Tag Archive for Los Angeles

Getting the royal road treatment from Hollywood police, and encouraging a motorist to drive better

August 19, 2011 / / 3 comments

Earlier this week, I was cut off by a driver who pulled out from a side street without ever looking in my direction.

So I jerked on my brakes and yelled out a warning. And he responded by calling me an asshole before speeding on his way.

So let me get this straight.

He drives in a careless manner, putting other people’s lives at risk. But I’m the asshole for trying to avoid getting killed?

Or maybe just being on the planet?

Fortunately, experiences — and drivers — like that are the exception.

Santa Monica Spoke member and bike advocate Eric Weinstein had a couple of much better encounters recently, demonstrating that there is hope for détente on our streets.

And that maybe things are better out there than it seems sometimes.

Sunday I was cycling back from a bar near Universal City. So, I’m southbound on Cahuenga Bvld, through the pass, which I expect to be difficult, with a narrow road and fast cars. Well…the auto traffic is conveniently stopped on most of the downhill portion. About 3/4 of a mile of cars: all nose to tail, not moving at all.

They can’t hurt you if they’re not moving! Nice!

So, I ride between the lanes and arrive at the Hollywood Bowl entrance intersection. There is an event starting, with a bunch of traffic and police types, and everyone waits for quite a few minutes until the cross traffic is stopped. When it’s time to go, the traffic officer points to me and says “You first.” I go, all alone, and she holds the rest for at least 30 seconds, which gives me time to accelerate to speed, take the lane, etc. Nice!

Then I get to Highland and Hollywood Boulevard, where my route turns right. Another line of cars, all turning right, all stopped by a traffic guy and a large bunch of pedestrians in the crosswalk. I cruise up the outside, because you all know you do not want to be between a car and a right turn!

When I get to the head of the line, the cop asks me “ You turning right?” “Yep” I say. Where else would I be going stopped at a right turn. The pedestrian mob ends, and he points to me and says “Go now!” and he holds the rest of the cars until I’m well clear. Nice! And much safer.

Are there new instructions on this to the Hollywood Traffic police? Have any other cyclists been allowed go first like that? This was a great experience! I really felt that a cyclist belonged in traffic.

The following day, I was biking down Colorado in Santa Monica near 20th. It was the part where it’s pretty commercial — the road is two lanes per side with some parking, some curb. It’s reasonably wide.

An unfortunately typical thing happens – the squeeze. When I bike there, I take 1/3 of the lane, putting me just outside the door zone. At almost 20 mph I expect the cars to follow me until there is room to pass in the lane to their left.  When there’s room on my right I put over to let them past.

What surprised me was that a small silver sports car could just squeeze by in the 2/3 of a lane remaining at about 35 mph. Always brings that feeling of mortality when there’s a car zooming by right next to your handlebar.

Sometimes, though, you catch them at the next light. That’s what happened this time, so I put up next to the open passenger side window and say “Hey” to the driver.

The driver is a blond woman, who is hunched over, looking down and texting! She is very, very startled as she realizes someone is talking to her from outside the car and sits up, looking guilty. I say, “You just did the same thing to me back there!”

Pause while she (maybe) remembers passing me a minute ago. If anything she looks more guilty. Next I say “Please don’t text!” She says apologetically “I wasn’t texting back there.”

“Please leave more space when you pass,” I say. “Sorry,” she says. And I think she means it. She really looked very embarrassed.

The light changes, and we drive off. I think she got it.

And, I hope, another driver converted to changing their ways.

Something tells me that the driver I encountered wouldn’t have responded quite so well had I been able to catch him.

Not that I tried, of course.

……..

As you may recall, Stephanie Segal is currently facing charges of gross vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run for the death of cyclist James Laing in Agoura Hills last year. Laing was riding in the bike lane on Agoura Road when Segal allegedly ran him down, with a blood alcohol content of .26%.

Now, in what promises to be a very emotional day, Victim Impact Statements are scheduled to be heard on September 7th, starting at 8:30 am in Department 1 of the Malibu Courthouse, 23525 Civic Center Way.

Cyclists are urged to attend to show support for the victim and his family. I’m told that a room full of riders in bike jerseys would make a real statement to the court and offer comfort to the family; however, wear long pants, because shorts — bike or otherwise — are not allowed in the courtroom.

……..

Bicycling offers a look at the top contenders and 3 stages to watch in next week’s USA Pro Cycling Challenge, aka Tour of Colorado. It doesn’t bode well for the Pro Cycling Challenge that another Colorado bike race is sabotaged. Mark Cavendish and his HTC-Highroad team want to win one last grand tour at the Vuelta before the team is dissolved at the end of this season.

And then there’s this:

Q. Do you think Lance cheated?

A. Evelyn Stevens. Marianne Vos. Emma Pooley. Jeannie Longo. Kristin Armstrong.

Those are just five of the hundreds of female pro cyclists who deserve more attention and discussion than the question of whether Lance cheated.

That beautiful, brilliant response comes from competitive cyclist Kathryn Bertine, along with her responses to nine other questions cyclists get asked.

……..

After getting hit by a car 10 years ago, Simon Richardson recovered to become a Paralympic cycling champion. Now he’s fighting for his life, a victim of a hit-and-run collision on Wednesday.

……..

The L.A. Weekly decides the city’s new bike plan is already in trouble, just four months after it was adopted. Richard Risemberg points out that the biking black hole of Beverly Hills has a golden opportunity to do something that would benefit cyclists — and everyone else. Stephen Box says Metrolink passes the bike friendly test. Leading bike scribe and advocate Elly Blue’s Dinner & Bikes tour comes to Santa Monica on Saturday, September 10th; word is another local date is in the works on Monday the 12th. More on Temple City’s plans to construct the city’s first bikeway with separated bike lanes on Rosemead Ave. Long Beach makes a long leap towards livability. The L.A. firefighters riding to New York for 9/11 make a side trip to visit the victims of the Joplin MO tornado.

Two Orange County teenagers are under arrest for shooting passing cyclists with a BB gun. San Diego’s Courteous Mass and Critical Manners ride may not bring about world peace, but it’s a start. A driver gets two-years for killing a cyclist in a Bay Area hit-and-run. A Cupertino cyclist rides across Iowa at age 70 after taking up riding just last winter.

As usual, Bob Mionske nails it with a look at internet trolls who respond to every cycling news story from a highly biased and usually inaccurate windshield perspective. Bicycling says follow this diet, and you’ll be able to ride longer on less food and never bonk. Another example showing cyclists are at least as likely as pedestrians to be seriously injured in a collision between the two; oddly, I don’t hear anyone calling for dangerous scofflaw pedestrians to be taxed and licensed. Five easy steps to buying your next bike; they forgot to mention step six, which is finding a way to pay for it. After the rear cyclist on a tandem is killed in a collision, a witness is arrested for going through their belongings. So let me get this straight — did a teenage cyclist riding in a crosswalk dart out and hit a passing truck, or did the driver ignore the girl riding in the crosswalk and cut her off? Springfield Cyclist asks if you’ve ever done anything dumber than locking your bike to a post without the key; maybe that’s what happened here. An Ohio driver is charged with killing a bike-riding judge while driving with a blood alcohol content of nearly .29. New York cyclists may have won the lawsuit over the popular Prospect Park West bike lanes, but some local residents still think they suck — the cyclists and the bike lanes, that is. The sore losers at the Daily News complain about NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan’s highhanded ways; then again, they’d probably complain if she picked up the tab for drinks. Our North Carolina friend Zeke points out that road rage is relative, as drivers patiently line up behind a slow moving tractor without a single horn or finger.

