Tag Archive for Irvine

Watch for smoke near Simi Valley, RoS meets LA Traffic Violence State of Emergency, and good bills die young in CA legislature

May 19, 2026 / / One comment

Before we get started, thanks to Kyle for sharing a candidate questionnaire prepared by the South Bay Bicycle Coalition for city offices in Torrance. 

Out of the nine candidates they contacted, four responded. It’s going to take me some time to format the questionnaire and their responses, so I’ll try to share it as a separate post later today. 

Let me applaud them for making the effort. Others have attempted similar surveys here in Los Angeles and surrounding communities, with varying degrees of success. It’s hard to get candidates to pay attention these days, let alone take the time to answer. 

I used to question candidates for my home council district, but as more money from special interests have flooded local races, the responses dwindled to roughly none. 

Okay, exactly none. 

So a nearly 50% response rate is pretty damn good. 

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If you’re in the Simi Valley or West San Fernando Valley areas, keep your eyes on the skies for the next few days.

The Sandy Fire has swelled to 1,300 acres, which could affect where you ride. But more important, it can affect the air you breath if you happen to find yourself downwind of the flames.

Wildfire smoke contains tiny particulates and toxins that can cause lasting harm, and affect your lung health for days, if not weeks, afterwards — let alone the possibility of damage that can last for years, if not a lifetime.

As a bicyclist, your ability to draw in strong and healthy breaths are of vital importance, providing a lifelong benefit.

It’s not something you want to take foolish chances with.

And yes, that includes smoking, too.

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As far as I’m concerned, tomorrow night mark’s one of the most important rides of the year.

The annual Ride of Silence takes place in cities around the world to remember those lost to, or injured by, traffic violence.

It’s a time to honor those victims — and we have a lot this year — and to call for traffic safety improvements. So that someday, the last person killed on our streets really will be the last person killed on our streets.

This year, we also call on Los Angeles city leaders to declare a Traffic Violence State of Emergency, after the complete and total failure to implement, let alone achieve, Vision Zero over the past decade. So if you haven’t already, sign the letter.

Then contact the mayor and your councilmember to demand action on safer streets.

Now.

And if they won’t do something, vote for someone who will.

Here are all the RoS rides I know about this year. If you know of any more, let me know and I’ll post them tomorrow.

Bakersfield
Contact: Louis Bravos   <–Send email
Distance: 8 mi
Notes: Meet at Café Smitten downtown 909 18th Street at 6:35. We will read names of riders to remember and the Ride of Silence poem with enough time to gather and start in silence at exactly 7:00 PM in brotherhood with all Ride of Silence events in our time zone.
Los Angeles
Contact: Rafael Hernandez   <–Send email
Distance: 10 mi.
Notes: Contact the organizer for more details.
Palm Springs
Contact: John Siegel   <–Send email
Distance: TBD
Notes: 2026 Ride of Silence

Wednesday, May 20, 6:30 pm, Ruth Hardy Park, Palm Springs
Pasadena
Contact: Thomas Cassidy   <–Send email
Distance: TBD
Notes: When
May 20, 2026, 6:15 PM – 8:30 PMWhere
Rose Bowl (Lot K), Parking lot, Pasadena, CA 91103, USA
Rancho Cucamonga
Contact: Cycling Connection Nancy Michalski    <–Send email
Distance: 13 mi.
Notes: Details here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/2842469792752657

Redding

Contact: Doug Holt   <–Send email
Distance: 8.8 mi.
Notes: Ride starts at Shasta Bike Depot 1322 California St. Redding.
Start time 7:00 PM. Public parking on south side of Bike Depot.

An additional Ride of Silence will be held in Long Beach, according to Bike Long Beach.

Ride and Walk of Silence

Organized by Car-Lite LB, community members, advocates, families, and local leaders will gather at Trolley Park at 2nd and Redondo on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM for the Ride of Silence, a worldwide memorial event honoring the lives lost and forever changed by traffic violence in Long Beach and beyond.

The gathering will provide a space for remembrance, reflection, and solidarity while calling attention to the urgent need for safer streets for everyone — including people walking, biking, using mobility devices, and driving.

Afterward, pedestrians and cyclists will walk and ride westbound on 2nd St to Bixby Park and from there head to Bluff Park for a candlelight vigil overlooking the ocean.

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Speaking of the victims of traffic violence, Christian forwarded news over the weekend that an 87-year old man was killed by a driver while riding a mobility scooter in Irvine Thursday night.

According to the Irvine Police Department,

On May 14, 2026, at around 8:30 p.m., the Irvine Police Department (IPD) responded to a traffic collision involving a Tesla SUV and an 87-year-old man using a mobility scooter at the intersection of Irvine Boulevard and Groveland.

IPD and Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) immediately responded and attempted life-saving measures; however, the man was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Tesla was transported to a hospital for minor injuries and is cooperating with investigators.

Preliminary information indicates the driver of the Tesla was traveling westbound on Irvine Boulevard with a green signal light, while the man on a mobility scooter traveled northbound in the crosswalk at Groveland when the collision occurred. DUI is not believed to be a factor in the collision.

Let’s repeat that.

The victim was an 87-year old man who needed a mobility scooter to get around. But cops somehow had to blame him because he couldn’t clear the crosswalk fast enough for a driver who couldn’t manage to avoid someone on a mobility device directly in front of them.

I mean, it’s not like Teslas come loaded with cameras and collision avoidance systems, or anything.

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Streetsblog offers a recap of the transportation bills that bit the dust at the state legislature at the first deadline, as well as the handful that managed to move forward.

And some very good bills died an ignominious death.

