Tag Archive for Los Angeles

Your big, bold list of King/Inauguration Day bike links

January 21, 2013 / / Comments Off on Your big, bold list of King/Inauguration Day bike links

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” — Dr. Martin Luther King

Something to remember as we confront the irrational anger in today’s America.

And on our streets.

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L.A. cyclists finally have some real reasons to get excited as plans are unveiled for the city’s first cycle tracks and raised bike lanes. Meanwhile, the city speeds up key projects by opting out of environmental review; hearings for first year projects will be held next month.

Personally, I’ll be happy when the 7th Street bike lanes don’t stop at Figueroa, throwing me head first into the madness of barely organized traffic every time I ride Downtown.

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Evidently, you can ride slowly in L.A. traffic and still get where you’re going in one piece. Orange 20 Bikes reports on Saturday’s Tweed Ride. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the Marathon Crash Race 2013 on March 17th. The Venice Neighborhood Council discusses road diets, bikes lanes and back-in angled parking on Tuesday. The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s Operation Firefly brings bike lights to Boyle Heights. The LACBC offers Pigskins & Pedals: A Sunday Funday Tour of LA’s Historic Football Stadiums on Sunday, Feb 3rd, while new LACBC-affiliate chapter Downey Bicycle Coalition kicks off a series of monthly community bike rides next weekend. Cycling in the South Bay promises to stop for stop signs — well, that one, at least. CLR Effect looks at a cloudless Sunday on two wheels, meanwhile, Michael writes movingly about the loss of his father last week; let’s all offer a prayer or some good thoughts for a good man.

Where to ride if you’re visiting Disneyland. A 47-year old San Marcos cyclist is seriously injured in an early morning hit-and-run while riding in a bike lane. Some cities ticket cyclists for riding on the sidewalk; in El Cajon they shoot them repeatedly. The San Luis Obispo paper calls on a “well-meaning” Caltrans to fix the mess they created on Hwy 1.

American Katie Compton wins the world overall cyclocross championship without a single pedal stroke, while a Kiwi rider makes his mark with his moustache. A People for Bikes survey shows the need for better infrastructure. Your next bike lock could be a kickstand, and vice versa. L’affaire Lance — which we’re otherwise ignoring here — elevates America’s only remaining Tour de France winner, while the other former Tour de France winner who swore he didn’t dope but didn’t go on Oprah sues Armstrong’s confederates; Dave Moulton wishes Lance would just go away and take his dope with him. Riding fat tire bikes through the Alaskan winter. In a tragic irony, a postal worker is killed at the same dangerous intersection where a mail truck killed a cyclist in 2011. Can America survive a White House Chief of Staff who bikes while distracted?

London Mayor BoJo appoints a writer for the Daily Telegraph as the city’s first bicycling commissioner; I suppose it’s only Americans who’d be bothered that his name is Gilligan, right li’l buddy? Britain’s Parliament commits to getting the country on their bikes; don’t hold your breath for Congress to pick up the torch. The same UK court that fined a driver £35 for killing a cyclist fines another £110 for hitting a parked car. An Irish cyclist says it’s time to make helmet use mandatory. Scot cyclists prepare to Pedal on Parliament again. Soccer-playing 2006 Tour de France champ Oscar Pereiro says cyclists aren’t the only ones who dope, pointing the finger at his fellow footballers. Speaking of the TdF, the 2014 edition kicks off in the home of the Damned United. Even in Copenhagen, NIMBYs fight bike lanes. American tourists in Taiwan want to share a photo with two Aussie cyclists they met on the road. An Australian cyclist loans his own front wheel to a racer in need. A New Zealand writer says bicycles could save the world.

Finally, if you’re going to ride, ride by the rules — all 91 of them. Soar high above traffic in your own bicycle habitrail. And if this isn’t enough links for your MLKing/Inauguration Day reading, the Cycling Embassy of Great Britain offers a big bunch more.

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Congratulations to April Economides, Kevin Hopps and Trent Strong, the newest members of the LACBC board of directors; if you’re not a member of the LACBC, you’re missing out on the county’s largest and most effective bike advocacy organization.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, General, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , ,

A tweed ride, dim sum ride, no rider left behind ride and CD11 council candidate transportation forum

January 18, 2013 / / One comment

Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

A new support group is forming for people who have been involved in a bicycle collision. Everyone is welcome to share your experiences, gain insight and understanding into your emotional state and develop new coping strategies. The group will meet Saturdays from 11:30 am to 1 pm at 6310 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 401. Current LACBC members receive a discount. To learn more, contact Aurisha Smolarski at 323/203-1526 or email aurisha.smolarski@gmail.com.

C.I.C.L.E. holds their annual Tweed, Moxie and Moustaches Ride from 10 am to 1:30 pm on Saturday, January 19th, starting at 200 Westpark Drive in North Hollywood; the popular event has already seen over 200 people promise to attend on Facebook.

This Sunday, January 20th, Flying Pigeon will host the monthly Get Sum Dim Sum ride, meeting at 10 am at 3404 N. Figueroa St, and rolling for a leisurely ride and dim sum brunch at 10:30 am; bring cash and a functioning bike. The monthly Brewery Ride rolls on Saturday, February 2nd.

Cyclists up in the Lancaster area can take part in the NO-ONE-LEFT-BEHIND Bicycle Ride on Sunday the 20th; the beginner’s ride will depart from the Starbucks a 2062 West Avenue K in Lancaster at 9:30 am.

Also this Sunday, you can attend a rare adults-only event offering a unique combination of bikes and porn when Bike Smut 6: Turning Trixxx screens at WE Labs, 105 West Broadway in Long Beach. Buy your tickets in advance; doors open at 8 pm, show starts at 9, decrepit overcoat not required.