A Canadian cyclist is injured after firecrackers are thrown from a passing car. A Vancouver cyclist is fighting British Columbia’s mandatory helmet law in court; although a little helmet hair isn’t a bad trade-off when your skull is at stake. A 10-year old Brit cyclist is impaled on his handlebars; fortunately, he’ll survive, but this seems to happen far more often than it should. Cyclists and driveways don’t have to be in conflict. Sydney bike riders would feel safer using the city’s bikeways if pedestrians and buses wouldn’t.

Finally, genius must have skipped a generation, as a bike thief is arrested after mentioning on his Facebook page that the bike he’s trying to sell is stolen.

And after nearly getting turned into bug splatter by a stop sign-running VW Beetle on my way home Wednesday night, I’ve come to the conclusion that my last words on this planet may very well be “Oh fu…!”

But then, aren’t we supposed to be the ones who run stop signs?

Category: Car vs Bike, Guest Columns / Tags: , , , , , , ,

Guest post: leading L.A. bike attorney and advocate Howard Krepack on taking the lane

August 16, 2011 / / 4 comments

There are just a handful of attorneys I’d want on my side when I need help, most of whom you can find over there on the right column.

Howard Krepack is one of those, someone I’ve come to know and respect as a friend and fellow cyclist, as well as an experienced attorney specializing in bike law and a strong supporter of our local cycling community. So when he contacted me recently to say he’d written a piece about the law behind your right to take the lane — as well as when and how to do it — I offered to let him share it here.

……..

Taking the Lane—It’s a Personal Decision

By Howard Krepack, Esq.
Partner, Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant Felton & Goldstein, LLP

Bicycling safety is all about balance and control, particularly when it comes to taking the lane. Sharing the road with motorists can be a breeze or a nightmare; you can do a lot to shape that reality for yourself.

Taking the lane makes you more visible to motorists by basically becoming one of them. It enables an approaching driver to spot you, slow down as necessary and pass you as if you were a car. If you are hugging the shoulder, many drivers will pass you too quickly and/or too closely. In addition, motorists are often preoccupied with other things—the phone, the radio, their passengers—to pay a great deal of attention to the cyclist riding near the curb (drifting to the shoulder is common for inattentive drivers).  Taking the lane also helps alleviate your chances of being caught in a right hook when a motorist makes a right turn.

The California Vehicle Code tackles the topic in Section 21202—Position in Traffic. It reads as follows:

(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:

  1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
  2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
  3. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes) that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge, subject to the provisions of Section 21656. For purposes of this section, a “substandard width lane” is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
  4. When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.

But, just because taking the lane is legal and oftentimes optimal, doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. It is as much of a mental act as a physical one, and shouldn’t be done until you are comfortable putting yourself in that situation.

Even then, there are cases when balancing the legality with the reality doesn’t add up to taking the lane. For instance, when vehicular traffic is moving at 45 mph or more, a bicyclist traveling at 20 mph will be seen as a nuisance at best (with the possible accompanying road rage that implies) and an unseen victim at worst.

We live in a car-centric society where infrastructure improvements that would increase bicycling safety are slow in coming. Grassroots, non-profit groups are making great strides, but until cities and governmental agencies get on board in earnest, bicyclists will still be considered second-class citizens. Needed changes include:

  • An increase in the length and number of bike lanes and sharrows.
  • Keeping road shoulders clear of debris and obstacles.
  • Utilizing proper/appropriate signage to warn bicyclists of road conditions and hazards.
  • A better understanding on the part of public safety officers about the vehicle code as it pertains to bicyclists.
  • Public awareness that bicyclists and motorists share the same responsibilities and rights to the road.
  • Motorists adhering to the rules of the road.
  • Bicyclists adhering to the rules of the road.
  • Motorists and bicyclists treating each other with common courtesy.

Just like taking the lane, it’s all about balance and control.

(The law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein, LLP is dedicated to protecting the rights of those who have suffered serious injuries on or off the job. Partner Howard Krepack, an avid bicyclist, leads the firm’s bicycle accident practice. For more information about our firm, call us at 213-739-7000 or visit our website: www.geklaw.com.)

……..

I welcome guest posts, whether you’re a leading bike attorney or just a cyclist with something to say. And whether or not you agree with what I have to say — or vice versa.

So if you’d like to share your thoughts with your fellow cyclists on any bike-related subject, email me at bikinginla at hotmail dot com.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Guest Columns / Tags: , , , ,

Pristine bike lanes adorn 7th Street for your morning commute, and a weekend full of links

August 15, 2011 / / 9 comments

The sparkling new road diet on 7th Street east of Downtown; photo courtesy of Joe Anthony of Bike Commute News.

According to Joe Anthony of Bike Commute News, the long-planned bike lanes on 7th Street west of Downtown appeared almost as if by magic over the weekend — despite not being expected for another month.

Seventh has been my favorite route into Downtown for the past several months; a relatively lightly travelled four lane street where riders could easily take the lane. And usually hold it without too much difficulty.

Now the street has undergone a road diet — and this time, there was a lot of outreach to the surrounding community, unlike some streets we could name. The result is, from the looks of it, a beautiful road with spacious bike lanes that extend well past the door zone.

And one that presumably has support from the people who live and work along its route, unlike some streets we could name.

I’ll be riding it myself later this week, so I’ll let you know what I think.

But it looks like one of the city’s best kept secrets for riding in or out of Downtown just got a lot better.

Update: In an earlier version of this story, I inadvertently said the bike lanes on 7th were east of Downtown; of course, they are west of Downtown. Thanks to Mike for catching my directionally challenged blunder.

……..

A soon-to-be-Angeleno asks for advice on where to live in L.A. where the riding is easy.

I’m an east-coaster who loves the easy biking in Cambridge and Boston, MA for my 15 minute work commutes. My husband and I are moving out to the LA area and are considering what neighborhoods are the most bike friendly and have a decent amount of bike lanes. Any feedback would be much appreciated!

I’m tempted to say that, aside from Long Beach and maybe Santa Monica, that kind of easy riding doesn’t exist yet in Los Angles. But what would you say? Any neighborhoods you’d recommend?

……..

Don’t ride your bike without lights at 2:15 am when you’ve been drinking underage. Then again, don’t get hit by a car when you’re riding with three times the legal blood alcohol limit. And don’t ride salmon without lights when you’re drunk, either.

