Tag Archive for Los Angeles

72-year old Torrance woman killed while riding on sidewalk

March 3, 2017 / / 2 comments

Sad news from Torrance, where a 72-year old woman was killed in a collision with a delivery truck.

According to the Daily Breeze, the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding her bike southbound on the west sidewalk of the 19600 block of Van Ness Ave when she was struck as the driver attempted to turn north on Van Ness.

However, there are no driveways on the west side of the street, and there does not appear to be a sidewalk on that side, which suggests she may have actually been on the east side of the street.

If that’s the case, the driver would have been looking for traffic to his left as he turned right, and may not have seen her approaching on the sidewalk to his right — even though he would appear to have had an unobstructed view.

Unfortunately, while riding on the sidewalk may appear to be safer than riding in the street, drivers tend to focus their attention on oncoming traffic, and may not notice someone coming towards them from the opposite direction.

Even though they should.

This is the seventh bicycling fatality this year, and the sixth in Los Angeles County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and her loved ones.

 

 

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

Morning Links: No women’s French tour this year, LACBC staffer says no on S, and Pure Cycles goes electric

March 2, 2017 / / 6 comments

Let’s start things off with a long list of links from the wonderful wacky world of bike racing.

In a big step back for women’s cycling, the week-long Route de France race will not be held after getting dropped from UCI’s WorldTour calendar.

The physician for former Tour de France champ Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky claims his laptop with all their records was conveniently stolen three years ago, preventing doping authorities from being able to examine them. And he’s conveniently too sick to appear before a Parliamentary panel looking into it.

Lawyers for Brit cyclist Jess Varnish says the country’s governing body for cycling has learned nothing from its recent controversies; she had been dismissed from the team before the Olympics, and told to go have a baby.

The new Colorado Classic pro race will come complete with a three-day Denver festival, including performances by Wilco, the New Pornographers, Death Cab for Cutie, Saint Motel and La Santa Cecilia. The next to last leg of the race will run over the 8,000-foot elevation Peak to Peak Highway, which was one of my favorite rides when I lived out that way.

VeloNews says this Saturday’s Strade Bianche should be your new favorite race.

LA’s own former pro Phil Gaimon calls it the worst retirement ever, as he sets out to capture KOMS on YouTube. And speaking of Gaimon, he’s accepting preorders for his new book, Ask A Pro.

………

Local

The LACBC’s Carol Feucht explains why everyone who rides a bike should vote no on Measure S.

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune looks forward to Sunday’s nearly 18-mile 626 Golden Streets event, calling it an argument for a carfree LA County. Meanwhile, the Pasadena Star-News explains everything you need to know to ride from South Pasadena to Azusa.

If you’d prefer something more strenuous and less paved, CiclaValley invites you to Ryan Steers’ Birthday Gravel Feast this Sunday.

West Hollywood’s WeHo Pedals bikeshare will be free for new and existing members on election day.

Santa Clarita parks commissioner and cyclist Kevin Korenthal is packing his bikes and family and moving to Texas.

Interesting piece of advice from Cycling in the South Bay’s Seth Davidson, who says while you aren’t required to have a license to ride a bike, you do have to show a cop your ID if you’re asked for it.

 

State

San Clemente will install a nearly one-mile long protected bike lane along the coast highway.

San Diego was reminded the hard way that it’s cheaper to fix infrastructure problems than pay for it later, as a man was awarded a $4.85 million for injuries he suffered when his bike hit a seven-inch sidewalk displacement caused by a tree root. But seriously, how fast did you have to be going to fly 28 feet after hitting it something like that? Let alone on a sidewalk.

The UC Santa Barbara student government is funding nearly $127,000 worth of bike racks to deal with a chronic shortage of bike parking.

A San Francisco supervisor calls for a ban on bicycle chop shops, and authorizing police to seize any bikes or parts they find in one. We could use a law like that on a statewide basis; you can see bike chop shops operating in plain view all over Southern California.

 

National

A wine website lists the five best US cities for biking and beer; San Diego and Berkeley made the list, along with my hometown.

Bike Portland recounts the city’s journey to making Vision Zero its top transportation priority.

The South Dakota State University newspaper recommends biking to class to relieve stress and improve time management. Not to mention keeping all those cars off campus.

An Iowa writer says you should add the cross-state RAGBRAI ride to your bucket list.

Chicago Streetsblog offers a four paragraph bike helmet manifesto, saying if people in your city feel the need to wear a helmet, it’s a sign the streets aren’t safe. Except bike helmets aren’t designed to protect riders from cars, they’re made to protect against relatively slow speed falls.

This is just so wrong on so many levels. A New York community board member says a protected bike lane is unnecessary, because “Once Trump removes all the illegals… there won’t be anybody to ride bike lanes.” Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

The Washington Post says cities around the country are embracing lower speed limits to save lives.

A North Carolina man has been arrested in the case of the scooter rider who harassed and assaulted two men in Key West, calling them homophobic slurs and saying “You’re in Trump country now.”

 

International

People will soon be able to walk or bike between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit on a multi-use path installed on the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

An English woman suffered a fractured cheekbone when a shoplifter fleeing store security smashed into her on his bike.

Caught on video: A Brit rider gets caught in a frightening squeeze play when a bus driver drifts into the bike lane he’s riding in.

Caught on video too: A Glasgow, Scotland bike rider apparently made a wrong turn and ended up riding in the middle of a busy freeway.

Berlin sees bicycles as the key to solving the city’s transportation problems.

Now that sounds like fun. Take a food and bike tour through northern Italy with the Border Grill’s Mary Sue Milliken and other chefs on the Emilia Romagna Chef Bike Tour this June.

Exploring Abu Dhabi by bikeshare.

China’s Ofo app-based bikeshare built a $1 billion business one 15¢ bike ride at a time. Although where to put them all seems to be a problem.

 

Finally…

When you’d rather hate on bicyclists than bother to understand what the hell you’re talking about. Finding the nation’s most bike-friendly city in the most bike-friendly country.