To wit,

  • AB 1557 would have limited the motor output of ebikes sold in the state to a maximum of 750 watts, aligning it with federal definitions; however, a similar bill (SB 1167) is still alive in the Senate.
  • AB 1833 would have allowed drivers voluntarily opt into insurance telematics, with privacy protections, to allow insurance rates to better align with actual behavior, so safer drivers could pay less.
  • AB 1976 would have streamlined planning, construction and protection of pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure across the state.
  • The good news is, AB 1942, which would have required owners of Class 2 and Class 3 electric bicycles to register them with the DMV and display a special ebike license plate, is dead — for this session of the legislature, anyway.
  • And SB 1035 would have suspended the state gas tax and other fuel charges for one year, which would have been a disaster for highway maintenance.

Among the bills moving forward,

  • AB 1546 increases penalties for repeat DUI offenders to bring California law more in line with other states.
  • AB 1662 would allow drivers who avoid fines through a court-mandated misdemeanor diversion program to still receive points on their driving record.
  • AB 2276 would have created a statewide pilot program requiring reckless and excessive speed offenders to install active intelligent speed assistance devices in their vehicles before they could regain driving privileges.
  • SB 1423 would steer half of State Transportation Improvement Program funds to projects to improve safety for people walking, biking, and taking transit, while also making the state’s top safe streets grant program easier for cities to access.

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Bike Long Beach invites you for Bikes and Coffee at the end of the month.

Toss in some donuts, and I’m in. Although for diabetics like me, that could be considered assisted suicide.

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LADOT wants you to check out the proposed final design for Pico Blvd between Crenshaw and Figueroa. And if “proposed final design” doesn’t tell you what’s wrong with LA’s process, I don’t know what will.

Twitter post

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Support the NoHo to Pasadena Bus Rapid Transit line tomorrow.

Twitter post

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ActiveSGV invites you to learn more about the El Monte Clean Mobility Nexus Program.

Twitter post

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Thanks to Megan for forwarding a pair of recent videos.

In the first, a Bay Area nonprofit exec is taking on the “grueling challenge” of Everesting in downtown Los Gatos to help fund a program that helps people transition out of prison, after losing $3.4 million in federal funding. And yes, you can thank Elon Musk and his chainsaw for that.

In the second, Italian TV reports on a crash that was barely reported here, as a driver slammed into a bike and a group of pedestrians, injuring eight people — four critically. Police were unsure if it was an act of terrorism, or just another “accident.” It’s also unclear if anyone was on the bike at the time.

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Just stunning.

Bluesky post

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

No bias here. An angry driver leaped out of his car to confront the UK’s Cycling Mikey, raging that “everybody hates you” for the bicyclist’s history of filming drivers illegally using their cellphones. Because the real problem isn’t distracted driving or even breaking the law, but getting caught.

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Local 

Secret Los Angeles looks forward to this summer’s CicLAvia—Meet the Hollywoods, connecting East and West Hollywood with seven miles of carfree streets this July. Although that skips over next month’s CicLAvia connecting Leimert Park with Exposition Park.

Metrolink will offer free rides for bicyclists on Thursday’s Bike Day, not to be confused with last week’s mostly ignored Bike to Work Day.

 

State

Forget traffic safety. The Laguna Beach PoliceDepartment led a multi-agency traffic enforcement operation that resulted in 140 citations — with a focus on loud and modified exhaust systems, while also netting three illegally modified ebikes.

The Pacific Beach Planning Group heard the case for opening a one-block section of Ocean Blvd to pedestrians and bicyclists on weekends, who already make up nearly 74% of all traffic for that section.

Bike riders in Santa Maria celebrated the city’s inaugural BiciChella event.

A German writer tours Specialized’s Morgan Hill HQ, and gets to see a military-style ebike customized for Arnold Schwarzenegger, and one made for Jason Momoa, “the actor from Aquaman.” Although I must have missed the sequence where he rides his undersea bicycle, effortlessly flipping through gearing on the fl…uh, swim.

 

National

Denver is opening yet another round of ebike rebates, though the amount has gone down to a max of $675, which can be combined with state rebates of $225. Which is about $675 more than Los Angeles offers, combined with $0 from California. 

A former Southern Californian is spending her retirement just a few miles from my Colorado hometown, putting over 10,000 miles on her bike. Or as I used to consider it back in the day, a good year. 

The Canadian National Railway agreed to sell an abandoned railroad grade for a new bike trail to connect Hurley, Wisconsin to Montreal. No, the other Montreal, about three miles away in Wisconsin.

A prothetic limb specialist in Saginaw, Michigan is attempting to address the global mobility crisis by fabricating prosthetic legs from old bicycle parts. Especially since wars in Ukraine, Iran, Sudan and other hotspots are increasing the need every day, with help from motorists.

Richmond, Kentucky will get its first singletrack course, in part because an 8th grade teacher and a bunch of kids in matching blue and orange jerseys stood before the city council to demand it.

A Florida triathlete was lucky to escape with road rash and a deep forehead cut when he got right hooked by a truck driver, despite riding in a completely coned-off lane.

 

International

Road.cc takes a deep dive into the Rover Safety bicycle, which they describe as the first commercially successful modern bike, introduced in 1885.

Um, okay. An “ebike fan” writes about his favorite bike helmets for the London Telegraph, and how to choose the best one. So next week, we can probably expect a “bike helmet fan” writing about ebikes.

No surprise here, as a new report says aggressive drivers are the main thing putting Irish women off bicycling. Aside from Irish men, that is. 

You may have seen this one before, but Steven forwards “a perfect example” of our car-centric roads from Swedish artist Karl Jilg.

 

Competitive Cycling

The 2028 Tour de France will move to the end of June to avoid a conflict with the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games, rather than the usual July start.

Portugese cyclist Afonso Eulálio continues leading the Giro as the peloton reaches the first rest day, though even he recognizes his time in pink is short, if not over.

