Tag Archive for just the links

Morning Links: SaMo bicyclist injured in hit-and-run, more holiday bike giveaways, and stupid criminal tricks

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Santa Monica Spoke’s Cynthia Rose forwards a report that a bike rider was injured in a hit-and-run at 20th and California around 6:30 pm Wednesday evening.

The 30-something victim was taken to UCLA with head injuries and bleeding, but was reportedly conscious following the crash.

No word yet on a description of the suspect vehicle.

Anyone with information should contact the Santa Monica Police Department.

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‘Tis the season.

The Pasadena Rotary bought and donated 200 bicycles for underprivileged kids.

Dozens of children of service members at Edwards Air Force Base will receive bicycles after it was determined their families could use a little extra help for the holidays.

The San Luis Obispo sheriff’s department gave 600 bikes to underprivileged kids after they were refurbished by inmates at the SLO Honor Farm.

Tennessee’s Bike Elf is working to provide bicycles for 109 children who asked for them on a Wishing Tree.

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Local

The LA Times reviews a documentary about a man suffering from Friedreich’s ataxia, who put a team together to compete in the Race Across America on a tricycle along with another sufferer of the neuromuscular disease.

A man slashed another Expo Line passenger on the neck and face with a knife following an argument yesterday afternoon, then made his escape on a dark-colored cruiser bike.

CiclaValley offers tips for riding in the rain. Oddly, given the weather as I write this, build an ark does not seem to be one of them.

The wife of fallen cyclist and teacher Rod Bennett has established a college scholarship in his name for Santa Clarita students who want to study music or music education. It takes a big heart to try to find some good in a tragedy like this by helping others.

 

State

San Clemente is ready to open a half-mile extension of Camino del Rio, including buffered bike lanes. Then again, given the usual high OC speed limits, a retaining wall might be more appropriate.

San Diego residents call for a kids’ bicycle park in discussions over a largely undeveloped park in the Tijuana River Valley.

Santa Barbara receives a $7.1 million grant to create two bike lanes that will provide a continuous east-west route across the city. Meanwhile, Los Angeles can’t even manage to create a continuous route from Downtown to the coast.

Police in Morgan Hill are looking for the public’s help identifying a suspect in a burglary at the headquarters of Specialized.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition expressed concern about driverless cars sharing the road with bicycles after witnessing Uber’s autonomous cars make unsafe right turns that could have right hooked a rider. Then again, bikes could be self-driving soon, too.

 

National

NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth is one of us, as he talks cycling with Bicycle Magazine.

A Seattle jury awards a bike rider a whopping $38 million after he was severely injured by a driver for a valet company taking an illegal short cut across two lanes of traffic.

The Tacoma Wheelmen bike club decides it’s time to change their historic, but outdated, name.

Smart move. Colorado’s economic development office is inviting prospective business leaders and venture capitalists to come out for a bike ride to promote the state’s business interests.

A Gulfport MS man will spent his life behind bars after shooting his uncle over an argument about a kid riding a bicycle in the street.

Fort Lauderdale FL officials are concerned about how to protect bike riders when a new streetcar line opens in 2021.

Once again, the most important detail is buried in the last sentence, as Chicago DOT officials agree to review a DePaul University study calling for adoption of the Idaho Stop Law.

Fed up with seeing his friends hit by cars, a Philadelphia bike rider used traffic cones to build his own DIY protected bike lane, which has remained in place for two years.

A Florida bicyclist is suing for multiple broken bones after he was attacked, but not bitten, by a vicious dog. Although the real story is, before he was attacked, the 83-year old rider was training to be a competitive cyclist.

 

International

Vancouver reveals how the city intends to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2040 under its Vision Zero plan.

What do you call an unprotected protected bike lane in Halifax, Canada?

London approves a plan to ban cars and trucks from an intersection near the Bank of England during daylight hours.

A $4,100 ebike stolen from a DJ outside the BBC’s studios turns up nine months later in Lithuania.

Caught on video: Britain’s Transportation Secretary doors a bike rider, but leaves without providing the contact info required by law — then turns around and criticizes cyclists a few weeks later. Thanks to Danny Gamboa for the heads-up.

A Brit driver screams in fright as a multiple GoPro-equipped bicycle vigilante catches her taking a selfie behind the wheel. Then again, if I saw that outfit coming my way, I might scream, too.

A new study on how to achieve Vision Zero has won a prestigious international road safety award in the UK; the study concludes the goal of zero deaths is demonstrably realistic, rather than utopian.

October’s world championships in Qatar is credited with boosting interest in bicycling in the Middle East.

Ambitious plans to double the number of bike riders in an Australian state by 2020 are going the wrong way, as the total drops by 20,000 over the last five years.

Bangkok’s metropolitan government makes plans to scrap some of the city’s bike lanes to make life easier for all those poor, put-upon people in cars.

 

Finally…

No, seriously. If you finally manage to escape after getting locked in the building you’re trying to burglarize, don’t come back to get your bike. If you’re going to conduct a bird-themed graffiti spree, don’t ride your bike with can of freshly used spray paint in your hand.

And LA riders may have to deal with bored drivers, but at least we don’t have to worry about wild boars.

Morning Links: Still more bike giving to celebrate the season, and PVE cyclists die in protest so others won’t

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‘Tis the season.

CicLAvia is giving back to the community, donating 15 scooters, 50 sneakers and 53 bikes so far.

San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System surprises 160 elementary school kids with new bicycles.

The Tulare County sheriff’s department gives 20 new bikes to kids who have excelled in school.

One hundred twenty Madera CA third grade students are surprised with free bicycles after thinking they were just getting a lesson in bike safety from the CHP.

A Colorado Whole Foods teams with a craft brewery’s charitable foundation to give 113 new bikes to disadvantaged elementary school kids at the opening of the new store.

A Chicago-area housing authority gave away 50 bicycles to children whose families might be having financial difficulties.

