Tag Archive for no news is good news

Banning bike lanes for public safety, new armadillos inhabit Adams, and impress visitors with an “enchanted” forest bikeway

Day 227 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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It was a light news day yesterday, so let’s get right to it before we all go riding this weekend. 

At least on Sunday, right?

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.

You’ve got to be kidding. A New York court has temporarily blocked the city from installing a bike lane in response to a lawsuit from local businesses owners, who alleged it would “compromise public safety, negatively impact local businesses and violate city laws.” Because, of course it would.

You’ve got to be kidding, part two. A Philadelphia judge blocked the city from building loading zones next to a bike lane, after the state passed a law banning drivers from stopping a car in one, as well as blocking any other changes to the street or the bike lanes, including installing protective barriers, in a decision that apparently wasn’t explained.

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Local 

Streetsblog examines new hard-plastic, reflectorized armadillos marking bike lanes on Adams Blvd and Spring Street.

The Los Angeles Times recommends three hikes to impress out-of-town visitors, including an “enchanted” forest walk on the seven-mile West Fork National Scenic Bikeway, which you could presumably do on your bike, as well.

 

State

Bakersfield bike riders rallied at City Hall to call for safer streets in the wake of a misguided grand jury report prioritizing cars over bike lanes.

Alameda apparently decides drivers matter more than kids by removing barriers on a Slow Street near schools, ostensibly to improve public safety.

An “epic” new bike trail winds 33-miles through the heart of a Napa Valley wine country.

 

National

Momentum says the explosion in micromobility is outgrowing bike lanes, which need to be widened and separated for differing speeds.

An Outside documentary tells true story of 31 everyday American teenagers who shared the journey of a lifetime by biking across the country in 1982.

A Wyoming man shares what he’s learned from a lifetime of bicycling, something his wife calls the “most dangerous sport” he could take part in thanks to cars and the people driving them. Although bull riding, skydiving and boxing would seem a tad risky, too. 

Covington, Kentucky finally got around to building its first bike lane, nearly 60 years after the first bike lane the US was striped in Davis, California.

Boston’s Northeastern University considers whether ebikes can become the next form of mass transportation, and what’s keeping them from rivaling bus, metro and rail networks. Hint: safer streets and fewer drivers, maybe?

Bicycling deaths in Connecticut are up a whopping 200% over a five-year average. Although that amounts to just six deaths, which would be a good month for Southern California.

A 35-year old New Jersey man has ridden nearly 2,000 miles covering every public road in Gloucester County, located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia.

 

International

The Ottawa Citizen examines what it will take to make the city safer for people on bicycles, where the streets prioritize drivers like the rest of Canada.

A 32-year old British man was sentenced to four years behind bars for the “horrendous” speeding, hit-and-run crash that left a bike-riding woman with life changing injuries; he fictitiously reported the car stolen at knifepoint 15 minutes after fleeing the scene.

A judge in the UK ruled that video evidence of traffic violations is both legal and valuable to police, dismissing a retired lawyer’s attempt to sue a “disturbing, caped crusader” bike rider who filmed her using her phone while driving in violating the country’s privacy laws.

A 64-year old disabled man in was killed when he crashed his adult tricycle into a poorly marked bollard blocking the entrance to a UK bike lane.

Traffic safety experts called for a major overhaul of Malaysian roads, warning they prioritize cars and trucks at the expense of everyone else. In other words, just like the streets of Los Angeles, and pretty much everywhere else in Southern California. 

 

Competitive Cycling

Track cyclist Matthew Richardson, who left Australia last year to compete for Great Britain, set a new world record for the flying 200 meters with a time of just 8.941 seconds, smashing the previously unbreakable 9 second barrier.

American Hannah Otto broke one of the world’s best known single-day mountain bike records, setting the new fastest known time for a woman on Utah’s White Rim Trail at 6 hours, 36 minutes and 51 seconds.

On the other hand, British cyclist Charlie Tanfield fell three kilometers — 1.85 miles — short in his attempt to set a new hour record.

Sports Illustrated previews the upcoming Vuelta a España, the 80th edition of the year’s final Grand Tour.

Cycling Weekly says domestiques are probably coming to gravel racing.

Participants in the recent Tour de Big Bear, which combined road, gravel and mountain bike events, ranged from three-years old to 90.

 

Finally…

Probably not the best idea to let your dad play Whack-A-Mole on your expensive carbon frame. Riding a century with that healthy nuclear glow.

And a giving taking a header off your bike a whole new meaning. (Click on this link if the tweet doesn’t embed.)

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

Let’s call it a sick day

Lately the bike news that seems to be increasing at an exponential rate, while find myself fighting to focus despite a change in medications that has me working at half speed.

Sunday it all caught up with me.

So let’s hit the reset button, to steal a phrase from our former Secretary of State. I’m taking today off in order to get some rest, and try to function like a normal person again.

