Tag Archive for defensive riding

Time change means watch your ass next week, ebike rider killed in LA road rage shooting, and leave the car at home today

November 1, 2024 / / One comment
Just 60 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Thanks for your patience and understanding with this week’s absences, as I work through a number of seemingly unrelated health issues, which all seem to be coalescing at the same time. 

And trust me, it ain’t fun. 

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Don’t forget that Daylight Savings Time ends this Sunday.

Which not only means you have to reset your clocks once again for no apparent reason, but it will also get dark an hour earlier the next time you ride.

So be sure to have a light on your bike if you plan on riding after sunset. And it can’t hurt to carry an extra light set with you on daylight rides, just in case something keeps you out on the road longer than planned.

It also pays to remember that the days after a time change are among the most dangerous for traffic collisions, so ride defensively for the next several days.

Not that you don’t, but still.

Photo from Pixabay.

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Sadly, this is who we share the road with, too.

Our worst fears were realized when authorities confirmed that the victim in Tuesday’s fatal shooting of an ebike rider was killed in an apparent road rage attack.

Police arrested the suspect, 50-year old Marvin Magana, after Magana turned himself in for killing 43-year old Jorge Guerrero Hurtado Tuesday afternoon, as well as another woman who was shot and killed in her car hours later.

Hurtado was riding on the 900 block of South Victoria Avenue in the Mid-Wilshire area of Koreatown when Magana allegedly knocked him off his bike with his car around 4:20 pm, then shot him five times as he was on the ground.

He died at the scene.

There’s no word on what may have led to either murder.

Magana is being held on $3 million bond.

Or make that $6 million bail, as he waits a December arraignment on two counts of murder, along with gun use allegations.

So much for the myth that the DA doesn’t ask for cash bail anymore.

The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD’s West Bureau Homicide office at 213/382-9470, or 877/LAPD-247.

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If you’re going to the Dodger’s World Series victory parade in DTLA this morning, leave your car at home and ride your bike or take Metro.

And leave the damn guns and fireworks at home, too.

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It’s now 316 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And a full 41 months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Union Tribune reports that Pedal Ahead, the San Diego nonprofit selected to operate the program, is facing multiple investigations, including at least one possible criminal count.

But they apparently think only San Diego residents could possibly be interested in the story, hiding the story behind a paywall for subscribers only.

Or maybe they think people in Santa Monica, Sausalito or Sacramento will want to pay for the paper just to get one lousy story if they lock it away from everyone who might possibly be interested.

Yeah, that’ll work.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

Life is cheap in Florida, where a road-raging St. Pete Beach fire captain got off with a gentle caress on the wrist for attempting to run down a bike rider who had gone up onto a raised median to escape him, then got out of his truck to push the victim a couple times; he walked without a day behind bars, with just a lousy $2,000 fine. But at least he apparently lost his job after his arrest.

Ontario, Canada Premier Doug Ford’s war on bikes is claiming it’s first casualties, after proposed legislation to put the provincial government in charge of local streets was amended to remove three popular Toronto bike lanes, which were installed to improve safety on some of the city’s deadliest streets.

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Local  

Metro is offering free transportation on all buses, trains and Metro Bikes for Tuesday’s Election Day; enter “1-Ride” at the Metro Bike kiosk, online or in the Metro Bike app to redeem a free ride, although a credit or debit card will be required.

A new bike and pedestrian bridge opened over the Pacoima Wash in Cindy Montañez Natural Park in San Fernando, after 14-year old Elias “Eli” Rodriguez died when he was swept away by rushing water in 2017.

Seriously? Los Angeles fitness influencer Joe Hicks is getting criticism after he and his wife posed for a photo with their kids on the bike path in Santa Monica, with only the kids wearing bike helmets.

 

State

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department is looking for witnesses who may have seen a driver strike a boy riding a bicycle at Las Posas Road and Temple Ave on Monday. Or rather, a “vehicle,” since the story doesn’t even mention if it had a driver. 

Bakersfield is asking for input on the city’s proposed Active Transportation Plan.

 

National

Momentum ranks the top ten bike commuting cities in the US, with Portland and Seattle coming first and second; surprisingly, Los Angeles makes the list a number nine, at an average of 9.5 miles per trip.

Bicycling says ebikes are real bicycles, and great for everyone. But they apparently don’t want anyone to know it, either.

The University of Washington will have to pay $16 million to the family of a man who’s now in need of round-the-clock care after crashing his bicycle while attempting to avoid a notorious speed bump, which had already injured five other bike riders. One of the biggest factors that determines fault and drives up settlements is whether someone knew about a problem, and failed to fix it.

Sad news from New York, where a 24-year old man was killed when the driver of a fire truck on an emergency call crashed into his bicycle as he rode in a painted bike lane.

New York City’s transportation department is developing a new code of conduct after a lawmaker crashed a recent meeting to loudly and aggressively oppose extending a popular bikeway.

A comic essay from the Washington Post asks — and answers — why so few women ride bikes, when they have long been a feminist symbol.

 

International

Your next cargo ebike could seat a family of five.

A London man forced the police’s hand by conducting his own sting operation after spotting his stolen bike for sale on a website.

Even workers with the National Health Service are complaining after an English  town severed a popular bike route to add more traffic lanes, just so drivers can go zoom zoom a little faster.

A British woman says she’s now at peace after completing a fundraising ride started by her father, after the 64-year old man died of a heart attack halfway through his ride down the length of the country.

Bike riders in the UK are accusing officials of making bicycling more dangerous, as cities throughout the country are banning people from riding their bikes through the city centers.

An Irish website offers tips on how to ride safely during the dark and wet winter. Most of which will apply wherever you are.

The Netherlands is facing calls to restrict fat ebikes, after the country sees 96 emergency room visits resulting from them in a single week.

Aussie cycling champ Rohan Dennis received a six-week delay in his trial for the death of his wife, former Olympic cyclist Melissa Hoskins, to give his lawyers more time to negotiate an apparent plea deal.

 

Competitive Cycling

A British man finished 249th in the country’s National Hill Climb Championship, but first in the hand-cycling category, as the first and only paracyclist to compete in the competition; he said afterward that he thought it would be harder.

Dutch pro Demi Vollering, the 2023 Tour de France Femmes champ, interrupted her hike through the Greek countryside to rescue a goat from a well. Yes, an actual goat.

 

Finally…

Nothing like hundreds of witches on bikes or sketching out a 69-mile skeleton with your bike to celebrate Halloween. That feeling when even the person who put it there calls the object chained to the fence a Lump of Shit in the Shape of a Bike.

And seriously, who doesn’t want their very own Wout van Aert cuddly toy?

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , ,

LA Times calls for permanent Slow Streets and no parking minimums near transit, and bike helmets as the last line of defense

April 27, 2021 / / 2 comments

They get it.