……..

After a hit-from behind collision just minutes from Glacier National Park, a cyclist from my hometown is told that surgeons don’t see many patients like him. Because they’re usually dead.

……..

In pro news, Edvald Boasson Hagen wins the Eneco Tour, edging Phillippe Gilbert and David Millar, as biking prodigy Taylor Phinney just misses his first pro podium. After a disappointing Tour de France, Levi Leipheimer wins the Tour of Utah.

Tour de France hero Johnny Hoogerland still struggles with the scars from his famous crash, emotionally and physically. U.S. cyclist David Clinger has been banned for life after testing positive for eating Spanish beef. Speaking of which, Alberto Contador will skip next years Giro to focus on reclaiming the tour de France, assuming he’s not banned for doping, uh, eating beef.

……..

A cyclist is repeatedly run off the road by a tow truck driver working for the city, yet the City Attorney says no harm, no foul — giving the driver tacit approval to do it again. Rethink North Figueroa this Friday. Richard Risemberg wisely says its time to stop complaining that the machine driving our cycling infrastructure is big, it’s time to start learning how to steer it. The Santa Monica Mirror looks at SaMo’s new Bike Action Plan; Bikeside’s Mihai Peteu likes what he sees. No bail for SaMo bike thieves busted with purloined bolt cutters. Cynergy Cycles unveils the 2012 BMC line on Thursday. Over 100 people gather on Manhattan Beach to remember 7-year old Jeremy Perez, who was killed by a grocery truck as he rode to visit his mother. The Claremont Cyclist revisits last week’s action at the Encino Velodrome. A Simi Valley cyclist with cerebral palsy plans to ride 500 miles to remember 9/11; maybe the challenges the rest of us face don’t look so big in comparison.

A Bakersfield letter writer says the more you weigh, the more you should pay for road maintenance; I like it. Imperial Valley cyclists enjoy a ride by moonlight. Camarillo bike thefts have tripled in the past two months. The Ventura County Star endorses a Thousand Oaks bike lane project. Lake Arrowhead will host their first Tour de Arrowhead on August 27th. Newport Beach violates state law by banning bikes from Fernleaf Ave. Long Beach’s biking expats offer a little bike wisdom that’s proven true in my experience. San Francisco police respond to a recent tragedy by cracking down on red light runners, most of whom are cyclists. A San Francisco musician is gay bashed while riding his bike with a bandmate. Now that’s what I call a fuzzy bike. Ped and bike collisions spike in Alemeda. Palo Alto looks forward to a new bike bridge over the 101.

Research shows bike-friendly cities are safer for all road users. Bicycling offers a 108 point list of the rites of bike passage; the C-Blog lists his favorites. The infamous Black Hawk bike ban goes before the Colorado Supreme Court; how other Colorado towns say no to bikes. Michigan puts their road engineers on bikes; the real question is, why doesn’t everyone do that? An 84-year old Wisconsin cyclist rides 60 miles to promote lung health. New York’s Daily News takes yet another potshot at cyclists and NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan; the Brooklyn Spoke responds. A New York Times columnist hits the wall 500 miles into a cross country trip; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up. The Virginia Bicycling Federation takes House Majority Leader Eric Cantor to task for attempting to put bike share on the chopping block. A Baltimore cyclist disregards studies showing it’s dangerous and encourages others to ride on the sidewalk; yes, neither studies nor common sense are true if you choose not to believe them. House star Hugh Laurie tours the Big Easy by bike. Florida police ticket children on their way to school for not wearing helmets.

A fixie-riding DJ has become a hero of the London riots by providing accurate, real-time information. Two Israeli cyclists are killed and five injured when an 18-year old truck driver falls asleep at the wheel. Aussie cyclists say a planned off-road path will lead to road rage. Biking through Bhutan.

Finally, a nice memory and good smile from Will Theisen at Cynergy. And if your pot patch is missing, you can blame a cyclist.

Category: General, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , ,

Update: Bike Rally to benefit Lisa Collins, bike tour of historic Glendale, BBQ to benefit Ride2Recovery

August 12, 2011 / / Comments Off on Update: Bike Rally to benefit Lisa Collins, bike tour of historic Glendale, BBQ to benefit Ride2Recovery

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.

Saturday, August 13th, Block Bikes is hosting a bike rally to benefit Lisa Collins; registration begins at 1 pm at American Heroes Park, 701 West Kettering Ave in Lancaster, with the rally starting at 2 pm. Cost is $20 per two-person team, with all proceeds going to Collins, who was critically injured in a collision with a distracted driver last month.

Flying Pigeon hosts their monthly Spoke(n) Art Ride on Saturday, on August 13th at 6 pm, followed by the popular Get Sum Dim Sum Ride at 10 am on Sunday, August 21st. All rides meet at Flying Pigeon Bike Shop, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

Also on Saturday, the Glendale Historical Society, Glendale Community Services and Parks Department, and the LACBC is co-sponsoring a bike tour of historic Glendale this weekend. The free 14-mile ride meets at the historic Glendale Train Station, 400 West Cerritos Avenue, at 8:30 am, departing at 9 am sharp. Riders must bring a helmet, water and a snack.

Sunday, August 14th from 1 to 3 pm, American Legion Auxillary Post 817 is hosting a BBQ and raffle at 13553 Reedley St, Van Nuys. Just $2.50 a plate gets you a choice of burger, hot dog, chicken or hot link, including chips and potato salad; full bar will be available for an additional price. 100% of the BBQ proceeds will benefit Ride2Recovery, a program to help injured veterans overcome the obstacles they face through bicycling.

Also on Sunday, LACBC affiliate Better Bike will host a transit-themed ride through the streets of Beverly Hills as they tour the remnants of old Pacific Electric rail line through the city, as well as the site of the future Purple line subway station. Riders meet at the Peets Coffee at 258 S. Beverly Drive at 2 pm. (I inadvertently left this out earlier; my apologies to Better Bkike.)

Friday, August 19th, the latest LACBC affiliate chapter will take form as the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition meets for the first time. The meeting will take place at 7 pm at Poinsettia Park, 7341 Willoughby Ave. You don’t have to live in West Hollywood to participate or become a member.

The Encino Velodrome hosts the Encino 6 Hour Race on Saturday, August 20th at 17301 Oxnard Street, at the edge of Balboa Park in Encino. Gates open at 10 am; race day registration is at 11 am and racing starts at noon.

C.I.C.L.E. and the Santa Monica Museum of Art co-host the Cause for Creativity: Tour da Arts on Sunday, August 21 from noon to 7 pm at 2525 Michigan Ave in Santa Monica. Pre-registration is advised since it usually fills up.

Metro is holding a roundtable discussion to talk about operator training, bicycle outreach and education on Monday, August 22nd from 6 to 8 pm in the 3rd floor conference room, One Gateway Plaza in Downtown L.A. Anyone who has ever been buzzed by a bus — which means just about every cyclist in L.A. — may want to attend.

