Tag Archive for Los Angeles

Encino Velodrome robbed; defending bike lanes from ill-considered online attacks

March 15, 2011 / / Comments Off on Encino Velodrome robbed; defending bike lanes from ill-considered online attacks

Thieves gained entry by tearing off roof; photos from Encino Velodrome Facebook page

Move these guys to the top of your list of schmucks who should be caught.

Over the weekend, two or more thieves burglarized and vandalized the Encino Velodrome, a non-profit organization that has served SoCal cyclists for over 50 years.

According to the Velodome’s Facebook page, the thieves peeled back the roof to steal Vittoria Diamante Pro Clincher Tires, as well as Pearl Izumi and Shimano cycling shoes. And trashed the office, spray painted a scooter and left a half-assed tag on a wall.

Do you recognize the work of this artistically impaired tagger?

So be on the lookout for anyone trying to sell those items. Or if you recognize the tag, contact the police right away. And get that loser some art lessons.

And if you happen to have a few extra bucks laying around, or a few free hours, I’m sure they could use a little help to patch the place back up.

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Bike lanes cost $5,000 to $60,000 a mile, while freeways cost $8 million to $65 million — not including maintenance costs. So why not tear down unnecessary freeways and use the money more efficiently?

Speaking of bike lanes, evidently, the New Yorker’s John Cassidy supports bike lanes except when he doesn’t. And he keeps digging himself in deeper, while high profile bloggers and economists around the world call his bluff; some even compare him Tea Party tactics and Gothamist offers a good refutation.

A similar argument is taking place right here in L.A., as local bloggers are high critical of a poorly thought-out anti-bike lane screed from a local university professor who probably should have stuck with her field of expertise. Examined Spoke offers a much needed reality check, while Damien Newton provides a point-by-point refutation for future reference.

Meanwhile, Rick Risemberg explains what L.A.’s bikeway options are, while new bike lanes manifest on Woodman Ave in the Valley.

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Tony Martin of HTC – Highroad takes the Race to the Sun and Radioshack’s Andreas Kloden finishes second. Pro cyclists prepare to boycott the Tour of Beijing — yes, there is one — in a dispute over race radios, while European federations support the ban. And banned cyclist Riccardo Ricco gives up cycling to become a bartender; don’t let the door hit you, dude.

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Help preserve the Wilbur Ave road diet Tuesday evening. LACBC wraps up a report on last week’s National Bike Summit — as does its South Bay affiliate. Bringing back L.A.’s former main street. As long as you’re going to CicLAvia, might as well race over 10 of the city’s toughest hills first; or you could wait another year and tackle the steepest climb in town. CicLAvia is looking for designers and/or developers for a new website. With a little work, a bad buy becomes a great bike. Mark your calendar for Good Sam’s Blessing of the Bicycles on May 17th; while you’re there, you can check out the Bike Wrangler space across the street. Photos from Saturday’s Hermosa Beach St. Patrick’s Day parade. This St. Paddy’s Day, try biking to the bar — but beware BUI. Long Beach celebrates its 103-year old tricycle riding resident.

Danae Miller faces up to 10 years in prison for killing Amine Britel in Newport Beach while allegedly drunk and texting. A new OC park offers cyclists stunning views. The Excutive Director of the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition steps down, so they’re looking for a replacement; hey, I’m available. Over 4,200 cyclists tackle the windy Solvang Century. A NorCal cyclist sees her life change after suffering a brain injury in a collision with another cyclist. Cyclelicious points out the Road Rage Psalm, which promises that evildoers in their evil devices will be cut off; evidently, God really is on our side.

Speaking at the Bike Summit, NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan says the movement is unstoppable. A Tucson fast food joint is ordered to replace bike parking it removed for a DVD stand. If biking is going to succeed, we need to make it work for everyone — including women. If you want change, try writing a letter. Seventeen times more Americans die climbing stairs than riding bikes every year, so why the scaremongering tactics about helmet use?

Evidently, you don’t have to dress up like traffic cone after all. Courtesy of Witch on a Bicycle, a UK woman is injured when someone strings a wire across a bike path; I’d call that an assault, not a prank. Bike Radar looks at the author of London Cyclist, one of my favorite bike sites. The Flying Scotsman launches a bike safety program for Scottish children. Bike historian David Herlihy’s next book will focus on early TdF winner Octave Lapiz, shot down on Bastille Day while flying for the French in WWI. A review of the Bike Revolution registration program, launching soon here in the U.S. Tokyo commuters turn to bikes as other transportation options fail.

Finally, the Eastsider offers the story of a man who lost his wallet — and the fixie-riidng teenager who brought it back intact. And while we have our problems, there are some things we don’t have to worry about here.

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

Fight back against blocked bike lanes, SoCal bike crime beat, a brief rant and a long list of events

March 12, 2011 / / 6 comments

It’s not like we have enough of them as it is.

I mean, I can’t speak for you. But few things tick me off more than riding through one of the all-too-few bike lanes in this megalopolis we call home — let alone the even rarer ones that are actually worth using — only to suddenly have to dart into unforgiving traffic without warning.

All because some jerk decided to double park in the bike lane. Or maybe leave their garbage bins in our designated riding right-of-way.

Or my ultimate annoyance, a movie or construction crew that felt a need to place their orange cones in our way on the off chance that someone might actually stray a little too close to one of their precious trucks.

Which makes me want to slap the side of the damn things as hard as I can while I ride by. Something I have only barely managed to avoid doing.

So far.

Fortunately, there are cooler — and wiser — heads in this world.

Take I Block the Bike Lane.

A new nationwide bike safety program, IBBL invites riders to place non-destructive, static-cling stickers on vehicles and objects blocking bike lanes.

And not, as I am often tempted, to tell them what jerks they are. But rather, to start a constructive dialogue that maybe, just maybe, might make the driver think twice about doing it again.

I’ll let Michelle, one of the founders of I Block the Bike Lane, explain the rationale behind the program — and how you can get involved.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s most recent statistics, 603 bicyclists died on US roads in 2009 and another 50,000 were injured in traffic. The state of California is consistently second only to Florida in cyclist fatalities. A new and national campaign is seeking to cut those numbers by making motorists aware of the dangers associated with blocking bicycle lanes.

iblockthebikelane.com is a sticker campaign aimed at driving motorists to a friendly and educational website. At the heart of the initiative are Bike Lane Sticker Teams, who place iblockthebikelane.com easy-peel stickers on vehicles illegally standing or parking in clearly marked bicycle lanes. The stickers are invitations to visit the website, which houses a safety plea from bikers, as well as current bicycle-related news and information.

The campaign also stresses to bikers the importance of riding responsibly and peacefully coexisting with motorists.

Visitors to the website are encouraged to leave comments. One of the goals of the campaign is to foster a constructive dialogue between drivers and bikers, in the hopes that mutual understanding will make everyone feel better about sharing the streets.

As the campaign builds momentum, its organizers are looking for Bike Lane Sticker Team volunteers in cities across the country. Information about participation and sticker orders can be found online at www.iblockthebikelane.com/jointheblst.

I often have guest authors on here because I enjoy offering a variety of perspectives and seeing cycling issues through someone else’s eyes. Even if I don’t always agree with what they have to say.

But this is one program I can get behind without hesitation.

So place your order.

And go out and stick it to ‘em.

Just a quick aside — if, like Michelle, you have something you’d like to share with the biking community here in L.A., California and around the U.S., just let me know. You can find my email address on the About BikingInLA page.

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In the local SoCal bike crime beat, Patricia Ann Izquieta has been sentenced to three years in prison for killing cyclist Donald Murphy while high on prescription medications in a 2009 Newport Beach hit-and-run. And arraignment has been postponed for the woman for allegedly killed Jose Luis Carmona in a drunken hit-and-run while he walked his bike on the side of PCH.

Meanwhile, this somehow flew under my radar, as Jose Luis Huerta Mundo pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence in the death of cyclist Michael Nine in Newport Beach last year, and was sentenced to 360 days in jail on February 7th. However, cyclist/attorney Dj Wheels reports that he was released from custody two days later on February 9th; even if he was credited with time served from the time of his July 21st arrest, that works out to a lot less than 360 days. He may soon be deported, if he hasn’t been already, since ICE had a hold on him pending his release.

