90% after the country required ebikes to be registered. Which should be seen as a warning of what could happen if bicycle registration laws are passed in the US.

………

As if we didn’t have enough bikeshare news yesterday, there’s still more today.

A West Hollywood site offers more on the city council’s discussion of the WeHo Pedals bikeshare system, and the possibility of making it free for city residents.

Santa Cruz proposes removing 28 parking spaces to make room for bikeshare stations, featuring ped-assist ebikes.

Scottsdale AZ officials are less than thrilled with the results of a dockless bikeshare pilot program, which has led to blocked sidewalks and art installations being used as bike racks.

Oak Park IL is pulling the plug on its participation in Chicago’s Divvy bikeshare, saying for the cost of the program, they could buy every kid in town a new bicycle every other year. But they probably won’t.

………

Local

CiclaValley takes you on a ride along the historic Old Ridge Route.

South Pasadena is looking at ways to fix commuter traffic, after the long-fought 710 Freeway was finally killed; councilmembers asked that projects in the city’s 2011 bicycle master plan be included after a consultant gave them a low priority.

El Monte police increase enforcement of traffic laws after a pair of fatal collisions involving older pedestrians.

Manhattan Beach approves the installation of three bike Fix-It stations around the city.

Long Beach approves plans for up to 120 new oil wells in exchange for restoration of wetlands on a depleted oil field, including installation of walking and bike paths.

State

Work began today to add buffered bike lanes and other safety improvements along San Diego’s Torrey Pines Road.

Bike Index co-stars with a group of DIY crime fighters to battle Bay Area bike theft. Which provides another chance to remind you to register your bike for free before anything happens to it. And report it to the nationwide Bike Index stolen bike database if anything does.

A Marin paper says it makes sense to remove a bike and pedestrian lane from the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to make more room for more cars, instead of offering a safe alternative so people don’t have to drive.

A wanted felon doesn’t get far trying to outrun police on his bicycle in Humboldt County.

National

Why settle for a folding bike when you can have folding wheels, too?

Nissan wants drivers to control their cars with their minds. Too many people don’t seem to think behind the wheel now, so what makes them think wearing a funny hat will change that?

People for Bikes lists a dozen bucket list rides for 2018, including a Big Wheel spin around the City by the Bay.

A Honolulu woman faces charges for pointing a gun at a bus driver in a dispute over the fare, then stealing a passenger’s bicycle off the front rack.

These are the people we share the roads with. Police say an Oregon woman drove off after killing a bike rider while driving drunk last month. Then returned to the scene to yell at the victim’s companions.

The federal Bureau of Land Management will expand the nationally recognized Phil’s World singletrack network in southwestern Colorado, while protecting a nearby golden eagle nest.

They get it. A Wyoming task force calls for a police training curriculum for bicycling and walking enforcement, as well as testing a high-powered air-blower to clear debris off highway shoulders that could pose a hazard to bicyclists.

Burlington VT drivers are feeling squeezed by new protected bike lanes. Although the real problem seems to be parked cars and inadequate snow removal. But sure, it’s always easier to blame the bikes.

She gets it, too. A Massachusetts letter writer says building a safe bicycle network is like building another transit system.

New York City responds to fatal bike crashes with a plan for a pair of protected bike lanes crossing Manhattan. Unfortunately, changes like this usually only happen after it’s already too late.

The New York bike path terrorist who killed eight people on Halloween is reportedly asking for a plea deal to avoid the death penalty.

Evidently, hit-and-run just isn’t a crime anymore. South Carolina authorities decline to charge a driver who left the scene of a fatal crash. If police don’t take hit-and-run seriously, why should drivers?

International

Mexico City is encouraging bicycling as more riders take to the city’s crowded streets, though safety risks remain.

Caught on video: A British bus driver is caught on a bicyclist’s helmet cam texting at the wheel.

Kindhearted Brits have started a crowdfunding campaign to replace a bicycle stolen from a midwife who used it to get to and from work.

Wired examines the physics of the bizarre 69-degree UK intersection that blinds drivers to the presence of bicyclists.

The 21-year old heir to a Florentine noble family was killed in a London collision while riding a brakeless fixie, though that doesn’t appear to have anything to do with the crash.

Record-setting Scottish round-the-world cyclist Mark Beaumont is planning to set a new hour record — on a penny farthing.

A new Barcelona study shows expanding bicycle networks across Europe could prevent 10,000 premature deaths a year on the continent.

A five-year old New Zealand program encourages truck drivers to ride a bicycle to learn how it feels on the other side of the street.

I want to be like him when I grow up. A Kiwi cyclist is still winning races at 83-years old, and doesn’t plan to quit.

Competitive Cycling

VeloNews looks at retired cyclist Iris Slappendel and her efforts to form a union for women cyclists.

Pro cyclist Nicholas Dlamini became the first black South African to wear a leader’s jersey in a World Tour race, leading the chase for the King of the Mountains at the Tour Down Under.

