Tag Archive for Los Angeles

BAC meets Tuesday — new location, new attention from police brass

February 2, 2010 / / Comments Off on BAC meets Tuesday — new location, new attention from police brass

L.A.’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, appointed by the city council members to advise them on bicycling issues, holds its next bi-monthly meeting tonight — with a promised appearance from high-ranking members of the LAPD.

The LAPD has been meeting with select members of the LACBC, Bikeside, the Bike Writers Collective, Sustainable Streets, LA Bike Working Group, IlluminateLA, the Voice Newspapers and the BAC to improve training for police officers on bike issues and cyclists’ right to the road.

Evidently, my invitation got lost in the mail.

However, this is your chance to voice your opinion on the often-troubled relationship between cyclists and police, as well as the hit-and-run epidemic and whether you get the support you need from the LAPD to feel safe on the streets of L.A. And what you think needs to be done to improve the situation.

Personally, I’m holding out for better training for accident investigators into the unique mechanics of cycling collisions, so they won’t conclude that any more cyclists backed into the cars that hit them. Or that a cyclist could break the laws of physics by falling to the left while leaning into a right turn, as they did in my case.

As well as never again concluding that it’s the cyclist’s fault when a rider collides with a car or truck that just right-hooked him, as recently happened in Long Beach.

Because no cyclist — not you, not me, not any of us — will be safe on the streets as long as the police continue to blame us for the actions of others.

There will also be discussion of the status of bike lane work on Winnetka Avenue, Reseda Boulevard and Rinaldi Avenue, as well as Main Street in Venice. Along with construction of the San Fernando Road Bike Path and extension of the L.A. River Bike Path.

The meeting starts at 7 pm at the Hollywood Neighborhood City Hall Community Room, 6501 Fountain Avenue in Hollywood.

According to BAC President Glenn Bailey:

Three bicycle parking racks are in front of the building on Fountain; there is also wrought iron fencing in the rear that can be used to lock up bicycles. Metro Red Line stations are located at Hollywood and Vine (closest) and Hollywood and Highland, both just a short bicycle ride away. There is also a motor vehicle parking lot directly behind the building (to the north).

I won’t be able to make it this time due to a prior commitment. Although I will be at the City Council Transportation Committee meeting on the 24th, when the theme will be Bike Safety — and we’re promised new LAPD Chief Beck will be present.

But I urge you to attend if you can make it to Hollywood tonight. Because it sounds like this BAC meeting will definitely be worth it.

………

The Bike Working Group proposes a Backbone Bikeway Network connecting every part of the city as part of their Best Bike Plan; now that’s more like it. LACBC reports on bike sharing, the proposed anti-harassment ordinance and speed limit increases. Damien Newton rides the DIY sharrows and lives, despite LADOT’s trepidations. Will offers his take on saving seconds by jumping the light. Pasadena plans to improve the popular Rose Bowl loop. A Los Gatos cyclist riding on the sidewalk is killed by an out-of-control driver. Bob Mionske says use a gun, go to jail; use a car, it’s called an accident. Bikes menace pedestrians on St. Augustine sidewalks. Three-time le Tour winner Greg LeMond settles his lawsuit against Trek, the former manufacturer of LeMond bikes. DC police order cyclists to get into a non-existent bike lane. Who has the right-of-way when joggers and cyclists meet head-on? An Ohio appeals court ruling concludes cyclists can’t be searched without individual probable cause. Tucson Bike Lawyer gets a new Dutch bike. An overview of the Dallas Bike Trail Network. SFPD once again prepares to take aim at Critical Mass. Winnipeg considers a $17 million, two-year bridge retrofit to protect cyclists and pedestrians; a local driver suggests it’s your fault if he loses control on icy streets and accidently kills you. A Queensland bike repairman suggests mandatory inspections to get dangerous bikes off the roads; I’m sure the extra work he’d get has nothing to do with it. Bicycling is back on the Emerald Isle, and so is bike theft. Motorists hate the new 30 kph (18 mph) speed limit in Dublin’s city center, while everyone else seems to love it. I have no idea what this says, except it has something to do with Lance Armstrong, Trek, Austin racer Bryan Fawley, an 83 kilometer mountain bike marathon called Miles of Discomfort and the Tour Down Under. Finally, the Swedish rapper who beat a Hollywood jazz musician unconscious before driving over him as an off-duty police officer hung on the door, begging him to stop, has been found guilty of 2nd degree murder.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

To be honest though, some of these bike-haters have a point

February 1, 2010 / / 22 comments

A cyclist waits patiently for the light to change — something some drivers say they've never seen.

I admit it.

I spend a lot of time on here making fun of drivers.

Not all drivers, of course; after all, I’m one myself. Though these days, I find myself spending less and less time behind the wheel, and more on two wheels, two feet or even — gasp! — on a bus, which is how I made it to the last few meetings I attended at City Hall.

