Tag Archive for ebikes

Support pedestrianized 6th Street & wider bike lanes tomorrow, and building SaMo’s “Great Wall of Shitty Rental Bikes”

September 9, 2025 / / No comments
Day 252 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Streets For All is calling for action to support a trio of programs at tomorrow’s meeting of the Los Angeles City Council Transportation Committee.

Take action this Wednesday:

The Transportation Committee is hearing three items this Wednesday. One would support wider bike lanes, another would create a pilot program pedestrianizing 6th St in Koreatown, and a third is an update on implementing speed cameras.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Make public comment in person:
Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Room 401, City Hall
200 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

If you can’t attend, please comment publicly on the council file, provided in our toolkit here.

MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT

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A Santa Monica man is called a hero for removing rental ebikes — actually scooters with seats — from the beachfront Marvin Braude Bike Trail, building “the great wall of shitty rental bikes.”

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Seriously?

A Baltimore, Maryland man is facing $2,000 in fines and hundreds more to get his bike back, after a couple misguided cops who apparently have never heard of an ebike slapped him with ten traffic tickets and impounded his bike, insisting it was an unregistered motor vehicle.

Because it has an electric motor.

One that makes it a Class 2 ebike under Maryland law.

And yes, he was literally laughed out of the DMV when he went to register it.

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If you missed this weekend’s Maryland Cycling Classic — and who didn’t? —  Velo offers video of the full race broadcast, although you have have to click through to see it.

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

An English county councilor was left fuming after the council leaders dropped bicycling safety improvements from plans to remake a dangerous intersection because of “rising costs and limited funding” — apparently without consulting her or the rest of the council.

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Local 

Spectrum News 1 talks with the general manager of Bikes and Hikes LA about calls for better bike safety in West Hollywood, while a Sheriff’s spokesman says bicyclists and pedestrians have the same rights as drivers, but far fewer protections. To which virtually anyone who has ever ridden a bicycle would respond, “Tell me about it.”

 

State

Patch says cops in Laguna Beach issued “60+ citations” during a recent multi-agency crackdown on speeding, loud and modified exhausted systems, and ebike violations — which is technically true, since 184 is more than 60. A lot more.

Police in San Diego are starting to get it, warning about a dramatic rise in ebike injuries among kids, while noting that many of the bikes aren’t true ebikes but off-road motorbikes that aren’t street legal.

 

National

The Try Hard podcast talks with Defector writer Diana Moskovitz about learning to ride a bike as an adult, after her over-protective parents forbade her from riding as a child. You can read a full transcript here, if you’d rather read it than listen to it. 

Portland, Oregon has hosted an official City Bike Bus each month since June, concluding next month. If I held up one finger, that would be one more time than Los Angeles has hosted one. And you can probably guess which finger I’d hold up. 

A Salem, Oregon bike shop became the latest victim of the contraction in the bicycle market, citing competition from big box stores and online marketplaces.

A man in Oregon’s Rogue Valley became an unlikely hero in 2020 by livestreaming damage caused by the Alameda Fire from the seat of his bicycle.

There’s a special place in hell for the Fort Worth, Texas hit-and-run driver who left an eight-year old bike-riding kid lying in the street, after stopping briefly to get out of his car and look at the kid covered in his own blood. Or any other coward who drives off after hitting a kid, for that matter.

That’s more like it. Bipartisan legislation moving forward in the Michigan legislature would allow judges to sentence drivers to up to 15 years behind bars if they kill a pedestrian or bicyclist after violating a traffic law, as biking booms in the Motor City.

Riverside Drive in Downtown Memphis reopened after a major redesign with nifty new protected bike lanes.

 

International

Momentum recommends 16 “incredible” fall destinations around the world that are best experienced by bicycle, including California’s Sonoma Valley.

Bike Radar examines five tech trends that will define road and gravel bikes over the near future.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is in planning for a free bikeshare system, along with an improved bike lane network that would make it safer to use.

Nearly 100 Montreal bike riders held a die-in on Monday to call for safer streets after a second person was killed on the city’s busy Parc Ave in less than a year, while eight bicyclists and pedestrians have been killed on the corridor since 2013; meanwhile, the city renamed a bike path for a late bike activist who was pivotal in making it “the bike-friendly city it is today.”

Montreal YouTubers examine initiatives intended to lower the barriers to using cargo bikes, including Canada’s first cargo bikeshare system, run by a local nonprofit.

British Olympic bike hero Sir Chris Hoy’s inaugural fundraising ride raised more than £2 million — the equivalent of over $2.7 million — for cancer charities, as he said it’s possible to “live well and lead a happy life” with the disease, despite his devastating diagnosis with stage four prostate cancer.

Former Wimbledon champ Andy Murray may be one of us, but he doesn’t seem too damn happy about it.

As London prepares for yet another Tube — aka subway — workers strike, a London website wonders if the effects will be muted by bikeshare; meanwhile, Cycling Weekly responded to the strike threat by recommending foldies and commuter bikes.

 

Competitive Cycling

Tragic news from France, where yet another U-23 cyclist has died, this time a 16-year old kid who suffered a heart attack during a race.

A human rights group has asked Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante to ban the Israel-Premier Tech cycling team from Sunday’s Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal because of the war in Gaza, after the team’s owner referred to team members as ambassadors for Israel.

Seriously? Not only did a 2012 Sonoma Press Democrat article about fan activities for the late, great Amgen Tour of California inexplicably pop up on a Google search for today’s bike news, most of the story was hidden by the paper’s paywall. Because evidently, they still want you to pay to read 13-year old stories.

 

Finally…

That feeling when drivers park in the bike lane so often, you carry crude pre-printed crude stickers. Why postpone having beers until after Critical Mass, when you can find a bike with a keg of home-brew riding next to you?

And this is what happens when a confirmed roadie experiences his first black diamond downhill ride.

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

CicLAvia comes to South LA Sunday, anti-bike lane bike commuter, and reality shifts when ebike-hater downloads rental app

September 8, 2025 / / One comment
Day 251 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Patch offers a reminder about this weekend’s Historic South Central meets Watts CicLAvia.

Included among the highlights are the birthplace of West Coast Jazz, Watts Towers and the former LA headquarters of the Black Panthers.

Which is not a phrase I ever thought we’d use back in the day,

And BikeLA — the former Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, will host a feeder ride to the open streets event.

https://twitter.com/heybikela/status/1963666212887593338

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A year-round London bike commuter says he’s no fan of bike lanes.

His reasoning is that a) they don’t really reduce traffic — either vehicular or on the Tube — since most people stop riding in bad weather, and b) because they’re often blocked for one reason or another.

Then there’s this.

Most British roads still have no cycle lanes, after all, but they’re still very safe for cyclists. In 2023, 24 cyclists were killed and just over a thousand seriously hurt per billion miles cycled in this country. In other words if you cycle a mile, the chance is about one in a million that you’ll be seriously hurt or worse. I’d have to commute every weekday for well over 200 years – without any holidays – before it would be likely that I’d suffer a serious mishap. Even given today’s gloomy pension prospects, I hopefully won’t have to do that.

As for the danger from cyclists, it does exist: but it’s minuscule. We Brits are roughly as likely to be killed by lightning as by a cyclist. We’re noticeably more likely to be killed in an “accident involving cattle”. In a world with cars and carbon monoxide and food poisoning in it – let alone heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s – worrying about being killed by a cyclist would be pretty illogical.

It’s only one man’s view, of course, but I consider the fear that many cyclists have of riding among motor traffic to be pretty illogical too. There are some bad and aggressive drivers out there to be sure, but that’s true of cyclists too, and in fact most drivers in my experience are safe: sometimes even friendly.

He’s right. But wrong.

I made a pretty similar calculation some time back, too.

In 2009, Americans took 4 billion trips by bicycle.

How safe is bicycling? Cyclists suffered in an estimated 52,000 injuries in 2009; making your odds of returning home safely from any given ride nearly 77,000 to one; the chances of surviving any given ride were over 6.3 million to one in your favor.

On the other hand, people do get injured — or worse — riding a bicycle.

So while the odds of completing any given ride safely are astronomically in your favor, they’re still odds. Which means there’s always a chance of losing, infinitesimally small though it may be.

