September 11, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Oceanside hosts Rail Trail meeting, and Streets For All says California ebike vouchers are coming (no, really)
Just 111 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
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It’s a light news day, so let’s get right to it.
And yes, my shoulder is grateful for that.
Apropos of nothing, today’s image is an AI corgi on a bicycle.
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Oceanside is hosting a public meeting next Wednesday to discuss closing a vital gap in San Diego County’s Coastal Rail Trail.
The City of Oceanside is planning to improve the multi-use trail connectivity between Buccaneer Park and Vista Way, and add a new trail from Vista Way to Carlsbad Boulevard. Join us online for an update on the trail: Wed., Sept. 18 @ 6PM. More: https://t.co/nTTIF1lYrE#Oceansidepic.twitter.com/ylAyMOHLfQ
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
No bias here. A 60-something English man was the victim of a hit-and-run while riding his bike on Monday. Yet the local press just blames the “horsebox” — aka horse trailer on this side of the pond — for striking him, without even mentioning there was probably a driver towing it.
In a story originally blockaded by the San Francisco Chronicle’s draconian paywall, Waymo alleges a bike rider made intentional contact with one of their automated robotaxis, and deliberately fell over afterwards. Or the rider could have put his hand out to avoid getting hit, and fell over as a result. Just saying.
Momentumrides France’s La Régalante, a new 170-mile bike route weaving through the historic Marches de Bretagne from Mont-Saint-Michel to Nantes, saying it offers “a seamless blend of adventure, culture, and natural beauty.”
Just 169 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
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I’m still looking for anyone interested in filling in here after my shoulder surgery next month, whether you’re willing to take over for a day or two a week, or simply submitting a guest post or two.
The victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was riding her mountain bike eastbound in the 13100 block of Rancho Peñasquitos Blvd around 8:40 am, when a driver traveling in the same direction swerved into her.
Police are looking for a mid-sized, silver or charcoal gray SUV of an undetermined make. There’s no description of the driver, who was reportedly driving erratically prior to the crash.
Anyone with information is urged to call the traffic division of the San Diego Police Department 858/495-7823; or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 888/580-8477.
Hopefully, the victim will recover from her injuries, and they’ll find — and prosecute — the heartless coward who did it to her.
According to the San Diego County DA’s office, Christian Joshua Howard pled guilty on Thursday to a single felony count of hit-and-run causing death, along with a misdemeanor count of destroying or concealing evidence for the March 17th collision that killed 51-year old Oceanside postal carrier Tracey Gross.
Howard reportedly dragged Gross’ bike two miles underneath his car as he fled the scene, running her down as she rode her bike home after going into work at the post office on Sunday night.
Writing for a Santa Clarita paper, a retired LAPD motorcycle cop somehow feels the need to remind bike riders that the law applies to them, too. Funny how no one ever seems to feel the need to remind drivers about that, even though they break the law just as often, with far deadlier consequences.
Simi Valley will get a new bike plan, after the city awarded a nearly quarter-million-dollar contract to develop a new plan, including an outreach program featuring at least three community workshops, 10 local events, and web and social media engagement. Although as we’ve learned the hard way here in Los Angeles, even the best plan is only as good as the commitment of city leaders to actually build the damn thing.
Too often, we never hear what happens after a victim is hospitalized following a crash.
The rare times we do, the news usually isn’t good.
That’s was the case today, when we learned an Oceanside man died nearly a month after he was hit by a driver in a pre-dawn crash.
According to a report from City News Service, 56-year old Oceanside resident Kevin Cerv died on Friday, 24 days after he hospitalized with severe head and neck trauma.
There’s no description of how the crash occurred, or which way Cerv was riding. There’s also no word on whether the driver, who has not been identified, was ticketed or charged, or if the crash is still being investigated.
Nor is there any reason at this time to believe that the type of bike he was riding contributed to the crash.
This is at least the 18th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in San Diego County. It’s also the second bicycling death in Oceanside in less than two months.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Kevin Cerv and all his loved ones.