Tuesday, August 30th, Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse will host a benefit night for Streetsblog LA from 11:30 am to 11:30 pm; a portion of all food and drink purchases will benefit Streetsblog; 2911 Main Street. Events will include a raffle, drink specials and possibly a bike valet.

Also on Sunday, September 4th, the LACBC will hold the next monthly Sunday Funday Ride; details are still being fleshed out.

The 2011 Far West and SCNCA Elite Track Cycling Championships come to the Encino Velodrome on Saturday, September 10th and Sunday, September 11th at 17301 Oxnard Street, at the edge of Balboa Park in Encino. Gates open at 8 am; racing starts at 9 both days.

Mark your calendar for L.A.’s Ultimate Bike Weekend, as the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat comes to town on Saturday, October 8th, followed by the next CicLAvia on Sunday, October 9th, offering an expanded route taking participants another 2.5 miles into Boyle Heights.

The LACBC IS co-hosting a weekend-long training program for bicycle and pedestrian advocates with the Alliance for Biking and Walking from Friday, October 14th through Sunday, October 16th, 634 S. Spring Street, Suite 821.

The LACBC’s award-winning City of Lights program will host their 2nd Annual City of Lights Awards/Fundraising Dinner on Thursday, October 27th from 6 to 11 pm at CARECEN HQ, 2845 W 7th Street. Tickets will be available for $45 later this year.

Friday, November 11 through Sunday, November 13th, the Eastside Bike Club hosts the LA Tamale Throwdown at a site to be determined, offering a chance to sample some of the city’s best tamales, coffee and pan Mexicano; bike valet courtesy of Flying Pigeon LA.

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , ,

Update: Taco Tuesday cyclists cited for bad behavior; anti-bike DWP employee a fake

August 11, 2011 / / 8 comments

In a story that seemed important at the time, police responded to complaints about the popular Taco Tuesday ride in Playa del Rey Tuesday night.

Upwards of 100 — or maybe 200 — riders were reportedly engaging in drunken, unruly behavior at the intersection of Culver Blvd and Vista del Mar.

At least six riders were cited for various traffic infractions, while four others were ticketed for curfew violations; a white van accompanying the riders was impounded after stopping briefly in a tow-away zone.

However, despite numerous reports that the riders were intoxicated and drinking in public, no arrests were made for liquor violations or biking under the influence, which is illegal under California law.

In the end, it was nothing more than a bike ride that may have gotten out of hand. A few hundred — or maybe just a few out of a few hundred — engaged in exactly the kind of two-wheeled boorish behavior that gives every other cyclist a bad name. And encourages the sort of bike hatred we all face in online forums and on the streets.

But it was not the near traffic riot some might suggest.

However, if this comment from the Daily News story about the event really is from a city employee, it may not be bad behavior from cyclists that we have to worry about.

Michael Walter · Sr. Purchasing Clerk at Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power

Cyclists are highway vermin. Run ’em down with your Hummer.

Surely a city employee isn’t dumb enough to post a threat — even one which he would undoubtedly claim to be a badly failed attempt at humor — under his own name and title.

Right?

Update: Good news. I just received a phone call from LAPD Sgt. David Krumer, who said he contacted DWP to followup on this comment, and was informed that no one by that name works for DWP and that position does not exist within the company. Evidently, someone with a grudge against DWP created the Michael Walter Facebook account and made the comment in order to make them look bad.

Somehow, it’s comforting to know that this is just the work of a random psycho, rather than a city employee.

……..

I’m told that charges have been filed against Glenn Michael Moore and Michael Dennis Roach, who were allegedly street racing on PCH when a collision sent Moore’s Accord sailing onto a nearby bike path, where it struck and critically injured cyclist Richard Lauwers.

Both are charged with a misdemeanor count of engaging in a speed contest; Moore is also charged with felony DUI causing great bodily injury and felony DUI with a BAC over .08% causing great bodily injury — despite the fact that the collision occurred around 8 am on a Sunday morning.

Fortunately, reports are that Lauwers has recovered from his injuries and continues to ride his bike.

……..

Late calendar additions:

Metro is holding a roundtable discussion to talk about operator training, bicycle outreach and education on Monday, August 22nd from 6 to 8 pm. Anyone whose ever been buzzed by a bus — which means just about every cyclist in L.A. — may want to attend.

The LACBC is co-sponsoring a bike tour of historic Glendale this weekend, and co-hosting a weekend-long training program for bicycle and pedestrian advocates with the Alliance for Biking and Walking in October. Meanwhile, the Coalition is forming a new West Hollywood affiliate chapter at 7 pm on Friday, August 19th at Poinsettia Park.

And C.I.C.L.E. and the Santa Monica Museum of Art co-host the Cause for Creativity: Tour da Arts on Saturday, August 21 from noon to 7 pm; pre-registration is advised since it usually fills up.

……..

Bob Mionske says congratulations to Los Angeles for passing the first-of-its-kind anti-harassment ordinance. And in a must read, he looks at the tendency of police and the media to blame the victim in cycling collisions.

In one of the cases he mentions, anti-bike bias rears its ugly head as a Kelowna, British Columbia rider is blamed for riding too fast in a bike lane after she’s right hooked by a driver.

……..

In bike racing news, American racing prodigy Taylor Phinney loses 35 seconds to drop to 8th place in the Eneco Tour after holding the leader’s jersey; and no, I never heard of that race before this year, either. But I have heard of the Tour of the Netherlands.

Tour de France champ Cadel Evans heads a strong line-up for the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge in Colorado later this month. SoCal Cycling looks at last weekend’s Brentwood Grand Prix (scroll down), as does the Claremont Cyclist. A Tahoe cyclist relates life as a Category 1 racer; how to make the jump from Cat 4 to Cat 3. And a 15-year old Manhattan Beach bicyclist is invited to train in Europe by USA Cycling.

……..

The city releases its first quarterly report on the Bike Plan Implementation Team (BPIT); thanks to George Wolfberg for forwarding the link. But when cyclists were offered a chance to set the BPIT agenda, only two people bothered to respond.

Even so, Bikeside insists there’s no way to achieve progress on implementing the bike plan, while Alex Thompson considers the whole thing a complete and utter failure.

Meanwhile, Santa Monica cyclists applaud the city’s newly unveiled bike plan, while the Santa Monica Spoke applauds the process and city staff behind it. The Spoke offers a link to the plan and an email address to offer comments, bikeplan@SMSpoke.org.

……..

Damien Newton blames the poor design of De Soto Ave for contributing to the death of Alex Romero by encouraging drivers to speed. L.A. attorney and cyclist Howard Krepack says it’s past time to invest in Safe Routes to Schools. The biking black hole of Beverly Hills bars transparency by banning search engines; what ever happened to the idea of open government? KPCC looks at how to start cycling in the city. Turns out triple bike racks on buses could be against the law. KCET asks if L.A. needs a bike share program. A memorial grows for Jeremy Perez, the 7-year old cyclist killed in Redondo Beach on Saturday. The West San Gabriel Valley Bicycle Coalition — an LACBC affiliate — is working to make Alhambra bike friendlier. The Claremont Cyclist reports on local riders behaving, in some cases very, badly.

