Let’s start with a few dispatches from the war on bikes raging on our streets.
Streetsblog recaps Sunday’s horrific Petaluma hit-and-run in which a pickup driver apparently rammed four cyclists on purpose before speeding away. As they point out, this case is a reminder why it’s so important to ride with a bike cam if you can afford one.
A road raging British driver is on trial for tackling a female triathlete as she rode her bike; afterwards, he sort of apologized, telling her he thought she was “a bloke.”
After an angry Chicago bicyclist broke the rear window of a van following a dispute, the driver returned the favor by smashing the rider over the head with a drum. Thanks to J. Patrick Lynch for the heads-up.
As the late Rodney King said, can’t we all just get along?
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Brian Nilsen forwards news of a fundraising walk for suicide prevention, and the Ride on for Bill Team that’s raised over $6,000 in honor of well-known San Diego cyclist and advocate Bill Davidson, who took his own life last year.
If you have a few extra dollars you can spare, I can’t think of a better cause.
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Reports indicate the man who killed pro cyclist Michele Scarponi last April was watching a video on his smartphone when he ran the Italian rider down.
That didn’t last long. Alberto Contador’s retirement from pro cycling lasted a whole month, as he comes back to compete in a Chinese crit at the end of the month.
LA’s Phil Gaimon answers the nine things you’ve always wanted to ask a pro cyclist, and reflects on why he doesn’t miss the sport; his new book Draft Animals gets released today.
Reverting to form, Lance doesn’t miss a chance to get back at the Irish sports writer who helped uncover his cheating, after the journalist receives a well-deserved backlash for writing a character reference for a friend who had been convicted of sexually abusing a 16-year old girl.
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Local
A writer in the LA Times complains about all the traffic on Angeles Crest Highway, never seeming to recognize that he’s part of it, despite jamming on the brakes to avoid running over cyclists.
Streetsblog looks at Sunday’s Heart of LA CicLAvia.
A Skid row activist and reformed street robber uses his custom, handmade low-rider bicycles to call attention to his cause.
Important topic from SoCal Cycling, offering advice on what to do if you suffer a head injury while riding.
State
While everyone else was struggling to evacuate from a fire in the Anaheim Hills, one man made his escape by ebike, passing out masks and water bottles to stranded residents.
Only one percent of San Diego city employees bike to work on a regular basis; 81% drive.
Streetsblog offers a wrap-up of last week’s Calbike California Bicycle Summit.
National
Bicycling is set to get a new parent company.
Dirt Rag talks with mountain biking legend Gary Fisher.
Bike Sob explains how to find cycling bliss, which mostly seems to involve finding excuses to stop for food and drinks along the way.
A Portland driver was still legally drunk 17 hours after he killed a bike rider while street racing, even though he told police he’d only had two drinks.
The Seattle Times offers advice on how to be seen now that the days are getting shorter. Although sometimes it seems like the best way to guarantee that every driver sees you is to ride through a stop sign or commit some other traffic infraction.
An Idaho driver whines about whining, freeloading cyclists. You know, the ones who pay more than their share in taxes to maintain the roads, even though they only get a tiny fraction of dedicated road space and cause virtually no wear and tear on the streets.
Sad news from Colorado, where triathlete Dan Hohs died after he was bitten by a rattlesnake while hiking in the mountains; he had written recently about how he was saved from his bi-polar disorder by endurance sports.
A Detroit woman was abducted while riding her bicycle in broad daylight; it’s the second time a woman has been abducted while riding a bike in the city in just over a week.
Passes for the Pittsburg transit system now include free use of the city’s bikeshare system.
A New Jersey non-profit raised enough funds to give 130 bike and helmets to kids this holiday season.
A Philadelphia paper asks if bicycles parked in handicapped spaces should be towed. It’s pretty damn jerkish behavior to leave a bike or anything else in a handicap space.
Louisiana property owners are blocking access to construction crews hired to build a bike path along the Mississippi River levee.
International
Chances are, you will never ride around the world in 78 days. But you can own the bike that did.
Guardian readers offer breathtaking photos of their favorite rides from around the world. Thanks to Jon for the link.
Paris’ famed Velib bikeshare system is getting competition from a home-grown dockless bikeshare system.
Unlike some countries we could name, it’s actually hard to get a driver’s license in France. And not cheap, either. Thanks to Steve Katz for the tip.
After introducing the world to dockless bikeshare, several Chinese cities are putting the brakes on further expansion.
Finally…
Don’t ride salmon if you’re carrying crack cocaine on your bike — and put a light on it, already. How to get that healthy glow when you ride.
And if you’re going to make fun of bicyclists while discussing haute couture bike shorts, at least spell pedaller right.