SCAG invites you to participate in a Bicycle Planning and Facilities Implementation training session as part of their Toolbox Tuesdays, from 10 am to 1 pm on Tuesday, January 22nd at multiple locations throughout the Southern California area.

Also on the 22nd, the LACBC teams with LA Streetsblog, Los Angeles Walks and the Bikerowave to host a forum for the candidates for L.A City Council District 11, to replace retiring Councilmember Bill Rosendahl. So far, three of the four candidates on the ballot have agreed to participate; the event takes place at St. Andrews West LA Church’s Nolte Hall, 11555 National Blvd, starting at 7 pm, with light refreshments to follow. This election really matters, 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 a bike supporter to replace him.

Caltech Bike Lab teams with C.I.C.L.E. to offer a series of free defensive cycling classes; the first takes place on Saturday, January 26th from 11 am to 12:30 pm at Caltech Y, 505 S. Wilson Ave in Pasadena. Subsequent classes will take place on Sunday, April 7th and Saturday, June 8th; RSVP to bike@cicle.org with the date you want to attend.

Bicycle Kitchen is holding a fix-a-flat workshop from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm on Sunday, January 27th, 4429 Fountain Ave; RSVP to bkworshops@gmail.com.

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s Civic Engagement Committee meets at 6:45 pm on the last Tuesday of each month. This month’s meeting will take place at the Pitfire Pizza on Second and Main in Downtown L.A. on Tuesday, January 29th, focusing on the upcoming March elections. Email bikinginla at hotmail dot com to be added to the email list.

On February 10th, the LACBC invites you to join in on the Ride Figueroa to explore and promote planned bike lanes on Figueroa and Colorado in North East L.A. The ride meets at 10:30 am, rolling at 11 am, at Greayer’s Oak Part at Figueroa and Marmion Way; followed by a candidate forum for Council District 1 to replace bike-friendly Councilmember Ed Reyes at 1 pm at Herrick Memorial Chapel Lower Herrick Room at Occidental College.

LACBC will host the city’s first Bike Prom from 8 pm to one minute before midnight on Saturday, February 23rd, at the American legion Hall Post 206, 227 N. Ave 55 in Los Angeles. Similar events have been very popular in other cities, so this could be the bike social event of the year — get your tickets early.

Also on Saturday the 23rd, the annual L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Bike Ride will offer a 20-mile route along the LA River for families and casual riders, and a more challenging 30-mile on city streets for more advanced riders. The LACBC will provide a free bike valet.

Registration is open for the 2013 UCLA Complete Streets Conference on Thursday, February 28th at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 120 South Los Angeles Street Downtown.

Make your plans for the Malibu 7-Canyon Ride on Saturday, March 23rd with rides of 100 mile, 100 kilometers and 50 miles. The fully supported ride will begin at Zuma Beach, and pass through Latigo, Encinal, Decker, Mulholland, Little Sycamore, Yerba Buena and Deer Creek Canyons, with over 9,000 feet of climbing on the century ride. The first 200 riders and teams can save 30% on registration through January 23rd, just enter the discount code 7CYNXMAS.

The next CicLAvia rolls out on Sunday, April 21st from 10 am to 3 pm, following a new route from Downtown to Venice Beach — or as Yo! Venice! puts it, from Dogtown to Downtown — along Venice Blvd. Future events will follow Wilshire Blvd from Downtown to Fairfax on Sunday, June 23rd, before returning to an extended Downtown route on Sunday, October 6th.

Registration has opened for this year’s LA River Ride, to be held Sunday, June 9th, starting and ending in Griffith Park. If you haven’t done the River Ride, I highly recommend it; if you have, then what are you waiting for?

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , ,

Update: Bike rider illegally ticketed by pissed-off cop for non-infractions on Venice bike path

January 17, 2013 / / 20 comments

Give Yo! Venice! credit for reporting this one.

The popular website broke the news yesterday that a bike rider on the beachfront Marvin Braude bike path was ticketed by a cop for a made-up violation — simply because he pointed out the LAPD officer’s motorcycle was blocking the pathway last Thanksgiving weekend.

According to the site — and backed up by a helmet cam video of the interaction — Venice resident Chris J. was slowly riding north on the pathway when he encountered the officer blocking the entire southbound section of the bikeway, at the same time a girl on a tricycle was blocking the north side of the path.

So after going around, he — politely, evidently — informed the officer his motorcycle was blocking the path, to which the officer responded “I can give you a ticket for that.”

Next thing he knew, the cop was following behind his slow moving beach cruiser with lights flashing.

And that’s when it gets interesting.

The cyclist turned on his helmet cam and recorded the officer fumbling for something, anything, he could ticket him for. And admitting on camera that the only reason he was writing up the rider was because he had argued with him.

Politely asking a cop not to block the bikeway may not be smart, but it sure as hell isn’t arguing.

Kind of violates the meaning of “To Protect and Serve,” doesn’t it?

First the officer threatens to write up the cyclist for riding on the wrong side of the bike path. Which, to the best of my knowledge, isn’t illegal; if the same traffic laws that apply to motor vehicles also apply to an off-road, Class I bikeway — a multi-use pathway in places — this is the first I’ve heard of it.

If so, the department could make up the state’s entire budget deficit just by writing tickets on the bike path. Starting with pedestrians walking on the bike-only sections, since people generally aren’t allowed to walk in the street, either.

Of course, it would also require cyclists to signal their lane change every time they pass someone. Along with a host of equally absurd requirements never before enforced on this bike path, or any other that I’m aware of.

So Chris argues that there’s a dotted yellow line dividing the two sides of the path in that section, rather than a solid yellow line, legally allowing him to cross over it in order to pass someone.

