Think of it as sort of like a pledge drive for your favorite public radio station. Except we don’t take away the reason you came here while we ask for your money.
Or maybe plead is a better word this year.
Like a lot of people, we’re hurting this year, emotionally and financially, after my wife’s job disappeared along with the company she worked for during the first Covid-19 lockdown. And we’re facing an even bigger cliff when her health insurance disappears along with her job at the end of the year.
Good times.
But those are my problems. You’ve undoubtedly got your own right now.
Which is why I’m not asking for your help if you’re struggling, too. If you can’t afford it, don’t sweat it. Just coming here to read this site means more than I can ever begin to tell you.
But if you’ve to a few extra bucks lying around, keep reading.
Because running this site is a more than full-time job, for a lot less than minimum wage. And while I truly appreciate each of our sponsors, their support, as valuable as it is, doesn’t begin to cover what’s needed to keep this site going.
I count on whatever comes in during the annual fund drive to tide me over until those sponsors renew in the spring.
If they do in the middle of this pandemic, which could be in doubt, just like everything else right now.
But that’s where you come in.
Your support helps fill in that gaping gap, and allows me to devote my working hours to bringing you all the latest bike news, from around the corner and around the world.
And devote whatever time I have left in this world to helping make it a safer place for people on bicycles, and a more livable world for all of us.
Because we can’t fix the problems we all face if we don’t know what they are. And our elected leaders can’t hide the truths we shine a light on.
So please, give what you can, or what you want.
But give something if you can.
You can contribute with just a few clicks by using PayPal. Or by using the using the Zelle feature that came with the banking app already on your phone; just send your contribution to ted @ bikinginla.com (after removing the spaces, of course).
As always, any donation, in any amount, is truly and deeply appreciated. And will help keep all the best bike news coming your way every day.
Thanks to Arthur B and Eric L for their generous contributions before this fund drive even began.
And a special thanks to Todd Rowell, who came up with the idea for this fund drive in the first place.
Finally, say hi to the new corgi puppy, as she takes a break from training to be a diabetic service dog to make her debut as official spokesdog for the Holiday Fund Drive!
Saw this at my neighborhood Ralph’s — Kroger for those of you in the rest of the country.
And wondered just how an older or disabled person was supposed to get through there, even though the bike rider used this rack exactly as intended.
Never mind that it’s almost as secure as tying your bike to a tree; it would take a thief with bolt cutters just a few seconds to snap that rack and make off with the bike.
More proof life is cheap in the UK, where a driver walked with a suspended sentence for killing a bike rider despite reducing his speed to 30 mph, after playing the Universal Get Out of Jail Free card and claiming the sun was in his eyes. Even though another driver dropped his speed to 5 mph under the same circumstances, and somehow managed not to kill anyone.
New York officials say macho men in SUVs and pickups are killing people on bikes and foot, so they’re introducing a new ad campaign to shame them.
Although most drivers probably won’t be.
Not to mention when I look at the ad, his expression and dress doesn’t exactly say “macho” to me.
Meanwhile, the SUV reference is so subtle, it’s barely there. And could be literally any other type of vehicle without changing anything.
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In what looks like a case of out-of-control cops, Seattle bike cops appear to ram pedestrians on a sidewalk from behind with their bikes, apparently without warning, then bust them for obstruction and resisting arrest.
Although remember, we’re not seeing what came before this, which may or may not be relevant.
Inexcusable. The chair of the Oakland Bicyclist and Pedestrian Commission was held at gunpoint by private security guards for the crime of taking pictures of yarn-bombed bike racks on a public sidewalk. But it couldn’t have anything to do with him being black, right?
DHL has been ordered to pay over $9 million to a Canadian couple who were run down while riding single file on on the shoulder an Oregon highway. The driver said it wasn’t his fault, claiming they were actually in the traffic lane and he couldn’t avoid them; one victim nearly lost his leg as a result of the crash.