March 22, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on 51-year old mother of two dies in hospital after Oceanside hit-and-run; 2nd North San Diego County bike death this week
St. Patrick’s Day was anything but lucky in San Diego’s North County this year.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the victim, identified as 51-year old Oceanside resident Tracey Gross, was declared brain dead after being flown to Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla.
Gross was riding home on her bicycle on westbound SR-76 near Singh Way when she was struck by a driver, who fled the scene.
She was found lying in the roadway by passing motorists around 11:35 pm, suffering from severe injuries. Her bicycle was found over two miles away at SR-76 and College Boulevard, apparently dragged there by the fleeing driver.
Surgeons plan to harvest her organs tomorrow to be donated to people on the transplant list, following her wishes.
Gross had worked as postal carrier walking a mail route in Oceanside for the past decade; there’s no word on why she would have been working so late on a Sunday.
Family members say they weren’t notified until nearly noon the next day, despite having both her driver’s license and postal employee ID card on her at the time of the crash.
Oceanside police are looking for the driver of what they suspect is a silver 2013 to 2015 Kia Optima, with damage to the right front bumper and headlight, and parts of the bottom engine cover missing. The damage suggests Gross may have been rear-ended as she rode on the right side of the roadway.
Police suspect the driver lives in the Oceanside area, near the site of the collision. There’s a high probability that he or she may have been under the influence, since the crash occurred late on St. Patrick’s Day.
Gross leaves behind her two adult children, aged 28 and 22, as well as her mother, who flew in from her home in Reno, Nevada to be with her in the hospital.
Her mother described her as an amazing, strong and brave woman, who always stood on her own two feet and loved her family and children deeply.
Anyone with information is urged to call Officer Jose Gomez of the Oceanside Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team at 760/435-4952, or email at jjgomez@oceansideca.org.
This is at least the 11th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Tracey Gross and all her family and loved ones.
The victim was identified only as a man who appeared to be in his 50s.
The driver, a 52-year old Oceanside resident, was arrested on suspicion of DUI and vehicular manslaughter after apparently failing a field sobriety test, and admitting that he was using heroin.
That could be escalated to murder if it turns out this wasn’t his first DUI offense.
There’s no word on how the crash occurred, but it seems likely the driver struck the victim while either entering or exiting the mobile home park.
San Diego’s Fox5 reported on the crash as well, but seemed more concerned about the effect on traffic from the street closure than the needless death of a human being.
This is at least the 11th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the first that I’m aware of in San Diego County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all his loved ones.
November 30, 2021 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Killer Oceanside hit-and-run driver gets 2 years, low curb hazard on new Culver bike lanes, and scam Bonin anti-recall site
Before we get started, just a quick reminder that today is Giving Tuesday, the one day each year set aside to support worthy nonprofit organizations that need your help.
We could name a very long list, from Streets For All and the LACBC, to Calbike and Streetsblog LA and California.
Along with your own local advocacy groups, wherever you live.
One group that recently came to my attention is the Los Angeles Bicycle Academy, a youth cycling and bicycle education program created to “empower, educate and develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills in youth between the ages of 8-18.”
Our focus is to work with youth from underserved communities where opportunity, access, equity, and exposure within the sport of cycling is extremely limited. We want to help more young people learn the positive impact a bicycle can have on their own lives, and the lives of those around them.
They have big plans for the coming year, including opening a community bike shop, launching a build-a-bike program, and developing a women’s cycling team.
She could have gotten up to four years in the state pen, with another year in county.
Instead, she got a relative slap on the wrist for leaving an innocent man to die alone in the street. Then hid her car for a full week until it was spotted by a homeless man.
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You can’t please everyone.
Culver City officially unveiled their new Move Culver City initiative, installing quick build bus and bike lanes on three major streets in the downtown area — in a fraction of the time and cost required for similar projects across the city limit line in Los Angeles.
