BikinginLA

We had a great, if very long, bike ride through the Westside yesterday. I’d planned to write about that this morning, but those of us in L.A. have been blessed with perfect riding weather and I have no intention of wasting it, so bear with me and I’ll get back to that later.

Meanwhile, Michael of the Claremont Cyclist offers some great photos and thoughts on the ride, including a shiny new LACBC membership, while Bicycle Fixation’s Richard Risemberg says the ride offered a reason to get involved.

That reminds me. If you’re looking to save money, the LACBC offers a discount on memberships at the Sunday Funday rides the first Sunday of every month. And that gets you a discount at a number of the area’s local bike shops; I used mine to get 15% off a pair of bike shorts at Cynergy on Saturday.

Or you can become a member by volunteering with the Coalition; contact the LACBC for more information.

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Neighbors are heartsick over the death of San Diego cyclist Ben Acree on Saturday, while the press is — finally — starting to report the story more objectively. Of course, that doesn’t stop the usual bike-hating trolls.

Then again, does anything?

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You’ve got just over two weeks to ask for bike access through the VA grounds and the Los Angeles National Cemetery. Before 9/11, cyclists used to be allowed to ride through the cemetery grounds, providing a safe, fast alternative to dangerous high-traffic Westwood streets.

And for those behind the Orange Curtain, the Newport Beach Bicycle Safety Committee will meet at 4:30 pm Monday with guest speaker Charlie Gandy, Long Beach Mobility Coordinator; thanks to Frank Peters for the news. Meanwhile, Long Beach may be ready to repeal their illegal bike licensing program.

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Contrary to common perception, the New York Times says the city’s streets are among the safest in the country — unless you happen to travel on two wheels, as bike deaths increased a whopping 50% in 2009; that’s still less than the 26 deaths in 2006, though. No word on how many motorists died as a result of all those killer scofflaw cyclists the local press — or an influential Congressmen — has been hyperventilating over recently.

And as it turns out, NYDOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan shares my views on accidents:

“We need to stop thinking about these as accidents,” Ms. Sadik-Khan said. “An accident suggests that it happened by chance. These are crashes that happen by human error, by bad choices, and they are avoidable.”

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L.A.’s new point man in Sacramento helped bring the Bicycling Hall of Fame to Davis before taking his new post; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads up. The Claremont Cyclist takes a driver to task for being unwilling to take two seconds to save a life. Santa Monica ranks highest in its category for bike and pedestrian collisions; is it because of ninja cyclists and careless peds? Considering the poor infrastructure and bad drivers I’ve encountered there, probably not. Gary goes car free, again. Examined Spoke asks if bikes are more like cars or pedestrians. Now you can play Oregon Trail in the real world, or at least what passes for it here in L.A. GT recommends a better ear bud. Downtown News looks at plans to remake the Figueroa Corridor. CicLAvia is looking for a media consultant. Here’s a hint — don’t ride through a red light when you’re on parole and carrying drugs.

LovingTheBike looks at the way of whey. Lies, damned lies and bicycle statistics. I’d spend the extra ten bucks for one of these. Kill a cyclist, find a sympathetic judge, get 78 days. In a rare outbreak of common sense, a Salt Lake bike advocate says planning for street cars and bikes will work a lot better if they’re planned together. The Idaho Senate shoots down three-foot passing and anti-harassment laws; Wyoming rapidly follows suit. Riding in the aftermath of the great blizzard. The Manhattan DA bends himself into knots to find a reason to let the driver in a fatal dooring incident off the hook. DC pedestrians and cyclists urge more and better enforcement. A heartwarming story of local residents pitching in to get a new bike for a dancing former special needs student and part-time traffic guard. Popular cabaret singer Mary Cleere Haran was killed Saturday in Deefield Beach FL, when her bike was t-boned by a car exiting a driveway; link courtesy of George Wolfberg.

Euro cyclists are urged to write their European Parliament members to support a bill that would eliminate blind spots on large trucks; we could use that here. Fewer parking spaces mean lower emission rates. Brits are urged to ride their bikes on streets that could kill them, which could explain why bike deaths and serious injuries are up while the overall death rate is down. Is it smart to dial and ride? Uh, no. A UK writer says let’s get rid of that whole idea that we’re vulnerable road users. British cops fight crime with two wheels, three elephants and lemon curd. Crowd sourced advice on what to do for cycling knee pain. Video of the world’s most effective bike lock. The great debate over whether fixies need brakes reaches Down Under. Ghost bikes have spanned the globe, but evidently not in Christchurch.

