My apologies for not having anything new up here this morning. I spent last night writing a new post for L.A. Streetsblog about a simple way to correct a needless problem on Santa Monica’s Bay Street near the beach. You can see it here.
Tag Archive for LA Streetsblog
Nothing to see hear — visit LA Streetsblog for my latest post
Category: Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: Bay Street, bicycling, LA Streetsblog, Roundabouts, Santa Monica, stop signs
Getting L.A. mayor and council candidates on the record, and the LACBC’s first candidate forum
There’s big news in L.A. bike politics today.
This morning the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition unveiled a list of questions they sent to all eight candidates for mayor — yes, there are four candidates you’ve probably never heard of, along with the four you probably have — and 40 candidates who qualified for the City Council ballot in the City of Los Angeles this morning.
The questionnaires were developed primarily LACBC Planning and Policy Director Eric Bruins with input from the coalition’s Civic Engagement Committee. And range from questions about improving infrastructure and putting a stop to hit-and-runs, to what it would take to make the candidates feel comfortable riding on the streets of L.A.
As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the LACBC isn’t allowed to endorse or support any particular candidate, financially or otherwise.
Instead, they’ve prepared these questionnaires to get candidates on the record for their support or opposition to local bike issues, so you can make an informed choice on who to support with your time, money and efforts.
And more importantly, with your vote in the March 5th election.
Frankly, I think you’re smart enough to make your own decisions, as long as you have the information you need.
Which is why it’s up to you to make sure the candidates running for your vote complete the questionnaires. Ask them if they’ve answered it yet.
And if not, demand that they do.
Because you deserve to know where they stand if they want your support, and the votes of the estimated 1.35 million people who ride a bike in L.A., as estimated in the current bike plan.
And the countless others who’d like to if they felt safer doing it.
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On a related topic, the LACBC is hosting its first candidate forum for the L.A City Council District 11 on January 22nd, to replace retiring Councilmember Bill Rosendahl.
The event, co-sponsored by LA Streetsblog, Los Angeles Walks and the Bikerowave takes place at St. Andrews West LA Church’s Nolte Hall, 11555 National Blvd, starting at 7 pm, with light refreshments to follow; so far, three of the four candidates on the ballot have agreed to participate.
Of course, every election in every city council district matters. The only way to ensure that L.A. continues its remarkable progress in accommodating bikes is to elect candidates committed to continuing and expanding that progress.
But this race may matter more than most, as Rosendahl has been the bicycling community’s biggest friend at City Hall for the past several years, and will be very missed.
Especially if we don’t elect someone who supports bikes to replace him.
The LACBC is also looking to host candidate forums in the other contested council districts before the March city election; if you’d like to get involved in organizing a forum in your district, email me at the address below.
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Finally, if you want to support the LACBC in ensuring the election of bicycle-friendly civic leaders, join the Civic Engagement Committee at 6:45 pm on Tuesday, January 29th at the Pitfire Pizza on Second and Main in Downtown L.A. You don’t have to be a member of the LACBC to participate; the meeting is open to anyone who lives, works or rides in L.A. Or wants to.
Email bikinginla at hotmail dot com to be added to the online discussion list.
Category: Advocacy & Politics / Tags: bicycling, bike politics, Bill Rosendahl, CD11, LA Streetsblog, LA Walks, LACBC, LACBC Civic Engagement Committee, Los Angeles
Today’s post, in which I post elsewhere
Just a quick note.
I’ll be writing a series of articles on bicycling in Santa Monica for LA Streetsblog over the next several days. The first, an apology to the city and people of Santa Monica for opposing the city’s designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community, appears today; others will appear next week.
Meanwhile, no more information yet regarding the cyclist killed in San Diego last night. I’ll update the story as details become available.
Stupid Driver Tricks — bizarrely impatient Brentwood driver; and knee-jerk Hollywood anti-bike hatred
Maybe it was something in the water.
Or maybe it was a little lunar lunacy in anticipation of tomorrow’s Blue Moon.
But Thursday’s ride to Manhattan Beach and back was marked with more Stupid Driver Tricks — and not just drivers, as a few cyclists and pedestrians insisted on getting into the act — than I usually see in a month.
But this one takes the cake.
All this woman had to do was wait a few seconds until the light changed, and she could have easily gotten out of that parking lot with her dry cleaning.
