Yet another tragic reminder to never ride against traffic.
According the Pasadena Star News, 17-year old Los Angeles resident Ernesto Manzano Jr. was riding downhill on the wrong side of the road when he was hit dead-on by a driver headed in the opposite direction around 6:40 Friday evening.
The driver remained at the scene; police don’t believe drug or alcohol played a factor in the crash.
Unfortunately, riding salmon probably did.
Wrong way riding may seem safer, since it allows you to see oncoming traffic. However, it greatly increases the risk of a collision, because drivers don’t expect to see you coming towards them, while dramatically reducing reaction times.
Anyone with information is urged to call the Monterey Park Police Department watch commander at 626/307-1200.
This is at least the 28th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
That means a nearly unbroken string of city and county beach closures stretching from north of Camp Pendleton through Santa Maria. The closures include the beachfront bike paths in LA County, but it’s not clear if it includes bike path closures in other counties, so check before you go.
All of which means San Clemente is likely to get overrun with beachgoers this weekend.
Let’s just hope they’re right about coronavirus not spreading easily outdoors.
The only beach in Orange County staying open this weekend is San Clemente. Locals are worried this will mean large crowds descending upon their quiet beach town. https://t.co/oqvTmDmo2W
But wherever you ride, do it safely and defensively.
I don’t want to have to write about you, or anyone one else, this weekend.
Photo by David Drexler.
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Metro’s COVID-19 Recovery Task Force is out with plans for how the LA area can move forward as the city recovers from the coronavirus, without the seemingly inevitable gridlock as people go back to their auto-centric daily routines.
Streetsblog’sJoe Linton takes an in-depth look at Metro’s plans, including an increase in dedicated bus lanes, and possibly taking bikeshare in house to better meet the needs of underserved communities.
Then there’s this.
Metro’s task force recommends a “quick roll-out of more bike infrastructure.” The lack of safe, convenient places to bike has long been a limiting factor inhibiting bicycling in Southern California. What is tricky for Metro is that bikeways are largely out of Metro’s jurisdiction. Metro has roles to play, but municipalities – primarily cities – are ultimately responsible for the bike-unfriendly state of local streets. The task force says Metro should “partner with cities on strategies for rapid deployment of bike improvements.”
So let’s hope Metro can give LA a much-needed push in the right direction.
Linton also goes on to quote a certain bike website writer’s reaction to the plans.
But you’ll have to read his story to see what I had to say.
Mauro Rios Parra is one of the countless Angelenos, immigrant and otherwise, who depend on their bikes for transportation and to earn a living. And who are too often ignored by city planners and elected officials.
According to the story, Rios Parra hasn’t seen his family in Oaxaca for 16 years. But his modest pushcart has helped put one child through med school, and two others through law school.
Which he probably couldn’t have done if he had a car instead of a bike.
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Bicycles allow bike cops to respond quickly and quietly to rapidly changing situations. Unfortunately, that appears to include attacking seemingly peaceful Seattle protesters.
Cops attack peaceful protestors at Broadway and Pine. 5:30pm July 2nd. Dive tackled the kid next to me, put a knee on his neck. Can’t stress enough he did nothing.
The actual Tour de France won’t take place until late next month, but a virtual version will kick off this weekend. Maybe they’ll have virtual jostling in the peloton, with virtual falls and virtual road rash. And virtual failed dope tests, too.
A New Zealand navy veteran plans to compete in cycling events in next year’s Invictus Games using a 3D-printed metal pedal spacer and cleat, after injuries from a helicopter crash left one leg shorter than the other.
Due to rising #COVID19 cases all @CountyofLA beaches will be closing again temporarily this weekend, July 3rd through 6th. We had almost 3,000 reported cases just today. We cannot risk having crowds at the beach this holiday weekend.
As Hahn’s tweet states, the beach and bike path closures go into effect this Friday, and are scheduled to last through the following Monday, at least for now.
Although the sheriff says he won’t bother to enforce it.
