Tag Archive for San Bernardino County

Bad year for SoCal bike deaths, urban roads get deadlier, and Transportation Comm’s new vice chair is one of us

January 5, 2023 / / 2 comments

Last year was another terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year for SoCal bike riders.

But at least it was better than the year before.

Maybe.

According to our latest count, at least 82* people lost their lives while riding a bicycle in the seven county Southern California region last year, just two less than the previous year.

Although that figure is likely an undercount; I’ve heard of a half dozen or more deaths this year that I wasn’t able to officially confirm, but which undoubtedly happened.

It’s also the same number of SoCal bicycling deaths reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 2019, the last year before the pandemic, when 81 SoCal riders also lost their lives.

The total for last year reflects the 26 bike riders I counted killed in Los Angeles County last year, which again is likely a dramatic undercount.

A total of 35 bike riders lost their lives in LA County in 2021, which was over twice the total of 17 that I had counted; I also counted 15 in 2020, compared to 27 reported by the NHTSA.

Which suggests that the local media is failing to report a number of bicycling deaths in the Los Angeles area, for whatever reason.

I also counted 14 bicycling deaths in the City of Los Angeles last year, which is in line with verified totals of 18 and 15 in 2021 and 2020.

Further afield, San Diego County suffered 12 deaths last year, which was a significant improvement over 17 in the previous year, though much higher than the 7 and 8 people killed riding bikes in the county in 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Meanwhile, Orange County appeared to have their worst year in recent memory, with 17 people killed* riding bikes last year, compared to just 7 in 2021, 15 in 2020, and 13 in 2019.

Although it is important to note that only the totals for 2020 and 2019 have been verified by the NHTSA; 2021 data isn’t currently available through their website.

Riverside and San Bernardino Counties also showed increases last year, with 11 bicycling deaths in Riverside County, and 10 in San Bernardino County. Ventura County suffered 4 deaths — half the previous year’s total — while Imperial County recorded none for the third year in a row.

Here’s a quick recap of bicycling deaths for each of the seven counties.

Los Angeles County

  • 2022 – 26
  • 2021 – 35
  • 2020 – 27
  • 2019 – 38

Orange County

  • 2022 – 17
  • 2021 – 7
  • 2020 – 14
  • 2019 – 13

San Diego County

  • 2022 – 12
  • 2021 – 17
  • 2020 – 7
  • 2019 – 8

Riverside County

  • 2022 – 11
  • 2021 – 9
  • 2020 – 8
  • 2019 – 5

San Bernardino County

  • 2022 – 10
  • 2021 – 7
  • 2020 – 6
  • 2019 – 7

Imperial County

  • 2022 – 0
  • 2021 – 0
  • 2020 – 0
  • 2019 – 6

Ventura County

  • 2022 – 4
  • 2021 – 8
  • 2020 – 4
  • 2019 – 4

Source: 2021-2022 BikinginLA, except 2021 LA County data from Los Angeles Times; 2019-2020 NHTSA FARS data

While compiling records of this sort is necessary to bring about desperately needed changes to our streets, it also reduces human tragedy and loss to a statistic.

So if you want to see the people behind these numbers who we’ve so needlessly lost, start here and just keep scrolling.

Photo by Ted McDonald from Pixabay.

Correction: A comment from Dawn made it clear that I had miscategorized a story about her father’s August death in Irvine. 

*After correcting the error and adding it back into the totals for OC, that made 17 people killed riding their bikes in the county last year, and 82 in Southern California, instead of 16 and 81, respectively, as I had originally written.

My apologies for the mistake. 

………

On a related subject, rural areas are becoming safer, while urban environments are growing ever deadlier.

And the photo at the bottom of this thread goes a long way towards explaining why.

………

Promising news about the new LA City Council Transportation Committee members we mentioned yesterday, at least two of whom have taken bike tours with the new BikeLA (formerly the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, or LACBC).

Meanwhile, new CD11 Councilmember and Committee Vice Chair Traci Park is one of us, as well.

Now if she just votes that way, we should be in good shape.

………

Transportation PAC Streets For All is hosting their next virtual happy hour next Wednesday, featuring my councilmember, CD4’s Nithya Raman.