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At a Thursday Community Board meeting, New York’s embattled Prospect Park West bike lanes were supported by 86 people, with just 11 opposed.

But let me get this straight.

People affected by the earthquake in Japan are fighting for their lives right now, while people in Libya are fighting for their freedom. And a bunch of rich people in New York are fighting over a goddam bike lane?

Seriously?

Sometimes it seems like if you’re not pissed off, you’re just not paying attention.

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Metro throws down a challenge for local developers to build a mobile app or mash-up using their transit data; winner could get a cash prize of up to $2000. A kickoff event will be held March 31st, with entries due May 20th.

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

The next Folk Art Everywhere ride rolls this Saturday from noon to 3 pm starting at Rudy Ortega Park in San Fernando, giving you a chance to tour the Northeast Valley is a fun and easygoing way, while you learn about the Valley’s past and present Native American tribes. Speakers will represent Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural, Pacoima Beautiful and Pukuu Cultural Community Services.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a few days early at the Hermosa Beach St. Patrick’s Day Parade beginning at 11 am on Saturday, March 12th along Pier Avenue; you may recognize some familiar faces in the bike parade.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on March 12th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

Also on the 12th, Long Beach continues their series of workshops for the city’s new Bicycle Master Plan with a bike ride from 10 am to 11:30 am, and a community workshop from 11:30 to 1 pm at the Expo Center (Bixby Knolls)
4321 Atlantic Ave in Long Beach. Additional workshops take place on Saturday the 19th and Wednesday, March 23rd.

Help refine the route for CicLAvia’s planned expansion into South L.A. with a monthly bike ride starting at 1 pm at Trust South LA, 152 West 32nd Street; email tafarai@trustsouthla.org for more information.

Flying Pigeon’s Get Sum Dim Sum ride takes place on the third Sunday of each month; the next ride will be Sunday, March 20 from 10 am to 1 pm, starting at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

The County of Los Angeles begins a series of 11 workshops for the new 2011 draft Bicycle Master Plan on Tuesday, March 28th from 6 to 7:30 pm at Topanga Elementary School, 141 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd, in Topanga. Additional workshops will be held March 29th, March 30th, March 31, April 4th, April 5th, April 6th, April 11th, April 12th, April 13th and April 14th; click here for locations and times.

There should be an app for that. Metro invites anyone with a good idea to develop useful mobile apps or web mash-ups utilizing their transit data, with a goal of enhancing riders ability to use transit and encouraging more people to go Metro — and you could win up to $2,000 for your efforts. Learn more on Thursday, March 31st from 6 to 7:30 pm at Metro Headquarters, One Gateway Plaza Downtown.

The Santa Clarita Century is scheduled to roll on Saturday, April 2nd with rides ranging from a family ride to a full century.

If you’re looking for something a little more relaxed, visit the free Magical Magnolia Bicycle Touron Saturday, April 2nd from 3 to 7 pm in the Magnolia Park neighborhood in Burbank; be sure to visit Porto’s Bakery for a great Medianoche or Cubano sandwich and Cuban pastries.

The next three CicLAvias will take place on April 10th, July 10th and October 9th. If you missed the first one, don’t make the same mistake again; word is that Lance won’t.

Keep the post-CicLAvia good bike feelings going on Thursday, April 14th with Bike Night at the Hammer Museum, starting at 7 pm at 10899 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood. Free admission, free food, drinks and screenings of the 1986 BMX classic Rad.

The Antelope Valley Conservancy sponsors the 16th Annual Antelope Valley Ride on Saturday, May 7th with rides of 20, 30 and 60 miles; check-in begins at 7 am at George Lane Park, 5520 West Avenue L-8 in Quartz Hill.

L.A.’s 17th annual Bike Week takes place May 16th through the 20th, with an emphasis on bike safety education, and events throughout the city. This year’s Blessing of the Bicycles will take place as part of Bike Week on 8 to 9:30 am on May 17th at Downtown’s Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Street. And Metro is looking for Bike Buddies to guide inexperienced cyclists on Bike to Work Day; heads-up courtesy of the marathon-training danceralamode.

The San Diego Century ride takes place on Saturday, May 21st with rides of 37, 66 or 103 miles, starting in Encinitas, along with free admission to an expo featuring sports, local cuisine and live music.

L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride rolls on June with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registrationis open now. Volunteers are needed now and on the day of the ride, email RRvolunteer@la-bike.org for more info and to sign up.

And mark your calendar for the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat on October 9th; unfortunately, Yom Kippur also falls on that date this year, so cyclists of the Jewish Persuasion will have to choose between atoning and having something else to atone for.

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The American Prospect says L.A. could be the next great cycling city, while the city breaks ground on the new West Valley River Bike Path, though not everyone approves. The city finally fixes 4th Street’s infamous Hudson River, yet leaves the pavement looking like a war zone. For anyone who struggled to finish a century, try riding 256 miles in a single day. The City of Covina wants your opinion for its new bike plan; the South Bay is working on a bike plan of its own to connect seven local cities. Long Beach continues to outpace the rest of us, with construction starting on a 3rd Street road diet. Find a bike safety class near you.

The Feds are already greenlighting innovative bikeway designs based on the new NACTO standards. A look at bike commuter trends in the U.S. The National Bike Summit rides in honor of Gabby Giffords. Bike pins are popular in the halls of Congress, let’s see if that translates into votes on the floor. Oregon Democratic Rep Earl Blumenauer says opposing bike lanes is bad politics; please tell that to the guys on the other side of the aisle. Las Vegas is trying to make access to its new transit center bike friendlier; if they really want to make Vegas bike friendly, try turning down the daytime temperatures and taming the traffic a little. Portland cyclists actually get little street icons to show where to trigger a traffic signal. Nine rules for riding in a paceline. Rhode Island considers a vulnerable road user law. NY Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams calls NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan “that transportation insect;” hmmmm, I wonder which of those two is actually making the city a better place to live? Hint: it ain’t the gossip maven.

Developing better aerodynamics on the cheap. After suffering serious injuries in his first bike race, a cyclist sues for $20 million. Once, bike tunnels were built before car tunnels; now they’re nearly forgotten. The Beeb takes a beautiful look at the beauty of the bicycle. London Cyclist once again ranks the top 50 bike blogs, and once again, I’m not on it. Take part in a 115 mile pre-Olympic ride around London this September. Four months in jail for a drunken bike theft and crash while fleeing the police. A Dublin bike counting system can count bikes on the bike path, but not the road next to it. Relatives of a British cycling victim get the support of over half the members of the European Parliament to improve bike safety. Bike shops do big business as people look for alternative transportation after Friday’s earthquake, while the fancy automated bike parking facilities don’t work. Cyclelicious explains what we’re seeing on the news from Japan — and why he’s concerned about it.

Finally, writing for City Watch, a university professor professes a knowledge of economics while demonstrating an auto-centric misunderstanding of street planning, claiming that Angelenos who want more bike lanes need a reality check.

Funny, you’d think an Econ professor would understand that traffic is not a zero sum equation. On the other hand, Zev seems to get it.

And boy, do I know this feeling.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Car vs Bike, Guest Columns, Legal Cases, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , , , ,

L.A.’s groundbreaking anti-harassment ordinance moves forward; Box says the journey continues

March 10, 2011 / / 6 comments

Unfortunately, transit issues kept me from getting to Wednesday’s Transportation Committee meeting until after the hearing for the proposed anti-harassment ordinance.

The good news is, there were plenty of other cyclists there to support it, including Ross Hirsch, Jeff Jacobberger and BAC Chair Jay Slater. In the end, the measure received unanimous approval to move forward to the full council, while the City Attorney’s office considers minor wording changes to clarify the penalties and to add a line prohibiting forcing cyclists off the road.

The committee also voted to support a study to develop solid data for a Safe Routes to School program, and to recommend funding of bike and pedestrian projects from Measure R.