BREAKING: L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva tells me he will NOT enforce the beach closure order for 4th of July weekend. Says LASD was not consulted, and they'll only enforce closing parking lots/traffic on PCH. Says "We are Care First, Jail Last" in shot at county. @FOXLA
As you can imagine, though not everyone is pleased. This is what one person, who asked to remain anonymous, had to say.
You don’t see me shoot profanities very often, but a re-closure of the bike path is pure bullshit!
Cyclists on a path are not the cause of increasing virus cases.
It’s bars, restaurant sit-ins, people socializing at people homes without masks, people I saw paying at parks together with no mask, people at the beach I saw often playing volleyball with no mask, it’s just stupid people who think they know better and don’t want to be told what to do along with a President that is not wearing a mask as an example of what everyone should do. Why is the President not on TV everyday with a mask telling people I wear mask and you should too.
We live in a country of A-holes and ignorants and that is why the virus is spreading.
Forgive my outburst — I can’t believe they need to punish cyclists and I needed someone to bitch to
That’s what I’m here for.
But make no mistake. The idea that Covid-19 would go away without severe restrictions has clearly revealed itself as the fairy tale it is.
And we’re likely in for a long, deadly battle that will touch most of us in some way before it’s over.
Photo of recent bike path closure by David Drexler
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That wasn’t the only email I received from a concerned bike rider yesterday.
Another person who asked to remain anonymous said he was attacked by a stoned homeless man over the weekend.
Just a brief heads up for your readers — watch out at those underpasses on the San Gabriel bike path, especially the one at Imperial Blvd in Norwalk. Regular riders of that bike path know Imperial Blvd because of all of the graffiti.
I was riding early Sunday morning and had a transient try to knock me off my bike as I came up from the underpass (with a kick). Presume they may have been after my bike. Not too smart as they chose someone much larger than they.
I’m fine, no worse for wear, knocked off balance but not off my bike. I reported to 911, so hopefully, the sheriff will keep an eye out, too.
Crazy times.
Attacks like that aren’t common, but they do happen. So just be careful anytime you find yourself isolated and hidden from public view.
Riverside’s mayor invites you to join a family friendly, socially distanced 4th of July bike ride.
Hey Riversiders! Dust off those bikes & gear up in your patriotic best for a bike ride on July 4th. This will be a smooth socially distanced ride with a contest for the best decorated bike & most patriotic family.
LADOT will host a webinar tomorrow to discuss what will be South LA’s first protected bike lane.
Join us for a webinar this Wednesday as we discuss how we're getting to work on Broadway. The Broadway safety project prioritizes human life by implementing improvements that will reduce speed and save lives. Visit the link to register https://t.co/JJVulDQvDapic.twitter.com/xDr7rJyL5I
— LADOT Livable Streets (@LADOTlivable) June 29, 2020
No bias here. The British lawyer who calls himself Mr. Loophole for his ability to get dangerous drivers off the hook is back with yet another anti-bike rant. (Scroll down to second item)
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
A US Army Band member rode his bike 500 miles in 33 hours to raise funds for a startup organization to mentor high school students to get into college; it took 250 laps around a two-mile Baltimore circuit to complete the ride.
Once again, an English pedestrian has died in a collision with a bike rider as he was crossing a bike lane. This time, the man on the bike stayed at the scene, but probably doesn’t know the 51-year old victim died later; police were never called to the scene, so they want to talk with him.
Minnesota relief groups are fighting soaring food insecurity with pop-up distribution sites to make access easier for those in need. https://t.co/EkpT6wXTSy
It’s pretty remarkable that all three of this site’s primary sponsors stepped up and renewed their ads, despite the economic disaster wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.
So if you get the chance, take a moment to thank those guys over there on the right. Because this site wouldn’t be possible without them.
And if you ever need a good lawyer, you know what to do.
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LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn put out the welcome mat for bicyclists on the county’s beachfront Marvin Braude bike path.
The paper notes that final approval has to come from the Los Angeles County of Department of Public Health, which hasn’t happened yet.
