Tag Archive for Orange County

Malibu approves watered-down PCH plan, cougar stalks OC mountain bikers, and Calbike fights back on CA ebike incentives

November 6, 2025 / / One comment
Day 310 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

We won.

More or less, anyway.

Less than a week after we joined with other organizations in an urgent call for support — although this is only an organization if you count the corgi — the Malibu Planning Commission voted 4 – 1 to approve desperately needed safety improvements on PCH.

Although there were changes that watered down the project to get commissioners on board.

According to public media site LAist,

  • Caltrans decreased the number of new streetlights from 42 to 27.
  • City planning staff will inspect and ensure the lights are compliant with the city’s Dark Sky Ordinance.
  • Caltrans reduced the total length of new or upgraded bike lanes from 15 to 10 miles.
  • Caltrans must engage with first responders and Pepperdine University about a sidewalk it plans to build between John Tyler Road and Malibu Canyon Road to clear any concerns over emergency access to campus.

Notice that the bike lanes have been cut by a third. So apparently, the goal is now to only cull a few people on Malibu’s share of SoCal’s killer highway, instead of actually eliminating traffic deaths, or anything.

Approval of the project was needed this month, or Caltrans would have shifted funding for the $73 million project somewhere else, likely never to return.

Although LAist makes clear that some aggrieved person could still try to throw a wrench in the works. And there’s no shortage of aggrieved people in the ‘Bu.

Appeals timeline starts: According to the city, an “aggrieved person” has 10 days after approval to file an appeal of a Coastal Development Permit, like the one the commission extended to the Caltrans project. If the project is appealed, the matter will go before Malibu’s City Council.

Meanwhile, the Malibu City Council unanimously approved an additional $1.6 million for “enhanced safety measures” along PCH, including innovative speed detection technology and infrastructure for speed cams.

………

We may have to deal with feral SoCal drivers, but at least we don’t have to worry about aggressive mountain lions.

Usually.

Two Orange County mountain bikers ran into one on Sunday, which followed them down the trail as they tried to back away.

They were riding on a trail in Whiting Ranch in Lake Forest on Sunday afternoon when they recorded the big cat walking slowly down after them. Which is not a good sign, since they usually try to avoid people.

Adding to the concern, this is the same area where 35-year old Mark Reynolds was killed by a cougar back in 2004, apparently as he was fixing his bike.

The mountain bikers tried using their bikes to shield them from the big cat and yelling to frighten it off.

You can see from the video how well that worked.

Growing up in Colorado, where cougar encounters are far more common, we were taught to make yourself look as big as possible while maintaining eye contract and yelling while you slowly move away. Holding your bike or backpack up to make yourself appear larger could help.

But whatever you do, don’t run. Because that can trigger an attack response.

Experts say the young cat was probably just curious, rather than hungry. But just be careful and keep your eyes open if you’re riding in the area.

Or better yet, maybe ride somewhere else for the next few weeks.

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It looks like Calbike is finally starting to fight back over the ill-conceived cancellation of the California Ebike Incentive Program, calling on followers to write their representatives.

Although the better time to send out this email would have been when their executive director first found out about it in mid-October, rather than weeks later.

The state’s response to a wildly popular e-bike program? Cancel it and put the money towards cars. 

CARB just pulled the plug on the E-Bike Incentive Project, folding what’s left of the funding into Clean Cars 4 All, a car trade-in program. Instead of helping people replace car trips, the state is rewarding people who already own one. It’s a telling political moment that mistakes “cleaner cars” for real progress.

This isn’t what climate leadership looks like. Over one hundred thousand Californians lined up for a modest voucher that would help them drive less, save money, and move freely. Ending that opportunity now ignores that clear demand and walks back hard-won progress.

Send a message now

Our state leaders can’t afford to shrug this off.  It’s time to create a permanent fund for e-bikes — a real mobility solution, not another subsidy for car dependence. Contact your reps now.

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Streets For All is calling on Metro to spend just a tiny fraction of the $600 million it spends building freeways to fully fund CicLAvia.

Tell Metro to fully fund CicLAvia

Metro’s Planning and Programming Committee is currently reviewing Open Streets applications for Cycles 6 & 7 (2026 – 2028), but their own guidelines“include funding only for open and slow streets aligned with the major events 2026 and 2028,” leaving little or no support for local community Open Streets events in between.

CicLAvia is Los Angeles County’s largest recurring Open Streets program, drawing an average of 50,000 participants per event. These events transform city streets into safe, car-free spaces that promote public health, community connection, and environmental benefits:

  • Nearly 50% of first-time attendees said they would have otherwise stayed home or been sedentary.
  • A Preventive Medicine study found CicLAvia delivers measurable public-health benefits.
  • Harmful air pollution (PM 2.5) drops by almost 50% along the route on event days, and by 12% in surrounding neighborhoods.

Yet while event costs continue to rise, Metro’s Open Streets funding has not kept pace. Concentrating funds only around major international events undermines proven, community-based programs that already advance Metro’s mission of improving mobility, public health, and sustainability. Metro invests more than $600 million annually in freeway projects. We urge the agency to fully fund monthly CicLAvias, modest investments with outsized returns for public health, clean air, and community well-being.

TELL METRO TO FUND CICLAVIA [CUSTOMIZE THE BOTTOM]

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Funny how bike lanes are always the problem when it’s the cars that are getting bigger.

Yeah, it's the bike lane that takes up too much space 🤦‍♂️

— OB Cycler (@obcycler.bsky.social) 2025-11-04T22:35:00.785Z

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

Bike lane haters keep losing at the ballot box in Massachusetts, despite misleading comments that bike lanes cause traffic congestion. Hint: It’s actually too many cars.

But sometimes, it’s people on two wheels behaving badly.

Apparently, a mass World Naked Bike Ride is okay, but riding naked by yourself along a New Zealand waterfront isn’t. Although most of the story is hidden behind a damn paywall, unfortunately.

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Local 

No news is good news, right?

 

State

Orange County cities are playing catch-up to the massive boom in ebike popularity. Although once again, most of the problems come from people on often-illegal electric motorbikes, rather than ped-assist bicycles.

With a form of Doublespeak that would make Orwell proud, Encinitas is considering removing safety features on Santa Fe Drive to improve safety.

Sad news from Bakersfield, where a 32-year old man was killed by a driver while riding his bike

Healdsburg’s BiblioBike mobile bicycle library was honored by a national group for Excellence in Book Bike Outreach Programming.