Finally, in a case of rampant irrational NIMBYism, after a car skids off a bridge in icy weather, local residents see that as proof that a putting bike lane on the bridge would lead to more deaths because — wait for it — the sight of bikes behind a separated barrier would be too distracting.

Note to drivers: if the mere presence of a bike on the road would cause you to lose control and drive off a bridge, you really don’t belong behind the wheel.

In light of AOL’s $315 million HuffPo purchase over the weekend, I’d like to note that I can be bought.

Seriously.

The LACBC is sponsoring its free 2nd Annual Family Holiday Bike Ride Sunday starting at 4 pm in the Larchmont Village area, including a possible visit from Santa Claus; word is the ride will go on rain (likely) or shine (not so much). And if you need gift ideas for the rider on your list, they have a few suggestions.

Courtesy of DC comes word that Team In Training is hosting a cycling training program geared towards a century ride next spring in Lake Tahoe, with a preview this Sunday at 3 pm in Newbury Park.

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Speaking of rain, if you’re going to ride in this weather, remember that puddles can hide potholes, so slow down and try to go around them if possible. And drivers will have a harder time seeing you with fogged-up rain-streaked windshields, so look out for them — because chances are, they won’t be looking for you.

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The Vail newspaper says the judge failed to judge in the case of a high-income driver who claimed he ran down a cyclist and fled the scene because he was overcome by the new car smell. Meanwhile, Vail takes the blame for it, even though the collision occurred in a nearby town and the DA who let him off the hook doesn’t even live there.

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The Wall Street Journal has a detailed report about the money men behind America’s success in international cycling over the past few decades, who helped build what was arguably the best team in the history of pro cycling — and how their efforts ended in acrimony and scandal; link courtesy of George Wolfberg.

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Final candidate list for the March City Council election — Stephen Box in, Glenn Bailey out. LACBC celebrates progress for a new bike-friendly Westwood development. A San Diego area theatre professor died of an apparent heart attack while riding his bike Saturday morning. Santa Rosa replaces traffic circles with stop signs on a planned bike boulevard, on the questionable theory that drivers will actually observe them. San Francisco cyclists and drivers both need an attitude change to usher in what should be a golden age of bicycling in the city. Cyclelicious shares his biking Christmas ornaments. A three-term member of the League of American Bicyclists’ Board of Directors resigns, saying LAB no longer serves the needs of its members. Maybe the solution to encouraging more urban bicyclists is building cycling superhighways. Riding a bike can unify your life. Taking a page from soccer, cyclists can now give drivers a yellow card. A Denver firm buys a membership in the city’s bike share program for all its employees. UK cab drivers say take the money budgeted for cycling and spend it on fixing potholes, instead. A cyclist is afraid to ride again after getting hit for the second time in two years. An Aussie rider says if you can’t sing while you cycle, you’re riding too fast. Singapore drivers complain that maintaining a 1.5 meter – approx. 5 feet passing distance would mean actually slowing down while passing; yeah, life is hell sometimes.

Finally, A Canadian journalist says complaints about cyclists stress the limits of sanity, while a Montreal writer tells a bike-hating sportscaster to stop picking on cyclists, you kook.

A 55-year old Covina man apparently died of natural causes while riding his bike on Saturday. The man, who has not yet been publicly identified, was found lying unresponsive in Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park in San Dimas.

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Writing on HuffPo, a physician calls for a mandatory helmet law for all cyclists, motor and otherwise. While I strongly favor helmet use — but oppose making it illegal not to — I’d like to know where he got the unsourced statistic that bike helmets reduce traumatic brain injury (TBI) by 95%.

He also fails to mention that falls are the leading cause of TBIs in the U.S., followed by traffic collisions, hitting or getting hit on the head, and assaults. Or that 45% of injury-related deaths occur in and around the home.

Clearly, the solution is to mandate helmet use for everyone, 24/7.

You know, just in case.

And in another example of America’s obsession with bike helmets, a North Carolina cyclist is killed riding without lights after dark.

Oddly, the reporter focuses on her lack of a helmet, which may or may not have helped, but ignores the obvious risks posed by riding without lights; after all, if she’d been using lights, whether or not she had a helmet might not have mattered.