Not only did I survive, I actually enjoyed myself. And didn’t have to spend half an hour and the entire contents of my wallet to secure a parking space nearly as far from my destination as I was when I started out.

And not even most drivers. No, I’m talking about that relative handful of intellectual giants who’ll tell you that all cyclists run red lights, despite demonstrable evidence to the contrary at just about any signalized intersection in town.

Sure, stand there long enough, and you’ll see one or more death-defying kamikaze bike pilots blow through the light as if it, and the cars crisscrossing their path, weren’t there. But you’ll also see other riders who’ll wait patiently for the light to change.

Or the ones who complain about dangerous, unpredictable cyclists hogging the traffic lane, as they sit behind the wheel of their Hummers and Escalades applying their makeup and texting.

But they do have a point, up to a point.

I would argue there are more cyclists who safely share the road, observing traffic signals and right-of-way rules, than there are those who don’t. But you don’t have to spend a lot of time on the road to spot a few who seem to push the limits of safety and sanity.

Take the rider I saw this afternoon. Please.

There he was, blithely cruising through heavy traffic on a busy L.A. boulevard, headphones on and riding in the lane with no hands, a shopping bag dangling from one hand. Fortunately, most drivers were going out of their way to give him a wide berth.

Then again, most Angelenos try to avoid crazy people in the street.

Then there was the guy on the mountain bike who was making his way on the wrong side of the same street, like a salmon going upstream to spawn. And just as a salmon dies after spawning, I wouldn’t have wanted to lay odds on his chances of survival.

It’s one thing to take the lane. But seriously, you’re far better off going with the flow of traffic, instead of wondering why all those people are honking and swearing as they swerve around you.

Of course, I’ve seen worse.

Like the guy who took the lane on Santa Monica Boulevard as he rode through Century City awhile back, despite the presence of one of the city’s better bike lanes sitting clear and unobstructed just a few feet to his right — and a long line of unexpectedly patient drivers following behind. That is, until a cab driver tried to slide by him to get to the right turn lane, and had to endure a violent tirade from the rider for trying to pass him in the bike lane. And yes, that’s the same bike lane he had no interest in using himself.

Or there were the two guys I saw blow through a red light last summer, even though that meant worming their way through a crowded crosswalk, as people struggled to jump out of their path.

For anyone out there who may not be clear on the subject, pedestrians in the crosswalk have the right-of-way. Always.

Period.

I somehow managed to resist the temptation to chase them down and shove their bikes into the same orifice their heads seemed to occupy.

Yet, if you listen to the comments these drivers make, that’s exactly what we’re supposed to do. They expect us to assume responsibility for every law-breaking jerk on two-wheels.

We’re told that it’s up the bicycling community to make the outlaw cyclists straighten up and ride right. And that’s the only way we’ll earn the respect of drivers, and earn our place on the streets.

Which is absurd, of course.

While I would hope that everyone would learn to ride safely — and use a little common sense while they’re at it — our right to the road is already guaranteed by law. It’s not something that has to be earned, or a consideration given by those who share the road with us.

They’re obligated to share the road, safely, regardless of whether they think it’s safe, or smart. And whether they like it or not.

How someone else rides is no more your responsibility than those who speed, fail to signal or make illegal U-Turns are my responsibility when I’m behind the wheel, or that of any other driver on the road.

And until they get that, I don’t expect their respect.

And people like that shouldn’t expect ours.

………

One of the few things I’ve never experienced on a bike — two flats at the same time, from the same pothole. Creek Freak notes improvements to the Elysian Valley Bike Path. The issue isn’t why more men support vehicular cycling, but why so few women ride. Riding Miami’s life-risking Rickenbaker Causeway, two weeks after another rider is killed. Are bikes expensive toys or serious transportation? A Kiwi Olympian is injured in crossing collision in bike-unfriendly Christchurch. In Copenhagen, even manhole covers are bike friendly. Finally, a reminder that people can’t be put back together after an accident.

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

Today’s ride, on which I was so not invisible, for a change

January 30, 2010 / / One comment

There are days when I feel like I must be invisible, as one driver after another fails to see me. And too often, tries to drive right through me as if I wasn’t there.

Today was not one of those days.

Not a single car in the bike lane, for as far as you can see. Or ride, for that matter.

In fact, it was just the opposite, as one driver after another noticed my presence on the road, waving me through intersections and patiently waiting for me to pass. And I found myself doing the same, signaling drivers to go ahead, and waving my thanks so often that I felt like a beauty queen in a homecoming parade.

And they waived back in return. Like the guy I gave a small nod to, indicating that he should go ahead and make his turn while I waited at the stop sign. Not only did he notice, but gave me a smile and a wave of thanks as he rolled by.

Even pedestrians got into the act.

Like the guy who stood waiting at a crosswalk on a corner, despite having the green light. Maybe he was waiting for a walk signal that never came. Or maybe he was just waiting.