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World road champ Peter Sagan says clean cyclists could bring back sponsors to pro cycling, comparing the current testing regimen to being in jail with no chance to cheat without getting caught.

A Belorussian pro turns to the power of Twitter to save his cycling career after he was dropped by the Lampre-Merida team. After all, it worked for a certain president elect we could name.

American cyclist Joe Dombrowski wants to create an uphill hour record.

The Big Bear paper offers results of last Saturday’s California State Fat Bike Championships.

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Local

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton reports on the Palos Verdes Estates die-in on Tuesday to call for better bike safety in the exclusive community. Note the half-dozen cops standing watch in the background of the accompanying photos.

Cycling in the South Bay’s Seth Davidson observes that the die-in seemed to get a lot of support from passing motorists and pedestrians, but not so much with the city council. But as he points out, they’ll get the message the next time someone is killed, injured or harassed and decides to hold the city accountable.

CiclaValley is trying to scrape together parts to build and donate a Frankenbike to help get a young rider into road racing.

 

State

Three hundred chefs will ride 300 miles in three days next May, starting in Santa Rosa, to raise $2 million for the No Kid Hungry campaign.

Castroville gets a new bike and pedestrian bridge over the railroad tracks. And no, the town isn’t named after the Cuban revolutionary.

Uber’s driverless cars briefly take to the road in San Francisco before state regulators run them off. Although video of one of the cars running a red light proves they really do drive as well as humans.

Talk about burying the lead (or lede, if you prefer). A San Francisco website reports on Sunday’s distracted-driving hit-and-run death of a bike rider in Watsonville. But fails to mention the driver was booked for being the influence until the very last sentence, never mind that her license was already suspended for DUI.

 

National

Elly Blue writes there may be more common ground between sport and transportation bicyclists than it would seem. In my case, they’re one and the same, depending on where I’m going and why.

Trek could be recalling your Bontrager lights.

A Portland website takes a look at the new UPS ebike delivery trikes.

Dirt Rag strives to understand Floyd Landis, who briefly held the Tour de France title before it was stripped away for doping, and who now markets marijuana-infused products under the Colorado-based Floyds of Leadville banner.

An Idaho bike mechanic warns you get what you pay for when you buy a bicycle online. And not in a good way.

A Louisville KY bike rider describes what it’s like to be a victim of a hit-and-run after being left for dead by a heartless driver; he has no memory of the wreck or anything that happened before being found three hours later.

Chicagoist says tip your bicycle delivery person more when the weather sucks. Which should be tonight in LA if the forecast holds.

Pittsburgh business owners warn that a planned bike lane would ruin street parking and crush their businesses. Never mind that businesses usually thrive after bikeways are installed, despite any loss of parking spaces.

A Pennsylvania hit-and-run driver gets probation after his big-hearted, bike-riding victim forgives him.

A Vermont man faces charges after using a stun gun on a 14-year old boy to recover a bicycle he thought had been stolen from his friend a few weeks earlier; however, the boy had a good alibi, since he’d purchased the bike three months ago.

Cambridge, Mass gets two new separated bike lanes, the first of what will hopefully become a citywide network.

Someone has posted fliers urging drivers to call the city to complain about the loss of five parking spaces for a New York City bike lane. Even though it was only four. And even though people are parking in it anyway.

A Florida paper asks if the shade of some new green bike lanes is too jarring. Only if Hollywood producers get a look at it.

 

International

Toronto is lowering speed limits on 14 streets in an effort to save lives.

An English woman was left with multiple wounds after an apparently random attack by someone who rode his bike up behind her and hit her over the head with an unknown object.

An Edinburg website asks if a new line of high-end bikewear designed by cyclists could be the next Rapha.

A Northern Ireland website offers 16 gift ideas for the cyclist in your life. Or yourself.

A UK man saves himself from depression by taking up bicycling following a bankruptcy and divorce.

Madrid gives itself a pre-holiday gift by banning cars from the city center for nine days. The restrictions will end this Sunday, so hurry up and grab your passport.

Australian police are looking for a road raging cyclist who smacked a car, striking the hand of a 74-year old woman passenger, after the driver honked at him for being in the way. Once again, there’s never any excuse for violence, no matter how justified your anger may seem at the time.

A New Zealand cop won’t face charges for knocking a teenage boy off his bike when the boy swore at him, but will have to offer an apology to the boy and his family.

A blind Australian woman falls in love with bicycling after taking to the back of a tandem bike, finding it easier than she expected.

 

Finally…

Road rage is one thing; a driver armed with a machete is another. Even back then, Barack Obama was one of us.

And there are worse ways to spend three and a half minutes than watching some of the most bizarre bike ads ever.

Morning Links: Dying for safety in PVE, ‘tis the season for bike giveaways, and construction starts on MyFigueroa

Give so snark can live. Support the 2nd Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive today!

Don’t miss yesterday’s guest post by Delia Park and Kristie Fox about the die-in planned for today in Palos Verdes Estates, calling for Bikes May Use Full Lane signs to be installed in the exclusive, and extremely insular, city.

Meanwhile, Cycling in the South Bay points out there’s another vital item on the PVE council agenda to improve safety for kids walking to school. And offers a graphic example of what bikers really want.

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‘Tis the season.

San Gabriel Valley Rotary Clubs buy 200 bicycles to distribute to children ranging from toddlers to ten year olds.

Ninety Tustin 3rd grade kids are surprised with new bicycles courtesy of a San Diego bike non-profit; if watching video of the event doesn’t put a smile on your face, something is seriously wrong. Thanks to Melissa Pamer for the heads-up.

Members of a Del Mar high school water polo team refurbished 21 bicycles for needy kids with the help of a local cycling club.

A Palm Springs charity gives over 400 bicycles to deserving 4th graders nominated by their teachers.

One hundred volunteers with the Simi Valley Rotary assemble 250 bicycles to give to low-income families.