 

National

A 69-year old Las Vegas man faces charges after he told police he killed a 77-year old man riding a bicycle after using marijuana and drinking an “unknown quantity of beers” before the crash; officers described him as “belligerently impaired” after the crash, and before he was taken away in an ambulance.

Voters in my bike-friendly Colorado hometown lived up to their reputation, approving plans to replace the former college football stadium with a shiny new bike park. And yes, that was the same stadium where I used to smuggle bourbon and rum inside my Sousaphone for the marching band.

Bike lanes on a busy Jacksonville, Florida street have gotten a new coat of green paint, although at least some bicyclists say it’s not enough to keep cars out and improve safety.

 

International

Momentum says London, New York and Paris rank at the top of the newest list of the world’s best cities — in that order — and what they have is common is they all put people first.

They get it. An English town is planning to spend the equivalent of $654,000 to upgrade the city’s main separated bike lane to keep delivery drivers from bypassing the widely spaced car-tickler plastic posts to park in it.

In the US, people have protested competitions that allow trans women to compete, but in the UK, several women turned down nominations to Cycling UK’s annual 100 Women in Cycling award because it excluded trans women and non-binary people from consideration.

You can add bikepacking along the Rhine River from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea to your bike bucket list, taking you from “Swiss mountain air to German castles, French Alsace flavors and Dutch windmills.”

Hundreds of people are expected to turn out next month with their bicycles festooned in twinkling lights and creative decorations for The Hague’s fifth annual Haagse Fietslichtjesparade.

 

Competitive Cycling

Good news for LA cycling fans, because multi-time former national champ Justin Williams is getting the band back together, reforming the L39ION of Los Angeles Continental-level cycling team with his brother Cory; the team dominated elite US racing until it was disbanded a few years ago.

Belgian pro Wout van Aert says it feels “pretty weird” to have a fanbase in the US, as he visits Laguna Beach. As if American cycling fans somehow don’t appreciate greatness. 

 

Finally…

The manifold joys of drinking out of a garden hose on an ultra-endurance ride.

And a bet’s a bet.

Although it would have been nice to see Karen Bass on that bikeshare bike. Even if, as Steven put it in an email to me, Bass “would have had a prepared, pothole free, debris free, inconvenience free, (What? Stop at red lights????) route with a large security entourage.”

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Killer of OC bicyclist Jeff Rosenthal on trial for murder, CARB murders CA ebike incentive, and emulating Paris bike boom

October 30, 2025 / / 2 comments
Day 303 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Time served isn’t enough.

The bicycling community is being urged to turn out next week, when an Orange County driver with a long criminal record goes on trial for murder.

In this case, for fatally running down a man riding a bicycle, while — allegedly — under the influence of multiple drugs, so high he reportedly didn’t even know where he was after the crash.

And after signing a Watson notice following a previous DUI conviction, acknowledging that he could be charged with murder if he ever killed someone while driving under the influence anytime in the future.

And he did. Allegedly.

Thirty-seven-year old Los Angeles resident Zachary Thomas Haralson has been behind bars since his arrest in September, 2022, accused of killing 72-year old Jeff Rosenthal in Laguna Hills.

According to the Orange County Superior Court, Haralson is charged with felony counts of murder, hit-and-run with permanent and serious injury, and driving on a suspended license. Death being the “permanent and serious injury” in this case.

He has pled not guilty to all charges.

Haralson has been arrested at least ten other times since 2014, on charges including drug possession, illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, burglary, grand theft, and taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent — something most of us would call car theft.

Here’s what Bicycle Club of Irvine posted about the case.

Oct 27th update from Barbara Rosenthal (Ed: Jeff’s widow). “Just letting you all know – The trial for Jeff’s murderer, Zachary Haralson, is tentatively scheduled to begin on Nov 7th.  The court informed me that there will be 2-3 days of “housekeeping” (I.e., motions, jury selection, etc) before my family, friends and I are suggested to participate.  If you can/want to attend some of it, check with me or the following website:  OCCOURTS.org

Case # is 22HF1631.

It will be held at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.  You don’t need to come, but I wanted you to have the info.  Let’s give Mr. Haralson a looooong vacation and keep him off the roads!
Please spread the word to BCI members.
Anyone will be able to access the website with just the case #. It’s finally happening!!!”

The perpetrator has been incarcerated since killing Jeff and he deserves more than time served. Family and community outrage will help extend his punishment.

Another BCI post tells more about Jeff Rosenthal, how the crash happened, and the family he left behind.

So does this letter from his best friend, Orange County bike lawyer Ed Rubinstein, which was posted on this site shortly after Rosenthal’s death, before we learned his identity.

Thank you for your reporting, but I cannot let the rider who was killed remain anonymous. He was my best friend.

I do not have any information on how or why the crash happened, but I do know the wonderful human being whose life was snuffed out too soon.  His name was Jeff Rosenthal. He was 72 years old, retired, and he had just celebrated his 41st anniversary with his wife Barbara. Jeff, like me, originally was from Long Island, NY. He was an experienced cyclist who used to ride over 7000 miles per year until he reduced the frequency of his rides slightly as he recently got back into surfing.  He rode with the Bicycle Club of Irvine where we met about 10 years ago.  He was my best friend, the witness at my wedding and we rode together no less than weekly. Jeff had a quick wit and was always smiling. He was the friend you could always count on to help, but he never wanted to bother others. He was out riding Friday morning. He butt dialed me that morning. He told me he had a flat. and I offered to pick him up as it was hot outside. He said he was almost home, and would call me if he needed any help. I wish he had accepted my offer. I now suspect I was the last person with whom he talked to that day.  I am gutted and the world has lost someone precious.

My guess is this will be a relatively quick trial once they seat a jury, so make plans to attend if you can. With such an extensive criminal record, Haralson shouldn’t have been out on the streets, let alone behind the wheel.

Let’s hope he doesn’t see either one for a very long time.

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels.

………

So much for that.

It looks like the long-promised second round of California’s Ebike Incentive Program is dead on arrival.

Because the program itself is now DOA, murdered by the overly car-centric California Air Resources Board.

According to Calbike, all the remaining funding has been shifted into getting people to keep driving, in ostensibly cleaner cars.

Because no car is really clean.