The LA Times calls for eliminating minimum parking requirements within a half mile of a major transit stop or transit corridor; according to the paper, AB 1401 would encourage much needed housing while reducing emissions from cars.

That follows their recent call to keep the “Slow Streets, parklets, temporary bike lanes and outdoor dining areas” in a post-pandemic America.

Like all those temporary, popup bike lanes that weren’t build in Los Angeles, for instance.

But at least we have a number of Slow Streets, which could be made permanent and expanded to form a network of Bicycle Friendly Streets.

Photo by Ekrulila from Pexels.

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Here we go again.

A Houston professor of pediatric medicine gets it wrong, saying the first rule of bicycle safety is to always wear a helmet, and don’t ride at night.

Yes, a bike helmet can cut your risk of a head injury if you come off your bike, though studies disagree on just how much.

But what helmet advocates seem to forget is that bike helmets are designed to protect against relatively slow speed falls. Not high speed collisions with a couple tons of semi-ballistic steel and glass.

They should always be seen as the last line of defense when all else fails, not the first; the key to bike safety is to ride defensively so you don’t get hit in the first place.

And telling people not to ride after dark makes no more sense than telling them not to walk or leave their house.

Then again, they do that, too.

While the period from 6 pm to 9 pm is the most dangerous time of day for bike riders, you can cut your risk dramatically just by putting bright lights and reflectors on your bike. And always riding like your life depends on it.

Because it does.

And yes, wear a helmet. Just don’t count on it to save your life.

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The University of Oregon is suing a fired campus cop to recoup the settlement the university had to pay out for his off-campus stop of a Latino bike rider.

The college settled with the family of the victim for $115,000 as a result of the 2018 case, when the cop briefly chased him in his patrol car, then bizarrely pulled his gun on him, despite a total lack of probable cause.

The university alleges the officer, Troy Phillips, lied about what happened, and hid the existence of video and audio recordings of the incident, accusing Phillips of unlawful arrest, malicious prosecution and fabricating evidence.

And says he should be on the hook for the settlement, rather than the school.

In a tragic coda to the story, the victim, 40-year old Eliborio Rodrigues Jr. was shot and killed by a cop the following year, after refusing to show his ID and asking for a sergeant when he was stopped for taking a plastic bottle out of a recycling bin.

Yes, he was killed over a lousy piece of trash.

The shooting was inexplicably ruled justified, despite the flimsy probable cause, when the cop claimed Rodrigues reached for his taser.

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Nothing like criminalizing bike riding, and treating little kids like wanted terrorists or insurrectionists.

Thanks to Keith Johnson for the link.

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Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is one of us, riding his bike around New York as he pledges to fight climate change in a new campaign ad.

Even though Schumer’s wife, former New York DOT commissioner Iris Weinshall, led the fight against the bike lane in front of their home.

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So, if a heavy bollard can’t keep a car out of a building, how are those little plastic bendy posts LA uses to demarcate “protected” bike lanes supposed to do the job?

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A Toronto family insists that tall bikes will save the world, with video of their creations to back it up.

I’ll take the double-deck tandem with one rider perched above, not behind, the other.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

A road raging British driver will have to pay the equivalent of nearly $1,250 for hiding in some bushes on the side of the road, and pushing a man off his bike as he rode by.

Sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

Police in the UK are looking for a bike rider who beat a man who was walking his dogs in an apparently unprovoked attack.

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Local

LA Magazine says Hollywood’s newly trendy Sycamore Ave, home to SiriusXM and the offices of Jay Z and Beyoncé, are due to get bike lanes soon. Even though they really belong one block west on busy La Brea Blvd.

Patch says two separate hikers had to be rescued in Pacific Palisades. Even if one of those hikers was traveling on a mountain bike instead of hiking boots.

 

State

For a change, there’s good news from the California legislature, where a bill to decriminalize jay walking passed passed the Assembly Transportation Committee by a ten vote margin. Put another way, AB 1238 would legalize crossing the damn street like a grownup.

San Diego considers a plan to slowly transform car-choked El Cajon Blvd into a series of people-friendly neighborhood hubs, along with a shared rapid bus and bike lane.

 

National

Cosmo wants you to pedal around in style this summer, pitching nine “cute” bike helmets to protect your noggin. Because really, the most important thing is how cute you look on your bike.

T3 offers a beginner’s guide to buying an ebike, including whether you should get one. Hint: yes.

Seattle is eliminating curbs to create people-friendly streets where vehicles are guests. Although not everyone likes the idea.

An Arkansas bike rider learned the hard way that drivers aren’t the only risk we face on the roads when he was attacked by a pack of angry dogs that came charging out of a couple’s yard; he was rushed to the hospital with a tourniquet on his leg. Never mind that the dogs should have been secured so they couldn’t rush out into the street like that, for their own safety, as well as others. 

A Wisconsin man is biking to Louisiana to raise awareness for living organ donations, a year after donating a kidney to a total stranger he met in a bar.

An Ohio man will spend the next eight months behind bars for stealing an 81-year old man’s bicycle. And pay a whopping $75 restitution to buy the victim a new bike.

A new poll conducted by PeopleForBikes shows Pittsburgh residents don’t hate bike lanes after all, with three-quarters agreeing that additional bike and pedestrian infrastructure would more it a more desirable place to live.

Philadelphia begins work on improving six bike lanes throughout the city to improve safety, just days after a woman was killed riding her bike. Why is it that cities always seem to only do the right thing after it’s too late?

A Florida driver belatedly turned himself in a year after killing an 18-year old bike rider in a hit-and-run.

 

International

Toronto bikeshare usage has surged during the pandemic, as people have turned to bikeshare in record numbers after shunning transit. Thanks to Donna Samoyloff for the tip.

It was a bad day for scofflaw Manchester drivers, as a cop in Manchester, England commandeered a bicycle from a passing rider to catch a car thief before he could flee on foot after crashing. And a pair of bike cops in a French district by the same name chased down and busted a Porsche driver for driving recklessly.

A British study shows planting the right shrubs along a roadway can cut pollution by 20%. And even more if there are bikes on that road instead of cars.

A UK air quality and emissions site examines whether the country’s Low Traffic Neighborhoods are the latest victims of the culture wars.

She gets it. A Brit letter writer says cars are destroying her town, while NIMBYs fight anything that would reduce car dependency.

Sadly, the hit-and-run pandemic has spread around the world, infecting Scotland and Japan.

Four of Singapore’s most scenic bike routes for your next trip to the island nation.

 

Competitive Cycling

Prominent German ski mountaineer Anton ‘Toni’ Palzer makes the unusual leap from pro skiing directly to pro cycling’s World Tour.

Bicycling Australia says Gen Z is taking its rightful place on the WorldTour podium.

 

Finally…

Popular bike route Topanga Canyon looked just a tad different a century ago. Presenting the world’s most polite recap of a bike protest.