But while most people came out to celebrate completion of the project, I’m told a group of drivers turned out to protest, apparently under the misconception that 100% of the streets belong to cars.
And unwilling to give up a single inch, let alone a lane or two.
On the other hand, the response from the two-wheeled group seems mostly positive.
However, Mitchell Guzik pointed out an unexpected hazard posed by low concrete curbs intended to protect people using the bike lanes, but which could present a risk to any bike rider who runs into them.
Photo by Mitchell Guzik
Even in daylight, it’s a struggle to spot them in the photo. Which means it would be nearly impossible after dark.
The obvious solution, as Guzik suggests, is to paint the curbs a more visible color. Or go crazy, and let some of Culver City’s many artists decorate them.
Obviously, we don’t want to fall into the common SoCal trap of letting perfect be the enemy of good when it comes to bike lanes.
But just a minor improvement could make them safer for everyone.
Correction: I originally misspelled the name of Mitchell Guzik. My apologies for the error.
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They’re back.
A few very unpleasant years ago, I had the misfortune of tangling with the fraudulent Westside Walkers Twitter account, which was created in response to the 2017 lane reductions on Venice Blvd and in Playa del Rey.
As Peter Flax made clear in outing the person behind the account, the Westside Walkers pretended to be “LA’s #1 walking & biking advocacy group.”
But it was actually just one man’s political dirty trick, posing as a nonexistent group to muddy the advocacy waters and make his opposition to traffic safety measures seem more reasonable.
Now he’s back, pretending to be the “Official Democrat Anti Recall” group supporting CD11 Councilmember Mike Bonin, which undoubtedly came as a surprise to the actual group opposing the recall.
As before, this is just another political dirty trick by a recall supporter and longtime Bonin hater, in an attempt to muddy the water.
And not hesitating to use outright lies to do it.
So don’t fall for it.
Whether or not you support Bonin — and I do — there’s no place for stunts like this, from someone with a long history of playing dirty.
Politics in Los Angeles are dirty enough.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
No bias here. A London political columnist takes issue with bike lanes and the unlicensed people who use them, saying bikes were fine for Victorian times, but should only be used on private property these days (scroll down — no, keep scrolling). Just wait until someone tells him who the roads were really built for.
A truck driver who fatally right-hooked a bike-riding San Luis Obispo man faces a maximum of one lousy year behind bars or a $1,000 fine after being charged with misdemeanor vehicular homicide, because he didn’t do it on purpose. On the other hand, the victim is still dead, whether or not it was intentional.
A Streetsblog op-ed accuses Oakland’s Vision Zero program of being an empty promise, and says the city needs to take it seriously if they want to eliminate traffic deaths. A sentiment most Los Angeles bike riders and pedestrians could probably relate to.
Streetsblog makes the case that the NYPD is lying about the risks posed by ebikes, conflating crashes involving ebikes, which are legal in New York, with mopeds, which aren’t. And placing all the blame on the bike riders, while ignoring who was actually at fault in those crashes.
So let’s thank Bernard B, Stephen M and Tom C for their generous donations to help keep SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy keeps coming your way every day.
So don’t wait. Give now via PayPal, or with Zelle to ted @ bikinginla.com.
Any amount, no matter how large or small, is truly and deeply appreciated.
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
The unknown driver followed Atkinson for about a mile after exchanging words with him, before slamming into his bike from behind on eastbound on Vista Way.
The impact flung Atkinson through the air as the driver continued down Vista Way, leaving him with a pelvis broken in two places, as well as broken bones in his elbow, collar bone and shoulder blade.
Police are looking for a black four-door BMW with front end damage and a missing passenger side mirror, driven by a man in his mid-20s. He’s wanted for assault with a deadly weapon.
Hopefully, that will be upgraded to reflect the seriousness of the crime, which could have easily killed Atkinson.