Damien Newton offers a full recount of the meeting on Streetsblog, and LADOT Bike Blog provides an in-depth report on the anti-harassment ordinance. And you catch up on the meeting by following the Twitter feed.

As for me, I gained first-hand knowledge of why Wilshire Boulevard so desperately needs a Bus Rapid Transit lane.

And why I will avoid the 720 bus from here on, even if it means walking another 10 blocks to catch the 728.

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Stephen Box says even though he lost, the journey continues; let’s not forget that he remains the city’s most forceful bike activist. It will be interesting to see if the beard comes back, or if he stays in his new clean-shaven politico mode.

Meanwhile, Tom LaBonge says thanks, and Damien Newton offers his thoughts on Tuesday’s election results; as usual on Streetsblog, the comments are worth reading, too. Mark Elliot offers an insightful post-mortem on Better Bike Beverly Hills in which he blames you, if you were one of the overwhelming majority of voters who didn’t bother to.

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The Economist says if motorists paid for all the costs they impose on others, there’d be fewer drivers complaining about bike lanes and more people using them. And a writer for the Washington Post nails it when he says if you love driving, buy your neighbor a bike:

I see the (New York City) Bloomberg administration’s aggressive pursuit of bike lanes and related alternatives as an almost radically pro-car position. If driving is to remain half as pleasant as Cassidy wants it to, it will only be because most New Yorkers decide against purchasing cars. And they’re only going to do that if the other options seem attractive…. I’ve seen that future and it’s called Los Angeles. New Yorkers should want no part of it.

Neither should we.

Meanwhile, suddenly embattled NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan escapes the media-generated backlash to present at the National Bike Summit. And a DC writer says hatred of cyclists is not a partisan issue; she’s got a point, I’m sure liberal drivers blame cyclists as much as conservatives do. And Dave Moulton says the whole argument is a sign that we’re winning.

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CSU Long Beach and UC Irvine were named Silver-level Bike Friendly Universities by the League of American Bicyclists; UCLA was awarded Bronze. Needless to say, USC, which banned bikes from parts of campus — including a walkway Metro lists as designated bikeway — wasn’t.

The upper levels were held exclusively by California schools, with UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara awarded Gold, and Stanford the only school recognized with a Platinum award. And that little school in my hometown gets a little credit, too.

Thanks to Evan G. for the tip.

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The next Folk Art Everywhere ride rolls this Saturday from noon to 3 pm starting at Rudy Ortega Park in San Fernando, giving you a chance to tour the Northeast Valley in a fun and easygoing way while you learn about the Valley’s past and present Native American tribes. Guest speakers will represent Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural, Pacoima Beautiful and Pukuu Cultural Community Services.

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ABC’s Modern Family talks up cycling and safe streets; maybe some of the other Hollywood shows will join in. Without bike parking, bike lanes and other cycling infrastructure won’t encourage commuting or shopping. More on the national Best Practices Award given to LACBC’s City of Lights Program. LADOT Bike Blog reports on the March BPIT meeting. A 55-year old rider known as the Unigeezer becomes the first to ride a unicycle up L.A.’s steepest street.

Thousand Oaks residents argue over widening a roadway for a planned bike lane; opponents actually call for a separated bike path instead. A look at Amine Britel, the cyclist killed by an alleged drunk driver in Newport Beach last month. Russ Roca says this bike is not a bike, it’s a Brompton — but please don’t tell. Santa Rosa senior citizens oppose a bike lane through their retirement community. Lodi is the latest city to crack down on cyclists, though most of their scofflaws are children. Cal State Fullerton police use GPS trackers to bust bike thieves. Visalia’s bike plan calls for 200 miles of new bike lanes. The Art of the Group Ride, a great new — well, new to me at least — Bay Area blog enjoys a group ride for two, even if the other rider is just 2-1/2.

Rising young marathoner, trail runner and triathlete  Sally Meyerhoff was killed in a collision with a pickup in Maricopa AZ on Tuesday when she reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign; thanks to Todd Munson for the heads-up. Looks like bike cafes may be the latest trend. The new Urban Bikeway Design Guide is out for all you traffic engineers, street planners and infrastructure wonks. Nine tips for beginning cyclists. Detroit focuses on biking to attract young professionals to the city. As part of CNN’s Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge, a cyclist discovers the challenges of clipless pedals. Traffic isn’t the only risk some riders face.

Christian Vande Veld is passing on this year’s Giro. Former Liquigas rider Franco Pellizotti says a two-year doping ban probably marks the end of his riding career. Pro riders threaten to strike over a ban on race radios; somehow, Eddie Merckx and the other legends seemed to do okay without them. Brisbane pedestrians call for a ban on sidewalk riding “lycra lunatics” because “we were here first.” A Christchurch NZ cyclist is determined to ride again after breaking his neck while riding to check on his neighbors after the recent earthquake.

Finally, Bike Rumor says now this is a bike lane. Anyone want to bet there’s nothing like it in the L.A. or L.A. County plans?

Category: Advocacy & Politics, General / Tags: , , , , , ,

Good news and bad news — Box finishes third in CD4, LACBC’s City of Lights honored

March 9, 2011 / / 5 comments

Newly re-elected CD4 Councilmember Tom LaBonge with LACBC board member Scott Moore.

Despite running what appeared to be a very smart campaign, bike activist Stephen Box lost overwhelmingly to Council District 4 incumbent Tom LaBonge yesterday.

While he appeared to have support from many in the cycling community — as well as backing from food truck operators — it wasn’t enough to keep him from finishing third in the three man race, with less than half the votes of second place Tomas O’Grady.

And far behind LaBonge, who sailed to victory with over 55% of the vote — echoing predictions from internal polling.

I won’t go into a lengthy post-mortem here. Bicycle Fixation offers a good look at what went wrong, while pointing out LaBonge’s re-election is far from a disaster.

However, it would be wrong to look at this as a failure of the cycling movement in Los Angeles. Prior to the election, a number of cyclists told me privately that they preferred the more moderate and usually bike-friendly LaBonge; so despite how it may have looked before the election, the bike vote may have actually been split between the two candidates. And it’s important to note that many of Box’s most ardent supporters live outside of his district.

In the end, he lost out to one of the city’s most likeable politicians. As well as the power of incumbency, which seems almost impossible to overcome in L.A.

It is worth noting that LaBonge will be termed out in four years, leaving an open seat; whether Box will try again is another question.

So let me congratulate Councilmember Tom LaBonge on winning another four years, and encourage him to continue to be a friend to the cycling community.

And hats off to Stephen Box for a very hard-fought, if ultimately unsuccessful, campaign. And for opening the door for cyclists to run for city office.

Whatever the reasons behind his loss, it wasn’t due to a lack of effort.

And he certainly won’t be the last to try.

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Congratulations to the LACBC’s City of Lights program, which was honored last night with the Best Practices Award from the Alliance for Biking and Walking at this year’s National Bike Summit.

The Best Practices Award goes to an organization that serves as a model for other bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. In 2010, countless individuals and a number of advocacy organizations drew information and inspiration from the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. The LACBC’s City of Lights initiative elevated the conversation about “invisible cyclists” – men and women who ride bicycles but whose voices aren’t heard and needs aren’t acknowledged because of language or economic barriers. Through thoughtful outreach and, more importantly, true collaboration, the LACBC is changing the dialogue among city officials about urban planning, bringing new advocates into the movement and, expanding the scope of the bike-ped movement to address critical issues of social and economic justice.

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Lately, it seems like half the links on here have to do with the state of cycling in New York City. For instance…

A writer for the New Yorker bizarrely says he supports programs that encourage cycling, as long as they don’t affect his ability to park his Jag, although he does seem to consider bipedalism a passing fad; Aaron Naparstek artfully deconstructs — or perhaps eviscerates — his arguments. The Observer says straw men on bikes represent the city’s last culture war. Turns out that NY pol was only joking about ripping out the bike lanes; it was a real knee-slapper alright. The suddenly embattled Janette Sadik-Khan reports that her controversial efforts to reshape Gotham’s streets have improved safety 40% for all road users; yeah, I can see why they want to get rid of her. Bob Mionske offers his typically insightful perspective on the city’s bike wars. And the Guardian says it could negatively affect the future of cycling worldwide.