And take a nine-minute trail break with a good bike, and a better dog.

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And wear a mask. 

And get vaccinated, already.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Uber & Lyft join Bird & Lime in SaMo, San Gabriel River path closure, and Metro bus squeeze play

August 31, 2018 / / 4 comments

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the three-day Labor Day weekend.

Which means the streets will be filled with drivers leaving work early this afternoon to get a head start on the weekend. And the drinking — and smoking — will start soon after, and continue through Monday. 

Standard holiday rules apply. Assume every driver you see on the streets is under the influence. And those who aren’t are more likely to be looking at their phones than looking for you.

So ride accordingly.

Ride your bike safely and defensively. I want to see you back here bright and early Tuesday morning. 

Photo by Michael Spadoni from pexels.com

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Cooler heads prevailed in Santa Monica, which chose existing e-scooter providers Bird and Lime to participate in a year-long pilot program, along with newcomers Uber and Lyft.

Yes, that Uber and Lyft.

Each company will be allowed to provide up to 1,000 scooters and 2,000 ebikes in the coastal city, with 750 scooters allowed in the initial rollout.

Uber appears to be the only one of the four which currently has ebikes available with their Jump bikes. Presumably Lyft and Lime will follow suit, though it’s unclear if Bird has any interest in getting into the bikeshare business.

Let’s hope Los Angeles, which was supposed to send out cease and desist letters to both Bird and Lime this week, is paying attention.

Because this is how a smart city does it.

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A look at data in Charlotte NC shows that on a level playing field, dockless e-scooters are kicking dockless bikeshare’s ass, with nearly four times as many trips taken on scooters.

However, that could change once e-bikeshare is added to the mix.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg takes a look at Uber’s new Jump scooter.

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Mark your calendar if you ride the San Gabriel River Bike Path in Long Beach.

The city is working with the Los Angeles Department of Public Works on a plans for a one-day closure of the bike path between 2nd Street and 7th Street (California State Highway 22) next month.

The closure is tentatively set for September 17, 2018 from 8 am to 5 pm; plans should be finalized in another week or two.

Thanks to Long Beach Mobility & Healthy Living Programs Officer Michelle Mowery for the heads-up.

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CiclaValley got caught in a squeeze play with a Metro Bus in DTLA. Something that should never, ever happen.

Period.

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Local

Streetsblog’s Damien Newton says the MyFigueroa project opened to muted applause, thanks to too many compromises and what ended up as just a semi-protected bike lane, due to a lack of political support and opportunities for public involvement.

Speaking of Streetsblog, Joe Linton notices LA’s incredible disappearing sharrows on 4th Street, and Rosewood Ave. Personally, I consider sharrows a failed experiment; used correctly, they’re good for wayfinding and positioning riders outside the door zone, but little else.

The LACBC’s monthly Sunday Funday ride will meet up with twenty immigration rights advocates riding from Seattle to San Diego for a tour of Long Beach this Sunday.

A Santa Clarita magazine says the city’s Heads Up safety campaign may be working, with collisions down 12% over the first five months of this year.

Writing for the Long Beach Post, Brian Addison suggests the planned expansion of the 710 Freeway won’t be good for the surrounding communities. Or for people on foot or bikes, despite the promises.

 

State

The California legislature has passed AB 2989, which will limit dockless e-scooters to 15 mph, and remove the ridiculous helmet requirement. Now it’s on to the governor’s desk, where we have to worry whether we’ll get Jerry Browned once again.

Streetsblog urges a no vote on Prop 6, which would remove the state’s new gas tax to pay for desperately needed roadway repairs, calling it “an incoherent and childish effort to distract you from Donald Trump.”

A San Diego website recommends the top four things to do on an ebike in the city.

Life is cheap in San Luis Obispo, where a distracted driver walks with probation and community service in the death of a world-class triathlete, thanks in part to the kindness and forgiveness of the victim’s family. Thanks to Victor Bale for the heads-up.

San Francisco will bring back e-scooters after a four month ban, but gives the contracts to a couple of firms most scooter users have never heard of.

A columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle looks at the arrest of Rich City Rides founder Najari Smith for playing his music too loud and allegedly resisting arrest while leading a group ride, aka Biking While Black. His supporters will rally for Smith at a court hearing scheduled for this morning on the noise violation charge. No doubt he’ll be surrounded by countless drivers arrested in Oakland for bumping loud music from their cars. Right?

Frustration boiled over at a meeting to discuss the death of an Oakland man who was killed in a collision while riding his bike, as family members complained about a lack of information and the slow pace of the investigation.

 

National

Bike lawyer Bob Mionske starts a conversation on legal liability for group rides.

The booming popularity of ebikes is outpacing attempts to regulate them, as only 10 states have passed legislation to reclassify them. One of those ten is California, which should get credit for pioneering the regulations the others have copied.

Bike Snob goes e-scooting in Portland, and finds them “both highly convenient and laughably benign.” And wonder’s what’s not to like.

Ride carefully out there. A Baltimore bike rider is in critical condition after a collision with another bicyclist.

No bias here. After two bike riders are killed in separate hit-and-runs in a matter of hours in a Kentucky town, the local police urge riders to wear helmets and hi-viz instead of telling drivers not to hit people, and if they do, stop.

In an attempt to keep dockless bikeshare bikes from cluttering the sidewalks, DC makes the situation worse by requiring that they be locked to a bike rack or street sign at the end of each ride, which will greatly reduce the amount of available bike parking for everyone else.

A bicyclist is passing through Louisiana on her way to Key West in an attempt to be the first woman with a prosthetic leg to bike across the US.

After a Lousiana city councilman was killed when his bike was run down from behind by a negligent driver, the parish where the crash occurred naturally responds with a series of punitive, victim-blaming proposals aimed at the people on two wheels, instead of the ones in the big, dangerous machines.

 

International

No bias here, either. A British Columbia letter writer says no one uses the new bike lanes, and those who do are usually towing carts full of stolen goods.

An Alberta letter writer patiently explains that when a bike rider hits a dog, or anything else, they’re more likely to fall over than ride away.

Ottawa police stress that a woman was injured when she fell on her own while riding on a separated bike lane, and hit a passing truck when she fell. If someone can fall off their bike and hit another vehicle, it’s passing too damn close. And it could have been the close pass that caused her to fall.

A suspect has been arrested in the ebike hit-and-run that left a London woman critically injured as she was trying to cross the street. Security cam video clearly shows the victim dart out into the path of the rider, something that has been left out of the previous press reports. Just like with many motor vehicle crashes, if the bike rider had remained at the scene, there probably wouldn’t have been any charges. Or hysterical tabloid stories, for that matter.

A heroic Brit jumped into a moving van and wrestled the driver’s feet of the pedals to stop him after he ran over a bike rider, then led bystanders in pushing the van up a hill to get it off the victim, who was hospitalized in serious but stable condition.