The Press-Telegram says it’s anyone’s guess how many people will actually show up for the Amgen Tour of California when it visits the city next May, after concluding that the official estimate of up to 225,000 who attended the event in 2007 was only off by around 190,000.

Finally…

It’s not every day a bike race is halted for a pending volcanic eruption. Probably not the best idea to participate in a triathlon five weeks after filing a claim for “incapacitating injuries.”

And forget exercise, chocolate and naps are the key to a long life.

Category: Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: bicycling, bike lanes, bikeshare, Complete Streets, ebikes, Griffith Park, Hollywood Sign, Los Angeles, Monterey Park, Monterey Pass Road

Morning Links: Dockless bikeshare comes to CSUN, and bikeshare systems explore interoperability on Westside

January 17, 2018 / bikinginla / Comments Off

For a few short hours, we seemed to have a real scoop.

This morning, Steve S forwarded a photo showing hundreds of LimeBike dockless bikeshare bikes massed on the Cal State Northridge campus, apparently being readied for distribution.

While we speculated on just what they were doing there, I scrambled to figure out what council district they were in, assuming one of the San Fernando Valley’s councilmembers had made a deal with LimeBike for a pilot bikeshare program, like Joe Buscaino had in the Southside’s 15th District.

But before I could get a response, it turned out the bikes were on the CSUN campus because that was their destination.

According to an article in the school’s CSUN Today, the university is rolling out 400 of the app-based bikes to be spread out across the campus, and available to check out from any existing bike rack.

The bikes’ GPS system will also be used to track where they are used to determine the best routes for new bike lanes on the campus.

But unlike shopping carts, the wheels don’t lock when they reach the edge of the university. So it will be interesting to see where the bikes actually end up.

Maybe they’ll go far enough off campus to spur approval of dockless bikeshare throughout the Valley.

And maybe even encourage more and better bikeways for students, and the rest of us, as well.

Thanks to Steve for the photo and his help with the developing story.

………

Big bikeshare news in West Hollywood, too, where the city’s WeHo Pedals will soon be interoperable with other Westside bikeshares — and could one day be free.

Meanwhile, the bikeshare program has been losing money in its first year of operation, bringing in only 19% of projections.

Which begs the question of how they intend to pay for the possible free usage for city residents.

………

And as long as we’re on the subject,

The majority of low-income bikeshare users in the Bay Area are in San Francisco.

Social Bicycles has changed its name to Jump Bikes, and raised $10 million dollars to bring dockless pedal-assist e-bikeshare to San Francisco.

China’s Ofo dockless bikeshare comes to Prague; however, British police say the company can pick up their own damn dumped and vandalized bikes.

A Japanese bikeshare company hopes to bring tourists back to the country’s Fukushima prefecture, which was devastated by a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear meltdown.

Chinese dockless bikeshare companies are teaming with Japanese tech firms to solve the problem of abandoned and vandalized bikes.

………

Local

Streetsblog reports on Saturday’s groundbreaking for the Alhambra Blvd street improvements in El Sereno, including a road diet and bike lanes to tame the dangerous street. Nice to see that at least one councilmember isn’t afraid of angry LA drivers demanding a halt to road diets.

A bike rider reportedly suffered “significant” injuries in a hit-and-run crash in Azusa Monday evening. But instead of asking for the public’s help, the police withheld any details of the suspect vehicle to avoid compromising the investigation. Thanks to Erik Griswold for the heads-up.

Actress and author Jenifer Lewis is one of us, too.

The LACBC is hosting their first Team LACBC training ride for this year’s Climate Ride on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, the League of Women Voters is holding a discussion on the Future of Transportation in Los Angeles with Move LA’s Denny Zane. As opposed to Keep LA Moving, which seems to want the opposite.

State

Berkeley considers changing the law to make it easier to install stop signs.

No bias here. A Marin County supervisor is calling for the removal of a protected bike and pedestrian lane on the San Raphael Bridge, and converting it to a third lane for motor vehicles — before it’s even built.

Speaking of Marin, mountain bikers will be blocked from ten of the county’s open space trails during owl breeding season for the next five years.

There’s something hypnotic about watching a fatbike rider with studded tires on frozen Caples Lake in Kirkwood.

National

Pittsburgh streets may be clear, but the bike lanes remain covered in snow and ice.

New York plans to add raised bike lanes along the center divider on a street crossing the border between Brooklyn and Queens, while banning left turns to eliminate dangerous conflict points inherent in a center bikeway.

NBC News looks at New York’s ludicrous ban on ebikes, which harms the city’s low-income food delivery workers. It also hurts disabled people, as well as others for whom a pedal-assist bike could provide an invaluable mobility tool.

A Florida letter writer says no, it wasn’t the sun’s glare that resulted in a bike-riding politician’s death, it was someone who decided to keep driving when he couldn’t see where he was going.

