The LBPD’s description of the crash is based on security cam video that apparently depicted the impact, although they don’t clarify whether the victim rear-ended the truck or somehow backed into it.
Or maybe, just maybe, the driver passed too closely, in violation of California’s three-foot passing law, as well as the new requirement to change lanes when possible to pass a bike rider, and somehow sideswiped the victim, or cause him to fall under it.
We may never know.
The cops were also quick to absolve the driver of any responsibility to stop after the crash, saying he or she may not have known it happened.
Because apparently, drivers aren’t required to be aware of what happens with their massive vehicles, or any damage or deaths they may cause.
Let’s hope they clarify things at some point.
A street view shows a four lane highway with center turn lane, and right turn lanes in each direction.
This is at least the eighth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.
The Long Beach Post describes him as someone who was always willing to help others, despite his own situation.
More than 20 years ago, Evans grew tired of the stresses of having to pay a mortgage and utilities, so he decided to leave that behind to pursue a “camping” lifestyle, his friends said.
Eventually, with the support of Care Closet Long Beach, Evans was able to use his experiences to help others, especially homeless residents, going through tough situations, Given said.
He died just three days short of his 60th birthday.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
February 9, 2023 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Armed bike rider shot fleeing from LAPD, mucho macho e-trucks and SUVs, and deadly PCH scheduled for makeover
Patch is reporting that a man in his 40s was shot by LAPD officers near Victory Blvd and Tyrone Ave in Van Nuys Tuesday afternoon, after they attempted to arrest him while he was riding his bike.
The victim, termed a “known suspect” by police, was shot after officers spotted a gun as he attempted to flee on foot. However, there’s no word on whether he fired or even brandished the weapon.
He’s reportedly hospitalized in stable condition. A gun was found at the scene after the shooting.
Only the release of bodycam video will tell us whether the shooting was justified.
Walker fittingly describes them as “dangerously powerful trucks driven by people who can’t see what’s in front of them, barreling through neighborhoods that were not designed for vehicles of this size.”
But the tame routes traveled by these vehicles don’t make them safe. Tracking of news reports and federal data by the advocacy group Kids and Car Safety shows that child “frontover” deaths — meaning cars driving forward over kids, not backing over them — have dramatically increased over the past decade, nearly doubling from 2009 to 2019 compared to the ten-year period before. During the same period, the average American pickup truck’s front hood grew 11 percent taller and vehicle weight increased by 24 percent, according to Consumer Reports. And in addition to their size, Macho EVs also have increased torque. In fact, only two trucks can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds, and they’re both electric: the Hummer EV and the Rivian R1T. But being able to accelerate so quickly in such a large vehicle creates an extremely dangerous combination. That extra power — the Hummer EV labels it, appropriately, “WTF” — has Hummer EV drivers posting videos where they’re struggling to control the vehicle. “I forgot how heavy this car is,” one driver says. “It did not want to slow down.”
Take a few minutes to read the whole thing.
Because this is definitely not the future we want.
The paper reports the section is currently the deadliest part of PCH, with 21% of the total crashes on the highway through Los Angeles and Ventura Counties occurring there.
After analyzing data, the engineer (Ashley Haire of Alta Planning and Design) stated, “There are a variety of different types of bicyclists. We have some long-haul tourists that are going through this area. We also have some folks who are good at riding in constrained spaces and are comfortable mixing somewhat with higher-speed vehicles. But overall this is a pretty scary section of road to ride a bike on. It’s not comfortable. Nobody’s out there taking their kids for rides.”
She goes on to explain that federal guidelines call for a separated bikeway when average speeds exceed 35 mph, which this section does.
“There’s really not a section of this project where people are only driving 35mph,” Haire stated. “We really think it would be important to have a separated facility out here, one that separates bicyclists and pedestrians from vehicular traffic, provides a safe barrier between those uses, and really gets folks out of harm’s way.”
Let’s hope they find the room for a fully protected bike lane. Or make it, if need be.
You can send comments on the project to Stella.Yip@arup.com through tomorrow.