It’s three years behind bars for an English driver who critically injured two bike riders because he was having an argument with his girlfriend — via video chat while driving.

Like most early car makers, Britain’s Aston Martin was founded by bicyclists. Which means James Bond could have been one of us, too.

A UK letter writer brings out every cliche in the book to call bicyclists an “absolute menace.”

British advocacy group Cycling UK calls on the government to address a fear of cycling, as a new study shows fears about road safety is the main reason that keeps people off their bikes.

A new French study looks at whether there’s really any benefit to drafting uphill. And concludes there’s more than they thought.

Another ride to add to your bike bucket list — traveling from the German birthplace of the bicycle to the gateway to the Black Forest. Then again, word is the Netherlands isn’t bad, either.

A business writer says South Africans are becoming addicted to overseas cycling events.

An Australian study says it could save the country $380 million dollars a year if motor vehicle occupants all wore bicycle helmets. Remember that if a driver gets on your case for not wearing one. And before you get on mine, yes, I always wear a helmet when I ride, but believe grownups should be able to make that decision for themselves.

A Chinese volunteer teaching in Africa took the long way home, riding nearly 10,000 miles from Benin to the Forbidden Kingdom.

 

Competitive Cycling

A Kiwi cyclist reports he got death threats after getting angry with a teammate while winning gold in mountain biking at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.

In today’s mostly spoiler-free Vuelta event, a rider goes from last place to first in the space of 24 hours.

 

Finally…

If it’s divided from the roadway, pained green and has little pictures of a bicycle stenciled on it, it may not be intended for motor vehicles. Sharrows do not a bike boulevard make.

And when you can’t remember the name of the foreign dignitary visiting your country, just call him “the bicycle guy.”

 

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: More frontline news from the war on bikes, and more heartwarming holiday bike giveaways

December 21, 2017 / / One comment

It’s a light bike news day today, which is no surprise as the world starts gearing down for the holidays.

But you can make up for it by checking out yesterday’s massive 2,600+ word missive, which we finally got online and working Wednesday afternoon.

Although you may need to take the rest of the day off to make it through both of these.

Hopefully the tech problems that knocked us offline for the first part of the week are finally behind us.

Fingers crossed.

And be careful riding out there. These next few days will be jammed with office Christmas parties and people stopping off for a few holiday drinks on their way home.

So use the standard protocol — ride defensively, and assume every driver on the road has already had a few too many.

And be especially careful around malls and shopping districts where drivers are likely to be more focused on looking for a parking spot — and their cellphones — than watching for you.

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

An English driver intentionally swerves into a bicyclist he says made a gesture at him; fortunately, the rider wasn’t seriously injured.

A passenger in a passing car got out and punched a New Zealand bicyclist who had the audacity to complain about a too-close pass, breaking his nose.

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‘Tis the season.

Two kids from LA’s Harbor City earned new bikes donated by Full Factory.

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians donated 30 bikes and 15 skateboards to be distributed to local kids.

A seven-year old Florida girl shows her holiday spirit after she received a new bicycle from a toy ride, and gives it to another girl since she already had one.

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Just three days left in 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.

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Local

Damien Newton talks with Streetsblog’s Joe Linton and Wes Reutimann of Bike SGV in the final SGV Connect podcast of the year.

West Hollywood is installing speed feedback signs along sharrow-tattooed Fountain Ave in an effort to slow down speeding drivers. I have a hard time believing they actually do any good, but Wired insists they worked in Garden Grove; thanks to Brad Milison for the last link.

 

State

A local paper talks with Folsom Prison Inmate Mauricio Argueta, who spent the past year refurbishing 250 bicycles to donate to kids this Christmas. Too often, prisons just warehouse people until they’re released; it’s nice to see someone using his time behind bars constructively to help others.

Sad news from Sacramento, as chef and former Cat 2 cyclist Christopher Davis-Murai, owner of The Bicycle Chef restaurant, has passed away at age 51 after collapsing in his home.

 

National

People for Bikes ranks America’s ten best new bikeways this year, none of which are anywhere near Los Angeles.

Cyclocross Magazine offers ten maintenance tips before you put your bike away for the winter. Or you could just keep riding all year, especially if you live here in SoCal.

A new video looks at Seattle’s Bike Batman, who has used Bike Index to help return over 40 stolen bikes to their rightful owners.

Santa Fe cyclists will now have a tunnel under the rail yards to improve safety.

Caught on video: LA bike riders have to dodge cars, Tennessee bike riders have to dodge dogs.

A Louisville KY paper looks at the massive cave holding the world’s largest underground bike park, which is drawing tourists from around the world.

Philadelphia’s mayor says he wants to provide protected bike lanes to improve safety, but paying for schools and trash and police are more important; Next City says there’s no simple formula for when to roll out new bike lanes.

Speaking of Philadelphia, a 52-year old father was killed by a street racing hit-and-run driver as he rode his bike to work.

The rich get richer, as New York adds another 25 miles of protected bike lanes; the city is racing to provide safe alternatives before a subway line is shut down for reconstruction.

 

International

Halifax, Nova Scotia bicyclists hope the city’s new networked bike plan will mean no bike lanes to nowhere. Which is exactly what LA bicyclists were hoping for with the 2010 bike plan; let’s hope Halifax riders have better luck with it.

The London School of Economics considers what the rest of the world can learn from Mexico City’s bikeshare system, which has cut private car use by 5%.

No disconnect here. A British member of Parliament says bicyclists must use bikeways to improve safety — at the same time he’s trying to cut the budget for them. Bike advocates call his comments “unhelpful,” but he insists he was just misunderstood.

Sort of caught on video: A Bristol, England bike cop pulls over a Bentley when he sees the driver talking on her cellphone. And spent 30 seconds staring at her through the window before she noticed him.

A Dublin, Ireland advocacy group is warning that someone will get killed from getting a bike wheel caught on tracks for a new light rail line, as a local paper maps where riders are turning up with nasty injuries. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

Caught on video three: A Dublin bike rider gets hit by a cab while blowing a red light.

London’s Telegraph calls Croatia’s Istria peninsula Europe’s most beautiful but unexpected bicycling destination.

 

Competitive Cycling

Bicycling looks at the new advocacy organization formed to fight for living wages for women pro cyclists. About damn time; let’s hope the people running pro cycling take them seriously.

The other shoe may not have dropped yet, as French authorities investigate an alleged motor doping conspiracy involving “very notable riders” with “links between international teams, private companies and cycling’s highest authorities.”

A new study shows that the opioid pain killer Tramadol, which is widely used in the pro peloton, may improve performance, but at the risk of reduced concentration and increased falls. Can’t speak for anyone else, but it definitely affects my performance; I won’t even take it if I have to drive anywhere.