Trusties at a Louisiana sheriff’s department spend all year refurbishing bicycles for the department’s Christmas giveaway; in 23 years, they’ve donated over 3,800 bikes to area children.

Kindhearted Tampa Bay cops help an eight-year old boy finish a seven-mile fundraising ride just three months after learning to ride a bike; the ride raised money to purchase of bicycles for at-risk and foster kids, to go along with 750 bikes donated by the local NHL team.

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Bicycling’s Bill Strickland comes up empty handed in life-long search for the legendary Eddy Merckx Alphabet, only to learn it doesn’t exist. So he sits down with Merckx and Peter Flax to write one.

A new movie follows an Alaskan woman as she competes against her own father and other cyclists on the Anchorage winter bike racing circuit.

A report says a new indoor velodrome could make Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley the epicenter of cycling in the United States.

The California state cyclocross championship will be held in Bakersfield this coming weekend.

CiclaValley proves you can hit the dirt riding ‘cross and still make the podium.

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Local

The driver wanted for causing the crash that killed a five-year old boy as he was sleeping in his own apartment has turned himself into police; investigators found the boy’s letter to Santa asking for a new bicycle in the debris after the crash.

Construction has officially started on the long-delayed MyFigueroa Complete Streets project.

Adopting a Vision Zero plan to end traffic deaths in Pasadena by 2027 would require a significant shift in funding priorities.

The LACBC talks with Walk Bike Glendale’s Steven Nancarrow about riding in Glendale and this Sunday’s Holiday Bike Ride.

 

State

A 30-year old Vista bike rider suffered severe head injuries in a collision with a motorist Monday morning; police report the victim was not wearing a helmet. However, there’s no word on how fast the driver was going or whether it might have made a difference.

More bad news from Central California, as a 34-year old man was killed when his bike was rear-ended by a suspected drunk and admittedly distracted driver who fled the scene; she was stopped nearby, and faces multiple felony counts including hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

Once again, the failure to maintain surface streets proves costly in more ways than one, as Morgan Hill settles with a bike rider who was seriously injured after hitting a pothole.

Bay Area bike riders gather for a holiday lights tour in Alameda.

 

National

The Department of DIY strikes again, as Portland bicyclists use bales of hay to conduct their own road diet to show it would not significantly impact traffic.

A Portland man with special needs will get his stolen bike back after a six-year old spots it and leads police to the suspect.

A study from DePaul University shows that bicycles are usually the fastest way to travel between two points, and recommends adopting the Idaho Stop Law, including allowing cyclists to proceed through red lights after stopping when there’s no cross traffic.

A new 240-foot bike bridge connects two disparate parts of an Ohio town.

After getting a slap on the wrist for killing a Michigan bike rider, a convicted drunk driver is back in court asking for his license back so he get a job. Evidently, it’s not possible to walk or ride a bicycle to work in the Great Lake State, so everyone should just trust that he won’t do it again. Right?

New Jersey proposes adding questions about bike and pedestrian safety to the state’s driver’s license exam.

One of the runners-up for CNN’s hero of the year was Craig Dodson, a former professional cyclist who founded the Richmond Cycling Corps in Richmond VA, which uses bikes as a platform to help at-risk children.

An Orlando FL TV station highlights the risks of buying a bicycle in a box from Walmart or Target.

 

International

Cycling Weekly discusses 14 things that bicyclists can never seem to agree on.

In light of the rapidly oncoming holidays, Bike Biz offers a reminder of their remarkably in-depth, 20-part report on counterfeit bikes and parts, to help avoid finding some under your tree or menorah.

Toronto bike advocates are fighting a proposal to allow drivers with accessibility permits to temporarily stop in protected bike lanes if they’re loading or unloading someone with mobility issues.

A former member of Great Britain’s cycling team says bicycling appeals to obsessive-compulsive high achievers. Of course, it also appeals to people who just enjoy riding a bike, as well.

The Dutch Transport Minister proposes prohibiting bicyclists from using their smartphones while riding.

The Netherlands improves safety for cyclists by devoting road space to bicycles, while shifting motor vehicles to highways.

One in three bike riders in one Australian state admit to distracted riding and bicycling under the influence.

An Aussie writer gets it, saying if the sight of a bike rider makes you mad enough to affect your driving, you don’t belong on the road.

Another day, another drunk driving on a bike path, this time in Australia’s New South Wales.

A Malaysian bicyclist gets more than he bargained for when he stopped to take a selfie and discovered a body.

 

Finally…

Nothing like taking a flipping flip into the dip. Your next full-suspension mountain bike could have three front forks. Yes, three.

And if you’re going to break into a home to steal a gun and a bicycle, don’t leave tracks in the snow leading directly to you when you ride off.

Writing and maintaining this site is a full-time job. Your support, and that of our sponsors, enables us to keep bringing the freshest bike news to you every day, from LA and around the world.

Morning Links: Buffered bike lanes on Van Nuys, Arroyo Seco goes au naturel, and Bike Monkeys in Santa Barbara

Before we start, I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving, however you spend it.

There’s a lot I’m thankful for this year. But as always, at the top of my list is the gratitude I have for the readers of this site, and all those who support and contribute to it. It’s only because of you that I’m able to do what I love, and continue this conversation we started nearly nine years ago.

So thank you, sincerely.

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Local

LA’s Council District 7 celebrates the official unveiling of new buffered bike lanes on Van Nuys Blvd in Pacoima.

The principal of Hollywood High proposes paying for books by installing a digital billboard at one of the city’s most dangerous intersections, where 10 bike riders have already been struck by cars. After all, what’s one more distraction for LA drivers, right?

The LA River may not be the only local stream to be restored by the Army Corps of Engineers, as plans are announced to return the Arroyo Seco to a natural, free-flowing state.

Santa Monica will host the free Electric Bike Expo December 2nd through 4th at the Santa Monica Pier.