………

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

A former contestant on the UK’s version of The Apprentice criticizes plans for traffic filters on Oxford streets, saying you won’t be able to drive more than 15 minutes in any direction — and somehow manages to get the whole thing wrong.

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

A British Columbia man faces charges for stealing a truck and using it to smash through a gate, then hoping on a bicycle to make his escape after the truck was disabled in the crash. Which raises a lot of questions, like whether the fact that he wasn’t charged with stealing the bike means he just happened to have it with him in case he needed to pedal away from the crime scene.

There’s a special place in hell for the Kiwi ebike rider who faces charges for repeatedly kicking a wheelchair-bound handcyclist in the head for no apparent reason, unless he was upset that she could go faster than he could on his ebike. Which is a ridiculous reason to do something so horrific.

………

Local 

Protected bike lanes are usually intended to improve safety, but Burbank residents wanted the new quarter-mile protected bike lane on Leland Way in order to halt graffiti and drag racing.

A travel magazine recommends touring West Hollywood by ebike, but apparently can’t distinguish between WeHo and nearby Beverly Hills.

 

State

No news is good news, right?

 

National

Even an automotive website questions whether the newest generation of electric SUVs are too big, too heavy and too fast. Depends on whether the goal is to get from here to there, or to send as many people as possible to the promised land.

Forbes looks at five trends this year that could impact the future of transportation. Although the modest state and local tax rebates for ebikes pale in comparison to the massive federal benefits for electric car buyers.

A writer for Adventure Journal geeks out over an 1880s ad for a Penny Farthing from Boston’s Columbia Bicycle Company. Then again, he’s not the only one geeking out, since I have a version of that ad on a t-shirt.

House Beautiful recommends the best bike storage racks for your home or apartment.

Singletracks considers the ethics of editing trails to preserve them or remove hazards.

Digital Journal addresses one of the burning questions of our time — how to take your dog with you when you ride your bike.

My friends at West Seattle Blog managed to scoop the local news media about hit-and-run and vehicular homicide charges against an alleged killer driver who fled the scene after running down a 63-year old man riding his ebike home from work.

An Arizona man has made a remarkable recovery following the crash in a Show Low, Arizona master’s race that killed one man and seriously injured several riders; 37-year old Shawn Michael Chock was quietly sentenced to 26-1/2 years behind bars for second-degree murder and felony aggravated assault.

Denver announced the return of the city’s highly popular ebike rebate program at the end of this month, although at a reduced level, with $300 vouchers for buyers or regular ebikes, and $500 for e-cargo bikes.

North Carolina’s Department of Transportation is giving away bike helmets to organizations to give away to people who need them.

St. Petersburg, Florida, is remaking a dangerous residential boulevard with barriers at four intersections, forcing motorists to turn while allowing pedestrians and bike riders to pass through, and effectively turning it into a bicycle boulevard, even if they don’t use the term.

A kindhearted Florida man spends his days refurbishing and assembling bicycles so children in need can get to school, and adults can ride to work.

 

International

Calgary bicycle advocates are calling for safer bike infrastructure, after reports of snow and ice clogging bikeways and creating a hazard for riders. Here in SoCal, our snow and ice comes in liquid form, but still creates hazards on days like this. So be careful out there. 

Bike Portland goes riding in London. Which I deeply regret I didn’t get a chance to do when my wife and I visited earlier this century.

British foldie maker Brompton will begin sourcing more parts from other countries, over fears that tensions between China and Taiwan could result in supply chain disruptions.

If you’re already wanted on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear, maybe illegally riding your bike on a pair of UK highways isn’t the best idea.

The newly crowned world darts champ credits a broken hip suffered in a bicycle crash when he was 15 year old with setting him on the path to pointed greatness.

The Guardian follows along as an Australian woman attempts to set a new record by riding 2,500 miles in 13 days.

No surprise here, as a new Aussie study shows the biggest barrier to biking is a fear of cars. Personally, I’m not afraid of cars. But the people driving them scare the shit out of me.

 

Competitive Cycling

Four time Tour de France champ Chris Froome will finally get a chance to go for five after his Israel Premier Tech team got one of two wildcard invitations to the race, with the other going to Norway’s Uno-X.