A San Francisco pedestrian has died after being struck by a red light-running rider last month. No DUI charges in the death of a cyclist walking his bike on PCH in Ventura as prosecutors apparently misplace the blood alcohol results. Here’s your chance to go downhill in Death Valley. A state grant has been awarded to close a gap in a Thousand Oaks bike lane. A mountain biker is rescued after being injured on a Laguna wilderness trail. An arrest has been made in the hit-and-run death of a Santa Cruz area cyclist; unlike the father of Dominique Rush in the Alex Romero case, the driver’s parents urged her to turn herself in and co-operated in the investigation. The owner of a Humboldt County trucking company clearly gets it in a look at the proposed three-foot passing law. San Francisco’s Rapha Cycle Club is a new kind of biker bar. A cyclist breaks into — not out of — Folsom prison. The Navy Seabee who saved the life of triathlete Jordon Rapp following a cycling collision last year receives a well-deserved honor for his efforts.

Broken Sidewalk looks at the problem of bicycle infrastructure designed by drivers — definitely worth reading. Transportation as a civil rights issue. The hidden perils of urban bike paths. Advice on how to wash your bike, and how to refresh your legs fast; personally, I use two hard boiled eggs and a café mocha — to bounce back, not wash. A Wisconsin rider says it’s time for all of us to take the pledge to make our streets a little safer, one driver and cyclist at a time. The Green Bay Packers are role models for cycling. Cyclists are rude, drivers are ruder. Rolling out the bike rides to commemorate 9/11. Bike lanes are used for everything but bikes. A well thought-out response to the typical complaint about cyclists not paying taxes. An Irish poet pedals across the U.S.

Tijuana sets the example in showing how bicyclists and motorists can co-exist peacefully. Building bike lanes pays dividends, despite perceptions of local merchants; meanwhile, Toronto’s mayor declares war on bikes. Bikes as looting lookouts and the subjects of violence on the streets of Hackney. The UK has seen a more than 10% jump in annual cycling casualties, defined as death or serious injury. Seeing Beijing in a whole new light after buying a bike.

Finally, a personal injury attorney with offices throughout L.A., O.C. and the Bay Area talks about L.A.’s new anti-harassment ordinance, and repeatedly insists there are only 13,000 cyclists in Los Angeles — missing the mark by roughly 587,000 monthly riders, according to estimates in the new bike plan.

And in the wake of the Dominique Rush case, a couple of readers remind us of another case where a father actively assisted in a cover-up after his son killed a cyclist; thanks to maggie and Jim Lucas for the heads-up.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bikes & the Law, Roadway Courtesy / Tags: , , , , ,

Charges in Carlsbad and Fountain Valley cycling deaths; bold plans for WeHo, new bike plan in SaMo

August 8, 2011 / / One comment

Lots of things are happening on the SoCal legal front.

To start with, Julianne Thompson of Carlsbad has pleaded not guilty in the hit-and-run death of 64-year old cyclist Arthur Jacobs; she was found hiding in some nearby bushes shortly afterwards with a blood alcohol level over three times the legal limit. Thompson faces up to 15 years on charges of gross vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run and drunk driving.

According to the stories, she’s remorseful. Yet the victim is still dead.

So how does that balance out?

……..

Sources tell me that Adam Carl Garrett, the 19-year old driver accused of killing cyclist Hung Do in a Fountain Valley hit-and-run then calling police pretending to be a witness, has been charged with misdemeanor hit-and-run without gross negligence and hit-and-run with permanent and serious injury.

As one reader put it,

I don’t understand the “without gross negligence” part, but I’d have to say that, yes, death is “permanent and serious.”

As members of the LAPD have repeatedly pointed out, charges are based on what the DA or City Attorney’s offices think they can prove, rather than what police believe really happened. Without witnesses, and with the additional time for any possible intoxicants to pass out of the driver’s system allowed by the hit-and-run, it would be very difficult to make stronger charges stick.

……..

I’m also informed that the family of Amine Britel, the Newport Beach triathlete killed while riding in a bike lane last February, has filed a lawsuit against the driver. Danae Miller was reportedly texting and driving under the influence when she hit Britel’s bike from behind; with her driving record, I’d recommend settling quickly.

……..

Word from the LAPD indicates that charges will soon be filed — if they haven’t already — in the hit-and-run death of Alex Romero, the 17-year old cyclist killed by a speeding car while riding with a friend on De Soto Ave. last April. And charges may not be limited to the driver; they could include others who allegedly attempted to help her cover up the crime.

……..

Renew your membership or make a donation to the LACBC now and AdventureCorp will match it up to a total of $10,000 in honor of fallen endurance cyclist Jim Swarzman.

……..

Get a first look at the newly unveiled draft of the Santa Monica Bike Action Plan when the Santa Monica Spoke hosts a meeting with Santa Monica Deputy Director Lucy Dyke tonight from 6 pm to 8:30 in the Colorado Community Room, 502 Colorado Blvd.

Meanwhile, West Hollywood’s Bicycle Task Force proposes a bold plan to make the city more bike friendly, including removing parking spaces to extend bike lanes along busy Santa Monica Blvd and a road diet on Fountain Ave. to create a protected bike lane along the curb. Not to mention aligning other proposed bike lanes on Fairfax and Vista/Gardner with bike lanes included in the new L.A. bike plan.

We can only hope bike-unfriendly Beverly Hills is paying attention, and plans to do something about that gaping black hole marring biking on the Westside. And needlessly risking the lives and safety of everyone who lives and rides there.

……..

The L.A. County Sheriffs Department is looking for a stabbing suspect who killed a man along the L.A. River Bike Path in South Gate; if you rode the trail the last Friday in June, maybe you saw something.

And according to KNBC-4, L.A. police are looking for a hit-and-run suspect who struck three pedestrians and a parked car in a space of two blocks in Downtown L.A. Sunday morning. But maybe someone else can point out the logical disconnect in this sentence, since KNBC clearly doesn’t get it:

An investigation is underway as to whether or not these accidents were intentional, police said.

……..

It’s time to rethink North Figueroa. Streetsblog looks at the less-than-promising Woodley Ave. bike lanes. LADOT wants your help to survey L.A. bike racks. Metro moves forward on bike share. Full bike parking at the Grove. Those of us born with an competitive gene have to be reminded from time to time not to underestimate anyone; I have to fight the urge to ride down anyone on the road ahead of me. Funny how often the Times photo of the day features bikes. Will gives new meaning to L.A. River Ride by actually riding in the river to connect the gaps in the trail. The South Bay section of the beachfront Marvin Braude Bike Path is about to get a much needed facelift; hopefully the county will get to the cracked and crumbling Marina section before it completely falls apart. Ashley Tisdale rides with her dog in Toluca Lake. An update from Amarillo on the L.A. firefighters riding across the country to honor victims of 9/11.