And like Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival, Burbank-based fixie maker Pure Cycles goes electric.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , ,

Morning Links: Help Metro rank their budget priorities, and WeHo unveils its new bike/ped mobility plan

March 1, 2017 / / 2 comments

Metro wants your input on their proposed budget for the 2018 fiscal year. You can respond online or in person at any of the meetings below.

And be sure to rank Active Transportation at the top of your priority list.

Which hopefully means more than just running to catch the bus that’s leaving without you.

………

West Hollywood unveils its draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Mobility Plan, which promises to deliver real networks for bicycling and walking.

Hopefully sooner rather than later.

………

Now you, too, can make your pancakes like the pros do.

An entire Iranian cycling team gets banned after two of its riders test positive for steroids.

Just like sidewalk cyclists in cities around the world, pro cyclists Peter Sagan, Greg Van Avermaet and Sep Vanmarcke could face a fine. They should do their racing in Los Angeles, where riding on the sidewalk is legal.

And despite Sagan’s example, a mouthful of candy probably isn’t the best way to refuel on your ride.

………

Local

KPCC looks at the CD1 city council race between embattled incumbent Gil Cedillo and four challengers, most notably our own Joe Bray-Ali.

This month’s LACBC Sunday Funday ride will be a feeder ride from Highland Park to the 626 Golden Streets event.

Metro unveils the locations of Pasadena’s coming bikeshare system.

 

State

Fresno releases their $1.3 billion Active Transportation Plan, despite not building out the city’s previous plans. Not unlike the languishing plans found most cities, where new bike and pedestrian plans are usually forgotten as soon as they’re written.

A San Francisco bike rider was the victim of a violent mugging when someone whacked him with a crowbar and stole his bike. One more reason to always wear a helmet.

Oddly, if you fail to remove parking meters from the curb next to a raised San Francisco bike lane, drivers will continue to park there.

Caught on video: A Sacramento cyclist is lucky to be alive when his back wheel is clipped by a speeding train after riding onto a railroad crossing. No word on whether he rode through the barriers, or even if the crossing had crossing arms or warning lights.

Security video was posted online that shows the fatal shooting of a bike rider in Redding last month; the driver claims it was self defense, though the victim may have been reacting to a near collision.

 

National

Schwinn invites you to relive your childhood with a new limited edition Lemon Peeler Stingray.

Mountain bike legend Gary Fisher says e-mountain bikes are the next big thing, because they remove all the work and just leave the fun. Which kind of takes the fun out of it.

Like pretty much anything else from Ikea, their new bike requires some assembly, but Fast Co-Exist says you’ll have a very rideable urban bike when you’re done.

This is the cost of traffic violence. One of the nation’s leading experts on bioterrorism was killed in a collision when he was collateral damage in a wreck between two cars in St. Louis.

Friends of a killer Minnesota driver blame a possible undiagnosed brain tumor instead of intoxication for the crash that took the life of a runner in a crosswalk.

CNBC talks with MIT physicist Assaf Biderman, maker of the Copenhagen Wheel, which promises to turn nearly any bike into an ebike.

A New York driver cuts a teenage bike rider off as he rides on a sidewalk, then blames him for getting mad.

A New Orleans writer calls Mardi Gras a gateway drug that turns people on to the possibility of two-wheeled transportation because it’s the most efficient way to get around during carnival season.

Bike-riding medics protect the crowd at the Mobile AL Mardi Gras celebration.

 

International

The family of a fallen British bicyclist call for reforming the country’s sentencing laws after the driver who killed him cops a plea for a reduced sentence.

Britain could cut serious bicycling collisions by a third just through better enforcement of safe passing laws.

A British man decides he needs a change, and bikes 9,000 miles from his hometown to South Africa, while expecting to get jumped by a lion along the way.

The leading Dutch bikeway engineering guide gets an update, showcasing the country’s best bike practices. Which means the best practices, period.

Five German woman have been attacked by an acid-throwing bike rider since December.

 

Finally…

If at first you fail to hit a cop with a bicycle, try throwing a tricycle. Is it still a three state challenge if there’s only two?

And if you’re going to flee from a failed break-in, remember to take your bike with you.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: Riding with SaMo’s mayor, crazed California driver, and your next bike should have a bazooka

February 28, 2017 / / 3 comments

Evidently, Saturday’s ride with the mayor of Santa Monica was a successful affair.

David Drexler forwarded his thoughts afterwards.

Thanks for the “heads up” about the monthly ride with the Santa Monica Mayor Ted Winterer.

It was a lot of fun.  He is a great guy, and very approachable.

We chatted for a while before the ride, and rode together for a while. He likes to talk about cycling infrastructure and Santa Monica’s plans for the future including a fully protected bike lane from North to South coming up soon for construction that will feed into the East/West green lanes.

The Mayor told me that both he and his wife and 2 children all have bikes at home and ride together, and most days he cycles from his home to his city office in Santa Monica.

Also with us for the ride was the Santa Monica City Manager Rick Cole who likes cycling and was pointing out areas for Green Lane expansion and revision to the Mayor during the ride.

You don’t have to be a resident of Santa Monica to participate in the Monthly ride with Mayor, so everyone should consider coming out and chatting with him about cycling next time.

Photo attached of the Mayor (on the left) giving the group instructions before the ride.

………

These are the people we share the roads with.

Somewhere in California, a crazed road raging driver harassed a bike rider, demanding that “all you little bastards” should get out of town, and threatened to come back with a shotgun.

Although any experienced road raging driver would know that using a gun is a crime, but using a car just makes it an accident.

Right?

Thanks to Frank Lehnerz for the heads-up.

………

Members of the pro peloton name the most promising young riders; no North or Central Americans made the list, though one Columbian rider did.

So much for cleaning up the sport. An anti-doping organization claims no drug testing has been done at the last five international cyclocross events, and they haven’t checked for motor doping, either.

Alberto Contador says it’s more important to ride with style than to win. Something tells me his sponsors would disagree.

Flamboyant world road champ Peter Sagan likes Haribo candies more than post-race interviews; Bicycling Magazine compares his early season behavior to performance art.

VeloNews discusses Saturday’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad one-day classic, where riders used a tactic employed by traffic-shy cyclists around the world by taking to the sidewalk. And it turns out the women Omlooped, too. Twice.

