Tag Archive for Santa Clarita

Local LCI takes NPR bike/ped advice to task, San Bernardino sucks for biking and walking, and surreal NJ story gets more so

Day 279 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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I received a lot of news links over the weekend that I didn’t have time to get to for today’s post.

So if you sent me something, don’t worry. I’ll try to catch up on everything tomorrow.

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Longtime bike advocate, League Cycling Instructor, Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition member and NPR listener Colin Bogart gave the public radio network a piece of his mind.

Something I’ve had to stop doing because I don’t have many pieces left these days.

Bogart addressed a Life Kit article we touched on recently offering tips for bike and pedestrian safety, zeroing in on the problems with it much more effectively than I did.

Here’s just a portion of what he wrote.

I’m sure your intent was good, but there is so much we don’t do in our country to protect vulnerable road users that a piece like yours becomes victim blaming.  The advice isn’t inherently bad (well, some of it is), but in the context of how poorly we as a country prevent crashes, it becomes ridiculous if you don’t address drivers directly.

You mentioned in your piece, “DON’T put yourself in danger just because you have the right of way. While drivers are responsible for driving safely, road safety is everyone’s responsibility.” I could pick apart every single recommendation you gave, but this is the worst part of your piece. No bicyclist can ride on the road, no pedestrian can cross a street, without the expectation that one’s right of way will be respected. To then say that road safety is everyone’s responsibility ignores the imbalance between vulnerable road users and motor vehicle drivers. My responsibility as a bicyclist is NOT the same as someone driving a two ton vehicle capable of high speed. It simply isn’t the same. The responsibility of the driver is far greater. And that’s why we are required to have a driver’s license and insurance to operate a motor vehicle and we’re not required to be licensed to ride a bike or walk. But it doesn’t end with a license or an insurance payment. It extends to behavior on the road and drivers should be held to a much higher standard than they currently are. We’ve lost sight of the inherent differences between drivers and vulnerable road users by stating that we’re all equally responsible. That statement also doesn’t take into account children, the elderly, or people with disabilities. There should be more onus placed on licensed drivers, simply because the act of driving a motor vehicle creates the greater risk in the first place.

And yes, it’s worth clicking on the link to read the whole thing.

Preferably after reading the Life Kit piece, which seems pretty benign at first glance, until you give it a little more thought.

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Congratulations to San Bernardino on being named the nation’s fifth most dangerous city for bike riders and pedestrians, behind only Baton Rouge, Tucson, Las Vegas and Jacksonville, Florida.

On the other hand, Irvine and Santa Clarita deserve props for making the list of the top ten safest cities, led by New York and Boston.

Which will probably shock the hell out of New York bike riders.

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We keep learning more about the alleged intentional crash that killed two 17-year old girls riding an ebike in Cranford, New Jersey, just 18 miles from New York City.

He was allegedly driving 70 mph when he steered his car at the victims and slammed into them, nearly three times the posted 15 mph speed limit.

Authorities have not named the suspect because he’s still a minor. But that didn’t stop CNN and other outlets, naming a 17-year old boy who received 15 separate traffic tickets the afternoon of the crash, with details that line up with the accusations.

The New York Times says things took a surreal turn the night of the crash — as if the whole damn thing wasn’t surreal enough — when the alleged suspect broadcast live on YouTube.

“What’s going on everybody?” he said breezily. “We’re back with another stream and this one is going to be a little different from the previous ones.”

A few minutes later, he started to explain: “In a neighboring town, unfortunately, two girls were killed in a hit-and-run crash,” he said. “There has been a lot of misinformation going on over the internet. But I will say this: I wish my sincerest condolences to those girls, lost in that tragic accident.” He then said that he was “not authorized to talk about the whole thing,” and moved on.

No shit.

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Gravel Bike California goes riding with current gravel world champ and Paris-Roubaix winner Mathieu Van Der Poel.

Lucky bastards.

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

Life is cheap in Ukraine, where a 44-year old motorist was sentenced to a lousy 30 days behind bars for beating a Kyiv bicyclist unconscious, after the rider complained about his parking in a bike lane. Then again, they do have other things to worry about over there. 

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

A Singapore man riding an ebike killed an 88-year old woman by crashing into her as she walked in the street.

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Local 

Pasadena students are encouraged to walk, bike or roll to school on this Wednesday for National Walk and Roll to School Day.

 

State

A 70-year old man suffered serious injuries when he allegedly turned left in front of a pickup driver while riding his bike in San Diego’s Midway neighborhood.

A San Diego bike rider reportedly suffered a compound leg fracture when he was struck by a light rail trolley east of the Santa Fe Depot.

A 36-year old woman was busted for allegedly driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs for causing major injuries when she crashed into a 13-year old boy in Victorville.