When the officer can’t argue that point, the cop switches gears. And instead, writes a ticket for violating the state’s Basic Speed Law, for — wait for it — riding 5 mph in a 10 mph zone.

Never mind the fact that the officer appears to have made up the 10 mph speed limit, which is not posted anywhere along the bikeway. Or anywhere else that I can find, for that matter.

Instead, let’s consider that the Basic Speed Law, CVC 22350, refers only to a speed greater than is reasonable under the circumstances. It says absolutely nothing about going too slowly.

Basic Speed Law

22350.  No person shall drive a vehicle upon a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable or prudent having due regard for weather, visibility, the traffic on, and the surface and width of, the highway, and in no event at a speed which endangers the safety of persons or property.

And to the best of my knowledge, a bike path is not a highway.

But I could be wrong about that; I’ll let you know if I see a semi-truck and a few speeding SUVs rolling down it when I’m out that way this afternoon.

Maybe the officer meant to write a ticket for CVC 22400, the Minimum Speed Law. Except that pertains only to highways, as well.

Not bike paths.

And part of which only applies to vehicles subject to registration.

In other words, not bikes.

Of course, had the officer written a ticket for that, he likely would have been laughed out of court when the case comes up before a judge on Friday. As he should be for attempting to make up traffic laws on the spot in order to cite a bike rider simply because the rider pissed him off.

Which is not exactly what we should expect from a trained officer sworn to uphold the law, who should have known better.

Or at least, known enough not to admit it on camera.

And I should also point out that it’s not against the law to argue with a cop. Although it’s seldom a good idea.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, take the ticket. Then take it up with the officer’s superiors, or fight it in court.

I’ve reached out to the LAPD’s bike liaisons for the West Traffic Division to see what they have to say on the subject. So far, I haven’t gotten a response; I’ll let you know if I do.

Update: According to KNBC-4, Detective Gus Villanueva of the LAPD’s Media Relations Section says the ticket was canceled “in the interest of justice,” and that the department was conducting an investigation into the officer involved.

Yo! Venice!, which has done a great job keeping on top of this story, reports that the officer involved works out of the West Traffic Division; still no response from the bike liaison from that Division. 

Category: Bikes & the Law, Law Enforcement / Tags: , , , , , , ,

A busy bike calendar, with a Ride for Justice, Mtn Bike demo and LACBC CD 11 candidate forum

January 12, 2013 / / Comments Off on A busy bike calendar, with a Ride for Justice, Mtn Bike demo and LACBC CD 11 candidate forum

Okay, so maybe it’s been awhile since I’ve updated my Events list; the last time I got around to it, I think the fixie riders may have been on Penny Farthings.

Be that as it may, I’ve finally found a little time to catch up on the latest happenings. And it’s a hell of a list, encompassing everything from the first candidate forum co-sponsored by the LACBC to the city’s first CicLAvia-to-the-Sea.

And just about everything in between. Like a bike prom, tweed ride, workshops and classes, a ride for justice and early registration for the River Ride.

Seriously, what more could you want?

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In case you missed it — which is entirely possible, since I didn’t manage to get a new post online yesterday to tell you about it — my latest guest post for Streetsblog discusses the problem of blocked bike lanes in Santa Monica.

Because it doesn’t matter how many bike lanes they build if they keep using them as delivery truck parking lots.

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Bike Talk airs every Saturday at 10 am; listen to it live or download the podcast from KPFK.

Bike Long Beach hosts Bike Saturdays every weekend; ride your bike to participating local shops and business throughout the city to get special offers and discounts.

A new support group is forming for people who have been involved in a bicycle collision. Everyone is welcome to share your experiences, gain insight and understanding into your emotional state and develop new coping strategies. The group will meet Saturdays from 11:30 am to 1 pm at 6310 San Vicente Blvd, Suite 401. Current LACBC members receive a discount. To learn more, contact Aurisha Smolarski at 323/203-1526 or email aurisha.smolarski@gmail.com.

The East Side Riders are joining with the step-daughters of fallen cyclist Benjamin Torres to host a Bike Ride for Safety and Justice in honor of their step-father, who was killed in a hit-and-run last October; his killer still hasn’t been apprehended. The ride takes place at 3:30 pm today, January 12th, at Rowley Memorial Park in Gardena.

Also today, Flying Pigeon will host the monthly Spoke(n) Art Ride, meeting at 6 pm at 3404 N. Figueroa St, and rolling for a tour of NELA art galleries at 6:30 pm; the popular Get Sum Dim Sum ride rolls on Sunday, January 20th.

This Sunday, SeriousCycling Agoura Hills is hosting a free Mountain Bike Demo & Family Picnic from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm at the Salvation Army Camp Mt. Crags, 26801 Dorothy Drive in Calabasas.

C.I.C.L.E. holds their annual Tweed, Moxie and Moustaches Ride from 10 am to 1:30 pm on Saturday, January 19th, starting at 200 Westpark Drive in North Hollywood; the popular event has already seen over 200 people promise to attend on Facebook.

SCAG invites you to participate in a Bicycle Planning and Facilities Implementation training session as part of their Toolbox Tuesdays, from 10 am to 1 pm on Tuesday, January 22nd at multiple locations throughout the Southern California area.

Also on the 22nd, the LACBC teams with LA Streetsblog, Los Angeles Walks and the Bikerowave to host a forum for the candidates for L.A City Council District 11, to replace retiring Councilmember Bill Rosendahl. So far, three of the four candidates on the ballot have agreed to participate; the event takes place at St. Andrews West LA Church’s Nolte Hall, 11555 National Blvd, starting at 7 pm, with light refreshments to follow. This election really matters, 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 a bike supporter to replace him.