And the whole point of bike lanes is to improve all our odds of getting home in one piece.

He also makes another mistake common to experienced bicyclists.

You may feel comfortable riding in traffic, just like I did for years. But bike lanes aren’t for those of us who feel confident mixing it up with motorists.

They’re for the people who don’t.

Bike lanes — particularly protected bike lanes — provide space for the overwhelming majority of people who don’t feel safe sharing the same road space with drivers.

Especially with bad drivers, which to be honest, most people are at one time or another. They drink, they speed, they use their phones, and just do stupid stuff.

You know, as people do.

So if you feel comfortable riding in traffic, great. But that doesn’t mean everyone else should, because they don’t.

And won’t.

Meanwhile, a Santa Rosa bicyclist insists our London friend is not the only one who feels that way.

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Another London writer, with tongue planted firmly in cheek this time, says he hates bike riders.

God, I hate cyclists: shooting the lights, ignoring zebras, mounting the pavement, overtaking on the inside, thinking they’re so damned virtuous, being all vegan, pro-Palestine and probably trans, crouched over their racing handlebars like they’re on the Tour de frigging France, in their silly hats with those mincy little shoes, skin-tight shorts disappearing up their bum cracks…

But when he’s on a bike, “the pedal is on the other foot.”

Bloody motorists: fat, entitled, Farage-voting sales reps, slumped in the driving seat like Jabba the Hut, killing the planet with every lazy depression of the gas pedal, oblivious to my presence, distracted by TikTok, missing the light changes, failing to indicate, smoking fags and eating burgers, overlapping into designated cycle lanes, clogging up a city that is perfectly well served by trains and buses…

But one thing we can all agree on, he says, is everyone hates ebikes.

And they’re all drug dealers anyway, and gang members and petty crims, which is why they wear balaclavas and ride with their hoods up. Who cycles with a hood up unless they’re off to bash an old lady or sell heroin to schoolgirls? And if not drug dealers then, worse, they’re Deliveroo and Uber Eats stormtroopers, dispensing poisonous portions of fatty crap to the last few citizens not on Ozempic, feeding the obesity epidemic with cold cheeseburgers their consumers couldn’t be bothered to get up off the sofa and go out and get for themselves; racing to hit the targets they need to make ends meet, unregulated, killing pedestrians to get to the front doors of the people they’re killing with pizzas; a situation I blame, when I’m driving my car, on the illegal immigrants riding the bikes, but, when I’m riding my lefty pedal bike, on the greedy capitalist fat cats at “Big Food”. Farageist or Polanskyite, there’s nothing to love about e-bikes.

And as for the rented ones, the Limes and the Forests and the Santanders, they sit at the top of the pyramid of evil: no accountability, no ownership, no investment in the infrastructure, no dog in the fight. Random chancers leaping aboard them helmetless, no notion of the rules of the road, no tax paid, giggly gangs of students on summer evenings riding seven abreast like the Von bloody Trapps, leaving their bikes, when they run out of juice, strewn across pavements and shop doorways, piles of them in broken heaps all over town like dead green horses at the back door of the slaughterhouse. The very end of civil society.

And then, he downloaded the Lime app, and his world was turned inside out like an Escher lithograph.

Seriously, it’s worth taking a few minutes to read the whole thing. Because it might just be the best laugh you have all day.

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

A Naples, Florida advocacy group offers sad but necessary advice on how to get away unharmed in a confrontation with an angry driver, including avoiding eye contact, which can be interpreted as confrontational. Just like with angry apes and aggressive subway riders. 

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

Life is cheap in London, where a 45-year old man walked without a day behind bars for breaking a woman’s jaw when he crashed into her while riding his bike on the wrong side of the road; he was fined the equivalent of a “paltry and insulting” $675.

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Local 

That’s more like it. A 64-year old Long Beach man was sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars for the meth-fueled crash that killed 12-year old Noel Bascon in 2020 as the boy rode his bike across a Costa Mesa intersection with his father; Richard David Lavalle’s sentence was doubled because of his prior criminal convictions, and charged as a 3rd strike. He was credited with over four years time served.

 

State

Sunnyvale City Councilmember Richard Mehlinger suffered a broken left thumb and right wrist when he was struck by a driver while riding his bike; the “staunch traffic safety advocate” said the crash showed the “necessity and urgency” of installing bike lanes.

Around two dozen bicyclists rode with their dogs on a three-mile circuit along San Francisco’s Sunset Dunes on the Dogon’ Bike Ride, organized by comedian Sarah Catz-Hyman.

 

National

A pair of entrepreneurs scored a $200,000 invested on Shark Tank, after a stationary bike ride convinced Kevin O’Leary and another shark they had indeed invented a more comfortable bike seat.

A guest writer for Bike Portland says the city’s greenways won’t be safe until they build them that way.

Dozens of Denver residents rode across the city in search of bagels and matzo ball soup on the city’s annual Jewish Deli Bike Tour.

A 22-year old Ohio man set out on a bike ride in 1973, and was never seen again; his body was finally identified this year, 52 years after he disappeared after last being seen in Cleveland — and 45 years after remains were found in a Whitney, Ontario park, 461 miles away.

Hundreds of people turned out for a protest ride in central Philadelphia to demand better protection for bicyclists, after a 67-year old bike advocate was killed in a collision while riding a bike.

 

International

A Montreal columnist complains about possible plans to close a roadway to motor vehicle traffic, arguing that there’s no need to provoke a battle between bicyclists and drivers when so many of us are both. And yet, the roads are unevenly apportioned overwhelmingly in favor of one over the other.

An English man returned to his home after riding his bike around the world,  arriving back in Cornwall 477 days and 22,300 miles after he left.

Life is cheap in Ireland, where a taxi driver on his way to work walked without a day behind bars for crashing into a six-year old boy riding a bike; he was fined the equivalent of $879 for the crash that left the kid with bruising and a broken arm.

The good news is, the coach of the Paris Saint-Germain soccer team is one of us; the bad news, he crashed his bike and broke his collarbone, and will be out of action after surgery to repair it.

UNESCO World Heritage site Albi, France successfully melded a 19th-century railway viaduct across the Tarn River with a lightweight new bike and pedestrian bridge.

Drew Barrymore says her 12-year old daughter crashed her ebike while riding in the mountains of France, and ended up using her bra as a tourniquet for her badly ripped elbow.

French endurance cyclist Sofiane Sehili’s attempt to set a new record for bicycling across Eurasia ended badly at the Russian border, where he was accused of crossing the border illegally and tossed in jail, just 248 miles short of his destination, and 10,936 miles after setting out from Lisbon, Portugal.

Horrible story from India, where a 40-year old man was stabbed to death and his body dumped in the woods over accusations of practicing witchcraft, after riding his bike to a nearby village for repairs.

 

Competitive Cycling

Danish sprinter Mads Pedersen claimed victory in Sunday’s Stage 15 of the Vuelta a España, while two-time Tour de France champ Jonas Vingegaard remained in the red leader’s jersey, with João Almeida 48 seconds back in second place.

Once again, someone protesting the war in Gaza disrupted the Vuelta, causing two riders to crash when he jumped out from the side of the road waving a Palestinian flag; because of the repeated protests, the Israel Premier Tech cycling team switched to new uniforms without the team name.

Welsh Olympic medalist and 2018 Tour de France champ Geraint Thomas called it a career after Sunday’s final stage of the Tour of Britain, capping his career in his hometown of Cardiff, as the race was won by 22-year old Frenchman Romain Gregoire.

Pre-race favorite Neilson Powless was forced to run with his bike when he suffered a flat in Saturday’s Maryland Cycling Classic; he ended up finishing 18th, well behind eventual men’s winner Sandy Dujardin, while Poland’s Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka won the women’s race.

Around 70 bicyclists were injured, some seriously, in a mass crash in a German bike race involving more than 1,000 amateur and semi-professional cyclists.

Tragic news from Malaysia, where a 28-year old man was killed in an amateur race when he tried to avoid crashing into a group of riders, falling onto the other side of the road where he was struck by a motorist.

 

Finally…

Nothing like stumbling on a bicycle that’s been rolling in the deep like it was sung by Adele. The mountain bike of the future, as designed by AI.