Next month’s LACBC Sunday Funday ride will celebrate LA’s remarkable religious diversity. A nice gesture in these troubled times.

 

State

OC cyclists are invited to burn off all that Thanksgiving stuffing at the 13th Tour de Tryptophan in Fullerton this Friday.

An accused distracted driver should learn her fate today for the death of a little girl and injuring another, after she drifted through a buffered San Diego bike lane and jumped the curb to strike them both earlier this year.

Santa Barbara’s Bike Monkeys keep 200 middle school students rolling on their school’s annual bike trips.

Bicycling Monterey reminds us that bike riders have a lot to be thankful for.

Palo Alto considers giving up police radar in order to avoid raising speed limits under the deadly 85th percentile rule.

Five-time Olympic swimming champ Katie Ledecky is one of us, as she learned to ride a bike before going to Stanford, where freshmen students are not allowed to have cars; she also assembled bicycles for Bikes for the World while in high school.

It takes a real jerk to steal nine bikes worth up to $2,000 each from the Napa High School Cycling Club.

The Davis bike and pedestrian coordinator offers tips on how to safely share a multi-use path.

 

National

The Vision Zero Network looks back at Sunday’s World Day of Remembrance for traffic victims. Speaking of which, the organization is looking for a new Policy & Communications Director.

Cyclelicious reminds us that your favorite bike kit may have contributed to help Make America Great Again, since many of the top performance fabrics are owned by the conservative Koch Brothers. Which means if you want to boycott them, you may have to ride naked.

No bias here. After a transgendered woman wins an Arizona bike race, a right wing website complains about how unfair it is to make women compete against a “biological male.”

A new Tucson AZ foundation is devoted to supporting low-income female professional cyclists. Which would be most of them, unfortunately.

A Wyoming cyclist raises over $20,000 for charity by riding from Cheyenne to Orlando, FL.

A Texas cyclist becomes the first woman to ride a penny-farthing across the US.

Bighearted Missouri residents band together to buy a new customized bike for a special needs boy after his was stolen, replacing it before he even knew it was missing.

Sad news from Detroit, where a police officer was shot by a bike rider after he stopped the cyclist; the five year veteran is in critical condition.

Upstate New York officials force the family of a fallen cyclist to move his ghost bike because it was a whole three feet too close to the roadway.

A Savannah GA website says the city is becoming a destination for high-end bike tourism, but it’s going the wrong way when it comes to bike friendliness. Meanwhile, when a cyclist was struck head-on by a hit-and-run driver who drifted onto the wrong side of the road, a local paper somehow felt the need to remind cyclists they have to obey the law, too.

 

International

A British Columbia letter writer says don’t lower speed limits when there’s no alternative to driving; build sidewalks and bike paths instead.

Caught on video: A Brit bike rider captures a first-hand view of crashing into the turning car that cut him off, with his bike spinning in the air as he falls to the ground and the driver speeds away. Yet the newspaper still asks readers who was to blame. Seriously?

London’s deputy mayor for transport says the city’s new mayor is on the side of cyclists, and is committed to being the most bicycle-friendly mayor the city has ever had. Then again, it’s not a cycle superhighway if no one bothers to maintain it.

A British investigative news site reports dozens of people convicted of dangerous driving have walked free, while no one in the UK has received the maximum sentence for the crime.

A 16-year old cyclist from the UK continues to rise despite being diagnosed with diabetes three years ago; he’s received an offer to ride for the all-type 1 Team Novo Nordisk next year.

More absurdly misdesigned bikeways from the United Kingdom.

Spend your next vacation on a wildlife bike safari in Tanzania.

An Aussie coroner calls for a safe-life limit on bike parts, after a cyclist died when the carbon fork on his bike collapsed due to an undetectable flaw in the steering tube, even though his $4,000 Trek was only nine years old.

 

Finally…

Why use your hand to draw a turkey when you can use a bike? It’s one thing to keep your eye on the ball; another to carry it on your head for 64 miles.

And instead of the usual call for bicyclists to have licenses, maybe we should insist drivers do.

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holiday-fund-drive-with-type-2Come back over the holiday weekend, when we may have a guest post or two, and possibly a update for the weekend.

And save the spare change from all your shopping for the return of the BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive starting this Friday, to help keep SoCal’s best source for bike news coming your way every day.

Now get out and ride your bike. And stay safe out there.

Morning Links: New signs for unclear cops, a Lankershim Great Streets pop-up, and Paris Seine traffic goes “poof”

Thankfully, we have a little lighter news day today after yesterday’s massive post. So put your feet up, relax a little, then get out on your bike.

Or better yet, get out again, if you already did.

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Local

LA tries out a new sign on the Sunset Blvd/Cesar Chavez Ave bus lane reading Buses Bikes & Right Turns Only, after an LA Country sheriff’s deputy told a bike rider he couldn’t use a bus only lane on Wilshire Blvd despite being directly under a sign reading “Bikes Okay.”

A new movie refutes the myth that nobody walks, bikes or uses transit in LA.

CiclaValley asks you to come out for the Lankershim Blvd Community Pop Up and bike ride on December 3rd, part of the mayor’s Great Streets initiative. The street was supposed to have bike lanes by now, but they were blocked by former councilmember Tom LaBonge, who preferred to keep the street less than great.

Despite the misleading headline, Burbank expects to finish construction of a new bikeway along the Western Flood Channel by summer of 2018; work won’t even begin until the end of next year.

 

State

Hesperia residents tell the city what they want, which includes bike lanes.

More bad news from Central California, as the CHP is looking for a hit-and-run driver after a cyclist was found lying in the roadway.

Kern County plans to use a $25,000 grant to educate people on bike and pedestrian safety. The question is whether they will use that money to tell the people how to avoid getting hit by cars, or tell the operators of the big, dangerous machines how to not run over innocent people.