International

Caught on video: Pro-Brexit protesters outside London’s No. 10 Downing Street rip a European Union flag out of the hands of a bike rider.

A British driver gets a well-deserved six years for the high-speed hit-and-run crash that killed a bike rider.

A writer for Bike Radar says anti-bike stories in London are poisoning the streets for riders in the rest of the UK.

A British man says bicyclists should be banned from riding on pavements — aka sidewalks — even though it’s already illegal.

You’ve got to be kidding. A Kiwi driver won’t face charges for intentionally ramming a bike rider after first rear-ending him, then becoming impatient when it took too long to dislodge the bike’s wheel from under the car’s bumper. Even though police called the driver’s actions “completely unacceptable.”

After frightening readers with horror stories about the abuse bike riders face on the roads in Auckland, New Zealand, a local news site says the real problems are the condition of the streets themselves.

A Singapore delivery cyclist is facing charges for killing a 73-year old pedestrian after running a red light; while the paper says he was riding a bike with a faulty coaster brake, it sounds more like he was riding a brakeless fixie.

Competitive Cycling

Next year’s Tour de France will start in Brussels in honor of the 50th anniversary of The Cannibal’s first Tour win.

America’s only remaining Tour de France winner says Chris Froome’s failed drug test will be the end of Team Sky.

Jeremy Powers and Stephen Hyde discuss their epic battle in this year’s US men’s cyclocross national championships.

USA Cycling named the national team for next month’s World Cyclocross Championships in the Netherlands, including 14-time defending US champ Katie Compton.

Belgian pro Philippe Gilbert says the legendary Paris-Roubaix really ain’t that hard.

Finally…

Forget pedaling, your next bike could be hydrogen powered. Who knew bicycling is a guy-rich environment in which to meet Mr. Right?

And apparently, the way to get rich in haute couture is to rip the chamois out of bike shorts, and sell them for $400 a pair.

Category: Bikeshare, Morning Links / Tags: bicycling, bikeshare, California State University Northridge, CSUN, dockless bikeshare, Los Angeles, WeHo Pedals, West Hollywood

Morning Links: Fix deadly La Tuna Canyon, LimeBike off to a fast start, and ‘tis the season for bike giveaways

December 20, 2017 / bikinginla / 2 comments

Well that was a major pain in the tukus.

Please forgive the extended unplanned and unexcused absence this week. Sometime between Friday night and early Monday morning, a problem developed that prevented me from posting anything or saving any changes to this site.

After extended troubleshooting, the problem was tracked down to an invisible folder hidden on the webhost’s site. We still don’t know why it was acting up, but the problem finally seems to have cleared up, at least for now.

The good news is, you haven’t missed anything. You’ll find all the news from the last five days included in today’s massive post.

So make yourself comfortable. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover.

Thanks to Steve S, without who’s invaluable help we’d still down for the count.

………

A new petition calls on LADOT to immediately implement long-delayed safety improvements on La Tuna Canyon to reign in speeding drivers and improve safety for bike riders and equestrians.

There’s no way to know if that would have prevented the hit-and-run crash that has left Keith Jackson in a coma for the past week.

But it may help prevent the next one.

………

Dockless bikeshare provider LimeBike released a year-end report detailing its impact in cities across the US, from DC to Seattle.

As well as a pilot project in LA’s CD15.

Although those figures pale compared to the 103,000 active riders and 220,000 miles traveled on their bikes in Seattle in just the last five months.

………

‘Tis the season.

Note: There’s so much bad news out there, it helps to take a few moments to realize that there are a lot of bighearted people trying to do a little good in this world.

A Santa Clarita landfill company donates 60 bicycles and helmets to kids through a pair of local groups, part of a nationwide effort to donate 2,000 bikes across the US.

Fontana police gave nearly 200 bicycles to local kids.

Eighteen Adelanto students got new bicycles after winning a drawing for bringing non-perishable food items to their schools.

A group of Lompoc mountain bikers have given 120 bicycles and helmets to children of military personnel stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

The San Luis Obispo sheriff’s office donated 150 kids bicycles that were refurbished by inmates at a local honor farm.

A local property company donated 50 bikes to kids at a Fresno elementary school.

Fifty kids in Coarsegold CA received new bicycles thanks to donations from people throughout the Central Valley.

An Idaho group gave 400 bicycles to kids in need; no one was turned away, even if they weren’t registered for the program.

Hundreds of people in Austin TX volunteered their time to distribute thousands of bikes and other gifts for families who struggle to put presents under their tree.

GM employees donated 260 bicycles, along with toys for 30,000 North Texas children.

An Arkansas church bought and built over 400 bicycles for struggling families.

A thousand Michigan volunteers helped build bikes to be given to kids in need.

A Kentucky Audi dealer has donated 262 bikes through the local Big Brothers Big Sisters program; a local bike club gave funds to include bike helmets and locks for each kid.

The son of a late Pennsylvania school nurse has continued the woman’s bike giveaway drive, donating 150 refurbished bicycles to local school kids.

