Tag Archive for People for Mobility Justice

Bad ebike bills bite the dust, Florence-Firestone ride goes up against Ride of Silence, and past and future OC & Ventura County rides

May 15, 2026 / / One comment

Just a couple quick notes today.

I’ve been battling a migraine all week, and the meds finally got to me today; I’ve been barely conscious and mostly incoherent all day.

And to be honest, I’m not in a good place mentally. Sometimes I feel like I’m just shouting into the wind, which is the most polite — and hygienic — way I can put it right now.

After two decades of doing this, it seems like we’re just as far from getting anywhere as we were when I started.

Or maybe I’m just down because I’m not riding a bike these days; if I stay on my current meds, there’s a good chance I’ll never ride again. You’ll know I’ve given up when my bikes aren’t hanging in a corner of my apartment anymore.

Maybe someone can start a GoFundMe to pay for my next tatts, which will remind me a) not to judge others, and b) life is good.

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

I’ll see you on Monday.

And I promise to be in a better place.

………

However, on the plus side, a couple of bad ebike bills went down in flames at the state legislature Thursday.

Twitter post

Twitter post

………

On the downside, what should be good news is less so just because of timing.

According to the LA Times The Wild newsletter, a Los Angeles advocacy group is holding a “colorful” ride through Florence-Firestone on Wednesday, which sounds like a celebration of bicycling.

1. Illuminate the streets of Florence-Firestone
People for Mobility Justice, an L.A.-based transportation equity collective, will host a bike ride from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday starting at Ted Watkins Memorial Park. Riders are encouraged to decorate their bikes with colorful and creative lights for this free Glow Ride through the streets of the Florence-Firestone neighborhood. Register at eventbrite.com.

Except the third Wednesday of May is the annual Ride of Silence, the one day each year reserved for silent and sober rides to remember those who have lost their lives to traffic violence while riding their bikes.

And we have a lot to remember. We’re already up to 30 souls lost while riding this year, putting us on a pace for nearly 90 deaths this year if we keep up at this pace.

To be honest, I haven’t heard of any local rides yet, but they do tend to come together at the last minute. So if you’re holding a ride, or know of one, let me know and I’ll mention it next week.

So maybe it’s just me, but the Florence-Firestone ride seems kind of disrespectful.

……….

Finally, let me share a couple of press releases I received this week, one from the Orange County Transportation Authority about a Bike Week ride in the OC; the other about the expansion of a popular San Diego ride into a second edition in Ventura County next month.

………

More than 130 Cyclists Roll through Orange
for OCTA Bike Rally

The annual Bike Rally features a 4-mile ride, and there’s still time to pledge to bike during May for a chance to win an e-bike while staying active

ORANGE – More than 130 cyclists took to the streets of Orange early Wednesday morning, riding together in a show of community spirit and support for active transportation as part of OCTA’s annual Bike Rally, a signature event celebrating May as Bike Month.

The 4-mile group ride began at the Orange Metrolink Station and traveled through city streets and a slice of Santa Ana to OCTA headquarters, highlighting how easy, accessible and enjoyable biking can be for commuting, recreation and everyday trips across Orange County.

“Events like this are about more than just a ride, they’re about promoting safer streets, healthier lifestyles, and more transportation choices,” said OCTA CEO Darrell E. Johnson, who participated in the ride, along with OCTA directors William Go and Mark Tettemer. They were joined at the finish line by OCTA directors Tam T. Nguyen and Kathy Tavoularis for the rally.

The annual rally brings together riders of all experience levels and showcases OCTA’s ongoing efforts to expand safe and convenient biking options throughout the county. Participants enjoyed free Bike Month T-shirts and light refreshments, and were entered for a chance to win prizes, including an Aventon Pace 4 Step-Through e-bike.

While the rally has wrapped up, there is still time for the public to take part in Bike Month. Those who pledge to ride during May can be entered for a chance to win an Aventon Soltera 2.5 e-bike, courtesy of Bike Month sponsors Aventon E-bikes and Spectrumotion.

OCTA continues to encourage residents to consider biking not just during Bike Month, but throughout the year, as an easy, efficient and environmentally friendly way to get around.

Beyond events like the rally, OCTA is investing in projects that make biking safer and more accessible, including protected bike lanes, regional trail connections and improvements that better connect neighborhoods to transit.

Riders are also reminded to make safety a priority. OCTA offers an e-bike safety video with tips for riding responsibly, and those who watch can enter for a chance to win a $100 gift card.

For more information about Bike Month activities or to make a pledge to ride, visit www.octa.net/bikemonth.