Consumer Reportsaddresses the public panic over ebike batteries, with tips like sticking with OEM batteries, never charging your ebike overnight, and unplug your bike if the battery starts hissing. But check for snakes if it keeps hissing after your unplug it.
Richmond has adopted a new Bicycle and Pedestrian Action Plan identifying 181 potential bicycle projects and 111 potential pedestrian projects. Of course, the key word there is “potential;” as we’ve learned the hard way in Los Angeles, even the most aggressive plan is meaningless without the political will to implement it. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the tip.
A new study published in Naturerecommends a data-driven approach to Everesting, calling for elite cyclists to select a hill with gradient over 12%, while amateur and recreational cyclists should choose a hill with gradient less than 10%.
Oregon’s proposed ebike rebate bill sailed through its first committee hearing in the state legislature; as the bill is currently written, it would offer up to $1,700 back on the purchase of an ebike. It would be a shame if Oregon got their program up and running before California’s long-delayed ebike rebate program finally rolls out.
Cycling Utahoffers tips on bike commuting in advance of tomorrow’s National Winter Bike to Work Day. Yet somehow, no city in Southern California appears to celebrate it, even though we have near ideal weather for bike commuting all year. Then again, if last year was any example, we barely mark the regular Bike to Work Day anymore, either.
The victim was riding in the bike lane on northbound PCH when he was rundown from behind by the driver of a white Lexus while approaching Crown Valley Parkway around 3 pm Wednesday.
The force of the impact tossed the victim into the intersection. The driver made a U-turn, got out out of his car, then stabbed the victim as they lay injured on the ground.
The victim, who hasn’t been identified, was rushed to a nearby hospital, and died around 5:52 pm.
The driver was arrested at the scene.
Police are unsure if the driver knew the victim, but suspect the initial impact was a deliberate act.
The stabbing definitely was.
There’s no word yet on the charges, but the driver should face a felony murder count.
This is at least the seventh bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the second that I’m aware of in Orange County.
It’s also the first one that’s clearly intentional.
His killer was named as 39-year old Vanroy Evan Smith.
According the sheriff’s department, there’s no answer yet as to why Smith murdered Mammone in the middle of a busy Orange County intersection.
At this time, there is no known connection between the suspect and the victim. Investigators will work to determine what led to this incident. This incident is being investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Detail.
If you have any information related to this crime, please contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at 714-288-6740. Anonymous information may be provided through Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS.
The station also posted photos of Mammone’s killer, somehow obtained from a Long Beach law firm.
The report from Fox11 also included this statement from the hospital where Mammone worked:
The hospital released the following statement saying, “We are stunned by this devastating tragedy. The entire Mission Hospital family is grieving over the loss of an incredible physician and friend. We will honor Dr. Mammone’s dedication to our community and passion for medicine by continuing to provide exceptional care.”
Photo of ghost bike for Dr. Michael Mammones by Walt Arrrrr
He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life, plus one year. Which apparently means if he dies in prison, they’ll keep him propped up in his cell for another year.
Smith pled not guilty to the charges, also as expected; he’s currently being held on $1 million bail.
“An innocent man is dead because he took a bike ride to enjoy a beautiful California day along the beach and he was hit with a car and stabbed to death by someone he apparently never met,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The murder of a complete stranger in broad daylight for what appears to be absolutely no reason is the stuff of nightmares. This unspeakable act of violence will forever haunt those who were forced to witness it and it will forever haunt all of those who loved Dr. Mammone.”
Meanwhile, a comment from MamieMTB clarified that Mammone was likely taken to the trauma center at Mission Hospital in Laguna Beach.
However, we should be careful at this point, because there is nothing yet to indicate this was a case of road rage, even though that is one of the most likely explanations.
There could have been some yet-unknown connection between the two, or it could have been a completely random incident.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Michael John Mammone and all his loved ones.
Thanks to mcderpy87, Victor Bale, Phillip Young, Edward Rubinstein and Marcello Calicchio for the heads-up.