And motorcyclist pot, meet bike-rider kettle.

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

Fight to save another endangered Encino pedestrian bridge, and Beverly Hills attorney killed in Aspen ebike crash

September 4, 2025 / / One comment
Day 247 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Maybe we should put Encino pedestrian bridges on the endangered species list.

Less than three years after Encino residents lost the fight to save the Encino Ave pedestrian bridge over the 101 Freeway, another nearby pedestrian bridge is on the chopping block, this time on Amestoy Ave.

That battle started so long ago, I had forgotten all about it until someone reached out to alert me to an upcoming virtual meeting of the Encino Neighborhood Council’s Traffic and Transportation Committee on September 15th to consider the matter.

An online petition describes the problem, and the solution, better than I could. And yes, you’ll find my signature on it; I was just the third person to sign, so let’s make sure I’m not the last.

The Issue

Encino residents, the Amestoy Avenue pedestrian bridge is facing potential demolition. This bridge serves not only as a safe passage for pedestrians but also as a symbol of unity and convenience connecting Encino residents, North and South of the 101 freeway.

The Amestoy Avenue pedestrian bridge is structurally sound and provides a car-free route to/from Ventura Blvd, Balboa Park, and Encino Charter Elementary School for countless residents, including children, seniors, and cyclists.  It’s the only pedestrian-only bridge left in Encino.   The bridge is a significant pathway that encourages walking and reduces vehicular traffic, not to mention demolitionalone would cost taxpayers over $6.1M.

CalTrans agrees that the Amestoy Avenue pedestrian bridge should be saved and renovated and is seeking resident feedback.  The proposal would cost $7.8M to renovate the Amestoy Avenue pedestrian bridge and the Louise Avenue car bridge.

BUT, there is a vocal group who would like to see the Amestoy Avenue pedestrian bridge demolished.  According to Caltrans the cost to demolish the Amestory Avenue pedestrian bridge and renovate the Louise Avenue bridge would be $8.4M.   That’s right, demolishing the bridge will cost more than renovation!

To ensure that our voices are heard, we must act now!

  • Sign the petition
  • Contact local officials from CD4 and Encino Neighborhood Council to express your support for preserving the bridge.
  • Participate in the Caltrans survey below

Caltrans Survey

Your involvement is crucial. By speaking up, we can demonstrate to decision-makers our commitment to maintaining this essential piece of infrastructure. Let’s preserve our community’s character and quality of life by standing together in solidarity. Sign the petition now and make an impactful change for the better.

Now that you’ve signed the petition and completed the survey — you have, haven’t you? — just click on the links below to email the Encino Neighborhood Council and CD5 City Councilmember Nithya Raman to share your concerns.

I’m including a sample letter that was forwarded to me below. Feel free to put it in your own words, or write your own message.

But send it before the September 15 meeting. And mark your calendar to participate.

Traffic & Transportation Committee
  • 4:45 pm September 15th
  • The zoom link and meeting agenda should be posted soon.

ATTENTION ENCINO RESIDENTS: 

The Amestoy Avenue pedestrian bridge is in jeopardy of demolition!!!!!!  If you want to preserve and renovate the structurally sound bridge and not spend $6.1M ++ to demolish it…. 

  • Please reach out to the following officials, using the letter template below if you support keeping the bridge
  • Attend the Traffic & Transportation Committee Zoom on 9/15 @ 4:45PM
  • Don’t forget to take the Caltrans survey 
  • Every email counts, make sure your voice is heard! 
Subject: Please Do Not Demolish the Amestoy Avenue Pedestrian Bridge in Encino

Dear [Elected Official/Agency Representative],

I am writing to urge you not to support demolishing the Amestoy Avenue Pedestrian Bridge (Ann Stewart Pedestrian Bridge) in Encino.

This bridge, built in 1954, remains an essential pedestrian connection for Encino. It provides a safe route for residents north of the 101 freeway to access Ventura Boulevard without driving, and it allows families south of the freeway to reach Balboa park and other neighborhood resources including the Metro Bus Line. It also sits within the same district as Encino Charter Elementary School—without the bridge, many families would be forced to drive, increasing congestion and traffic in our community.

Currently the Amestoy Pedestrian Bridge is the only passageway for “pedestrians only” within the Encino community. This is a safer option in general for pedestrians. 

The bridge is not obsolete. It is used regularly by me and many others, and even more people could benefit from it if properly rehabilitated and publicized. Destroying it would be a step backward for walkability, safety, and climate-conscious infrastructure in Los Angeles.

Cost & Scope Considerations
  • Demolishing the Encino Ave bridge cost $6.1 million.
  • The current proposal estimates:
    • $8.4 million to rehabilitate the Louise Ave bridge and demolish the Amestoy Ave bridge.
    • $7.8 million to rehabilitate both the Louise Ave and Amestoy Ave bridges.
  • Rehabilitation of Amestoy Ave alone would save taxpayer dollars while preserving critical infrastructure.

Importantly, the bridge inspection reports confirm the Amestoy structure is structurally sufficient. Rehabilitation—including replacing the railings, improving security, and enhancing the surroundings—would maximize the benefit of infrastructure spending.

Additional Considerations
  • Traffic safety: In California, the maximum legal vehicle height is 14 feet. The Amestoy bridge already provides adequate clearance at 15’-3” northbound and 15’-0” southbound.
  • Repairs: While Caltrans has repaired the chain link fencing twice in the past year, this hardly qualifies as “constant.” In fact, there were far more graffiti removal work orders than fence repairs, suggesting maintenance is manageable.
  • Use of funds: When the Encino Ave bridge was demolished, unused funds were not redirected toward local pedestrian or bike improvements; they simply reverted back to the state program. We should not repeat this mistake,
Conclusion

The Amestoy Avenue Pedestrian Bridge is a vital community link that should be rehabilitated, not demolished. Rehabilitating the bridge is both the fiscally responsible and environmentally responsible option along with offering a much safer option for pedestrians walking in Encino. Please prioritize keeping this bridge intact for the sake of students, families, and the entire Encino community.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Address or Neighborhood]

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Tragic news from Aspen, Colorado, where Beverly Hills attorney Michelle Mulrooney Jackoway was killed Monday when she lost control of her ebike and crashed into an embankment.

She was 64.

Law firm Wilkie Farr & Gallagher identifies her as a partner and founding member of their Los Angeles office, specializing in estate planning for high-net-worth individuals.

According to the firm,

Aside from her many impressive legal accomplishments, Michele was deeply committed to giving back to others, including through her work as a mentor and advocate for women. Early in her career, she worked part-time because she had young children. When she went back to full-time and eventually became a partner, she ensured that her firm kept women active in law by giving them the opportunity to work a reduced schedule to balance family and career without sacrificing one for the other. Michele also had a strong passion for philanthropy and derived great satisfaction from helping her clients realize their philanthropic goals and giving back to institutions that were meaningful to her, including those supporting education, women’s rights and equal opportunity for all.

She was an active leader in the LA legal community. Through her role as a Board Member of the USC Gould School of Law, her alma mater, and her longstanding support of other community initiatives, Michele was deeply respected for her integrity, compassion and generous spirit. She also served as Co-chair of the Building Committee for Gould, and as a member of the UCLA Health System Board.

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

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan ripped out a ten-year old bike lane that was unpopular with motorists, even though it was favored by downtown bike riders after a nearby bike lane was removed a year ago.

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

Sad news from San Jose, where a woman has died a little over a week after she was struck by struck by an allegedly stoned bike rider while jogging on a local trail; the rider was arrested on suspicion of DUI on a bicycle causing injury and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

The schmuck who dragged a dog to its death behind his ebike on a South Korean bike path, reportedly because it was overweight, was released pending trial, after police had requested that he be jailed. With any luck, that will be the last taste of freedom he has for a long time.

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Local 

The Eastsider profiles Gloria Hwang and Thousand, the Boyle Height bike helmet company she founded a decade ago, featuring helmets designed to “look like if you found an old motorcycle helmet in your grandparents’ basement.”

 

State

Fixed-gear street racing league Formula Fixed is bringing “three days of racing, parties, and creator-driven content” to San Francisco and Oakland beginning Saturday, September 13th; winners will qualify for the pro league.