A ‘cross fan captures the chaos after Ryan Cortjens crashed at the Superprestige Diegem, and apparently forgot to get the hell out of the way.

 

Finally…

Now you, too, can build your very own DIY 6-passenger, throttle-controlled ebike. That feeling when no one wants to steal you bike, even if you want them to.

And who says you need two wheels to mountain bike?

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin, too.

 

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

Update: Man killed riding bike in Redlands collision this morning; no details available

December 8, 2022 / / 7 comments

It takes a lot of effort to steel myself to write about yet another bike rider killed on our streets, sometimes.

I tell myself I’m just waiting for more information. But in reality, I’m working up the strength to confront another needless tragedy.

Especially when it’s the third time in three days.

That was the case today, when I received an email forwarding a report from the Redlands Police Department, which announced the death of a man riding a bicycle near 5th Ave and Marion Road, shortly before 9 this morning.

A response to the post indicated that seven people, including two doctors, struggled to save the victim’s life before paramedics arrived. He died at the scene, despite their efforts.

A street view shows a separated bike lane in both directions on 5th.

Unfortunately, that’s all the information we have right now.

This is at least the 78th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the eleventh that I’m aware of in Riverside County.

 

Update: I received the following comment from Amanda Frye in response to this crash, which I asked if I could share here — including the first indication that the victim may have been a 18-year old kid. 

Never mind that the crash still hasn’t seen a single word in the local press.

On the same day that the Redlands City Council voted to raise speed limits all over the city, Long Beach City Council voted to lower speed limits throughout their city to reduce accidents and save lives.

Two days later in Redlands, a 16 year old boy riding a bicycle near Moore Middle School was struck and killed.  The Redlands City Council justification for raising speed limits were based on an obviously flawed Engineering and Traffic Survey (ETS) conducted by a company from out of town.  The Engineering report contains obvious omissions including schools in the vicinity or residential area with bicyclists and pedestrians.  These engineering road condition omissions would have provided justification for lower speed limits in the vicinity where  the 16 year old was killed, Fifth Avenue was listed as 45 mph with no notation in the survey for a school in the vicinity.  Redlands’ Moore Middle School borders Fifth Avenue.  It appears that Redlands staff just rubber stamped the study with little to no review or oversight.  Other Redlands schools on streets included in the ETS were not noted either resulting in raised speed limits in residential neighborhoods with the public pointing out these omissions. Near my house the engineer missed the large bicycle symbols on the road as this is a popular bicycle route and failed to note a residential area with pedestrians and bicyclists or an open drainage channel.  How could these items be missed?

While residents were asking for lowering speed limits to make our roads safer for everyone, Redlands city council voted to raise the speed limit claiming the police said they had to raise speed limits in order to enforce them. The action and rationale lacked logic especially given the flawed Engineering and Traffic Survey. The California Vehicle Code provides the local authority the ability to lower speed limits to make our streets safer for all.

Update 2: The victim was identified by relatives as 16-year old Juan Pablo Carrillo-Salazar, who was just visiting Redlands from his home in Mexico when he was killed. 

A crowdfunding campaign to send Carrillo-Salazar’s body back to Zacatecas for burial has raised just $135 of the modest $6,000 goal. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Juan Pablo Carrillo-Salazar and his loved ones. 

Thanks to Kate Condon, Amanda Frye and Helen Salazar for the heads-up. 

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Man riding road bike killed in possible Chino Hills hit-and-run Sunday night; no details available

December 6, 2022 / / 2 comments

A Chino Hills newspaper is reporting that a man riding a bicycle was killed in the city Sunday night.

Unfortunately, that’s all we know right now.

According to the Champion Newspapers, the victim was struck by a driver on Grand Avenue west of the 71 Freeway around 10:48 pm.

There’s no information about the victim or how the crash occurred.

However, raw video from the scene shows a body covered with a sheet, suggesting he died at the scene. It also shows a mangled road bike crumpled in the street.

There’s no mention in the story of whether or not the driver remained at the scene after the crash. But the video shows the driver of a BMW who crashed into a power pole support wire about a mile way, with the windshield shattered, reporting that it was the same car involved in the earlier crash.

It also shows what appears to be a young woman still behind the wheel.

Hopefully we’ll learn more soon.