A new Menlo Park program encourages residents to bike to shop through the end of the year.

San Francisco may allow ghosts bikes to remain for up to one year; meanwhile, the city plans to install parking protected bike lanes in the SoMa district. Which will hopefully result in fewer of the former.

 

National

According to the LA Times, infrastructure isn’t infrastructure in Trump’s new stimulus plan. And good luck getting bike paths built.

An Ohio driver will spend the next four years behind bars after killing a bike rider while high on coke, Fentanyl and morphine.

The 15-year old Baltimore boy who fatally stabbed a bike rider eleven times during a botched bike-jacking and robbery will be tried as a juvenile, while his slightly older co-defendants who didn’t hold the knife will face more time after being tried as adults.

 

International

Cycling Tips catches up with former world mountain bike champ Roland Green; the Canadian rider mysteriously disappeared in 2005 after a six-month suspension.

Canadian police bust eight bike thieves in just three days using a bait bike.

Ottawa, Canada went against the consultant’s recommendation in choosing a less-safe option for bike lanes in order to avoid inconveniencing motorists; three riders have already been hit by cars in the three weeks since they opened.

Toronto considers new rules allowing drivers to stop in separated bike lanes to load or unload someone with a disability.

London’s Evening Standard recommends the best nighttime views of the city as seen from a bicycle. Most of which I’m happy to say I’ve seen, though on foot rather than two wheels.

Britain’s treasurer reportedly offered to pay London’s mayor to rip out one of the city’s popular cycle superhighways that runs past the Parliament building. Apparently it’s not as popular with lawmakers and government officials as it is with people on bikes.

A writer for the Guardian says that maintaining the status quo on British streets may work great for motorists, but can force people to give up on riding and walking.

A member of an Irish cycling club will spend nine months behind bars after sexually assaulting an unconscious woman at the hotel they were staying in. Which hardly seems sufficient, but is better than his original sentence of nothing.

New Dutch rules will reclassify ebikes that can go up to 28 mph as mopeds, and require users to wear a special cross between a bike helmet and a motorcycle helmet. And since the new helmets won’t be available until February, owners will have to park their bikes until they are.

Berlin becomes the latest city to ban private cars from a major street; when Paris banned cars from the Right Bank of the Seine, half of the traffic simply disappeared instead of moving onto other streets.

Egyptian girls start a bicycling equality campaign to protest widespread intolerance and harassment of female riders.

According to the Guardian, Australia’s New South Wales government is winning its war on bicyclists, as draconian fines for minor offenses have driven riders back to their cars.

A 71-year old American cruise ship passenger has been killed in a collision with a truck while riding a bike in New Zealand.

 

Finally…

Squirrels don’t get mad, they get even. Yes, sometimes even Campy and Shimano get it wrong.

And if a Wisconsin thief had just stayed on his bike, he might still be robbing banks today.

 

Morning Links: Riding from LAX to DTLA, bike helmets may be bad for jaws, and biking through blobs

I know it’s just Monday. And a short, holiday week at that.

But we’ve got a lot of ground to cover here. So grab the beverage of your choice, and let’s get started.

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Gary Cziko offers bike cam video proof that it is possible to ride from LAX to DTLA without dying.

No, really.

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Your helmet may protect your skull, but your jaw is another matter. A new research study shows that bike helmets can significantly increase the risk of mandibular fractures (pdf).

In other science news, silkworms fed graphene and carbon nanotubes produce a new fiber that is super strong, lightweight and conducts electricity, opening the door for a whole new class of high performance clothing that could prevent road rash or light up on its own.

………

Seattle advocates placed 240 white silhouettes on the streets to remember victims of traffic violence on Sunday’s World Day of Remembrance; members of the Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition did the same in Boston.

New York bike advocates ride to honor fallen cyclists and call for better safety.

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In a truly heartbreaking story, an Ohio Marine sergeant died last month from wounds he suffered eleven years earlier in Iraq; after his return he learned to ride a bike, despite being paralyzed and unable to speak.

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Who’s faster? The mountain biker or the dog?

Then again, that depends on the mountain biker. And the dog.

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Peloton tells the story of American Davis Phinney’s first stage win in the Tour de France in 1986.

A smashed face at last year’s Paris-Roubaix classic isn’t enough to keep Aussie cyclist Mitch Docker from trying again next year.

Evidently, quitting pro cycling is harder than it seems, as Ireland’s Martyn Irvine un-retires to compete again.

Nice gesture from Team Novo Nordisk’s Phil Sutherland by reaching out to a 12-year old Japanese boy with type 1 diabetes and riding with him the day before the all-diabetic team competed in the Japanese Cup.

Transgender cyclist Jillian Bearden took the women’s title at El Tour de Tucson, where the world’s fastest woman competed, as well.

Santa Cruz cyclists are excited to find Dutch pro cyclist Laurens ten Dam has moved to town, and turns out to be a regular, if somewhat superhuman, guy.

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Local

Los Angeles will hold meetings on December 6th and 13th to discuss plans for the LA River Valley Bikeway and Greenway Design Completion project, to fill in the missing 12.5 miles of the LA bike path in the San Fernando Valley between Vanalden Ave and Forest Lawn/Zoo Drive.

KPCC reports on the LACBC bike count showing a jump in bicycling on streets with new bike lanes, but an overall decline as the city has largely halted bike lane expansion.

Writing for Streetsblog, Jonathan Weiss says CD5 Councilmember Paul Koretz is quick to take credit for the Expo Line, but blames its problems on everyone else, including the needless one-mile gap in the Expo Line bikeway through Cheviot Hills.

CiclaValley writes about placing the ghost bike for 15-year old Saul Lopez in Pacoima last week.

 

State

Calbike petitions Caltrans to live up to changes in state law to eliminate Level of Service guidelines and make it easier to build better streets.