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Tour de France champ Alberto Contador claims to have proof his failed drug test was the result of eating tainted meat, and insists he might just quit cycling if he’s banned.

Meanwhile, the World Anti Doping Agency tells Spain don’t go easy on him or else. And ex-Tour de France champ Floyd “I swear I’m clean and would never, ever dope — oh wait, yeah, I guess I did” Landis says clenbuterol is common in the peloton and guilty riders are protected. Is it just me, or is Contador’s “clear me or I quit” attitude actually starting to make Floyd Landis look good? Or like less of a pathetic lying jerk, at least?

Or maybe not the only one, anyway.

In other pro news, politics may play a role in the investigation into Lance Armstrong, and rising star Taylor Phinney may focus on the road classics rather than track events, and may defend his world pursuit crown

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The Times discovers the local bike polo scene. Gary reports on cycling issues at last week’s SaMo City Council meeting. A Castaic woman gives thanks that her husband is still around for Thanksgiving, even if he is in the hospital with serious injuries following a hit-and-run. Claremont Cyclist explains why pelotons function the way they do, and captures Thanksgiving morning in Claremont. Being able to bike to work isn’t the only thing that makes San Louis Obispo the happiest place in the U.S., but it clearly doesn’t hurt; thanks to Stanley for the heads-up. Santa Maria sends its proposed bike plan back for revisions. A Vacaville writer says two wheels are as chic as four. The death of a German tourist in San Francisco last August has been ruled vehicular homicide.

Once you go clipless, you never go back. In a bizarre case, an Oregon cyclist blows through a red light, crashes into a car and rides off — only to be found later stripping to his underwear. My hometown runs a holiday Bikes for Tykes program to recycle unwanted bikes for at risk children; something that L.A. might want to consider copying. Dottie offers her typically lovely bike-centric view of winter’s arrival in the Windy City. As if cyclists didn’t face enough risks, a Tennessee trail rider stops to look at a squirrel and gets bitten by a rattlesnake. Stumbling on a 1944 Swiss Military bike in Boston. In a clear case of the press just not getting it, a NJ cyclist gets doored, but the local paper says he crashed into the truck’s door; technically true, but kind of misses the point. Washington DC’s new-found commitment to bike infrastructure is making the city easier to get around; evidently, though, the city’s new bike share program has a top secret station that requires security clearance. A hit-and-run DC cyclist sends two pedestrians to the hospital, one in critical condition.

Cycling England touts the health benefits of cycling to medical professionals. Apparently, even a video recording of a motorist’s threat isn’t enough to get a prosecution. Women make up just 25% of the people who participate in London’s bike share program; one politician says it’s because of traffic and too few places to clean up. Talking bikes with noted designer Paul Smith. A 10-year old Brit boy invents a device to warn drivers about bikes on the road.

Finally, what I want to find in my stocking this Christmas.

This weekend’s can’t miss event marks the marriage of fun, bikes and beer as New Belgium Brewery’s Tour de Fat makes its first L.A. stop on Saturday, October 23rd from 9 am to 5 pm at Downtown’s Los Angeles Historic State Park.

Sunday, October 24th, Sony sponsors their bikeless, but probably still fun, Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon, which means the closure of several Downtown area streets.

Explore the effects of bicycles on art and culture at Re:Cycle — Bike Culture in Southern California, at U.C. Riverside’s newly relocated Sweeney Art Gallery at the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts, 3834 Main Street in downtown Riverside, exhibition continues through December 31st.

Glendale will host meetings to get public feedback on the proposed Safe & Healthy Streets Plan on Monday, October 25 at the Glendale Central Library Auditorium, and Wednesday, October 27 at the Sparr Heights Community Center; both meetings will run from 7 pm to 8:30 pm.

The first public hearings for L.A.’s proposed bicycle anti-harassment ordinance takes place at the City Council Transportation Committee at 2 pm on Wednesday, Oct. 27th at City Hall; a second hearing takes place on Monday, Nov. 1st before the far less bike-friendly Public Safety Committee.

Friday and Saturday, November 12th & 13th, celebrate the city’s favorite cuisine by riding your bike to the LA Tamale Throwdown sponsored by the Eastside Bicycle Club at Our Lady of Guadalupe church in Rose Hill; free bike valet sponsored by Flying Pigeon LA bike shop.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on Saturday, November 13th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park

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Everyone is praising next year’s Tour de France route; then again, that’s what they said about the last one before half the peloton crashed in the first week. Veteran rider Jens Voight follows the Schleck brothers to their new team for next year’s pro tour. After being cleared on a doping charge, Italian rider Franco Pellizotti considers legal action against the International Cycling Union (UCI); meanwhile, the Court of Arbitration rules UCI does not have authority to fine banned rider Alexander Vinokourov.