………

Local Businesses and Organizations Partner with Bike the Coast Ventura Ahead of Inaugural Event

The Ventura community will be represented at the 2026 event through local charities, tourism boards, restaurants and more

VENTURA, Calif. – Bike the Coast Ventura will be hosting their inaugural event on June 13, showcasing the charm of the Ventura community. The event has put a strong emphasis on its local involvement, focusing on building partnerships with businesses and organizations within the Ventura region and authentically connected to the community. Registration for the 2026 event is now open.

This year’s sponsors and partners include Visit Ventura, Downtown Ventura Association, Ventura Coast Brewing Company and Ventura Coast Cycling. The event has also partnered with local charity organizations, including The Los Angeles Chapter of National MS and the Downtown Ventura Foundation. The event will also host Ventura-based band The GAMBLE at their free Finish Festival, which will also include various local food, drink and vendors for riders, spectators and community members to all enjoy.

“Bike the Coast is an event that is meant to be enjoyed by all. We push the idea of this being a ‘ride, not a race’ so that participants can truly take in all that Ventura has to offer, whether it be the scenery or the amazing community that has already been so supportive of our event,” said Mike Bone, president and CEO of Spectrum Sports Management, producer of Bike the Coast Ventura. “Ensuring that this is a community-centric ride is very important to us, and we hope that our participants feel that at our inaugural event.”

The event welcomes riders of all ages and experience levels, offering three course options: the Metric Century 65-mile ride, a 35-mile ride and the rider’s favorite 17-mile family ride. Participants of the Metric Century 65-Mile ride will enjoy a tour of the coastline with some hills in neighboring cities. The 35-mile and 17-mile ride will also highlight constant ocean views along their rules of the road routes. All courses are stocked with support and gear locations to ensure riders are provided opportunities to rest and nourish.

Bike the Coast Ventura is an expansion of the original Bike the Coast event hosted in San Diego County, which is entering its fifteenth year of riding. The growth of the event has led to its expansion into Ventura, where riders are able to enjoy what Bike the Coast is all about: a leisure oceanside ride with a post-race party that gets people to “Come for the Ride – Stay for the Party”. The 2025 Bike the Coast San Diego ride saw great results in fundraising efforts as well, as it raised over $10,000 for Bike MS, a record amount for the event after just three years of partnering with the organization. Bike the Coast is produced by Spectrum Sports Management, a recognized leader in endurance and sporting events in Southern California.

For more information on Bike the Coast Ventura, visit www.bikethecoastventura.com. Follow the event on Instagram and Facebook.

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

Trump cuts make America more car-centric again, new book on changing urban landscape, and bike Eastside toxic sites

September 24, 2025 / / Comments Off on Trump cuts make America more car-centric again, new book on changing urban landscape, and bike Eastside toxic sites
Day 267 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

More on the president’s move to make American more car-centric again.

The Trump administration has cut grants for biking and walking safety programs all over the country, after they were somehow deemed “hostile” to motor vehicles and the people in them.

According to Governing,

A San Diego County road improvement project including bike lanes “appears to reduce lane capacity and a road diet that is hostile to motor vehicles,” a US Department of Transportation official wrote, rescinding a $1.2 million grant it awarded nearly a year ago.

In Fairfield, Ala., converting street lanes to trail space on Vinesville Road was also deemed “hostile” to cars, and “counter to DOT’s priority of preserving or increasing roadway capacity for motor vehicles.”

Officials in Boston got a similar explanation, as the Trump administration pulled back a previously awarded grant to improve walking, biking and transit in the city’s Mattapan Square neighborhood in a way that would change the “current auto-centric configuration.” Another grant to improve safety at intersections in the city was terminated, the DOT said, because it could “impede vehicle capacity and speed.”

In other words, anything that might slightly inconvenience anyone in the big, dangerous machines, or somehow inhibit their ability to go “zoom, zoom” to their heart’s content is now on the chopping block, regardless of how much it might reduce congestion or how many lives it could save.

Never mind that some of Trump’s own supporters ride bicycle, and demand for better bike and pedestrian safety and active transportation networks is rising in both red and blue states.

And despite the desire of government officials to return to a more petroleum-driven past, canceling projects like this will do nothing to reduce congestion or improve safety, while likely having the opposite effects.

Photo by Aayush Srivastava from Pexels.

………

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s new book City Tech: 20 Apps, Ideas, and Innovators Changing the Urban Landscape is now available in both paperback and e-reader formats.

According to the publisher,

The world is rapidly urbanizing, and experts predict that up to 80 percent of the population will live in cities by 2050. To accommodate that growth while ensuring quality of life for all residents, cities are increasingly turning to technology. From apps that make it easier for citizens to pitch in on civic improvement projects to comprehensive plans for smarter streets and neighborhoods, new tools and approaches are taking root across the United States and around the world. In this thoughtful, inquisitive collection of City Tech columns—originally published in Land Lines magazine and updated with new reflections and resources for the book—Rob Walker investigates the technologies that have emerged over the past few years and their implications for planners, policy makers, residents, and the virtual and literal landscapes of the cities we call home.

