Tag Archive for pro cycling

Update: Woman killed in Yucaipa crash with motorcyclist identified as former MTB pro Monique “Pua” Parmelee

January 26, 2023 / / One comment

Not many details yet, but I’m getting word of woman on a bicycle killed in a Yucaipa collision yesterday afternoon.

A 2:35 pm Facebook post from the Yucaipa Police Department reported that Wildwood Canyon Road was closed between Mesa Grande Drive and Canyon Drive, next to Wildwood Park, due to a fatal traffic collision. They added later that it involved a crash between bike rider and a motorcyclist.

A commenter says she knew the victim, identifying her as a “beautiful, young, athletic, wife, mother,” while other comments confirm it was the person on the bicycle who was killed.

An Instagram post calls her a “bright light” in the bicycling community, describing her death as “an absolutely crushing blow to a young family” he’s close with.

There’s no word on the condition of the motorcyclist.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know right now; hopefully we’ll get more information soon. If you know something, let me know if there’s anything you can share.

This is at least the fourth bicycling fatality in Southern California this year. And it’s already the third that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County, which is off to a very bad start to the new year.

Update: No word yet on how this crash occurred, but now we know who the victim was. And why so many in the local bicycling community were so upset when they got the news. 

VeloNews is reporting that 42-year old retired pro endurance mountain biker Monique “Pua” Parmelee was the woman killed in Wednesday’s collision. 

Parmelee, known as Pua Mata before her marriage to Chris Parmelee, was described as a “fierce and ferocious competitor” on the bike, but quiet, kindhearted and compassionate off it. 

Here’s how the magazine describes the ten-time national champion’s racing career. 

A native of Oahu, Hawaii, Monique Parmelee rose to prominence in the U.S. mountain bike scene in the early 2000s as a top cross-country rider on the National Mountain Bike Series (NMBS) circuit. A tenacious and focused racer, Parmelee was known best as both Monique Sawicki and Pua Mata. She excelled at cross-country races that stretched beyond the typical hour-and-a-half duration, and began winning ultra-endurance and Marathon-length MTB events on the budding U.S. circuit. Parmelee also blossomed into one of the top 24-Hour solo MTB racers on the planet.

She claimed three U.S. titles in 24-Hour solo racing and seven national Marathon MTB titles. In 2009 Parmelee finished seventh place at the UCI Marathon MTB World Championships. Parmelee also won Costa Rica’s grueling La Ruta de los Conquistadores mountain bike race in 2012 and 2013, and finished second at the U.S. cross-country mountain bike national championships in 2013.

She leaves behind her husband and two young children, boys aged just six and four. A fundraising campaign for her family has raised over $36,000 of the $150,000 goal in just 24 hours. 

I’m told the park near where she was killed is a popular exit point for mountain bikers coming off the local trails. 

Correction: I initially spelled the victim’s last name as Parmalee, based on the spelling in the VeloNews story. However, I’m told by a family member that the correct spelling is Parmelee, and have corrected it throughout this story, including within the VeloNews quote.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Monique “Pua” Parmelee and all her family and loved ones.

Thanks to Victor Bale, Zachary Rynew and Cani for the heads-up. 

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

Lawsuit filed in Kizzee shooting death, World Naked Ride rolls through DTLA, and former pro Sørensen killed in crash

September 20, 2021 / / Comments Off on Lawsuit filed in Kizzee shooting death, World Naked Ride rolls through DTLA, and former pro Sørensen killed in crash

No surprise here.

The father of the late Dijon Kizzee has filed suit against Los Angeles County for the shooting death of his son last year.

Kizzee was shot by sheriff’s deputies as he attempted to run away after they tried to stop him for riding his bicycle on the wrong side of the street.

Deputies alleged Kizzee had dropped a gun he was carrying, then picked it back up and pointed it at the two deputies.

However, witness statements and security cam video dispute that, suggesting Kizzee was unarmed and had his hands raised when deputies shot him 15 times, then let him die in the street instead of getting him prompt medical attention.

Several protests last year suggested that Kizzee was executed for Biking While Black by deputies angling to join a violent deputy gang.

………

Los Angeles helicopter traffic reporter Stu Mundel just happened to catch the LA edition of the World Naked Bike Ride as it rolled through DTLA on Saturday.

Time Out features full-frontal photos of the surprisingly large turnout. But you may want to take a few antibacterial wipes with you if you’re planning to rent a Metro Bike in the near future.

………

This is the cost of traffic violence.

Tragic news from the road cycling world championships in Belgium, where former pro Chris Anker Sørensen was killed in a collision while riding his bike on the eve of the competitions.

The 37-year old Danish cyclist was struck by a van driver in Zeebrugge, where he was preparing to serve as an analyst for Danish TV.

Sørensen retired from the pro tour in 2018.

No word yet on how the crash happened, but investigators have apparently concluded that the driver was not at fault.

More proof, if we needed it, that even experienced bike riders are at risk on the streets.

Even in the most bike-friendly region of a bike-friendly country like Belgium.

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This is what Paris looks like when you take cars away for a day.

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Frightening UK bike crash caught on freeze frame, as a triathlete tumbles along the pavement with his bike flying high above him following a collision with a driver.

Fortunately, he was not seriously injured, as surprising as that seems.

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Megan Lynch forwards a pair of videos from a comedic, bike-riding ophthalmologist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR_k-Wdm5_M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RweVU7WRHh4

………

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

No bias here. Las Vegas police blame the bike-riding victim of a fatal collision for not having lights on his bike or wearing helmet — never mind that he was run down while riding in a bike lane by the driver of a high-end SUV. Police said speed and impairment weren’t factors, while apparently ignoring that driving in a bike lane was.

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Local

The LA Times says start your holiday shopping now, because many things may not be available later due to shipping problems — especially bicycles.

The attempt to recall newly elected CD4 Councilmember Nithya Raman has collapsed, leaving the safe streets supporter safely in place, at least for now.

Streetsblog looks at the new two-way, curb and armadillo-protected bike lane on Elenda Street in Culver City, a Safe Routes To School Project designed to help students walking and biking to and from La Ballona Elementary School.

Speaking of Culver City, the newly bike-friendly community has started work on replacing the Higuera Street Bridge with a bike ramp connecting Higuera Street with the Ballona Creek Bike Path.

Thirteen kids and two adults with special needs received new adaptive tricycles in Long Beach last week, courtesy of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers’ Charities and SoCal Trykers, allowing many to ride a bike for the first time.

 

State

Calbike is gearing up for a return of the ten-day California Dream Ride Challenge next month, their Covid-era replacement for the annual California Dream Ride.

Advocates are questioning the safety of a painted bike lane through San Diego’s Balboa Park, after a 37-year old man was killed by a 17-year old driver while riding a Link dockless e-scooter, just blocks from where Laura Shinn was killed by a driver while riding her bike two months ago; the city is still waiting for the two-way buffered bike lane that was supposed to have replaced it by now.

San Diego hired Jorge Riveros to lead the city’s new standalone Transportation Department; Riveros previously served in leadership positions in Nashville and Austin. Maybe he can light a fire under that long-delayed Balboa Park bike lane.