 

National

Cycling News says there’s no such thing as a grountain bike, so get over it.

A Washington traffic safety commissioner explains why you shouldn’t ride salmon. Besides the fact it’s illegal, that is.

A Reno, Nevada nonprofit is already getting ready for next year’s Burning Man, even though this year’s just ended, collecting donations of used bicycles as well as bike abandoned by Burning Man revelers.

Now even the deer are out to get us, as a North Carolina man riding an ebike was killed when a hit-and-run deer darted out into the roadway ahead of him; the deer survived the crash but fled the scene before police arrived.

 

International

A staff member working for the Indonesian embassy in Lima, Peru was assassinated by a gunman as he rode his bicycle home from work Monday evening, in what authorities believe was a contract killing outside his apartment in the Lince neighborhood.

British folding bike maker Brompton celebrated its 50th anniversary with a limited edition 1975 foldie.

Momentum offers four great bicycling routes to explore Paris this fall. And no, not the one in Texas. 

You can see a lot of things from a bike, including a rare mama lynx and her kittens along a bike path in Maardu, Estonia.

Add Morocco to your bike bucket list, as Drift Travel highlights the country’s top five bike rides and bicycling routes.

 

Competitive Cycling

No one won yesterday’s Stage 11 of the Vuelta after organizers halted the race three kilometers — around 1.8 miles — from the finish in Balboa, Spain after pro-Palestinian protesters spilled onto the course, disrupting the peloton.

Italian cyclist Simone Petilli crashed after protesters ran out onto the road and police were unable to hold them back, later writing on Twitter/X “Please, we are just Cyclists and we are doing our Job, but if it will continue like this our safety is not guaranteed anymore, and we feel in danger!”

American pro Neilson Powless hopes a new pavé section is hard enough to result in some separation at this weekend’s one-day Maryland Cycling Classic.

USA Cycling is following the lead of the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee by banning trans athletes from all female categories at sanctioned competitions starting September 15th, following Trump’s executive order prohibiting trans women from competing in women’s sports.

A humanitarian organization profiles Rwandan cyclist Olivia Maniragena, who rose from a single mother in the impoverished country to finding success and empowerment on a women’s cycling team, in advance of the country hosting the road world championships.

 

Finally…

Apparently, “Lime bike leg” is the modern equivalent of “bicycle face.” That feeling when a pedestrian was in the road because a bicyclist was on the sidewalk because a car was parked in the bike lane.

And why just carve a few trails, when you can carve your own bike, too.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

Update: 20-year old surfer Kolby Aipa dies three days after Huntington Beach ebike crash; grandson of legendary “surf royalty”

August 6, 2025 / / 6 comments

As if the news hasn’t been bad enough lately, now we’re learning that the grandson of a surf legend has died following an ebike crash.

According to the Daily Pilot, the victim, identified as 20-year old Huntington Beach resident Kolby Aipa, died three days after he was struck by a car that had been towing him on PCH.

The crash occurred around 10:08 p.m. Saturday night, near Seapoint Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach.

Aipa was taken to UCI Medical Center suffering from critical injuries, where he was placed on life support. His family’s business posted online that he died Tuesday afternoon.

Surfer writes that Aipa was heir to “surf royalty,” the grandson of legendary surfer, board shaper and surfing coach Ben Aipa, a member of both the Surfing Walk of Fame and Surfers’ Hall of Fame. He was the inventor of the groundbreaking Sting surfboard design.

According to the magazine,

Following in his strong surfing lineage, Kolby was an up-and-coming surfer himself. He was sponsored by the clothing brand AVVA, Dakine, Cobian footwear, and others. He was a member of the Huntington Beach Board Riders club…

A memorial paddle-out for Kolby is being planned; stay tuned for more information.

There’s no word on why Aipa was being towed by a car, which was driven by people he knew. However, it’s possible that his ebike battery had died, and he was being towed rather than pedaling a heavy bike.

Or it could have just been an ill-advised stunt.

According to a crowdfunding campaign in his honor,

Kolby always had a way with touching the lives of whoever he met. His acts of kindness and caring was his gift of Aloha to friends and strangers alike. To everyone that reads this…pass his Aloha on. So, how Kolby treated you, treat others in that same way…

In this you are continuing his legacy of Aloha.

As of this writing, the campaign has raised nearly $69,000 of the $75,000 goal.

This is at least the 31st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the just the third that I’m aware of in Orange County.

Update: According to My News LA, Aipa was holding onto a Toyota Tacoma pickup being driven south on PCH — a practice known as skitching — when the driver somehow lost control of the truck, leading to their collision.

There should be no need to point out how dangerous that can be. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Kolby Aipa and his loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , ,

Ebike rider killed by San Diego MTS Blue Line trolley in Chula Vista early Monday afternoon

August 4, 2025 / / 2 comments

The deadly toll affecting bike riders on Southern California streets continued in Chula Vista Monday afternoon.

Although this time, the killer wasn’t in a mobile vehicle.

It was a San Diego trolley.

According to multiple sources, the victim was riding an ebike across the Blue Line tracks near Moss Street and Industrial Blvd, when they were struck by the operator of a northbound trolley operated by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, or MTS, around 12:44 pm.

According to a witness, the victim was thrown “at least” seven or eight feet into the air by the impact of the crash. Afterwards, investigators focused on what appeared to be a backpack worn by the victim, as well as the shattered pieces of the bike.

There’s no word at this time about the identity of the victim, or whether the crossing gates were working at the time of the crash.

As the witness, Caleb Reyes, told San Diego’s NBC7, always look both ways before crossing any kind of street, pathway or railroad track.

And never, ever ignore railroad warning signals or ride around lowered crossing gates, regardless of whether you think the train has stopped or the danger has passed.

Because there’s a good chance you might be wrong.

This is at least the 30th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in San Diego County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and their loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Passive aggressive Paris bikelash screed, cops blame San Diego ebike victim, and four years for Magnus White killer

June 16, 2025 / / Comments Off on Passive aggressive Paris bikelash screed, cops blame San Diego ebike victim, and four years for Magnus White killer
Day 167 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

No bias here.

London’s Sunday Times has apparently dropped its paywall once again so more people can read a passive aggressive post on the reputed Parisian bikelash.

Where, by their telling, people on bicycles in Paris are entitled hipsters who endanger old people, while the humble bicycle itself is seen as “a symbol of aggression, every-man-for-himself and urban chaos.”

Of course it is.

And of course, it’s all part of the proverbial war on cars.

But it is the behaviour of the cyclists themselves and their apparent disdain for the code de la route that appears to be provoking many Parisians.

Many drivers, already resentful at losing precious road space to dedicated cycle lanes, dismiss those on two wheels as bobos, a catch-all term for privileged hipsters. Matters have been worsened by the proliferation of delivery riders, usually under time pressure and often astride heavy electric machines that can go at 30 mph or more.

Never mind that the European Union limits ebikes to just 15.5 mph.

Then there’s this.

Nine out of ten cyclists (88 per cent) admitted to having broken traffic rules in a survey in Paris and nine other French cities last October. Some 75 per cent confessed to riding on pavements, 55 per cent to turning without signalling and the same number to running red lights.

Young riders appeared the most reckless: three quarters said they did not wear helmets or reflective clothing, and a quarter admitted pedalling without lights.

Because as everyone knows, French drivers are the most courteous, respectful and law-abiding motorists on the Continent.

Right?

But at least they get this part right.

But is an unequal battle: cars and other motor vehicles were responsible for the overwhelming majority of the 451 pedestrians and 222 cyclists killed in France last year, according to provisional official figures from the French Road Safety Observatory.

By contrast, three pedestrians were killed by bicycles and six by electric scooters. Though tiny in comparison, this was higher than in previous years.

Although maybe the fact that bicycle and e-scooter ridership has boomed in Paris since the mayor began reconstructing the streets to build a bike and pedestrian friendly 15-minute city.

So an increase in injuries and fatalities is to be expected — especially when electric motorbikes continue to be misidentified as bicycles.

But maybe, with traditional British disdain for their Gallic neighbors, the problem isn’t the bicycles.

It’s that the riders on them are, yes, French.

Perhaps, though, it is not the town planning that is the main problem.