 

Finally…

That feeling when you name a local hiking and biking trail to scare the tourists away. Who says you have to go butterfly hunting on your feet with a net?

And there may be more than water in that discarded water bottle you grab at the Giro.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

 

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

25-year old Costa Mesa man dies over a month after being bitten by a rattlesnake while mountain biking in Irvine

March 12, 2026 / / Comments Off on 25-year old Costa Mesa man dies over a month after being bitten by a rattlesnake while mountain biking in Irvine

Heartbreaking news from Irvine, where a man was killed while mountain biking.

From a snakebite.

KABC-7 reports that 25-year old Costa Mesa resident Julian Hernandez was riding on the Quail Hill Trail in Irvine on Sunday, February 1st, when he stopped to wait for a friend near the Quail Hill Community Center.

He lost his balance when he tried to adjust his shoe, fell into some brush and was bitten on the leg by a rattlesnake.

A report by KTLA-5 places the time of the bite at around 11 am.

Hernandez died in the hospital on March 4th, after falling into a coma and spending more than a month in intensive care.

He may have tried riding for help, according to KNBC-4. Even if he didn’t ride after the bite, the exertion of mountain biking could have caused the venom to spread faster.

However, a crowdfunding page put up by his family tells a slightly different story.

They say he was mountain biking with his dad when he stepped aside to let others pass on the trail, and was bitten by the snake.

According to the crowdfunding page,

We are a family that handed our son over to people we trusted and never got him back. Please help spread the word and the love of my brother, who was cherished by so many, and who impacted even more people than we can imagine. Raising these funds will help cover the costs of hospital fees, his memorial service, and any additional financial strain that arises from this ongoing situation.

Julian was a leader in his community. He was a son, a brother, a loving boyfriend, and a friend to everyone. We will pursue the truth about what happened to Julian and we will stand up for him. This is not about anger. This is about accountability. This is about making sure the next family that walks through those doors doesn’t live our nightmare. Julian loved hard, laughed loud, and made everyone around him feel like they mattered. He deserved better. Please help us fight for him.

It sounds like they are blaming the hospital or the physicians who cared for him for Hernandez’ death.

As of this writing, the page has raised more than $28,000 of the $123,000 goal.

The CDC reports that only around five of the 7,000 to 8,000 people bitten by venomous snakes each year end up dying.

Whatever the reason, he was one of us, and his death serves as a tragic reminder of the dangers of mountain biking, and the need to always be on the lookout for unexpected risks on any trail.

Even one close to the city.

This the 20th bicycling fatality that I’m aware of in Southern California this year; it also appears to be the first in Orange County.

And yes, it’s the first death by snakebite in the nearly 20 years I’ve been doing this.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Julian Hernandez and all his family and loved ones. 

Thanks to Megan for the heads-up. 

Photo by Pixabay.

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

Local LCI takes NPR bike/ped advice to task, San Bernardino sucks for biking and walking, and surreal NJ story gets more so

October 6, 2025 / / Comments Off on Local LCI takes NPR bike/ped advice to task, San Bernardino sucks for biking and walking, and surreal NJ story gets more so
Day 279 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

I received a lot of news links over the weekend that I didn’t have time to get to for today’s post.

So if you sent me something, don’t worry. I’ll try to catch up on everything tomorrow.

………

Longtime bike advocate, League Cycling Instructor, Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition member and NPR listener Colin Bogart gave the public radio network a piece of his mind.

Something I’ve had to stop doing because I don’t have many pieces left these days.

Bogart addressed a Life Kit article we touched on recently offering tips for bike and pedestrian safety, zeroing in on the problems with it much more effectively than I did.

Here’s just a portion of what he wrote.

I’m sure your intent was good, but there is so much we don’t do in our country to protect vulnerable road users that a piece like yours becomes victim blaming.  The advice isn’t inherently bad (well, some of it is), but in the context of how poorly we as a country prevent crashes, it becomes ridiculous if you don’t address drivers directly.

You mentioned in your piece, “DON’T put yourself in danger just because you have the right of way. While drivers are responsible for driving safely, road safety is everyone’s responsibility.” I could pick apart every single recommendation you gave, but this is the worst part of your piece. No bicyclist can ride on the road, no pedestrian can cross a street, without the expectation that one’s right of way will be respected. To then say that road safety is everyone’s responsibility ignores the imbalance between vulnerable road users and motor vehicle drivers. My responsibility as a bicyclist is NOT the same as someone driving a two ton vehicle capable of high speed. It simply isn’t the same. The responsibility of the driver is far greater. And that’s why we are required to have a driver’s license and insurance to operate a motor vehicle and we’re not required to be licensed to ride a bike or walk. But it doesn’t end with a license or an insurance payment. It extends to behavior on the road and drivers should be held to a much higher standard than they currently are. We’ve lost sight of the inherent differences between drivers and vulnerable road users by stating that we’re all equally responsible. That statement also doesn’t take into account children, the elderly, or people with disabilities. There should be more onus placed on licensed drivers, simply because the act of driving a motor vehicle creates the greater risk in the first place.

And yes, it’s worth clicking on the link to read the whole thing.

Preferably after reading the Life Kit piece, which seems pretty benign at first glance, until you give it a little more thought.

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Congratulations to San Bernardino on being named the nation’s fifth most dangerous city for bike riders and pedestrians, behind only Baton Rouge, Tucson, Las Vegas and Jacksonville, Florida.

On the other hand, Irvine and Santa Clarita deserve props for making the list of the top ten safest cities, led by New York and Boston.

Which will probably shock the hell out of New York bike riders.

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We keep learning more about the alleged intentional crash that killed two 17-year old girls riding an ebike in Cranford, New Jersey, just 18 miles from New York City.

He was allegedly driving 70 mph when he steered his car at the victims and slammed into them, nearly three times the posted 15 mph speed limit.