Caltech Bike Lab teams with C.I.C.L.E. to offer a series of free defensive cycling classes; the first takes place on Saturday, January 26th from 11 am to 12:30 pm at Caltech Y, 505 S. Wilson Ave in Pasadena. Subsequent classes will take place on Sunday, April 7th and Saturday, June 8th; RSVP to bike@cicle.org with the date you want to attend.

Bicycle Kitchen is holding a fix-a-flat workshop from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm on Sunday, January 27th, 4429 Fountain Ave; RSVP to bkworshops@gmail.com.

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s Civic Engagement Committee meets at 6:45 pm on the last Tuesday of each month. This month’s meeting will take place at the Pitfire Pizza on Second and Main in Downtown L.A. on Tuesday, January 29th, focusing on the upcoming March elections. Email bikinginla at hotmail dot com to be added to the email list.

LACBC will host the city’s first Bike Prom from 8 pm to one minute before midnight on Saturday, February 23rd, at the American legion Hall Post 206, 227 N. Ave 55 in Los Angeles. Similar events have been very popular in other cities, so this could be the bike social event of the year — get your tickets early.

Registration is open for the 2013 UCLA Complete Streets Conference on Thursday, February 28th at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 120 South Los Angeles Street Downtown.

Make your plans for the Malibu 7-Canyon Ride on Saturday, March 23rd with rides of 100 mile, 100 kilometers and 50 miles. The fully supported ride will begin at Zuma Beach, and pass through Latigo, Encinal, Decker, Mulholland, Little Sycamore, Yerba Buena and Deer Creek Canyons, with over 9,000 feet of climbing on the century ride.

The next CicLAvia rolls out on Sunday, April 21st from 10 am to 3 pm, following a new route from Downtown to Venice Beach — or as Yo! Venice! puts it, from Dogtown to Downtown — along Venice Blvd. Future events will follow Wilshire Blvd from Downtown to Fairfax on Sunday, June 23rd, before returning to an extended Downtown route on Sunday, October 6th.

Registration has opened for this year’s LA River Ride, to be held Sunday, June 9th, starting and ending in Griffith Park. If you haven’t done the River Ride, I highly recommend it; if you have, then what are you waiting for?

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , ,

Today’s post, as I pause amid a busy week to bring you the latest breaking and slightly broken bike news

January 10, 2013 / / 5 comments

Yes, I’ve been busy this week.

But no, I haven’t neglected your insatiable need for the latest breaking bike news; it just took me awhile to clear the decks and get around to it.

So fire up a cup of Joe and kick back for little light reading; it’s supposed to be too cold and damp for all but the hardiest riders to venture forth today, anyway.

And check out LA Streetsblog later today when I should have a report on double-parked trucks and otherwise blocked bike lanes in Santa Monica, as I continue to pitch hit for SaMo correspondent Gary Kavanagh.

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Lots of bike and other related events scheduled for the coming weeks:

UCLA will host an L.A. mayoral debate at Royce Hall on the 22nd; meanwhile, Streetsblog challenges the candidates to a virtual video debate. SCAG invites you to discuss Bicycle Planning and Facilities Implementation on the 22nd, as well. Bicycle Kitchen is holding a fix-a-flat workshop on the 27th. Caltech Bike Lab teams with C.I.C.L.E. to offer defensive cycling classes; seriously, learning to ride defensively is probably the most important skill you can develop as a rider.

Registration is open for the 2013 UCLA Complete Streets Conference next month. And LACBC will host the city’s first Bike Prom on February 23rd; I think my tux still fits.

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Only 90 more signatures are needed to support bike lanes on North Figueroa; I was number 410 out of the 500 required.

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Do we really have to discuss Lance? Alright, let’s get it over with.

As you must know by now, Lance Armstrong will sit down for a 90 minute interview with Oprah — yes, Oprah. Patt Morrison looks at Lance Armstrong and America’s questionable taste in heroes. Ten questions Oprah should ask Lance. Lance still claims those Tour de France victories, on Strava anyway. One key to survival is selecting the right enemies; Lance evidently erred badly in taking on fellow ex-Tour de France winner Floyd Landis. And Lance reportedly offered the US Anti Doping Agency a $250,000 bribe donation in 2004.

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L.A.’s proposed bike parking ordinance is on it’s way back to the full city council. The city offers FAQs for the proposed street resurfacing bond we discussed yesterday; a vote is put off until next week after advocates take a stand. Bicycle Fixation reports progress at this week’s BPIT (Bicycle Plan Implementation Team) meeting. Metro offers advice on taking your bike on the train. Subtle successes in efforts to take back Colorado Blvd in Eagle Rock.  Over 300 cyclists ride to remember PV Bicycle Center owner Steve Bowen, who died while riding shortly before Christmas. Hermosa Beach bike thieves don’t just steal a bike, they take the whole bike rack.

Orange County tries to get drugged drivers off the road. Newport Beach bike advocates and city officials discuss how to spend $300,000 in bike improvement funds raised recently; evidently, delivery trucks block bike lanes in Newport Beach, too. BikeSD finds a friendly reception when cyclists storm the San Diego City Council to protest recent biking deaths. Presenting San Diego’s bike advocate of the year. A new bikeway will connect San Diego’s Imperial Beach with the Bayshore Bikeway. Cyclists accuse Caltrans of ruining the roadway on Hwy 1 above of Cambria; then again, isn’t that what Caltrans does? The Times says Yosemite would be better off with fewer cars and more bikes; pretty much the opposite of the Park Service’s new management plan. An East Palo Alto man with eight prior felony convictions faces charges after hitting a cyclist last October, then getting out of his car to look at him before driving off. San Francisco’s most dangerous intersection will get a new red light camera to stop illegal right turns after more than 50 cyclists and pedestrians are injured over the last decade. East Bay bicyclists can now attend traffic school instead of paying a fine. A San Ramon lawyer who faces charges for the hit-and-run death of a cyclist last May claims he didn’t know he hit a human being; then again, he didn’t stop to find out, either. In a tragic turn of events, a Sonoma County cyclist survives a hit-and-run, only to be killed by a second car as he tried to get up.