Chantal from Nancy said that the cyclists were just as bad in her home city. “They’re all French,” she said. “The French mentality is that even if something is banned, you still do it and it doesn’t matter.”

Then again, it always helps when you get find someone from France to complain about the French.

Kind of like a self-identified cyclist complaining about bicyclists.

Photo from Pexels. 

………

San Diego police were quick to blame the victim after a 54-year old woman suffered serious injuries in a collision while riding an ebike early Saturday afternoon.

Investigators said she left a bike lane too soon while on northbound on Fairmount Ave, where it merges with Montezuma Road, and hit the side mirror of a car in the next lane.

Although another way to look at it is the driver was likely passing closer than the three-foot distance required to pass a bike rider under California law, or they probably wouldn’t have made contact.

Chances are, blame could also be placed on a poorly designed roadway that required her to leave the bike lane in the first place.

Maybe someone from San Diego could tell us more. But at first glance, this one doesn’t seem to pass the smell test.

………

There’s justice, finally, for Magnus White.

The 24-year old Ukrainian immigrant who killed the 17-year old rising US Cycling Team member on a Colorado roadway after drinking and staying up all night was sentenced to four years in state prison, after she was convicted of felony vehicular homicide – reckless driving.

Yeva Smilianska will be required to spend at least three years of that sentence behind bars.

She could have been sentenced to anywhere from two to six years — or could have walked with probation.

………

There’s a new bike path steering bicyclists around the tennis courts at Griffith Park.

………

Who needs a tour bus when you’ve got a bicycle?

………

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

Embattled New York Mayor Eric Adams panders to Brooklyn voters by vowing to remove three blocks of a protected bike lane after local residents raised safety concerns. Although he may find there are more bike lane supporters than critics in the city.

………

Local 

Today is the last day to submit comments on the Draft PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study to improve safety on SoCal’s killer highway.

 

State

A writer for the San Francisco Standard reports on what it was like to be a 44-year old, chubby trans woman taking part in the final AIDS/LifeCycle ride, although organizers announced they will hold two three-day rides next year.

 

National

People For Bikes says the 16-year old federal Bicycle Commuter Benefit is on the chopping block, as House Republicans voted to eliminate the meagre $20 a month tax rebate meant to encourage bike commuting.

Five Colorado bicyclists were injured, and three hospitalized, when they crashed while riding in a group of 12 riders outside of Sterling in the northeastern part of the state on Saturday; the good news is there was no car or driver involved.

 

International

Momentum writes in praise of spandex-free slow bicycling.

Tom’s Guide explains six essential checks to get your bike ready for the summer. They pretty much get it right, although most of us here in SoCal probably started months ago — if we ever stopped.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura shared photos of his visit to Havana, playing basketball with local kids and riding in one of Cuba’s bicitaxis, aka pedicabs.

A CBC reporter explains that Toronto’s bikeshare system has become a victim of its own success, and is looking to New York’s Citi Bike for solutions to meet its high demand.

People in Montreal and Quebec City are being discouraged from riding their bicycles by garbage bins, semis, cars and other obstacles on bike paths. In other words, kind of like pretty much everywhere else. 

Britain’s Aston Martin teamed with titanium hand-built bikemaker J.Laverackit to create “the most bespoke, advanced and meticulously engineered road bicycle ever made,” employing state-of-the-art design processes and manufacturing techniques more commonly found on Formula 1 cars.

Smithsonian examines how Sweden’s 60-year old Vätternrundan became the biggest recreational ride on the planet, offering 196 miles around the country’s Lake Vättern.

A writer for Travel + Leisure recommends a luxury bicycle tour as the best way to see Romania’s medieval villages, castles and vineyards, as well as the ghosts of its communist past.

That’s more like it. After a Singaporean man was killed in a collision after falling off his bicycle, Malaysian officials took responsibility for the poor condition of the roadway, blaming “crocodile cracking” caused by heavy vehicles, and ordered immediate road repairs.

 

Competitive Cycling

No surprise here. Slovenian star Tadej Pogacar dominated the Critérium du Dauphiné, winning nine of the 21 stages — including the Queen stage — even as rival Jonas Vingegaard put up a fight.

Ouch. Legendary cyclist Eddy Merckx chats with his old rival Roger De Vlaeminck, as the two men trash the current generation of riders, arguing that they don’t race often enough or hard enough, and get dropped too easily.

A 50-year old Iowa math teacher is tacking the 2,745-mile, Canada to Mexico Tour Divide for the second time.

French cyclist Romain Bardet called it a career after 14 years, including two podium finishes in the Tour de France, as the pro peloton showed its respect.

https://twitter.com/picnicpostnl/status/1934303154063171852

 

Finally…

If you’re going to preach the gospel, it might as well be from a bicycle on a cross-country ride. Who needs a touring bike to ride across the country when you’ve got a BMX?

And when life gives you an attempted murder charge, just go for a bike ride.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

PCH Workshop next Wednesday, trial in Magnus White death continues, and pediatric e-micro mobility injuries climb

April 3, 2025 / / Comments Off on PCH Workshop next Wednesday, trial in Magnus White death continues, and pediatric e-micro mobility injuries climb
Day 93 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

Caltrans forwards word that the upcoming PCH Master Plan Feasibility Study Workshop will take place a little earlier than planned.

Please be advised that the upcoming April 9th meeting at the Malibu City Hall will now start at 5:30 PM instead of 6:00 PM. This extra time is an open house period to provide more opportunities for attendees to review project information displays and ask Caltrans staff questions.

Thank you for your time, and we’re excited to have you at the event!

PCH photo from Caltrans press release.

………

More heartbreaking testimony in the death of US National Team junior cyclist Magnus White.

Day three in the reckless driving trial of Yeva Smilianska featured more descriptions of the crash that killed the 17-year old White, as a forensic investigator estimated that White went from 25 mph to 55 in “milliseconds” when Smilianska rear-ended him.

Another bicyclist who was following White on that “perfect” Boulder, Colorado day two years ago reported seeing the recent Ukrainian immigrant’s car strike White’s bicycle so quickly he would have had no chance to react.

He also said he gave up bicycling after what he saw that day.

The other notable piece of news came from a police investigator who said the woman Smilianska was with the night before the crash told him neither of the women drank because she wouldn’t allow alcohol in her house, and both got six hours of sleep the morning of the crash.

Yet examination of Smilianska’s phone showed video of her taking a drink out of a tumbler, as her friend asks if that’s whiskey. Smilianska said yes, nodding, and the friend took a drink herself, contradicting her earlier comments to the police.

And yes, once again prosecutors showed photos depicting the crash, this time White’s bloodied bike helmet. So make sure that’s something you really want to see before you click on the link.

………

A new report in the medical journal JAMA shows ebike injuries among children and teens jumped from 751 in 2017 to 23,493 in 2022, while e-scooter injuries climbed from 8,566 in 2017 to 56,847 in 2022 — likely more reflective of the climb in ridership rather than an increase in risk.

That was demonstrated by a crash in Orange Tuesday night, when two teens riding an e-scooter were critically injured when they slammed into the side of a Tesla while riding upstream on the wrong side of the road.

A tragic reminder that it’s not what you ride, but how that matters.

Thanks to Arthur W Bauer for the Orange heads-up.

………

Doris Day was one of us.

Actress, singer, and bike lover Doris Day riding her bicycle around Beverly Hills. The license plate reads, "This vehicle is smog free."Happy #BicycleBirthday, Doris!April 3 (1922-2019)

— Cool Bike Art (@coolbikeart1.bsky.social) 2025-04-03T04:00:08.526Z

……….

Norm Bradwell forwards the clearest view yet of the remarkable changes underway in Paris, with the transformation of the iconic and formerly car-clogged Rue de Rivoli.

………

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

No bias here. ESPN sportscaster Randy Scott posted video of a group of “sad” bicyclists riding single file while politely hugging the shoulder, saying “These monsters must be stopped” because they made him slow down a little bit. Never mind that he’s the one who could be breaking the law by using a handheld cellphone to record the video, or that he crashed his own car into a concrete barrier last year, without the help of anyone on two wheels.

https://twitter.com/RandyScottESPN/status/1906831097108762886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1906831097108762886%7Ctwgr%5Eee4ec0c5d73c91ca378853d9db2f087c2eb86de5%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Froad.cc%2Fcontent%2Fnews%2Fcycling-live-blog-2-april-2025-313321

Click here for the video if Elon is still screwing with embedded X/Twitter posts.