………

Local

Road and Track says the future of Los Angeles transportation is full of possibilities, from trains and hydrogen-powered cars to, yes, bicycles.

A new bike-inspired coffee shop and bicycle accessory shop will be opening soon on York Blvd in Highland Park, where a successful road diet has helped bring life to the street. Though this being Los Angeles, not everyone approves.

CiclaValley explains how to take your bike on MetroLink.

There will be a feeder ride for people looking to get from Highland Park to Sunday’s 626 Golden Streets ciclovía/open streets event.

 

State

Bike co-op and advocacy group BikeVentura is officially launching with a party this Saturday.

Sacramento sheriff’s deputies are looking for a bike thief who assaulted the owner of a bike he was trying to steal.

 

National

Nice to know we’re still making life miserable for self-driving cars.

Mobility Lab asks how far is too far to ride to work, concluding that anything beyond 30 miles is just crazy. Although I once met one of the early RAAM competitors, who commuted 157 miles by bike from his home in Steamboat Spring CO through the mountains to Denver, and back again, everyday, even in the dead of winter.

Police in Oregon are searching for the identity of a drunken rider who was hit by a truck on Friday. This is why you should always carry ID. And ride sober.

Young riders of faster ebikes could be required to wear a helmet until they reach the age of 21 under proposed Utah legislation.

A Denver bicyclist claims he was repeatedly passed, then intentionally run down by a road raging street sweeper driver.

A former Wichita KS bike shop owner now runs a bike repair service out of his garage, while offering free bike rentals to anyone who wants to borrow one.

Even heartland cities are attempting to eliminate traffic fatalities, as Columbia MO commits to developing a Vision Zero plan.

Massachusetts is planning a network of bike lanes to keep up with rising demand.

Evidently, blocking bike lanes is nothing new; New York truck drivers have been doing it since at least 1899.

If anyone feels like moving to the deep South, the Georgia Bikes advocacy group is seeking a new executive director.

 

International

Road.cc presents the perfect bikes to buy when you have more dollars than sense.

A Nova Scotia columnist calls on the province to scrap its mandatory bike helmet law, saying that it will keep bikeshare from succeeding there without making riders any safer. Meanwhile, a writer for Forbes says bike helmets can be hazardous to your health by encouraging risky behavior.

British cycling champ Chris Hoy goes from Olympic gold medalist to children’s book author.

Caught on video: A Kiwi parent could face a police investigation after he knocks a BMX rider on his ass for colliding with his skateboarding son at a new skate park.

 

Finally…

Not even bike messengers are safe from automation. Forget a Swiss Army Knife; what you really need is a bazooka-toting Swiss Army Bicycle.

And seriously, cats should know better than to try mountain biking, anyway.

 

Category: Guest Columns, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Local election news, an introduction to turn signals, and Lance gets his mtn bike butt kicked by kids

February 27, 2017 / / 2 comments

Greetings from Hollywood, home of the great Best Picture fiasco.

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More political news in the run-up to next week’s local elections.

If you’re still on the fence about how to vote on Measure S, an Op-Ed in the LA Times says prohibiting dense development doesn’t prevent traffic, it makes it worse by creating sprawl. Meanwhile, another writer says it does nothing to help South LA, either.

The Times reports on bike shop owner Joe Bray-Ali’s surprisingly strong challenge to anti-bike incumbent Councilmember Gil Cedillo in LA’s 1st Council District. And let’s not forget that Cedillo was for bike lanes on North Figueroa before he was against them — a change that came shortly after he took office and didn’t need our votes anymore.

The West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition offers responses to their candidate questionnaire from six of the ten people running for WeHo city council.

And if you didn’t catch it in our weekend update, Bike the Vote LA co-founder Michael Macdonald says there’s been too much talk and too little action from Mayor Eric Garcetti when it comes to improving safety on our streets.

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A video from an Indiana state trooper explains how a incredible safety feature found on every car can help drivers avoid crashes while also being courteous to others on the road.

It’s called a turn signal.

Which, judging by the cars on LA streets, is probably news to California drivers, as well.

Then again, every bike rider has a similar feature, which can be deployed just by sticking their arms out. And usually goes unused, as well.

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Peter Sagan won Sunday’s Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne one-day classic.

Lance Armstrong’s all-star team of fellow former dopers came in third at a recent mountain bike race, beaten by a team of Arizona high school students.

………

Local

Tragic news, as the search for a missing 14-year old San Fernando boy apparently ends with the discovery of a body in the LA River near the Alex Baum bike bridge over the LA River; a bicycle was also found nearby.

An Eastside photographer went for a bike ride, and came back with beautiful photos of the area’s many murals.

 

State

San Diego’s Uniton-Tribune talks with the owner of a National City bike shop that also focuses on giving back to the community.

Porterville police accuse bike-riding teenagers of causing chaos in the central California town. Sort of like Marlon Brando in The Wild One, but younger. And on bicycles.

Palo Alto considers a smart bike-equipped bikeshare system.

A guest columnist for a Monterey paper calls plans for a protected bike lane a waste of $6.5 million, saying cyclists could stick to a popular bike/ped path, or zig zag through quieter streets instead. Funny how no one ever suggests that drivers should weave through residential streets instead of taking the most direct route.

The driver who shot a Redding bike rider claims the victim provoked the shooting by pounding on his window and reaching into his pocket as if he was going for a non-existent gun; however, police have found security footage that may show the shooting.

 

National

A report describes how a Colorado cyclist survived an avalanche that killed his snow biking partner earlier this month.

Smart move. Officials in La Crosse WI are attempting to increase alternative transportation in an attempt to avoid building an expensive highway project.

Six candidates for mayor of St. Louis discuss bike lanes with the local paper; once again, other candidates couldn’t be bothered to respond, claiming there were more pressing issues facing the city.

In a disturbing story from Key West, a drunken scooter rider chased a pair of men riding their bikes, calling them gay slurs and saying “You live in Trump country now” before running into one rider and knocking him off his bike, and threatening to cut them up if they called police.