More information on Cody Wessel, the 19-year old Wildomar cyclist who was killed in nearby Lake Elsinore on Friday. Bike thefts are up in Newport Beach, where police search for Ashton Kutcher and Colonel Sanders. A blind cyclist rides a tandem 240 miles from Santa Barbara to San Diego. A Santa Barbara writer says we could solve a lot of problems with those three little words: share the road. An SB teen is riding across county to raise money and awareness for a program allowing the homeless to live safely in their cars. The Bay Area is facing a pedicab war; yes, Microsoft Word, pedicab is a word so get over it. I missed the unique importance of these new microwave red light sensors in Pleasanton the first time around; thanks to Road.cc for the clarification. Palo Alto attempts to calm traffic and build boulevards. A bike path that doesn’t connect to anything may be a waste of money, but some idiots still don’t get it — it’s the cyclists who are subsidizing the roadways, not the other way around. African American cyclists get blessed in Oakland in an attempt to get more on the road.

New Tron-style wheel rim lights could keep you safer at night. How to not be invisible when you ride. Cycling is good for you, even if you’ve been a couch potato. A graphic illustration of why bikes are good for rural economies. This is why you don’t buy cheap carbon frames off eBay. How is it that Sitka AK is bike-friendly and L.A. isn’t? Misdemeanor charges for killing a Colorado cyclist. It wasn’t easy coming up with that crappy name for the upcoming USA Pro Tour Cycling Challenge; after a top 10 finish in the TdF, Colorado’s Tom Danielson could be one of the favorites. A thief who stole seven bikes from Idaho’s World Relief returns three with an apology. Newly minted Montanan Dancer a la Mode sends word of a DUI fatality that’s gripping the local community. Oklahoma authorities have arrested a suspect in the 2009 hit-and-run death of an 8-year old girl; there’s not a pit in hell deep enough. A Chicago cyclist is killed on her way home from Lollapalooza after falling underneath a dump truck. Massachusetts authorities can now ticket cyclists, but can’t force them to pay.

Turns out bike share saves lives; I wonder if the results would be the same here in L.A. with our lack of cycling infrastructure. How to be an ambassador for cycling. Southern California isn’t the only place where cycling fatalities are on the way up. Pro cycling’s most successful team is folding at the end of this season, while star rider Mark Cavendish may jump to Team Sky; thanks to George Wolfberg for the head’s up. Cycling prodigy Taylor Phinney will compete in this year’s Vuelta a Espana, after winning his first stage since turning pro. Israel revokes their mandatory helmet law for adults. Three years in prison for a rickshaw jockey who chewed off a cyclist’s ear in a road rage incident.

Finally, the unofficial highlights of the Tour de France. And a cyclist rescues a crawfish from the mean streets of Salinas.

If you missed Sunday's Brentwood Grand Prix, you missed some great racing. Don't make the same mistake next year.

Category: Bikes & the Law, General, Injuries and Fatalities, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

On tap this weekend — Brentwood Grand Prix, Long Beach Sunday Funday & Flying Pigeon Brewery Ride

August 6, 2011 / / Comments Off on On tap this weekend — Brentwood Grand Prix, Long Beach Sunday Funday & Flying Pigeon Brewery Ride

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.

Flying Pigeon hosts their monthly Brewery Ride on Saturday, August 6th at 3:30 pm; followed by Spoken(n)Art Ride at 6 pm on August 13th at 6 pm, and the popular Get Sum Dim Sum Ride at 10 am on Sunday, August 21st. All rides meet at Flying Pigeon Bike Shop, 3714 North Figueroa Street in Highland Park.

L.A.-based urban cycling attire maker Swrve will host an art opening in their new Glassell Park location, 3421 Verdugo Rd from 7 – 10 on Saturday, August 6th.

West L.A.’s annual Brentwood Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, August 7th on San Vicente Blvd in Brentwood; races start at 7 am and run through 4 pm. This year’s event will offer $10,000 in prize money and host the state Criterium Championships for elite racers, as well a children’s races and booths for the various sponsors; parking and bike valet will be available.

Also on Sunday, August 7th, the LACBC hosts the monthly Sunday Funday ride; this month’s edition explores the self-proclaimed America’s Most Bike-Friendly City with the Long Beach Family Fun Ride hosted by Board Member Steve Boyd. The easy, family-friendly ride is open to LACBC members and a guest; discount memberships are available at the ride. The ride assembles at Del Valle Park, 5939 Henrilee Street in Lakewood at 9:30 am, with the ride starting at 10 am.

Make your plans for the Moving Beyond Cars: Getting There is Half the Fun Party from 7 to 10 pm Thursday, August 11th at the Architecture and Design Museum at 6032 Wilshire Blvd; tickets are $5 for students, $10 for the rest of us.

Sunday, August 14th from 1 to 3 pm, American Legion Auxillary Post 817 is hosting a BBQ and raffle at 13553 Reedley St, Van Nuys. Just $2.50 a plate gets you a choice of burger, hot dog, chicken or hot link, including chips and potato salad; full bar will be available for an additional price. 100% of the BBQ proceeds will benefit Ride2Recovery, a program to help injured veterans overcome the obstacles they face through bicycling.

The Encino Velodrome hosts the Encino 6 Hour Race on Saturday, August 20th at 17301 Oxnard Street, at the edge of Balboa Park in Encino. Gates open at 10 am; race day registration is at 11 am and racing starts at noon.

Tuesday, August 30th, Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse will host a benefit night for Streetsblog LA from 11:30 am to 11:30 pm; a portion of all food and drink purchases will benefit Streetsblog; 2911 Main Street. Events will include a raffle, drink specials and possibly a bike valet.

The 2011 Far West and SCNCA Elite Track Cycling Championships come to the Encino Velodrome on Saturday, September 10th and Sunday, September 11th at 17301 Oxnard Street, at the edge of Balboa Park in Encino. Gates open at 8 am; racing starts at 9 both days.

The Bike Plan Implementation Team (BPIT) will now be meeting on a quarterly basis, with the next meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 4th.

The Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee will hold its bimonthly meeting on Tuesday, October 4th at 7 pm at the Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall Community Room, 6501 Fountain Ave.

Mark your calendar for L.A.’s Ultimate Bike Weekend, as the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat comes to town on Saturday, October 8th, followed by the next CicLAvia on Sunday, October 9th, offering an expanded route taking participants another 2.5 miles into Boyle Heights.

Finally, the LACBC’s award-winning City of Lights program will host their 2nd Annual City of Lights Awards/Fundraising Dinner on Thursday, October 27th from 6 to 11 pm at CARECEN HQ, 2845 W 7th Street. Tickets will be available for $45 later this year.

Category: Bike Events / Tags: , ,

Encino Velodrome robbed again; Urban Rangers ramble along the L.A. River Thursday

August 3, 2011 / / 3 comments

Seriously, it take a real a**hole to steal from the Encino Velodrome.