 

National

NPR’s Planet Money talks ebikes and their growing popularity in the US — and how carmakers are taking notice. Meanwhile, Forbes looks at Zoomo’s ebike lease program, available for as little as $20 a month in New York, Miami and Los Angeles.

Vox looks at the epidemic of car crashes in the US, calling driving the most dangerous thing most Americans do every day, killing as many people as gun violence while severely injuring millions more.

An Anchorage, Alaska woman complains of becoming invisible when she rides her bikes, calling on city residents to help make it less dangerous on the city’s shared pavements.

The husband of Suzanne Morphew with face trial for her murder after pleading not guilty to killing the Colorado woman, who went out for a Mother’s Day bike ride and never returned; her body has still not been found.

A writer for Curbed takes a contrary stand, saying she wishes she liked the new bike lanes on the Brooklyn Bridge more than she does, calling it a symbolic victory.

Writing for the Daily News, a former Streetsblog editor says New York’s recent spate of fatal crashes — too many involving kids — show’s the city’s Vision Zero is stalled, and the streets must be reimagined now.

Another Daily News op-ed says automated speed and red light cams are the answer to the city’s traffic enforcement problems. Speed cams remain illegal in California after two bills failed in the legislature, while red light cams were all removed in Los Angeles because drivers didn’t like getting caught breaking the law.

A man in York, Pennsylvania took up bicycling to stave off boredom during the pandemic lockdown, he’s now put over 6,500 miles on his bike in the past 17 months, leads groups rides and served as a cover model for Bicycling.

Fox News seems none too pleased that Biden took a bike ride along a Delaware beach on Sunday, apparently convinced that meant he was ignoring multiple national crisis. Just wait until someone tells them how often the last guy spent the weekend playing golf.

DC residents were infuriated by a short video showing a driver swerve onto the wrong side of the road to pass another car, then blow through a stop sign and crosswalk, right next to a memorial for a five-year old girl killed riding her bike there the day before.

 

International

Mexico welcomed four Afghan women, honoring them as part of Mexico City’s weekly Sunday ciclovia representing the 391 Afghan refugees in the country.

A pair of British bicyclists also welcomed refugees, riding over 1,300 miles to spell out Refugees Welcome across southern England in the world’s largest GPS artwork. Although I fear some of their Brexiteer countrymen and women may not share the sentiment.

Police are looking for an 81-year old Ontario man who went out for a bike ride and never returned home.

An Edinburgh paper offers extensive photos of the city’s Fancy Women Bike Ride, one of 150 such rides around the globe on World Car Free Day. Unfortunately, Los Angeles doesn’t seem to have been one of them this year.

An English ebike conversion kit-maker walked away from the Brit equivalent of Shark Tank with lots of praise but no money, after refusing to move production to China.

After a UK driver was sentenced to nine and a half years behind bars for the hit-and-run death of a bike-riding man, a Yorkshire paper reveals his “shocking” history as one of the area’s most notorious criminals.

The world may finally catch to Dutch cyclists in a few hundred years or so, after the country gradually loses its height advantage.

A new German wheel reflector promises to give you 360° visibility on your bike; you can pre-order on Kickstarter for around $18.

A writer for a travel website relates how bicycling along a dusty Moroccan road helped save her marriage.

The Tehran Times highlights the eight most beautiful bicycling routes in Iran, in case you’re planning to visit the country any time soon.

Great article on the urban planner who is bringing a bigger focus on bicycling in Uganda, and changing the streets of Kampala, the country’s capital. Thanks to Stormin’ Norman for the heads-up.

There may be hope for ending the worldwide bike shortage, as Vietnamese factory workers return after the country lifted its Covid lockdown, although it may take half a year or more to catch up.

 

Competitive Cycling

Cycling Weekly offers five takeaways from the world championship time trial, with Italy’s Filippo Ganna leaving second place finisher Wout van Aert six seconds behind; the championships will continue through this week.

Longtime German pro Tony Martin is calling it a career, deciding to retire after the mixed team relay at this week’s worlds.

 

Finally…

Your next ebike could be a vintage motorcycle-inspired Harley. You can do lots of things while on a bike ride — like delivering a baby, for instance.

And why use ebikes to save the world, when you can turn them into weapons of war, complete with gun mounts.

………

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

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

More on suspension of Trump-supporting cyclist, and Vallejo cop who killed headlight-less bike rider fired

October 2, 2020 / / 2 comments

More on the suspension of 2019 junior road race world champion Quinn Simmons from the Trek-Segafredo team for posting “antagonistic comments” supporting Donald Trump.

Quinn later apologized for using a dark skinned emoji that many people interpreted as racist coming from a white cyclist, leading to a return of the #Boycotttrek hashtag originally created to protest Trek’s sale of police bikes.

Trek-Segafredo stressed that he was not suspended for his political beliefs, but for “engaging in conversation on Twitter…unbefitting a Trek athlete.”

Fox News called it a “seemingly benign social media tiff.”

As much as I disagree with Simmons politics — and his beard — I have to agree.

Go ahead and criticize him or unfollow him. But don’t cost him his career.

And remember he’s just a 19-year old kid.

Photo from Trek-Segafredo website. 

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The police chief in Vallejo CA has fired a cop who shot and killed two Black men within a year, including a man who ultimately died because he didn’t have a light on his bike.

The city settled a civil rights case filed by the victim’s family for $5.7 million.

The fired cop was also one of a group of officers who killed an aspiring rapper who fell asleep in his car in a Taco Bell parking lot with a gun in his lap.

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Red Bull tells the story of Orange County’s Anthony Lopez, who lost over 300 pounds through his love of mountain biking.

Another reminder, if anyone needs it, that bicycling can be literally life changing.

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Apparently, when you’re rich, $2 million bail for killing two kids while — allegedly — drunk and street racing is no big deal.

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You could be breaking your bike and not even know it.

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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes is all too real. 

When a bike-riding woman stopped to take a video of the driver illegally following behind her in a bike lane, the road raging jerk swerved around her and spit a huge phlegm ball at her, striking her and her handlebars. That would incredibly rude and obnoxious behavior anytime. But in the Age of Covid-19, it’s potentially deadly — and should be prosecuted as such.

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Local

Reseda Blvd is getting a three-mile Complete Street makeover, including curb-protected bike lanes, to improve safety on the deadly street. Back in 2009, I helped expose a secret plan to remove the bike lanes on Reseda and replace them with peak hour lanes to funnel even more cars through the street, forcing the city to back down and deny they were planning to do it. And you’re welcome.

Long Beach is giving North Market Street a $10 million Complete Streets makeover.

Former LACBC Executive Director Tamika Butler tells 300 members of the bicycle industry that “just shut up and bike” is not the answer to racial inequity; in just a few years, Butler has risen from the LA bike nonprofit to become one of the country’s leading voices on racial justice and transportation.

The LA County Sheriff’s Department has received a $2 million grant to reduce traffic deaths and injuries, including traffic rights eduction for bicyclists and pedestrians.

 

State

The CHP has received another round of grants to enforce bike and pedestrian safety and conduct eduction campaigns.