File this one under you’ve got to be kidding. An off-duty Michigan cop could walk with probation for the hit-and-run that left a bike rider with a broken elbow. Then coming back and directing traffic — without telling anyone he was the one who hit him.
A Calgary letter writer says scofflaw bicyclists are getting with murder — and the editor of the local paper evidently agrees with him. Never mind that its the people on four wheels who are actually killing people, and disproportionately the ones on two wheels or feet getting killed.
Apparently, some drivers really can’t see us. After an English driver critically injured a woman on a bicycle, she failed an eye test the next day.
I’m committed to bringing you the news no one wants, even though it’s by far the hardest thing I have to do.
And probably the hardest things you have to read.
I write about the victims of these crashes both to remember and honor them, and provide a bike rider’s perspective that the police and press too often don’t — and the victims can’t.
Because if we don’t know what’s really going on out there, it’s impossible to fix it.
And that’s something you won’t find anywhere else in Southern California.
It’s up to you to decide what that’s worth to you, if anything.
No amount is too small — or too large, for that matter. All I ask is that you give if you want, and if you can.
And if you already have, thank you, sincerely, from the bottom of my heart.
Either way, I’ll be back tomorrow to catch up on anything we missed today.
Because the most important thing you can do to support this site is to simply keep coming back every day.
The 20-something victim was found lying dead next to a bicycle, in the traffic lane near the intersection of Figueroa and 89th Streets around 9 pm Sunday.
The woman’s terrified face is so disconcerting, her distress so obvious that it’s impossible to focus on anything else happening in the ad. She’s already trim and gorgeous, and yes, even though exercise should be about more than self-image, it’s clear this woman is trying to compensate for something. Is it her crumbling marriage? Her husband’s not-so-subtle suggestion she drop a few pounds?
The zeal with which she attacks the Peloton clearly speaks to some deep, unfulfilled need somewhere in her life. Here she is — young, beautiful, successful, with a child and financial security– and yet, something inside her is still so obviously and utterly broken that only an unhealthy fixation on indoor cycling can help mend it.
Meanwhile, the online world quickly jumped in to offer its own takes.
Meanwhile, a distracted Canadian driver was still on the road despite being cited for cellphone use nine previous times.
10th cellphone offence. a 57 year old driver was observed by a Burlington OPP member talking on their cellphone in icy road conditions. The officer found that the driver had 9 previous convictions for the same offence. Driver was charged. #DriveSafe#hangupanddrive#oblivious kw^ pic.twitter.com/pW3jFfuahp
I count on your support to help close the long and challenging gap after the sponsorship funds for this site run out, and before they start to renew again in the spring.
Forty-one-year old Escondido resident Jamison Connor was identified as the driver who allegedly ran down 36-year old Vista resident Kevin Lentz, leaving him to die in the street, and forcing his one-year old son to grow up without a father.
Connor was initially taken into custody on unrelated parole violation allegations related to “various weapons charges, drug charges, and driving under the influence allegations,” according to a police spokesman.
Which matters, because unless Escondido authorities can come up with other charges, the most Connor could get for a fatal hit-and-run in California is just four years.
David Huntsman goes for a bike ride on the “organically evolved” bike paths of Paris.
Paris’ organically evolved network of protected, sidewalk and unprotected bicycle trails man any cyclist can get anywhere comfortably. Not just well-trained and fit adults. Paris Paths https://t.co/nqekvo6XYY
Then answers the question themselves, suggesting they knew all along that the ridiculously tall, 6.15 meter — 20 feet 2.5 inch — STOOPIDTALLER™ bike from LA’s own Richie Trimble holds the record, making it more that twice as tall as the Malaysian bike.
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes is all too real.
A road raging Aussie driver turned himself in after an attack that was caught on video, running up from behind to punch a bike rider in the head, knocking him off his bike and out cold, before throwing the bike at the victim. All because the bike rider complained about the driver encroaching on a bike lane.