Either way, he finally began sauntering across just before the light changed, forcing everyone else to wait through the green until he eventually made it to the other side.

“Late start,” I grumbled as he walked by. But instead of getting annoyed, he laughed out loud and gave me a friendly wave for waiting.

Don’t ask me why.

Maybe everyone was just in a good mood. Or maybe the DWP spilled a few cases of Prozac in the city’s drinking water. Except no one drinks tap water in L.A.

Or unfiltered tap water, anyway.

Usually when I ride, I make a point of reminding myself to focus on the hundreds, if not thousands, of drivers who share the road safely, rather than the one or two jerks who don’t.

This time, I didn’t have do that.

Because there weren’t any.

Not one right hook. No left crosses. No close passes, rude gestures, insults, honks or near misses.

The closest I came to any kind of incident was the SUV-driving woman who darted out from a side street when she found a brief gap in traffic, only to spot me directly in her path. So she stopped where she was and waited for me to pass, blocking traffic in both directions until I was safely out of her way.

And yes, I waved my thanks to her, too.

Frankly, I’m grateful to anyone who doesn’t kill me. And unlike yesterday, if there was anyone driving dangerously or illegally, I didn’t notice.

It was a very good day.

Which just goes to show that, yes, we do have them. And more often than you might think.

Even in L.A.

………

Jeremy Grant explains how the California Vehicle Code applies to sharing the road, for the benefit of all those on either side who just don’t get it. Here in L.A., 36% of all crashes involve cyclists or pedestrians, yet only 1.2% of Federal transportation funding is spent on bicycle or pedestrian infrastructure locally. The CHP officer who said it’s against the law for a little kid to ride “the wrong way” in a crosswalk tries to explain himself; Damien Newton swiftly and effectively eviscerates his explanation (the comments are good for a laugh, too). The bike-riding jackass who allegedly stole a gold chain off the neck of a 5-year old boy faces charges. Ride your bike to Long Beach next Friday and get 20% off lunch. Lawmakers from my hometown propose a mandatory helmet law for children; the only penalty would be a friendly warning. Maryland is the latest state to consider a three-foot passing law — too late to save a popular rider. A lawyer’s take on why Florida is the most dangerous state for cyclists in the U.S. Over three-fourths of Toronto cyclists want separated bike lanes. Biking New Zealand cops offer advice on how to stay safe with idiots like this running around. Yet another risk on the road — your flashing bike lights could trigger a seizure in a passing motorist. Cambridge police give free lights — and tickets — to lightless riders. In the UK, they use cameras to measure the average speed of passing drivers; unfortunately, they put them in the middle of the bikeway. Finally, the Times asks if Long Beach is “the most bike-friendly city in America.” Uh, no.

But they’re sure making Los Angeles look bad.

Category: Bicycle Safety, Car vs Bike, General / Tags: , , ,

Today’s missing links

January 29, 2010 / / 3 comments

More on Wednesday’s Council meeting to discuss the proposed anti-harassment ordinance. Stephen Box looks at the proposal, along with the discussion of bike sharing and the Transportation Committee’s hearing on raising speed limits, for City Watch. And KNBC covers the proposal, and quotes yours truly.

………

Culver City holds a workshop on their new bike plan Saturday from 10 am to 1pm.

………

Enci Box, actress, cyclist and too sexy for public radio? Evidently, we should be glad Dr. Alex no longer rides shirtless through Beverly Hills. Dr. Alex also takes the Times to task for failing to search their own archives. GT rides a near-impromptu century in memory of a friend who died in a frightening cycling accident last year. Will Campbell offers proof that some cyclists run red lights and some don’t, and stares down an aggressive idiot driver. Investing in walking and biking could save lives; maybe if all those people would live longer if they’d stop complaining about bikes and start riding one. Some ride out of choice, some ride out of necessity. Touring San Diego by cycle chic. A new study shows hands-free cell phone laws don’t reduce crashes. How to remove a stuck seat or handlebar stem. Creating better bike parking in three two easy steps. Most UK drivers think they’re better than the other drivers on the road. Paris will roll out two-way bikeways this year. Add this to the helmet debate: Pro cyclist Matthias Kessler wasn’t wearing his when he was critically injured in a freak accident after a cat ran across his path. Finally, for those who want to be cycle chic but aren’t willing to give up functionality — or a chamois — Castelli presents an online fashion show.

Category: General / Tags: , ,

A rising and reviving L.A. River — and a 10th annual ride to celebrate it

January 26, 2010 / / 7 comments

Someday it’s gonna rain, someday it’s gonna pour, someday that old dry river, it won’t be dry any more. — Dry River, Dave Alvin & The Guilty Men


Los Angeles tried to kill its river.

Unlike other cities where life revolves around the streams at their hearts, L.A.’s central river has been abused and ignored, and all but forgotten.

Admittedly, it was an act of self-defense, after one too many violent floods. And so they dammed it and tore up the riverbed, straightened its course and lined it with concrete to in an attempt to tame the usually mild and sometimes wild river and transform it into the world’s largest culvert system.