………

Local 

Culver City will host the final walking tour this Saturday to help develop the city’s new Complete Streets Design Standards. Actually, all they have to do is go back to the MOVE Culver City Complete Streets project. You know, before they ripped it out. 

So, am I the only one who thinks the Long Beach Grand Prix should include a bike race on the closed circuit course for us two-wheeled racing fans?

 

State

San Diego authorities are offering a $1,000 reward for the driver of a gray Mercedes E-Class sedan who fled the scene after killing an ebike rider in the city’s Clairemont neighborhood last week.

Chula Vista opened a new 39-acre bay front park, compete with two-and-a-half miles of walking and biking trails.

This is who we share the road with. A road-raging Riverside driver knocked a motorcyclist off his bike and dragged him with his car following an argument, in a crash captured on helmet cam.

They get it. The Planning Commission in the Sonoma County town of Windsor says walking and biking should be as easy, pleasant and natural as driving. Although driving may be the norm in the US, but there’s nothing natural about it.

 

National

No surprise here, as a new study of 14 small to mid-sized U.S. cities shows that bicycle-friendly cities are safer for everyone. Yes, even the people in the big, dangerous machines.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation and People For Bikes are launching the eBike eCourse to help improve safety and riding skills for people on ebikes, presumably with or without pedals.

Escape drops their paywall to consider what Rad Power and VanMoof got wrong, and what can be learned from the fall of the two iconic ebike brands.

Momentum suggests taking advantage of Trump’s “Liberation Day” to liberate yourself from driving by riding a bicycle.

Bicycling posts their favorite bikes of the year. But you’ll need a subscription to click on the links.

This is who we share the bike path with. A Portland man was forced off a bike path, and narrowly avoided getting hit head-on, by a driver in a massive SUV blithely cruising down the biking and walking path, taking the concept of a multi-use path just a little too far.

Tragic news from St. Louis, where a man riding a bicycle was killed when he was struck by not one, not two, not even three, but four drivers, only two of whom bothered to stick around afterwards.

A South Carolina woman charged with killing a bike-riding father of three while allegedly driving drunk with an open bottle of vodka in her car has been arrested once again, on charges of “unlawful conduct toward a child, with the risk of abuse or willful abandonment,” as well as possession of meth and coke.

 

International

Road.cc says Trump’s tariffs could be the final blow for the bike industry, which is already in the toilet.

An iconic South London bike shop is throwing in the towel after 43 years due to “rising costs, a brutal economic climate, and a million other small battles.”

Here’s another one for your bike bucket list, with the village of Saint-Rémy-la-Varenne along France’s 500-mile Loire à Vélo bicycling route, home to ancient megalithic sites and a 1,000-year old priory.

A new Dutch study contradicts the usual perception in this country by showing that delivery bike riders are safer and more law-abiding than casual bicyclists in the Netherlands.

A 38-year old Indian man is riding over 3,700 miles in 35 days, from Bengaluru to Tamil Nadu and back, despite losing one hand in a machining accident when he was 18.

 

Competitive Cycling

A major upset in Belgium, where American Neilson Powless stunned Wout van Aert and his Visma-Lease a Bike teammates by outsprinting them at the finish to win the men’s Dwars door Vlaanderen on Sunday; Italian champ Elisa Longo Borghini won the women’s race in a solo breakaway.

Sorry, folks. Life Time Grand Prix has banned cyclists from drafting riders outside their own category in any of their races, such as Unbound Gravel.

A writer for Outside says skip the Tour de France, and go to Europe to watch the Tour of Flanders, instead.

 

Finally….

Recharge your next ebike with your phone charger. We may have to worry about feral LA drivers, but at least we don’t have to contend with a loose bull moose.

And nothing like that feeling when you order a new bicycle on Temu, and this is what you get.

@cloud9ceo

Temu gave me the biggest April Fool

♬ original sound – cloud9CEO

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

15-year old ebike rider busted for DUI, HLA foot-dragging means worsening LA streets, and trial date for killer Vegas teens

March 26, 2025 / / Comments Off on 15-year old ebike rider busted for DUI, HLA foot-dragging means worsening LA streets, and trial date for killer Vegas teens
Day 85 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

Teenaged ebike riders are in the news once again.

And once again, for not-so-good reasons.

Like the 15-year old boy who was busted for DUI after crashing his ebike into a parked car in Newhall Monday night, suffering minor injuries and major problems.

Or the 16-year old ebike rider who was hospitalized after getting hit head-on by a driver while riding salmon in Rancho Cucamonga Tuesday morning.

Although, as always these days, the question is whether these scofflaw victims, who haven’t been publicly identified, were riding electric motorbikes or ped-assist bicycles.

Because police reports and the press don’t seem to be able to distinguish between them.

………

According to Streetsblog’s Joe Linton, the city’s foot dragging on implementing Measure HLA is resulting on worsening conditions on some of the streets that had been scheduled for repaving.

That’s even though pavement cracks and pot holes can pose a significant risk to bike riders, especially after dark when they can be almost impossible to see.

And even though Los Angeles has already paid out large settlements for bike riders seriously injured by crumbling pavement.

………

Jesus Ayala and Jzamir Keys, the two formerly teenage suspects accused of recording themselves laughing as they intentionally ran down and killed former Bell police chief Andreas Probst as he rode a bike in Las Vegas, are now scheduled to go on trial November 3rd.

………

This is what the Vermont Corridor could look like, if Metro continues to refuse to comply with Measure HLA, which requires bike lanes, as well.

………

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

He gets it. Former Top Gear host James May calls out the “anti-cycling rage” of London’s Telegraph newspaper, saying the “anti-cycling opposition out there ‘smacks of sheer bloody-mindedness.'”

………

Local  

Streetsblog takes a look at the newly opened Big Dalton Bike Path, nee Vincent Community Bikeway, which traverses three-miles through Irwindale, Covina, Azusa and unincorporated points in between, and is part of a planned 130-mile bike network through the San Gabriel Valley.

The manager of the Velo Pasadena bike shop says the shop has been burglarized “constantly” since the start of the pandemic, losing a total of over a hundred grand worth of bicycles — including three break-ins in just the past three months.

 

State

The Triathlon Club of San Diego talks with BikinginLA sponsor, Oceanside bike lawyer and tri supporter Richard Duquette.

La Mesa is starting its own ebike incentive program, offering 150 vouchers to people over 18 who live and plan to ride in the city. Let’s just hope they manage to do a better job than California has so far. 

After Berkeley gave 56 free ebikes to a group of low-to-moderate income residents, they reported driving less, but also learned how crappy it is to ride there.

Marin County approved an ordinance banning children under 16 from riding Class 2 throttle-controlled ebikes; presumably, Class 1 ped-assist bikes are still okay.

The Sacramento city council was scheduled to vote on approving a quick-build bike lane program for the state capital. Something a certain megalopolis to the south could stand to emulate. 

 

National

A writer for Cycling News says skip the power meter, and use a heart monitor instead — even if it’s ugly and sits on your chain collecting grease. Or better yet, skip them both and just enjoy riding a bike if you don’t race for a living.

A legal website calls out the deadliest and safest states for bicyclists, as well as offering strategies for how to make things safer. Good news and bad news — California didn’t make either list. 

Bike riders in Houston protested the removal of concrete armadillos along a formerly protected bike lane; they had intended to form a human bike lane, but moved to the sidewalk when police threatened them with criminal sanctions. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up. 

You’ve got to be kidding. An Illinois county board member was cited for a lousy crosswalk violation, despite leaving the scene after hitting a little kid riding a bicycle with the walk signal; she ended up driving herself to the police station, claiming she was confused and didn’t know what to do. Seriously, if you don’t know that you’re supposed to stick around after a crash — especially after hitting a little kid — you shouldn’t be driving. Or in office, for that matter. 