And they can’t do anything until the county’s Safer at Home order is amended.
So maybe it will be open when you ride to the beach this weekend. Or maybe not.
But considering how crowded it’s likely to be, maybe you’re better off waiting for next week, anyway.
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Add your voice to a call to keep the popular Rose Bowl Loop carfree.
Keep the Rose Bowl loop car free! Voice your support by contacting Pasadena City Council or by sending us a note of support at carfreeloop@gmail.com. Tell us why you want to keep the Rose Bowl loop car free – include name and zip code. @StreetsblogLA@bikinginla@ColoradoBlvdNetpic.twitter.com/uFOb4BDi3d
— Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition (@PasadenaCSC) May 21, 2020
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Patrick Pascal forward another view of the new 7th Street protected bike lane in Downtown Los Angeles.
Or as drivers call it, the only free parking zone in DTLA.
Photo by Patrick Pascal
Pascal also notes that there was some sort of obstruction on every block between Main and Figueroa when he rode it this week.
Which means LADOT needs to do better.
Because a protected bike lane does no damn good if we can’t ride it because it’s not protected enough.
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Today’s common theme is Slow Streets, pop-up bike lanes, and the need to provide alternatives to driving as the world reawakens from its pandemic slumber.
Even the conservative Washington Timesasks if cities will be ready for the boom in bike use, as people go out of their way to avoid transit when they go back to work. And tosses in a rebound in micromobility, for good measure.
The war on cars is a myth, but the war on bikes goes on.
No bias here. A Rhode Island letter writer says resistance to aggressive, narcissistic Lycra-clad bicyclists is futile. How the hell can you look at a bike rider speeding past and determine if he or she is a narcissist? Does she think we spend the whole time admiring ourselves in the reflections on the shiny jerseys of the riders in front of us?
Sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
This is who we share the roads with. Heartbreaking and infuriating story from San Jose, where a 26-year old man faces multiple counts of murder for the drunken crash that killed four passengers in his car, and injured another; Rabbi Kumar Khanna was subject to a murder charge after receiving a Watson warning for a previous DUI. Just one more example of officials keeping a dangerous driver on the streets until it’s too late. Thanks to Robert Leone for the heads-up.
ZZ Top’s bearded Billy Gibbons is one of us, a sharp dressed man in cheap sunglasses with his tush on a bike seat and legs working the pedals, enjoying a Viva Las Vegas ride with a friend.
Idaho prosecutors learned the hard way that if you’re going to ticket a bike rider for violating the state’s Idaho Stop Law after she was struck by a driver, it helps to charge her under the right statute. And props to the victim for appealing a measly $90 fine.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the annual Ride of Silence was still held in some places, like this one in Abilene, Texas.
There’s a special place in hell for whoever rode a bikeshare bike up to a mentally disturbed New York woman, and chatted her up before viciously attacking and raping her. Seriously, there’s not a pit deep enough. Or a sentence long enough.
New Orleans kicks off an expansion of the city’s bike lanes, with plans to stripe another 75 miles over the next two years. Which is only about 75 miles more than Los Angeles has committed to.
May 8, 2020 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on SoCal trails finally reopening, LA traffic cop menaced by Lyft driver, and the war on bikes goes on…and on…and on…
Things are finally starting to open up a little after nearly two months of coronavirus closures in Southern California.
Remember to maintain social distancing when you ride, particularly on narrow trails. We’ve already seen how quickly things can be closed if we don’t.
And wear a mask if you’re likely to come near other people.
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This is who we share the roads with.
A Los Angeles traffic cop is suing Lyft, alleging that one of their drivers followed and menaced her, while blocking her car in for several minutes before police arrived.
All because she had the audacity to ticket him for parking in a bike lane.
And to make matters worse, he had a paying passenger in the car the whole time he was losing it and threatening her.
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A webinar later this month will teach advocates how to present a compelling story to help get the word out more effectively.