Instead they created a popular movies set, home to key scenes in everything from Grease and Chinatown to Terminator 2 and Transformers. As well as a massive canvas for countless taggers. And the site of odd events and dramatic rescues, human and otherwise, that transfix L.A. nearly every time it rains.

And so the city turned away from it, other than a relative handful of cyclists who continued to ride the bikeway that follows the river channel for much of its lower length. Sometimes holding their nose.

Yet, the river refused to die.

And in a comeback every bit as improbable and unexpected as Robert Downey Jr. or Mickey Roarke — or Jay Leno, for that matter — the L.A. River is slowly coming back to life.

Led largely by groups such as Friends of the Los Angeles River and L.A. Creak Freak’s Joe Linton and associates, efforts are under way to revitalize the river, and extend the bikeway its full length, from the harbor in Long Beach to Canoga Park.

Now one of the key steps in that revitalization, the new park on the site of the former Albion Dairy in Lincoln Heights, is up for review. While the deadline for offering comments online has passed, you can still comment on the plans — and insist on the inclusion of a bikeway paralleling the river —  from 6:30 to 8:30 pm this Thursday at the Downey Recreation Center, 1772 N. Spring Street.

There will also be free refreshments, which should be enough to get the cycling community out.

Speaking of the L.A. River, Joe Linton offers advice on who to call on those not-infrequent occasions when the access gates to the county’s many river-channel bikeways remain locked long after the risk of rushing water has passed.

And no, it’s not Joe. Or Stephen Box. Or even me, for that matter.

Meanwhile, you have a perfect opportunity to explore the L.A. River bikeway for yourself at the recently announced Los Angeles River Ride.

Sponsored by the LACBC — which has been revitalized itself in recent years — the L.A. River Ride is one of the city’s largest and most popular rides. It’s scheduled for Sunday, June 6th, with rides ranging from a 15-mile Family Ride and free Kids Ride to a relatively flat Century. And just about everything in between.

Full information and registration form for the 10th Annual L.A. River Ride are available by clicking here.

From what I’ve heard, it’s a lot of fun.

So maybe this time, you’ll see me there. And vice versa, I hope.

Update: Janette Hoffman emailed to remind me about the role the L.A. River Ride has played in pushing for the revitalization of the river, with a 2006 postcard campaign urging the mayor to complete the bike path — including the recently completed section between Fletcher and Fig, which will be part of this year’s ride. She also met with the Gateway Council of Governments in 2008, resulting in re-striping of the path and removal of graffiti between Maywood and Long Beach.

………

California’s car-centric Traffic Control Devices Committee (CTCDC) gave a big, fat screw you to cyclists at a meeting in San Diego last week, refusing to allow cyclists to be represented on the committee. The Times looks at the big changes taking place in suddenly bike-friendly Long Beach, yet fails to note the death of a cyclist there just a few weeks ago. Enci Box explains how to make L.A. safe, effective and more enjoyable for cyclists. Damien Newton notes that comments may not be allowed when the Council considers the anti-harassment ordinance tomorrow, but suspects Rosendahl might argue otherwise if a lot of cyclists show up. Dr. Alex argues that speed limit increases should be put on hold at the TranspoComm meeting that follows. The LAPD busts a Downtown bike theft ring selling hot bikes on Craigslist. Living well without a car. A helmetless Pink and husband ride the streets of L.A.; Carson Daley puts on his helmet and sticks his tongue out at photographers on Ocean Blvd. A town in North Carolina considers a clearly well thought-out plan to ban bikes from the bike path. BikeDenver unveils a series of public service announcements to promote bike safety. A look at Carlos Bertonatti, the drunken schmuck musician who kept going after driving over — and killing — a Miami cyclist last week. Kenosha, WI revises their cycling laws after a cyclist is ticketed for drinking from his water bottle. Yet another city gets (legal) sharrows before L.A., this time in New York’s lower Hudson Valley. Bike Radar provides a heads-up for the upcoming Handmade Bike Show and Rocky Mountain Bicycle Fest. A New Hampshire man threatens cyclists, misses his arraignment, and gets a slap on the wrist. Sydney replaces the site of drunken brawls with a hub for cyclists, including outdoor café, bike shop and showers. Hello, is anyone in L.A. listening? Hello? Finally, a Hummer driving cyber bully threatens cyclists in New Zealand — and claims to have already run two off the road — then quickly backs off after riders unmask his identity; thanks to the Trickster for the heads up!

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

An open letter to the Los Angeles City Council and the cyclists of L.A.

January 25, 2010 / / 3 comments

The purpose of government is not to enforce the will of the majority, but to protect the rights of minorities and the most vulnerable members of society.

And on the streets of Los Angeles, the vulnerable minority are the people who ride bicycles.