New York State will begin an ebike voucher pilot program in Ossining offering up to $1,000, with plans to eventually expand to the greater Hudson River region. Apparently, the rest of the state can keep paying retail. Unless you know a guy with a few that fell off a truck. 

 

International

An English man was left shaken after he tried to recover his bicycle from the young thieves who grabbed it outside a bike shop; he was chased, threatened and beaten, but somehow ended up with his bike.

Researchers in Sweden and Iran have developed a better shock-absorbing material that contracts bilaterally, resulting in bike helmet liners that provide better protection from head injuries; because it’s 3D printed, it can also be custom crafted to fit individual heads.

Forbes says add sunny Morocco to your bike bucket list.

An exploring website says the story of the bike-touring Chinese grandmother calls out the problem of “silver tourism,” as China caters to older tourists, while most Western country’s don’t.

A Kiwi website credits the extensive bike lane network Christchurch built after the city was devastated by a 2011 earthquake for its high rate of bike riding, using the damage as an opportunity to re-envision its streets. Something else a certain SoCal megapolis could learn from after the recent fires.

 

Competitive Cycling

Belgian police raided the home of a doctor previously “affiliated” with a professional cycling team, after noticing “atypical prescribing behavior” that raised the possibility of doping practices. But the doping era is over, right? 

 

Finally….

Apparently, bike lanes make it hard to visit long-closed libraries. Now you, too, can take your final bike ride after you’re gone.

And if you’re not inclined to walk your bike up an incline, maybe you should be.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

$2000 e-cargo bike voucher for San Gabriel Valley residents, and San Diego man seriously injured in hit-and-run

March 10, 2025 / / Comments Off on $2000 e-cargo bike voucher for San Gabriel Valley residents, and San Diego man seriously injured in hit-and-run
Day 69 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

Forget California’s semi-moribund, scandal-plagued ebike rebate program.

At least if you live in the San Gabriel Valley, anyway, where you can apply now for a $2,000 voucher to buy an e-cargo bike.

But hurry, because applications have already been received for half of the 300 available vouchers.

Photo by Kaboompics.com from Pexels. 

………

Police in San Diego are looking for the asshole hit-and-run driver left a man riding a bicycle lying in the street with serious injuries.

The 46-year old victim was hospitalized with spine, collarbone and rib fractures following the Friday night crash in the city’s Clairemont Mesa West neighborhood.

Police are looking for a red 2015 to 2017 Volkswagen Jetta, with damage to the front bumper. Anyone with information is urged to call Traffic Division of the San Diego Police Department at 858/495- 7823 or call CrimeStoppers anonymously at 888/580-8477; there’s $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

………

This is who we share the road with.

A disgruntled customer drove his cars into a Carmax showroom in Inglewood, injuring at least eight people.

Thanks to Erik Griswold for the heads-up.

………

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

Seriously? Santa Clarita residents lit up the phones at the sheriff’s station to report “a caravan” of juveniles riding a mix of bicycles, ebikes and dirt bikes, despite a complete lack of reports indicating the kids were doing anything wrong.

An Italian pro cyclist suffered a dislocated shoulder and broken ribs in a pair of back-to-back attacks when he was threatened, pushed off his bike, punched in face and hit with rock in what appeared to be completely unprovoked assaults by motorbike riders, as he finished a training ride with his brother.

………

Local  

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton digs into the numbers, and finds that highway widening conducted by Metro and Caltrans in Los Angeles County were responsible for 96% of California’s home demolitions for freeway expansions in recent years.

 

State

Irvine’s second annual CicloIrvine open streets event will roll on May 3rd.

A San Diego nonprofit is encouraging homeless people to ride a bike, and will give them a refurbished bicycle, along with a helmet, lock, lights, saddlebag and some maintenance items after they’ve completed 100 miles on a bike; 76 people have completed the program to earn one in the last five years.

In a Santa Barbara op-ed, a man makes the case for changing the city’s ordinance prohibiting sidewalk riding, arguing that bike riders shouldn’t have to contend with high-speed traffic on the streets. Bicyclists should have the option, even though studies have shown the apparent safety of sidewalks in an illusion, as reduced sight lines actually increase the danger for people riding on the sidewalk.

The question isn’t why Cupertino’s city council voted to approve new protected bike lanes on one of the city’s most dangerous corridors, but why two of the five council members voted against it.

A want to be like him when I grow up. A Turlock paper remember a former octogenarian fitness role model, who didn’t let diabetes and neuropathy interfere with his love of bicycling; Ray Houlihan was 93 when he died following a brief illness.

 

National

Escape Collective drops their usual paywall to discuss why most bikemakers are hiding a key indicator of how their bikes handle.

In a story only for their subscribers, Bicycling makes the case that high-end bicycling gear probably isn’t worth the cost. So much for their high-end ad accounts. 

Seattle could be on the road to Vision Zero, as preliminary data shows the city cut pedestrian deaths in half last year — and had no bicycling deaths. Which shows what can happen when city leaders actually give a damn and do something. 

Speaking of Seattle, the city opened a new two-mile bike path along the waterfront as part of an $805 million project to revamp the Puget Sound shoreline, starting with removal of a highway that used to block access to the coast.

Life is cheap in Colorado, where a teacher got one lousy year behind bars for killing a ten-year old boy riding a bicycle while driving distracted, just minutes from my bike-friendly hometown; the boy’s parents are fighting for tougher penalties for killer drivers. And if you ever wonder why people keep dying on our streets, this is a good place to start.

A man in San Antonio, Texas was sentenced to 50 years behind bars for whacking a man with a beer bottle to steal his bicycle, leaving the victim blind. Which is 12.5 times more than you’d get for killing someone with a car in California. 

Boston Magazine explores the fallout from the Boston bikelash, as surprisingly fierce opposition has risen to the city’s new bike lanes, with one pizza shop owner asking who would ever take a pizza home on a bicycle. Funny he should ask.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has told DC Mayor Muriel Bowser that the city’s street murals are dangerous, and gave them 30 days to identify “roadway noncompliance” and develop a plan to deal with them — even though they’ve caused zero crashes, and studies show street art makes roads safer. A Republican lawmaker also threatened the city’s transportation funding if they didn’t paint over a “Black Lives Matter” mural.

 

International

Bike Radar ranks the best British islands to add to your bike bucket list.

A pro mountain biker, bike journalist and a mountain bike coach discuss gender equality in mountain biking for International Women’s Day.

Life is cheap in Canada, where a dump truck driver got a lousy $1,000 fine for killing a woman riding a bicycle in a right hook.

Life is almost as cheap in the UK, where a woman will spend a lousy one-year behind bars for killing a 57-year old father as he was riding a bicycle, while she was texting and reading Facebook behind the wheel, in what prosecutors termed a “prolonged episode of bad driving.”

After 484 days in Hamas captivity, an Israeli ex-hostage says riding his bike feels like freedom. Which is probably something we all can relate to.

 

Competitive Cycling

Three-time Tours de France, Giro and World’s champ Tadej Pogačar showed he’s human by crashing at Strade Bianchi, saying he “actually showed I’m pretty shit” — then made the case for why he’s not by coming back to win, turning his previous seven one-day Monuments to eight.

Britain’s Tom Pidcock said it was bittersweet finishing second to Pogačar, after waiting for Pog to recover from his crash, then being unable to hold his wheel at the finish.

The eight-stage Paris-Nice got off to a tense start, with Belgium’s Tim Merlier taking the first stage in an all-out sprint; meanwhile, Jonas Vingegaard started the race with his very own personalized helmet.

An 18-year old Aussie man won a spot on the Canyon–SRAM zondacrypto development team by taking first place in the Zwift Academy’s virtual competition, calling the opportunity “life-changing.”

Despite a well-earned reputation for bullying people when he was competing, America’s only seven-time ex-Tour de France has been there for British eight-time Olympic medalist Bradley Wiggins since he retired nearly a decade ago, helping him recover from a drug problem and deep debt.

 

Finally….

Fixing a bike for the toddler WorldTour development squad. And we may have to deal with LA’s feral drivers, but at least we don’t have to ride between wild bobcats.