Authorities have not named the suspect because he’s still a minor. But that didn’t stop CNN and other outlets, naming a 17-year old boy who received 15 separate traffic tickets the afternoon of the crash, with details that line up with the accusations.

The New York Times says things took a surreal turn the night of the crash — as if the whole damn thing wasn’t surreal enough — when the alleged suspect broadcast live on YouTube.

“What’s going on everybody?” he said breezily. “We’re back with another stream and this one is going to be a little different from the previous ones.”

A few minutes later, he started to explain: “In a neighboring town, unfortunately, two girls were killed in a hit-and-run crash,” he said. “There has been a lot of misinformation going on over the internet. But I will say this: I wish my sincerest condolences to those girls, lost in that tragic accident.” He then said that he was “not authorized to talk about the whole thing,” and moved on.

No shit.

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Gravel Bike California goes riding with current gravel world champ and Paris-Roubaix winner Mathieu Van Der Poel.

Lucky bastards.

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

Life is cheap in Ukraine, where a 44-year old motorist was sentenced to a lousy 30 days behind bars for beating a Kyiv bicyclist unconscious, after the rider complained about his parking in a bike lane. Then again, they do have other things to worry about over there. 

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

A Singapore man riding an ebike killed an 88-year old woman by crashing into her as she walked in the street.

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Local 

Pasadena students are encouraged to walk, bike or roll to school on this Wednesday for National Walk and Roll to School Day.

 

State

A 70-year old man suffered serious injuries when he allegedly turned left in front of a pickup driver while riding his bike in San Diego’s Midway neighborhood.

A San Diego bike rider reportedly suffered a compound leg fracture when he was struck by a light rail trolley east of the Santa Fe Depot.

A 36-year old woman was busted for allegedly driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs for causing major injuries when she crashed into a 13-year old boy in Victorville.

Nearly 600 Palo Alto bicyclists rode to a local elementary school yesterday to promote safe rides to school and a more bicycle-friendly city.

 

National

A new 12-month randomized trial showed that fast bicycling can slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

NPR talks with retired US Ambassador to Ukraine George Kent about his cross-country bike ride to raise awareness and funds for the country’s war effort.

Police in Odessa, Texas arrested a man for beating a bike rider with a crowbar to steal his mountain bike.

Pittsburgh bike riders rode through the city to raise funds for local playgrounds in honor of an FBI agent killed in the line of duty in 1994.

A Hornell, New York man known locally as The Bikeman was honored as the city’s citizen of the year for donating 400 refurbished bikes so kids in need can ride; he’s donated 1,540 rebuilt bicycles over the past four years.

The witches are riding once again in Florida’s Delray Beach at the end of this month.

 

International

Results of a survey published in the journal Human Reproduction show that riding a bike with a padded saddle could reduce your chances of becoming a father, showing up to a 25% lower chance of getting a partner pregnant; riding a hard road saddle didn’t appear to have any effect. Which could cause a rush on padded bike seats among single straight men. 

Cycling Weekly says sometimes you’re better off not knowing about damage to your bike, suggesting willful ignorance for a stress-free ride, at least until something falls off or it stops working.

Cycling Weekly also recommends the best front and rear bike lights.

Momentum recommends “20 of the best under-the-radar cycling routes on the planet.” Because bicycling routes off the planet are just too hard to get to.

Bicycling and motorists groups each blamed the other for jumping a temporary red light in Oxfordshire, England, and who caused the greatest danger doing it. I know which one would get my vote.

London’s famed “Boris Bikes” bikeshare celebrated 15 years on the city’s streets with a photo contest, drawing photos showing the bikes at a wedding in Chelsea, a Coronation street party, St Paul’s Cathedral and a Regent’s Park sunset, among others.

A Welsh man ran a half marathon to raise the equivalent of nearly $27,000 for the air ambulance service that saved his life after he rode his mountain bike off a 70-foot cliff.

CNN talks with an English father and son who became TikTok stars after setting out to bike around the world, catching up to them on an off day in China.

Colnago teamed with Ferrari to build a $33,500 carbon-kevlar composite monocoque bike in the late ’80s. Or two, actually.

It’s happened again. A 22-year old British man was arrested for the alleged drunken crash that killed a 38-year old woman riding her ebike, then driving another eight blocks with her body embedded in his windshield before she finally fell out.

 

Competitive Cycling

European cycling teams tried once again, and failed, to beat Tadej Pogačar, as he soloed to victory in the European road championships with a 46-mile breakaway; Jonas Vingegaard was accused of not taking the race seriously enough by waiting too long to respond to Pogačar’s attack.

The bull has once again showed his horns, as 21-year old Mexican cyclist Issac Del Toro outsprinted Britain’s Tom Pidcock to win Italy’s 108th Giro dell’Emilia classic.

Noway’s Alexander Kristoff fell one short of 100 career wins before retiring, after injuries forced him to withdraw from Malaysia’s Tour de Langkawi when he crashed on the seventh stage.

 

Finally…

Nothing like bunny hopping all the way up the Eiffel Tower, one step at a time. Your next bicycle could measure just 3.34 inches — and yes, it’s fully functional.

And it’s probably not the best idea to get caught up in the middle of a grizzly bear chasing a herd of bighorn sheep.

……… 

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

Fed grant to close gap in Chandler path, UK groups issue bike manifesto, and coyotes absolved for biting Irvine boy

October 29, 2024 / / One comment
Just 63 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Good news for San Fernando Valley bike riders.

US Representative Tony Cárdenas presented Los Angeles officials with a ceremonial check for $650,000 to help close a 2.7-mile gap between the Chandler Bike Path and Orange Line Bike Path.

The federal grant will help create a continuous 20-mile-long combination of protected, separated and offroad bikeways between Chatsworth and Burbank.