This is the cost of traffic violence. It turns out the 77-year old woman killed by a driver while riding her bike north of Davis was a chemistry professor emeritus at UC Davis, who certainly deserved better. Few things piss me off more than the CHP’s knee-jerk reaction to blame the victim in a bike crash, when the only surviving witness is apparently the person who killed her.

Contra Costa County is now offering rebates of $150 on the purchase of an ebike, or $300 for low income residents. Which should be available everywhere, since it’s one of the best ways to get people out of their cars, while staying safe during the coronavirus crisis.

 

National

If you thought the streets were more dangerous during the coronavirus lockdown, you’re right. Road deaths reached a 16-year high, despite the lighter traffic.

Men’s Journal recommends the best bike packs for your next bikepacking trip.

Still no sign of the Colorado woman who reportedly never returned after a Mother’s Day bike ride; her brother believes she never got on her bike that day at all.

Nice. A donation from a nonprofit profit group has allowed Cincinnati to install 1,000 bike racks and five DIY repair stations to encourage bike riding in the city.

Police in Ohio were able to recover a $3,500 adaptive handcycle stolen from a man suffering from spina bifida, who calls it his lifeline; they arrested a 23-year old man for the theft, saying the “arrest also led to other discoveries,” whatever that means.

An outdoor columnist describes what he calls a life-changing bikepacking trip along New York’s Mohawk River.

A New York op-ed says the post-Covid city needs bike lanes and e-mobility.

 

International

It takes a real schmuck to stomp a ghost bike installed for a British Columbia handcycle rider who was killed by a semi driver last year; his widow compared the vandalism to grave robbing.

A Calgary transit officer used Bike Index to return an abandoned bike to its owner just 12 hours after it was stolen. Just one more reminder to register your bike for free today now. Before someone takes it. 

Police in Manitoba returned a stolen bike to its owner after busting a man for an outstanding warrant and several baggies of meth; a check revealed the bike he was riding had been stolen two years earlier. Hint: See item above.

The BBC examines how the coronavirus crisis sparked a bicycling revolution in Europe, including a 20 million euro investment in Parisian bikeways, and 26 miles of new bike lanes on the busiest roads in Brussels.

Police in Paris are responding to the huge increase in bike riding by cracking down on bicycling violations.

Thirty years after reunification, the formerly militarized border between East and West Germany has become a bikeable green oasis.

Japanese wrestling star Cima is one of us, recovering from serious injuries after he was struck by a driver while riding his bike.

This is why people continue to die on the streets. A New Zealand man was out on bail, despite six previous DUI convictions, when he killed a bike rider while high on meth, and nearly killed the victim’s daughter as they were riding together.

 

Competitive Cycling

The new Pro Cyclist Foundation has been founded to support riders on the pro tour. As usual, read it on Yahoo if you’re block by Bicycling.

Ten-time world road champ Chloe Dygert is on her way back home to Indiana to rehab a nasty leg wound after being released from the hospital following a horrific crash at this year’s worlds.

Pez Cycling News considers why the pros crash so much.

 

Finally…

Avid cyclist by day, award-winning wine maker by…uh, the rest of the day. Nothing like a deer in the roadway to teach you how to fly.

And that pretty well sums it up, alright.

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Be safe, and stay healthy. And wear a mask, already. 

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

Morning Links: Los Angeles media ignores para-cyling world champs, and apologies from the pro peloton

March 6, 2017 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: Los Angeles media ignores para-cyling world champs, and apologies from the pro peloton

The Para-cycling Track World Championships were held in Carson this past week.

Although you’d never know it from the local press, which evidently had more important stories to cover.

The only real news of the event came from 5,000 miles away, as BBC reports Britain’s Jody Cundy won the time trial for the 13th consecutive time; he hasn’t lost a race in eleven years. And the country took multiple medals on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Marie-Claude Molnar took three silver medals, losing to American Shawn Morelli in the 3,000-metre individual pursuit.

It’s embarrassing when the world comes to our city, with brave athletes overcoming disabilities to compete at the highest levels, and the local press doesn’t even care enough to mention it.

Let alone actually cover it.

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Team Sky’s Michal Kwiatkowski took his second Strade Bianche with a long range solo breakaway, despite accusations of interference from a race moto. Cycling Weekly recaps what they call a brutal day of racing, while Cycling Tips offers photos from the race. Peter Sagan was apologetic after dropping out due to illness and a crash.

The British Parliament will look into the use and/or abuse of the painkiller tramadol by Team Sky and British Cycling. Meanwhile, the Guardian says the real crime in the unfolding doping scandal would be if it derails Britain’s boom in recreational cycling.

Speaking of British Cycling, they swear a shipment of banned testosterone patches to their headquarters was just an administrative error. Sure, let’s go with that.

Second place Tour de France finisher Romain Bardet was disqualified from the weeklong Paris – Nice after being towed by the team car following a crash. And he says he’s sorry, too.

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Local

An estimated 100,000 people defied afternoon rains to make the 626 Golden Streets open streets event a success, on a route stretching from South Pasadena to Azusa.

A 33-year old Whittier bike rider was critically injured in a collision with a Foothill Transit Bus in Azusa on Friday.

The fate of a new plan to totally remake the Redondo Beach waterfront hinges on a citywide vote this Tuesday.

Cycling in the South Bay’s Seth Davidson continues his discussion on why you have to produce ID when a cop asks for it even when you’re riding your bike, and cites relevant case law to back it up.

 

State

San Jose bike riders go on a tour of the city’s murals and culture in neighborhoods that could be hurt by Trump’s policies.

San Francisco’s bikeshare program is about to embark on a major expansion thanks to a $49 million cash infusion from Ford, as it attempts to fight off competition from app-based programs.

 

National

An Arizona man faces up to 25 years for the murder of a bike rider following an argument, in what looks to be a road rage killing.

Aspen CO considers creating new corridors for bikes and pedestrians to go with a 25-year old bike boulevard through the city.

A new Illinois nonprofit is helping addicts recover through bicycling.

Despite the bikelash, the mayor of Pittsburg PA stands firm in his call for a citywide network of neighborhood bike lanes.

Kindhearted North Carolina cops raise money to replace the bikes stolen from a couple of little kids.

If building bike paths along former railroad right-of-ways is called rails-to-trails, what do you call a bike path built over a North Carolina sewer line?

Savannah GA acknowledges it has a lot of work to do to raise its bike-friendly status to the next level.

The open streets movement is spreading to Pensacola FL, with a five mile downtown ciclovía later this month.

A Florida man lost 165 pounds after getting on his bike, and learned to love competing on a mountain bike in Leadville, despite failing his first time out.

 

International

The things roadies lie about, including whether they can see through your shorts.

A British writer discusses the in and outs and ups and downs of riding in London.

A Brit rider is trying to track down and thank the women who came to his aid after he was knocked off his bike in a collision.

A UK think tank considers what London and Manchester, England could look like if the country prioritized cycling. Although once again, they propose elevating riders above traffic instead of actually fixing the streets.