CARB’s decision to absorb the remaining funding from the E-Bike Incentive Project into Clean Cars 4 All is a telling political moment—one that mistakes “cleaner cars” for genuine progress. It’s easier to imagine replacing every gas car with an electric one than to imagine a California where people can move freely without cars at all. But the latter is what true climate leadership requires. The E-Bike Incentive Project wasn’t flawless, but it represented a rare, tangible step toward that future: a policy backed by funding that helped Californians drive less, not just differently. Reversing it is a step backward for the state and a disservice to the people who believed in it…

The state is taking the wrong lessons from the turbulence of the EBIP roll out; the overwhelming demand makes clear this is a popular program that people want. Tens of thousands of Californians lined up for each round of the e-bike incentives, waiting hours online for a chance at a modest voucher. Their wants and needs are clear and simple – a new, affordable, economical way to get to work, to school, to the grocery store without being locked into the cost and burden of car ownership.

Ending that opportunity now ignores that clear demand and walks back hard-won progress toward a more livable, affordable, and sustainable California.

This is a perfect example of the sheer and utter incompetency CARB has shown in mismanaging the program since its inception.

I don’t know about you, but I plan on emailing my state representatives before this day is over; you can find yours here if you’re as mad as I am.

The only reason I’m not doing it tonight is because I can’t trust myself not to say what I really think, in the language it deserves.

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Streetsblog USA takes a look at how Los Angeles can replicate the bike boom spurred by the 2024 Paris Olympics, focusing on the efforts of a group called Festival Trail.

And no, I never heard of them, either.

One answer is to combine community, philanthropy, and partnerships — co-aligning the once-in-a-generation investment during the 2028 Games with long-term goals of building the next LA. A project that embodies this ethos is the Festival Trail, a community-driven initiative for interconnected, non-vehicular corridors connecting the dispersed neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

The Trail route aims to connect major venues of the 2028 Games along current and planned transit connections, helping Angelenos safely move around the city car-free during the Games and for years after. Though the vision is bold, the Festival Trail is rooted in a strategic idea: closing a few key gaps in the network can open up Los Angeles in a big way…

In addition to building physical connections, the Festival Trail aims to shift the culture of bike ridership and car-free transportation more broadly in Los Angeles through public space activations. Festival Trail is partnered closely with CicLAvia on Open Streets events, citywide celebrations where Angelenos can walk and bike along streets temporarily closed to cars and reimagine what LA could feel like if it were designed for people.

It’s worth a read.

Although I might be more inspired if I hadn’t just watched the Dodgers tank their second game in a row.

But transforming this auto-centric city is, to put it mildly, an Olympian task. Especially since we have a city administration that’s already doing everything they can to tank Measure HLA.

That comes after years of city officials tanking Vision Zero, the Green New Deal, Mobility Plan 2035 and the 2010 Bike Plan. Which is exemplified by that fact that the Vision Zero website hasn’t even been updated in two-and-a-half years.

Never mind that traffic deaths are now far higher than they were when Vision Zero was adopted ten years ago. Or that the graphic on the top of this page says traffic deaths were supposed to have been ended here 303 days ago.

But maybe, just maybe, if Festival Trails cooperates with the groups that have been working on this for years, like Streets For All, Streets Are For Everyone and BikeLA, and somehow manage get Los Angeles 2028 on board, they might actually have enough leverage to get something done here.

We can hope.

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

New homeowners in an Ohio development are furious because they paid a premium for privacy, but failed to notice plans for a bike path in the conservancy land behind their homes, which was in motion before the homes were even built.

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Local 

A reminder that the 4th annual Cal State Northridge Bike Festival takes place from 10 am to 2 pm this Sunday, with club rides beginning at 8 am.

 

State

Stanton became the latest Orange County city to crack down on ebike riders, approving a list of ebike violations that are already against state law, except for a 5 mph speed limit on sidewalks, and a 20 mph limit on city streets — which is blatantly illegal unless drivers are limited to the same speed.

San Marcos is also cracking down on ebikes, banning their use for riders under 12.

San Diego area triathletes just can’t win, coping with SoCal drivers in the streets, and great white sharks in the waters off La Jolla.

 

National

Seattle is painting 200 new “bike and scooter corrals” on the streets in an effort to rein in dockless bikeshare and e-scooter rentals. Maybe someone should explain to them what a bike corral really is, because this ain’t it. And they’re a great way to get more people to ride.

People in Iowa Amish communities are trading in their horses and buggies for ebikes.

A pair of liberal and conservative Minnesota legislators prove it’s possible to bridge our political divide if you ride bikes together.

No bias here. Police in Pennsylvania blamed a 16-year old boy for riding his ebike into the path of an oncoming van — after redacting an earlier statement that the driver was speeding, insisting the driver’s speed didn’t matter because the boy was at fault. Even though the kid likely based his decision to cross the street on the assumption the driver wasn’t speeding, and therefore had enough time to do it. 

This is how you do it. Arlington, Virginia officially opened a new $11 million Complete Streets project near the Pentagon that will eventually connect to an upcoming bike/ped bridge across the Potomac River, as well as another pedestrian bridge leading to Reagan National Airport.

 

International

Bike Radar offers advice on what to do if your head hits the ground, saying bicyclists are more cavalier about concussions than other athletes. Based on my experience, you regain consciousness wearing an oxygen mask, ride in an ambulance with lights and siren, and spend some quality time in the ICU. But what do I know?

Speaking of murder, a London woman is accused of using her Range Rover as a weapon to run down and kill a man riding an ebike following a high-speed chase, then hiring a man to run down her ex-boyfriend as he rode one — all because of a bad breakup.

Momentum says Antwerp, Belgium is an “effortlessly cool” city best toured by bicycle. Then again, every city is best toured by bicycle, if the city makes it safe and practical. And yes, I’m looking at you, Los Angeles.

 

Competitive Cycling

Speaking of concussions, Italian cyclist Filippo Baroncini is back on his bike, just two months after he was placed in an induced coma following a crash in the Tour of Poland.

 

Finally…

Nothing like setting a new Guinness record for hopping across ten car roofs on a single bike wheel in just one minute, when you’re still way too young to drink one.

And if Tamale, Ghana is as tasty and bike-friendly as it sounds, I’m moving there.

……… 

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Update: One man killed, two others severely injured by alleged drugged, hit-and-run driver on PCH in Huntington Beach

October 20, 2025 / / 7 comments

This is not how any of us wanted to start the week.

Because once again, a motor vehicle has become a weapon of mass destruction in the wrong hands, killing one man and severely injuring two others.

And once again, on PCH in Huntington Beach.

According to multiple sources, the victims were run down, apparently from behind, while riding in the bike lane on southbound PCH just north of Newland Street around 6:45 this morning.