Thanks to Lionel Mares for the heads-up.

………

Yes, please.

An alliance of the five largest providers in the UK’s cycle to work program has issued a manifesto to advance the country’s bicycle community.

The Manifesto for Cycle Commuting outlines a series of strategic proposals based on exclusive data commissioned through YouGov, including:

  • Enhanced safety measures: Urging the Department for Transport to include the needs of cyclists in its new Road Safety Review.
  • Improved infrastructure: Advocating for long-term funding to build safe and accessible cycling routes.
  • Expanded scheme access: Encouraging policy changes to include low-income earners and the self-employed in the Cycle to Work Scheme.
  • Support for e-bikes: Promoting the use of e-bikes as a key solution for older and long-distance commuters, while countering misconceptions about their safety.

Maybe we need to do the same thing over here.

Okay, no maybe about it.

………

Last week, we mentioned a a ten-year old Irvine boy who was reportedly bitten by a coyote while riding his bicycle on the way to school.

Now comes word that no coyote DNA was found on his clothing, suggesting that he was probably bitten by your basic, garden variety stray dog.

Thanks to Don Sanders for the heads-up.

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We keep saying it. Bikes are good for business.

Twitter post

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So that’s where “war on cars” came from.

Figures.

Twitter post

Meanwhile, a Canadian news site suggests the Ontario premier’s attack on bike lanes could be a smokescreen for more highway building.

A Toronto writer accuses Premier Ford of making life more dangerous for the city’s delivery riders.

And a writer for Canada’s conservative — small C — National Post says the left is losing the battle over bike lanes, “as it should,” because traffic flow is what matters most.  Bicycling is neither liberal or conservative, but should be a viable option for anyone, regardless of political leanings.

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Evidently, killing one of us just once isn’t enough for some drivers.

Twitter post

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It was man against machine Saturday, as Mathieu van der Poel defeated multiple world rally champion Sébastien Loeb in a head-to-head matchup.

Twitter post

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It’s now 313 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And a full 40 months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

While we can’t manage to get such a simple program off the ground, the UK’s Cycle to Work Program has helped over 2 million people buy bicycles to commute to their jobs, with much more to come.

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

Talk about not taking a crime seriously. Three Portland men face charges of charges of fourth-degree assault and reckless endangering for boobytrapping a bike path by stringing a spiderweb of wires across it, injuring a woman who unknowingly rode her bike into it. Maybe someday, someone, somewhere will actually prosecute people like that on terrorism charges for deliberately attempting to harm innocent people simply because they don’t like bikes.

No bias here. A conservative — again, small C — New York councilmember instructs everyone to be civil at a public meeting to to discuss a proposed bike lane, before nearly igniting a brawl by standing on a chair and shouting that opponents of the greenway should pick up and leave because their opinions wouldn’t be counted, before storming out.

No bias here, either. A Conservative — capital C — English councilor was criticized for a “reprehensible” rant arguing that “Lycra louts” who ride in the roadway instead bike lanes, which are often blocked or somehow substandard, deserve to suffer the consequences.

It’s a well-deserved three years and eight months behind bars for “very enraged” British motorist who deliberately rammed a 67-year old man off his bicycle, resulting in “serious, severe and long-lasting” injuries; he will also be banned from driving for nine years. Let’s hope drivers take license suspensions more seriously over there than they are here.

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

A Vietnamese website asks whether the problem of people bicycling on prohibited roads can ever be solved, arguing that “people disregard the law and ride bicycles on prohibited roads is considered an act that poses a risk of serious traffic accidents.”

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Local  

This is who we share the road with. A boy riding a minibike was killed in a hit-and-run after laying down his motorbike in a Koreatown intersection and getting struck by a driver, who fled the scene.

 

State

Calbike celebrates their 30th anniversary, while acknowledging that their work for safety isn’t finished.

Sad news from Berkeley, where an unconfirmed comment reports a bike rider was killed in a solo crash. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

An Amazon delivery driver was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run crash that left a 14-year old Castro Valley boy with minor injuries, and “demolished” the front wheel of the boy’s bike. However, the CHP didn’t seem very interested.

San Francisco unveiled a one-block long protected bike lane directly in front of city hall, while leaving the rest of the street what Streetsblog’s Roger Ruddick calls a “shit show.” Which is pretty much the definition of putting lipstick on a pig. Unless you’re into that sort of thing, of course. 

More sad news, as a 20-year old man was killed when he was run down by the driver of a semi while riding his bicycle in a Sacramento industrial neighborhood.

Megan Lynch also points to a Davis sidewalk to demonstrate how badly some sidewalk dining areas are done, leaving almost no room to get by — let alone walk a bike.

 

National

Turning old mountain bikes into new cargo bikes.

A writer for Cycling Savvy demonstrates how to tigger a vehicle detector embedded in the roadway. Which can be pretty damn complicated sometimes.

Bicycling offers the health benefits of riding an ebike. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t seem to be available anywhere else, so you’re on your own if the magazine blocks you. 

In yet another Arizona bicycling mass casualty event, a 21-year old Tempe was busted for crashing into a group of bicyclists, sending three people to the hospital. Although the three misdemeanor counts will likely result in a slap on the wrist, if that.

A couple of Arizona universities are collaborating on creating a virtual dashcam for bicycles, replacing the handlebar plugs with a camera and sensors to detect any vehicle passing within three feet, offering an audio/visual warning for the rider, as well as recording a video to capture the license plate of the vehicle, with a time and location stamp.

Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, the pistol-packing former bar owner kicked out of a “Beetlejuice” musical for getting too frisky with her date, is now taking aim at bicycling, inserting a provision in a GOP bill to remove the bicycling benefit for Dept. of the Interior staffers who bike to work.