Having just been there for the LACBC board meeting last month, I can tell you these are great people offering a real service to local cyclists and scraping by on a shoestring. And they deserve a hell of a lot better than this.

If you can afford to make a donation, they could use the help to recover from this latest break-in — yes, this is the second time its happened this year. Or if your business or foundation is looking a great sponsorship opportunity, the Velodrome desperately needs a new track, among other much needed improvements.

So keep your eyes open for the missing items. And if you know who did this, don’t let these jerks get away with it.

……..

A few upcoming events that didn’t arrive in time for last weekend’s update:

The L.A. Urban Rangers are hosting a free L.A. River Ramble this Thursday from 7 to 10 pm starting at Downtown’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA); water and sturdy shoes — or better yet, a bike — are strongly recommended.

Make your plans for the Moving Beyond Cars: Getting There is Half the Fun Party from 7 to 10 pm Thursday, August 11th at the Architecture and Design Museum at 6032 Wilshire Blvd; tickets are $5 for students, $10 for the rest of us.

And L.A.-based urban cycling attire maker Swrve will host an art opening in their new Glassell Park location from 7 – 10 on Saturday.

……..

The Beverly Hills Traffic and Parking Commission meets Thursday to discuss everything they’re not doing to support cycling. Get your official Bikes vs Jet t-shirt; meanwhile, it looks like someone else is going to win that Streetsblog T-shirt, dammit. LADOT attempts to address the concerns of local residents regarding the planned 4th Street Bike Boulevard. The LACBC’s City of Lights partners with LA Conservation Corp to work for more bike lanes in South L.A. The LAPD responds to an uptick in Downtown bike collisions by urging cyclists and drivers to get along. Santa Monica Spoke invites you to get a first look at the city’s new Bicycle Action Plan. Culver City works to connect downtown to the new Expo station. A call for cycle tracks in Eagle Rock. The SoCal cross season is coming up. The Business Journal asks if it’s time to apply the brakes to L.A.’s car culture; I’d say that’s my favorite headline of the week, but it’s still early. A nice profile of the owner of Stan’s Monrovia Bicycles. Now that Lindsey Lohan is riding a bike, there may be hope for her yet. An 18-year old Riverside cyclist is critically injured for the second time this year. If Sacramento lags behind even L.A. in bike safety, riding there must seriously suck. A 71-year old Davis cyclist is killed after being hit by two separate vehicles. Pleasanton employs new microwave traffic signal detectors to improve bike safety. We all have to share the road, so be nice about it.

People for Bikes thanks you for your support of federal bike funding, and says hold on for what’s next. Wearing regular clothes when you ride as a radical statement; why all this focus lately on what to wear? Just get out on your bike and wear whatever the hell you want. Seriously. One of the better stories I’ve seen on how to ride safely. How to take your bike on a train. Adjusting your lifestyle to ride in the summer heat. The six best cities for a bike vacation. Famed ex-framebuilder Dave Moulton offers a fascinating look at some unique bike designs. The good news is, he’s going to be okay; former NFL quarterback Joey Harrington is hit by a car, suffering a broken collarbone, broken rib and punctured lung. The death of a Seattle cyclist leads to calls for local jurisdictions to have more control over their own speed limits, although other voices blame those damn bike lanes for stressing drivers. Two years home detention for killing an Indiana bike cop. The Duluth News Tribune says you have a right to the road, regardless of what some drivers think. New York road fatalities are at an all-time low, while cycling is at an all-time high; coincidence? Blake Lively and Leonardo DiCaprio salmon through New York. Comparing cycling in Amsterdam to New Amsterdam; I like the fact that Dutch drivers are taught to open their car doors with their right hands, forcing them to check their blind spots. A road rage driver caught on helmet cam faces a whopping $250 fine and 30 days in jail.

Looking for the next Raul Alcala nearly 25 years later; easily one of the most exciting racers I’ve ever seen. Flying Pigeon L.A. has some left coast competition. Toronto cyclists protest plans to rip out some of the city’s bike lanes. When it comes to electric cars, the UK may be backing the wrong horse. A drunk cyclist escapes jail time for colliding with a pedestrian and breaking her skull. A road raging driver threatens to hit a Brit cyclist. A historic London velodrome will survive for another century. Learn to build bikes — and give them away. Looks like cyclists in the UK have the same right to take the lane that we do, and the same problems doing it. A UK driver faces charges in the death of an Olympic cycling prospect. Five things a Brit rider hates about cycling. Philippe Gilbert thinks sweeping most of this year’s classics should earn him a little respect as his Omega Pharma teams announces plans to merge with Quick Step.

Finally, swapping your car for a bike could put you in the money. Especially if you’re in the habit of parking it in the bike lane in Vilnius, Lithuania; thanks to Greg Whitman and John Stesny for the links.

And thanks to EcoVelo for putting the relatively low risk of bicycling in clear perspective.

Category: General, Violence & Crime / Tags: , , ,

Daily News fans the flames of anti-bike bias with misinformed — or maybe dishonest — editorial

August 1, 2011 / / 9 comments

In an exceptionally misguided editorial, the L.A. Daily News attacks L.A.’s newly passed bicyclist ant-harassment ordinance as a missed opportunity to create more harmony on the roads.

It would be nice, however, if they had bothered to read the bill — instead of the knee-jerk auto-centric online comments against it — before going off half-cocked in opposing something they clearly don’t understand.

Or worse, trying to stir up controversy by blatantly misrepresenting the new ordinance.

Under the new law, sponsored by Councilman Bill Rosendahl, any car driver who “harasses” or deliberately distracts a bike rider is committing a crime for which the bike rider can sue for and receive monetary damages. What counts as distracting a bike rider – A honk? A wink? A barking dog? We can be sure the lawyers will explore that one in ludicrous detail.

As they should already know — or would, if they had bothered to get the facts first —  no one would be subject to this law simply because a driver winked at a cyclist or honked a horn — unless that honk could be clearly interpreted as a threat to the life and safety of the cyclist.

To quote LAPD bike liaison Sgt. David Krumer,

It appears that some folks are not exactly sure what harassment means within the context of the ordinance.  You can still yell at a cyclist who engages in bad behavior.  You can not however threaten a cyclist with physical harm or make comments like “I am going to run you over.”  You also can not engage in conduct that is likely to put a cyclist in harms way such as:

1) Revving your engine multiple times as it is an implied threat that they may get run over if they don’t move out of the way.

2) Tailgating a cyclist

3) Passing a cyclist at too high a speed or to close a distance so as to scare or intimidate them off the road.

4) Riding up at a high rate of speed and honking at a cyclist (this has caused cyclists to get scared and fall of their bikes).

Hope this sheds light on what “harassment” means.  In short it is an ordinance that prohibits threats (explicit and implied) as well as behavior likely to cause injury.