 

International

Your next bike lock could lock itself. And unlock with a contactless card.

Bike Radar offers advice on how to be a successful vegetarian cyclist.

A Toronto report says businesses shouldn’t worry about the loss of on-street parking, since only a small percentage of the people who parked on a street actually shopped there, and people who arrive on bike and foot are more faithful customers.

The Guardian looks at the best and worst bikeshare systems around the world, ranking Hangzhou, China and Dublin, Ireland at the top of the list.

English actress/model Elizabeth Hurley is one of us, going for a ride on a private island.

A British driver insists that bike trailers are dangerous and kids belong in cars. Never mind that far more kids are killed in cars than on bikes, and serious collisions involving bike trailers are exceedingly rare.

Clearly, parking in bike lanes is not just an American phenomenon, as an English paper reports on the problem.

A Good Samaritan bought a new bike for a 10-year old British boy who serves as a caregiver, along with his two brothers, for his mother who suffers from fibromyalgia, after the bike he was given by his late father was stolen.

Apparently, you don’t want to mess with bike riders in Malawi. After a bicycle taxi operator was stabbed in the leg, an angry mob chased down the perp and set him on fire.

An Australian grandfather was forced to play dead to survive an apparent random shooting as he rode his bike along a trail.

Caught on video: In a truly bizarre attack, a road raging Aussie pedestrian leaps into the street and attempts to kick a passing bike rider; when confronted, the man simply said “slow down and fuck off.” As if the speed of the cyclist somehow affected the man as he stood on the sidewalk.

In the wake of the recent massacre of eight teenage bicyclists, a Malaysian writer says it’s time to stop the blame game and ask what can be done to prevent another. Meanwhile, authorities detained three men simply for calling for a public rally to protest the killings, and arrested seven teenagers for the crime of riding their bikes near the site of the planned rally, which never materialized.

 

Finally…

More proof you can carry anything on a bike, as long as you’re willing to balance it on your head. What to do when an adorable marsupial wants to give your Go Pro a hug.

And Ohio accidently passed an Idaho Stop Law. For cars.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Weekend Links: A wake-up call for Eric Garcetti, an endorsement tie in CD9, and upping the visibility arms race

February 25, 2017 / / Comments Off on Weekend Links: A wake-up call for Eric Garcetti, an endorsement tie in CD9, and upping the visibility arms race

Bike the Vote LA co-founder Michael Macdonald has penned a must-read Op-Ed for the LA Times, saying Los Angeles has seen too much talk and not enough action from Mayor Eric Garcetti when it comes to making our streets safer.

Couldn’t agree more.

Garcetti has done a great job setting priorities and policies for the city. But he’s done a lousy job of translating them to the real world, especially when it comes to our streets. Let alone his failure to even weigh in on street-level fights like ensuring human access on the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge, or the shameful, and ultimately successful, effort to remove Westwood Blvd and Central Ave from the city’s Mobility Plan.

Let’s hope he does better in his next term.

Our lives, and the future livability of the city, depend on it.

………

Speaking of Bike the Vote LA, they continue their recent string of endorsements with a tie in LA’s 9th council district between Jorge Nuño and Adriana Cabrera, saying the district has languished under current Councilmember Curren Price Jr.

And the Los Angeles Post-Examiner examines CD5 incumbent and pseudo-environmentalist Paul Koretz’s recent call to ban bikes from Westwood Blvd.

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A new waterproof cycling jacket ups the visibility arms race, with hi-viz panels for day use, and LED lights and reflective panels on the front, back and sleeves.

A new sci-fi styled bike taillight includes turn signals, crash detector, automatic brake light, and a rear cam that projects images directly to your handlebar-mounted smart phone, so you can watch your bike get rear-ended in real time.

Thanks to Zwift, riding indoor doesn’t suck as much. Even ghosts are getting in on it.

………

The season’s last World Cup track cycling stage starts today at the StubHub Center’s Velo Sports Center in Carson. Although the Aussie team may have to withdraw after their bikes got stuck in Columbia.

You don’t need to read French to get the message not to celebrate your victory too soon.

Lance will finally face trial in DC this November for the feds $100 million dollar doping fraud lawsuit.

………

Local

The LA Times goes fat biking in the snow.

Not surprisingly, West Hollywood has a higher rate of DUIs than surrounding cities, given the high number of nightclubs and bars in the city.

Santa Monica is throwing a party today to celebrate four park projects.

Monday will be another day of enhanced traffic enforcement in Santa Monica, as police are once again on the lookout for violations that affect bike and pedestrian safety, regardless of who commits them. So just make sure it’s not you.

The San Gabriel Valley’s 626 Golden Streets lists seven can’t miss open streets events this spring, starting with their own 18-mile event next Sunday.

 

State

San Diego’s Padres Pedal the Cause raised $2 million for cancer research.

A San Francisco supervisor commits to supporting protected bike lanes on upper Market Street, which has one of the city’s highest collision rates.

 

National

National Geographic shares bike maps from the 1890s, while questioning whether the current urban bike craze will live on.

The Denver Post says yes, walking, biking and transit are good things, but let’s not make it harder for people to drive, noting that it would take a monumental shift in behavior to get commuters to leave their cars at home five days a week. On the other hand, if people left their cars at home just one day a week, it would probably solve all of the city’s traffic problems.

Caught on video: A Chicago TV station catches a bike colliding with a taxi during a live remote.

A Detroit bike rider was the victim of second-hand lightening when a bolt struck a utility pole, causing a live wire to fall and electrocute him.

There’s a special place in hell for the jerk who mugged a 79-year old Michigan bike shop owner, stealing several hundred dollars from the shop; the victim recognized the thief as someone he had once fixed a bike for.

The good news is New York traffic deaths are down 23% under the city’s Vision Zero; the bad news is the good news doesn’t include bicyclists and pedestrians.

A Pennsylvania man got three months to five years behind bars for the drunken crash that left a bike rider with life-threatening injuries. But he wasn’t behind the wheel; he was pedaling his own bike at the time.