Anyone with information is urged to call Chino Hills Police at 909/364-2000.

This is at least the 76th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the tenth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Man killed riding bike Tuesday in Rancho Cucamonga collision; victim 63-year old San Bernardino man

October 7, 2022 / / 3 comments

For the past few days, word has been circulating that a bike rider was killed in Rancho Cucamonga earlier this week.

Sadly, we’ve now received official confirmation.

Jeffrey Rusk forwards a NIXLE notification from the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department reporting that a man riding a bicycle was killed in a collision Tuesday evening.

The crash occurred at 5:44 pm at Rochester Ave and Victoria Park Lane in Rancho Cucamonga.

According to the report, the victim was riding west on Victoria Park, when he apparently turned right onto Rochester Ave. He was struck by a driver headed north on Rochester.

He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.

The driver, a 30-year old man from Rancho Cucamonga, remained at the scene.

The intersection is controlled with a traffic signal in every direction; the report makes no mention who had the right-of-way. However, I’m told witnesses say the pickup driver ran the read light, and hit the victim from behind.

The victim has not been publicly identified, but friends say he was 60-year old San Bernardino resident James Zoltan Williamson.

Rusk describes Williamson as a 63-year old teacher at Heritage Intermediate school. He says he was the “friendliest guy, and a beast on the bike.”

And adds poignantly, “I will miss him.”

Anyone with information is urged to call the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department, a division of the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, at 909/477-2800; ask for Deputies B. Ogas or G. Coss Y Leon.

This is at least the 70th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

He is also the third bike rider killed in Ranch Cucamonga since the end of June.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for James Zoltan Williamson and all his loved ones. 

Thanks to Jeffrey Rusk and CLR Effect’s Michael Wagner for the heads-up.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Ebike rider killed in solo crash in Fontana, 10th SoCal bike rider killed just this month

August 23, 2022 / / 4 comments

Yet another bike rider has been killed, this time in Fontana.

And just three miles away and two days after another man was killed in Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday.

But at least this time, there wasn’t a driver involved.

The Fontana Herald News reports a man riding an ebike was killed in a solo crash when he hit a raised curb Sunday evening.

The crash apparently occurred on Foothill Boulevard, near where it passes underneath the Pacific Electric Trail, around 7:52 pm Sunday.

According to the Fontana police, the victim was found lying unconscious in the center lane of eastbound Foothill, with no pulse and suffering from serious head trauma.

He was revived and taken to the Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, where he died several hours later.

He has not been publicly identified yet.

A witness reports he hit the curb, then was thrown into the south wall of the Pacific Electric Trail bridge.

There’s no word on whether he was wearing a helmet, which might have made a difference in this case, depending on the speed of his ebike and the force with which he hit the wall.

This is at least the 61st bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in San Bernardo County.

He is also the 10th bike rider killed in Southern California just this month.

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

 

 

Category: General / Tags: , , ,

59-year old man killed riding bike in Adelanto hit-and-run; driver remains missing after abandoning her SUV

August 9, 2022 / / Comments Off on 59-year old man killed riding bike in Adelanto hit-and-run; driver remains missing after abandoning her SUV

Three crashes. Three deaths. Three counties. Two hit-and-runs.

All in less than 20 hours.

In a horrible weekend for the bicycling community, three innocent people were killed just because they were riding bicycles on Southern California streets.

The first came in Adelanto Saturday night, when a bike-riding man was killed in a hit-and run around 10:21 pm.

According to the Victorville News Group, 59-year old Adelanto resident Marty Sparling was crossing US Highway 395 at Cactus Road when he was struck by the driver of a 2008 Lincoln Navigator.

He was taken to a local hospital, where he died.

Police identified the vehicle through a license plate found at the scene, naming 38-year old Erika Romero-Aguilar of Adelanto as the driver. Her Navigator was later found abandoned nine miles away at the Pilot Truck Stop on Highway 395 in Hesperia.

Romero-Aguilar’s whereabouts remain unknown at this time.

Anyone with information is urged to call Deputy L. Torres at the Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station, 760/552-6800.

This is at least the 52nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the seventh that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

Seventeen of those deaths have been hit-and-runs.

My deepest prayers and sympathy for Marty Sparling and all his loved ones.