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Streetsblog says Public Safety Committee Chair Greig Smith won’t stand in the way of the proposed anti-harassment ordinance; on the other hand, some people think he doesn’t quite seem to get it, either. Gary makes his endorsements for Santa Monica City Council. Three cyclists will end a cross-country ride to raise awareness of child sexual abuse in Santa Monica on Sunday after nearly two months on the road. Pick the best recent roadside PSA. Famed L.A. photographer Gary Leonard offers his take on CicLAvia. Courtesy of the Claremont Cyclist comes word that L.A. will have its own Gran Fondo next year on a date to be determined. Video of an epic tall bike fail; evidently, it happened right here on the Westside at L.A. Brakeless. New Newport Beach Police Chief Jay Johnson talks bikes with members of the local cycling community. Bad bike parking in San Diego, contrasted with some that actually works. Cal State Fresno attempts to solve bike parking problems on campus with a bike barn. Just in time for Halloween, a haunted Sacramento bike shop. Giving bike corridors priority in pavement repairs.

Problems with the nation’s largest local bike organization evidently go far beyond firing, then rehiring, the executive director. Portland has a new bakfiets-based mobile bike service station. Seattle Transit offers graphic evidence that bike crashes go down as ridership goes up. An Albuquerque driver — and motorcycle safety instructor — is accused of intentionally running over a cyclist. Dozens of old autos, 449 horses, 10 covered wagons, 3 oxen, and 5 jackasses — and no, they weren’t the ones on the bike. A pajama-clad cyclist is charged with domestic battery, resisting arrest and riding without a headlight. For the second time in just six weeks, a cyclist is fatally doored in New York City; the driver received a summons for “unsafe exiting.” Just because a bike path is on the map doesn’t mean it’s actually a bike path. A reminder from the NYDOT why the speed limit is set at 30 mph; maybe we should try that out here where speed limits are just suggestions. Brooklyn has its own version of the Wilbur Ave road diet controversy; pro bike lane demonstrators outnumber those against 4 to 1. A nice story about bicycling for the blind on tandem bikes. A bicycle bakery in Burlington, Vermont. Remembering a Boston cyclist killed in a collision. Zeke takes a ride through the autumn Carolina countryside.

Evidently, it’s open season on cyclists in Canada, since killing two riders only costs $2000 and your license for two years. An Ontario cyclist is seriously injured when a dog walker lets go of the leash. Could this strange contraption really set a land-speed record for wooden bikes? Oxford cyclists fight back against a proposal that could create a hostile environment for cyclists. A motorist and cyclist come to blows after the rider somehow comes in contact with the vehicle’s side mirror. A profile of Taiwan’s Giant bicycle brand, while the island nation’s first professional bike race is cancelled by a typhoon. Does Mark Ronson’s The Bike Song represent the death of hipsterism?

Finally, BikeRadar offers scientific evidence that just about everything you thought was bad for you will help your riding. So go ahead and drink, swear, eat chocolate, flirt and have sex.

But if you’re biking to do a drug deal, don’t take your kid with you.

Click to enlarge

Another busy weekend in the world of bikes —

The final hearing for the proposed bike plan is scheduled for 10 am Saturday, October 2, in Van Nuys.

The Long Beach Green Port Fest takes place on Saturday, October 2, with bike valet and guided rides to the event departing every 45 minutes, as well as a guided pre-event bike tour beginning at 9 am.

The free AltCar Expo continues Saturday the 2nd at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium from 10 am to 5 pm.

Free bike skills workshop for parents, teachers and students at 1 pm on Saturday, October 2nd at John Adams Middle School in Santa Monica. Also Saturday, Linwood E. Howe Elementary School in Culver City will host a bike repair and education workshop from 10 am to 1 pm.

The second Folk Art Bike Ride rolls on Sunday, October 3rd at 12:30 pm, starting and ending at the Craft and Folk Art Museum at 5814 Wilshire Blvd. The easy, 6.5 mile route stops at several restaurants, galleries and cultural centers along the way; the first one got rave reviews, so don’t miss out.