That would put it in the vicinity of Lifeguard Station 13.

Police arrived to find the victims strewn in the traffic lane, their shattered bicycles on the side of the road.

One of the victims was pronounced dead at the scene; he has not been publicly identified at this time.

However, KTLA-5 reported on air that the victims were members of a Long Beach bike club.

The driver fled the scene, but was arrested after stopping on the side of the road about half-a-mile away. Given the damage to the victims and their bikes, it’s likely her 2006 Mercedes E-Class wasn’t in drivable condition.

Police identified her as 43-year old Long Beach resident Amber Calderon, who was booked on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, gross vehicular manslaughter, felony DUI and possession of narcotics.

If she has a previous DUI on her record, those charges would likely be upgraded to murder.

Police are still investigating the cause of the crash. However, under California law, DUI can be considered a contributing factor, but not the proximate cause of any collision.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team of the Huntington Beach Police Department at 714/536-5670.

This is at least the 48th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in Orange County.

Drivers have fled the scene in 16 of those SoCal crashes, or one out of every three fatal crashes involving someone on a bicycle since the first of the year.

Update: The victim who died at the scene has been identified as 45-year old Garden Grove resident Eric John Williams.

There’s still no word on the identities or condition of the other victims.

Update 2: We have more information about the victims, thanks to a crowdfunding page for Eric Williams’ family, and a press release from the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

I’ll just let his family tell the story.

Our family is heartbroken. On October 20th, our brother-in-law Eric Williams — a devoted husband, father of four, and beloved pastor — was tragically killed while cycling in Huntington Beach. We’re doing everything we can to surround our sister Robyn and the kids with love and stability, and so many have asked how they can help. This fund has been created to support them through the days ahead.

Eric was a Godly man with a heart for Jesus and for people. He spent his life serving others — first as a youth and teaching pastor at Seaside Community Church, and later as the founder of Community Church of West Garden Grove. He was kind, funny, and steady in his faith, always lifting others up.

He and Robyn had just celebrated 20 years of marriage. Their children — Julia (high school freshman), Jeanette (6th grade), Alice (4th grade), and little James (3 years old) — were his greatest joy.

As of this writing, the crowdfunding campaign has raised an amazing $266,964 in less than three days.

Meanwhile, the driver, Amber Kristine Calderon, was arraigned in Santa Ana on Wednesday.

Calderon was charged with one felony count of hit and run causing permanent injury or death, and two felony counts of hit and run with injury.

Thanks to California’s lax hit-and-run laws, she faces a maximum sentence of 5 years and four months, according to the DA’s office. She did not enter a plea, and the hearing was rescheduled for Nov. 13 in the West Justice Center in Westminster.

Yes, that’s all.

Although the charges and possible jail time could change, depending on the results of her toxicology report.

The DA’s office says the other two victims, who should not be overlooked in the anger and grief over Williams death, suffered serious injuries “including spinal fractures, broken ribs, a broken ankle, as well as cuts and bruises.”

The press release also provides more information on how Calderon was taken into custody.

Despite having significant damage to her hood, windshield, front bumper and losing her passenger side mirror at the site of the collision, Calderon is accused of driving on a flat tire for another 2/3 of a mile to a beach parking lot at Magnolia Street and driving past the parking kiosk without paying.

A parking attendant flagged her down before a witness to the crash blocked Calderon in with his vehicle and told the parking attendant not to let her leave because she had just hit three bicyclists. The parking attendant radioed for the California State Parks Police to respond.

Calderon was arrested on suspicion of felony hit and run resulting in death or injury, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony driving under the influence causing death or injury, and possession of a hard drug with a prior conviction. Toxicology results are still pending.

My News LA reports that Calderon has previous convictions for misdemeanor petty theft, felony sale or transport of a controlled substance, and misdemeanor burglary.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Eric John Williams and the other victims and their loved ones. And best wishes for a full and fast recovery for the survivors. 

Thanks to Michael, Zachary, James Johnson, Jeffrey, Mike and William for the heads-up. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Attempted murder of OC bike rider, murder counts for intentional NJ hit-and-run, and kiss LA River path gap closure goodbye

October 2, 2025 / / No comments
Day 275 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Just call it murder — or attempted, anyway.

The Orange County DA does.

Twenty-five-year old Alexis Jareth Ruiz was charged Tuesday with attempted murder, with an enhancement for premeditation, for deliberately running down a man riding a bicycle in Westminster last month.

Allegedly.

He also faces a count of assault with a deadly weapon for using his car to attack the victim, as well as additional enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury, personal use of a deadly weapon and gang activity.

Prosecutors allege he contacted the 39-year old victim before the intentional vehicular assault, then crashed into a parked car as he fled the scene; police arrested him after finding his damaged car half-a-mile away.

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels.

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Speaking of murder and using a motor vehicle as a weapon, the news broke today that the two 17-year old New Jersey girls killed in a hit-and-run while riding an ebike were the intentional victims of a stalker.

According to a news release from Union County prosecutors, a 17-year-old boy was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for targeting the two best friends with his SUV on September 29th.

Neighbors alleged the boy had stalked one of the girls for several months, parking outside her house, as well as stalking her online and at school. A local TV station reported that school officials had known about the stalking for months.

Although it’s still unknown what led him to kill them.

Again, allegedly.

………

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton says funding is partly in place to close the eight-mile gap in the LA River bike path through DTLA and Boyle Heights.

But don’t expect construction the start anytime soon.

In a project update meeting yesterday (a second similar meeting will be held tomorrow – Thursday evening), Metro project staff now anticipate some portion of the path might be open in “at least five years.” Or maybe not.

As SBLA noted earlier, the delays are mainly caused by the lack of a public agency that will be responsible for path operations and maintenance.

When Metro expands freeways, the state (Caltrans) maintains them. When Metro expands rail or bus facilities, Metro maintains them. When Metro expands bicycle and pedestrian transportation… it depends…

But Metro representatives state that Metro will not maintain the L.A. River path because Metro doesn’t own the right-of-way it will be built on.

The project was originally part of former Mayor Garcetti’s Twenty-Eight by ’28 program, one of the 28 green transportation projects originally intended to be finished in time for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

But as we noted yesterday, the project list has been repeatedly watered down, with one project after another replaced by something easier, cheaper and/or faster.

And this was one of the first to go.

Linton also notes that construction costs have risen in the half-dozen years while Metro has dithered waiting for someone, anyone, to step up to act as the maintenance agency.

Which means that the previous funding isn’t enough to cover the current estimates of roughly $1 billion.