As was noted in a recent meeting of the Public Safety Committee, Los Angeles is a city dominated by motor vehicle traffic, to the detriment of other legal road users. In fact, Council Member Dennis Zine was quoted on KABC-TV as saying,

I think we are a car culture here in Southern California.  I don’t know if we’re ever going to change that.

Yet the continued livability of this city requires that we do.

Many of this city’s streets are already at or above capacity. Repeated attempts have been made to increase capacity and maximize vehicular throughput, often to the detriment of the surrounding community. Yet these street “improvements” typically result in only short term relief before returning to a state of congestion.

The only viable option is to reduce demand on the streets. We must get people out of their cars by encouraging alternative methods of transportation, such as effective mass transit and bicycling.

Studies have shown that nearly 40% of all trips made in the U.S. are less than 2 miles in length and could easily be done by bike, and that more people would ride bikes if they felt safer on the streets. Yet Council Member Tony Cárdenas recently summed up the attitude of many Angelenos when he said that the city’s streets are so dangerous that he won’t allow his own children to ride on them.

One reason for that fear, in addition to a lack of adequate bicycle infrastructure, is the harassment cyclists face too frequently on city streets.

Most drivers attempt to share the road and operate their vehicles safely. However, virtually any cyclist can tell a tale being harassed by angry drivers, who often lack a knowledge traffic law and the rights of bicyclists, and incorrectly believe that bikes don’t belong on the road or in the traffic lane.

Too often, these driveway vigilantes attempt to take the law into their own hands, and illegally enforce their interpretation of the law by honking or shouting at cyclists, throwing objects at riders, and hitting or pushing riders. In addition, some drivers attempt to use their cars as weapons to threaten, intimidate or injure riders by passing dangerously close to cyclists, intentionally opening car doors into riders, encroaching from behind, deliberately turning across the path of riders or intentionally braking in front of them — as happened in the Mandeville Canyon incident — or purposely striking a cyclist.

Fortunately, you have an opportunity to do something about it.

This Wednesday, the Los Angeles City Council will consider a resolution requesting that the City Attorney draft an ordinance banning harassment of cyclists in Los Angeles, Council File 09-2895.

I urge the Council Members to approve this measure, without the unnecessary step of requesting that the City Attorney first report back on what can be done by the city without conflicting with state law; any conflicts can be addressed by the City Attorney in drafting an ordinance. I also urge cyclists to contact their council member or appear at the meeting to support this vital resolution.

Other cities have taken similar approaches. Even though traffic law is generally the responsibility of the states, Boise, Idaho and Columbia, Missouri have both passed ordinances banning harassment of cyclists and mandating a minimum three-foot passing distance; San Antonio, Texas is currently considering a similar law.

I would, however, suggest one minor change to the resolution. I request that the City Attorney and LADOT also coordinate with a local bicycling organization, such as the L.A. County Bicycling Coalition, to ensure that the voices of cyclists are heard, and that the final ordinance will truly protect vulnerable road users in Los Angeles.

Sincerely,

Ted Rogers

The resolution will be considered by the Los Angeles City Council this Wednesday, January 27; item #22 on the agenda. The meeting will take place starting at 10 am in room 340 of the Downtown City Hall, 200 North Spring Street; a resolution concerning the proposed bike sharing program is also on the agenda (#20, 08-2053).

………

A Riverside traffic safety engineer and cycling advocate was injured last month in a deliberate incident reminiscent of the Thompson case. And in a truly heartbreaking story, a grieving mother took her own life late last year — three years after her cyclist son was run down by a car driven by a homeless meth addict.

………

Dr. Alex observes that when the other Dr. Thompson returns to L.A. after five years in prison, he may not recognize the city — if cyclists stay involved. Flying Pigeon rides to, and samples the offerings of, the Eagle Rock Brewery this Saturday. Famed framebuilder Dave Moulton takes a look at the recent meeting between bike activists and the LAPD. Witch on a Bicycle returns after a long, computer-failure-imposed absence, with a story of trying to save a driver in a horrific accident. A cyclist wearies of fighting for her place on the road; Yehuda Moon knows the feeling. Photographic evidence: Boulder’s contraflow bike lane, and asking a cop why the bike lane is blocked. Thousands of riders turn out to honor the cyclist killed by an intoxicated musician in Miami last week. Lance finishes 25th in the Tour Down Under, and considers competing in this year’s world championships. Yet another English woman is killed in a collision with a large truck. The head of the historic Wilier Triestina bike racing brand was killed in a head-on collision while cycling on Saturday. Lancashire authorities say watch out for wobbly cyclists. China says it’s time to go back to cycling, while Jakarta’s government calls on citizens to support cycling. LADOT take note: Danish State Railways finds an effective and affordable way to reach Copenhagen cyclists — you know, in case you ever have some good news to tell us. Finally, a seven-year old London cyclist organizes a bike-a-thon in his local park, and raises over $100,000 for earthquake victims in Haiti.