How to teach a kid to ride a bike. Fifty places to ride before you die. Free People features girls — and boys — on bikes. Fewer Americans are buying their bikes at their local bike shop. Oregon leads the nation in bike-centric traffic signals; I’ve never actually seen one in the wild. A Seattle driver deliberately Jerry Browns a cyclist following a dispute over whether the rider stopped for a stop sign. L.A. transplants come to the aid of a Vancouver WA couple who had their tandem bike stolen. Six bike brands team to create a biking hotspot in Denver. A Minnesota writer takes the contrarian view that maybe bicycling isn’t that good for you after all. New York is about to provide parking for 24,000 bikes by converting 12,000 parking meters into bike racks. Bike riders haven’t been forgotten in plans for the upcoming presidential inauguration. A Virginia man is, understandably, upset that a planned bike path will go through his back yard.

A Canadian physician opposes bike lanes because they could slow his return to the hospital in an emergency; never mind that better fitness for his patients could make those emergencies less frequent, as could safer streets. Great infographic on who rides through London red lights. The Guardian says biking in hi-viz may not be as safe as you think; or at least they will, once they get their shit act together — wait, there it is now! A five-step guide to the un-stealable bike. Two UK street racers face four years in jail for killing a cyclist; too bad for them they didn’t do it in San Bernardino County. A Brit rider gets hit with the equivalent of a $1600 fine for riding salmon. Evidently, there’s a pecking order to Brisbane bike riders. Now that’s what I call a woman — an Aussie woman passes away 66 years after she and a companion set out on a three year bike tour of the continent.

Finally, I’m not impressed with the new Dutch heated, glow-in-the-dark cycle tracks; we could do the same thing if Caltrans would just approve paving bikeways with uranium tailings.

Category: Bike Events, General / Tags: , , , , ,

A busy bike week in the L.A. area, followed by your weekend reading list

January 5, 2013 / / Comments Off on A busy bike week in the L.A. area, followed by your weekend reading list

I haven’t had a chance to update my Events list lately. And my schedule this week meant choosing between giving you the latest news links, or the coming events.

So naturally, I chose both, starting with a brief listing of this week’s happenings, followed by all the news that seems to fit.

And I promise to get to that full Events listing soon.

No, really.

………

A memorial ride for Steve Bowen will be held at 8 am today starting at the Riviera Village in Redondo Beach; the owner of Palos Verdes Bicycle Center collapsed while riding in the Malibu Hills just before Christmas.

Flying Pigeon will hold their monthly Brewery Ride today, meeting at 3 pm at 3404 N. Figueroa St, and rolling to Golden Road Brewery at 3:30 pm.

A memorial will be held Sunday for Newport Beach lifeguard Brian Gray; reports are he didn’t die as a result of falling from his bike, as initially reported.

This month’s LACBC Sunday Funday Ride will explore sites along the Metro Orange Line. The ride is free for LACBC members and a guest, and meets at North Hollywood Red Line Station at 8:30 am, rolling at 9.

Maybe the Sunday Funday ride can make a stop at Pierce College for the finale of the SoCal Cross Prestige Series from 8 am to 4 pm Sunday, January 6th; 6201 Winnetka Ave in Woodland Hills.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles will host the License to Ride: Bicycles & Transit Workshop on Monday, January 7th from 3 to 5 pm, in the 4th Floor Conference Room of the Citibank Building, 5000 Sunset Blvd. The free workshop is open to anyone between the ages of 12 to 24; light snacks and refreshments will be provided, and a bike is not required.

The quarterly Bike Plan Implementation Team (BPIT) meeting will take place this Tuesday, January 8th from 1 to 4 pm at the LADOT – Caltrans Building, 100 S. Main Street, Downtown.

Registration has opened for this year’s LA River Ride, to be held Sunday, June 9th, starting and ending in Griffith Park. If you haven’t done the River Ride, I highly recommend it; if you have, then what are you waiting for?

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South African Olympic mountain biker Burry Stander was killed in a collision with a taxi driver who claims he never saw him; a homicide investigation has been opened. Stander’s wife of just seven months cradled him as he died, while pro riders call for safety reforms.

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L.A. Councilmember and former LAPD officer Joe Buscaino asks for council action on the city’s hit-and-run crisis; NPR picks up the hit-and-run story. Two L.A Councilmembers propose borrowing $3 billion to fix our streets; yes, it’s badly needed, but there’s no mention of installing bikeways after repaving and not a dime dedicated to fixing the city’s sidewalks. Maybe that driver really didn’t see you, since he might have been sleeping. L.A. mayoral candidates debate transportation in Beverly Hills. The Source celebrates their addiction to cycling; I think we all know the feeling. Redondo Beach considers a cycletrack on Harbor Drive connecting with the Hermosa Beach Strand. Delivering Kombucha by bike in Long Beach.

Automotive design guru Imre Molnar died of a heart attack while riding somewhere in California last week; thanks to Michael Eisenberg for the heads-up. Anaheim’s bike share program to debut later this month. The League of American Bicyclists notes the fundraising efforts of two incredible women, including April Morris, organizer of the successful Newport Beach Memorial Ride. Why Newport Beach needs a new bicycle master plan. The San Diego Union-Tribune talks with one of my favorite bike advocates, Sam Ollinger of BikeSD. San Francisco installs a new bike lane with back-in angled parking. Cyclists need parking spaces just as much as drivers do.