 

Finally…

Now you can pedal and purify water at the same time. When two people appear to become one on a bike.

And now you can make your very own protein-packed, sexless gingerbread people.

  

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Chances are, riding a bike is a lot safer than you think — and just as fun

February 28, 2013 / / 11 comments

Let’s talk safety for a moment.

Or rather, the risk you face riding your bike on the mean streets of Los Angeles. Or wherever you happen to ride.

Because chances are, it’s a lot less dangerous than you might think.

Granted, it can look bad at times — especially if you read this blog on an irregular basis; I’ve long noticed that readership spikes whenever a bike rider gets killed or seriously injured.

That’s perfectly understandable. But that means you might miss the stories in between that talk about bike advocacy and improving infrastructure, as well as lists of links and the simple joys of just riding your bike.

Which I freely admit I don’t write about nearly enough.

So let’s make one thing perfectly clear. Riding a bike is fun.

Really fun.

Even a bad day on a bike is better than just about anything else I might do with that time; after a few hours — or sometimes, a few days — I forget about the few moments when something went wrong and remember just how good the rest of the ride felt.

Even when I have an encounter with an angry or dangerous driver, I try to forget the one or two jerks I had a problem with. And focus on the countless others who shared the road safely and, often, courteously.

Yes, bad things can happen on a bike.

Unlike drivers, we don’t have glass and steel plating to protect us. Or seat belts, air bags and crumple zones, for that matter.

Our crumple zones are our own bodies.

And we have nothing more than a helmet to protect us, if that.

On the other hand, we also have much greater maneuverability than those lumbering metal behemoths we share the road with. And can often avoid collisions that would be inevitable if we were behind the wheel.

It may seem counterintuitive, but you actually have a much lower risk of dying on a bike than you do in a car. In fact, you’re 15 times more likely to die in a car collision over the course of your lifetime than you are on a bike.

Even accounting for relative time in the saddle and behind the wheel, your risk of dying in a car is nearly twice as much as on a bike.

And neither one begins to approach the risks of sitting on your couch and doing nothing.

Surprisingly enough, Los Angeles is a pretty safe place to ride, as well. The city has seen five bicycling fatalities in each of the last two years, while the county averages 24 bike deaths per year.

That may sound like a lot, but it works out to just one cycling death per 750,000 and 400,000 residents, respectively. Which makes the area significantly safer than Orange and San Diego Counties, with one death per every 230,000 and 250,000 residents, respectively.

Granted, even one death is one too many.

But given that the city cites over 400,000 regular riders in Los Angeles — and climbing rapidly — your odds of surviving your next ride, and every ride after that, are pretty damn good.

Looking at it another way, I once read a study which said regular cyclists — that’s regular as in frequent, not ordinary or non-constipated — could expect an injury serious enough to require medical attention once every 8.3 years.

Which puts me right on course, with four trips to the ER in 32 years of adult riding.

And only one of those involved an automobile. Which is exactly the same number involving freak encounters with massive swarms of bees.

Better yet, you can dramatically reduce your risk of serious injury just by taking a few simple precautions.

  • Always ride within your own abilities. Yes, it’s fun to push your limits, but riding on the edge is where most injuries happen.
  • Avoid the door zone. Ride at least three feet from parked cars and watch for people inside, open doors or brake lights that could indicate trouble.
  • Ride defensively. Assume that anyone you see on the road will do exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time, and mentally prepare for it. If they do, you’re ready; if not, you’re no worse off.
  • Always ride with traffic. Drivers aren’t looking for you coming at them, and salmon cycling reduces reaction times and increases the force of any impact.
  • Signal your turns. Even though many, if not most, drivers don’t these days, they expect you to; predictability of movement is key to safe riding in any situation.
  • Use other hand gestures, as well. No, not that one. Point slightly to your left if you’re coming into the traffic lane, or point straight ahead if you’re going through an intersection to keep cars from turning. And if there’s any confusion, waive drivers through ahead of you — it’s a lot better than getting hit.
  • Always observe the right of way. The first vehicle at an intersection goes first, those going straight go before any turning left, and in the event of a tie, the one on the right goes first. It may mean stopping to let a driver go ahead of you, but isn’t your safety worth a few extra seconds?
  • Stop for stop signs and red lights. Yes, it’s inconvenient and requires more effort. But riders blowing through signals is one of the primary causes of preventable collisions. And just about all collisions are preventable.
  • If you use hand brakes, practice braking with your back brakes a fraction of a second before you squeeze the front one, until it becomes second nature. That will keep you from going over your handlebars, which I’ve done too many times.
  • Learn to turn by shifting your body weight instead of using the handlebars. Once you get the hang of it, it’s much easier, natural and more responsive, especially at speed, and allows you to swerve quickly to avoid dangerous situations.
  • Practice sprinting at a higher cadence. Even if you’ll never race, sprinting skills can help you get out of a dangerous situation before it sucks you in. I’ve probably avoided as many collisions by sprinting out of the way as I have by braking.
  • Wear a helmet. Yes, I know all the arguments against helmet use, as well as their limitations. And in 32 years of riding, I’ve only needed mine once. But that one time could have made my wife a widow if I’d been without it.
  • Use lights and reflectors after dark. The law requires a headlight and rear reflector, along with reflectors on both wheels. I use a flashing light up front, two blinkers in back and reflective strips on my wrists and ankles. Drivers can’t avoid you if they don’t know you’re there.
  • Wear clothes that contrast with your surroundings. Hi-viz isn’t necessary; bright colors, deep blacks and whites stand out from the surrounding environment on during the day, while light colors stand out at night. Avoid dull blacks, blues and grays, especially on cloudy days, since they blend in too easily.
  • If you don’t feel safe or confident on the streets, consider taking a Confident City Cycling or Savvy Cycling course. It doesn’t mean you have to turn into a rabid vehicular cyclist, but it helps to have the skills to ride in any situation.

Unfortunately, bad things can happen on a bike.

And I’m going to keep writing about the bad things that happen on bikes, and to bike riders, until there aren’t any more to write about.

But until then, don’t let that scare you off your bike.

Because those bad things happen a lot less often than it might seem.

And with a little effort and skill, they probably won’t happen to you.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike / Tags: , , ,

It’s not what you wear, it’s how you ride

March 30, 2011 / / 6 comments

On her blog Let’s Go Ride a Bike, Dottie writes about the Mary Poppins Effect, saying she failed to experience it on her latest ride after wearing a pantsuit.

For those just catching up, the Mary Poppins Effect is the idea that motorists drive more carefully and politely around women riding in skirts.

Something I have never experienced, needless to say. Though I do have a blue jersey that I’ve learned not to wear without a vest, since it seems to act as a cloak of invisibility to the drivers around me.