Eight Pittsburgh-area special needs kids received new adaptive bicycles, enabling them to ride for the first time.

The wife of North Carolina’s late Bicycle Man is carrying on his tradition by giving 1,200 bikes to kids.

Seventy kids in Savannah GA received new bicycles thanks to a pair of local nonprofits.

Florida’s Jack the Bike Man continued a 26-year tradition by giving 1,500 bikes and helmets to kids in need.

A Florida artist is teaching 24 kids how to build their own bicycles that reflect their personalities.

………

It’s the last four days of the 3rd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive!

You can help keep SoCal’s best bike news coming your way with just a few clicks by using PayPal. Or by using the Zelle app that is probably already in the banking app on your smartphone; send your contribution to ted @ bikinginla dot com (remove the spaces and format as a standard email address).

Any donation, in any amount, is truly and deeply appreciated.

As an added bonus, frequent contributor Megan Lynch will provide a free download of her CD Songs the Brothers Warner Taught Me to anyone who makes a contribution during the fund drive. If you’ve already contributed and would like a copy, just email me at the address above and I’ll forward it to her.

Thanks to Steven F and Dennis F for their generous donations to help keep this site coming your way!

………

Local

More theater of the absurd in the fight against road diets by overly entitled LA drivers, as Keep LA Moving is continuing their lawsuit against Los Angeles — even though they’ve already won by getting the Playa del Rey road diets ripped out. All because some of the traffic lanes are narrower than they were before, and a few small sections of bike lanes still remain on the streets where there was enough room for them after the traffic lanes were reinstalled.

No surprise here. Our old friend Richard Lee Abrams once again confuses the cure with the disease, insisting densification is killing Los Angeles. What’s really killing the city are the NIMBYs who fight growth, creating more sprawl and forcing people live miles from their jobs. The solution is more walkable, bikeable neighborhoods served by adequate transit, so people don’t have to drive to get to work or shopping.

No surprise here. The British tourist who was accidently shot by an LAPD cop last year as she was riding on the Venice beach bike path has filed a suit against the city; the bullet passed through the dog the cop was trying to shoot and hit her in the calf. The city might as well just open the treasury and let her walk out with as much as she wants; it will still be less than a jury is likely to give her.

A Georgia man will arrive at the Santa Monica pier at the end of this month, completing a 10,000 mile ride around the perimeter of the US that he began 17 years ago; he’s raised $75,000 to fight childhood cancer along the way.

A Long Beach letter writer says bike lanes need to be maintained, and trash and broken glass removed. It doesn’t do any good to build bike lanes if they’re not kept in a safe and ridable condition.

Ofo is bringing their bright yellow dockless bikeshare bikes to Bellflower.

Monterey Park’s vote on its first protected bike lane has been put off until next month.

CLR Effect discovers that basketball great Reggie Miller is one of us, too.

State

The LA Times says the car can no longer be king of the road if California is serious about climate change, as proposed new CEQA guidelines will make it easier to build bike lanes and transit oriented development projects.

Chula Vista was honored by the San Diego Bicycle Coalition for their efforts to make the city’s streets safer for people on bikes.

Riding to the Coachella festival should be a little easier in 2019, as plans are underway for bike lanes in Indio leading to the festival site.

A San Luis Obispo Op-Ed points out that not only do bike riders pay for the roads, bicyclists were responsible for paved roads in the first place.

Even the trees are out to get us. A Palo Alto man was severely injured when a tree fell on him as he was riding his bicycle during high winds.

Sacramento bicyclists complain that the closure of a bridge leaves no safe route into the city.

National

If the GOP tax plan passes today, you can kiss your paltry $20 a month bike commuting benefit goodbye. Thanks to Erik Griswold for the link.

The LA Times examines Rep. Tom McClintock’s bill to allow mountain bikes in wilderness areas, which has split the offroad community.

Slate says the dockless bikeshare invasion is going to be messy, but worth it.

A writer for Road and Track says traffic calming just makes drivers angry. And that Vision Zero won’t work without a scientific approach to reducing fatalities. Which is exactly what Vision Zero is supposed to be, anyway.

A new study says the pollution you suck in on your bike commute may be killing you after all.

A singletrack site offers advice on how to buy a new bike without your significant other catching on.

Bicycling offers advice on what to do if your bike breaks down in the middle of nowhere. I always carried wire, a bandana and a roll of duct tape in my seat pack when I rode far from civilization, which was usually enough to patch it up — or stop the bleeding — long enough to get home.

Bike-friendly Portland is going the wrong way, tearing out a popular bike route to widen a freeway.

Seattle will continue with dockless bikeshare through at least the middle of next year, even though the pilot program technically ends this month. And decides to install bike racks where they’re not needed to discourage homeless camps.

Arizona police are looking for an elderly woman who right hooked a bike rider, then drove off after giving him $100 for a new bike.