It was a bad weekend for cyclists in Central California; a bike rider was killed in Bakersfield when he allegedly rode into the side of a car, and a Santa Barbara rider was found dead after apparently suffering a medical emergency.

A Palo Alto man was arrested for using a circular saw to cut through a pair of Kryptonite bike locks to steal a bike from a train station in broad daylight.

Family members of traffic victims form a new Bay Area traffic safety group.

Sacramento tames a high speed, auto-centric street with a road diet, turning it into a more human-focused Complete Street.

 

National

It looks like conservative Fox News is getting on the road safety bandwagon, reporting that cyclists are at higher risk when intersections aren’t at right angles.

A Portland bike rider has started a petition to require all bikeshare users in the city to wear a helmet. Even though only one bikeshare rider has ever been killed in the US. And even though cities like Seattle, and Brisbane and Melbourne, Australia, that require helmet use have failing bikeshare systems.

A New Mexico father finally gets justice six years after his son was killed while riding his bicycle on a tribal reservation, as he was traveling across country to raise money for breast cancer research.

A new study shows bicycling contributes $1.6 billion to the Colorado economy, while nearly half of the state’s residents rode a bicycle last year. Which is a hell of a lot more than the highly touted revenue the state generates from legalizing dope.

Kindhearted Texas TV viewers pitch in to buy a disabled vet a new and better three-wheeled ebike after his was stolen last week.

Once again, a bike rider comes to the rescue, spotting a Wisconsin driver passed out on coke and Fentanyl with her four-year old in the car.

A Chicago alderman was seriously injured when debris got caught in his bike wheel and threw him over his handlebars. Correction: Make that a squirrel

A very forgiving Minneapolis bike rider feels sorry for the suicidal driver who ran him down after attempting to hang a toddler at a daycare center.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette checks in with Danny Chew, the city’s iconic cyclist who’s dream of riding one million miles came to an abrupt end when he was paralyzed from the waste down in a solo fall.

It’s not just LA. A New York Daily News editorial says that city is suffering from a hit-and-run epidemic, too.

A writer for the Washington Post says Trump’s trillion dollar infrastructure plan is a trap.

 

International

How to ride on dirt and gravel.

A writer for Bike Radar says the world is a mess, but it’s also a beautiful place to explore on a bike.

London’s Telegraph takes a surprisingly even-handed look at how to improve bicycle safety.

No bias here. A British paper reports a bike rider rode up out of the blue to verbally abuse a driver and pound on her car for no apparent reason. Violence is never justified, except in self-defense. But chances are, the driver may have had something to do with the rider’s anger, valid or not.

A UK cyclist may admit to riding through red lights, but swears he won’t ride without lights at night.

Caught on video: a Brit thief lurks in the shadows before snatching a 14-year old paperboy’s bike.

Life is cheap in Scotland, where the death of a bike rider at the hands of a careless driver who claimed he didn’t even see the victim only merits the equivalent of an $800 fine — and not even the loss of his license. Saying you didn’t see the victim should be a confession, not an excuse.

Brussels takes the Idaho stop law a step further by allowing cyclists to ride through red and amber lights.

Spend your next vacation bikepacking in Mongolia.

Caught on video: Australians are calling for a car passenger to be prosecuted for smacking a cyclist on the ass. One more reason to have a rear-facing camera on your bike. So to speak.

You know your city sucks when a Tour de France winner in afraid to ride there; Cadel Evans says riding in Sydney, Australia is too intimidating.

A Bloomberg columnist says bikes are back in China due to worsening air pollution and road congestion.

A writer tries one of China’s bikesharing apps for a day, and concludes that people are assholes.

Singapore attempts to improve safety by recruiting 200 bicycle ambassadors to teach safe cycling and bike etiquette in local neighborhoods.

 

Finally…

It’s not usual to encounter obstacles in a time trial; a full-blown police chase on the other hand, not so much. LA drivers are bad enough; but at least we don’t have to worry about emu attacks. Or coyotes, for that matter.

And when there’s a potentially toxic foam spill, the obvious thing is to ride your bike through it.

Morning Links: Westwood Great Street needs bike lanes, and Pasadena approves Union Street cycle track

It’s a light news day, thanks to yesterday’s election. So give this a quick read, then get out on your bike and keep riding until you work all the stress and anger out.

Which in my case, may take months.

………

A pair of UCLA deans team up to explain why Westwood Blvd should be a Great Street with bike lanes.

They make a great case.

Unfortunately, it comes several months too late to keep the lanes in the city’s mobility plan.

………

Pasadena approves funding for the Union Street road diet and cycle track, despite concerns over outreach and the effect it will have on the disabled.

Although it’s hard to imagine that disabled people are better off negotiating a wide, high speed street than one that’s narrower and easy to cross.

………

The French are taking UCI to court over changes to the WorldTour calendar.

A British amateur cyclist banned for doping last year finally admits his guilt and regrets.

………

Local

Police identify the victim of Sunday’s bizarre Van Nuys road rage carjacking and murder, which started as an apparent road rage dispute between the driver and a man on a bike.

CiclaValley says Sunday’s Phil’s Fondo was phun. Phonetic pun not my phault.

Santa Monica’s Breeze bikeshare celebrates its first anniversary on Saturday with an open house and free rides.

A writer for the Press-Telegram says car crashes run in the family. Actually, that seems to be true for most families these days.

 

State

California voted on eleven transportation measures yesterday, with $8.3 billion earmarked for bicycling projects.

The body of Menifee man who appeared to have been dead for some time was found in the bushes along a roadway, with a bicycle nearby; it could be a local man who disappeared 13 days ago. However, there’s no confirmation at this time that the bike was his, or that he was riding at the time of his death.

Clovis proposes adding bike lanes and pedestrian walkways to the city’s Old Town area.

 

National

A media writer says Donald Trump needs to get back into the bike race business, while Vice President-elect Mike Pence bikes the vote. Although it looks like Trump will be otherwise occupied for the next four years.