A North Carolina runner was impaled by a nail purposely placed on a trail; investigators have found at least 40 more four-inch nails pounded into tree roots and logs so up to an inch was sticking out. Like similar cases affecting bike trails, this needs to be treated like the domestic terrorism case it is, rather than just a dangerous prank.

 

International

Cycling Weekly says your riding habits will change when you have kids, but that it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Protected bike lanes on a major Toronto street have boosted bicycling rates 36%, while increasing rush hour drive times by 8.5 minutes. However, the city believes they can eliminate that delay by making adjustments to turns, parking and traffic signals.

The thrills of playing Pokémon Go by bike on London’s busy streets.

Maybe they didn’t tip him. A Brit food delivery driver is caught on video stealing a customer’s $250 kids bike.

It’s ten years behind bars for a stoned British driver who killed a bike rider while fleeing from police.

Chinese police crack down on bike-riding food delivery people.

 

Finally…

If you’re on probation and riding your bike at two in the morning, leave your stun gun and blow pipe at home. If you have a lifetime driving ban for too many DUIs, it’s probably not the best idea to ride a gas-powered bicycle when you’re wasted.

And that’s one way to build a DIY protected bike lane.

And fix your toilet, too.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Todd the Volunteer, double rainbows, more endorsements, and don’t read the comments

February 24, 2017 / / One comment

The most interesting people ride bikes.

Mike Wilkinson encountered a bike-riding homeless man who calls himself Todd the Volunteer, and asked if he could share the man’s story.

Driving along Chapman Avenue in Garden Grove, in the distance I saw the silhouette of a man in the middle of the expansive street. As I approached, I realized he was sweeping up debris from the recent rains. I noticed his bike with a trailer and huge orange sign on the side of the road. Then, in a second, he was in my rear view mirror.

Finishing my errand, I remembered how my wife and I had agreed that we would want to help a homeless person who is doing something productive. I couldn’t forget this guy, so I resolved to find him on my way home. His bright orange sign made that easy.

Todd the Volunteer introduced himself as I handed him a five dollar bill. He posed for some pictures and told me he had recently cleaned several freeway underpasses from top to bottom. He was friendly and articulate. His energy and appearance was far from the stereotype of a homeless person with mental issues, addictions and poor hygiene.

He lives in a local park, and he is a busy guy. He has a Go Fund Me page, and there is a You Tube video about him. KNBC Los Angeles did a piece on him. He told me “I believe that if I help the community, the community will help me.” Last year the Orange County Register named him one of its 100 most influencial people. Now I know why.

………

You also experience the world on a bike in a way you never would zooming by in a car. Like the double rainbow Sam Kurutz captured as he rode home Wednesday night.

A big cloudburst took place in Pasadena/Sierra Madre last night and produced a beautiful rainbow. I got soaked except for my chamois, by some miracle. Anyways… it was a tricky ride home because drivers were looking at the rainbow and not for a cyclist, so I had to be really cautious.

 

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More political news leading up to next month’s local elections.

Bike the Vote LA endorses Krystal Padley for Pasadena’s 5th city council district.

Walk Bike Burbank offers responses to their candidate survey from the people running for Burbank City Council.

And the LA Times provides a recap of their endorsements; they got it right on Joe Bray-Ali and Measure S, but missed the mark in endorsing career politician Paul Koretz over challenger Jesse Creed.

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As Erik Griswold points out, you really don’t want to read the comments on the San Diego U-T’s story about the proposed California Idaho Stop bill.

But you probably will. And you’ll regret it.

………

A British pro calls for a ban on disk brakes after he claims one cut through his shoe at the Abu Dhabi Tour.

Or maybe not, unless his shoes are made out of cardboard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpsGxKdBwS0

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Local

The Electric Bike Expo starting in Long Beach this afternoon makes LAist’s list of 20 of the coolest things to do in Los Angeles this weekend.

 

State

San Diego officials are accused of not taking Vision Zero seriously, saying zero traffic deaths is a nice goal, but “we know we won’t be able to meet that.” Nice lack of commitment there, guys.

San Francisco discusses possible safety improvements on 17th Street, where several riders have been injured after catching their tires in streetcar tracks.

The Napa Valley Register says tourist-designed bikeshare is coming to the area, but doesn’t bother to explain what the hell that means.

The mayor of Redding wants you to try riding the area’s trails as part of their Mountain Bike Challenge.

 

National

The Portland city council voted to overturn a decision by the city’s Police Bureau to exonerate an officer for using a Taser on a bike rider not once, not twice, but six times — three after he was already on his stomach with two officers on his back.

Michigan considers requiring drivers to give bike riders a five-foot passing distance, as well as proposing that all driver education classes include an hour on how to share the road with vulnerable users.

Boston’s mayor promises to make the city safer for people of all ages to walk, bike or drive, in part by reducing speed limits to 25 mph.

Never mind walking in Memphis. PeopleForBikes is looking to make historic South Memphis a comfortable place to ride a bike in as part of their Big Jump Project.

Bicyclists in Shreveport LA complain that a proposed bike path network doesn’t go where people want to go and won’t encourage new riders. The best way to ensure any bikeway will fail is to put it where city officials want it go, rather than where people want to ride.

 

International

Bike Radar offers five suggestions for things you can do behind the wheel to make the streets safer for bicyclists. They forgot to mention put down your damn phone, take your foot off the gas, and pay attention.

Saskatoon cyclists ask the city to change a number of bylaws that limit bike safety and the practicality of bicycling in the Canadian city, including a ban on carrying loads and a requirement to dismount and walk when passing pedestrians on bridges.

A Toronto teenager got a $350 fine and three points against his driver’s license for running a red light on his bicycle, even though that’s not supposed to happen. Bicycling violations aren’t supposed to count against your license in California, either. So if you get a ticket, make sure the officer marks on it that you were on a bike, not in a car.

Heartbreaking story of an Afghan journalist who fled on a rickety bicycle to seek asylum in Canada — not from the people back home who wanted to kill him, but from the political turmoil and anti-Muslim attitudes in the US.

London’s new mayor has come out in favor of three of the city’s Mini Holland bikeways in the face of a 6,000 signature petition from motorists demanding their removal.