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

Woman riding on bike trail killed by alleged DUI driver in Rancho Cucamonga collision

June 28, 2022 / / 4 comments

Yet another bike rider has needlessly lost their life to an alleged drunk driver.

The Daily Bulletin is reporting that someone on a bicycle was struck by a driver while riding on the Pacific Electric Trail in Rancho Cucamonga Saturday evening.

According to the paper, 19-year old San Bernardino resident Jessica Carrillo allegedly ran a red light on Archibald Ave while the victim was crossing on the trail around 6:50 pm.

The Rancho Cucamonga Police Department reports the victim was riding west on the Pacific Electric Trail when she was run down as Carillo drove south on Archibald.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

A Facebook post identifies her as Debbie Morgan-Alam, a longtime member of the Ride Yourself Fit group.

Carillo remained at the scene, and was booked on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter, DUI causing injury and DUI causing injury with a blood alcohol content over .08 percent.

And proving once again that people on bicycles are at risk anywhere cars are present, even when riding on a fully separated pathway.

Anyone with information is urged to call San Bernardino Sheriff’s Deputies E. Rebollar or V. Peterson at 909/477-2800.

This is at least the 47th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Debbie Morgan-Alam and her loved ones.

Thanks to Victor Bale and Michael Wagner for the heads-up.

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

Bike rider killed in midnight Victorville collision; 43rd SoCal bike death this year

June 16, 2022 / / Comments Off on Bike rider killed in midnight Victorville collision; 43rd SoCal bike death this year

The carnage continues on Southern California streets.

According to the Victorville Daily Press, someone on a bicycle was killed in a collision shortly after midnight Wednesday.

The victim, who hasn’t been positively identified, was riding west on Silica Drive near Hesperia Road when they were rear-ended by the driver of a Ford Explorer around 12:48 am.

The victim died at the scene.

Unfortunately, there’s no word on whether the victim had lights on their bike, or if the driver of the SUV was distracted. Or if there was some other reason why the driver were apparently unable to see someone on a bicycle directly in front of them.

Anyone with information is urged to call Deputy M. Lee or Deputy R. Castillo at the Victorville Police Station at 760/241-2911.

This is at least the 43rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all their loved ones.

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

41-year old man riding bike killed by Colton hit-and-run driver; 13th SoCal bike rider killed by hit-and-run drivers this year

June 6, 2022 / / Comments Off on 41-year old man riding bike killed by Colton hit-and-run driver; 13th SoCal bike rider killed by hit-and-run drivers this year

Once again, someone on a bicycle has been murdered by a hit-and-run driver.

This time in Colton early Monday.

But unfortunately, that’s almost all we know.

According to the Daily Bulletin, the victim, identified only as a 41-year old man, was struck by a driver around 12:54 am near North Rancho Avenue and West Johnson Street.

He died at the scene.

There’s no word on how the crash occurred, or any information about the suspect or their vehicle at this time.

The driver should face a murder charge once they’re caught for making a conscious decision to leave another human being to die in the street.

But they won’t.

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

A full third of those deaths have been hit-and-runs.

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

Category: Injuries and Fatalities / Tags: , , ,

Rancho Cucamonga man killed in Upland collision with apparent Metrolink train Wednesday morning

May 13, 2022 / / Comments Off on Rancho Cucamonga man killed in Upland collision with apparent Metrolink train Wednesday morning

It seems like a collision with a train would be the easiest kind of crash to avoid.

Yet it still happens far more often than it should.

That was the case in Upland Wednesday morning, where the Fontana Herald News reports a 53-year old Rancho Cucamonga man was killed by a train.

The victim, identified as Leo Steven Beveridge, was struck by a train at the Metrolink crossing on Central Ave at 8:53 am, and pronounced dead at the scene nearly 40 minutes later.

It’s not clear from the limited information whether Beveridge was struck by a Metrolink train, or if other lines might use that same track.

There’s also no word on whether there was a working railroad crossing at the site, or why he would have been unaware of an oncoming train.

However, it’s a tragic reminder to never cross under or around crossing gates, or assume it’s safe to cross after one train passes, because there’s often another coming from the opposite direction.

This is at least the 35th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the third that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Leo Steven Beveridge and his loved ones. 

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