A writer for a Wisconsin paper urges mothers not to ride a bike with a baby on board, and wear a damn helmet while you’re at it. Better yet, just wrap the kid in bubble wrap, and don’t let them out of the house until they’re 18.

The four survivors of the Kalamazoo massacre are expected to testify in the trial of the allegedly stoned driver who hit them and killed five others.

Volunteers clear debris left over from Hurricane Matthew from Savannah bike lanes.

 

International

Caught on video: Mountain biking through the challenging streets of Taxco, Mexico.

A Canadian paper fills in the backstory on an Ontario man popularly known as The Bike Man, who passed away at 90 recently.

Hundreds of London bicyclists stage a die-in outside the mayor’s office to demand safer streets.

A UK bike site asks if ‘cross is the future of cycling.

Caught on video too: A fan filming the action nearly gets taken out by a Belgian cyclocross crash.

It turns out Amsterdam has the slowest bike paths in the Netherlands, while Utrecht has the fastest.

Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor is one of us, as he takes fans on a musical ride to promote his new film.

A photographer captures Hanoi’s bike-born street vendors from above, turning their massive loads into art.

 

Finally…

Now you can virtually ride across Canada on a stationary bike, which could be good practice if we all decide to move there. Your next bike could be a functional synthesizer.

And if you’re not racing, you don’t need to be aero.

 

Morning Links: More on Measure M, Bouquet Canyon closed until April, and a pair of tough young cyclists

Local

The LA Times lays out Metro’s transportation battle plan if Measure M passes, and if it doesn’t. Hint: We’ll all be better off if it does.

Here’s another reason to vote for Measure M: The half-cent sales tax increase could be used to fix the roads in the LA area, which are rated the second worst in the US. And bad roads affect people on two wheels more than those on four.

Glendale kicks off a new bike and pedestrian safety campaign timed for the end of Daylight Savings Time. And no, we are not impressed.

Bike SGV is hosting a free learn to bike class from 9 to 11 am this Saturday, although the date and time are missing from the page.

CiclaValley writes that the popular Bouquet Canyon riding route will be closed until April to protect from flooding.

 

State

The CTC proposes over $23 million in funding for the CV Link multi-use path circling the Coachella Valley, despite rejection of the proposed route by Rancho Mirage and opposition in Indian Wells.

A Redlands couple riding around the US on a tandem bike fell short of their nearly 10,000 mile goal when their bike was struck by a distracted driver in Kingman AZ; fortunately, both only suffered minor injuries. You have to be pretty damn distracted not to see two people on a bicycle directly in front of you.

A San Francisco bicyclist suffered life threatening injuries in a collision caused by someone running a red light; police hope to find security video and talk to the rider when his condition improves to determine who was at fault.

A Bay Area website recommends a scenic, 25-mile loop around Stinson Beach, offering 3,000 feet of climbing and thrilling descents.

 

National

People for Bikes says bicycles belong on main streets, not side streets, so people can use them for utilitarian errands rather than just riding to work.

An Oregon paramedic says we all have to try harder to make sure everyone gets home safely.

Utah installs signage for two US Bicycle Routes across the southern portion of the state.

A terminally ill Colorado man is going out on his own terms by starting his own Hospice Racing team after entering hospice care.

A Chicago entrepreneur is proposing a floating bike lane over the city’s eponymous river.

The Department of DIY has opened a branch in Cambridge MA, where cyclists are responding to the death of a fellow rider by crowdfunding their own posts to create a guerilla protected bike lane.

Ride your bicycle through 400 years of history on the 52-mile Virginia Capital Trail.

 

International

A skill every bike rider should master: How to correctly wear a cycling cap. Personally, I still prefer the cap on backwards with the bill turned up.

An Italian prince was killed in a London collision when he tried to overtake a truck, whose driver was unable to see his bike because the steering wheel was on the wrong side — the equivalent of a right-hand drive truck on US roads; the victim was heir to a Florence noble family dating back to the Middle Ages.

London’s former cycling commissioner says the city’s new mayor must do much more to show a commitment to bicycling.

Anti-bike terrorists strike in the UK, where someone booby trapped a bike trail with wooden spikes that could have seriously injured someone. Or worse.

The historic island state of Malta is getting its first bikeshare system, with 53 stations serving a population of 400,000.

An Aussie paper says “lunatic” bicycle food couriers are “dicing with death” by illegally riding through some of Sydney’s busiest highway tunnels. Although there is another side to the bike delivery question.

A new Australian report calls for simplifying intersections and reducing speed limits to reduce crashes by elderly drivers.

 

Finally…

If you want to sail, get a bike. Evidently, fleeing from police is hungry work.

And this may be the toughest bike rider you see today.

Unless maybe it’s this tiny salmon cyclist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzQ_cwqsRPs

 

Morning Links: UCLA bikeshare may be doomed, sleep bike riding in the UK, and riding a wave on two wheels

It’s a surprisingly light news day after last weekend’s massive post. So take a few minutes to read today’s post, then get out on your bike and enjoy the cool fall weather.

………

Local

A writer for UCLA’s Daily Bruin says the hilly terrain on campus and the lack of safe infrastructure in Westwood could doom the university’s bikeshare system before it starts. You can thank Councilmember Paul Koretz for the lack of bike lanes off campus.

 

State

Victorville cyclists honor a pair of fallen bicyclists at the second annual Victor Valley Bicycle Tour.

Around 850 bicyclists took part in Sunday’s SLO Gran Fondo along California’s Central Coast.

A Fresno bike rider was critically injured in a collision at an intersection after allegedly riding though a red light. Somehow, bicyclists always seems to be the ones at fault when they’re no longer around around to tell their side of the story.

 

National

Men’s Journal explains everything you need to know about Everesting, which is repeatedly riding uphill until you reach the equivalent distance of climbing Mt. Everest. Sherpas optional.