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If you find yourself in the Valley Thursday afternoon, stop by the groundbreaking for the West Valley L.A. River Greenway. Streetsblog reports $2.6 million in local Measure R funds will go to L.A. bikeways. LADOT Bike Blog looks at the role of mini-roundabouts in calming traffic on bike-friendly streets; considering the way drivers race around the one near me at Eastborne and Westholme, it doesn’t seem to be working. Local SF residents want to live on a street, not a virtual freeway. Cyclicious offers a more in-depth look at the new Bicycle Studies Program at Lees McCrae College.

Looking at the politics of cycling from a female perspective. The National Bike Summit is now underway in Washington DC; one of these days, I’ll find a way to be there. New national bikeway design standards are released. Why you should participate in group rides. The top five most influential women is cycling. After just one year, People for Bikes is one-fifth of the way towards their goal of 1 million cyclists. Traffic-meister Tom Vanderbilt offers an interesting infographic on the causes of traffic jams. Eight states continue to hold out in efforts to create a national bike route system; someone should tell them bike tourists spend money too. A New Mexico State Police spokesman tells cyclists to stay off the open roadways; having spent a lot of time in the Land of Enchantment, I can attest that covers most of the state. In a tragic incident, a blind Illinois cyclist is killed by an apparently distracted driver. A bike theft with a happy ending. Minneapolis cyclists find strength in numbers.

UK cyclists fight back against Northern Ireland’s proposed mandatory helmet law. Evidently, becoming the UK’s leading bike city doesn’t happen overnight, or even in three years. A look atSouth African cyclists. And a brilliant post on IPayRoadTax.com looks at driver bias and says cyclists don’t own the road, we rent it; seriously, if you don’t read any other links today, read this one.

Finally, a new study shows that traffic fatalities increase after nail-biter finishes in sporting events, but only in the hometown of the winning team. So you might want to be careful riding after Lakers games, but feel free to ride after Clippers play.

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

It’s Election Day in L.A. And yes, your vote matters.

March 8, 2011 / / One comment

It’s high noon.

Otherwise known as Election Day in L.A. And just like in the movies, this town ain’t big enough for all the candidates — and the showdown is taking place at the polls across the city.

Most of the attention has been focused on the LaBonge/Box/O’Grady race in Council District 4. While history shows it’s virtually impossible to unseat an incumbent councilmember in Los Angeles, bike advocate Stephen Box has run a very smart race and stands a real chance of pulling off an upset, drawing support from throughout the biking community, as well as significant support from local food truck operators.

But make no mistake. Neither Box, nor anyone else in the CD4 race, is likely to reach the required 50% to avoid a runoff. Right now, my best guess is that we’ll see a runoff between Box and incumbent Tom LaBonge; however, this race looks close enough that any of the three could emerge on top. And any of the three — including the incumbent — could get left off.

So if you live in the district and care who wins — or who loses — get out and vote.

And yes, your vote matters — two years ago David Vahedi won the first round of the CD5 voting by just 60 votes before losing to Paul Koretz by a slim margin in the general election.

And this one could be just a close.

There are also vital elections in council districts 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14. KPCC offers a great overview of each race, as well as candidates for the Board of Education, Board of Trustees and a raft of City Measures including pension reform, library funding and a proposed tax on medical marijuana.

You can find your polling place here. And if you can’t ride to the polls, you may be able to take a free taxi.

So you don’t have any excuse.

Now get out there and vote for someone who supports your right to ride.

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This week marks two important meetings as the BAC Planning Subcommittee meets today at 1:30 pm; the City Council Transportation Committee meets Wednesday at 2 pm to consider the proposed anti-harassment ordinance and Safe Routes to Schools. L.A.’s newly adopted bike plan will be effective the day we convert street parking or travel lanes to protected bike lanes. Matt Ruscigno is looking forward to a RAD Bike Night at the Hammer. The Times asks readers to name the ugliest intersections in L.A. Photos from Saturday’s CicLAvia fundraiser. How to use an eraser on the streets. In a fitting gesture, this weekend’s Tour of Murietta will honor fallen rider Jorge Alvarado.

Not surprisingly, young drivers are more distracted than older ones. If you don’t notice a lot of cyclists on the streets, it’s because we often take the roads less traveled by. One more reason to move to the front of the intersection, as riders stopped in traffic often enjoy two types of second-hand smoke. If anyone is surprised a lawsuit has been filed to force the removal of New York’s Prospect Park West bike lanes, you haven’t been paying attention. Zeke says you can now get a degree in cycling; if real world experience counts, I should have a PhD in bikeology. After a teenage bicyclist is killed, South Carolina cycling advocates question how safe the roads really are.

British officials recommend retaining the Cycle to Work program despite anticipated budget cuts. A cyclist’s helmet cam captures an assault, as a driver jumps out to throttle him. Another driver caught on video threatening a cyclist says he didn’t do it, really. Despite political claims that cyclists pose a danger to pedestrians, stats show just .03% of all London road injuries and 13% of pedestrian injuries are caused by bikes. The definitive refutation of the UK’s long-abandoned road tax. Lots of cyclists supplement with flax, now your next bike could, too. Then again, you could just print it instead. An Aussie man intentionally runs over his lover after seeing him kiss a woman; Cyclelicious looks at the hidden phenomenon of drivers using cars as weapons — which seems to happen on a daily basis, as many cyclists can attest. Naked bike ride season has officially begun.

Finally, after bragging about her new bike, a cyclist learns a lesson in humility courtesy of a low-flying pigeon; no, not that one. And you can vote to honor a hero dog who helped save his master’s life after a bike accident.

Happy Mardi Gras! Laissez le bon temps rouler!

Category: Advocacy & Politics / Tags: , ,

Dear New York: Can we have your Dept. of Transportation Commissioner? Please?

February 28, 2011 / / 2 comments

What sadly passes for a writer at the New York Post calls NYDOT Commissioner Jannette Sadik-Khan a “psycho bike lady” and an “incompetent, overpromoted, overzealous bureaucrat.”

And that’s just the beginning.

This time, it’s because of a plan to convert the city’s 34th Street from a throughway to a Complete Streets busway. Although based on the paper’s highly biased coverage of biking news, it could have been about any number of other issues.

Sadik-Khan is recognized across the country as one of the nation’s leading transportation planners — willing to confront NYC’s addiction to the automobile and return some small portion of the streets to the people who actually live along and use them, rather than the machines that have long destroyed the city’s quality of life.

Yet the Post continues to fan the flames of self-righteousness over any attempt to take a single inch of roadway away from overly entitled motorists in order to actually improve the city’s over burdened streets.

And God forbid that the city’s residents should have viable alternatives to driving. Or pleasant and safer places to live, walk and bike — or just be, for that matter.

But evidently, they couldn’t care less how many people are killed or injured by motor vehicles on New York streets, or how poor the quality of life is along them, as long as they can speed from New Jersey to Long Island without stopping along the way.

And you thought yellow journalism was dead.

So here’s an offer.

Los Angeles has been without a General Manager for our Department of Transportation for the past several months. And we’d like Ms. Sadik-Khan to come home every bit as much as the Post’s writers would like to get rid of her.

So if they can convince New Yorkers it’s better to wallow in their own traffic and smog than actually do anything to improve it, we’ll gladly take her.

Please.

Meanwhile, in an amazing outbreak of enlightened self-interest, Toyota proposes building 250,000 kilometers (roughly 155,000 miles) of Japanese bike lanes in order to ease congestion and reduce the risk of collisions with bikes.

And as it turns out, the secret to happiness could be as simple as commuting by bike.

Maybe the Post’s writers should try it sometime.

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Video shows the aftermath of a horrifying, apparently intentional attack in which a driver plowed through the full length of a Critical Mass ride in Porto Allegre, Brazil, injuring over a dozen riders; the vehicle involved was later found abandoned, but no arrest has been made.

The driver reportedly felt threatened because cyclists were banging on his car, yet cyclists report that he was driving aggressively before his attack on the riders.