Britain’s Daily Mail accuses police of turning a blind eye to bad cyclists after fines drop by two-thirds, despite an increase in ridership. Or maybe people on bikes are just riding more safely and obeying the law.

Cyclist Magazine visits the famed Moulton bicycle factory.

The head of Australia’s Mineral Council is taking up cycling, and says her ideal riding partner would be the Dalai Lama to help overcome her fear of falling. I’d hardly call a $2200 bike entry level, however.

A program to donate bicycles helps keep Kenyan girls in school.

Shanghai is struggling to keep up with the bike boom brought on by the Chinese app-based bikeshare systems, and considering naming and shaming those who abuse the system.

 

Finally…

Come for the bike clothes, stay for the bunny museum next door. It’s easy to say put a light on your bike if you’re carrying meth and drug paraphernalia, but harder to do when the bike isn’t yours.

And the US Postal Service is demanding $100 million from Lance — and nine cents.

 

Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: A very sad weekend in bike racing, and bikesplaining from a windshield perspective

March 28, 2016 / / 3 comments

You think?

The head of the Professional Cyclists Association says lessons have to be learned from the death of Belgian cyclist Antoine Demoitié, who was killed in a collision with a race moto on Sunday, and that rider safety must come first.

Then again, those lessons should have been learned by the collisions with race vehicles that left Taylor Phinney, Ian Crane and Matt Brammeier seriously injured, as well as mid-race collisions with motor vehicles that injured Sergio Paulinho, Peter Sagan and Jesse Sergent and Sébastien Chavanel.

And those are just in the last two years.

Meanwhile, Demoitié’s Wanty-Gobert team has withdrawn from its upcoming races, while pro cyclist Marcel Kittel argues that safety in the peloton should be as high a priority as doping.

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More bad news from the world of bike racing.

Twenty-two year old Belgian rider Daan Myngheer died of a heart attack while competing in the Criterium International in Corsica.

And 29-year old Oregon rider Randall Fox was killed when he hit a guardrail during a race in Washington on Saturday; he was a Ph.D. candidate competing for the Oregon State University cycling team.

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A Clovis letter writer tries to explain bike safety and the law to bike riders from a decidedly windshield perspective, and gets it almost all wrong.

So just to clarify, there is nothing in California law requiring bicyclists to ride single file, nor is there any requirement that cyclists separate themselves by a few seconds distance.

In fact, bike riders are legally allowed to ride two or more abreast in any lane that can’t be safely shared with a motor vehicle — and it’s often safer to do so to increase visibility and control the lane to prevent unsafe passing. It’s also safer and more efficient for groups of cyclists to ride close together, rather than spaced out.

Despite his protestations, no passing zones prohibit drivers from crossing the center line to pass another vehicle; they are not intended to keep bicyclists from passing one another, or even slower cars, as long as they don’t cross the center line. There is also no requirement that cyclists enter the traffic lane to pass anyone if there is room to do it on the shoulder.

And someone should tell him who poses the real danger on our streets.

Because it ain’t the ones on bikes.

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Local

A Santa Monica writer says if you’re traveling through the city at rush hour, you either need to walk, skate board or ride a bike, or find a new age CD to keep calm in your car.

A proposed Metrolink station near Rio Hondo College in Whittier would connect to the San Gabriel River bike path, giving Eastsiders an alternative to driving the freeway. Or driving, period.

A Lancaster family is trying to win a $5,000 adaptive bike for their 17-year old special needs daughter; she’s currently in first place in the voting with over 13,000 votes.

 

State

A San Bernardino man was shot while riding his bike following an argument with two men in a black Acura; no word on his condition.

Sad news from Fresno, as a 16-year old bike rider was the victim of a fatal hit-and-run. And a 15-year old Benecia boy died when he lost control of his bicycle and crashed into a street sign.

Modesto special needs kids learn to ride a bicycle at a five-day adapted bike camp.

San Francisco safety advocates question whether the city’s commitment to Vision Zero is being watered down to preserve parking.

 

National

IBM is helping the US women’s track cycling team gain an edge as they prepare for the Rio Olympics.

Bicycling offers advice on how to avoid fading during a long ride. Tip #7: To avoid fading during your ride, don’t get faded before it.

In between races, Vermont-based cross-country pro cyclist Lea Davison mentors the next generation of female riders.

A local TV station looks at the lack of equity in Boston bikeways, as some neighborhoods have benefitted from decades of bike lane construction, while others remain virtually untouched. And you can probably guess which ones.

New Jersey officials are quarreling over bikeshare, as Jersey City complains that Hoboken’s Hudson Bike Share is hogging all the public bike racks that could be used by its own Citi Bike system.

 

International

A Brit octogenarian offers advice on how to keep riding into your 80s.

A 67-year old Sri Lankan cycling champ looks back on his 50 year racing career.

Recreational riding is growing on the quiet, remote roads of China, as locals say spring is the perfect time to ride.

Aussie advocates point out that a bike lane without any signage or pavement markings is nothing more than a confusing line of paint on the street.

 

Finally…

Now you, too, can emulate motorists by turning your bike into a rolling ad. As if there wasn’t enough drama already in the relationship between drivers and cyclists.

And when you’re trying to make your getaway by bicycle, try to keep out of patrol car bumper range.

 

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

Morning Links: Belgian cyclist killed in wreck with race moto; 7 of the 8 most dangerous Valley intersections

March 27, 2016 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: Belgian cyclist killed in wreck with race moto; 7 of the 8 most dangerous Valley intersections

It’s finally happened.

After far too many pro cyclists have been hit by race motos and support vehicles the past few years, it seemed inevitable that someone would be killed if changes weren’t made.

They weren’t. And someone was.

Sadly, 25-year old Belgium rider Antoine Demoitie died after falling off his bicycle and being run over by a motorcycle in Sunday’s 2016 Gent-Wevelgem.

The tragedy overshadowed Peter Sagan’s first victory since winning the world champion’s rainbow jersey, after a string of second-place finishes.

Former Belgian national champion Jens Debusschere was also hospitalized after suffering a concussion during the race.

………

It was a very bad weekend for Belgian cyclists, as 22-year old pro Daan Myngheer was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack while competing in a Corsican race.

It took Eritrean cyclist Mekseb Debesay 15 hours and 149 miles to complete Belgium’s 128 mile E3 Harelbeke race after getting lost along the course. But at least he arrived at the team hotel clean and feed, after a Good Samaritan took him home and offered him a shower and clean clothes.

Two Russian track cyclists were just the latest of their countrymen to test positive for the recently banned meldonium; 27 Russian athletes have failed drug tests since the first of the year.

Closer to home, the 32nd Redland’s Classic begins a week from Wednesday with over 300 men and women riders set to compete.

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Local

The LAPD and LADOT are working to improve safety at the eight most dangerous intersections in the San Fernando Valley, but the Daily News only manages to list seven. Evidently, the eighth one is a secret. Or maybe a tie between every other intersection in the Valley.

Arcadia police bust a bike thief using a GPS-enabled bait bike.

 

State

El Centro puts in temporary bike lanes at the city’s the Le Tour de 8th to show riders what’s coming.