A man was killed riding on PCH in Santa Monica Thanksgiving afternoon.
Or maybe in early morning.
According to the Santa Monica Daily Press, the victim was struck by a driver while riding on Pacific Coast Highway around 4 pm, between Entrada and the California Incline.
October 28, 2022 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Possible serious injury crash in Malibu, LADOT and BSS work together at last, and battered Finneas is one of us
The section from Heathercliff to Bonsall was shut down after the driver of a vehicle transport carrier hit someone riding a bicycle yesterday afternoon.
Closing the entire roadway in both directions for a crash investigation suggests the victim may have suffered serious, potentially life-threatening injuries; police usually don’t close the road entirely unless there’s a death or possibly fatal injuries.
Let’s hope that’s wrong in this case and they’re okay, whoever it is.
If you can call a flimsy plastic bollard protection.
New bike lanes on San Vicente Blvd are ready thanks to the hard work of @LADOTofficial, @BSSLosAngeles, @Midcitywest, & @PICONC2. The BLAST program, a new City project, will develop new bike lanes with street resurfacing––making it easier & faster to expand our bike lane network. pic.twitter.com/GtguUqKEtY
The program marks a new effort to coordinate operations of the Bureau of Street Services with LADOT, which both bike and government advocates have been demanding for years, if not decades.
It appears to mimic Healthy Streets LA by implementing bikeway projects as streets are resurfaced, though it lacks the initiative’s enforcement mechanism to require implementation after resurfacing.
It also doesn’t necessarily follow the city’s mobility plan, let alone the 2010 bike plan.
LADOT provided this plan for the BLAST project for Windward Circle in Venice – impressive! Two-way protected bikeways, painted curb extensions and more! pic.twitter.com/l6da11aN6w
Streetsblog also notes that these projects will happen after termed-out LA Mayor Eric Garcetti leaves office at the end of this year, after overseeing a dramatic drop in implementing bike lanes.
Though the next 24 bikeway projects sound like they will be great, note also that Garcetti presided over a precipitous decline in new and upgraded bikeway mileage pic.twitter.com/xe2sKZAO7E
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
No bias here. A Berkeley letter writer trots out the usual town versus gown conflict, complaining that a new bike lane supported by university students will kill local businesses, to the detriment of longtime residents. Never mind that studies show bike lanes are good for business, even if they require removing parking spaces. And chances are, the university was there long before she lived there, and will be there long after she’s gone.
San Jose reached a 25-year high for pedestrian deaths, with 29 people killed walking the city’s streets; no word on how many of the 54 people overall killed in traffic collisions were riding bikes.
An Oakland website asks candidates for mayor how they would improve street safety, after 11 people were killed on city streets this summer; one councilmember is calling for increased police enforcement — despite his own DUI arrest — and turned down funds for a seven-mile bikeway.
An Oklahoma man was sentenced to ten years behind bars for the shooting death of a man riding a bicycle; he was driving the car when the victim was shot by another man, who was sentenced to life last week.
Misdemeanor charges have been filed against a white Milwaukee man who was caught on video grabbing a young Black man by the neck after accusing him of stealing his friend’s bikes; the 25-year old victim reportedly has the mental capacity of a five-year old. Although it appears the man may have been right about the stolen bikes.
There’s a special place in hell for anyone who could flee the scene after killing a 13-year old Ohio kid riding his bike; a suspect is on trial for hit-and-run and vehicular homicide, as well as possessing coke when he was arrested the next day.
Miami is lowering the speed limit on the city’s deadly Rickenbacker Causeway to improve safety for bike riders, after several fatal crashes in recent years. Although lowering the limit just 5 mph, from 45 mph to 40 mph, may not make as big a difference as they might hope. Particularly when so many drivers ignore it anyway.
July 13, 2022 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Streets For All virtual happy hour tonight, SoCal’s killer highway getting bike lanes in OC, and Prime Day bike deals
Among the scheduled improvements are rehabilitating the pavement — whatever that means — replacing traffic loop detectors and guardrails, and upgrading facilities to Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
In addition, the plans call for adding Class II painted bike lanes, although they will be downgraded to a mere bike route in some areas, forcing riders to fight for road space with impatient drivers.