Here’s a thought: if you feel threatened by cyclists, just turn at the next corner and get away from them. Somehow, watching them bounce off the hood of your car as you drive through several blocks of bikes would seem to weaken that argument just a tad.

But that’s just me.

Meanwhile, posters on a gun forum seem to find it pretty damn funny; then again, they’re posters on a gun forum.

Thanks to Will Campbell for the tip.

.………

In an ironically appropriate crash, a drunk driver smashes into a sober living facility in South L.A.; as long as his SUV is already in one of the bedrooms, he might as well check in.

No word on whether Charlie Sheen was behind the wheel.

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Make a trip downtown Wednesday morning to witness Mayor Villaraigosa signing the — hopefully — newly approved bike plan in front of City Hall. Sign up as a Bike Buddy to guide less experienced riders on Bike to Work Day this May; I’m seriously considering it even though my usual commute is from my bedroom to the living room. A reminder about GOOD’s fundraising party to benefit CicLAvia this weekend. Jim Shanman, a founding member of the Culver City Bicycle Coalition, looks at a possible Westside bike share program. Adventures in bike commuting: Matt Ruscigno finds himself with 40 minutes to get five miles to the airport on a broken bike, and makes his flight anyway. Chinatown is catching bike rack measles. Here’s your chance to ride through the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Palm Springs police catch a bike burglar after a brief chase. San Diego kicks off a new anti-obesity campaign, including emphasis on safe bike paths and walkways. A grieving father sets off on a cross-country ride to promote awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. A San Jose cyclist is critically injured after losing the hit-and-run lottery; thanks to Rex Reese for the heads-up. The North American Handmade Bicycle show moves to Sacramento next year; Cyclelicious has links to coverage of this year’s show in Austin over the weekend. Experience the Amgen Tour of California, without the inconvenience of actually having to ride it.

Biking our way to a better economy. Urban Country eviscerates the argument that bicyclists must obey the law if we want to share the road. A look at Major Taylor, one of the greatest racers of all time, who broke the color barrier in cycling 20 years before Jackie Robinson was conceived. A medical study shows spending on bikeways returns 1.2 to 3.8 times that amount in healthcare savings. Over 3,700 cyclists take on the Chilly Hilly ride on Seattle’s Bainbridge Island. Kansas shoots down a proposed three-foot passing law, while Georgia considers one of their own. Rising numbers of Chicago cyclists points to the need for more protected bikeways. Ohio’s Bike Lawyer Steve Magos says it’s time to criminalize negligent driving; he’s right.

If there really is a war on cars, the cars are winning. A British motorists organization calls for a mandatory helmet law, rather than just asking their members not to hit us. But at least they have the sense to pull an anti-bike rant from one of their columnists and say her services will no long be needed; those Brits are so polite, aren’t they? Edinburgh cyclists create their own DIY map of off-street bike paths, patterned after the famous London Tube map; thanks to Evan Garcia for the links. A look at bike parking in Amsterdam; and to think we’re happy to get a lousy bike rack. Proof that population density has nothing to do with cycling rates. A Sydney paper looks at the rising numbers of video cams on bikes.

Finally, Colorado’s proposed legislation to ban the Blackhawk bike ban failed thanks to the actions of the state’s Republican House Majority Leader; maybe it’s time to point out that cyclists spend a lot of money in her state, which can easily be spent elsewhere.

And a New York legislator proposes hanging a $25 license plate off the back of every bike in the state; and yes, that includes children, evidently. But why stop there? Let’s confront the menace of scofflaw pedestrians by forcing everyone to hang a set of numbers on their ass.

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

Talking back to L.A. Weekly, Newport Beach decides it’s safe enough, a London look at U.S. car culture

February 26, 2011 / / 9 comments

A cyclist, bike activist and long-time volunteer responds to the recent L.A. Weekly article about Stephen Box and the rise of bike activism in the city, complaining that more than just straight, white males were instrumental in building the bike community, including himself.

He makes a very valid point.

It doesn’t detract in the slightest from the amazing efforts of CD4 candidate Stephen Box and the others mentioned in the story to note that the LACBC and other groups, such as C.I.C.L.E., Midnight Ridazz and Bikeside and other groups, have done a lot to make this city safer and more inviting for cyclists of all types. As well as the efforts of countless individuals of every possible description, working together and on their own, to advance the cause of cycling in Los Angeles.

Singling out any one person or group, however deserving, ignores the efforts of everyone else who has done what they can to make this a better place to ride.

And we wouldn’t be where we are today without all of them.

Be sure to read the comments, as well. And thanks to Chris Kidd for the heads up.

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Newport Beach, home of yet another cycling fatality this week, plans to shut down the city’s Bike Safety Committee at the end of this year.

Evidently, the recent crackdown on dangerous riders and drivers has solved all their safety problems, and local cyclists can now ride the city’s streets without worry. Even though Amine Britel was the fourth cyclist killed in the city in just the last two years. And even though he was killed just days after the first weekend of the crackdown.

Or maybe they expect to solve any remaining problems during the second weekend this Saturday and Sunday — despite the fact that this seemingly wealthy seaside city can’t afford to buy a single Share the Road sign. Let alone one that says Bikes May Use Full Lane.

Because, you know, they still have to pay for that new $131 million City Hall.

Meanwhile, Danae Miller, the driver arrested for killing Britel, never had enough points charged against it to have her license suspended, despite receiving somewhere between 15 and 17 tickets in the last five years, depending on who’s doing the counting.

And a writer for the Examiner questions whether the law should be changed to keep people like her off the road.

If that’s what it takes, I’m all in favor.

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London’s Guardian offers an overseas look at America’s car culture — and trust me, it’s not pretty. However, there may be hope:

Before Communist China became partner with Capitalist America in a new world order of union-free sweatshops, Americans used to laugh at all the bicycles on Chinese streets. Now, as the Chinese become more car-dependent, as their cities become more clogged and polluted, many Americans are rediscovering the pleasures, healthiness and sanity of bicycling or walking. Suddenly, a street full of bikes seems positively idyllic. In a country, and empire, in a downward spiral, this will be one of the few changes for the better.

Riding and walking through one’s community at a more human pace, one will also regain one’s sense of belonging. One will also discover that one has two legs, arms and a set of lungs. Sprung from the steel prison of the automobile, Americans will be glad to see other faces and limbs. They will realise that they actually have neighbours.

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Grab another cup of coffee, and relax with our longest ever list of upcoming events:

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

Call it the art of bike maintenance, as C.I.C.L.E. and Bikerowave team with the Santa Monica Museum of Art at 2525 Michigan Avenue in Santa Monica, for a tour of the museum, bike maintenance workshop and a mini-ride through the neighborhood on Saturday. The free event requires preregistration and will be cancelled in the event of rain. Note: The workshop has been rescheduled for 1:30 pm due to this weekend’s storm.

Mr. Bicycle Fixation, Rick Risemberg, invites cyclists to join him for a birthday ride on Sunday, Feb. 27th; riders meet at Sabor y Cultura at Hollywood and Gramercy at 10:30 am.

Also on Sunday, 4th District City Council  candidate Stephen Box partners with Flying Pigeon LA to provide free bike repair and service at the Hollywood Farmers Market, 1600 Ivar Avenue in Hollywood.

The long and difficult path to a new bike plan should come to a completion when the L.A. City Council takes it up for final consideration at 10 am on Tuesday, March 1st at Downtown City Hall, 200 North Spring Street.

The 2nd meeting of the Bike Plan Implementation Team (BPIT) takes place from 2 pm to 3:30 pm on Tuesday, March 1st following the council meeting in room 721 of the Downtown City Hall, 200 North Spring Street.

Make a full bike day of it by helping plan CicLAvia’s advance to the Eastside with a meeting at 5:30 pm on Tuesday, March 1st on extending the route into Boyle Heights, Roosevelt High School cafeteria, 456 South Mathews Street, Los Angeles.

Celebrate the presumed victory of the bike plan with a rally and press conference in front of City Hall from 9:30 am to 10 am on Wednesday the 2nd.