That viral video of a Brit bike rider ripping the mirror off the van of a driver who harassed her has been taken down after it was proven to be fake.

Caught on video: A British bike thief tries, and fails, to cut through a lock and steal a bicycle.

Irish cyclists protest in front of the legislature demanding that 10% of the country’s transportation budget be set aside to promote bicycling and protect riders.

An unlicensed hit-and-run driver who killed an Irish bicyclist had his sentence increased by nine months after prosecutors appealed his original two and a half year sentence. He was also banned from driving for 15 years, although that didn’t seem to stop him before.

Move to France and get 200 euros — $212 — towards the purchase of a pedal-assist ebike.

A female rickshaw driver is breaking gender rules in Bangladesh. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

An 18-year old Malaysian youth is under arrest for a Facebook post calling for the public to come together and meet with the sultan in charge of the state where eight teenage bike riders were killed in a collision. Let that be a reminder not to take the freedom of speech and assembly we enjoy in here the US for granted.

 

Finally…

You can carry anything on your bike, even a dead deer. Who needs a speed gun when you’ve got a hi-viz vest and a blow dryer?

And if you’re the ethics chairman of county bar association, maybe you should consider the ethics of not driving distract and under the influence.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Guest Columns, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Koretz calls for banning bikes from Westwood, and protected bike lanes are coming to Lankershim

February 23, 2017 / / 5 comments

Yes, he really said that.

Speaking at a candidate forum Tuesday night, incumbent CD5 city councilmember Paul Koretz called for banning bicycles from Westwood Blvd.

Never mind actually building the bike lanes he’s personally blocked from being installed on the boulevard.

And never mind that it’s against state law to ban bikes from any public street where cars are allowed. Which he should know, as a former state Assembly member.

But then, nothing seems to get in the way of his apparent desire to keep Westwood dangerous, and filled with failing businesses and empty storefronts, as he strives to maintain automotive hegemony over the street.

Which could be, but isn’t, why the LA Daily News endorsed his opponent Jesse Creed over career politician Koretz. Although you’d think they might have mentioned the obvious hypocrisy of blocking bike lanes while claiming to be an environmentalist.

You can do something about it by joining Bike the Vote LA in their get out the vote effort from 12 to 4 pm this Sunday, at 109 S Robertson Blvd, between 3rd Street and Alden Drive.

………

Local

Great news, as Los Angeles will undo a small portion of the damage wrought by former Councilmember Tom LaBonge by installing 2.2 miles of protected bike lanes on Lankershim Blvd in North Hollywood, from Magnolia to Vanowen; like Kortez, LaBonge had blocked a previous shovel-ready plan for bike lanes on the boulevard in an apparent attempt to keep the street dangerously auto-focused.

CiclaValley writes about Monday’s North Hollywood death of a bike rider identified, as Stanley Martin Digerose, who was killed when he stopped to retrieve a ball that had rolled into the street from a nearby park.

Loyola Marymount will open a free bikeshare system on campus; the center will eventually offer seminars teaching students how to fix, tune, and repair their bikes, as well.

Pasadena installs a combination bike repair and hydration station near the rose Bowl.

 

State

A new bill in the state legislature would require Caltrans to improve safety on state highways that run through urban areas and neighborhoods by installing safer sidewalks, crosswalks and bike infrastructure — and more importantly, by providing the funding to pay for it. Streetsblog says it would force Caltrans to follow its own Complete Streets guidelines.

Needless to say, reaction to a proposed bill to allow the Idaho Stop Law in California hasn’t been entirely positive.

Speaking of Idaho Stops, the Union-Tribune shows where bike riders are most likely to get a ticket for stop sign violations. Thanks to Frank Shunkan for the heads-up.

San Diego’s already bad roads are getting worse after the winter rains, leading to lawsuits from drivers and injured bicyclists. Potholes and cracks may be an expensive annoyance to drivers, but can be dangerous for bike riders.

 

National

A new study of male athletes suggests riding too long and hard could affect your sex drive and fertility. Previous studies have shown a similar affect on women.

A bicycling website ranks the top ten bike-friendly cities in the US. Guess which one isn’t on the list?

Lifehacker offers advice on how to buy a bike off eBay without getting hosed.

Your next fat bike could be half scooter.

A Washington high school offers a bike academy to train students for jobs in the bicycle industry.

A popular Tucson bike path is closed down for construction without adequate notice or a detour around the project site. Not that there’s anything unusual about that.

An Op-Ed in the Denver Post says Colorado faces a $2 billion transportation shortfall, and the state must invest in multimodal transportation, including bicycling, instead of building more roads.

The hit-and-run driver who dragged a Las Vegas teenager’s bike under his truck for two and a half miles before tossing it in a dumpster is a convicted felon, though the story doesn’t say what he was convicted of; thankfully, his victim is slowly recovering from his injuries.

A new Chicago plan calls for wetlands and bike bridges leading to a massive industrial area.

No, seriously. Who could have possible imagined that a killer drunk driver would lie to a Chicago courtroom to save his own skin? Thanks to Matt Ruscigno for the link.

Teenage Staten Island bike riders get busted for performing stunts while weaving in and out of traffic and riding salmon. So in their infinite wisdom, authorities filed criminal charges against them. Seriously. For riding bikes.

A Virginia deputy isn’t angry at the 19-year old girl who stole his bike to get home after she was stranded following the Super Bowl. Especially since she brought it back the next day with a note asking for forgiveness.

It’s the cover-up that gets you caught. A Florida woman is caught using a bike to cover her tracks after skipping 1.5 miles of a Ft. Lauderdale half marathon.

 

International

Now you can get Strava on your iWatch, assuming you have one. Or want one.

Toronto considers new rules to keep bike lanes from being used as parking and loading zones for construction sites.

London is the latest city to get the subway-style bike map treatment. Which would just show a bunch of disconnected lines if they tried it here.

Caught on video: This is why drivers have to give a safe passing distance, as a Brit cyclist is clipped by a passing driver who apparently didn’t see him, despite his hi-viz. Or maybe just didn’t care.