Category: Advocacy & Politics / Tags: , , ,

It never rains in California…

January 23, 2010 / / 3 comments

This is what greeted us today on a crisp, 42º morning, when the clouds finally cleared after a week of rain.

And yes, that is the Hollywood sign on the hill in the foreground.

Category: Best of, General / Tags: ,

Two-wheeled second class citizens on L.A.’s Metro rails

January 22, 2010 / / 8 comments

I’ll be honest. I’ve never ridden an L.A. Metro train.

Not the new Gold Line extension, aka La Linea de Oro. Not the Purple subway line, which promises to eventually pass just blocks from my home, giving me easy access to Downtown and the coast — provided they manage to build it within my lifetime.

Or any of the other colors in the system’s pallet, which still resembles a child’s line drawing more than a transportation masterpiece. Although it appears other cities are starting to take notice.

Not that I have anything against trains.

On the contrary, one reason I fell in love with London a few years back was the city’s Tube. As much as locals love to hate it, I enjoyed being able to walk a few blocks, board a train, and be anywhere in the city in just a few minutes.

When I lived in San Diego, I frequently hopped on the trolley rather than slog through that city’s traffic. And I long ago swore off driving in the Bay Area, since virtually any place too far to walk is easily accessible by rail.

But for those of us on the Westside, the trains are just too far away. Just getting to the western terminus of the subway takes me at least a half hour by car or bus. Or fighting my way on bike through some of the city’s most crowded and unforgiving streets.

Which is why I visit Mama’s Hot Tamales far less than I’d like.

And while I admire those who do it on a regular basis, it’s a lot easier to point my bike west and ride the relatively less-cramped routes that lead to the coast.

So I’ve been looking forward to the opening of the Expo Line, which, when it finally opens, will open up whole new vistas of the city that are currently too far or too difficult to visit by bike.

I look forward to the day I can hop on the train and be whisked away to visit my good friend in Altadena, without spending a fortune in gas and risking my life and sanity on the freeway. Or have dinner at El Tepeyac without driving an hour to get there.

And I look forward to taking my bike on the train, and hopping off to explore parts of the greater L.A. area I’ve yet to see on two wheels.

Yet that may not be a viable option, since Metro continues to treat cyclists as second-class citizens. Except instead of being made to sit at the back of the bus, we’re told that no more than two bikes per car are allowed on a train.

Or maybe not at all, at certain times or if the train is crowded.

It’s bad enough for someone like me, who looks forward to riding far flung parts of the city. But it’s a disaster for commuters, for whom a bike provides an effective means of travelling the last mile to or from work, in a city where effective mass transit is still in its infancy. Or for groups or families, who must divide themselves into separate cars — or separate trains.

Or just stay home.

And if you ride a tandem, you’re just screwed. Period.

Now contrast that with more bike-friendly transit systems, where cyclists are actually encouraged to take the train — or even allowed to ride free. Or the more enlightened approach proposed by the LACBC, which advocates accommodating everyone:

Metro must accommodate all users during regular and peak hours, and designate sufficient space for multiple bikes on trains. They must provide publications and clear signage to make it easy for passengers to see where bikes should be placed in train cars and how to enter and exit both trains and stations.

These accommodations can be implemented in multiple ways:

A) A large set aside area for bikes in either the last or first car. This car can also provide flip up seating and room for ADA (ed: Americans with Disabilities Act) accommodations. Hooks and straps can secure bikes to the floors of the train. B) Ample space in each train car for multiple bikes. The same ADA accommodations and bike-securing features can also be present in this scenario.

Instead of actively discouraging bikes on their trains, Metro should encourage cyclists to use the system as frequently as possible. An effective transportation system should offer an alternative to driving that can actually get people out of their cars and reduce pressure on our overcrowded streets.

And just like bikes on the roads, every bike on a train represents one less car on the street.

Which benefits everyone.

………

More on the schmuck aspiring musician who ran down a Miami cyclist on Sunday morning, despite having over 40 traffic violations in the last 12 years. DJ Wheels notes that, as an attorney, his jaw dropped when he read the following section in of the articles above:

In an arrest form affidavit by Miami-Dade police on Wednesday, officers said Bertonatti, who reeked of alcohol and failed a balance test, refused to provide a blood sample after his arrest. Officers and firefighters strapped him down on a fire-rescue board and forcibly took a blood sample as Bertonatti continued to resist, the form said.