If and when it ever gets built.

Here’s Linton again.

It is unclear how this project gets built any time soon. For years, Metro staff have been unsuccessful in arranging for someone else to pay for facility maintenance in perpetuity. It will likely take leadership from L.A. City and L.A. County elected officials (all facing their own budget issues) to get this project out of the limbo it has been trapped in for the last half-decade.

The Metro River Path project will be discussed in a virtual informational session 6-8:30 pm tonight.

Unfortunately, “informational” means you probably won’t get a chance to complain about the projects so-far endless delay.

But you can try.

………

Metro and Bike LA are hosting a free eight-mile Ice Cream Sunday ride this, uh, Sunday.

https://twitter.com/heybikela/status/1973167499702374867

……….

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

Once again, business owners try to shoot themselves in the foot, after a judge paused construction of a new Pittsburgh bike lane when business owners and a local business association requested an injunction against it. Maybe the judge could politely point out that bike lanes are actually good for business, making the area around it more walkable and livable, while boosting retail sales. 

Um, okay. A Philadelphia city council member held off authorizing a vote to build new bike lanes around city hall, releasing a statement saying he needs to see them in action first. Although maybe he can explain how exactly he proposes to see them in action without building the damn things.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

Family members are still waiting for justice, a year after a London woman was severely injured by a 19-year old hit-and-run ebike rider, and seven months after she died in the hospital.

………

Local 

Metro Bike Share wants you to answer their 2025 survey.

Streets For All says it’s hard to use Metro’s ridership dashboard, so they built their own.

The annual Long Beach Marathon will take place this Saturday, with bike riders rolling with the runners at 5:30 am; the half marathon will start at a slightly more reasonable 7 am.

 

State

San Diego opened its first Climate Week on Wednesday, with more than 100 community-led events planned around the county — starting, naturally enough, with yesterday’s bike ride.

The Fresno Bee examines Senate Bill 720, and why bike and safety advocates are backing the bill that would loosen penalties for running red lights, as it sits on Newsom’s desk waiting for his signature; meanwhile, San Jose isn’t waiting.

A report from WalletHub says San Jose is the greenest city in the US; with Oakland, Irvine, San Francisco and San Diego also in the top ten.

Oakland agreed to pay a 58-year old man a $7 million settlement after he hit a pothole on his bicycle, putting him in a coma and resulting in a long-term brain injury. Thanks to Ellectrek for the heads-up.

This is why people keep dying on our streets. An ex-con faces a murder charge for the 2022 hit-and-run that killed a man riding a bicycle in Fairfield, as well as hit-and-run and weapons charges, thanks to his three — yes, three — previous DUIs; however, the trial was rescheduled for November because the prosecutor asked for a delay. Just another example of lenient prosecutors, judges and policies keeping a dangerous driver on the road until it’s too late.

 

National

Grist says ebikes could cut carbon, congestion and costs, while improving health, yet American cities remain hopelessly addicted to cars.

Anchorage, Alaska opened new singletrack trails in the hills above the city. Dispelling the popular misconception that an Alaskan singletrack is made by a two-legged moose. 

Portland organizers are calling for an Emergency World Naked Bike Ride, on a date to be determined, to protest the Trump administration’s military occupation of the city, in what Cycling Weekly correctly calls the most Portlandia way ever.

My former Iditarod mushing and cross-country bicycling brother’s new home of Port Angeles, Washington is planning construction of a new downtown bike network, complete with buffered bike lanes and two-way protected bike lanes in the sub-20,000 population town.

A Salt Lake City article says drivers respect bike riders on green bike paint more than unpainted sections or regular bike lanes, but it’s still no guarantee of safety.

Utah-based CSS Composites joined the long and growing list of bicycle and bike component companies going belly up, shutting down and liquidating all operations of one of the few carbon rim makers in the US.

Authorities believe a missing 53-year old woman may be traveling on a teal-colored ebike, after finding her car partially submerged in a canal. Although if she tried to drown the car, it suggests that she doesn’t want to be found. Or if she didn’t, she’s probably not riding a bike. 

A New York bike commuter takes a frustrating journey through the city’s bureaucratic maze to reclaim a bicycle seized by the NYDOT.

New York City celebrated their annual Biketober by opening a new bike network in Western Queens. And yes, that was an actual bike network, not just a bike lane. 

A Florida writer describes the bravery it took from both of them to let her 11-year old son ride his bike alone.

 

International

He gets it. A writer for Cycling Weekly says you don’t need a thousand bucks worth of added gear to ride a bicycle, just a bike and the will to pedal.

No surprise here. Studies conclude that one of the best ways to improve your training rides is to get a good night’s sleep. In other breaking news, studies also confirm that water is wet, and bears tend to defecate in forested areas.

A group of Toronto bike riders rallied to call for better bicycle protection connecting two of the city’s boroughs.

A new Canadian study compares the effects of individual income compared to living in a low-income low neighborhood, concluding that people with low incomes are more likely to be injured while walking, biking or in a motor vehicle; the same holds true for low-income neighborhoods, except for a reduced rate of bicycling injuries.

Another Cycling Weekly writer questions how London bike riders can create a safer, more courteous and more equitable cycling culture in the UK’s capital.

Czech carmaker Škoda celebrates 130 years after two passionate bicyclists founded the company in 1895. Then they moved on to building motor vehicles and the whole damn thing went to hell.

An Aussie writer says the country needs to remove five million internal combustion vehicles from the roads over the next ten years to meet its climate goals. And he has a two-wheeled suggestion — e- and otherwise — on how to do it. At least they’re trying, unlike a certain backsliding North American superpower we could name.

 

Competitive Cycling

Pez Cycling News says goodbye to world-renowned cycling photographer Cor Vos, after he died suddenly Tuesday morning at the age of 77.

New world time trial champ Remco Evenepoel is now the new European champ, too.

Velo shares the “juicy rumors” surrounding next year’s Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes.

 

Finally…

Turn your scratched-up bike into Japanese art. The internet-famous “blinking guy” is one of us, and raising funds to fight MS.

And yep, this about sums it up.

……… 

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

64-year old man killed in Placentia collision Friday evening, as SoCal’s awful August just keeps getting worse.

August 30, 2025 / / One comment

This awful August just keeps getting worse.

My News LA is reporting that a man was killed riding a bicycle in Placentia yesterday evening — the 10th fatal Southern California bicycling crash we’ve learned about this month.

According to the site, the victim was riding on the 200 block of East Orangethorpe Ave around 5 pm Friday when he was struck by a driver.