A Santa Fe NM writer says the way to make bicycling safer is to build more separated bike paths, and improve the ones they have.

No bias here. An Indianapolis radio host says people complaining about the plot of The Last Jedi are the worst people in the world — even worse than people who ride in bike lanes.

Memphis will remove the bollards from a protected bike lane in front of a 72-year woman’s home, because she wants to be able to “twirl” into her driveway.

A Syracuse NY scumbag asshole cycling coach gets seven years for sexually abusing a girl under the age of 15 who he was training.

New York considers proposals for dockless bikeshare to serve areas where the city’s successful Citi Bike system doesn’t reach.

Over 200 New York delivery people protest the city’s absurd ban on ebikes, which are legal to own as long as you don’t use them on city streets.

New York appears to be practicing Vision Zero in reverse, with bicycling deaths up nearly 50% this year. But all the mayor wants to talk about is busting delivery people for riding ebikes.

No bias here, either. The NYPD bends over backwards to blame a bike rider in a fatal crash, saying he just happened to fall over as he was trying to pass a truck. A more likely explanation is the driver didn’t see the rider, and passed him close enough to knock him off his bike.

A proposed DC rail bridge could include a parallel crossing for bikes and pedestrians.

Louisiana’s West Baton Rouge Parrish is prepared to meet a court challenge over plans to build a five-mile recreational bike path atop the Mississippi River levee; they’re being sued by four landowners who have refused to grant access to construction crews.

International

The researcher following the migration of the Monarch Butterflies finally finished her journey in Mexico, after over nine months and 10,000 miles.

A British Columbia columnist says separated bike lanes squeeze buses and other drivers. But a letter writer says that’s why we need protected bike lanes, because there are enough angry drivers out there already.

Nice piece from the Guardian, where a writer says bicycling helped him overcome depression and panic attacks.

If you build it, they will come. Bicycling has surged another 15% in central London after the city built a network of protected bikeways. Which suggests what could happen here, where the distances may be longer, but the weather is a hell of a lot better.

An English community concludes that reducing speed limits to 20 mph in some areas has actually resulted in an increase in fatalities, but it would cost too much to roll it back; a nationwide study shows lowering speed limits is more effective when done in conjunction with other traffic calming measures.

A British man has refurbished roughly 1,000 bikes a year for the last 18 years, donating them to local charities or selling them for the equivalent of $13 to pay for parts.

British black box driving data shows women are safer drivers than men, and speed is the single biggest risk factor.

Authorities are looking for a UK mountain bike rider who allegedly went berserk after a driver accused him of preparing to run a red light, by attacking her car and threatening her with a knife.

A new movie will tell the story of Scottish BMX star John Buultjens, who rose from a battered childhood to portraying his own abusive father on film.

An Australian writer says drivers and bicyclists break the rules of the road in equal proportions, that there are aggressive drivers as well as cyclists, and that no motorists have been killed by anyone on a bicycle. So don’t hate us because we wear Lycra.

A test of bicycling paramedics on Australia’s Gold Coast has proven so successful that it’s spreading to other cities.

Former Aussie pro Adam Phelan writes movingly about the healing power of riding a bicycle. Something I think most of us have experienced at one time or another.

Over 120,000 people voted to name Seoul’s bikeshare system the Korean city’s favorite public service. Personally, I’d vote for indoor plumbing, but that’s just me.

A Japanese ebike rider is accused of gross negligence in the death of a 77-year old woman while using a smartphone in one hand and holding a drink in the other.

Competitive Cycling

Let’s just get all the Chris Froome news out of the way first.

The former head of pro cycling’s governing body admits he called for the restoration of Team Sky’s reputation knowing that Chris Froome had failed a drug test, destroying what little reputation the sport has left.
Froome failed to make the top three in public voting for Britain’s Sports Personality of the Year following disclosure of his failed drug test.
A columnist for the UK’s Daily Mail says Chris Froome’s lectures after news of his positive doping test broke are embarrassing, and he hopes Froome isn’t as stupid and cynical as he sounds.
VeloNews says the Froome scandal could burst the bubble of British cycling.
Germany’s Tony Martin says Froome isn’t getting special treatment.
The wife of British cycling great Sir Bradley Wiggins apologized for calling Froome a “slithering reptile.”
A writer for Deadspin blames complicated anti-doping rules for pro cycling.

Lance’s invitation to speak before next year’s Tour of Flanders is called “absolutely reprehensible.”

Former pro Alexander Vinokourov faces charges for paying a competitor to take a dive in the 2010 Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

The women’s pro peloton has formed a union to fight for better treatment and a living wage.

Britain’s Tour de Yorkshire has set an example for the rest of the cycling world by replacing podium girls with successful local businesswomen.

Sad news from the UK, where former British national champ Sharon Laws died of cervical cancer; she was just 43.

Finally…

No, the shoulder of a roadway is not a bike lane, even if it has a bike route sign. Your next bike could be a classic seat tube-less mountain bike worth $6,500. If you’re going to sell a hot bike, try taking the sticker with the owner’s name on it off first.