………

People For Mobility Justice is co-hosting a bike tour of Eastside toxic sites next weekend.

Instagram post

………

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

No bias here. A British reporter confronted London bike riders about whether they were going to stop and/or for red lights — including at least one who stopped and waited through the full red light cycle — while ignoring whatever the hell the people in the big dangerous machines were doing, and admitting that he jumps red lights when he rides a bike, too.

………

Local 

Long Beach is starting construction on a five-mile, $65 million Complete Streets makeover of Studebaker Road, which cuts through several of the city’s easternmost neighborhoods.

 

State

Chula Vista Mayor John McCann sat down with a San Diego TV station to discuss the city’s new ebike restrictions. Although what’s still missing is a clear distinction between electric dirt bikes and electric motorbikes, and ped-assist ebikes.

The local newspaper goes behind the scenes of the Santa Rosa Cycling Club’s warehouse, complete with everything needed to stage a large bike fundraiser or bicycling event.

Fresno cops apparently took their recent bicycle and pedestrian safety operation seriously, citing 132 drivers for violations such as failing to yield, speeding, distracted driving and running red lights, along with 54 tickets for bicyclists and pedestrians.

Berkeley residents can now apply for a monthly lottery for an ebike voucher to get up to $1,500 off the price of a new ebike.

 

National

Colorado’s fiscal problems will result in reducing the state’s ebike tax rebate in half next year, cutting the popular program from $450 to $225.

This is who we share the road with. A 20-year old Ohio man faces a trio of charges for the drunken hit-and-run crash that killed a 51-year old woman riding a bicycle, while driving a mere 55 mph over the speed limit.

The less than bike-friendly New York Post insists that the recent makeover of a “notoriously dangerous Central Park thoroughfare” has made it even more treacherous for pedestrians and joggers, while clearly suggesting the people on two wheels are to blame for the increased risk.

 

International

Canada’s new Vancouver Crossing Loop offers a 314-mile gravel route that begins and ends in Victoria, British Columbia; the trail is designed for ebikes and beginners, as well as seasoned bicyclists. However, what they’re seasoned with remains to be determined, although they are known to be somewhat salty. 

A Scottish van driver was sentenced to six years behind bars for killing a 32-year old father who was riding his bike to work, while he was busy reading paperwork instead of watching the road — and he was somehow still working as a commercial driver, despite nine previous traffic violations and a history of illegal drug use.

English police are investigating after thieves broke into four houses on the same street in a single night to steal high-end bicycles.

Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City will start construction next month on its first dedicated bikeway, a nearly four-mile fully separated corridor along a major roadway.

 

Competitive Cycling

Cycling Weekly says the fans turning out to watch the World Road Cycling Championships in Rwanda don’t look like the typical cycling fans, and that’s a good thing.

Cycling Weekly also introduces the world to 17-year old American Ashlin Barry, who took silver in the junior world time trial championships this week, missing out on the rainbow jersey by a mere seven seconds.

The Israeli national cycling team will compete in next month’s European Championships, despite recent race disruptions by pro-Palestinian protesters.

 

Finally…

Why wait for bikes to hit the streets to run them down, when you can just hit the bike shop with a rock? And if you want a careless driving ticket dismissed, just give your bike riding victim a lift to the hospital.

……… 

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

Florida man who fled with hit-and-run victim lodged in windshield is repeat offender, and Willowbrook taco ride tonight

September 23, 2025 / / Comments Off on Florida man who fled with hit-and-run victim lodged in windshield is repeat offender, and Willowbrook taco ride tonight
Day 266 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

No surprise here.

It turns out that Xavier Omar Rigby, the 22-year old Florida man accused of killing a 38-year old woman riding an ebike — then driving eight blocks with her body lodged in his windshield before falling off — is a repeat offender.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, he admitted to drinking alcohol and smoking weed after he was arrested for driving on the wrong side of the road two years ago. Although the Daily Mail reports prosecutors plea bargained the charged down to just reckless driving last year.

The Daily Mail also says this wasn’t even Rigby’s first hit-and-run, since he was involved in another hit-and-run in 2022 — three years before killing the bike-riding Florida mother last week.

Oh, and when police arrested Rigby this time, they found him at a liquor store about a mile from the crash scene.

He’s currently being held on $750,000 bond. Which seems a tad low under the circumstances.

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay.

………

People For Mobility Justice is hosting a taco bike ride in Willowbrook and East Rancho Dominguez this evening.