That could mean relying on the dreaded sharrows, which studies show could be worse than nothing. And which appear to exist only to help drivers improve their aim and thin the herd.
Additional plans call for $21.2 million to be spent on two projects in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Seal Beach, including unspecified pedestrian and bicycle upgrades.
A Twitter user responds to Governor Newsom’s call to sue gunmakers by suggesting we should be able to sue the makers of killer cars.
Especially since the news media insists on holding their drivers blameless.
Gavin, what about the car companies? For too long in California those impacted by drunk drivers and terrible drivers have only been able to sue the driver. It’s time to take a stand and allow Californians the right to sue car manufacturers for producing cars that kill.
Heartbreaking story from the LA Times about a young Black man who lived alone and worked remotely, whose body was found five days after he logged off from work, after apparently dying in his sleep from an undetected heart condition; among his possessions was a new bicycle with just four miles on the odometer.
A speeding hit-and-run driver ran down a man riding a bicycle in San Francisco’s Mission District, driving off with the bike’s front wheel still stuck to their grill; fortunately, the victim is expected to survive. Although the driver may regret leaving the car’s license plate behind.
Unbelievable. A 40-year old Florida man faces vehicular homicide and hit-and-run charges for killing a 74-year old man who wasn’t even riding his bike at the time — or anywhere near the roadway; the speeding driver hit a mailbox on the wrong side of road before losing control, driving off the road and hitting the victim, then crashing into a building.
July 6, 2022 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Caltrans plans PCH bike lanes in Malibu, guilty verdict in DUI killing of LB family, and more on Griffith Park Drive closure
Caltrans is finally taking steps to tame SoCal’s killer highway.
Maybe.
The state transportation agency, which has responsibility for deadly Pacific Coast Highway, announced tentative plans to stripe bike lanes on a 16-mile stretch of PCH, from Malibu Lagoon to the Ventura County Line.
However, according to the Santa Monica Daily Press, Malibu officials complained about what they called vague plans, which could include the removal of over 2,000 roadside parking spaces.
And the state Coastal Commission might have something to say about it, since their rules prohibit the removal of beach access parking, while requiring some form of mitigation.
Never mind that the Malibu mayor’s primary concern seemed to be whether bicyclists would be ticketed for riding in the traffic lanes instead of the bike lane.
So much for the city’s flirtation with accommodating people on bicycles in recent years.
Maybe he should be asking why the state agency insists on having a major highway run through the heart of the coastal city, instead of turning it into a Complete Street Main Street to serve the needs of all residents and road users, rather than primarily benefitting cut-through commuter traffic.
The plans call for a painted, Class II bike lane, although bike riders called for a buffer zone next to any remaining parking, as well as next to traffic speeding by at — or often above — the 50 to 55 mph speed limit.
Someone also asked why the bike lane was planned for the west side of the city, rather than the east side where it’s needed more.
Carlo Adrian Navarro was just 20 years old when he drunkenly drove onto the sidewalk, striking a mother and father, and their three-year old son, as they were walking home from trick or treating.
He’ll be sentenced in September.
With a little luck he could be out by the time he’s 50.
The pilot closure comes in response to drivers using the park as a cut-through route to avoid freeway traffic, putting bike riders, pedestrians and other park users at risk.
SAFE, aka Streets Are For Everyone, the traffic safety organization founded by Finish the Ride’s Damian Kevitt, hosted a ride on Saturday attended by hundreds of bike riders to mark the closure.
Lionel Mares shared his photos from the ride.
SAFE and Finish the Ride Founder Damian Kevitt
LACBC Executive Director Eli Akira Kaufman, Streets For All founder Michael Schneider, and California State Senator Anthony Portantino
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Claremont Cyclist / CLR Effect author Michael Wagner sends us a photo from the July Ride Around Pomona, saying the long line of broken bollards doesn’t instill much confidence in the ability of drivers around the Cal Poly campus.