A UK paper is shocked and appalled that someone would ride in a bike lane with no hands and no helmet. Although he does seem to have his bike under control, even making a hands-free left — and signaling, though I initially missed that.

After video of a woman bike rider ripping off the wing mirror of a van goes viral, the Guardian says the race for clicks is undermining the credibility of the press. Although a HuffPo writer says she wishes she had the courage to do it.

Irish drivers could face a the equivalent of an $84 fine for passing a bike rider with less than five feet distance on roads with a speed limit over 31 mph, and 3 feet on streets with lower speeds, under a “radical” plan under consideration.

Nice story of an Indian man who rode his bike 7,000 miles to Sweden in the 1970s to be with the woman he loved; they’ve now been married 40 years.

One of China’s app-based bikeshare systems is about to drop 500 bicycles on the streets of Cambridge, England.

A lawyer says the Malaysian driver who killed eight teenage bike riders in a collision over the weekend deserves the blame for hitting them from behind, not her victims or their parents.

 

Finally…

If you get pulled over for DUI, probably best not to do cartwheels when the cop asks you to walk a straight line. What to say to those foul-mouthed, bell-happy cyclists when you innocently park in their bike lane.

And someone really needs to give this dog a dope test. Seriously.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bike Access, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , ,

Morning Links: Angry DASH driver tries to run rider off road, and endorsement for Pasadena city council

February 22, 2017 / / 3 comments

Apparently, a LADOT DASH bus driver is in need of some serious retraining.

Or the city might find itself on the hook for violating the its own bicyclist anti-harassment ordinance.

Or worse.

Thanks to Michael MacDonald for the heads-up.

………

Bike the Vote LA continues their run-up for the March 7th election by endorsing Andy Wilson for Pasadena’s city council district 7.

Meanwhile, the Burbank Leader reports on the Burbank city council forum, where one of the candidates actually called for better bike infrastructure.

………

Lance says he loved wearing the US Postal Service uniform and hearing the national anthem played when he won, and being sued by the feds can’t take that away. Although they could take everything else.

Interesting piece from Cycling Weekly, as they look at ten racing inventors that changed cycling, with a few names you might know like Campagnolo and Cinelli.

VeloNews looks at the recent renaissance in French cycling, while Cycling News looks back at cycling’s “decadent” decade of the 1990s.

You may soon need a ticket to watch your favorite cyclists compete, as Belgian cycling promoters consider charging fans to watch the race.

………

Local

A Covina bike rider was injured in what police believe was a gang-related shooting.

The Press-Telegram discusses the ebike expo coming to Long Beach this weekend.

Help restock books in the Silver Lake area on the monthly Street Librarians Ride this Sunday.

 

State

Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious offers a review of bike-related legislation in the state legislature, including the possible elimination of the ride-to-the-right law we discussed yesterday, and an actual bipartisan bill to legalize the Idaho Stop — a term Masoner helped popularize — in California. The only thing more shocking than the Idaho Stop actually being considered in California is the concept of Democrats and Republicans actually working together to pass it.

A Newport Beach bike rider suffered life-threatening injuries when he was apparently rear-ended by the driver of an SUV. Thanks to Lois for the link.

Sacramento police are looking for a bike-riding knife-bearing bike path robber.

Mountain View considers whether a 15 mph speed limit is too high — or too low — on a popular bike and pedestrian trail.

A Marin columnist contends mountain bikers who want to force the county to open all trails to bikes are acting like spoiled children.

Redding police identify the bike-riding victim in last week’s traffic shooting; the case is still under investigation, even though it’s being described as self-defense.

 

National

Friendship Circle is sponsoring their 6th annual adaptive bike giveaway program for kids and teens with special needs.

A new study from the University of Duh says improving cardiovascular fitness may help extend your life. And here we all thought sitting on your couch eating Cheetos and watching TV was the key to outliving all your friends.

Tragic news from Arizona, where a bike rider is dead in an apparent road rage shooting after arguing with a driver and his passengers.

A bill in the Iowa legislature would force drivers to change lanes to pass bike riders, while requiring bicyclists to use front and rear lights at all times — even in broad daylight — while a competing bill would require riders to display a slow-moving vehicle flag.

Kindhearted Oklahoma firefighters replace a small boy’s bicycle after his was destroyed in a collision with a pedestrian.

A Boston man describes his decision to keep riding after doctors discovered a cancerous tumor in and around his lower spine.

New York police confiscate two bikes from teenage cyclist accused of riding recklessly. Too bad that doesn’t seem to apply to reckless drivers, who just get a ticket — if that — and get sent on their way.

Good read from a Gotham website, which says Vision Zero only works when victim blaming stops and accountability starts.

A Savannah GA writer says traffic fatalities are the real American carnage, even if they weren’t mentioned in the inaugural address.

A quintet of bike-riding NASCAR drivers promote bike safety before turning their attention to qualifying for the Daytona 500.

A Florida woman gets 22 years behind bars for intentionally running over her bike-riding friend. Makes you wonder what she’d do to someone she didn’t like.

 

International

Caught on video: Nothing like standing on the pedals of your fixie with your fluffy white cotton tail bouncing in the breeze.

Caught on video too: A Brit woman responds to catcalls from a van driver by ripping off its wing mirror, then just rides away. Or maybe not.

Caught on video three: This is what it looks like to be sideswiped by a passing van.

It’s been too long since we checked in with Scotland’s Town Mouse, who gives one more reason you otter ride a bike.

A Kiwi bike rider urges drivers to just look, already.

A Chinese writer tells his countrymen to stop creating bikeshare companies.

A new study suggests the implementation of a minimum passing distance in Australia’s Queensland state isn’t having a significant effect on the amount of harassment bicyclists experience.

We can’t seem to get away from Malaysia this week.

 

Finally…

We may have to deal with SoCal drivers, but at least we don’t have to ride in front of runaway bulls — although we do have to contend with machetes. Yes, blowing through red lights and clipping a cyclist while driving on just three tires was probably a very bad idea.

And hi-viz may not be necessary, but some clothing is usually recommended.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, Bike Cam Video, Car vs Bike, Road Rage / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: Info needed on fallen rider, a triple endorsement in CD7, and reforming CA ride-to-right rule

February 21, 2017 / / 2 comments

A family in pain needs your help.