A very full agenda as the L.A. Bicycle Advisory Committee meets on Tuesday, October 5th at 7 pm at the Community Room of the Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall.

Explore the effects of bicycles on art and culture at the Grand Opening of Re:Cycle — Bike Culture in Southern California, October 7th – 9th, at U.C. Riverside’s newly relocated Sweeney Art Gallery at the Barbara and Art Culver Center of the Arts, 3834 Main Street in downtown Riverside. A reception will be held from 6 – 10 pm Thursday, October 7th; the exhibition continues through December 31st.

L.A.’s first CicLAvia takes place from 10 am to 3 pm on Sunday, 10/10/10 along a free seven-plus mile route through Downtown, MacArthur Park and Hollywood; walk, bike, skate, dance or just hang out. Note: Santa Monica’s ciclovia, which had been planned for the same day has been postponed for now; thanks to Eric Weinstein for the heads-up.

New Belgium Brewery’s Tour de Fat makes its first L.A. stop on Saturday, October 23rd.

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Italian racer Giorgia Bronzini wins the women’s world elite road race championship, defeating Marianne Vos and Emma Johansson in a final sprint. Australian — and new Rabobank — rider Michael Mathews wins the under-23 world road race championship over John Degenkolb of Germany; Taylor Phinney ties for third in a dead heat with Canadian Guillaume Boivin.

European journalists say the evidence in Contador’s doping case points to an illegal blood transfusion. Next up in the seemingly endless parade of banned bike racers is Spain’s Margarita Fullana after testing positive for EPO; even Ivan Basso’s sister is banned for dealing in prohibited substances. Armstrong’s teammates say if he doped, they didn’t see it.

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The LACBC has several volunteer opportunities coming up this month. Gary says if you belong to AAA, you’re part of the problem. Evidently, cyclists aren’t the only ones who want to reclaim the streets. The Ballona Bike Path gets a facelift through Culver City. It isn’t illegal to smoke while walking on the bike path in Santa Monica — but isn’t it illegal to walk on it? Authorities plan a crackdown on distracted driving this Tuesday, while Claremont Cyclist looks at what can happen as a result; amazingly, police consider the death of one of their own an accident, even though it occurred off the actual roadway. Those mobile billboards blocking the bike lane may soon be a thing of the past. Learn how to ride fast — like No Whip, who explains what it’s like to compete in this weekend’s Furnace Creek 508 mile race through Death Valley and environs.

Cycling lawyer Bob Mionske looks at the hit-and-run epidemic. The average award in bicycle injury cases is $279,970, but before you cut in front of that SUV, bear in mind that the plaintiffs prevail in just 41% of court cases. Home buyers are looking for bike accessible properties. A Phoenix cyclist says he doesn’t like to undertake cars in the bike lane, even if that’s what the signs suggest. A New Mexico writer calls for greater democracy at the League of American Bicyclists. The Texas driver responsible for killing a married couple as they rode their tandem — as well as one of the most heartbreaking photos I’ve ever seen — faces trial for two counts of criminally negligent homicide. Dallas authorities are urged to ban bikes from a popular bike trail after a jogger is critically injured in a collision with a cyclist. Before and after photos of protected bike lanes on a major Missouri River bridge. An Indiana police officer was officially on duty when he was killed by a driver while riding just minutes after the end of his shift. As of Friday, Maryland is the latest state to have a three foot passing law, while Norman OK considers one of its own; isn’t it time that California was next? A cyclist waiting for the light to change dies in a pinball collision, becoming the sixth Tampa Bay cyclist killed in just weeks; could Florida’s no-fault insurance law be a contributing factor in that state’s high rate of bike and pedestrian deaths? An introduction to bike boxes, which Seattle drivers seem to hate.

Ten bad riding habits and how to break them. Northern Ireland plans a state-of-the-art world mountain biking center. British police crack a one-man bike theft ring responsible for snatching at least 70 bicycles. A London writer claims to have sort-of invented the hybrid bike. A UK cyclist moves from Paralympic swimmer to Commonwealth Games cyclist. Biking from London to Paris without getting lost — or wet, presumably. Cambridge faces a rash of road raging cyclists ramming their bikes and fists into cars; I suppose it’s not possible that drivers are simply hitting them.

Finally, the Wall Street Journal says foldies are officially cool. But wouldn’t the ideal commuting bike have a built-in briefcase?

Of course it would.