Instead, she pulled out directly towards the car in front of her. When that didn’t work, as he failed to magically disappear from her way, she backed up, pausing as I pulled up next to her. Then looked directly at me, and cut me off anyway — as the driver next to me and I both shook our heads, arms extended in the universal WTF gesture.
And yes, I may have made another gesture that didn’t show up on camera as I pulled up next to her.
No, not that one.
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Streetsblog offers a good look at what you should do if you encounter my pet peeve — bike lanes needlessly blocked by Hollywood production crews.
Even though experience has taught me that Corgis make much better pets than peeves.
As they note, film crews are required to have a permit before they’re allowed to block a bike lane, or any other traffic lane, for that matter.
And yes, a bike lane is a legal traffic lane, albeit one reserved for bikes, just as HOV lanes are reserved for vehicles with more than one occupant. Or people willing to pay for the privilege of driving alone.
Which means that, without a permit from the city — which is remarkably easy to get — film crews have no more right to block a bike lane than they do the center lane on Wilshire Blvd. Though that never seems to stop them from doing it anyway.
The story also notes, correctly, that you have every right to demand to see that permit, whether they like it or not. And that if they don’t have one, you’re entitled to call the police — or Film LA — and demand that they move the offending cones to reopen the bike lane.
Although getting someone to actually care enough to do something about it can be another matter.
Then there are the seemingly inevitable comments from film crew workers unwilling to even attempt to obey the law.
Including this one from a self-described Assistant Location Manager who threatens to have anyone who asks to see the permit arrested on false charges.
As an Assistant Location Manager, the guy whom you will probably be approaching for a film permit, which will then be followed by your venting hippie diatribe about why my working trucks are blocking your bike lane here’s what I am going to do….Ask to see my permit, which I will produce for you. Then it will be I who will call the cops and claim that you threatened my production company with extortion, which I will be able to produce witnesses for. I will also suggest to the officer who responds that we spotted you taking illicit drugs not far away from my set, which I will also produce witnesses for. Being that most bikers I know engage in the occasional to regular use of drugs, I will most likely be right. When your being cuffed and taken to jail, I will then sell your bike on ebay….I may even use the funds to put gas in my Ford F-150 (not a Prius). You guys want a fight, your going to get one…
Point is, we are losing production jobs everyday to other states and cities because of BS like this. My methodology may seem machiavellian but I will do whatever it takes to keep filming in Los Angeles, keep food on my family’s table, and not be forced to move to keep working in film industry which provides a much needed paycheck and health benefits to family and I. Be warned, if the working trucks are parked in a bike lane, bike around us and go on your merry way…
Nice way to put a good face on Hollywood, dude.
And summing up exactly why many people in this town are fed up with self-entitled production crews, regardless of the jobs they create.
Yes, we all want to put an end to runaway productions, and keep those high-paying jobs right here at home.
But Hollywood needs to take a long, hard look at itself, and accept that other people in this city have rights, as well.
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Joe Devito forwards a photo of the ghost bike for Michael Vega, the 25-year old cyclist killed by a hit-and-run driver earlier this week in Rancho Cucamonga.
And judging by the comments, it sounds like we’ve lost a great guy.
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A few other quick notes:
Flying Pigeon looks at Tuesday’s meeting of the LACBC Civic Engagement Committee. Downtown is rapidly being redrawn to support bicycling. Glendale letter writer doesn’t seem to grasp the concept that bike lanes make streets safer, not the other way around. Three San Diego firefighters are on trial for beating the crap out of two bike riding brothers after calling one a bicycle faggot. A rocket scientist Ventura motorcyclist hates on California’s new three-foot passing law, missing the concept that it is actually possible to drive safely; and that emergency vehicles get an entire lane, while bicyclists only get three feet.
Trial has begun in the case of the driver who killed tandem cyclists Greg and Alexandra Bruehler, resulting in the single saddest photo I’ve ever seen. Here’s a good reason not the be an idiot, as a road-raging Detroit cyclist runs a red light, hits a truck, punches the driver — and gets fatally shot as a result. A PA cyclist is the victim of an early season drive-by pumpkining. Maybe cyclists should be licensed — and paid to ride. Ex-framebuilder Dave Moulton notes that doping has been around as long as competitive cycling.