LADOT rep says program is funded by SB1 gas tax funding. Streets selected by council – based on High Injury Network and street condition – and "can be implemented without reconfiguring the roadway"
In other words, LADOT somehow envisions these as among the few Complete Streets projects that can somehow be implemented without changing the roadway.
So either the streets are already complete and capable of safely and effectively serving the needs of all road users, which means the projects aren’t necessary.
Or LADOT has no intention of actually making them complete, and just wants to call them something that sounds good and allows them to check a box when applying for funding.
I’d put my money on the latter.
Committee Chair Mike Bonin at least asked LADOT to work with the local councilmember’s office to implement the mobility plan.
Bonin urges DOT to work with local council office to implement the Mobility Plan. Bonin questions cost containment: asks for CAO to report back regarding infra cost trends, best practices for cost estimation, recommendations for containing cost escalation
Especially after the committee approved the projects as written, while politely asking them to think about doing the right thing when it comes to bus and bike lanes.
Here’s how Streetsblog’s Joe Linton summed up the whole sad affair in his story.
Streets for All had urged its followers to press the committee to implement the La Brea bus-only lanes already approved in the city’s Mobility Plan. Councilmembers Mike Bonin and Paul Koretz questioned why the planned bus facilities had not been included in La Brea’s preliminary designs. LADOT staff responded that the department tries to “balance the needs” and “our corridors are width-challenged.” This portion of La Brea is at least 75-feet wide throughout. The DOT representative stated that a bus lane would “compromise the objective” of this project, but could proceed independently.
Bonin encouraged LADOT to work with the local council office to implement the bus lane, stating that it is a Metro priority and important for equity. Sadly, the directive to work with the local councilmember is tacit acknowledgement that each councilmember has (and frequently uses) veto powers to get in the way of street improvements needed to save lives, and improve transit, health, and quality of life.
Nice to know that adding a bus lane to make La Brea even somewhat complete would somehow compromise the objective of a Complete Street.
You can click on any of the tweets above to read the whole thread, and the link above to read Linton’s story.
Having done that job myself, both on behalf of this site and as a board member of the LACBC, I can attest to just how draining it can be. And Bike the Vote went far beyond anything I tried to do.
Hopefully, someone will step up and fill the vote before next year, when we’ll elect a new mayor, city attorney, city controller and half the city council.
Because the only voice the bike community has comes from our perceived ability to influence elections. And if candidates don’t think our vote matters, they won’t even ask for our support, let alone support policies to make our streets safer and more welcoming to people on bicycles.
Otherwise, we can look forward to more Orwellian fiascos like we saw yesterday.
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In better news, Zachary Rynew calls our attention to newly striped bike lanes in the San Fernando Valley.
July 28, 2021 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Canoga Park bike rider wanted for fatally shooting driver, and accused Oceanside hit-and-run driver pleads not guilty
The shooting took place around 2:18 pm, when the man on the bike shot into the driver’s car following some sort of dispute near the 6400 block of DeSoto Ave.
Forty-three-year old Glendale resident Mkher Alaverdian was pronounced dead after he was taken to a local hospital.
There’s no description of the shooter or his bicycle, and no word on whether this was a road rage dispute or some other kind of argument.
Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Valley Bureau Homicide at 818/374-9550, or 1-877/LAPD-24-7 after business hours.
A few blocks north of where a driver killed a pedestrian in June on Allen Ave in @PasadenaGov drivers seem blissfully unconcerned with the speed limit. Notably, these are the speeds going UP hill. I can't imagine how fast they're going on the other side of the street. pic.twitter.com/kQAh0m21oO
A New York man is planning to bike 8,000 miles through ten states to get more kids on bicycles, raising funds to donate new bikes to underprivileged children around the country; the Black bike rider who grew up in the city’s low-income Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood says if he can do it, most people can.
Thank you to everyone for all the kind words. Your support really means a lot to me.
The good news is, taking most of last week off helped lower my blood sugar levels over 25%, down to a more normal level for diabetics.