A New York state judge put the brakes on a planned bike lane through an NYC industrial zone, after businesses along the route accused the city of bypassing a required environmental review.

 

International

Couldn’t have said it better myself. “If you design a city just for cars, you fail everyone, including the drivers.”

Oops. Evidently, the exact movements of world leaders — including Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris — can be tracked by the Strava apps of their bodyguards.

Momentum argues that bicycling delivers the freedom that cars can only promise.

Tragic news from Scotland, where a former rugby star died of a heart attack, just one day after completing a 1,000 mile fundraising ride; Ken MacAulay raised the equivalent of more than $18,000 for four different charities. He was 66.

She gets it. An Irish public health physician says we have to “wean ourselves off our love of large, fossil fuel-burning cars” if we’re going to meet climate and traffic safety goals.

Momentum says the Paris Olympics bicycle revolution offers lessons for Los Angeles, as well as other cities around the globe.

Even in the Netherlands, two out of five people are bothered by blinding bike lights. Which is why I angle mine down so they don’t shine in people’s eyes.

A star-struck Chinese man rode his bicycle over 8,000 miles from China to Saudi Arabia to meet soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo for all of one minute.

 

Competitive Cycling

Tragic news from British Columbia, where 41-year old two-time provincial cyclocross and national track champ Lindsay Burgess was killed in a collision with a pickup driver, who apparently strayed onto a poorly marked cycling race course.

A new documentary shows the reaction in the peloton when Mark Cavendish broke the record for most Tour de France stage wins.

Radio France questions the dominance of Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, implying something fishy is going on, since neither was outstanding as a junior cyclist.

A writer for Cycling Weekly questions where the country’s next generation of cyclists will come from if the Tour de France is no longer broadcast on free TV. Probably the same place they do on this side of the pond.

Velo offers the “ultimate” guide to this year’s gravel racing season.

Velo also says at 6’7″, NBA Hall of Famer Reggie Miller is breaking the cycling mold, which only motivates him to try harder.

 

Finally…

If you’re going to steal a bicycle in broad daylight, always wear a bike helmet so people will think it could be yours. Now you, too, can be replaced by AI — even on your bicycle.

And no, there’s nothing new about road rage or fighting over bikeways.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

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

Los Angeles: Not safe, but our drivers don’t suck as much as San Bernardino; and demand HLA bike lanes on Vermont

October 8, 2024 / / Comments Off on Los Angeles: Not safe, but our drivers don’t suck as much as San Bernardino; and demand HLA bike lanes on Vermont
Just 83 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

A new WalletHub report ranks the 180 safest cities in America, based on 41 metrics, including traffic safety.

Not surprisingly, no Southern California city made the top ten, although Irvine checked in at number 11.

Yes, Irvine, followed by Chula Vista, Glendale and Santa Clarita in the top 30.

Needless to say, Los Angeles wasn’t. In fact, the City of Angels came in all the way down at — no, keep going — 162.

A whopping 18 from the very bottom, at the top of the lowly 10th percentile.

On a related note, another survey — this one from Consumer Affairs — concluded that Victorville has the second-worst drivers in the US, surpassed only by Memphis, Tennessee.

But San Bernardino wasn’t far behind, at 4th.

Neither of which should surprise anyone who’s familiar with this site, where both appear far too frequently.

Oddly, Los Angeles came in at exactly the same position as the safety study, at 162. But this time, that’s good news, because it means 161 other American cities have worse drivers than we do.

As hard as that may be to believe.

On the other hand, it also means over 130 other US cities have better drivers.

………

In an update to yesterday’s lead item, Streetsblog says three meetings will be held over the next two days to discuss Metro’s proposal to add bus lanes — but no bike lanes or better sidewalks — to the Vermont Ave corridor.

Which means it’s your chance to put your foot down, and tell them to stop ducking their commitment to Measure HLA. And put in the damn bike lanes the mobility plan calls for, as they are now legally required to do.

Tuesday 10/8 and Wednesday 10/9 – Metro is hosting another round of community input meetings on its Vermont Transit Corridor project: long overdue improvements for a top ridership bus line. Streetsblog reviewed recent developments last week. Advocates are urging significant low-cost bus, walk, and bike upgrades for the entire ~12-mile project. Metro is looking at initially adding bus lanes for about half the corridor. Show up and let Metro know what you think. Three Vermont meetings this week:

It’s also a reminder that Streetsblog is usually your best source for the latest information on active transportation and transit meetings and activities every week.

………

Which kind of leads us into this next item, as Streets For All urges you to show up for Wednesday’s LA City Council Public Works Committee meeting, where our select electeds will consider proposals to halt automatic street widening, and require better quality bollards.

But for buildings, not bicycles.

Although maybe we could talk them into protecting us humans someday, too.

There are two important items (#2 and #3) at Wednesday’s Public Works Committee meeting; Item 2 would stop automatic road dedications that make our roads more dangerous and drive up the cost of housing, and Item 3 would protect buildings with quality bollards (we want the same protection for bike lanes!) In-person public comment is the most effective:
Public Works Committee
1:30pm, Wednesday 10/9
City Hall, Room 401
200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

If you can’t make it in person, send in your comments prior to the meeting.

……….

The City of Los Angeles offers a reminder about this Sunday’s CicLAvia, which returns to the Heart of LA.

https://twitter.com/LACity/status/1843380939394625754

And yes, SAFE will be there.

Twitter post

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Peter Flax answers the eternal question of why bicyclists don’t use the damn bike lane.

Twitter post

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Had to look it up, but yes, he really said it.

Twitter post

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Famed cyclist Danny MacAskill took his stunt riding skills to Adidas HQ — no, not just riding at it, riding on it.

And, uh, off.

………

It’s now 293 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And an even 40 months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

………

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

A local Indiana TV station somehow blames an 11-year old boy for running into the side of a moving car on his bicycle, without apparently considering the possibility that the driver cut off the kid or drove way too close to him.