Finally, I’ve always like fast women, as Bikeyface nails it once again. And it’s so hot, Flying Pigeon’s Josef Bray-Ali is fixing bikes in his tightie whities reds.
Come back a little later in the day Friday, when we’ll have a giveaway contest to celebrate National Trail Mix Day. No, really, there actually is one. And I’ll see if the video came out on some of those other Stupid Driver Tricks over the next few days.
See you tonight at Eco-Village for the Streetsblog fundraiser
Image stolen from LA Streetsblog; artwork by Joe Linton with Colleen Corcoran.
Friday night L.A.’s leading transportation blogger, Damien Newton, will host the first ever Streetsblog fundraiser at Eco-Village.
Rather than try to tell the story myself, I’ll let Damien fill you in.
The beer is chilled and sitting in the (gasp) car. The sponsors are lined up for the raffle. Heck, there’s even rumors that we’re going to have a band for part of the evening. Tomorrow night from 6:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. is the first Streetsblog fundraiser at the Eco Village, 117 Bimini Place. Anyone not familiar with the Eco-Village should click on this link for directions, and note that it’s a couple of blocks away from the Beverly/Vermont Red Line Station. The suggested donation is $25, but feel free to give whatever fits in your budget.
A lot of people have helped make this event happen. A pretty awesome sounding buffet is being put together by a pair of caterers, Dawn Carey Newton and Deborah Murphy, with an Eco-Salad and some home cookin’ from my house as well. We’ll have beer from our best friends at New Belgium Brewing and a non-alcoholic drinks courtesy of Trader Joe’s. In addition to some good drinks, we’ll have a presentation including the handing out of four Streetsie Awards to Biking In L.A., the Eco-Village, City of Lights and the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council, the debuting of the first L.A. Streetfilm that was written and produced right here in L.A., and a raffle with prizes sponsored by the Eco Home, Eco-Village and Orange 20 Bikes.
So if you’re looking for me tonight, I’ll be the one with the Streetsie Award in one hand, and a Fat Tire in the other.
And congratulations to the Eco-Village, the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council and the amazing City of Lights Program.
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Evidently, the driver in the Ed Magos case will be charged after all. L.A. could have had the Backbone Bikeway Network in place years ago; Bikeside LA discovers a 1977 L.A. bike plan that shows a virtually identical system. Some of L.A.’s leading bike and pedestrian advocates call for a moratorium on street widening and peak hour lanes. The hit-and-run case that left local biking leader Roadblock laying injured in the street moves to trial next week. Damien Newton looks at why only one local city made Bicycling’s list of bike-friendly cities; you only have to ride the streets to figure that out. What does bicycle culture really mean? Long Beach’s biking expats offer some classic bike touring videos. The proposed ban on texting while cycling will carry a lower fine than texting behind the wheel. A Florida man is injured after being chased by dogs; if it happens to you, try ordering it to “sit” or “go home,” since most dogs will respond to a firm command. A Boston cyclist gets blamed for being in a cab driver’s blind spot; yeah, it’s not the driver’s place to check that or anything. Follow step-by-step as a Boston blogger uncovers the details of what may be a fatal cycling collision; you may not want to see the photos. The “nicest man you’d ever want to meet” is killed by a Denver-area bus in what sounds like a classic left cross collision. Best advice I’ve seen on what to do if you’re involved in a serious collision. A Florida cyclist plans to fight the ticket after a cop tells her to get on the sidewalk — despite signs saying Bikes May Use Full Lane, and in an area where riding on the sidewalk is illegal. Good advice for beginning cyclists — or any cyclists, for that matter. Mathew Modine carries his bike through a NY fashion show; I just want to know what’s in the bottle. Ottawa Councillors are encouraged to get on a bike and see how bad the bike lanes really are. Evidently, we’re not the only ones trying to get cyclists to vote. Britain’s Conservative Party leader gets blame — and praise — for riding without a helmet; I’d be happy to see any U.S. conservative on a bike, helmet or not. Yet another Euro pro team comes under suspicion for doping. The family of the British cyclist killed by a hit-and-run driver is reportedly devastated that she avoided jail because of pregnancy. Three cyclists were killed in Spain when a van plows into a group of 60 riders.
Finally, Reno Rambler reveals the secret behind the incredible lung capacity all champion bike racers possess.