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Local
An op-ed from a UCLA professor says e-scooters are a growing public health challenge, and users need mandatory helmets and training. Because evidently, all other modes of transportation are so much safer, and scooter users kill so many other people. Except they aren’t, and they don’t.
Redondo Beach considers what’s basically the opposite of Vision Zero, concluding that it has fewer total crashes than the regional average in the northern reaches of the city, so no improvements are necessary — despite a recent rash of traffic deaths it blames on “incorrect behavior” and other “non-systemic issues.”
Bad news from San Diego, where a 46-year old man suffered life threatening injuries when he allegedly swerved his bike in front of a pickup driver in San Ysidro. As always, the question is whether there are any independent witnesses who saw him swerve. Besides the driver, that is.
The one time of year I come right out and ask for your money.
Okay, beg.
Because operating this site is a more than full-time job, for far less than minimum wage. And while I truly appreciate each of the sponsors over there on the right, their support, as valuable as it is, doesn’t cover what I need to keep this site going.
Especially after a year like this, when the money that came in went out just as fast. Or faster, even.
But that’s where you come in.
Your support helps fill in that gaping gap, and allows me to devote all my working hours to bringing you the latest bike news on a daily basis, from around the corner or around the world.
And devote whatever time I have left in this life to helping make this a safer place for people on bicycles, and a more livable world for all of us.
Or call it the 1st Corgi Memorial Fund Drive in memory of our late, great spokesdog
It’s not an easy job. Especially when I have to bring you news that none of us want.
But it matters. Because we can’t fix problems if we don’t know they exist. And our leaders can’t hide the truths we shine a light on.
So give what you can, or give what you want.
But please, give something.
You can contribute with just a few clicks by using PayPal. Or by using the using the Zelle feature that came with the banking app that’s probably already on your smartphone; just send your contribution to ted @ bikinginla.com.
Any donation, in any amount, is truly and deeply appreciated. And will help keep all the best bike news coming your way every day.
If you can’t afford to give anything, or just prefer not to, that’s cool too. You’re more than welcome to keep coming back, and contributing to our online community.
But please give if you can, and what you can. Because we can really use the help.
This year especially.
Thank you to Felicia G and theMuirs for their generous contributions to this fund drive even before it officially began.
And as always, a special thanks to Todd Rowell, who came up with the idea for this fund drive in the first place.
Any amount is truly and deeply appreciated, no matter how large or small, to help keep this site coming your way every day. And ensure the Corgi has a little kibble under her tree Christmas morning.
The one time of year when, like your favorite public radio station, I ask you to open your wallets and dig deep to help keep Southern California’s leading source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.
Except unlike your favorite public radio station, we don’t block most of this site to make you pay up.
It started as a joke four years ago — hence that whole 4th Annual thing. But the funny thing was people actually took it seriously, and wanted to give their hard-earned money to support this site.
Which surprised the hell out of me.
Thanks to donations from people like you — along with the generosity of our sponsors, and a very understanding wife — I’ve been able to turn BikinginLA into a more than full-time job. And devote whatever time I have left in this world to doing whatever I can to make the streets safer for people on bicycles.
Which takes us back to that whole dig deep thing.
You can contribute with just a few clicks by using PayPal. Or by using the Zelle app that came with the banking app that’s probably already on your smartphone; just 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. And will help keep the Corgi in kibble while keeping this site up and running.
If you can’t afford to give anything, or just prefer not to, that’s cool too. You’re more than welcome to keep coming back, and contributing to our online community.
Either way, thanks for taking a moment to consider it. And thanks for visiting this site.
Because it doesn’t matter what I write if you’re not here to read it.
Thank you to Nina M, Betsy G, John L, View-Speed Inc. and an anonymous donor for their generous contributions to this fund drive even before it officially began.
And let me offer a special thanks to Todd Rowell, who came up with the idea for a holiday fund drive in the first place.
Your support helps fill in that gaping gap, and allows me to devote my working hours to bringing you all the latest bike news, from around the corner and around the world.