The victim, identified only as a 64-year old man, was taken to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries.

There’s no word at this time on how the crash occurred, or who may have been at fault. But at least the driver remained at the scene.

A street view appears to show bike lanes on Orangethorpe, along with two traffic lines in each direction and a center left turn lane.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Traffic Bureau of Placentia Police Department at 714/993-8157.

This is at least the 39th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in Orange County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

39-year old man killed riding bicycle in Santa Ana Wednesday night; driver arrested for DUI

August 28, 2025 / / 4 comments

Please, not another one.

For the ninth time this month, we’ve learned about yet another person killed riding a bicycle in Southern California.

According to a press release from the Santa Ana Police Department, a man was killed by an alleged drunk driver while riding in the city Wednesday night.

The victim, identified as 39-year old Wilmington resident Andrew Rodriguez, was crossing Grand Ave at Fairhaven Ave when he was struck by a southbound driver around 11:35 pm.

Rodriguez died at the scene, despite the efforts of officers and paramedics. The driver, 26-year old Santa Ana resident Vanessa Anahi Picenavalos, was arrested for DUI.

The intersection is controlled by a traffic signal; there’s no word on who may have had the right-of-way. There’s no bicycle infrastructure in any direction

Anyone with information is urged to call Santa Ana Police Detective K. Briley at 714/245-8215, or the Traffic Division of the Santa Ana Police Department at 714/245-8200.

This is at least the 38th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Orange County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Andrew Rodriguez and his loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , ,

Update: 20-year old surfer Kolby Aipa dies three days after Huntington Beach ebike crash; grandson of legendary “surf royalty”

August 6, 2025 / / 6 comments

As if the news hasn’t been bad enough lately, now we’re learning that the grandson of a surf legend has died following an ebike crash.

According to the Daily Pilot, the victim, identified as 20-year old Huntington Beach resident Kolby Aipa, died three days after he was struck by a car that had been towing him on PCH.

The crash occurred around 10:08 p.m. Saturday night, near Seapoint Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach.

Aipa was taken to UCI Medical Center suffering from critical injuries, where he was placed on life support. His family’s business posted online that he died Tuesday afternoon.

Surfer writes that Aipa was heir to “surf royalty,” the grandson of legendary surfer, board shaper and surfing coach Ben Aipa, a member of both the Surfing Walk of Fame and Surfers’ Hall of Fame. He was the inventor of the groundbreaking Sting surfboard design.

According to the magazine,

Following in his strong surfing lineage, Kolby was an up-and-coming surfer himself. He was sponsored by the clothing brand AVVA, Dakine, Cobian footwear, and others. He was a member of the Huntington Beach Board Riders club…

A memorial paddle-out for Kolby is being planned; stay tuned for more information.

There’s no word on why Aipa was being towed by a car, which was driven by people he knew. However, it’s possible that his ebike battery had died, and he was being towed rather than pedaling a heavy bike.

Or it could have just been an ill-advised stunt.

According to a crowdfunding campaign in his honor,

Kolby always had a way with touching the lives of whoever he met. His acts of kindness and caring was his gift of Aloha to friends and strangers alike. To everyone that reads this…pass his Aloha on. So, how Kolby treated you, treat others in that same way…

In this you are continuing his legacy of Aloha.

As of this writing, the campaign has raised nearly $69,000 of the $75,000 goal.

This is at least the 31st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the just the third that I’m aware of in Orange County.

Update: According to My News LA, Aipa was holding onto a Toyota Tacoma pickup being driven south on PCH — a practice known as skitching — when the driver somehow lost control of the truck, leading to their collision.

There should be no need to point out how dangerous that can be. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Kolby Aipa and his loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , , , , ,

Is something rotten in the state of Metro, make Warner Center more bikeable, and help spend OC Measure M funds

June 5, 2025 / / Comments Off on Is something rotten in the state of Metro, make Warner Center more bikeable, and help spend OC Measure M funds
Day 156 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

To paraphrase the bard, something may be rotten in the state of Metro.

LA Public Press reports that formal complaints filed by Metro Bike operator BTS, aka Bicycle Transit Systems, accuses transit agency officials of violating procurement laws and creating conflicts of interest to favor ride-hailing giant Lyft.

BTS alleges Metro was set to award Lyft a nearly $200 million contract to operate the city’s bikeshare system after illegally structuring the bid to benefit  Lyft.

On May 22, the Metro Board of Directors was set to approve Lyft’s $198 million proposal to operate Metro Bike Share, a countywide rental system of 1,800 public bikes.

But the board removed the scheduled vote from the meeting agenda after BTS alleged in a “protest” letter filed May 14 that a Lyft subcontractor wrote a section of the county’s request for proposals for the Metro Bike Share contract. BTS claims the subcontractor’s involvement could have given the ride-hailing company an unfair advantage. BTS filed a second protest letter on May 20 naming the subcontractor and alleging broader issues with Metro’s procurement process.

It’s possible this is nothing more than a last-ditch effort by BTS and Metro Bike union members to retain the contract they’ve held since 2016.

But if there’s any truth to it, we deserve to know.

And something needs to be done to ensure a level playing field, and guarantee they select the best people for the job.

………

Here’s your chance to help make car-centric Warner Center more bikeable and walkable, as Los Angeles moves forward with plans to remake the current office desert.

The city is looking for feedback at the Woodland Hills Farmers Market on June 21st, a short walk or bike ride from the Sherman Way G (Orange) Line Station.

HELP SHAPE THE WARNER CENTER ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION HUB

The Warner Center Active Transportation Hub project supports the transformation of the Warner Center area into an active transportation hub for jobs and housing. Active transportation includes walking, biking, scootering or using a wheelchair – any form of human-powered mobility.

Thanks to everyone who was able to join us at the Open House! If you missed it, check out the meeting presentation online.

ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT

Visit Our Booth at the Woodland Hills Farmers Market

Saturday, June 21, 2025 | 9 am – 2 pm

5650 Shoup Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Drop by and tell us

  • What would make you want to walk, bike, or roll more often in Warner Center area?
  • What challenges need to be addressed?
  • Your input will shape future solutions.
CAN’T ATTEND IN PERSON?

Take our 10-minute survey!

………

As long as we’re on the subject of public meetings, the Orange County Transportation Authority, aka OCTA, wants to know how you want to spend Measure M transportation funds.

