In an announcement that was almost universally condemned, CD14 City Councilmember Kevin de León says hell no, he won’t go.
De León is refusing to resign in the wake of a racist and otherwise offensive recording in which he was heard actively participating, along with outgoing CD1 Councilmember “Roadkill” Gil Cedillo, former Council President Nury Martinez and ex-LA County Federation of Labor Ron Herrera, the latter two of whom at least had the decency to resign.
His announcement was immediately condemned by newly elected Council President Paul Krekorian.
Yes, the same Krekorian who singlehandedly killed the fully funded and shovel ready lane reductions and protected bike lanes planned for Lankershim Blvd in one of his first official acts on the council.
Apparently thinking he can somehow survive this, de León said “I’m not going to mince words. I’m not going to deflect blame. I’m not going to defend the defenseless,” before attempting to do exactly that, adding he’ll be “spending the coming weeks and months personally asking for your forgiveness.”
Forgiveness that is not likely to be given, after failing to condemn Martinez’ open racism, while himself comparing fellow Councilmember Mike Bonin’s toddler son to the Luis Vuitton purse favored by Martinez.
Bonin is clearly in no mood for de León’s weakass mea culpa.
Kevin de León cannot be part of the healing as long as he refuses to resign. His stubborn refusal to do what everyone else knows is necessary is deepening the wound he has inflicted on Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/42H21bgzHW
— Mike Bonin (@mikebonin) October 19, 2022
As we’ve noted before, this whole city hall soap opera matters, because we’re never going to get action on safer streets with dysfunctional city leadership, particularly with the council’s draft of the Healthy Streets LA initiative due back at the council in a few weeks.
Speaking of which, the LA Times has opened a web portal to help you find how to contact the right city agencies and officials to address various issues.
You know, in case you want to advocate for safer streets. Or complain about corrupt city officials.
Photo from Wikipedia.
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And speaking of Bonin, Streets For All has posted video of Wednesday’s virtual Happy Hour with the outgoing councilmember.
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Yesterday we mentioned Metro’s confusing proposal to reform management of the Metro Bike bikeshare system.
The leaders of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, ActiveSGV and People for Mobility Justice teamed to release an open letter to the Metro board, suggesting that opening ebike libraries and investing in safer infrastructure might be a better approach.
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It looks like LADOT is finally getting serious about counting bikes, at least on 7th Street.
https://twitter.com/subwayray/status/1582956512519286785
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This is what happens when city officials actually give a damn.
The agency has been ticketing illegally parked vehicles in bike lanes, but now they're going to start fining people who stand, stop or park their cars in these lanes. If you're illegally parked in a bike lane, you'll be issued a $150 ticket.
— DC Department of Public Works (@DCDPW) October 19, 2022
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CNN recognizes the Dutch city of Utrecht for the world bicycling capital it is.
The city of Utrecht in the Netherlands has been recognized as a model of sustainability — by some estimates, more than 90% of its residents use bicycles for transportation. pic.twitter.com/hZaOe0oXNz
— CNN (@CNN) October 18, 2022
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
An Ottawa, Canada mayoral candidate is politely taken to task after declaring he won’t declare a war on cars by investing bike lanes, preferring a “balanced approach” that’s balanced heavily in favor of motor vehicles.
But sometimes, it’s the people on two wheels behaving badly.
A 70-year old Fresno man insists he’s the real victim after he lay in wait and repeatedly shot and stabbed a man he accused of stealing his bicycle; Edmundo Martinez faces 50 to life if he’s convicted of killing Jose Palafox, Jr. Once again, no bike is worth a human life.
A Phoenix man faces charges after he was captured on video circling a convenience store parking lot on his bike while aiming a gun at bystanders; the man bizarrely claimed there was someone hiding in a cooler at the store to justify his actions.
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Local
The next driver who tries to run you off the road may not be one, after Google’s Waymo announced plans to bring driverless taxis to the City of Angels.
Streets For All is calling for canvassing volunteers to help elect transit advocate — and corgi dad — Kenneth Mejia as Los Angeles City Controller.
Cycling Tips reviews the second-gen Cero One cycle truck-style e-cargo bike from Los Angeles-based Cero. And likes it. I’d get one myself, with the perfect upfront corgi carrier, if I had an extra three grand laying around.
State
California is offering $50,000 rewards for each of four unsolved murders, including a 16-year old boy who was shot and killed while riding his bike in Alameda County.
Great idea. The League of Women Voters is hosting a Bike Out the Vote bike caravan in Albany this weekend. Although someone should tell them that Bike the Vote is a lot less confusing.
National
Momentum examines bike storage solutions to help keep your bikes safe and out of the way.
Bicycling wants to know what’s the weirdest animal you’ve ever had to dodge on a bike, after a video of two angry moose charging down an Alaska bike path goes viral. In my case, it was an alligator sunning itself on a Louisiana roadway. As usual, read it on Yahoo if the magazine blocks you.
Bike Portland profiles an adventurous leather goods peddler, who pedals a bike trailer with his merchandise to a local outdoor market every weekend.
Life is cheap in Houston, where an eight-year old boy riding a bike is dead because a driver insisted on distractedly making a left turn while she was “messing with her sandwich;” a month later, charges still have not been filed.
Kindhearted Michigan sheriff’s deputies dipped into their own funds to buy a 13-year old boy a new bike after he was struck by a driver, trashing his bike and leaving him with 100 stitches in his leg.
Travel site Condé Nast recommends the best bike routes to explore New York’s five boroughs.
A Virginia woman tells drivers that rushing is never worth the risk, after her daughter was killed and another woman seriously injured by an 18-year old drunk driver as they rode their bikes.
International
A British Columbia letter writer offers a brief tutorial on the differences between pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists, stressing that the latter might kill the first two, but the first two never kill the latter, and that separate infrastructure is the only solution to keep everyone safe.
An Indian college student faces charges for the high speed crash that killed one bike rider, before swerving onto the other side of the road and killing another.
A handmade Namibian bike brand made its international debut at the recent Bespoke bike show in London; the steel-frame Onguza bikes made by Dan Craven, a two-time Olympic road cyclist and Namibia’s only professional cyclist to ride a Grand Tour, retail for four grand for a frame, and double that for a complete bike.
Competitive Cycling
Former Vuelta and world champ Alejandro Valverde called it a career after rolling across the Il Lombardia finish line one last time.
Finally…
No, no seat tube doesn’t mean you have to ride standing up. Introducing an ebike roadie for weight weenies.
And can you really say you ride a bike if you don’t know how to pop a proper wheelie?
https://twitter.com/BicyclingMag/status/1582793704775077895
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin, too.