Streetsblog LA somehow managed to survive the terrible twos. So come out and celebrate its third birthday at Downtown’s Spring Street Bar, 626 S. Spring Street, beginning at 5 pm on Friday, March 4th; RSVP and help spread the word on Facebook.

GOOD is hosting a fundraising party for CicLAvia from 2 to 7 pm on March 5th, at Atwater Crossing, 3229 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles; tickets range from $20 to $500. As part of the fundraiser, leading L.A. bike activist and Creek Freak Joe Linton will lead a very short, family friendly ride starting at 1:30 pm.

The third LACBC Sunday Funday ride will roll 62 miles through the North San Gabriel Valley on Sunday, March 6th. Lead by board member Alex Amerri, the fast-paced ride for advanced cyclists will explore the area’s architectural and historical highlights; riders assemble at 8:30 am at Parking Lot K at the Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive in Pasadena, with the ride starting at 9 am.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on March 12th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

Flying Pigeon’s Get Sum Dim Sum ride takes place on the third Sunday of each month; the next ride will be Sunday, March 20 from 10 am to 1 pm, starting at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

The Santa Clarita Century is scheduled to roll on Saturday, April 2nd with rides ranging from a family ride to a full century.

The next three CicLAvias will take place on April 10th, July 10th and October 9th; if you missed the first one, don’t make the same mistake again.

The Antelope Valley Conservancy sponsors the 16th Annual Antelope Valley Ride on Saturday, May 7th with rides of 20, 30 and 60 miles; check-in begins at 7 am at George Lane Park, 5520 West Avenue L-8 in Quartz Hill.

L.A.’s 17th annual Bike Week takes place May 16th through the 20th, with an emphasis on bike safety education, and events throughout the city. This year’s Blessing of the Bicycles will take place as part of Bike Week on 8 to 9:30 am on May 17th at Downtown’s Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Street. And Metro is looking for Bike Buddies to guide inexperienced cyclists on Bike to Work Day; heads-up courtesy of the marathon-training danceralamode.

The San Diego Century ride takes place on Saturday, May 21st with rides of 37, 66 or 103 miles, starting in Encinitas, along with free admission to an expo featuring sports, local cuisine and live music.

L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride rolls on June with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registration is open now. Volunteers are needed now and on the day of the ride, email RRvolunteer@la-bike.org for more info and to sign up.

And mark your calendar for the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat on October 9th; unfortunately, Yom Kippur also falls on that date this year, so Jewish cyclists will have to choose between atoning and having something else to atone for.

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L.A. authorizes work on a key quarter-mile stretch of bikeway at the confluence of the Arroyo Seco and L.A. River. KCET’s Departures talks with LACBC River Ride coordinator JJ Hoffman about the comeback of the L.A. River. Santa Monica issues a BOLO alert for a bike convicted sex offender. Long Beach’s biking expats will make their next big adventure on much smaller wheels. A San Diego man has his throat slashed trying to protect his bike from a thief. The Union-Tribune says San Diego area governments plan to spend $2.58 billion — yes, billion — on biking infrastructure over the next 40 years, and profiles one of my favorite bike bloggers, Sam Ollinger of Bike San Diego. San Francisco Streetsblog interviews the city’s new bike friendly mayor. San Mateo police recover a $10,000 stolen bike that had been sold on Craigslist; what was it made of, crude oil? U.C. Berkeley police agree to stop giving cyclists expensive tickets for failing to dismount.

Bicycle Retailer starts a search for the bike shop dog of the year; and no, you can’t borrow my corgi. Your car sucks $7,000 out of the local economy every year. Sarah Goodyear asks why people in cars hate bikes so much. Dave Moulton looks at two epic rides. Tucson gets green bike lanes. Seattle’s bike friendly mayor forgets to lock his bike; you can figure the rest out. Chicago gets a bike crash map overlaid with bike count data. Zac Efron rides a bike on the set of his new movie. A New York State Senator wisely observes that if we want more order on the streets, we have to be part of that order. A New York Councilman says the controversial Prospect Park West bike lanes have reduced speeding, accidents, injuries and riding on the sidewalk, while increasing ridership and overall commuting rates — without increasing travel time; well gee, no wonder they hate it. The bike lane controversy spreads across the river to Hoboken when a local news station stuck firmly in the past suggests more parking should given a higher priority over bike lanes; could someone please send them Donald Shoup’s book? Unbelievably, Tennessee authorities acknowledge that a dump truck driver veered off the road “for unknown reasons” to seriously injure a cyclist, yet decline to file charges; evidently, maintaining control of your vehicle is optional there. A Virginia cyclist compares riding solo on the streets to battered wife syndrome; perhaps she used to ride in Tennessee. A Mobile man gets five years for the hit-and-run death of Czech student.

A Vancouver cyclist says a bike is an invitation to a hate crime, while another says Critical Mass is rude and selfish. According to the BBC, the key to happiness is work, sleep and bicycles; they just described my life, aside from the parts about work and sleep. France’s third-largest city makes great strides in welcoming bikes. After Alberto Contador walks on doping charges, Austrian Michael Knopf is banned for four years for supplying other cyclists with banned substances. Kiwi correspondent the Trickster points us to the tragic death a biking bricklayer killed by falling bricks during Tuesday’s earthquake; Olympic bronze medalist Sam Bewley is auctioning a signed jersey from New Zealand’s winning pursuit team to benefit earthquake victims. Guam is urged to add bike lanes to all major streets; be nice to see that here, too.

Finally, a beautiful Italian DEI bike catalog from 1933; thanks to Ross X for the link. And maybe one day you’ll be able to ride your bike past L.A.’s Downtown streetcar.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Bicycle Safety, General / Tags: , , , ,

The high cost of traffic deaths, a possible 3-foot passing bill and ride with Bicycle Fixation on Sunday

February 24, 2011 / / 8 comments

The cost of a traffic death goes far beyond the emotional and financial toll it takes on the victim’s family.

Not surprisingly, there’s a cost to society at large, as well. And like virtually anything else, it can be measured in monetary figures.

The National Safety Council values the average actual cost of traffic deaths  — wages, productivity, medical expenses, etc — at $1.29 million, and the comprehensive costs to society at $4.3 million per death. Incapacitating injuries are valued at $67,800 and $216,000 respectively.

By that measure, Portland’s improvements in traffic safety has resulted 84 fewer deaths and roughly 2400 fewer injuries over the past four years. Which works out to a monetary savings of $1,629,913,300.

That’s $1.6 billion dollars. And nearly 2500 lives.

And that’s just one city.

Meanwhile, by the same measurement, the 12 cycling deaths that I’m aware of so far this year in Southern California have cost us $51.6 million.

And that’s just the financial toll.

The emotional toll is incalculable.

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According to Streetsblog, Long Beach State Senator Alan Lowenthal has introduced a bill that could become a three-foot passing law, even though it doesn’t currently include those words.

Of course, this isn’t the first time the state has considered establishing a minimum passing distance. A similar bill died in 2006 following opposition from the CHP and the trucking industry, which argued that trucks wouldn’t be able to pass cyclists on narrow roadways — as if trying to pass a cyclist at a distance of less than three feet was safe now.

Some have argued that a three-foot distance is unenforceable, since police have no way of measuring if a vehicle passed a cyclist at 35” inches or 37.” Which is ridiculous, of course.

Police won’t be looking for minor infractions; the law will come into force when they observe a driver buzzing a cyclist at far less than three feet, or when the vehicle actually comes in contact with a rider.

And it doesn’t really change anything.

Current law calls for a safe passing distance; all this would do is clarify that anything less than three feet — or roughly the arm length of a grown man — isn’t safe. Which is a hell of a lot better than the current standard, which basically allows anything short of actual physical contact.

Meanwhile, UCLA has started their own campaign to encourage campus drivers to give riders three feet. Good idea; however, I have a better one.

Just ban cars from campus entirely.

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Mr. Bicycle Fixation, Rick Risemberg, invites you to ride along in celebration of his birthday on Sunday. If you haven’t had the pleasure of meeting him, Rick offers a near-encyclopedic knowledge of local cycling, and is a hell of a nice guy. If my wife hadn’t already booked my weekend, I’d be tempted to join in myself.