Last September, a man was killed riding his bike on PCH in Malibu. Word has just now reached his family in Memphis, Tennessee, who lost touch with him after he left the city and apparently moved west to the Los Angeles area.

They’re hoping that anyone who knew Neville Williams will contact them to provide whatever information they can to give them a little closure.

You can find his full comment here, along with his email address.

……….

Bike the Vote LA strikes a three-way tie for their endorsement in race for LA’s 7th Council District between Monica Rodriguez, Fred Flores, and Jose Castillo.

You can see their responses to the Bike the Vote questionnaire, along with fellow candidate Connie Saunders, below.

………

A new attempt is underway to eliminate the unsafe and confusing requirement that bike riders must ride as far right as practicable.

Which LA County sheriff’s deputies routinely misinterpret as meaning a) cyclists should ride on the shoulder instead of taking the traffic lane, and b) riding two abreast is not allowed, since the outside rider is not riding as close to the curb as practicable. Never mind the many exceptions to that rule under CVC 21202, or that the shoulder is not legally part of the roadway.

Under AB-694, the new rule would clarify matters by saying that bicyclists “shall ride in the right-hand lane or bicycle lane, if one is present,” unless the lane is wide enough to safely share with a motor vehicle.

And doesn’t change the fact that riding abreast is not prohibited, or even mentioned, under California law.

There was some concern that this bill would eliminate the exceptions allowing riders to leave a bike lane under current law; however, it would not change CVC 21208, which provides a number of circumstances where the requirement to use a bike lane does not apply.

Thanks to Jon for the heads-up.

………

More fallout from the Malaysian massacre, in which eight teenage bike riders were killed in a collision with an alleged speeding and distracted driver, and another eight injured.

A Malaysian paper follows-up on the deaths of eight teenagers riding bicycles modified to look like motorcycles, placing blame on a lack of safe places to ride.

The president of a parent-teacher association calls on the state to build a bike racing track where younger riders can blow off a little steam.

A state executive urges people to stop blaming the parents of the victims on social media, and leave the questioning to the police.

And a former government minister is accused of politicizing the tragedy.

………

British cycling champ Chris Boardman calls three-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome a statesman for rising above the country’s doping controversies.

Lance thumbs his nose at the government lawsuit over doping when he was with the US Postal squad by competing with his former fellow-doper teammates in the unsanctioned 24-Hour Old Pueblo mountain bike race in Tucson, finishing third.

………

Local

A new study concludes Los Angeles is the world’s most congested city — although other studies would disagree. Building our way out of traffic has clearly failed; if Los Angeles is going to survive — let alone thrive — it has to offer safe, convenient alternatives to driving, while increasing density to reduce the need for long commutes.

Despite rumors to the contrary, Caltrans has not approved plans to add a right turn lane on PCH at Cross Creek Road in order to accommodate a planned shopping center, which would eliminate the shoulder used by thousands of cyclists every weekend.

 

State

The Register’s David Whiting considers the state of OC’s trails following the recent rains. The fire department airlifted an injured hiker from Runyon Canyon this past Sunday, a reminder that trails can remain unstable even days after the rains.

Sad news from Fresno, where a man on a bike was killed by an Amtrak train Monday afternoon after going around the crossing arms. As we’ve said before, never, ever go around the gates at a railroad crossing, even if it looks safe.

 

National

PeopleForBikes celebrates Presidents Day with photos of past presidents riding bicycles, including the only color photo of Abraham Lincoln on a mountain bike. That’s past presidents, since our current chief executive swears he hasn’t been on a bicycle since he was a child, and isn’t likely to anytime soon.

Bicycling offers a beginners guide to riding in traffic.

Utah’s plans to remove protection from a pair of national monuments has cost it a trade show for outdoor retailers, as well as a chance to host the Interbike trade show.

A Texas man has traveled over 8,000 miles through 31 states with his dog since 2013 to promote non-profit animal shelters and discourage puppy mills. I can relate. The Corgi overcame health and socialization problems from being shipped to a wholesaler when she was just six weeks old, and came to us through a non-profit rescue when her first owner couldn’t care for her anymore.

A 78-year old Minnesota woman has ridden her bike across the continent four times, as well as riding to Cheyenne WY for both her 50th and 60th high school reunions, despite not taking her first long-distance bike trip until she was 60.

Falling off her bike led to twin silver medals for an upstate NY woman with MS at last year’s Paralympic Games.

Big step forward for Pittsburgh bike icon Danny Chew, as he takes to hand cycling for the first time since he was paralyzed from the waist down in a September riding fall.

A self-described bike lane vigilante literally takes the law into his own hands, slapping homemade parking violation stickers on cars and trucks blocking Philadelphia bike lanes.

A DC bike columnist discusses whether hi-viz really does any good.

 

International

Bike Radar looks at 12 “madcap” cycling records that aren’t likely to get broken anytime soon.

Police in Manchester, England crack down on inconsiderate cyclists, ticketing 41 riders over a two week period. Even though they say drivers committed traffic violations at twice that rate.

Where to stay on your next bike tour of Scotland.

France is offering up to 700 euros towards the price of an ebike — the equivalent of $738 — as part of a two-year push to get people out of their cars. Although Dutch riders are discovering the downside of ebikes when they’re forced to pay an average of 500 euros for new batteries.

An Aussie writer says open season on bike riders is just insane, as the shooting of a 72-year old man riding on a bike trail appears to have been a random attack for no other reason than he was on a bike.

More turmoil from Malaysia, where a bike rider was arrested following a scuffle with police during a protest over the impounding of illegally parked bicycles, despite a shortage of bike parking; he faces up to two years behind bars if he’s convicted. Meanwhile, the city government admits damaging a delivery rider’s bike when they impounded it.

 

Finally…

Yes, you can take your bike on the subway; no, you’re not supposed to ride it. There’s more than one way to carry a dog on your bike. Or back.

And at last, cold-weather gloves for two-fingered bicyclists.

 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bikes & the Law, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , ,
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