An Ohio cyclist pauses along the Central Coast on his ride around the perimeter of the US to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children; he’s ridden 7,300 miles so far with 24 states to go.

A passing bicyclist found a Merced-area bike rider lying injured on the side of the road after hearing the hit-and-run victim plead for help.

Traffic deaths in San Francisco haven’t gone down yet, two years after the city adopted a Vision Zero plan. As noted before, Vision Zero is a long process requiring a dramatic shift in infrastructure, attitudes and enforcement, making quick results highly unlikely.

A Marin columnist bizarrely suggests the billions spent on roadways is proportionately little compared to funding for bikes, and fails to grasp that bike commuting might increase, and roads get a little less gridlocked, if people had safer places to ride to work.

You’ve got to be kidding. A Sacramento bike rider gets hit by a driver, who then assaults him before driving off without exchanging license and insurance information. And the local police respond, in effect, “So?”

 

National

Cheyenne WY will start a seven-station pilot bikeshare program this Saturday; unlike virtually every other bikeshare system in the US, it will be free to use. Meanwhile, cyclists in nearby Laramie are raising funds to build a bike park.

A group of strangers pitch in to buy an Amarillo TX girl a new bike in response to a Facebook post after hers was stolen.

Oklahoma City will host a three day bike festival this summer, including a multi-day pro-am crit.

Chicago advocates think they can convince the city to build an elevated bike path connecting two branches of the Chicago River. Maybe something like that would work for some of the narrower sections of the LA River, as well.

Maybe he should stick to his specialty. A Michigan orthopedic surgeon says always wear your bike helmet to prevent concussions. Except most bike helmets don’t do that.

Writers for a paper in New York’s Lower Hudson Valley get it, saying the state needs to fund Complete Streets to improve safety and access for everyone.

Statistics show New York’s Citi Bike really is part of the city’s transit system, as commuters make up a large percentage of the bikeshare system’s users.

NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson and Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff will join People for Bikes in riding 400 miles to Atlanta starting this Wednesday; they’ll be joined by a pair of women from Trek and Specialized who’ll set their professional competition aside to advocate for safer streets.

A bighearted Florida man fixes up discarded bicycles and donates them to a homeless center; the program he started has given the shelter around 500 refurbished bikes since 2008.

 

International

Former NYDOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan tells a Canadian audience that bike and pedestrian friendly cities are worth fighting for. Meanwhile, Ottawa city councilors urge the city to take advantage of new federal funding to speed up construction of bicycling and pedestrian projects.

The Guardian complains that the UK’s new blueprint for cycling and walking is undermined by a laughably small investment in either one; former Olympic champ Chris Boardman agrees, saying he doesn’t feel safe riding in London.

A British sports physiologist says bicycling is the country’s best hope against obesity.

An Indian state plans to improve safety by installing a series of protected bike lanes, although a local cyclist says the only real solution would be fewer cars on the road.

Pakistani women fight back against harassment on the streets with a bike rally in Lahore, after a woman was hit by a group of men in a car while riding to the city’s Critical Mass.

Leaders of the South African metro area surrounding Pretoria call for more diversity in sport cycling after most of the competitors in a two-day mountain bike event were white.

Australian authorities are looking for a driver who deliberately swerved to run down a bike-riding father of two.

 

Finally…

Maybe you’re so slow because you’re too fast. If you chase down and kill the person who stole your bicycle, chances are you weren’t really friends to begin with.

And road raging drivers can now claim the cat made me do it.

 

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

Weekend Links: HB hit-and-run scum, a busy bike weekend and upcoming events, and Amgen ToC stages set

January 30, 2016 / / 4 comments

It takes a major piece of walking — or in this case, driving — human scum to run down a nine-year old boy riding his bike in Huntington Beach, stop just long enough to look at him, then drive off, leaving the kid lying in the street.

Fortunately, the boy is okay.

The driver, on the other hand, isn’t. There’s something seriously wrong with anyone who could do that to a little kid.

Thanks to Lois for the link.

………

It’s long past time we caught up on coming events, with a number rolling this weekend. Hopefully before the rain starts.

Join a group ride to tonight’s Night on Broadway celebration in DTLA, departing from Eagle Rock at 3 pm.

Empact Long Beach hosts a number of bike safety workshops throughout the city in the coming weeks, starting today.

Walk Bike Glendale will kick off 2016 with a pizza party at Pizza Rev in Glendale this Sunday.

Pizza seems to be the theme of the day on Sunday, as LA Bike Trains is hosting the first of their monthly Biking ‘til Snack Time rides, with stops at a number of local pizza spots along the way.

Bike SGV is going pizza-free for Sunday’s ride celebrating the fourth anniversary of their monthly bike train. They note the ride will go on with light rain; heavy rain will mean a switch to a Bike Commuting Class, presumably indoors.

The Temple City council will hold a final vote on the proposed complete street redesign of Las Tunas Drive on February 11th.

Also on the 11th, the LA Planning Commission will consider amendments to the city’s recently passed Mobility Plan, including the possible removal of some bike lanes from the plan. Glad to see city staff has recommended keeping the proposed Westwood Blvd bike lanes in the plan over the objection of Councilmember Koretz and some homeowner’s groups.

CZ-2pFmUYAEDMu8The East Side Riders Bike Club is hosting the 7th Annual Ride 4 Love 2016 through LA’s Southside on February 13th.

The Van Nuys Neighborhood Council invites you to explore the area with the LACBC-led Tour de Van Nuys on February 20th, and stay after to help reimagine Van Nuys Blvd as a bike-friendly, green complete street.

Flying Pigeon is sponsoring a NELA Kidical Mass on February 21st.

Mark you calendar for the annual Malibu Gran Fondo March 6th and 7th.

Looking further ahead, this year’s Ride of Silence will roll on May 18th to honor fallen cyclists.

And the Eastside Bike Club is holding a Riff Raff Ride into Monrovia on June 26th as an unofficial adjunct to the 626 Golden Streets Ride through seven communities in the San Gabriel Valley. Most of which are more welcoming to riders than Monrovia seems to be.

………

The LACBC’s next Sunday Funday ride will be hosted by none other that Mr. CiclaValley himself, as he channels his inner Daniel LaRusso to show riders how to get to the March 6th CicLAvia in the northern reaches of the San Fernando Valley.

Meanwhile, CicLAvia continues to grow as it spreads out to Los Angeles, Lynwood, South Gate, Huntington Park and Southeast LA County on May 15th.

………

Been seeing lots of complaints from cyclists the past several days over this commercial for the new Audi plug-in hybrid, in which the owner of said car wins the admiring gaze of a bike-riding woman for driving like a total jackass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOy3zjdYweI&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop

Thanks to Alice Strong for the heads-up.

………

Route details are released for this year’s Amgen Tour of California, including a start and finish in San Diego’s Mission Bay to begin the race, followed stages from South Pasadena to Santa Clarita, and Thousand Oaks to Santa Barbara.

If France’s one-day Paris-Roubaix race isn’t tough enough, they’re adding an uphill, cobbled section for this year.