So if you’ve got the day free, by all means, go have a little fun for me.

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The Times asks why Angelenos are lazier than you’d think — and if something as simple as bike lanes would help. LADOT invites you to attend the next meeting of the Bike Plan Implementation Team on Tuesday, which conveniently comes just hours after the bike plan will (presumably) be adopted at City Hall. Good Sam helps out with the new Bike Wrangler program; then again, as hosts of the annual Blessing of the Bicycles, they’ve long been a friend of local riders. The Argonaut offers a post-mortem on the failed attempt to extend the Venice beachfront bike path to the Marina jetty; thanks to Curbed LA for the link. The Daily Bruin looks at Friday’s Complete Streets conference downtown. How to build your conditioning for endurance riding. Examined Spoke suggests cycling is a solution for our crowded streets, even if that means riding behind children and old people, and notes that L.A. is twice as dense as Holland — in more ways than one, I fear.

Santa Monica plans bikeways throughout the downtown area, including bike lanes on the California Incline leading up the bluff from PCH to Ocean Blvd. Glendale reports on last year’s bike and pedestrian count. Long Beach’s Charlie Gandy offers a look at the city’s new, still-under-construction separated bike lanes. The OC Register reports that Danae Miller, the alleged drunk driver who killed Amine Britel on Monday night, had actually received 17 traffic tickets since 2005, but had six dismissed; meanwhile, CDM Cyclist notes that the road is popular with cyclists, offering bike lanes and a long uphill. the  An Orange County glossy discovers Cycle Chic and social cycling. Santa Cruz police go against current trends and common sense by urging that cyclists be required to display license numbers on their bikes.

Consider the 8-80 Rule of cycling infrastructure — is a street safe for an 8 year old or an 80 year old to ride on?  A new Streetfilms video says biking is redefining infrastructure and our cities. Lessons learned from two years of winter cycling. A proposed bike/ped boardwalk along a Mississippi River rail bridge could result in a 600 mile bike path on both sides of the river. Zeke attends the North Carolina Bike/Ped Summit, once he finally finds it. A Tampa Bay columnist calls for a vulnerable user law.

David Hembrow says maybe London’s bike share program hasn’t been as successful as it seems. Maybe your dream job awaits at London 2012. Kiwi correspondent The Trickster offers more photos of damage to a popular riding route from the recent earthquake, and notes he was supposed to race through there next month; doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. There are several ways you can help. Don’t miss this exuberant celebration of cycling from Nairobi.

Finally, London’s Daily Mail concludes — incorrectly — that bike commuting is a leading cause of heart attacks, even though the study they based it on shows no such thing.  But hey, never let the facts get in the way of a good story, right?

Now, if you’ll excuse me, the new intern insists that I’ve been working long enough.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Newport Beach cyclist was world-class triathlete, killer driver had 16 tickets; bike plan goes to council March 1

February 23, 2011 / / 7 comments

Authorities released the name of the cyclist killed by an alleged drunk driver in Newport Beach Monday evening.

Forty-one year old Amine Britel, a local businessman and world-class triathlete originally from Morocco, was pronounced dead at the scene. His killer, Danae Marie Miller, was released on bond Tuesday morning, on a charge of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated — and was on the road despite receiving 16 traffic tickets over the last six years, including six tickets for speeding or driving too fast for conditions in a three-year period.

Miller has apparently been playing Russian Roulette with her car for years, while the courts failed to do anything to stop her. Now one life is ended and another shattered, all because a woman who probably shouldn’t be allowed behind the wheel got behind one after drinking.

Thanks to Lois Rubin for the link to Britel’s profile on Wafin.com, and Patrick Pascal for the link to the Daily Pilot story about Miller’s driving record.

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Word comes from the LACBC that the draft bike plan is scheduled for final approval by the City Council on Tuesday, March 1st. A press conference will be held at City Hall at 9:30 am Wednesday to celebrate its anticipated passage.

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Three cyclists barely survive falling boulders during the recent Christchurch earthquake; the riders suspect a nearby jogger didn’t make it. The photos offer fair warning of what could happen on PCH when  — not if — it happens here. Thanks to the Trickster for the heads-up.

There are several ways you can help. Then again, there are always those who’ll make the best of any situation.

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The controversy over New York’s Prospect Park West bike lanes just won’t go away, as a cyclist and university professor sides with the opposition, and video shows an ambulance bypassing traffic by using the bike lane.

And the crackdown on scofflaw cyclists continues as NYPD officers allegedly beat a teenage cyclist on camera, then throw him in jail for 24-hours for riding on the sidewalk; according to police, the ass-kicking was justified.

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Then again, the same battle is being fought on this coast, as battle lines are dug in over the Wilbur Avenue road diet — even though it’s supported by 77% of local residents — while LADOT claims to have a compromise.

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If you own a Felt bike, be sure to check this recall list.

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Why show your eco-cred by arriving at the Oscars in a Prius when you could go by bike? Maybe co-host Anne Hathaway will do it.

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The CalTrans Bicycle Advisory Committee meets this Thursday at 1:30 pm. Help CicLAvia expand east into Boyle Heights. Bicycle Fixation takes the city to task for poor roadway maintenance on 4th street that put cyclists at risk. LADOT Bike Blog asks how you would improve 7th Street for bikes, and reports on the recent BAC meeting, including the election of Jay Slater as chair. Green LA Girl interviews Lindsey Darden, author of Adventures of a Car-Less Valley Girl. Call it the art of bike maintenance, as C.I.C.L.E. and Bikerowave team with the Santa Monica Museum of Art for a tour of the museum, bike maintenance workshop and a mini-ride through the neighborhood on Saturday. Bikerowave plans a 4th birthday celebration this Friday. CD4 council candidate Stephen Box will sponsor free bike repair at the Hollywood farmers market this Sunday. Long Beach is building a multi-modal downtown; maybe L.A. could follow suit. Claremont Cyclist asks why smaller towns aren’t included in lists of bike-friendly cities. Who needs a car when you can bring home $100 in groceries by bike? A four-year old is killed in Sacramento after riding his bike out into the street. The father of the folding bike dies at age 77.

Free bike repair stands are popping up at Whole Foods stores. Next time a driver runs you over, ask if he or she is a Verizon customer. Bicycling’s Joe Lindsey blames bad reporting for bike racing’s continued lack of popularity, while the magazine looks for the next Lance Armstrong among a small group of rising stars. Tucson Bike Lawyer takes issue with yet another incorrect reminder that cyclists don’t pay for infrastructure; I know I do, and you do, too. A Colorado man gets hit by a car, then faces charges for biking under the influence. Utah considers the Idaho Stop Law. Chicago’s new mayor is a big supporter of biking; then again, so is Detroit’s. If you’re going to hit a car, at least make sure it’s an ambulance. A Florida cyclist is hit by a car, but the dog he was towing escapes unharmed. Everyday substitutes for expensive sports bars and drinks.

Now you can ask strangers to rate your ride. London’s new Olympic velodrome is officially open. British cycling champ Victoria Pendleton plans a series of women-only bike rides. Plans are underway to change the bike lanes near Blackfriars Bridge to speed traffic and make cycling less safe. A Manchester bike cop is the victim of a hit-and-run; the driver got out and looked at the victim before fleeing the scene. A Brit cyclist threatens an offending driver with a meat cleaver. Malaysian track cyclist Azizulhasni Awang is expected to make a speedy recovery after finishing a World Cup race with a massive wood splinter through his leg. Now you can produce clean drinking water while you ride; I produce a lot of water when I ride, but you wouldn’t want to drink it.

Finally, a fascinating Seoul study shows how cyclists make the transition from leisure riders to bike commuters. Married, married and lower income people are more likely to make the switch; oddly, so are people who live in high-rise buildings. And it concludes that governments should invest in separated bike lanes.

Maybe the Idiot’s Guide to Bike Commuting would help.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , , ,

Volunteers needed for River Ride, fear the brakeless fixies in SF and a long, long list of events

February 19, 2011 / / One comment

The LACBC puts out a call for volunteers for the upcoming River Ride, perhaps the area’s largest and most popular fundraising ride.