That means no new post today.

If you missed it, you can catch up with the weekend news, as well as Sunday’s tragedy in Cathedral Springs.

Get out there and ride your bike, and I’ll see you bright and early on Tuesday.

Be careful riding around schools, no news is very good news, and alleged Alvarado killer will face trial

School is back in session almost everywhere now.

So be especially careful riding around schools, particularly at times when parents are dropping off or picking up children. Someone passing by on a bike is likely to be the last thing they’re looking for in the mad rush to get back to their school routine.

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Keep your fingers crossed.

Despite seeing countless reports of cycling collisions throughout the U.S. and around the world — just a handful of which you’ll find below — I haven’t gotten any news of serious cycling incidents in the SoCal area.

I always hold my breath on three day weekends — the 4th of July was particularly bad. And sometimes, it takes a few days for news to filter in, as the press returns to work and police reports slowly leak out.

But in this case, no news really is good news.

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Dj Wheels reports that motions to dismiss or reduce the charges against Patrick Roraff, the teenage driver accused of killing pro cyclist Jorge Alvarado while street racing in April of last year, have been denied.

However, he still gets to travel to Texas to play soccer with his teammates, 17 months after his alleged victim was run down.

William Gladstone was right.

Meanwhile, Long Beach Fire Captain John Hines faces a preliminary hearing today in an Orange County courtroom for critically injuring a cyclist in an allegedly drunken Seal Beach hit-and-run. Maybe he’ll meet Renato Demartino, who is scheduled for a hearing today in the same courthouse; he’s accused in the Tustin hit-and-run death of cyclist Marco Acuapan last April, four months after Demartino allegedly ran him down.

I wonder what they would talk about.

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New bike lanes hit the pavement on First Street in Boyle Heights. Meanwhile, Zeke’s L.A.-based brother Dave reports that work has begun on new bike lanes on Cahuenga Blvd from Franklin to near the Hollywood Bowl; eventually, they should reach all the way to Lankershim.

But don’t hold your breath.

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Damien Newton wants your questions for bike lawyer Howard Krepack. The next meeting of the nearly named group to re-envision North Figueroa as a Complete Street takes place at 7 pm on Friday, September 9th at Flying Pigeon Bike Shop, 3714 North Figueroa. New signs pop up urging cyclists to share the L.A. River Bike Path with pedestrians in Elysian Valley. Santa Monica’s Ocean Park Blvd should soon be a significantly greener — and bike-friendlier — street. Santa Monica Spoke invites you to RSVP for dinner, bikes and cupcakes with Elly Blue. A driver reports hitting a bike in the HOV lane on the 10 Freeway in Baldwin Park, but no word on whether it was being ridden or just laying in the lane; we’ll hope for the latter.

HuffPo offers more than your daily dose of celebs on bikes; thanks to Rex Reese for the heads-up. Cyclists and motorists owe each other respect. According to Tucson Velo, a driver accused of hitting and killing a cyclist had previous DUI arrests; nice work keeping a dangerous driver on the streets until he finally killed someone. Tour de Fat draws 12,000 cyclists in my hometown of Fort Collins CO; it will be here on October 8th. After an Idaho boy’s new bike is stolen, replacement offers pour in. A Missoula cyclist is found dead on the sidewalk in an apparent solo collision; of course, as cyclists know but police can’t seem to figure out, you don’t have to actually hit a rider to cause a cycling collision. A Minnesota triathlete dies one month after a mountain biking accident in Colorado. A Vermont cyclist died after bypassing barriers closing a road damaged by Hurricane Irene; seriously people, when the road is closed, there may be a reason for it. A New York cyclist is killed after running a red light; that’s why you don’t do that, people. Cyclists open fire near the nation’s capitol; thanks to DC for the heads-up. A 75-year old Florida cyclist is killed by an 84-year old driver in a SMIDSY;* fortunately for the driver, failure to see your victim is the universal Get Out of Jail Free Card — especially in Florida.

Toronto Streets should be a delight, not a hospital waiting room. The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain officially takes flight; now the hard work begins. Progress is slow on London’s cycling revolution. Potholes in Sheffield UK threaten that city’s bid to host a stage of the Tour de France. Great bike art from Dublin. Instead of making the roads safer, Aussie authorities idiotically consider making hi-vis vests mandatory for all cyclists; maybe that way drivers will finally see the riders they run down. Another pro team bites the dust, as the Scheck brothers’ Leopard-Trek team merges with Team RadioShack and a bunch of riders prepare to get the boot. Investigation shows pro cyclist Riccardo Ricco gave himself a botched transfusion. A Chinese banking official is held for killing a cyclist while driving drunk.

Finally, David Hembrow reads L.A.’s new bike plan, finds it critically lacking and concludes we’re being fed a line. And the Economist says America is no place for cyclists, with a few notable exceptions.

*Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You.