Bike lawyer Bob Mionske looks at the legalities of the no-contact crash. The Bike League looks at the key players for bicycling in the new Congress; sorry, but my cynicism about Congress is at an all-time high, and inversely proportionate to my faith they’ll do anything to benefit bicyclists or anyone else. An Arizona driver is charged with second degree murder in the DUI hit-and-run death of a California college student. A Dallas cyclist is intentionally run down by an angry driver, while the city considers a vulnerable user ordinance; sounds like they need it. An Illinois woman turns down a plea bargain after killing a nine-year old bike rider while allegedly high. After complaints by residents, a protected Chicago bike lane will be converted to a buffered lane. Abysmal pavement quality in a new Chicago bike lane; we have the same problem here when lanes are painted without repaving first. A New York cyclist is killed when she’s Jerry Browned by a garbage truck, then falls under its wheels; note to New York Post, even if she’d worn a helmet, it wouldn’t have done a damn bit of good. Turns out that safer streets don’t slow emergency responders after all. The New York Times reports Lance Armstrong may be ready to ‘fess up; Kent Peterson of Kent’s Bike Blog reminds up that the Onion broke the story a couple years back. Virginia prohibits tailgating cars but not bikes, and has no law requiring drivers to exercise due car to avoid cyclists and pedestrians; hopefully, the legislature will change that — and ban dooring while they’re at it. A Florida woman dies falling from her bike after apparently drinking heavily; in this case, a helmet might have made a difference. A salmon cyclist is killed after being hit by four separate vehicles on a rain-slicked Florida highway.

The Guardian asks if cyclists and pedestrians can safely share the road; walkers and riders make much better allies than enemies. Someone is booby trapping a popular off-road riding area near Manchester England in a deliberate attempt to injure or kill mountain bikers. Traveling from London to Sydney by bike. Czech riders can now enjoy a robotic, glass tower bike parking facility. A UK cyclist riding from England to India returns home to visit his sick grandmother. Delhi cyclists get reflective tape to improve safety. A New Zealand woman is still haunted by witnessing the death of her husband while they were riding together one year ago. Biking in Afghanistan isn’t exactly Portland. The gift of a single bicycle makes a difference for a Cambodian village.

Finally, fight fat with sanitized tape worms, and other health and bike ads from the 1890s. And maybe it’s cars that need the hi-viz, not bicyclists.

Category: Bike Events, General / Tags: , , ,

Lots of fresh 2013 links, surprising health studies, and more on the last SoCal cyclists killed in 2012

January 2, 2013 / / 2 comments

Looks like we all made it through the holiday’s in one piece.

At least, I’m still here. And if you’re reading this, I have to assume you’re still with us, as well.

So welcome to 2013; oddly, it doesn’t seem any different here in the future than it did way back in those fateful final days of 2012.

And speaking strictly for myself, I’m happy to have the holidays behind us and move on to whatever it is that passes for normal these days.

So settle in for a quick read. Then get up and get out on your bike if you can.

Because it looks like we’ve some great riding weather to start off the year.

………

The L.A. Times reports that Johnathan Coontz, who was killed in a collision with a cyclist on the Santa Ana River Trail last week, was homeless at the time of his death and had multiple convictions for drinking in public. However, they contradict earlier reports that he was riding a bike.

It’s sad enough that Coontz lost his life in what appears to be a tragic accident. The real tragedy is how he ended up on the streets with an apparent drinking problem, after growing up as a skilled athlete and surfer.

And no, the problems he had in life do nothing to negate the tragedy of his death.

However, it does throw into question how many cyclists died on SoCal streets and trails last year. As it stands now, the count remains at 74 after the OC Coroner concludes lifeguard Brian Gray wasn’t riding his bike when he died, while Coontz appears to have been riding or may have been walking his; authorities plan an autopsy to determine exactly how he died.

Unless they conclude he wasn’t actually riding or walking his bike, he’ll end up as the region’s final cycling fatality of 2012, barring any late-breaking news.

And frankly, I’d say 74 fallen bike riders is about 74 too many.

………

Not surprisingly, much of today’s news involves getting in shape. What’s surprising is some of the conclusions they reach.

For instance, fructose, which now permeates the typical American diet, may cause overeating; although as long as they keep it out of whiskey and craft beers, I should be safe. You may only need a hard ride around the block every day to get back in shape. Olympic athletes may not be healthier than your average golfer. And maybe being a little fat may not be so bad for you after all.

Then again, I’d tell you to take these studies with a grain of salt, but that’s supposed to be bad for you, too.

………

Be on the lookout for a 74-year old Hispanic man suffering from Alzheimer’s disease who disappeared in West L.A. while riding a light blue bicycle. When you stop and think of it, the ding of a bike bell does sound a lot like a lot like the ring of a cash register. Will Campbell offers one of his typically great timelapse videos of his last off road ride of 2012. Biking to yesterday’s Rose Bowl game.

Calbike unveils their strategic plan for the next five years; then again, you know who else used to make five year plans, so maybe those Agenda 21 wackos are onto something after all. The Orange County Register names globe trotting paraplegic triathlete and marathoner Beth Sanden their Outdoor Sportsperson of the Year. Thanks to me, cdmCyclist’s Frank Peters is now paranoid about motor vehicle traffic; I guess my work here is done. Yerba Buena gets artistic new bike racks. If you’re carrying illegal drugs on your bike while on parole and probation, you’re probably better off not running from the police for a simple traffic stop.