………

Culver City’s proposed bike plan is available for review; oddly, Alta Planning doesn’t seem to be involved. Dr. Alex discusses the recent meeting between cyclists and the LAPD, while Stephen Box addresses enforcement double standards in bike-unfriendly Beverly Hills. Flying Pigeon introduces Nihola cargo bikes to L.A., and masters the art of shaft-drive bike repair. Next time you ride along Venice Beach, you’ll be even closer to the ocean. Growing tensions between cyclists and drivers in Morgan Hill, CA. A popular Miami man who recycles bikes and gives them away to youngsters is attacked by thugs following an attempted burglary. Twelve ways to reform D.C. area bike laws — including some good suggestions for us. San Antonio takes up the three-foot passing law vetoed by Texas’ governor last year. A bike riding soon-to-be-former talk show host gets a job offer from a Texas bike shop. 9,000 women in the United Kingdom petition for safer streets. Police seek a hit-and-run cyclist in the UK. An 11-year old British girl was killed when she swerved her bike to avoid a holly leaf. A helmet cam-wearing Brit bike blogger gets death threats. Google Street View captures a falling cyclist. A candidate for mayor of Toronto says he’ll tear out bike lanes on major streets, which does not go over well with his fellow cyclists. Finally, an angry driver honks when a cyclist takes the lane — not realizing he’s following a bike cop.

Oops.

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

Idle thoughts while waiting on the end of the world

January 21, 2010 / / 7 comments

We were waiting for the end of the word, waiting for the end of the world. — Elvis Costello

It never rains in California, but girl, don’t they warn ya? It pours, man it pours. — Albert Hammond

According to some, the world will be coming to an end in a few years when the Mayan calendar runs out in 2012. Although I recently heard a scientist discussing the subject who said that when his calendar runs out, he just puts up a new one.

But anyone who has been watching the news in Los Angeles this week would conclude that the end times have come a couple years early.

It’s raining.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. It’s rain, for crying out loud.

But seriously, it’s right up there with all the other warning signs of a near-biblical apocalypse: War, famine, pestilence, earthquakes and rain in Los Angeles.

And not just rain, but heavy rain. And hail. And waterspouts.

Or as they called it when I lived in Louisiana, Thursday.

Then there’s another sign that the world as we know it may be coming to an end. Not only did Hizzoner recently say the city has to do more to support cycling, but there may be a chance — a slight chance — that we might actually see Mayor Villaraigoso on a bike.

Strange days, indeed.

So just to be safe, I’ve been holed up in my office all week, working on plans to convert my old bike into the world’s first pedal-powered ark.

Which means now I have to find two of all the local species. Like lawyers, hipsters, artists, gangbangers, actors, agents and Brit ex-pats, et al. Though I may have to build a bigger ark just to fit the massive egos on board.

And cyclists, of course.

And that means pairs of roadies and beach cruisers, commuters, recreational riders, fixie fanatics, hipsters, off-roaders, family cyclists, racers, fast riders, slow riders, Lance Armstrong wannabees, Ridazz, bike activists, LACBCists, eco riders, Critical Massers, license-less immigrants and mandatory-helmet-wearing kids.

Just to name a few.

I gotta sit down.

……….

CD5 Council Member Paul Koretz continues his support of cyclists with an effective letter requesting a better bike plan for his district — definitely worth reading. Cyclists and the LAPD begin the long process of building a better relationship, but it appears to be off to a good start. Enci Box continues her examination of L.A. bikeway systems, noting the failure of the city’s Class III Bike Routes. LACBC presents the Spanish language version of their new Bike Parking Community Resource Guide, available as a free download. Steal a bike, lose your pants. Bob Mionske writes that cyclists continue to pay the price for cell drunk drivers. Mandatory helmet laws for children reduce fatalities, but also discourage riding. Even the Boy Scouts say take the whole lane. Urbana, IL boldly removes parking to add bike lanes. Getting Portland’s mounted police off the saddle and onto bikes would save over $500,000. The drunken asshole driver who killed a cyclist in Miami had over 40 traffic violations in 12 years, but was still on the road. DC area cyclists win one and lose one, as a hit-and-run is investigated as an assault, while riders are stopped by police for being annoying. The Guardian says mudguards are a must, even on your fixie. In L.A., we haven’t even got sharrows yet; in Copenhagen, they get footrests. The UK’s Olympic cycling team gets a Formula One boost from McLaren. Police order British children to wear high visibility clothing at night, or get off their bikes. Finally, over 70 cyclists rode the valley’s Chandler Bikeway last weekend in honor of Drake Holland, a 17-year old Burbank cyclist who died in a fall while walking with friends.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Bike cases fill the dockets — Dr. Thompson was just the beginning

January 19, 2010 / / 4 comments

As Bob Mionske noted in the Times last week, the Thompson case does not represent a sea change for cyclists.

It was just one case, with unique circumstances. Like driver who admitted trying to “teach them a lesson.” A car with a unique, memorable license plate. And at least three other cyclists who could testify to similar incidents involving the same car, and the same driver.

Not to mention a police department that took it seriously — which isn’t always the case.

Unfortunately, it’s also just the tip of the iceberg.

As cyclist/attorney DJ Wheels pointed out recently, while Thompson got 5 years for intentionally injuring two cyclists, Alejandro Hidalgo got just two years for getting drunk and killing Jesus Castillo, then fleeing the scene.