Your help is needed for a wide variety of activities to prepare for the ride, as well as on the day of the ride on Sunday, June 5th. Just five hours of volunteer work will earn you a free ride, or you can give your free ride to someone else if you work the day of the ride.

Take it from me, I worked in the LACBC booth at last year’s River Ride, and had the time of my life, despite the hard work. Or maybe because of it.

Email RRvolunteer@la-bike.org for more info and to sign up.

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L.A. gets it’s first bike corral in front of Highland Park coffee shop Café de Leche, which could be the model for similar installations throughout the city.

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Despite noting that fixed-gear cyclists can use their pedals to brake, a San Francisco paper claims that fixies without additional handlebar mounted brakes are “illegal and dangerous” after a rider hits and critically injures a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Police confiscated the bike, claiming that the lack of brakes is a traffic infraction, even though most fixies can easily meet the state standard of leaving a skid mark on clean, dry pavement.

But let’s be honest.

If a cyclist doesn’t stop or slow down before hitting a pedestrian, the problem isn’t the bike. It’s the incompetence of the rider.

.………

Bike trail funding miraculously survives the GOP budget cutting frenzy in DC, while bike lawyer Bob Mionske notes that in the new GOP controlled House, riding a bike is considered recreation, not transportation.

So if you rode home from work or school in the rain today, evidently you did it just for fun.

Maybe it’s time for all commuter cyclists to write their Congressional representatives and point out that not everyone gets there on four wheels.

.………

Alexi Grewal, gold medal winner at the ’84 L.A. Olympics, is planning a comeback at age 50. Then again, Mexico’s Raul Alcala is still going at 47.

I had the privilege of seeing both compete in the old Coors Classic; while watching Grewal was a thrill, Alcala was one of the most consistently exciting racers I’ve ever seen.

Evidently, eating meat contaminated with Clenbuterol can result in positive drug tests, which could open the door for appeals from other banned cyclists; Spanish police bust a Clenbuterol drug ring that wasn’t doping cows. Suspended pro Tom Zirbel says Contador’s clearing shows the inconsistency of doping regulations. And disgraced rider Riccardo Ricco left the hospital 12 days after a self-administered blood transfusion gone wrong.

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A long, long list of upcoming events —

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

Ride with Rapha and Bike Effect on Saturday the 19th; meet for coffee at 8:30 am and ride a 9 am. Meet at Bike Effect, 910 Broadway #100 in Santa Monica, RSVP to rsvp@rapha.cc.

CD4 City council candidate Stephen Box is partnering with Flying Pigeon LA to provide free bike repair at the Silver Lake Farmers Market, from 8 am to 1 pm on Saturday the 19th at 3700 Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.

The LAVRA Cup Time Trial takes place at the Home Depot Center Velodrome this Saturday, February 19th at 3 pm, 18400 Avalon Blvd in Carson; thanks to the Claremont Cyclist for the heads-up.

Escort two lovebirds in safety and style on the Lovebirds to LAX Party Ride on Sunday the 20th. Riders meet at Helen’s Cycles in Westwood, 1071 Gayley Avenue in Westwood Village at 11:30 am, and depart at 12:30 pm.

Flying Pigeon’s Get Sum Dim Sum ride takes place on the third Sunday of each month; the next ride will be this Sunday, February 20 from 10 am to 1 pm, starting at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

Bike Metro’s Bicycle Roundtable Implementation & Operations Subcommittee Meeting originally scheduled for Thursday, February 24th has been cancelled; new date to be determined.

UCLA will host a free day-long Complete Streets workshop on Friday, February 25th; participation is open to registered attendees. The workshop will take place from 8:30 am to 7 pm at the Japanese American National Museum at 369 East 1st Street Downtown. Contact d.grantham@ucla.edu to register, or call 310/562-7356.

GOOD is hosting a fundraising party for CicLAvia from 2 to 7 pm on March 5th, at Atwater Crossing, 3229 Casitas Ave in Los Angeles; tickets range from $20 to $500.

The third LACBC Sunday Funday ride will roll 62 miles through the North San Gabriel Valley on Sunday, March 6th. Lead by board member Alex Amerri, the fast-paced ride for advanced cyclists will explore the area’s architectural and historical highlights; riders assemble at 8:30 am at Parking Lot K at the Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive in Pasadena, with the ride starting at 9 am.

Flying Pigeon and the Bike Oven host the free Spoke(n) Art Ride on the 2nd Saturday of every month; the next ride will take place on March 12th, starting 6:30 pm at 3714 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park.

The Santa Clarita Century is scheduled to roll on Saturday, April 2nd with rides ranging from a family ride to a full century.

The next three CicLAvias will take place on April 10th, July 10th and October 9th; if you missed the first one, don’t make the same mistake again.

L.A.’s 17th annual Bike Week takes place May 16th through the 20th, with an emphasis on bike safety education, and events throughout the city. This year’s Blessing of the Bicycles will take place as part of Bike Week on 8 to 9:30 am on May 17th at Downtown’s Good Samaritan Hospital, 616 S. Witmer Street.

L.A.’s favorite fundraiser ride rolls on June with the 11th Annual River Ride; advance registration is open now.

And mark your calendar for the 2011 L.A. edition of the Tour de Fat on October 9th; unfortunately, that’s also Yom Kippur this year.

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LACBC responds to last week’s L.A. Weekly cover story on Stephen Box and the rise of bike activism in L.A. When cargo bikes are outlawed, only outlaws will ride cargo bikes in L.A. Santa Monica’s new Bike Action Plan will encourage more biking and less driving. LACBC is working with L.A. Planning and UCLA Urban Planning Masters Student Rye Baerg to develop a new bicycle parking draft ordinance. Jessica Meaney calls for more inclusive transportation planning. Chris at (just) Riding Along discovers what could be another Westwood Banksy, or maybe it’s another L.A.-based urban artist paying homage. Neon Tommy looks at the DIY attitude of the Bicycle Kitchen. Just what the Valley needs, an architecturally engaging Costco with a meandering bike path. Collisions with cyclists and pedestrians are on the rise in bike-friendly Santa Monica. The Claremont Cyclist visits the soon-to-be Citrus Regional Bikeway.

CdM Cyclist interviews Seattle’s Peter Lagerwey on how to build a successful bike master plan. A father plans to ride coast to coast to honor his 19-year old son, killed by a distracted driver while riding two years ago. After nearly being run off the road, Cyclelicious says it’s time to abandon Share the Road because so many drivers — and even some cyclists — don’t get it or don’t care. The SF Chronicle explains the meaning of sharrows to confused Bay Areans.

Frame builder Dave Moulton gets buzzed, and astutely describes it as just another a hate crime. People for Bikes says don’t be afraid to ride a bike, be afraid not to. Traffic meister Tom Vanderbilt writes about the age-old and mostly one-sided conflict between cyclists and motorists. Inspiring story of paraplegic former mountain biker Tara Llanes and her fight to come back. How much does a long, continuous history matter for a bike manufacturer? Cold, ice and snow means it’s a perfect day for a bike ride. Bloomberg notes that separated bike lanes encourage riding while reducing injuries. A look at a few of the projects industry trade group Bikes Belong with be funding this winter. Next time you ride in Portland, you may not need headphones. Tucson developers say eff you and the bike you rode in on. Oregon votes to make traditional-style bike traffic signals part of the state code. What better place for breakfast than a New York bike lane? The League of American Bicyclists says it’s time to stop killing cyclists in Tampa.

How to master fast cornering. A controversial Vancouver separated bike lane draws 600 riders a day with no significant delay in car traffic. A Manchester cyclist is fined for causing the death of a bus passenger who fell when the driver braked to avoid the rider. Talk about utility cycling — a Cambridgeshire cyclist makes waves by riding with a refrigerator on his back.

Finally, a nice piece from the Glendale News-Press advises keeping your focus three-feet ahead when you struggle in riding. And in life.

Good advice.

Along the same lines, I’ve always liked the old Native American proverb that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Then one day I realized that it continues the same way.

And the same goes for pedal strokes.

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