The Atlantic Cites hopes pedestrians vs. bikers vs. drivers vs. bus riders vs. train commuters is a trend that dies a rapid death in 2013. Create your own bicycle light wheel animations. For every MIIR bike you buy, they’ll donate another to someone in need. A popular bike blogger vows not to preach about cycling, at least at home. Ranking the 10 worst Colorado bike collisions of 2012. An unusually honest Columbus woman tries to find the owner after realizing she may have purchased a stolen bike for her nephew. If bikes are really the biggest complaint in Boston’s North End, it must truly be a paradise. A hospital employee wants to require hi-viz reflective vests for all cyclists so drivers will see us; God forbid we should expect drivers to actually pay attention. If you’re wanted on various criminal warrants and illegally carrying a semi-automatic handgun on your bike, maybe you shouldn’t run stop signs. Memphis goes from worst to most improved in bicycling; then again, you pretty well have to suck to begin with to be the most improved in anything. A South Carolina man is killed when he tries to carry his bike between the cars of a stopped train; never go through or in front of a stopped train, and be damned careful about crossing behind one.

London’s bike boom appears to have switched direction; maybe the city’s cyclists are tired of ending up under its trucks. A London cycling organization tries to turn a notorious bike hater into a school cycling supporter. More bikes mysteriously trapped in trees. Scots are urged to get on their bikes, as the country invests the equivalent of $86.5 million in new bikeways in 2013. Ireland plans to expand a free bike share program to up to four new cities. Istanbul tries to get bike friendly with help from everyone’s favorite bicycling nation. Japanese police say 32% of cycling violations are for brakeless fixies, and recommend safety training for reckless cyclists.

Finally, maybe an Aussie highway isn’t the best place to take a nap. And Cyclelicious looks back at a booming year in bike music, which should keep you entertained for awhile.

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

Presenting a passel of bike links to close out your 2012 reading, and a brief New Years warning

December 30, 2012 / / 7 comments

Welcome to the end of yet another year, with the promise that somehow, tomorrow will be different.

Numerically, at least.

Assuming we all get there.

Think of New Years Eve as the world championships of over-drinking. And almost everyone is in on the competition.

A lot of people will have the day off, and may start drinking — and yes, driving — by midday; others will get off from work early and head straight for the nearest bar, if they don’t start drinking at lunch.

From noon on, you can safely assume many, if not most, of the drivers you see will have had one or more for the road. And if you ride tonight, assume every motorist on the streets will have been drinking, if not actually drunk.

You won’t be far off.

So ride carefully, and extra defensively, at all times.

And no, I’m not kidding. I want to see you back here next year, in one piece.

Please.

If you’re going out tonight, walk, take a cab or catch a free ride on any Metro bus or train. Or if you insist on driving, consider a free tow to get back home.

Or ride a bike.

Yes, drunk bicycling is illegal here in California. But the penalty is nowhere near as stiff as a DUI, and won’t count against your license.

Granted, you might kill yourself riding home under the influence.

But at least you’re not likely to take anyone with you, unlike those who insist on pouring themselves behind the wheel.

And no, I have no sympathy for anyone who gets busted for DUI.

And a hell of a lot less for anyone who kills or injures another person because they’ve been drinking.

Seriously, don’t be that guy. Or girl.

………

Apathy may be the biggest obstacle facing L.A.’s 2013 mayoral candidates; at least one voter wants more bike lanes in Wilmington. The Army Corps of Engineers unexpectedly razes a section of the Sepulveda Basin, a popular Valley biking destination. The Bicycle Kitchen wants your help deciding what color to paint itself. If only more merchants realized their customers don’t always come by car. C.I.C.L.E. hosts a class for traffic-averse cyclists next month. Memorable things happen when you ride a bike. Friends hold a successful Frisbee golf fundraiser for injured Canyon Country cyclist Kevin Korenthal. A new DMV study shows unlicensed and suspended drivers are three times as likely to cause a fatal crash. Carlsbad cyclists are startled to see Superman flying past — yes, Superman. The joys of riding at night. Cyclelicious is giving away books on bikes starting Wednesday.

Bicycling lists five things cyclists should have in their cars; bike riders need cars? Turns out Kirsten Dunst is one of us. Baton Rouge has tripled its bike lane mileage in just three years; I don’t think they had any when I lived down there a few decades back. Memphis aims to be friendly to bikes as well as blues. A cyclist is killed in the other Hollywood on Sunday. Three cyclists rammed by a car in South Florida last week say it could have been a lot worse. Tampa Bay sees a big jump in bicycling deaths this year. Continuing today’s Florida theme, a cyclist is intentionally pushed to the ground by a bike lane-walking pedestrian.

Riding a bike on Sunday was once seen as a road straight to hell. The UK needs to maintain momentum now that cycling is reaching critical mass (lower case, please), even while the country sees soaring sales of black market bicycles. British cyclists move a house by bike. Cyclists push for road safety in Greenwich. Leicestershire drivers ignore an injured cyclist lying on the roadside. Walking and biking are on a dangerous arc in Scotland, as fatalities could soon surpass those of motor vehicles within a few years.

Finally, helmets are evidently now required for every waking activity. And an Italian judge says cyclists are scruple-less, because we cheat and steal low-quality drugs. So make a resolution this year to only steal top-of-the-line pharmaceuticals.

You’re worth it.

Category: Bicycle Safety, General / Tags: , , , , ,

Tonight’s post, in which I say goodbye to a friend, and your pre-New Year’s weekend links

December 29, 2012 / / 6 comments

This is a sad night.

For the last 20 years, I’ve been friends with an older couple, the parents of one of my wife’s best friends; I’ve known them almost as long as I’ve known her.

For some reason, they both seemed to like me and never failed to make me welcome in their home; perhaps, in part, because I adored them.

This bike takes a woman in her 80s riding on the beach nearly every weekday.

This bike takes an 80-something woman riding on the beach nearly every weekday, pretty pink streamers and all.

She’s charming and beautiful and sharp as a whip, even in her 80s. And even in her 80s, took her folding bike to the beach every morning, where she’d find a much younger man to unload it from her car before cruising along the coast.

Or at least she did, until her husband took ill a few months back.