@lookitsblackdynamite

#bobcat #lynx #fyp #animals #nature #foryou #cat #explore #trending #viral

♬ Love You So – The King Khan & BBQ Show

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

Overregulating ebikes with nonexistent regulations, and neurodivergent Glendale boy now missing after bike ride

February 18, 2025 / / Comments Off on Overregulating ebikes with nonexistent regulations, and neurodivergent Glendale boy now missing after bike ride
Day 49 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Is the late, great Golden State going too far when it comes to ebikes?

A writer for CleanTechnica makes exactly that case, arguing that California is overregulating ebikes by prohibiting riders from using the sidewalk and banning throttles.

Instead she suggests the real solution is to improve safety by building protected bike lanes and dedicated bike highways, while improving infrastructure to keep cars, fast bikes and pedestrians apart.

In this case, banning e-bikes from sidewalks while not making safe space for riders somewhere else is the thing being pushed. Children who died because an inattentive driver ran them over aren’t going to be made more safe by banning them from having electric assist, and if anything, this punishes victims. Banning throttles doesn’t stop the practice of “ghost pedaling,” and doesn’t stop people from being able to go fast by pedaling at bit in a high assist mode. These “feel good” policies just don’t make much sense.

But, let’s assume for the sake of argument that these policies make any sense. If we want to save that one life, we have to think about all of the lives lost to emissions. If emissions could be reduced, thousands of people could be saved every year from heart disease, respiratory problems, and cancer. Saving a handful of lives that could be saved in some other more narrowly-tailored way at the cost of keeping the emissions murder machine going by discouraging e-bike ownership simply doesn’t make sense!

Where to even begin.

I’m all for better bike infrastructure and improving safety for everyone on our streets.

But there is no statewide effort to ban ebikes from sidewalks. Even if I agree that a bike that can do 20 mph or more with little or no effort shouldn’t be mixing it up with pedestrians, though stopping short of a total ban.

Instead, numerous municipalities have prohibited ebikes from being ridden on sidewalks, which is their privilege under state law, just like they have the option to ban or allow other bikes.

However, they don’t have the legal right to prohibit them from local streets or bike lanes, where they are allowed under state law.

I also haven’t seen any attempt to ban throttles, though I would like to see higher speed, throttle-controlled ebikes reclassified as something between an ebike and an electric motorcycle, akin to a mo-ped.

Cities in California also have the ability to ban ebikes for children under 12, which seems prudent, since many lack the judgement and motor skills to control something that can go up to 20 mph, or often higher.

But so far, the state has been remarkably hands-off in regulating ebikes, for the most part appearing to take a wait-and-see approach to permitting their use.

For better or worse.

Meanwhile, Dutch researchers have concluded that “The debate over the conflicts between fatbikes, mopeds, and bicycles overshadows the real problem: cars get too much space.”

Which is probably something most of us can agree on.

Photo by Max J from Pexels. 

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Police in Glendale are looking for a 12-year old boy with autism and ADHD who went missing on a bicycle ride on Sunday, after he was last seen in the 1600 block of Rock Glen Avenue, near Eagle Rock Plaza.

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Bad news from unincorporated Del Rio, north of Oxnard, California, where a young kid described as just 10 to 13-years old suffered major injuries when he was cut off by a driver while riding his bicycle at an uncontrolled three-way intersection.

He was not wearing a helmet, even though a bike helmet is required for anyone 17 or younger under California law. Which for once actually matters, since he suffered injuries to his head and eye.

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Metro will host a virtual public meeting this Sunday to consider first mile/last mile connections to the upcoming NoHo to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit line, or BRT.

Although you’d think they’d know enough not to schedule it during Sunday’s CicLAvia, which they also sponsor.

Here’s how Walk Bike Glendale describes it.

Metro is improving transit across LA County, and we need your help! The North Hollywood to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project will connect Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena, improving access to jobs, schools, and other key destinations. As part of this effort, Metro is developing a North Hollywood to Pasadena BRT First/Last Mile Plan, to help connect transit riders to the future BRT stations.

“First/Last Mile” refers to the first and last part of a rider’s journey where riders walk, bike, or roll to or from their nearest transit station or bus stop. Whether you walk, bike, or roll, we want your thoughts on improving safety and convenience around four selected stations.

Your input can shape enhancements like:

  • Street trees and landscaping
  • Sidewalk and crosswalk improvements
  • Lighting, seating, and other amenities
  • Bike lanes and bike parking

What’s Happening?

LA Metro will present draft First/Last Mile recommendations for the streets surrounding the future BRT station at Central Ave/Lexington Dr. We want to hear your feedback!

Date: Sunday, February 23rd, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Location: Zoom

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

No bias here. The New York Post says complaints over drivers blocking fire hydrants have skyrocketed — and somehow finds a way to blame bike lanes for “gobbling up” parking spaces. Rather than blaming scofflaw drivers for, you know, breaking the law. 

No bias here, either. A Welsh city has pulled the plug on plans for a “vital” segregated bike lane after residents complained the $1.8 million project would be the “biggest waste of money.” Because evidently, protecting human lives just isn’t worth what amounts to a piddling sum in most roadway budgets. 

British bike riders lashed out at the “vitriol and lies” being spread about active transportation advocates, after drivers accused the local council of forcing bicycling on communities.

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Local  

LAist remembers iconic UCLA parking meister Donald Shoup, who died last week at 86, although the parking reforms he fostered will live on in cities and towns around the world.

 

State

This is who we share the road with. Encinitas wants to harden a traffic circle on the Coast Highway near an elementary school to keep speeding drivers off the sidewalk, after averaging over one crash a month for the last 18 months — most involving drunk drivers.

 

National

Mountain bikers in Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument could be required to stick to designated trails and off-road vehicle routes under a new proposal from the Bureau of Land Management. Although with the current federal staff reductions and budget freezes, there may be no one to stop you.

Huh? Police in McKinney, Texas ruled that there was no criminality in the hit-and-run crash that killed a 14-year old boy, after deciding that the driver did stick around, after all. So either the driver was there or wasn’t, which doesn’t seem that hard to figure out.

Bike riders in Jersey City NJ fear a state grant intended to improve bike safety will instead be watered down to favor people in the big, dangerous machines.

I want to be like him when I grow up. A 94-year old man in an Atlanta suburb has earned the name “Bicycle Man” by refurbishing and giving away bicycles for the past 13 years, while riding a bike himself up to his 92nd birthday; his father rode one into his 90s.

 

International

Momentum considers just what cities give up by surrendering to car culture by removing bike lanes.

A British website billing itself as “the ethical choice” says making pedestrians and bike riders wear beacons to alert inattentive drivers to their presence is just driving us to dystopia while threatening both.

This is who we share the road with, too. A 21-year old English man was convicted of murder for intentionally running down an ebike rider, chasing the victim after becoming enraged by his wheelie-popping showboating, just to teach him a lesson. All while appointing himself judge, juror and executioner — literally. 

The rich get richer, as newly bike-friendly Paris is installing “grands feux vélos,” aka traffic lights specifically designed for bicycles, on a major bike route through the heart of the city. It’s also worth remembering that the dramatic transformation of Paris to a 15-minute city promoting bicycling and walking began little more than a decade ago. 

Cops in Spain’s Canary Islands are trying to figure out what happened to a British tourist who was found dead on the side of the road where he had been riding his bicycle, with no evidence he’d been struck by a driver.

More sad news from Spain, where authorities appear to have found the body of American expat Matt Opperman, who disappeared while mountain biking last month; searchers found his van near Castillo de Segura de La Sierra shortly after he vanished, but no sign of Opperman until this week.

A writer for Electrek returns to China’s Bafang factory for the first time in five years, and is surprised to find a massive, modern R&D and manufacturing site that now makes the entire drivetrain for many of the world’s ebikes.

 

Competitive Cycling

Former Tour de France champ Egan Bernal’s hard-fought comeback from a near-fatal training crash is on hold for now, after breaking his collarbone in Andalusia, Spain’s Jaén Paraíso Interior Classic.

Britain’s Geraint Thomas decides to call it a career after this season; the former Tour de France winner and Olympic gold medalist has been racing for nearly two decades.

Finally…

Riding outside trumps indoor cycling, even in winter. That feeling when mountain biking down a volcano is enough to end your thrill-seeking days for good.

And a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it slap at New York ebike riders.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for forwarding the clip. 

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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