Once again, authorities manage to keep a dangerous driver on the road until it’s too late. A Portland driver killed a cyclist after being convicted of 31 driving infractions, including one count of hit-and-run and eleven convictions for driving with a suspended license. Yet somehow, he was still able to remain behind the wheel until he killed someone.

Sad news from Colorado, as a cancer-stricken dog riding across the US with his owner has died, just days after the Marine veteran’s specialized bicycle was stolen; he set off on the cross-country trip to ensure that the dog’s last days would be her happiest.

A Minnesota newsman goes riding with a group of fourth and fifth graders, part of a program to empower kids by getting them out on bicycles for a couple hours after school, rain or shine.

Kindhearted Columbus OH cops take time to fix a little boys bike after responding to another call.

 

International

London cyclists will hold a die-in tonight to protest the death of yet another bike rider killed by a large truck.

A Cambridge traffic planner argues for getting away from distinctions between types of cyclists, saying there’s only one type of person who rides a bike — someone who wants to get from A to B, regardless of how fast or slow they may go.

A British website suggests eleven ways to stay safe when riding this winter.

A Englishman can thank a man out for a run for saving his life after he suffered a heart attack while riding his bike. Meanwhile, a London air ambulance crew saved the life of another rider by preforming a rare heart procedure on the side of the roadway.

In a truly bizarre case from the UK, a retired postman may have been riding his bicycle in his sleep when he rode into a river and drowned.

A French police agency says bike riders are at fault in half of all bicycling collisions, and points the finger at “inconsiderate” riders. Does mean inconsiderate drivers are responsible for the other half?

A Kiwi writer says it’s time to cut bike riders some slack, because we help drivers more than we hold them up. Despite the prime minister’s son’s idiotic assertion that “real men ride women,” not bicycles.

An Aussie Vietnam War vet is nearing the end of a one-legged, 10,000 kilometer ride from Hanoi to Sydney — the equivalent of 6,214 miles — to call attention to veteran suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Singapore cyclists are modifying their ebikes to turn them into virtual motorcycles. And at least one British rider did, too.

 

Finally…

Caught on video: It’s one thing to wave while you ride, another to get carried away by one. When your costume comes from Stranger Things, a bicycle is mandatory.

And your next bicycle could have a four stroke, multispeed gas engine.

Or maybe not.

Morning Links: Trader Joes worker back at work after bad bike wreck; Iranian Paralympian cyclist killed in road race

My apologies. We haven’t been able to correct the problem with email notifications yet. So if you’re not getting emails when new posts go up, rest assured we’re working on it.

And just keep coming back each day until we get it corrected.

………

Good news from Silver Lake.

Egee Marbolis, the popular parking lot attendant for the local Trader Joes, is back at work ten months after suffering a broken back when his front fork collapsed.

……….

Sad news from Rio, as 48-year old Iranian Paralympic cyclist Bahman Golbarnezhad was killed in a solo fall when he lost control on a descent and hit a fence during the road race for cyclists with limb impairments.

He’s the first Paralympic athlete to die during competition. An investigation has been launched into the crash.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for the link.

……….

Two-time US champ and women’s Giro winner Mara Abbott calls it a career.

World Champion Peter Sagan can now add European champ to his list of accomplishments this year.

Former pro Ivan Basso is enjoying life out of the saddle as he moves to a new team to support Alberto Contador.

And British world champ Lizzie Armistead was late to her own wedding to another pro cyclist when her driver was delayed by a slow moving bike rider, and didn’t want to squeeze past on the narrow roadway.

………

Local

This weekend’s Malibu Triathlon raised over $1,226,000 for the Pediatric Cancer Research Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

The Long Beach Press-Telegram talks with 16-year old Ivan Schmidt about why he rode 1,800 miles from British Columbia to Mexico to create awareness for rheumatoid arthritis.

 

State

Someone broke a window at Costa Mesa’s Cyclist Bike Shop and made off with two Specialized bikes worth six grand.

The Victor Valley Velo club rode in memory of a fellow cyclist on Sunday after she jumped to her death off an Ontario overpass. No matter what’s going on in your life, there are people who care; reach out to someone for help before you do anything that can’t be undone. Please.

 

National

Former Bicycling editor-in-chief Peter Flax writes that dump trucks seem to have priority over bicycles in North American cities, and saving lives should mean more than maximizing truckers’ productivity.

A new Kevlar-reinforced lock from a Portland company currently raising funds on Kickstarter promises to be flexible and lightweight, yet strong enough to withstand bolt and wire cutters.

Chicago Cubs 2nd baseman Ben Zobrist rides to home games on his cruiser bike, in full uniform. So much for all those people who say you can’t commute by bike in your work clothes. Thanks to Todd Munson for the heads-up.

One hundred Louisville KY kids got new bicycles in honor of Muhammad Ali, whose boxing career started after his own bicycle was stolen.

A New York Post columnist confesses to taking the law into his own hands and assaulting a bike delivery man for the crime of running a red light.

Former Miami Heat player Dwayne Wade rode with members of the city’s police department to promote unity in the community.

 

International

Just weeks after Virgin owner Richard Branson survived a bad bicycling crash, his son suffered road rash after hitting oil on a charity ride, along with several other riders.

London charity groups are reconditioning abandoned bikes to give to refugees and asylum seekers, and offering workshops to give them basic maintenance and riding skills.

A British cyclist has found it much harder than expected to break the 77-year old women’s year record; she still has 8,000 miles to go in the next three months.

Bicycling is the new drug of choice for former Hong Kong addicts.

 

Finally…

If you’re going to get drunk and steal a pink kid’s bike, don’t ride salmon and lightless — although leaving the training wheels on was probably a good idea. If your only riding attire is a helmet and a shirt wrapped around your face, you’re probably doing it wrong.

And evidently, you don’t need a bicycle to join in on a club ride.