No bias here. An anonymous, 80-something British letter writer complains about “arrogant self-opinionated (bike) riders who seem to have no regard for others, laws of the Forest or common decency.” There’s no disputing that some bicyclists are jerks — just like any other form of humanity. But painting with such a broad brush doesn’t help anyone.
DTLA’s dangerous 7th Street is set to get temporary protected bike lanes as an interim test for permanent, curb-protected bike lanes down the road. Let’s hope this one has enough barriers to keep drivers from parking in it, like they do in other downtown “protected” lanes.
Popular Science — yes, it still exists — says Slow Streets not only allow for social distancing, but can prevent traffic surges when cities reopen, and could result in permanent bike-friendly changes. Except in Los Angeles, which is squandering yet another opportunity to improve safety and do something about the city’s crushing traffic and smog.
St. Paul MN business owners lost a fight to delay installation of a new bike lane, arguing that the parking spaces that would be lost are needed for take-out customers and delivery drivers during the coronavirus crisis. For a change, they may have a point; while bikes are good for retail businesses — especially bars and restaurants — it helps if they’re actually open to the public.
Seriously? A nine-year old Palm Beach kid gets the blame for the crash that killed him; authorities claimed he was momentarily distracted before riding his bike into a construction front loader — even though he managed to leave a five-foot skid mark on the sidewalk. After all, no tractor driver would ever miss a little kid on the sidewalk before turning in front of him, right?
A belated and heartfelt thank you to Mark J for his unexpected Giving Tuesday donation to help support this site. I honestly wasn’t expecting anything, so it came as major morale boosting surprise.
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And wear a mask, already.
According to the Daily Breeze, a man was crossing PCH in Wilmington around 5:25 Tuesday morning when he was struck by a pair of drivers.
The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding on Eubank Avenue at PCH when he was hit by one driver, then hit again by a second driver and knocked off his bike.
Both drivers remained at the scene.
Police report that he was apparently crossing against the light. However, there’s no word on whether there were any independent witnesses who weren’t involved in the crash at that early hour.
It’s also possible that the light may have changed as the victim was crossing the massive seven lane highway, bordered by a two lane service road.
This is at least the 18th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also just the second in the City of Los Angeles since the first of the year.
Update: My News LA reports the victim was crossing PCH headed north on Eubank Ave when he was struck by an eastbound driver, then hit again by someone traveling west on PC.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
Apparently, no one is safe from idiots with engines.
According to a tweet from the Norwalk Station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a woman was killed in a collision with a motorcyclist while riding on the San Gabriel River Bike Trail a little over two weeks ago.
Yes, on an offroad bike path.
And yes, her killer fled the scene.
The victim was identified as 31-year old Carla Becerra, who was killed in the crash on Saturday, February 1st.
#HitandRun Arrest 2/1/20, Carla Becerra (31) was cycling on riverbed bike path when she was struck & killed by susp riding a motorbike. #RIP
2/13 Brandon Lindsley (29) was arrested for the crime.
Twentynine-year old Brandon Lindsley was arrested for the crime eleven days later, and charged with vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run last Friday. Since Becerra died, both should be felony counts.
Unfortunately, that’s all we know right now.
No word on exactly where or how the crash happened. And no explanation for what the hell someone on a motorbike was doing on a bike path.
Hopefully we’ll learn more on Wednesday, when the department is expected to issue a press release.
This is at least the seventh bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
Becerra was found lying unconscious on the path, with her bicycle several feet away. She was taken to Coast Plaza Medical Center, where she died.
Investigators identified Lindsley as a person of interest based on a distinctive tattoo seen by people who did not witness the crash itself. He was arrested after reportedly making incriminating statements to investigators.
Lindsley is being held on $105,000 bail in this case, as well as a no-bail hold on an outstanding warrant for assault with a deadly weapon.
Comments from Mike Wilkinson and Michael of CLR Effect say motorcycles aren’t unusual on the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, despite a prohibition on anything with an engine.
Maybe this will be a much-needed wakeup call to actually do something about it.