He was fascinating, one of the last surviving members of a generation who knew the last world war on a first name basis, with insights and stories that covered every one of the last nine decades. And yet, he seemed equally fascinated by mine — especially the ones that involved a bike, even though he had to give up physical things like that.

That’s because his big heart was borrowed from someone less fortunate after his gave out over 25 years ago, when life expectation for transplant patients was measured in years, not decades. He spent many of the days after that volunteering at Cedars Sinai, using himself as a model to show patients with newly transplanted organs just how rich their lives could be.

Today, his finally ended.

Yes, I’m sad. If you find any typos in today’s post, blame the tears that keep welling up as I write it.

But I’m glad his suffering of the last few months is finally over. Even more, that he more than made the most of a long, full life that could have ended in the 80s.

And most of all, that I had the chance to know him.

Goodbye, my friend.

The world is a poorer place today.

………

A cyclist — or maybe a pedestrian — was killed in a collision with a cyclist on the Santa Ana river trail Friday; more information was it becomes available.

………

The Orange County Sheriff’s Coroner Division says Newport Beach lifeguard Brian Gray didn’t die from a fall from his bike after all. But they didn’t conduct an autopsy, or offer any enlightenment on how or why he died.

………

A passing plumber rescues a bike riding 16 year-old girl before she could jump to her death onto the Hollywood Freeway. West Hollywood considers a bike share program, possibly joining in L.A.’s Bike Nation network. Padraig of Red Kite Prayer explores the undiscovered country of inland LA; funny how L.A.’s urban riders seldom visit the coast, and coastal riders seldom bike east. Boy on a Bike tells Pasadena to clean up its act. A Frisbee golf fundraiser is planned for Saturday to raise money for cyclist Kevin Korenthal, critically injured in a Canyon Country head-on collision. Long Beach’s biking expats are making their way back home to tour Central and Southern California.

Cyclelicious maps California bike crashes, with an appropriately ugly red blotch over Southern California. Bike Newport Beach looks back at a momentous year in the city, starting with trying to create some good from the tragic deaths of two women riders, and a critically injured third, in three separate collisions in just three days. April Morris, the woman behind the very successful Newport Beach Memorial Ride, has been named cdmCyclist’s Advocate of the Year; speaking of which, Monday is the final day you can donate to the ride fund. San Diego’s Nimitz Blvd gets buffered bike lanes, at least partway. A board member of the San Diego Citizens’ Review Board on Police Practices does everything but call Critical Mass an outlaw anarchist organization hell bent on destroying America; maybe he believes Agenda 21 makes riding a bicycle treason of the highest order. A fallen Thousand Oaks cyclist and physician will be honored on the Donate Life float in this year’s Rose Parade. A Ventura engineer designs his own touring bike and sells them out of his garage. San Francisco’s Valencia street poses a risk to cyclists; unlike every other street, I suppose. Ride through the scenic Marin Headlands.

Bicycling offers an online generator to tell you what to wear to suit the weather when you ride. Pelonton talks with Connie Carpenter, the only Olympic cycling champion I’ve ever ridden with. Rumor has it Grey’s Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey is abstaining from sex to focus on competitive cycling; yeah, right. Sprint offers an app to help stop distracted driving. AAA — the national one that supports bikes, unlike their local CA counterparts — calls for interlock devices for anyone convicted of drunk driving. Las Vegas physician commutes — and makes his rounds — by bike. Why do bikewear manufacturers insist on making women riders look ridiculous? Two Washington motorists are killed after mistakenly turning onto a bike path and plunging into a river. A Montana man is sentenced to five years in jail after nearly striking a cyclist and a pedestrian before his 7th DUI arrest; I guess the first six weren’t enough. What kind of wine goes with learning to fix flats? Maybe driving while drowsy should be against the law. Baton Rouge is getting more bike-friendly, thanks in part to the local bike advocacy group; compared to when I lived there, anything short of getting run off the road by rednecks and drunken frat boys would be friendlier. Visiting the bike embedded in a tree on Washington’s Vashon Island.

You can call him Sir Bradley Wiggins now. A British cyclist challenges his Parliament member to ride with him after he’s knocked off his bike twice in three months; surprisingly, she agrees. The London Guardian sues Lance Armstrong to get back the money they lost in a libel case over doping charges, while a UK writer says l’affaire Lance killed innocence in sports fans the world over; seriously, if you’re surprised that any pro cyclist doped, you haven’t been paying attention. Heartless thieves steal a British boy’s new bike on Christmas Day, while a hero postman rescues a paperboy’s stolen bike. Edinburgh cyclists get a new segregated bike path. An Irish man loves riding but hates his fellow cyclists. BMC pro rider Alessandro Ballan is out of intensive care, minus a spleen, following a high-speed crash. A Swedish bike group says failure to clear snow off bike paths first makes streets more dangerous for everyone. Japanese authorities confirm that 31-year old adventurer Haruhisa Watanabe was killed in a collision with a car while riding near the arctic circle in north western Russia. South African cycling made major strides in 2012, yet it remains a country of fearless, adventurous, thick-skinned and often eccentric cyclists. Careless Kiwi cyclists are criticized for posing a risk to other road users; the country averages less than 10 bicycling deaths a year, while I suspect the number of motorists killed by cyclists would be somewhat lower.

Finally, British police now believe a code-breaking, bike riding MI6 agent “probably” crawled into a suitcase dumped in a bathtub on his own, padlocked it from the outside and stayed there until his desiccated body was found weeks later.

British police also reportedly believe in the Easter Bunny, the Loch Ness Monster and Agenda 21.

………

New Years Eve is the year’s high holiday for drunks, and the weekend leading up to it isn’t much better. So assume that every driver you see has been drinking; chances are, you won’t be far off.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,
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