Maybe the Daily News was on a deadline and didn’t have time to pick up the phone and talk to Sgt. Krumer. Or anyone else who might know what they hell they’re talking about.

Though you’d think they might have corrected it before the same editorial was picked up by partner paper the Daily Breeze, spreading their ludicrously inaccurate interpretation of the ordinance even further.

Then there was this from the editorial:

Now, this is not to condone hostility, verbal abuse or threats by anyone against anyone else. But there are plenty of laws currently on the books protecting a person from inflicting harm on another person, whether it be by car, by hate speech, by meat cleaver or by Chihuahua.

Of course, if they had bothered to send a reporter to the council session to listen the debate leading up to the passage of this ordinance, they might have understood that the things addressed by it are in fact already illegal, since it was discussed repeatedly during the debate.

The problem is, harassment and threats against cyclists are almost impossible to enforce because the violations usually have to be observed by the police before they can take action against a threatening motorist. And not many people are stupid enough to threaten a cyclist when a police officer is watching.

Simply put, this law is necessary because, despite their best efforts, the police aren’t capable of protecting cyclists from motorists 24/7 throughout the vast expanse of this city. So the City Council wisely saw fit to empower cyclists to protect ourselves.

The editorial writers for the Daily News should have known that. But they either didn’t do the most basic due diligence required of their profession, or weren’t willing to let the truth get in the way of stirring up controversy.

Instead, they chose to fan the flames of the conflict on our streets, while simultaneously, and hypocritically, decrying it.

And quite frankly, I find it morally repugnant that anyone could equate a cyclist “blowing a stop sign” with a motorist deliberately threatening the life and safety of another human being.

But hey, that’s just me.

Meanwhile, Carter Rubin does a great job of responding to — and eviscerating — the Daily News stance for Streetsblog.

……..

The L.A. Times asks if a new grassroots awareness campaign that thanks drivers for seeing cyclists will help adjust attitudes. If so, I’d suggest sending a few cases to the Daily News.

……..

Ride With!, an online photo project presents “awesome” cyclists from around the world, and asks “Who do you ride with?”

……..

Yesterday’s story about the Oroville driver’s failed attempt at humor by confessing to an assault with a deadly weapon — her car — against a group of cyclists in a local newspaper column has lead to some passionate and on-target responses, some from names you may recognize.

Now the question is, will it lead to an investigation from local authorities — let alone from the editor who erred in allowing something like this to be published?

I wouldn’t hold your breath.

……..

Forget the article, this is one of the coolest bike photos I’ve ever seen. Bikerowave volunteers lend a hand at A Place Called Home. Great advice on riding skills and bike etiquette for beginning cyclists. High salaries for Beverly Hills officials don’t result in improvements for cyclists; Rick Risemberg says more bike parking for South Beverly Drive could solve their parking problems. Summer racing at the Encino Velodrome. Arnold celebrates his birthday by riding bikes with the guys in Santa Monica; thanks to George Wolfberg for the heads-up. Long Beach’s biking expats look back on their first month of touring the Northwest by Brompton. The preliminary hearing has been postponed until September for John Hines, the Long Beach fire captain accused of seriously injuring a cyclist in a drunken hit-and-run.

A former Alhambra city councilman goes car light. A cyclist suffers serious injuries after being rear-ended by a car in Montbello Friday evening, while an 18-year old cyclist was critically injured in Norco on Saturday. Bike Newport Beach says they need sharrows now; you really have to wonder just what the city’s official Bike Safety Committee is so afraid of. San Diego cyclists reflect following the hit-and-run death of a local cyclist last week. San Francisco repaints a green bike lane accused of causing collisions.

Bob Mionske offers advice on how to fight bike licensing proposals. A car writer says fight distracted driving collisions by making accident avoidance systems mandatory. How bike shops can encourage cycling in low income areas. Oregon Live says Portland has moved past the sort of driver vs cyclist conflicts that lead to L.A.’s new anti-harassment ordinance; I’m sure many cyclists would disagree. A Boulder CO dump truck driver who killed a 73-year old cyclist in June was ticketed for a previous road rage incident with a cyclist in 2009, as well as brawling with cyclists after running them off the road in 2003. Boulder riders can now enjoy a state-of-the-art bike park, where they can presumably be safe from road raging truck drivers. The Witch on a Bicycle is back, and rightfully complaining that drivers who kill a human being should face a greater penalty than for littering. No shit. Springfield Cyclist rides into an episode of COPS. A writer for the Boston Globe asks can’t cyclists and motorists just get along? A Richmond VA writer offers the 10 things that frustrate him in the conflict between cars and bikes.

Philippe Gilbert continues his amazing year with yet another classics victory. Why is UCI, bike racing’s governing body, reviled instead of respected? Town Mouse wisely says what unites us as cyclists is bigger than what divides us.

Finally, the maker of Brooks saddles causes a panic when they announce they’ll be shutting down after 140 years.

For the next two weeks, that is.

……..

I hope you’ll join me in offering best wishes to Joe Linton, one of L.A.’s leading bike and eco advocates, on the loss of his mother. And L.A. endurance cyclist and vegan registered dietician Matthew Ruscigno on the death of his great uncle.

Best wishes to my Muslim readers for a blessed Ramadan.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Car vs Bike / Tags: , , , , ,

Update: Dr. Christopher Thompson loses appeal, will remain in state prison

July 27, 2011 / / 29 comments

According to cyclist and attorney Dj Wheels, L.A.’s very own bike boogie man has lost his appeal of his conviction, and will remain in prison for the foreseeable future.

Dr. Christopher Thompson was convicted of assaulting and seriously injuring two cyclists on Mandeville Canyon on July 4th, 2008, and was sentenced to five years in state prison for five felony convictions and two misdemeanors.

It shouldn’t have surprised anyone that he had appealed his conviction. And thankfully, it comes as no surprise that the judge has affirmed the original conviction, which means that the Good Doctor will serve the remaining three-and-a-half years of his sentence in the medium security California Rehabilitation Center in Norco.

Dj Wheels is going to try to get more information on the ruling, which came with extra instructions that were not published online.

But you can sleep easy tonight.

The boogie man is safely behind bars.

Update: Velonews has more information, including the basis of Thompson’s rejected appeal:

In his appeal, Thompson said the trial court erred in allowing testimony about an earlier, similar incident in which another cyclist, Patrick Early, had an encounter with Thompson on the same road. Thompson said the testimony was unreliable, dissimilar from the incident he was charged with and prejudicial to his case. Thompson also claimed he was ineffectually represented at the trial, and challenged the trial court’s decision to not grant him probation and to pay the victims’ legal fees.

The appellate court rejected all of these claims.

Velonews reports that Thompson did win one small victory, however, as he was credited for one extra day in custody prior to sentencing, reducing his prison time by 68 days, rather than the 67 he was originally credited with.

Thanks to Jim Lyle for the heads-up.

Category: Bikes & the Law, Dr. Christopher Thompson, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , ,
« Older Entries   Recent Entries »
Wordpress Theme by ThemeZee