Update 2: Chris Klibowitz reports that the sheriff’s department gave the location as between Imperial and Firestone, rather than near the intersection, as KTLA reported, which makes a lot more sense.
Update 3: I received a message from Carla Becerra’s brother Quin, who offered a few details missing from previous reports.
According to Quin, the first call to 911 came around 6:45 pm on February 1st, as Carla Becerra was riding her bicycle south on the bike path, and Brandon Lindsley was traveling north on his motorcycle; he places the crash site roughly a quarter mile south of Imperial Highway.
Lindsley apparently fled because he had an outstanding warrant for a robbery assault with a deadly weapon.
Then again, he might have run anyway.
And still no explanation for why he was riding illegally on the bike path.
Adding insult to injury — literally — someone stole Becerra’s phone, earphones and ear rings while she was lying unconscious and dying on the bike path, sometime before the first responders could get there.
As a result, emergency personnel were unable to identify her for several hours, and her family had no idea where she was or what happened to her until they received the tragic news at 3 am the next day.
This is how Quin described his sister Carla.
My sister was a full time RN at UCI medical and at MLK hospital. She had worked her entire life, to buy my parents their dream home in Lakewood, even put her social and love life on hold to do so. She always put others before herself, just so her life can be taken away from someone so selfish. The messed up part about all of this is that if he (Brandon) was the one left unconscious then she would have stayed and made sure he made it. She had a huge passion for cycling and running. The only comfort my family and I take from this is that she left us while doing something she loved. It just wasn’t her time yet.
He concluded by noting that Brandon Lindsley will be arraigned on Tuesday, February 25th — the same day his victim will be laid to rest.
There are no words.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Carla Becerra and all her loved ones.
Actually, they seem to blame the truck itself, since there’s no mention anywhere in the story that it had a driver. Or whether the seemingly self-driving truck remained at the scene.
The victim, identified only as a 65-year old man, was taken to an unidentified hospital, where he died of his injuries.
No word on how the crash may have occurred.
A street view shows North Azusa is a narrow one-way street in a commercial district, with on-street parking and two lanes going north. There are stop signs on Sixth, but no traffic controls on Azusa at the intersection; Sixth is a narrow un-laned street with parking on either side.
According to the LA Daily News, a man was killed riding his bike in the Arleta neighborhood of Northwest Los Angeles, in what appears to be the first fatal bicycling collision this year.
And almost needless to say, driver fled the scene, leaving his victim bleeding in the street.
The victim, identified only as a 30-year old man pending notification of relatives, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.
Police are looking for the driver of a light-colored Mercedes sedan. No further information was given for the car or the heartless coward who stepped on the gas instead of stopping and rendering aid, as required by law.
And no explanation was given for why the police asked for the public’s help in finding the driver, yet once again failed to use the hit-and-run alert systems established by both the City of Los Angeles and the State of California.
Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD Valley Traffic Division at 818-644-8022.
When they find this driver — or any other killer hit-and-run driver — they should be subject to a second-degree murder charge. Because the crash may have been unintentional, but the decision to leave their victim dying in the street wasn’t.
This is at least the second bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the first in the City of Los Angeles. That compares to at least 17 in the city last year, and 34 for the county.
And leaves us with a 100% hit-and-run rate for fatal bike crashes this year.
Nothing like marking the holidays with yet another fatal hit-and-run.
Even if officials are unlikely to call it that.
According to the Whittier Daily News, 64-year old Whittier resident Alfred Tiscareno Jr. was riding west on Whittier Blvd when he was struck by a driver near the onramp to the 605 Freeway in unincorporated LA County near Whittier, around 6:50 Monday evening.
He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.
There’s no explanation for how the crash occurred; hopefully, more details will be available after the holiday.
And even though he he failed to stop and render aid, as required by law — or presumably, even call 911 to report the crash — he probably never will be.
Especially since Bhakta is not believed to have been under the influence, which too often seems to be the only thing that matters.
The crash is still under investigation; anyone with information is urged to call CHP Officer G. De Luna at 562/868-0503.