Pro cyclist Chad Haga describes what it’s like to fight an SUV with his face; Haga was the most seriously injured member of his Giant-Alpecin teammates, who were hit head-on by a wrong way driver while training in Spain. And voices his commitment to keep riding so she doesn’t get the final say on his racing career.

And in the cycling conspiracy theory that won’t die, Italy will hold yet another hearing looking into allegations that the great Marco Pantini was murdered rather than overdosing on coke.

………

Local

An OpEd in the Times says Metro’s bikeshare is set up to fail. Although I’d question the assumption that low-income residents are the most likely users of bikeshare, which hasn’t been the case in any other city I’m aware of. And while systems are planned for Long Beach and UCLA, they are not currently in place.

The city council has approved funding to install gates to keep cars off the LA River bike path, in hopes of stopping things like this from last year.

The Hollywood Reporter says allegations of preferential treatment for a former American Gladiators star accused of spousal rape is just the latest scandal involving the Malibu/Lost Hills sheriff’s station, including the death of cyclist Milt Olin, who was killed by a distracted deputy using his patrol car’s onboard computer.

Good news from Burbank, as police recovered the $5,300 customized bike that was stolen from a boy with cerebral palsy earlier this week; the bike was found on the side of a Silverlake street Wednesday night.

Speaking of CiclaValley, he say’s Glendale will be stepping up enforcement of traffic laws laws involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists today. Like the similar enforcement efforts in Santa Monica, make a point to obey all the laws today so whoever they ticket, it won’t be you.

 

State

Streetsblog’s Damien Newton responds to an OpEd from a Brown administration official, saying that doing better than Schwarzenegger when it comes to funding active transportation is not exactly the bar we set for the current governor.

Streetsblog also looks at the Death to Cyclists and Pedestrians Bill, which would slash fines for drivers who run red lights when making right turns. Okay, so maybe that’s not the official title of the bill. And the authors have the good taste to quote me in the story.

San Diego cyclists have to dodge motorists driving in the bike lane to avoid the crappy road conditions in Tecolote Canyon. One of the rare cases where road conditions are better in the bike lane than in the rest of the roadway.

Santa Barbara City College tries to encourage alternative transportation by providing a free breakfast for those who leave their cars at home.

After a successful Kickstarter campaign, a pair of Bay Area brothers are marketing a streamlined US-made bike bell designed for road bikes.

Sad news from NorCal, as a bike rider was found dead on the side of the road, the victim of an apparent hit-and-run. And a bicyclist was killed in Eureka after allegedly running a stop sign.

 

National

Seattle’s underfunded bikeshare system is on the brink, while bikeshare will come to my hometown before it does DTLA.

A New Mexico man starts a petition calling for tougher penalties for drivers who injure bicyclists.

A Boulder CO writer says drivers will get used to safety improvements if you give them enough time, rather than pulling out prematurely in response to complaints.

Brilliant police work in San Antonio, as police somehow conclude that a man riding a bicycle with two purses may have stolen them. Although riding with one purse might be a different matter.

Evidently, there are wiser heads in South Dakota, where a bill that would have required bike riders to pull over and stop so cars and trucks could pass has justifiably died in committee; it was opposed by the state transportation, public safety and tourism agencies, as well as cyclists. And anyone else with a modicum of sense.

A writer for the Wisconsin Bike Fed says slow down and save lives. And compares drivers to the Simpson’s Montgomery Burns careening towards people in a crosswalk, shouting, “Out of my way, I’m a motorist!”

An Ohio man faces up to eight years in prison for shooting a 72-year old man in the eye with a paintball gun from a passing car; the rider lost all the vision in his right eye as a result. One more reason to always ride with shatterproof glasses.

 

International

A Toronto paper calls this a pivotal time for cycling in the city.

London is the latest city where a marketing campaign from Orangetheory Fitness attempted to rip off ghost bikes by locking orange-painted bikes around town. But unlike other cities, complaints in London forced the bikes’ removal.

Caught on video: A London cyclist gets caught in a right hook squeeze play. As the story notes, the rider should have either pulled up to where the driver could see him, or held back behind the Porsche rather than riding next to it.

Fines for riding on the sidewalk in England and Wales have dropped 70% over the past five years.

It’s another round of road rage in the UK, as a London cabbie picked up a man riding his bike and threw him down onto the pavement, a bike rider was punched in the face by a driver who got out of his car to confront him, and an English cyclist pushed a pedestrian and threatened to punch him, apparently for no reason.

Owen Wilson is one of us, as he takes a spin around Paris. Note to the Daily Mail: There’s a big difference between a mini bike and a “quirky” foldie.

A German man has worn out six bicycles riding through the streets of Berlin calling for voting rights for non-European Union citizens.

Caught on video 2: A Singapore driver gets an earful — in English — when he tells a cyclist he’s riding on the wrong side of the road.

 

Finally…

Left in the street by a hit-and-run driver, but at least she got to meet the Bieb. Evidently, Brit bike cops only need a cup of tea to bounce back from the bumper of a distracted driver.

And it seems Specialized takes a whimsical, if painful looking, approach to a page not found page. Thanks to the BAC’s David Wolfberg for the heads-up.

………

Come back Monday, when we’ll announce the winner of our recent bike giveaway courtesy of Beachbikes.net.

And don’t forget — you’ve got just three more days to take advantage of the special BikinginLA offer on a new Invincible bike from Fortified.

 

Category: Bicycle Safety, Bike Events, Hit-and-Run, Morning Links / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: Bad weekend for pro cyclists, a crib sheet on protected bike lanes, and OCR’s David Whiting nails it

January 25, 2016 / / 4 comments

It was a bad weekend for pro cyclists.

Movistar rider Adriano Malori was hospitalized in intensive care after a massive crash due to a pothole in the Tour de San Luis in Argentina; he was the second place finisher in the time trial at last year’s Worlds.

Meanwhile, six members of the Giant-Alpecin team were injured when they were hit by a wrong-way driver while training in Spain; riders Chad Haga and John Degenkolb were the most seriously injured. Thanks to Michael Eisenberg for the heads-up.

And former French pro and world track champion Robert Sassone died far too young at age 37.

………

I usually avoid linking to items sent to me by businesses, let alone embedding them, since they’re often nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt at SEO marketing.

However, this infographic offers some great information about physically separated bike lanes, gathered from a number of studies. And clearly shows that protected bike lanes increase ridership while reducing crashes and injuries.

Consider it a crib sheet for your next public meeting.

……..

Local

A “crowd” of people turned out for Councilmember Bob Blumenfield’s third annual Community Bike Ride on Saturday, followed by a workshop to highlight the Sherman Way Concept Plan.

Burglaries and bike thefts are up in LA’s upscale Brentwood neighborhood; the LAPD’s senior lead officer for the area urges residents to keep their bikes inside, and lock them up even if you keep yours inside a garage.

Richard Risemberg offers a noir tale involving private dicks, a nasty crack and an injured cyclist. All that’s missing is a femme fatale.

A Long Beach woman plans to raise funds and awareness by biking and walking the LA River from the coast to the tributaries in the San Gabriel Mountains.