And an Italian bicyclist fulfills every rider’s fantasy to shoot down threatening motorists.

And yes, I know that last one is probably fake. But still. Thanks to Erik Griswold and Ed Rubinstein for the heads-up.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: 'Tis the season, bicycling, bikeshare, dangerous streets, Keith Jackson, La Tuna Canyon, LimeBike, Los Angeles

Morning Links: LA debates dockless bikeshare, more bike giveaways, and handlebar mounted tiger repellent

December 14, 2017 / bikinginla / Comments Off

Once again, bikeshare was the common theme in today’s news.

LA officials debate proposed regulations for dockless bikeshare programs that allow them to expand beyond a handful of test programs currently underway.

The San Diego Reader reports that dockless bikeshare companies are pouring money into the city to lobby for favorable regulations.

Coronado took a pass on a pilot dockless bikeshare program after residents argued that the community already has too many bikes. But sure, just keep bringing in more cars.

Video shows New Yorkers swarming a bikeshare station while cars sit parked idly at the curb, suggesting that the 150,000 acres of curbside parking in the city could be put to better use.

………

‘Tis the season.

Ninety-two San Diego third graders go crazy when they’re given new bicycles by the Padres, the last remaining major league sports team in the city that hasn’t yet bolted for Los Angeles.

San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System gave new bikes to 100 elementary students in the Logan Heights neighborhood.

A pair of San Diego-area organizations gave new bicycles to all 187 second and third graders at a Spring Valley elementary schools.

Corona firefighters are taking time between emergency calls to build 72 bicycles donated by a local businessman for disadvantaged kids.

Over 100 Georgia students will receive new bicycles donated for needy families.

………

It’s Day 21 of the 3rd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive.

Any donation, in any amount, is truly and deeply appreciated.

Thanks to Mike W and Plurabelle Books for their generous contributions to help keep bringing the best bike news and advocacy to your screen every morning, from around the corner and around the world.

………

Local

A new pop-up museum in DTLA celebrates notable failures, from the Edsel and a Donald Trump board game to a plastic bicycle that melted on hot days.

CiclaValley looks at this weekend’s holiday ride sponsored by the LACBC and Bike Walk Glendale.

Bicycle Retailer looks at LA-based Team Dream Team and their new San Marino Cub House.

Bike Talk chats with custom bike maker Art Ramirez.

State

A Fallbrook man was seriously injured when his bike was rear-ended by a hit-and-run driver; police are looking for a charcoal grey vehicle with damage to the right front. Best euphemism of the day: the driver “failed to safely maneuver” around the victim’s bike, which is another way of saying the cowardly jerk plowed into him from behind.

Take a 10-mile bike tour of life-like metal sculptures representing the Pleistocene age in Borrego Springs.

Indio will add a pair of bike lanes this spring, including a separated bike lane.

Ventura County sheriff’s deputies are asking for the public’s help in identifying a Camarillo bike thief.

A Fresno man took revenge on a suspected early morning car burglar by cutting his bike in half and nailing it to a tree. Although it’s entirely possible that the bike he cut in half may have been stolen from someone else.

Yes, you can take your Christmas tree home by bike, as these photos of Bay Area bike riders prove. Or a Chanukah bush, for that matter.

A San Raphael man was busted for stealing a cheap guitar after smashing a music store window, when police spotted him riding a bicycle carrying the purloined instrument a few hours later.

National

Treehugger says it’s time to start thinking about driving like we do smoking.

Bicyclists in Tucson are angry over the city’s ranking as the second most dangerous city for people on bikes in the US. Meanwhile, no one really seems to care that LA was ranked as the tenth most dangerous city.

A Minneapolis columnist is angry over an LA letter writer’s suggestion that the city shouldn’t go backwards on bike lanes, saying maybe we should put bike lanes on Sepulveda Blvd so we can understand what it’s like. Maybe someone should tell her that we already have bike lanes on Sepulveda, crappy though they may be in places.

Turns out the New York state senator who attempted to impersonate a police officer after illegally blocking a bike lane has a long history of dangerous driving, including speeding through a school zone — three times.

Philadelphia is responding to a recent cycling death by upgrading six blocks of bike lanes in the downtown area. Although I have a hard time calling a few plastic posts a protected bike lane.

International

An Instagram account documents a man’s unique collection of classic stamped, forged and cast steel dropouts.

Caught on video: A Vancouver cab company apologizes after one of its drivers was caught on dashcam driving in a bike lane before running a red light with people in the crosswalk.

The human-protected bike lane movement has spread to London.

Bloomberg visits the UK’s Sven Cycles to discover what goes into making a handmade bespoke bike.

A British driver was acquitted of killing a bike rider after saying he just didn’t see her. Which should be seen as an admission of guilt instead of an alibi.