………

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

That’s more like it. A pair of British men have been sentenced to life behind bars on murder charges for deliberately driving their pickup into a couple of young men riding ebikes, after chasing them on the wrong side of the road when they mistook them for burglars; the driver will have to spend at least 34 years in prison before he can be considered for parole, while his passenger was sentenced a minimum of 29 years.

Authorities in the UK have arrested six men and one woman for attempted murder after intentionally crashing into an 18-year old bike rider; five of the suspects have already been released on bail. Must have been a very crowded clown car.  

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

She gets it. A Tahoe writer says “We can’t stop reckless e-bike riders from taking risks, but we can make sure we’re driving safely in order to prevent tragedy.” If everyone thought like that, our roads would be a lot safer. 

………

Local 

Streetsblog says Culver City’s new Robertson Blvd curb-protected bike lane is shaping up nicely, as part of a safe first/last mile connection to the Metro E Line Station

 

State

Seriously? A 57-year old man suffered multiple broken ribs when he was struck by a driver while riding his bike in Pacific Beach on Sunday, then run over when the driver got out of his car without putting it in park. But at least the guy stopped, right?

An op-ed from a staffer with the Marin County Bicycle Coalition calls on Governor Newsom to sign the recently passed law making it easier to install red light cams, to improve safety for everyone, including people on bicycles.

 

National

Bike Magazine says the “Ivy League of bicycle framebuilding schools” will open next year in Portland, Oregon. Never mind that the Ivy League isn’t a school.

Trump is rescinding hundred of grants for trails and bike lanes that are somehow deemed “hostile” to cars. Which appears to translate to anything that might possibly inconvenience someone in a car even a tiny bit.

A Colorado magazine recommends eight fall bike rides in and around Denver. Which was always my favorite time to ride when I lived in the city, after the tourists were gone and the students in class, the air was crisp and cool, and the leaves turned vibrant colors. 

Life is cheap in Colorado, where a 46-year old man walked without a day behind bars for the hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a bike rider; he received just one year of probation and a lousy 20 hours of community service as part of a very lenient plea bargain.

An Illinois professor and futurist is nearing the end of a 1,000-mile solo bike ride around Lake Michigan, raising $25,000 for Michigan communities.

DC’s new strategic bike plan could balance the distribution of bicycle infrastructure in the city, which currently skips low-income areas.

Great idea. A Hattiesburg, Mississippi bike shop is giving away Naloxone, the opioid overdose drug, to anyone who walks in during a four-hour window on Thursday.

 

International

Cycling Weekly questions whether modern training methods are really doing the job of helping bicyclists pedal harder to go faster.

A Montreal PhD candidate crunches the numbers, and finds that despite the bikelash, bike lanes only take up 2.3% of the city’s roadways, with infrastructure for the big, dangerous machines claiming the other 97.7%.

French ultra-distance bicyclist Sofiane Sehili is appealing his detention for illegally crossing into Russia, after he had been denied entrance while nearing a record for the fastest crossing of Eurasia by bicycle. Yeah, good luck with that. 

 

Competitive Cycling

The Israel – Premier Tech cycling team is at serious risk of going under, as bikemaker Factor threatens to pull its sponsorship unless the team changes its name and the country it represents, following repeated protests against the team this year by pro-Palestinian groups.

A 24-year-old Rwandan cyclist is redefining what it means to be an African woman in the sport by competing in road, gravel, mountain biking, and ultra-distance races.

Human Rights Watch says UCI’s comments about Rwanda’s “remarkable journey of transformation” and “warm hospitality” hosting the Road Cycling Worlds can’t cover up the country’s abusive human rights record.

 

Finally…

Riding a half century-plus on granny’s three-speed bike for fun and nonprofit.

No, seriously. That’s all I’ve got this time.

………

L’shana tovah to everyone celebrating tonight. 

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

De León: hell no, he won’t go; advocacy groups call for ebike libraries; and what happens when officials give a damn

October 20, 2022 / / Comments Off on De León: hell no, he won’t go; advocacy groups call for ebike libraries; and what happens when officials give a damn
Talk about misreading the room.

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.

Twitter post

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. 

………

And speaking of Bonin, Streets For All has posted video of Wednesday’s virtual Happy Hour with the outgoing councilmember.

………

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.

………

It looks like LADOT is finally getting serious about counting bikes, at least on 7th Street.

https://twitter.com/subwayray/status/1582956512519286785

………

This is what happens when city officials actually give a damn.

Twitter post

………

CNN recognizes the Dutch city of Utrecht for the world bicycling capital it is.

Twitter post

………

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.

………

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

 

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin, too.

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
 
Wordpress Theme by ThemeZee