If it’s any consolation to Dottie, though, I nearly got run over a few times on Tuesday, and I’m sure it had nothing to do with my attire. More likely, it was due to drivers who weren’t paying attention, or exercising the care required of someone operating such a dangerous vehicle.

Take the blue Mercedes than nearly hit me in Brentwood.

I was riding on a side street, and found myself passing a large panel truck that blocked the view of anything that might be on its other side. As usual in such situations, I moved a little further out into the lane to give myself more room to maneuver in case something unexpected happened.

And sure enough, just as I came around the front of the truck, I glanced to the right and saw a car lurching out at me from a hidden driveway. Fortunately, the extra distance I had added gave me time to swerve out of the way, and gave the driver time to jam on his brakes to avoid me.

I shook it off and just kept riding, grateful that a little extra caution gave me the safety cushion I needed.

So I was surprised when the same car passed me a few minutes later, with the driver pointing his finger at me and shaking his head.

Clearly, he blamed me for what had just happened. Though how I could be responsible for his failure to exit his driveway cautiously when he had no view of oncoming traffic is beyond me.

In fact, the only fault I could have possible born in the situation was simply exercising my right to be on the street. But I’ve long ago learned that doing everything right doesn’t keep those who don’t from assessing blame.

Then there was the woman on Ocean in Santa Monica who right hooked me, cutting over to make her turn without checking to see if there was anyone else there.

So I quickly turned along with her, making an unplanned right to avoid smashing into the side of her car.

I was tempted to say something. But when I looked in her car, I saw two young women pouring over maps and searching out landmarks while they drove, and it quickly became clear that they were a couple of tourists, and would just say they never saw me.

And anything I might add after that would be wasted breath.

Here’s the thing, though.

It would be easy to look at close calls like that as confirmation of the common perception that cycling is just too dangerous.

But the truth is, in both cases, it only took a modicum of caution on my part to keep me safe. Because I was prepared for something unexpected, I was able to respond to both instances — and a handful of others that took place before I got home — making them nothing more than minor irritations on an otherwise pleasant ride.

In fact, none were enough to stir my anger for more than a few passing moments. And as Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious points out, those were just a handful of negative incidents, compared to the tens of thousands of interactions with motorists in which nothing bad happened.

Whether cycling is safe or dangerous doesn’t depend on what you wear, or whether drivers are distracted, or the position of the sun and moon in your astrological charts.

It all depends on the cyclist, and the skills you bring to your ride.

If you ride carelessly or obliviously to the risks, or take chances that push the limits of safety, then yes, bicycling can be a very dangerous activity. And you can easily fall victim to the first texting, arguing, sight-seeing distracted driver who comes along.

But if you ride carefully and defensively, chances are, you’ll avoid the dangers. And enjoy a safe, healthy and happy ride — and years of safe riding to come.

Yes, that does mean stopping for red lights, signaling and observing the right-of way.

It’s true that some things can’t be avoided. But you can say that about anything in life whether you’re riding a bike, driving your car or sitting on your couch.

As proof, I can only offer my own experience.

In 30-some odd years of riding, the only time I’ve felt the painful bite of a car was when I forgot the cardinal rule of never flipping off the driver behind you. And in response, the woman behind me gladly plowed her car into the back of my bike.

Yes, I have had a lot of close calls over the years.

But a little care, a little caution — and a little discretion with words and gestures — is usually all it takes to stay safe.

.………

The League of American Bicyclists offers stats comparing Federal spending for bikes compared with bike-related sales data on a district level; not surprisingly, retail revenue matches or exceeds Federal investment in almost every case.

.………

The Northridge South Neighborhood Council unanimously votes to support completion of the Reseda Blvd bike lanes — the same lanes that nearly were written off for peak hour traffic lanes in a blindside attack two years ago. The Times chooses one of Mikey Wally’s typical exceptional bike photos as their Southern California Moment of the Day. LADOT Bike Blog points out several important upcoming meetings and bike events; Bikeside urges all to join them at the BPIT meeting April 5th. LACBC says the citywide Safe Routes to School plan needs your help on Friday. Travelin’ Local offers stats showing that L.A. bike collisions are on the rise. Burbank’s Magnolia Avenue shopping district plans a bike themed evening this Saturday. Santa Monica Spoke reminds you about this weekend’s Sunday Funday ride; I’ll be there myself, so come join the fun. Highway 1 in Big Sur is sort of reopen for bike and pedestrian traffic following a recent landslide. San Francisco’s Market Street gets its first green bike boxes. The makers of Clif Bars have opened Vino Velo Napa Valley, a bike-themed wine tasting room; cabernet and pinot Clif Bars are sure to follow.

Lovely Bicycle is giving away a free Superba bike to a woman in need; maybe even you? Commute by Bike calls the Brompton the Sex Pistols of folding bikes; Long Beach’s biking expats seem to like theirs. Crate and Barrel’s CB2 stores now sell Dutch Bikes. Bicycling asks if Livestrong can live on without Lance. Tim Blumenthal of Bikes Belong and People for Bikes shares 12 trends that will help biking grow in the coming years. A writer calls on bike-friendly Boulder CO to maintain a ban on mountain bikes in one area. The Purdue chapter of my old fraternity is staging a 72-hour bike-a-thon to raise funds for a member suffering from cancer. New York finally fights back against misinformation about the city’s bike lanes. Zeke designs his own bike cap; you can order yours for $20.

Next year could see an 18,000 mile around the world bike race. A UK man faces manslaughter charges in the death of a former 100-mile time trial champion. A Brit engineering apprentice will be coming to L.A. in May to compete with 1,600 other students thanks to a bike helmet she developed to help cyclists make their presence and intentions known. The UK proposes longer trailers on trucks in order to kill more cyclists cut carbon emissions. The organizer of the Tour de France is staging an amateur version of the famed Paris – Roubaix race next month. Not only is a 91-year old New Zealand man one of the world’s oldest active two-wheel riders, he also has a sponsor.

Finally, cyclists don’t need traffic calming devices, we are traffic calming devices.

Category: Bicycle Safety / Tags: , , , ,

Watch out for drivers today, because they probably won’t be watching for you

December 24, 2010 / / 3 comments

Let’s be careful out there.

The closer we get to the holidays, the more drivers are focused on finding that elusive parking space and their frenzied search for those last minute gifts. And many may have started their Christmas drinking long before they’d consider tippling any other time of the year, and may be in no condition to drive — yet think they can do it anyway.

And the last thing most drivers are likely to be looking for on the road is a bike. Let alone anyone on one.

We’ve already had one rider killed in Orange County this week, and word came of another bad bike wreck at 7th and Spring in Downtown L.A. on Thursday.

And that’s two too many in just the last two days.

So if you’re riding today or over the weekend, use extra caution. Especially Christmas Eve, as people make their way home after imbibing in a little too much holiday cheer at lunch or office parties.