An Australian radio station asks how the country can change drivers’ open hostility towards people on bicycles. Easy. Just make them all ride bikes for a month.

Five people were killed in China when ebike batteries caught fire after being plugged into a homemade recharging system.

A Bangkok writer explores one of the few places where people can ride their bikes free from motor vehicles or joggers, thanks to monks who agreed to abandon the land after moving to a new temple.

Competitive Cycling

Does it really surprise anyone to learn that four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome failed a drug test at last year’s Vuelta? Froome had a controversial Therapeutic Use Exemption, or TUE, for salbutamol to treat his asthma, but tested at twice the allowed level. Which he quickly explained away. Just like everyone else who’s gotten caught.

Finally…

Once again, throwing a bicycle in front of a train is not a recommended usage. If you’re going to get drunk and ride your bike on the wrong side of the road, at least put a damn light on it.

And always keep a bell on your bike in case you’re ever attacked by a Bengal tiger.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: 'Tis the season, bicycling, bikeshare, just the links, Los Angeles

Morning Links: December bike events, dockless bikeshare, and adaptive bikes and kindhearted people

December 1, 2017 / bikinginla / 2 comments

We’ve got a long list of bike events this month. So grab a cup of whatever you’re drinking, and settle in for awhile.

………

The Abbot Kinney outpost of Bay Area bag maker Timbuk2 is hosting a Break Up With Your Bag food drive next weekend.

Here’s how they describe it.

Timbuk2, the San Francisco-based creator of intuitive, stylish and personalized bags to outsmart the city, is hosting a two-day Break Up With Your Bag event from Saturday, December 9 to Sunday, December 10. Stop by the Venice shop for a chance to give back to the local community and gain something special in return. Have some extra food or an unused bag lying around? Timbuk2 encourages their neighbors to donate to someone in need for something they can use in exchange.

Here’s how it will go down:

First, bring in any non-perishable food item OR any gently used bag, no matter the brand, that’s ready to bid adieu.

Next, Timbuk2 will donate every used bag to Bikerowave, and every non-perishable food item to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

At last, Timbuk2 will hook it up with a new item for 40% off!

To enhance this rewarding experience, Timbuk2 will provide tasty snacks and refreshing libations from Fort Point Beer. So mark those calendars and grab a bud, because breaking up feels good when it means giving back.

………

In other bike events this month,

Bike SGV invites you to join them in tonight’s La Puente Holiday Parade.

Heal the Bay is hosting an Explore Ballona! Bike Ballona Creek ride this Saturday.

I. Martin is holding their “Shut Up Legs” Saturday morning ride, while Helen’s Cycles is hosting a Monthly Group Ride tomorrow, and a TriFit Beginner’s Ride on Sunday.

Bike SGV celebrates the season with their annual holiday awards fest Noche de las Luminarias Saturday afternoon.

Join Bike Oven in the NELA Holiday Parade this Sunday.

Also on Sunday, the LACBC teams with AARP for the December edition of their popular monthly Sunday Funday Ride, offering a tour of Griffith Park. And no, you don’t have to be over 50 to participate.

Bike SGV is celebrating the Monrovia Holiday Parade on Bicycles December 7th.

Also on the 7th, the LACBC is holding their annual Open House.

Santa Monica Spoke is hosting an Ugly Sweater Holiday Ride with the Mayor of Santa Monica on December 9th.

Also on the 9th, the LACBC is teaming with former pro Phil Gaimon, author of the new Draft Animals, for the 3rd Annual Clean UP Mulholland.

CicLAvia returns to iconic Wilshire Blvd on December 10th.

The very busy Bike SGV is holding a Cycling Santas Holiday Lights Ride on the 16th.

The 12th edition of LA’s iconic Feel My Legs, I’m A Racer hill climb competition rolls December 17th.

Also on the 17th, Walk Bike Glendale and the equally busy LACBC are hosting a Holiday Bike Ride.

………

Today’s common theme is dockless bikeshare — and dockless bikeshare problems — around the world.

A new semi-dockless bikeshare system from Zagster promises to overcome the problem of abandoned bikes by offering a system that can be locked to their docks or any bike rack. Although that could mean bikeshare bikes hogging limited bike parking.

Dockless bikeshare is raising safety concerns in Dallas as abandoned bikes litter a popular tiding trail, even as a fifth bikeshare provider prepares to come to town.

A writer for Bicycling offers thoughts after riding dockless bikeshare around DC for a week.

A bike industry website says the uncontrolled spread of dockless bikeshare is not what European cities want.

Sydney, Australia’s government councils have given dockless bikeshare operators three months to clean up their act.

………

Another common theme is adaptive bicycles. And the kindhearted people who help keep their owners riding.

It takes a real schmuck to steal an adaptive bike from a Danville school; fortunately, police were able to recover it.

Friends are crowdfunding a new adaptive tricycle for an Iowa woman with cerebral palsy, after someone stole the one she used to ride to work.