Annual Measure M Hearing set for June 10 to Ensure Accountability of Taxpayer Funds for Transportation

Taxpayer Oversight Committee will hold its 34th public hearing to ensure transportation funding is being delivered as promised to Orange County voters

ORANGE – The Taxpayer Oversight Committee will hold its 34th annual public hearing to ensure that Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements, is being delivered as promised to Orange County voters.

This year’s public hearing is scheduled for:

6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, at the Orange County Transportation Authority headquarters, 550 S. Main St. in Orange.

The independent, 11-member oversight committee was formed to monitor OCTA’s use of Measure M funding, approve all changes to the Measure M Transportation Investment Plan, and hold annual public hearings on the expenditure of funds generated by the half-cent sales tax. The original measure was first approved by voters in 1990 and overwhelmingly renewed in 2006.

The renewed Measure M is continuing to fund balanced and sustainable transportation improvements through 2041, estimated to invest approximately $14 billion in all. The voter-approved plan allocates 43% of funds to freeways, 32% to streets and roads, and 25% to transit, and includes two environmental programs focused on preserving natural habitats and improving water quality through stormwater capture systems.

The first Measure M helped fund more than $4 billion worth of transportation improvements. These include enhanced freeways, smoother streets, synchronized traffic signals, improved intersections, and regional Metrolink rail service – which continues to be funded by Measure M.

OCTA remains committed to relieving congestion, maintaining infrastructure, expanding travel choices for seniors and people with disabilities, and protecting the environment.

Measure M also supports projects that reduce travel times, improve safety, and coordinate traffic signal systems across cities.

Those unable to attend the public hearing can submit comments by visiting octa.net/PublicHearing.

All written comments must be submitted by noon on Monday, June 9.

Written comments may be addressed to:

Andrea West
Clerk of the Board
Orange County Transportation Authority
550 South Main Street
P.O. Box 14184
Orange, CA 92683-1584

By phone at (714) 560-5611

Or by email at clerkoffice@octa.net.

For more information about Measure M or the Taxpayer Oversight Committee, visit octa.net/TOC.

………

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

A San Diego letter writer says the San Diego Association of Governments, aka SANDAG’s, approval of a $27 million Complete Streets project to reconfigure University Ave “proved once again that it is run by a consortium of incompetents.” Because he recently drove to Balboa Park without seeing a single bus in the bus lane, or a bike in the bike lane, which apparently serves as conclusive proof no one ever uses them.

No bias here. An Idaho county judge jerked back the permit for a bike park, just ten days before it was due to open, after the owners had built a network of world-class mountain bike trails on their own dime.

But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.

A visitor to the Boston suburb of Somerville says they were nearly struck by reckless bike riders three times just trying to cross a street, requiring “evasive maneuvers that would make a Cirque du Soleil performer break a sweat.” Although commenters said having to take a step back isn’t the same as getting hit, and oddly, they’ve never had a problem there.

They’ve got a point. A British bike advocacy group urged Parliament to reconsider a plan for on-the-spot fines equivalent to $677 for bicycling violations in pedestrian zones, arguing that the considerate bike riders are easy to catch, while speedy and/or aggressive anti-social ones will get away scot-free.

………

Local 

Caltrans is resurfacing a 20-mile stretch of PCH through the harbor area — likely without building the bike lanes and pedestrian improvements required under the state’s Complete Streets policy — ensuring this stretch of LA’s killer highway will remain that way.

 

State

Thousands of people came out last weekend for Irvine’s second annual CicloIrvine open streets event.

Wrightwood’s Mountain High Resorts will open a new downhill mountain bike park on June 14th.

Sad news from Merced, where a 27-year old man riding a BMX bike was killed by a hit-and-run driver, who later called police to say he had hit “something;” police blamed the victim’s black clothing and a lack of reflectors, saying the driver was unable to see him from behind on the dark street.

West Sacramento is considering a Vision Zero plan with a goal of cutting traffic deaths in half over the next decade. Which is laudable, but half ain’t zero — which is what the “zero” in Vision Zero means. 

 

National

Outside broke out the angle grinder to pick the year’s best bike locks.

A Las Vegas bike shop owner, and former Republican candidate for governor, is working to educate customers about the effects of tariffs that increase the cost of bikes and parts from China, while limiting availability.

A 16-year old Albuquerque, New Mexico boy, the oldest of the four kids charged with fatally running down a Los Alamos scientist in a stolen car as he was biking to work, will remain in custody pending trial after a judge ruled she couldn’t ensure public safety if he was released. No shit.

Ohio will invest nearly $52 million dollars in bike and pedestrian safety projects over the next four years, funding 44 projects in 33 counties.

An unsigned op-ed by “avid cyclists” says Boston’s “willy-nilly installation of bike lanes is the epitome of virtue-signaling,” and that encouraging senior citizens to use bikes as a means of transportation “is tantamount to inviting them to die or suffer serious injuries,” insisting they’re not being hyperbolic. Although it’s worth noting that Boston has an average of seven bicycling deaths per year affecting people of all ages, which makes it seem kinda hyperbolic.

A man and woman were injured when they crashed into a kite string while riding in a bike lane on bridge in Brooklyn, slicing the woman’s hand and forehead, while slitting the man’s throat; the string appeared to be coated in glass like the kind used for kite fighting in South Asian countries. A crowdfunding campaign to help pay the man’s medical bills has raised just over $4,500 of the $15,000 goal.

New York City will impose a 15 mph speed limit on ebike and scooter riders on city streets, forcing people on ebikes, including delivery riders, to go slower than someone on a decent road bike.

An upstate New York man was welcomed back to his Pennsylvania adjacent town after spending the last year riding over 13,000 miles circumnavigating the US, sponsored by the American Cancer Society.

A neighborhood group filed suit to stop Philadelphia from installing cement barriers to protect a bike lane, even though a bike-riding pediatric physician was killed there last year by a driver who drove through the current plastic bollards.

 

International

The dangerous trend of young bike riders popping wheelies and swerving into traffic has spread to the Caribbean’s Cayman Islands, according to a local website.

Irish Customs seized more than 4,000 ebikes worth more than $5.1 million alleged to have been illegally smuggled into the country to avoid European Union duty charges.

An Indian website says bicycling in the coastal state of Goa could be riskier than you think, due to reckless drivers and stray animals.

 

Competitive Cycling

Tragic news from the Tour of Iran, where 21-year old Mustafa Ayyorkun, a two-time Türkiye — formerly Turkey — junior road race champion died four days after suffering a broken neck when he collided with a teammate.