It also allowed me to realize that not all the symptoms I’ve been dealing with were caused by my diabetes; the last medication my doctor put me on to lower my blood sugar was apparently caused a long list of damaging side effects.
So we’ll what happens now that I’ve stopped taking it.
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Maybe we’ll see some justice in San Diego County after all.
Thirty-eight-year old Adam David Milavetz allegedly ran away right after the crash and dumped a couple baggies of white powder over a fence, which police believe were filled with meth.
The murder charge suggests that Milavetz has at least one previous conviction for DUI, and was required to sign a Watson advisement indicating that he could be charged with murder if he killed someone while driving under the influence.
He was also arrested on a separate DUI count on the 1st of this month.
Thanks to Phillip Young for the Oceanside heads-up.
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It looks like the accused killer of a Palm Springs bike rider could be in the wind.
Proving once again that there is nowhere safe from the big, dangerous machines and the equally dangerous people piloting them.
Case in point, this is who was share the living room with.
Thanks to Ralph Durham for the video, who blames the house for not wearing hi-viv, for the link.
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Sunset4All is hosting a guided bike ride and happy hour this Wednesday. Meanwhile, the crowdfunding campaign for LA’s first public/private bike lane partnership stands at 57% of the $25,000 goal.
Take a ride up Pacifico Mountain with Gravel Bike California.
NEW GRAVEL GUIDE! Pacifico Mountain is important for two reasons: 1. It's our favorite ride in LA County 2. Without Pacifico Mountain, Gravel Bike California may never be. Watch and see why Pacifico is so special:https://t.co/fjEPEWyiNR@GravelCyclist@gravelgurutv
— Gravel Bike California (@GravelBikeCal) July 22, 2021
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Who needs a mail truck when you’ve got bike lanes?
Canada Post to test mail delivery tricycles in central Montreal. When you build bike lanes, this kind of thing is possible. https://t.co/R0R4RLCT3p
Nice story from San Diego, where a Chula Vista family has turned to tandem riding to overcome a near-fatal e-scooter crash, as well as the son’s blindness and chronic heart and lung disease, while helping others.
Who says bike riders aren’t tough? A Fresno woman got shot in both legs in a domestic violence incident — then got on her bicycle and chased down the man who shot her, following him until police arrived. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.
A Colorado man faces up to six years behind bars after being convicted of killing professional cyclist Benjamin Sonntag; oddly, there was no charge for hit-and-run, even though he tried to flee the crash on foot, and had to be restrained with a taser until police backup arrived.
The New York native who made headlines across the US for riding a bikeshare bike from New York to Santa Monica in search of a new home will now be living on Tulsa time.
Police in India arrested seven people for flying kites with nylon strings after several people riding bicycles and motorcycles were injured, including a 12th grade girl whose throat was slashed by a kite string as she rode her bike.
July 16, 2021 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Update: 27-year old man killed in Oceanside hit-and-run late Thursday; tenth bicycling death in San Diego County this year
Another day, another Southern California bike rider murdered by a hit-and-run driver.
There’s no word on whether he was wearing a helmet, which might have a difference in this case.
Or not, depending on the speed of his killer’s car.
Investigators believe he was riding east on Oceanside when he was run down from behind by the driver of a black 2014 to 2016 Nissan Versa Note hatchback, based at least in part on evidence left at the scene. The car is likely to have damage to the front grill, hood and undercarriage.
Anyone with informations urged to call Accident Investigator Kevin Lissner of the Oceanside Police Department at 760/435-4651.
This is at least the 34th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the tenth that I’m aware of already this year in San Diego County.
At least 14 of those deaths have been hit-and-runs, including four just in the last two and a half weeks.
Update: This is the cost of traffic violence.
Hi everyone, my boyfriend was killed Thursday night by a hit and run on Oceanside Blvd. If anyone has any information please reach out. It seems it was a 2014-2016Nissan Versa hatchback. Please share and help us find the person. Here’s some of my favorite photos of Jackson ♥️ pic.twitter.com/sStZieHil0