Ohio firefighters buy a new adaptive bicycle for a 12-year old girl with cerebral palsy after she called asking for help finding one.

After someone stole a three-wheeled bike a man with Down’s syndrome used to ride to his job at a Cleveland restaurant, his boss quickly ordered a new one for him.

………

This is day eight of the 3rd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive.

You can donate with just a few clicks by using PayPal. Or by using the Zelle app that is probably already in the banking app on your smartphone; send your contribution to ted @ bikinginla dot com (remove the spaces and format as a standard email address).

Any donation, in any amount, is truly and deeply appreciated to help keep SoCal’s freshest bike news coming your way every day.

And thanks to Chris K and Megan L for their generous donations to help support this site.

………

Local

A very polite editorial in UCLA’s Daily Bruin calls on Councilmember Paul Koretz to provide desperately needed bike lanes in Westwood Village. Maybe they’ve forgotten Koretz’ promise to business owners in the Village that he’d never allow bike lanes on Westwood Blvd in the Village.

LA plans to complete two LA River bike path projects by 2025 as part of their Twenty-Eight by ’28 list to complete before the coming 2028 Olympic Games.

CiclaValley recognizes the bad driver of the month.

Santa Clarita opens a new trailhead leading to the Santa Clara River Trail, complete with bike racks and a repair stand.

Los Angeles reaches a settlement with El Segundo that will allow planned improvements to go forward at LAX, including a consolidated rental car center and improved bicycle and pedestrian access.

Now you can rent ebikes in Long Beach’s Shoreline Village.

State

San Diego County agrees to a $77,500 settlement in the death of an unarmed man as he was working on his bicycle in his parent’s garage.

San Bernardino authorities have filed a murder charge against 34-year old Dominic Simmons in the death of Elroy Preston last Sunday; Simmons allegedly ran down Preston as he rode his bike after the two had been in the same home together.

San Francisco police hold a fundraiser for a bike cop who was severely injured when he was run down by a driver in October.

No irony here. After an Oakland cop refuses to ticket a driver parked in a bike lane because he has better things to do, a Streetsblog writer see his patrol SUV in the parking lot, with a police bicycle on the back.

Lake County’s Bike Angels are planning a bicycle giveaway next month for anyone who survived October’s Sulphur Fire.

Seriously, always look both ways before you cross the street, unlike this Chico rider.

National

Momentum looks at why North American cities rarely rank among the world’s best bike cities, and what we can do about it.

Ohio police are looking for a bank robber who made his getaway by mountain bike.

A Cambridge, Massachusetts bike rider calls on the city to suspend new bike lanes for the winter, saying they make traffic worse by putting bike riders in the middle of the lane, slowing traffic. Which makes it sound like he doesn’t know the difference between a bike lane and sharrows.

A Brooklyn bike shop owner wants you to visit your local bike shop December 9th for the first Bike Shop Day.

Philadelphia cyclists demand safer bike lanes now, after a woman was killed by a garbage truck while riding in a bike lane.

A Georgia woman won’t be behind the wheel again for a very long time, after she was sentenced to 25 years behind bars for killing one bike rider and injuring another after plowing into a group of riders while driving distracted with methadone and other drugs in her system, and her two-year old daughter in the car with her; she was still driving despite two previous DUI arrests. Yet another example of keeping a dangerous driver on the road until it’s too late.

Heartbreaking story from Florida, as a woman survived Hurricane Irma in a dramatic rescue, and fell in love with her rescuer, only to die at the hands of a hit-and-run driver as she was riding her bike.

International

The UK’s Cyclist Magazine writes in praise of the bicycle.

A British advocacy group calls on Britain not to miss a huge opportunity to change the country’s future by expanding safe bicycling networks, as 37% of say they aren’t willing to let their kids ride to school.

An Irish writer calls for an end to hate speech directed towards bicyclists, which is banned when directed towards other groups. The 1st Amendment means a prohibition like that would be illegal in the US.

A French company launches what they consider the world’s safest bicycle, complete with electronic anti-lock brakes, automatic emergency braking, and a 360-degree warning system. Full body bubble wrap is optional.

Aussie riders call for safety improvements along a highway that’s a popular but frightening riding route, which one rider terms a “goat track.”

Competitive Cycling

A European website recounts the biggest scandals in pro cycling over the past year. Of which there were many, evidently.

The Giro d’Italia won’t start next year’s race in West Jerusalem after all, after Israeli officials threaten to cancel the race because there is no east or west Jerusalem as far as they’re concerned. But the only thing that actually changed was the wording on the website.

Finally…

How a NASCAR racer overcomes his fear of spandex. You may not be able to make it up the world’s great climbs, but now you can down your coffee from them.

And if you don’t like your commute, just paint your own road signs.

Thanks to the aforementioned Megan Lynch for that last link.

Category: Bike Events, Morning Links / Tags: adaptive bicycles, bicycling, bike events, Bikerowave, bikeshare, kindhearted people, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, Timbuk2

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