If your kid goes there, you might want to call just to make sure they’re okay.
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Streetfilms says Emeryville, California mayor John Bauters is the biking mayor your city needs.
Respect to Cameron Norrie – the last Brit still in the running – who has been cycling to @Wimbledon He said: “It’s nice to beat the traffic and it’s a good warm up.” #ActiveTravelpic.twitter.com/jnWxIxbGox
— Active Travel England (@activetraveleng) July 5, 2022
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Stephen Hallet forwards this context-free photo he ran across recently.
Something tells me there’s a story there. Albeit a painful one.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
No surprise here. Texas officials dramatically undercharged a driver who intentionally drove onto the wrong side of the road, instead of the felony assault with a deadly weapon the crime calls for.
UPDATE: Robert Glenn, seen here using his two-ton Jeep to target a cyclist pedaling home from work, is now charged with misdemeanor reckless driving. Police say Glenn was mad the cyclist was in the roadway
A Portland man faces multiple charges for a racially biased attack on a bike-riding man and his five-year old daughter, after yelling slurs based on their Japanese ancestry while repeatedly punching the father in the head, as well as punching the little girl in her bike helmet. There’s not a pit deep enough for a jerk like that.
Denver is renewing its ebike rebate program after an initial rush depleted the funds in a matter of days. Meanwhile, California’s ebike rebate program continues to tread water waiting for the people in charge to get their shit together.
The inaugural Life Time Grand Prix moves on to Beaver, Utah this weekend with the 70-mile, mixed terrain Crusher in the Tushar race, featuring “60 handpicked WorldTour roadies, gravel pros, track world champions and MTB Olympians” competing for a $250,000 purse.
March 25, 2022 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Hit-and-run driver busted in death of 15-year old Riverside boy, and Metro active transportation virtual meeting next week
Maybe there will be justice for Javier Gonzales after all.
SoCal’s killer highway continues to claim new victims.
I’m told the victim works at the Getty Villa, which leaves no viable option to commute by bike other than PCH, which continues to operate as a cut-through highway when it should be Malibu’s Main Street.
The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
In a prime example of too little, if not too late, Las Vegas area cops clamped down on drivers who endanger bike riders, enforcing traffic laws and educating motorists on how to share the road — for a whole four hours. Now they just need to do something the other 8,756 hours in the year.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
Police busted a man who robbed a Kansas gas station, then made his getaway by bicycle. Maybe he was really just an anti-car freedom fighter raising funds for the rebellion. It could happen.
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Local
No bias here. The Hancock Park Homeowners Association hosted a candidate forum for the people running to replace Paul Koretz in CD5 — but notably excluded former Mid City West Neighborhood Council chair Scott Epstein, a longtime supporter of a bike-friendly street on 4th Street opposed by the wealthy neighborhood.
Black and brown Colorado bike riders say the state’s proposed Stop As Yield law, aka the stop sign part of the Idaho Stop Law, would keep them safer from both cars and cops, reducing the risk of Biking While Black or Brown stops that target people of color, as well as reducing potentially dangerous interactions with police. Maybe that argument that would finally get a California bill past Newsom’s veto pen.
A Florida man was convicted — again — of killing a teenaged boy over a stolen bicycle when he was just 15 years old. The victim had purchased the boy’s stolen bicycle, not knowing it was hot, then offered to sell it back to him for just $10; he returned with a gun after riding the bike home because he felt disrespected. The original conviction had been overturned because police had questioned him after he requested a lawyer. We’ve said it before — no bike is worth taking or sacrificing a life. Period.
Life is cheap in Jersey, where a 67-year old driver walked with the equivalent of a $6,500 fine for the right-cross crash — the equivalent of a left-cross in the US — that likely left a bike-riding woman with lifelong pain from a broken back, fractured rib and collapsed lung.
The roadway will be reduced to a single lane for construction work from 9 am to 2 pm, with traffic allowed through in alternate directions, while the bike lanes will be completely blocked.