 

State

The Orange County Register’s David Whiting nails it with a column saying too many bicyclists have died on the county’s streets, and it only takes two seconds off your life to help ensure a longer one for someone on a bike. Although we’ve got to get him back on his own bike after the loss of a friend.

The LA Times looks at the recent crackdown on mountain bikers at Miramar.

Oceanside approves a road diet, complete with wider bike lanes and buffers along the Coast Highway. Calling safety improvements a pilot study is a great way to overcome initial opposition and give it a chance to prove it works.

Nearly 7,000 bike riders took part in Sunday’s Tour de Palm Springs.

Bakersfield cyclists host a monthly full moon ride.

San Francisco police arrest one suspect and search for another following a brief pursuit when an officer saw the driver flee after hitting a bicyclist; however, the rider was gone when police went back to look for him.

A bighearted Stockton driver — yes, that’s sarcastic — checks his car for damage after rear-ending a 15-year old bike rider, asks if he’s okay, then just drives off after agreeing the bike was seriously messed up in the wreck.

The Chico newspaper calls for banning bikes from the city’s Esplanade and its frontage roads, apparently unaware that would be illegal. CA state law allows bicycles on any public roadway where motor vehicles are allowed, with the exception of some limited-access highways. So if they want to ban bikes, they’d have to ban cars, too.

 

National

A Denver writer says bike lanes serve to improve safety and livability for everyone, not just bike riders.

Now that’s a bike-friendly university. My hometown college is boosting campus bike parking to 18,000 spaces, as well as offering showers for bike riders in the new chemistry and biology buildings and the soon-to-be-built on-campus stadium.

A Buffalo NY couple open a year-round cargo bike delivery service.

Plain white rapper Vanilla Ice dodges jail for burglary and bike theft by completing 100 hours of community service in Florida.

 

International

Here’s another reason to register your bike. An English rider who was unable to tell rescuers who he was following a collision was identified through the registration on his bicycle. You should always carry multiple forms of ID when you ride; unscrupulous people have been known to steal wallets from cyclists after collisions or solo falls. Personally, I never leave the house without my Road ID, whether or not I’m on my bike.

Belfast embarks on a “radical” plan to remake the city’s streets by improving existing infrastructure, building a bike-only street, and replacing car parking with cycle tracks.

In the ongoing saga of bike-riding Syrian refugees who exploited a loophole to cross the border into Norway from Russia, the latter country refuses to take them back after the former decided to boot them out. Nice to see so much human compassion for people fleeing the proxy wars in their battle-scared county.

Now that’s a bikeshare program. Hangzhou, China’s eight-year old program offers over 3,500 stations with 84,000 bikes.

 

Finally…

Sure, it was cycling commentator Phil Liggett who made Lance a star; evidently, winning all those bike races had nothing to do with it. Talk about windshield bias; even on a cycle track, it’s the cyclist’s responsibility to avoid the drivers using it.

And it’s better to have people think you’re a Trump supporter than let them know you only have one bike.

 

Category: Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , ,

Morning Links: Survey asks what residents really think about Westwood bike lanes; cars vs. cyclists in Flanders

April 7, 2015 / / Comments Off on Morning Links: Survey asks what residents really think about Westwood bike lanes; cars vs. cyclists in Flanders

Enough with the posturing.

A new group called Westwood for All wants to know what local residents really think about bike lanes on Westwood Blvd.

This is from the press release announcing the questionnaire.

A community group called Westwood4all has released an online questionnaire to advance the discussion about bike lanes on Westwood Blvd. The aim is to provide accurate numbers about local support for bicycle facilities on Westwood Blvd. Results will be shared with elected officials so that they can make an informed decision.

When planning a transportation network, the opinion of local residents is just one factor in a very complex equation. An informed decision by elected officials will also consider the network as a whole, the effects on the neighborhood, on business, safety, parking, environment, congestion, public health, etc. But if the general attitude of the local community towards bicycle infrastructure is known, then a controversial issue can be settled more easily.

So far, the cycling community has posted a petition with 500 signatories. A number of UCLA stakeholders have also called for bike lanes. The Business Improvement District in the Westwood Village has recently voted for bike lanes in the village. One the other hand, the leadership of some local homeowner groups and of the Westwood Neighborhood Council have objected to the plan. Our effort may help to resolve this conflict by documenting local attitudes for or against bicycle infrastructure on Westwood Blvd.

You can take the short survey here.

……..

The first LA bike has been reported stolen using our new Bike Index stolen bike notice. So be on the lookout for a gold Rocky Mountain Bicycles full suspension mountain bike.

……..

Italian rider Elisa Longo Borghini won the women’s Tour of Flanders, while Alexander Kristoff took the men’s title. And an Irish rider won his weight in beer.

Although in the aftermath of the race, the story is more about who didn’t win than who did.

The real story, though, is that Shimano service cars took out two riders, one in a collision with another race vehicle; evidently, you’re not even safe from hit-and-run drivers in a bike race, as the video below shows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsexjF6Iaz0

Injured New Zealand cyclist Jesse Sergent is expected to be out about a month after successful surgery for a broken collarbone.

Meanwhile, American pro Peter Stetina will be out for the foreseeable future after he breaks his leg, kneecap and four ribs in a peloton pile-up in Bilbao, Spain.

And Jaguar and Pinarello came up with a unique suspension system to ease the discomfort of riding the cobbles, reducing road vibration 50% without adding significantly to the bike’s ultralight frame.

……..

Local

KCBS-2 looks at Reseda Blvd’s new protected bike lanes.

Evidently, close bicycle access to Mulholland Drive is now an amenity for new housing developments.

WeHo council candidates discuss whether bikes should be kicked off the city’s sidewalks.

A Pasadena mansion up for sale originally belonged to a man who made his fortune by inventing a more comfortable leather bike seat in 1892.

Metro, Bike SGV and CICLE invite you to take a tour of art, bikes and history in El Monte on April 26th.

 

State

In California, bicycling is somehow seen as a greater risk than polio and measles. Yet the state’s mandatory helmet law for kids, unlike voluntary vaccinations, shows no obvious benefit.

San Diego advocates call on the city to emphasize bicycling, pedestrian and mass transit infrastructure in the next budget. Meanwhile, the city gave approval a new retail development catering to cyclists and pedestrians.

Not exactly instant karma, but close. A San Diego County shooting victim was arrested, but evidently not convicted, in a 2006 head-on hit-and-run that seriously injured a cyclist.

A new three-mile stretch of the Coyote Creek Bikeway adds another link to the 66-mile OC Loop.

The popular Tour de Palm Springs could move to January.

This is why you always carry your cell phone when you ride. A Loma Linda mountain biker is rescued after injuring his head; a call to his wife following the fall triggered the search effort.

Santa Barbara will open a new bicycle skills park on April 19th.

Porterville residents pitch-in to buy a new bike for a Navy vet after the bike his great-grandson gave him was stolen.

A San Jose road diet gets mixed reviews, even though it seems to be working. I love this quote from a local resident, which should be recited at every public meeting to discuss one: “I suspect that folks truly wanting to speed are simply finding alternate routes, but who cares about them anyway?”

The Easter Bunny brought bicycles to 24 Suisun City kids at the annual egg hunt.