Unbelievable. There’s a special place in hell for the hit-and-run driver who fled the scene with a bike-riding Avon, Connecticut high school student trapped on their car; the heartless driver stopped four miles away to push the badly injured teen off the roof the vehicle’s roof.

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

Police in Osaka, Japan are investigating how a drunk off-duty cop got ahold of the bicycle he threw at a moving taxi. And yes, why.

………

Local  

The sister of fallen bicyclist Danny Oerlemans is asking anyone with information about the two heartless cowards who needlessly took his life in a pair of Northridge hit-and-runs last month to come forward so he doesn’t become just another statistic; he was just riding his bike to get cat food when they ran him down and over, leaving him to die alone in the street.

SoCal Cycling considers how bicycles are revolutionizing the coffee business.

Proposed new signage for the Venice boardwalk makes it clear that no electric vehicles — ebikes, hoverboards or electric skateboards — or bicycles are allowed.

 

State

Calbike recaps the bicycling wins and loses from this year’s legislative session.

San Diego’s KPBS explains the county’s Measure G, which would add a half cent to the local sales tax to fund transportations projects, with the bulk going to public train and bus lines and operations, while flushing a quarter of the funds down the induced-demand inducing toilet. And apparently, nothing for bike lanes.

Evidently, young tourists love bicycling in the California wine country. But actually drinking the stuff, not so much.

 

National

A new grant program from State Bicycle Co. will provide cash, gear and yes, bikes to independent filmmakers to bring unique bicycling stories to life.

Bicycling looks at the best October Prime Day deals on bicycling gear. This one doesn’t seem to be available anywhere else, so you’re on your own if the magazine blocks you — but they probably won’t, because they likely get a piece of any clickthrough sales.

Arkansas has opened a new network of bikepacking trails, which can be combined to form routes up to 260 miles.

There’s not a pit in hell deep enough for whoever stole the adaptive bicycle a North Carolina teenager with autism and Down syndrome relied on to get to school.

 

International

Momentum wants to school you on how to lock up your bicycle. And how not to.

Bike Radar looks at the best cheap road bikes retailing for less than £750 — a little less than $1,000.

How to buy a cheap ebike this year, from government-backed loans to finding a good deal. Although this advice is for the UK, so California’s notoriously moribund ebike rebate program won’t hold you back.

Seriously? The investigation into the death of a Irish woman has been delayed for six months, so investigators can go to the UK because the software they need to view dashcam video belonging to the truck driver that killed her isn’t available anywhere on the Emerald Isle.

An architecture site examines what lead the Netherlands to become a bicycling Utopia. Which is a very odd way to put it.

 

Competitive Cycling

Good question. Cyclinguptodate wants to know why there are no American races on the UCI WorldTour.

Bicycling says Slovenian cycling star Tadej Pogačar isn’t the GOAT yet, but the cannibal should be watching his back. Read it on AOL this time if the magazine blocks you. 

 

Finally…

That feeling when you offer to help the gravel-grinding new cycling GOAT, and he drops you like freshman English. If your Halloween costume doesn’t revolve around a bicycle, maybe you should rethink it.

And if history had gone a little differently, you might be riding something like this today.

Twitter post

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

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

61-year old man dies 3 weeks after he was struck by a driver while riding his bike in Irvine; police blame the victim

August 24, 2024 / / 4 comments

Too often when someone is injured while riding a bicycle, we never hear any more about it.

This time we did. But the news wasn’t good.

According to multiple, virtually identical news reports, 61-year old Scott Andrew Morris died three weeks to the day after suffering a head injury in an Irvine collision earlier this month.

Morris was riding his beach cruiser north on MacArthur Blvd, in the onramp to the 405 Freeway, around 1:20 pm on Thursday, August 1st, when police say he suddenly turned to the left, crashing his bike into the passenger door and mirror of a massive Chevy Suburban SUV.

He fell to the ground, striking his head, and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died on Thursday.

The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

Morris was not wearing a helmet. Which is worth noting this time, since he apparently died of a head injury; however, we don’t know how fast the SUV was going, or whether the crash would have been survivable with or without one.

Although another possible explanation for how the collision unfolded is that Morris was forced to ride across a dangerous slip lane designed for high speeds, with no bike infrastructure or safety accommodations of any kind. And was sideswiped by the driver, who either didn’t see him or was trying to get around his bike as Morris tried to make his way across.

Something that could be supported by damage to the Suburban’s passenger-side mirror, which would have likely hit Morris first if the driver struck him, rather than the other way around.

The question is whether there were independent witnesses to the crash, or any video evidence, or if investigators simply took the driver’s word for it, since Morris may have been unable to give his version of events.

Anyone with information is urged to call Irvine Police detectives at 949/724-7024.

This is at least the 34th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eighth that I’m aware of in Orange County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Scott Andrew Morris and all his loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Update: 69-year old man killed crashing his bike into parked truck in Irvine bike lane; 11th SoCal bike death this month

August 23, 2022 / / One comment

Someone please make it stop.

For the 11th time in 22 days, a person riding a bicycle has been killed on the mean streets of Southern California.

This time in Irvine.

According to My News LA, the victim was riding on Alton Parkway between Technology Drive and Mauchly when he ran into the back of a landscaping truck parked on the side of the road at 7:25 this morning.

The victim, identified only as a 69-year old man, died at the scene.

The location places the crash east of Technology Drive, where I’m told that the truck was parked in a marked bike lane.

California law prohibits parking in a bike lane, although it makes an exception for public or private utility trucks — but only if there are warning devices displayed on the truck.

There’s no mention of whether the truck had its flashers on, or displayed warning cones or some other safety warning behind the vehicle.