 

Finally…

When you’re carrying a dollar bill and a lottery ticket with a white powdery substance on your bike, don’t ride salmon.

And who wouldn’t want a dart board on your bike?

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Banning non-existent 39 mph ebikes from sidewalks, the year’s first CicLAvia on Sunday, and riding to remember civil rights

February 21, 2025 / / Comments Off on Banning non-existent 39 mph ebikes from sidewalks, the year’s first CicLAvia on Sunday, and riding to remember civil rights
Day 52 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

No bias here.

Los Alamitos will join the list of Orange County cities enacting local restrictions on ebikes, introducing a new ordinance allowing cops to cite riders for “unsafe” conduct, while intentionally keeping the ordinance “broad.”

Although leaving it too broad could make the ordinance unenforceable if it leave it up to officers to decide on the fly what’s legal and what isn’t.

Then there’s this.

The city’s mayor pro-tem demonstrated from the dais just how little research and preparation went into the promised ordinance.

Mayor Pro-tem Tanya Doby said she read that e-bikes can travel at nearly 39 miles per hour on a sidewalk. “So my question is, what, if anything, is within the realm of possibility to limit or restrict e-bikes or just no e-bikes on the sidewalk,” she asked.

“Is there anything that can be added for that,” she wondered?

Never mind that anything capable of doing 39 mph would be considered an electric motorbike under California law, requiring a motorcycle helmet, driver’s license and license plate.

And as a police captain explained to her, Class 3 ebikes capable of exceeding 20 mph are already prohibited from being ridden on sidewalks.

Let alone 39 mph motorbikes.

But other than that, it’s nice to see a city official so well versed on the subject she’s attempting to legislate.

And yes, that’s a little sarcasm.

Okay, a lot.

………

Don’t forget Sunday’s first-of-the-year CicLAvia, on a first-ever route from University Park to LA’s historic West Adams.

And if you see someone with a corgi walking or riding a pedicab, say hi. Because that just might be me.

The person, that is. Not the corgi.

………

Local  

No news is good news, right?

 

State

Business owners are “concerned” about a new bikeway project on San Diego’s Imperial Ave, which will remove the center lane they use to unload trucks, even though it will provide bike access for underserved communities. And even though studies have repeatedly shown that bike lanes are good for business.

Ride through the Paso Robles wine country to raise funds for local cancer patients, survivors, and their families on April 6th.

This is the cost of traffic violence. Oakland will name a new two-way cycle track next to Lake Merritt for Maia Correia, the four-year old killed when she was doored while riding with her father on the same roadway.

The Los Angeles Post-Examiner offers a guide to the best bicycling routes in the East Bay, for your next trip to the Bay Area.

 

National

Bicycling considers common household items that could come in handy for cleaning and maintenance on your bike. And for a change, this one is available on Yahoo if the magazine blocks you. 

No surprise here. Consumer Reports tested 21 cheap bike helmets purchased online, and found eight failed to meet minimum federal standards.

The Guardian traces the history of how bike buses revived riding to school.

A Portland father describes how bicycling led him to a job in the mayor’s office.

This is why people keep dying on our streets. An Elyria, Ohio police employee hit a homeless man riding a bicycle after rolling her car through a stop sign, then just drove away, later claiming she didn’t know she’d hit anyone — and still ended up only paying a lousy $50 fine. Fortunately, Good Samaritans are stepping up to help the victim, whose bike was destroyed in the crash.

A group of 35 people rode 31 miles from Marion to Selma, Alabama to remember civil rights activist Jimmie Lee Jackson, who was shot and killed 60 years ago on Feb. 18, 1965. And a bicycle ride this Saturday will follow the 51-mile route from the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama to to the Alabama State Capitol steps Montgomery taken by civil rights marchers led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr in 1965. 

 

International

A writer for Road.cc says sometimes, souplesse is more, longing for the days when effortless pedaling and the love of bicycling mattered more than ‘watts,’ ‘aero’ and ‘epic.’

Awhile back, we mentioned a father and son in the UK who were injured when a driver plowed into the bike they were sharing; now bicyclists and community members are calling for a complete redesign of the intersection, while civic leaders agreed to reconsider the ridiculous 50 mph speed limit.

Swiss bikemaker BMC issued a voluntary recall for its Kaius 01 gravel bike, telling users to “immediately stop riding” it due to a risk of fork steerer tubes coming loose under heavy riding conditions.

A pair of Dutch men embarked on a bike ride to “the other side of the world” last year, arriving in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 343 days later — and offered to host anyone who wants to do the same ride in reverse.

I want to be like him when I grow up. An Aussie man celebrated his 86th birthday by bicycling with his friends in the local bike club, which has a growing chapter hosting twice weekly rides for people over 80.

Ebike and e-scooter injuries have “skyrocketed” a “whopping” 300 percent in a single year at an Australian children’s hospital — although that reflects a jump from just six to 24. And in all likelihood, has more to do with the increase in ebike ridership than an increase in risk. 

 

Competitive Cycling

Levi Leipheimer’s Levi’s Gran Fondo will offer live streaming of The Growler, its professional race with both on and off-road cyclists competing for a $156,000 purse.

Yeti Cycles offered a heartfelt tribute to American expat and Yeti/Shimano EP Enduro Team Mechanic Matt Opperman, who was found dead next to his mountain bike in the mountains above Siles, Spain.

 

Finally….

Apparently, it takes a major screwup for lesser known bike races to make CNN. That feeling when calling an ebike an ebike is an insult to the ebike.

And seriously, if you’re going to Mardi Gras, just leave your car at home.

And take me with you.

Please.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , ,

33-year old man riding bicycle killed by motorist in Valentines Day Santa Ana collision.

February 15, 2025 / / 3 comments

It was a not-so-romantic Valentines Day in Santa Ana, where a 33-year old man was killed riding his bicycle Friday evening.

Which means it’s not likely to be romantic for his loved ones going forward, either.

According to an Instagram post from the Santa Ana Police Department, the victim, who has not been publicly identified, was riding on south on Raitt Street near Myrtle Street when he was struck by a driver around 6:18 pm.

Despite the efforts of Orange County firefighters, he died after being taken to a local hospital.

The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

Unfortunately, there’s no word on how the crash occurred or who may have been at fault. Or more importantly, how it could have been avoided.

The crash is still under investigation. Anyone with information is urged to call Santa Ana Police Detective K. Briley at 714/245-8215, or the Department’s Traffic Division at 714/245-8200.

This was at least the fifth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second that I’m aware of in Orange County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , ,
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