Call me crazy, but on my balance sheet, Intoxication + Death + Running Away outweighs Intent + Injury. Even if it wasn’t the first time.

And that’s just the first of at least 10 other cases involving cyclists working their way through the investigative and legal process in the L.A. area.

Like Teri Hawkins, for instance.

She reportedly ran a stop sign before striking a cyclist, knocking him 30 feet through the air. The 40-year old Simi Valley resident turned herself in to the police 4 days after the hit-and-run collision that resulted in “major injuries” to the 26-year old rider, who has not been publicly identified.

After pleading no contest to hit-and-run with injury (CVC 2001a), her request for probation was denied and she was sentenced to 16 months in state prison last week, with credit for 76 days time served. Hawkins was also ordered to pay restitution, with a hearing scheduled for Tuesday in the San Fernando courthouse.

Wheels notes that turning herself in may have been a mitigating factor in the relatively low sentence — although it should be noted that her conscience seemed to kick in after her car had been located and impounded by the police.

Wheels also provided an update on the status of some of the other cases:

The preliminary setting for Robert Sam Sanchez — the driver accused of killing Rod Armas and seriously injuring his son Christian on PCH in Malibu last June — has been continued for the third time.

Sanchez was arrested shortly after fleeing the collision, which took place near the completion of the L.A. Wheelmen’s 200-mile Grand Tour Double Century. The preliminary setting, held prior to a preliminary hearing, is now scheduled for February 11 in the Malibu Courthouse. Sanchez has pled not guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (Section 191.5a of the California Penal Code) as well as driving under the influence (CVC 23152a) and failure to stop after an accident involving an injury (CVC 20001a).

Rod’s sister-in-law reported last summer that Christian was doing well physically, though making it clear that the family was struggling with his loss. And an acquaintance of Sanchez noted that he was not a bad person, despite a drunken decision to get behind the wheel that has forever changed two families.

Mark Antonio Valencia was high on drugs and alcohol when he mowed down five cyclists in Santa Clarita on the morning of July 11, killing Joseph Novotny and seriously injuring two others. Valencia, who was driving his sister’s car without a license after two prior DUI convictions — as well as multiple arrests for drug and alcohol possession, selling tear gas and obstructing officers — had already been reported to authorities before the collision; unfortunately, sheriff’s deputies couldn’t catch up to him in time.

DJ Wheels reports that Valencia is scheduled for a pretrial hearing in the San Fernando courthouse on January 22. Valencia is still being held on $1.3 million bail, charged with 13 criminal counts including murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit-and-run and several DUI charges.

In a very personal case, the driver who threatened a group of cyclists, resulting in injuries to Wheel’s new wife, will be arraigned on January 26.

On January 28, the driver accused of injuring local cycling advocate Roadblock in a hit-and-run collision is scheduled for a pretrial hearing.

A February 3 hearing has been scheduled for four men charged with attempting to rob a female cyclist by striking her in the face with a baseball bat.

Meanwhile, the investigation continues into the hit-and-run that sent community leader Ed Magos to the hospital on January 6. Despite driving off and leaving another human splayed on the pavement unable to move, the driver was not arrested when she turned herself in later; no charges have yet been filed.

No word yet on the status of Patricia Ann Izquieta, who was arrested for the hit-and-run death of Donald Murphy in Irvine last month. Or whether any charges will be filed in the death of Gustavo Ramirez in Long Beach on the 5th. It doesn’t sound likely, though, since initial police statements seemed to blame Ramirez; the Press-Telegram reports on last weekend’s ride in his honor.

And there’s still no word of an arrest in the hit-and-run death of Robert Painter, the cyclist killed while riding in a crosswalk in North Hollywood last month. Fittingly, the driver is likely to face murder charges once an arrest is made.

……..

Controversy over plans for a bikeway near JPL. Travelin’ Local maps L.A. by bike. A North County San Diego paper questions whether current criminal penalties are strong enough when cars hit bikes; a drunk cyclist unwittingly volunteers as a test case. Another rider is killed in the nation’s most deadly state for cycling; Transit Miami examines why it happened there. Austin’s planned bike boulevard hits some bumps. Anchorage holds a very frosty bike race. A Colorado town revives the legendary Morgul Bismark stage from the Red Zinger/Coors Classics. German pro Matthias Kessler suffered a serious brain injury after a cat runs in front of his bike. London residents question traffic calming and bikeway plans. Lance has won seven tours; World Champ Cadel Evans says he’s only lost five.  Bikeways to the sailing venues for the 2012 Olympics could use some improvement. Scotland awards over $1.2 million to promote cycling in Edinburgh. The UK promotes child cycling through the new Bike Club. An Indian Nobel Laureate and confirmed cyclist says cars set a bad example, while a Danish politician says bikes are the obvious solution. Finally, the Trickster did indeed say it first — Michael Vink is a rising rider to keep an eye on.

And a woman walks into a bike shop…

Category: Bikes & the Law, Legal Cases / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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