No, you shouldn’t have to assume responsibility for others on the road; and yes, it’s their obligation to operate their vehicles safely and soberly.

But this time of year, a lot of them don’t. And won’t.

And drives like that usually aren’t the ones who end up paying the price for their mistakes.

So ride defensively. Assume you’re invisible, and that everyone you encounter on the road is driving distracted. Or worse.

And light yourself up like a Christmas tree on your way home tonight.

And not just in honor of the holiday.

.………

Opponents to NYC’s Prospect Park West break out the Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer argument, claiming they just can’t understand those darn statistics. And Traffic meister Tom Vanderbilt joins in the debate as well, pointing out that a study of 24 California cities showed that the cities with higher bike usage also had a better safety rate — and not just for bikes.

.………

Looks like Glendale’s Safe & Healthy Streets program has had a successful year, too. Playing Santa by bike in the South Bay. A cyclist is rescued after she was swept into flood waters in Palm Springs. The DMV points out that a helmet is required for all riders of motorized bikes; I had no idea. Look out for cars parked in bike lanes, which, despite all logic, remains legal in California unless banned by local ordinance.

Bikes are becoming so fashionable, one day, they may even be used for transportation. A typographic look at the anatomy of a bicycle. A Harford cyclist is threatened with bike confiscation after parking it in front of the hotel where he’s attending a conference. Fayetteville NC’s Bicycle Man fixes up and gives away 1,100 bikes to children in poor communities; yes, 1,100 bikes from a single, huge-hearted man.

Unbelievably, a Brit driver who ran down and killed a cyclist participating in a time trial walks, subject only to a one-year driving ban, community service and £110 in court costs; evidently, a cyclist’s life is cheap in Great Britain these days. Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin try to make sense of the UK’s blustery bike program days. The many joys of winter cycling. Dutch in Dublin looks at biking Irish fashion stylist Aisling Farinella. Pro cyclist Robbie McEwen is credited with saving his fellow yacht passengers from carbon monoxide poisoning. An 18-year old Aussie cyclist receives a five month driving ban for drunk driving.

Finally, Velonews looks at the good doctor, a very forgiving lawyer and whether Vail is responsible for their jerk of a DA.

.………

My best wishes to you and yours for a very safe, healthy and happy holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, General / Tags: , , , ,

How to play in the street — Part 3: when not to ride

July 3, 2009 / / Comments Off on How to play in the street — Part 3: when not to ride

One more quick thought before we call it a day. Or a week.

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the infamous Mandeville Canyon brake check, in which the good doctor sent two cyclists to the emergency room — a crime for which the accused has yet to be tried.

And it marks a full week after the L.A. Wheelman’s Grand Tour, in which Rod and Christian Armas were struck by an allegedly intoxicated hit-and-run driver, resulting in the death of the father and severe injuries to the 14-year old son.

Holidays offer a great opportunity to ride, but the risk on the roads remains, and often increases as more people hit the streets. Other people are likely to be focused on things besides the road and who they’re sharing it with — and just as likely to be frustrated by the traffic and crowds, and ready to take it out on the first innocent person who gets in their way.

Which could very well be you.

Add alcohol to the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

My rule of thumb is to ride early in the day on holidays, especially ones that traditionally involve drinking — Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day. And yes, the 4th of July.

Get out, ride, enjoy yourself. Just get back home before the crowds and traffic get out of control, and the people who’ve spent the day drinking decide to get behind the wheel.

And while riding a bike is a great way to glide past the inevitable traffic jams before and after the fireworks, be extra careful as you make your way through the streets tomorrow night. Wear bright clothing. Use every light, flasher and reflector you can find. And watch out for drivers who may not be watching out for you.

Because it only takes one mistake to ruin the celebration.

And I need all the readers I’ve got.

……….

Brayj takes the mayor to task for not putting his environmental money where his mouth is. Bob Mionske questions what good is a bicycle safety law if the police won’t enforce it. UCI releases confusing new equipment rules for the racing community. Evidently, the Twilight heartthrob knows his way around a bike, at least when it comes to walking it. San Francisco offers the 2009 bicycle plan — one that actually works, unlike some cities we could name. Idaho adds an entire section on cycling to the new driver’s education manual, while Boise creates a bike safety response team in reaction to a recent rash of deaths. A Colorado letter writer argues that bikes should pay a registration fee or be banned from narrow roadways. Finally, this year’s Le Tour kicks off Saturday, and for once, Lance isn’t a favorite.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , , ,

How to play in the street — Part 2: riding defensively

July 2, 2009 / / Comments Off on How to play in the street — Part 2: riding defensively

Defensive riding means a lot more than just learning where — and where not — to ride.

The key is accepting that you can’t control what anyone else on the road is going to do. But there simple steps you can take to influence the situation and be prepared for whatever might happen. And help ensure that every ride is fun, safe and enjoyable.

Be bright

These days, bike shops are full of throw-back style jerseys in muted blacks and earth tones. But you will never, ever see me wearing one, no matter how stylish it may be, because what you wear on top makes a big difference in whether drivers actually notice you. Bold patterns and brilliant colors get more attention, and fire truck colors — bright reds, yellows and whites — work best. And oddly, my blue jersey seems to make me invisible.

Be seen

Always be aware of your position on the road — especially near intersections — to ensure that everyone on the road can see you. For instance, riding behind a large vehicle makes you invisible to oncoming traffic, and dramatically increases the risk of a car turning into your path without knowing you’re there. So either speed up to pass it, or slow down to increase the gap and make yourself seen. Always stop at the front of an intersection if you can do it safely. Never, ever ride in a driver’s blind spot. And follow this rule of thumb: if you can’t see the driver, assume the driver can’t see you.

Be obvious — especially after dark

Last fall, I found myself working onsite at a client’s office and driving home after dark every day. One evening, I saw a cyclist up ahead wearing a reflectorized orange safety vest and lit up like a Christmas tree with lights, reflectors and flashers. I thought he looked ridiculous. But the key is, I thought so from nearly three blocks away. And as I passed — safely, I might add — I realized it wasn’t about how he looked; it was getting home in one piece.

Be predictable

One of the biggest complaints drivers have is that they’re never sure what a cyclist is going to do — which is pretty much the same complaint we have about them. But while can’t change them,  we can try to be more predictable ourselves. Ride in a straight line. Signal for turns. Stop for red lights and stops signs if there’s anyone else at the intersection. Observe the right of way. (First one at the intersection goes first, in a tie, the one on the right has right of way; through traffic goes before turning traffic — unless traffic signals indicate otherwise or some jackass insists on going anyway.) And always, always, always look over your shoulder and signal before moving into the traffic lane.

Be human

It’s human nature to distinguish between ourselves and others, and to use those differences as justification to blame them for whatever problems we may perceive. Which is exactly how many drivers respond to cyclists (and vice versa, unfortunately). The way around that is to treat drivers like human beings, and encourage them to see us the same way. So smile. Make eye contact. Nod or wave to indicate they can go, or thank them for letting you go first. It may not seem like much, but the rewards can be enormous — for you and for the next few riders they meet.