However, there’s no word on what road conditions will be like if you arrive before or after that five-hour time period.
It’s also questionable whether bikes can be prohibited from using PCH during those hours, since California allows bicycles on any public road where cars are allowed, with the exception of limited access highways in most urban areas.
Whether it would be smart to put yourself in that situation is another matter.
Los Angeles is installing bright red bus lanes in East Hollywood and DTLA, with others coming soon on Alvarado and La Brea; LA interprets state law as allowing bike riders to use bus-only lanes, though some other cities may disagree.
An Atwater Village elementary school is working with the PE Learn-To-Ride program sponsored by All Kids Bike to teach the youngest students how to ride using balance bikes, after a teacher discovered no one really wanted to win a bicycle as a reward for good behavior.
Hermosa Beach police used bait bikes to bust a pair of bike thieves, while making sure the bikes had a value of more than $950 so it would count as felony theft. Which serves as yet another reminder that the LAPD still doesn’t use bait bikes to cut high theft rates, thanks to a misguided opinion from the city attorney’s office concluding they could be seen as entrapment; meanwhile, that same city attorney wants your vote for LA mayor.
Cycling Newsexamines how bikes get made, starting from iron ore or a vat of petrochemicals to the finished bicycle in your garage. Although you’re better off keeping it inside your home, since garages are often easy targets for thieves.
March 1, 2022 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Red alert for climate change, ebikes now welcome in Santa Monica Mountains, and PCH bike lane closure tomorrow
Before we start, I’m aware of the death of a well-known Upland man who was struck by a speeding motorcyclist while riding his bike last week.
I’ve reached out for official confirmation, and just trying to avoid getting ahead of the story before family members are all notified.
The United Nations has issued a red alert on climate change.
A new report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says the world is facing environmental disaster, with humankind unable to keep up with the increasingly rapid pace of change.
The report also carries a stark warning: If temperatures keep rising, many parts of the world could soon face limits in how much they can adapt to a changing environment. If nations don’t act quickly to slash fossil fuel emissions and halt global warming, more and more people will suffer unavoidable loss or be forced to flee their homes, creating dislocation on a global scale…
Many leaders, including President Biden, have vowed to limit total global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius compared with preindustrial levels. That’s the threshold beyond which scientists say the likelihood of catastrophic climate impacts increases significantly.
That alone should be the only argument we need to ensure pedestrians, bicycles and transit are given priority, not on some streets, but on every street.
And yes, that includes removing parking to build bike lanes.
Because whether or not that inconveniences someone today, it’s a lot better than watching the world go up in flames tomorrow.
Sign the petition to get the Healthy Streets LA measure on the ballot for the November general election on the UCLA campus tomorrow, from 2 pm to 4 pm on the Bruin Walk.
The ballot measure will improve traffic congestion and safety, while fighting climate change, by requiring Los Angeles to build out the city’s groundbreaking mobility plan whenever streets are repaved.
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Streetsblog takes a look at the nascent progress on the new protected bike lanes on Riverside Drive near Griffith Park.
Credit goes to CD4 Councilmember Nithya Raman for pushing the project through.
Checking out the progress on new @cd4losangeles protected bike lanes on Riverside Drive. Repaving progress (close to Griffith Park & Mulholland Fountain), but not that far along yet #bikelapic.twitter.com/CxPmROcpie
If you’re in the Bay Area, here’s your chance to start your bike advocacy modeling career.
We're looking for models of diverse age ranges to be part of our new biking community photo collection! We'll be using the photos for our website refresh & social media posts for BTWD 2022. Compensation: $100/person or $300/group (up to 5 people) Sign up: https://t.co/3ixxK0dz01pic.twitter.com/tbwCcVv4fV
A Cambridge, Massachusetts paper says local restaurants were already suffering long before the bike lanes went in that they blame for a slowdown in business. Similar to LA’s Venice Blvd, where protected bike lanes were blamed for every nearby business failure, regardless of whether the businesses were struggling before they were built.