 

National

The right on red law, which was pioneered here in California, may make life easier for motorists but it raises the risks for everyone else.

The biggest thing keeping Americans from bicycling more is a fear of being hit by a car.

The Department of DIY gets to work in Salem OR as cyclists post their own homemade Bikes May Use Full Lane signs.

A Minneapolis writer says Pittsburgh should embrace bicycling because it makes a city more welcoming. Even though he won’t get on one for fear of being killed.

A Detroit man was killed when he was run over by a bus as he was trying to remove his bike from its rack.

A Muncie IN bike shop celebrates its 150th anniversary, although the shop has changed names, locations and owners. But other than that, it’s exactly the same, right?

Seriously? A Pennsylvania letter writer says bike lanes are a bad idea because they have to be maintained — unlike the rest of the roadway, evidently.

Florida police are ticketing drivers for violating the state’s three-foot passing law, but the courts are letting them off.

 

International

Bicycling looks at the race to the year record.

Two UK candidates blame immigrants for clogging the country’s bike lanes.

Two women are riding from London to Hong Kong to call attention to global food waste.

City Lab looks at the steps Paris is taking to become the world capital of cycling.

A new Spanish collapsible bike helmet appears to flatten down to the size of a large dog dish.

Indian villagers riot after police kill a cyclist while chasing down a driver who failed to stop for a DUI checkpoint.

An Aussie study says riding a bike at least once a week will lead to a higher quality of life. As long as you’re a man.

Bicycle sidecars remain a popular mode of transit in Myanmar.

China’s Flying Pigeon bike maker collaborates with a video website to introduce a “super” smart bike, which will incorporate a music player, navigation, social networking, health monitoring, anti-theft lock and turn signals. Or you could, you know, just ride a bike.

 

Finally…

Seven very tongue-in-cheek tips for urban cyclists, from always strapping a baby onto your bike, to politely taking up as little space as possible when you’re sprawled on the pavement. A Kiwi cyclist pedals to work in a giraffe-print onesie to calm aggressive driving; a requirement for adult animal-print onesies is no doubt being added to California’s proposed helmet and reflective clothing law as we speak.

And before you impatiently honk your horn and buzz a group of cyclists while shouting obscenities out the window, make sure it’s not a group of bike cops on a training ride.

Just a suggestion.

……..

Thanks to John Hall for his generous donation to help support this site. If the mood strikes, you can contribute here. 

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Morning Links, Streets and Infrastructure / Tags: , , , , ,

Morning Links: UCI doping report on the dopes running UCI, photos of Paralympic cyclists and Dr. Oz on bikes

March 8, 2015 / / One comment

A long awaited report on doping in pro cycling says the sport’s leaders aren’t corrupt, just incompetent and too willing to look the other way to protect a certain Texan.

Oh. Well okay, then.

And doping hasn’t ended, today’s riders have just gotten smarter about it.

……..

An Italian photographer offers breathtaking photographs from the Spanish Paralympic Track Championships, noting “It’s crazy how ‘handicaps’ can easily disappear on a bike.”

No, seriously, take a look, it’s worth it.

I’ll wait.

……..

TV’s Dr. Oz says riding to work is a good thing, though he overestimates the number of bicycling fatalities and says they don’t occur in designated bike lanes, which evidently posses magic properties to keep cars from crossing those little lines of paint.

He also says to only ride single file — even though riding abreast increases visibility and helps control narrow lanes to prevent unsafe passing — always wear reflective hi-viz, and that only less-experienced or less-intelligent cyclists ever ride without a helmet and protective eyewear.

Maybe there’s a reason he’s a TV doctor and not a bike safety expert.

……..

Local

Sounds like there’s a story there, as the LAPD tweets that Newton Division officers replaced a child’s stolen bike.

Santa Monica plans to have their new Breeze bike share up and running by the time the new Expo Line extension begins operations, possibly by the end of this year.

Santa Monica streets evidently can’t be wide enough for one architect, who evidently never heard of induced demand. Let’s be honest — the only solution for congested traffic is getting more cars off the streets, not making more room for them.

They ride among us. Actor Josh Duhamel rides with his son in SaMo, while supermodel Cindy Crawford pedals with her husband in Malibu.

Maybe they were out of bullets. Two accused gang members are under arrest for allegedly intentionally running down a West Covina bike rider; a hunt is under way for the third person in the car.

 

State

A San Francisco cyclist is in critical condition after being hit by a fire truck returning from a call.

San Raphael police conducted a bike and pedestrian safety operation on Friday, ticketing 16 motorists, 14 pedestrians and just three people on bikes.

A 65-year old Marin County woman reports being terrorized, then attacked and seriously injured by a trail raging mountain biker. And yes, it sounds horrible, but let’s remember we’re only hearing one side of the story.

 

National

An editorial in the Spokane WA paper endorses road diets for all the right reasons.

Wyoming becomes the latest state to pass a three-foot passing law, though there are no penalties for violating it.

Minnesota Public Radio reports on six Minnesotans who rode their fat bikes in Alaska’s Iditarod Trail Invitational.

New Mexico’s annual Tour of the Gila is in serious financial difficulty; next month’s race could be canceled if a title sponsor can’t be found.

The hot new thing at a Buffalo NY ice rink is a bicycle on ice skates.

A recent bike ride from Selma to Montgomery AL to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights march raised nearly $20,000 to preserve the parsonage where Dr. King lived in Montgomery. As someone who grew up in the civil rights era, it’s amazing to look back on how far we’ve come, and yet how far we still have to go.

An editorial in a Florida paper says cyclists deserve to be safe and protected, while a reporter for the same paper says she stopped riding her bike because she’s afraid of cars. Or more precisely, the people in them.

 

International

A writer for London’s Guardian declares the mythical war on the motorist is over, somehow forgetting that motor vehicles continue to enjoy hegemony over the streets; he also insists that any reduction of speeds on surface streets should be met with a commensurate increase in highway speeds. Uh, no.

The Afghan women’s cycling team pedals on despite family pressures, patchy public support and a lack of paychecks.

Bike riders rally in Mumbai to protest the planned destruction and relocation of nearly 2,300 trees to make room for a garage, among other projects.

Aussie bike riders get naked to show how vulnerable cyclists are and to promote road safety. And show off their skills with body paint.

A Canberra newspaper says faulty components are putting Australian bike riders at risk, while acknowledging in passing that such cases are rare.

A motor writer from Down Under gets it, pointing out the benefits to drivers of having more bikes on the streets, while saying he really can’t think of a downside to a cycling-based society.

A new report on restoring Christchurch, New Zealand to its former status as a bicycling city says every dollar spent on over a dozen proposed bikeways should yield $5 to $8 in return — as much as $1.2 billion back to the city over a 40-year period.

 

Finally…

An Aussie city spends nearly $10,000 for bike racks that are too thick to lock to. If you see a $6,000 Cervelo P5 for sale on Craigslist for $50, contact the Northamptonshire UK police.

And while they’re phone, tell ‘em what you think about the UK cop who threatened to confiscate a four-year old’s bike for riding on the sidewalk. With training wheels, no less.

 

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