Watch out for squeeze plays

The other day, I was riding through San Vicente in Brentwood, where the bike lane stops and it becomes a Class 3 bike route. As usual, I rode at the edge of the right lane, just outside the dooring zone. When traffic backed up, I glided past the slower cars, but as I passed one car, it seemed to inch almost imperceptibly towards the parked cars — and me. So I watched closely, and sure enough, he drifted right as he prepared to turn at the next corner. I squeezed my brakes and dropped behind him, unsure if he even knew I was there. If I hadn’t seen it, I would have been a car sandwich. And I only saw it because I was watching for it.

Turn signals lie

My junior high football career lasted one season before I blew out my knee, but one thing I learned has stuck with me ever since. If you want to know where your opponent is going, don’t watch his body, because bodies lie. Watch his feet instead; he’ll go wherever they do. The same holds true for cars. Don’t be fooled by a turn signal — or the lack thereof. Many drivers don’t signal until the last minute, if at all. Or they may signal one way, then swerve the other. So watch their wheels, because the car will go wherever the wheels point. Just watch closely, because they sometimes change their minds.

Always expect the unexpected

The single biggest problem with cycling is that virtually everyone else you encounter on the road will be human. And humans do stupid things. So as you ride, keep an eye on the traffic and parked cars around you, and imagine the dumbest possible thing the other driver, dog, pedestrian or, yes, cyclist could do. Then mentally anticipate and prepare for it. Nine times out of ten, it won’t happen. But that tenth time, when they do it — or something just as dumb — you’ll be ready. And that just might make the difference between getting home safely, and not getting home at all.

………..

Flying Pigeon notes L.A. has discovered Cycle Chic, while the NY Times questions whether fashion keeps women from riding (as my sister likes to point out, spandex is a privilege, not a right). Alex tries to get the Westside dancing. Mickey Wally continues his cross country ride somewhere in Pennsylvania. Manhattan Beach installs a new bike sculpture. Streetsblog discovers higher bike funding in the Metro budget. LAist reports on the new bike hitching posts sprouting around town. L.A. Creek Freak covers ground breaking for the L.A. River bikeway extension. I ran into bees on the beach; an Austin rider flips over a bunny. The WSJ notes cyclists are demanding respect from our government, while the LAB keeps tabs on who’s talking trash. A Florida cop responds to insults by slashing a homeless riders tires. A Fresno rider is murdered for his bike. And finally, a driver in Iowa knocks a rider off his bike, then rushes him to…an auto parts store?

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

How to play in the street — Part 1: learn where to ride

June 30, 2009 / / One comment

My school had a good driver’s education program when I learned to drive, with emphasis on defensive driving techniques. And my father was recruited by the local community college to teach a defensive driving course after he retired from his job as a rural letter carrier.

So from an early age, traffic safety was drilled into my head. Along with the fact that no one can control what other people do behind the wheel, so you have to anticipate their actions and be prepared for anything.

When I took up cycling, I quickly learned that beginning riders weren’t exactly welcome on busy streets. And that my survival depended on learning how to apply those defensive driving techniques to two wheels instead of four.

Evidently, it worked, since I’m still here after 29 years of mostly urban riding — including 19 right here in Los Angeles. Over the coming days, I’m going to share some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Starting with where to ride. And where not to.

Choose your battles

California law gives you the right to ride on any street, with exception of most freeways. But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to casually cruise Wilshire Boulevard at rush hour. Yes, you have every right to be there, and drivers are required to share the road. But having that right doesn’t mean that drivers fighting their way through heavy traffic will be looking for you, or be willing to share the lane if they do — regardless of the law. If you’re a strong rider, you can usually pull it off; if not, you may want to look for alternate routes.

Try a little something on the side

Maybe you already know how to get where you’re going. But roads that might be fine behind the wheel aren’t always the best ones to take when you’re in the saddle (see above). Usually though, there’s a perfectly fine alternate route within a few blocks of the main road — one with little traffic and lots of room for riding that goes exactly where you want to go. For instance, I frequently see unskilled cyclists plodding along Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica on their way to the beach or the Promenade. Yet if they went just one block in either direction, they’d find a quiet street with a marked bike lane most of their way. Sure, you might have to deal with more stop signs. But that beats the hell out of dealing with an impatient bus driver running up your ass.

Consider your skill level

Sometimes though, the main streets may seem like the best choice, for whatever reason — despite the heavy and often unforgiving traffic. So look for streets that offer a marked bike lane, a wide smooth shoulder or a wide parking lane with room to avoid being doored. And consider your skill level before you decide where to ride. If you’re a beginning rider, or someone who only rides to the beach or the bookstore every now and then, you’re probably better off avoiding busy streets where you’ll have to ride in the traffic lane.

Practice the rule of 10 – 15

Over the years, I’ve found that relative speed is one of the most important factors in traffic safety. If you can ride reasonably close to the speed of traffic when you take the lane, drivers will usually accept you as part of traffic, willingly or not. But if you ride too slow for traffic, you become an obstacle, and the risk of danger increases dramatically. (Again, I’m not talking about what’s legal or right; I’m talking about what’s safe, given the realities of today’s over-crowded roadways.)

My rule of thumb is that I’ll consider roads where I have to take the lane if I can ride within 15 mph of the speed of traffic. With a cruising speed of 20 mph, that means I’m comfortable taking a lane for long stretches on streets where traffic flows at up to 35. But remember — that’s the speed of traffic, not the speed limit. On Olympic Blvd near my home, traffic frequently flows at 50 – 60 mph, even though the speed limit is just 35. If you’re not skilled or comfortable in traffic, use the 10 mph limit instead.

Learn to turn

If you’re still using your handlebars to turn, you don’t belong on busy streets. Your handlebars are great for going straight, but slow and inefficient method for turning — making you a hazard to yourself and those around you if you need to move quickly. So learn to turn by shifting your weight slightly in the direction you want to go. Shifting to the right will move your bike right, and vice versa, slight shift in the opposite direction will put you back on course. Find a quiet street or parking lot to practice until you feel comfortable. And before you hit the streets.

………

Stephen Box picks up the story of fellow Wheelman Rod Armas’ tragic death on PCH this past weekend, filling in the details and arguing that something has to be done. The best named bike shop in town gets new racers in stock. In case you missed it, a New York cyclist is intentionally doored by an SUV driver, then charged with causing damage to his vehicle. A Florida driver hits a cyclist, and drives off laughing. Korea plans bike-only subway cars. A 68 year-old cyclist says he’ll quit when it isn’t fun anymore. And finally, a Missouri writer argues that shared lanes should be painted red to hide the blood.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,
 
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