It’s not as unusual as it might seem to ram into the back of a parked vehicle. There have been several cases in recent years, both here and around the US, where riders appeared to be focused on the road directly in front of their wheel, rather than on the roadway ahead, and ran into an obstacle directly in front of them.

It’s also possible that a passing car could have blocked him from leaving the bike lane, and he might not have been able to stop in time. Or he could have suffered some sort of medical emergency.

Unfortunately, only the victim knows what really happened.

Anyone with information is urged to call Irvine Police Detective Robert Solis at 949/724-7024.

This is at least the 61st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 13th that I’m aware of in Orange County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 69-year old Lake Forest resident James Henry McKane. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for James Henry McKane and all his family and loved ones.

Thanks to Bill Sellin and Lois for the heads-up.

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

Update: Bike rider killed in Irvine crash Saturday morning; victim identified as 26-year old Irvine woman

July 12, 2020 / / 29 comments

The bloodshed continued on Southern California streets, as yet another person was killed riding a bicycle, this time in Irvine.

According to the Orange County Register, the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was struck by a motorist somewhere near the offramp to the 405 Freeway at Jeffrey Road around 9:43 am Saturday.

Which makes it the fourth fatal SoCal bike crash in just the last five days.

The victim apparently died at the scene, with the coroner called 43 minutes after the crash.

There’s no description yet on the victim, or just how or where the crash happened. Although it appears to have been near the northbound offramp, since Jeffrey changes names south of the 405.

Meanwhile, someone was transported to the hospital with a leg injury. But again, there’s no word on whether that person was in the car, or if the driver may have struck someone else, as well.

Hopefully, we’ll learn more soon.

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

That follows the deaths of people riding bicycles in Monterey Park, Riverside and Desert Hot Springs since last Tuesday.

Update: The Orange County Coroner has identified the victim as 26-year old Irvine resident Barbora Kabatova. 

Even though the coroner was called to the scene, Kabatova actually died Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo nearly 30 minutes after the crash.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Barbora Kabatova and all her loved ones.

Thanks to Bill Sellin for the heads-up.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

70-year old woman killed in Irvine crash; 7th Orange County bike death this year

May 25, 2020 / / 15 comments

Orange County, we have a problem.

Just five months into the year, the county has already seen seven people killed riding their bikes.

The latest came this morning, when a 70-year old woman lost her life at the hands of motorist, who was barely mentioned in news reports.

According to the Orange County Register, the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was struck somewhere near the near the intersection of Portola Parkway and the 261 toll road around 9:59 am.

She was pronounced dead on at the scene.

There’s no word on how the crash occurred, or whether it happened on Portola or the 261.

The driver remained at the scene; police don’t suspect he or she was under the influence.

Victor Bale forwards word that the intersection is near the entrance to the Peters Canyon Trail.

According to Bale,

It’s a pleasant and popular trail in Orange County that can be used to head to Laguna Beach and Dana Point or further south to San Clemente or Oceanside. It also is used to lead to trails that go to Newport Beach’s back bay.

He added,

I’ve been at that intersection probably hundreds of times, typically riding on Portola over the 261 to reach the trail on the other side.

Unfortunately the story doesn’t tell us if she was exiting the trail onto Portola (can be sketchy and you need to be very careful) or if she was trying to reach the trail via Portola as I usually do.

Hopefully we’ll learn more after the holiday.

Anyone with information is urged to call Motor Officer Mike Bergstrom at 949/724-7212, ext. 2046.

This is at least the 21st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in Orange County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 70-year old Irvine resident Linda Smythe. 

Still no word on how the crash occurred; however, Orange County bike advocate Bill Sellin reports she was thrown 105 feet by the force of the impact, which suggests she was struck at a high rate of speed. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Linda Smythe and her loved ones.

Thanks to Victor Bale and Bill Sellin for the information. 

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

Update: 78-year old Bicycle Club of Irvine member killed in Laguna Canyon crash

September 26, 2017 / / 3 comments

Patch is reporting that there was a fatal collision involving a bike rider in Lake Forest this morning.

According to the site, the victim was riding with other bicyclists near the intersection of State Route 133 and Lake Forest Drive when he was hit by a car around 10 am this morning.

Identified only as an adult man, he was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

No other information is available at this time.

If confirmed, this would be the 45th bicycling collision in Southern California this year, and the seventh in Orange County.

Update: The Orange County Register tells a completely different story. 

According to the Register, a 78-year old man was killed when he crashed his bike into the back of a car parked on the right shoulder while riding south on Laguna Canyon Road around 9:51 am.

My News LA places the location near Lake Forest Drive in Irvine, as shown in the original map. 

The victim has not been publicly identified. 

Update 2: The victim has been identified as Gary Thomsen, a member of the Bicycle Club of Irvine. 

He was on the club’s regular Tuesday morning ride when he crashed into a Caltrans truck that was stopped on the shoulder, possibly after suffering a medical emergency. 

The group doubled back when they learned of the crash, and discovered a doctor had already stopped and was performing CPR, to no avail.

His neighbors Sandi and John Carpenter offered a remembrance and a photo of Thompsen. 

Gary and Fern were married for 54 years.  They have three children and two grandsons.

He was always athletic, played football in college, then began running and after
retiring from IBM he became an active cyclist.  He loved working on bikes and decided to go to the Barnett Bicycle Institute in Colorado Springs Colorado and be certified.  He volunteered at the Bone Adventure Dog Day Care Center  for many years.  He and Leigh loved to travel.

Gary being the kind, gentle person became our local go-to bike mechanic in the neighborhood as he was always willing to help.  He was dubbed the “Fix bike for a beer” man.

He will be deeply missed by many.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Gary Thomsen and all his loved ones.

Thanks to Lois and John for the heads-up; thanks to Bill Sellin for the update.

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