Nearly 600 Palo Alto bicyclists rode to a local elementary school yesterday to promote safe rides to school and a more bicycle-friendly city.

 

National

A new 12-month randomized trial showed that fast bicycling can slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

NPR talks with retired US Ambassador to Ukraine George Kent about his cross-country bike ride to raise awareness and funds for the country’s war effort.

Police in Odessa, Texas arrested a man for beating a bike rider with a crowbar to steal his mountain bike.

Pittsburgh bike riders rode through the city to raise funds for local playgrounds in honor of an FBI agent killed in the line of duty in 1994.

A Hornell, New York man known locally as The Bikeman was honored as the city’s citizen of the year for donating 400 refurbished bikes so kids in need can ride; he’s donated 1,540 rebuilt bicycles over the past four years.

The witches are riding once again in Florida’s Delray Beach at the end of this month.

 

International

Results of a survey published in the journal Human Reproduction show that riding a bike with a padded saddle could reduce your chances of becoming a father, showing up to a 25% lower chance of getting a partner pregnant; riding a hard road saddle didn’t appear to have any effect. Which could cause a rush on padded bike seats among single straight men. 

Cycling Weekly says sometimes you’re better off not knowing about damage to your bike, suggesting willful ignorance for a stress-free ride, at least until something falls off or it stops working.

Cycling Weekly also recommends the best front and rear bike lights.

Momentum recommends “20 of the best under-the-radar cycling routes on the planet.” Because bicycling routes off the planet are just too hard to get to.

Bicycling and motorists groups each blamed the other for jumping a temporary red light in Oxfordshire, England, and who caused the greatest danger doing it. I know which one would get my vote.

London’s famed “Boris Bikes” bikeshare celebrated 15 years on the city’s streets with a photo contest, drawing photos showing the bikes at a wedding in Chelsea, a Coronation street party, St Paul’s Cathedral and a Regent’s Park sunset, among others.

A Welsh man ran a half marathon to raise the equivalent of nearly $27,000 for the air ambulance service that saved his life after he rode his mountain bike off a 70-foot cliff.

CNN talks with an English father and son who became TikTok stars after setting out to bike around the world, catching up to them on an off day in China.

Colnago teamed with Ferrari to build a $33,500 carbon-kevlar composite monocoque bike in the late ’80s. Or two, actually.

It’s happened again. A 22-year old British man was arrested for the alleged drunken crash that killed a 38-year old woman riding her ebike, then driving another eight blocks with her body embedded in his windshield before she finally fell out.

 

Competitive Cycling

European cycling teams tried once again, and failed, to beat Tadej Pogačar, as he soloed to victory in the European road championships with a 46-mile breakaway; Jonas Vingegaard was accused of not taking the race seriously enough by waiting too long to respond to Pogačar’s attack.

The bull has once again showed his horns, as 21-year old Mexican cyclist Issac Del Toro outsprinted Britain’s Tom Pidcock to win Italy’s 108th Giro dell’Emilia classic.

Noway’s Alexander Kristoff fell one short of 100 career wins before retiring, after injuries forced him to withdraw from Malaysia’s Tour de Langkawi when he crashed on the seventh stage.

 

Finally…

Nothing like bunny hopping all the way up the Eiffel Tower, one step at a time. Your next bicycle could measure just 3.34 inches — and yes, it’s fully functional.

And it’s probably not the best idea to get caught up in the middle of a grizzly bear chasing a herd of bighorn sheep.

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

Ghost bike vandalized after WeHo vote, bicycling man attacked ebiking 14-year old Santa Clarita kid, and bikes beat dementia

Day 265 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with some people?

The debate at West Hollywood City Hall that resulted in approval of the Complete Streets makeover of Fountain Ave last Monday was acrimonious.

To say the least.

And in any such debate, some people will inevitably be upset by the result. But why take that anger out on a memorial for a victim of traffic violence?

It was two months ago, nearly to the day, when Blake Ackerman’s ghost bike was installed, as his friends and loved ones, many of whom had flown in for his funeral, carefully attached photos and inscribed messages on the bike.

In the two months since, it has been carefully maintained, as someone — whether family members or friends — kept it clean and replaced the flowers before they could whither.

Then sometime after that contentious vote, some vindictive vandal destroyed all that.

According to the WeHo Times, the heartless destruction occurred sometime overnight, with the vandal ripping up photos and signs, dumping flowers and shattering vases. But at least they left the bike itself alone.

A photo taken the next morning showed shards from broken vase next to the sparse white bike.

It broke my heart to pass by in the days since, knowing the love and grief that had been poured into it.

So I resolved to buy a bunch of flowers to put on his bike, just to show that someone cared, and that hate and rage can’t be allowed to win.

But before I got there on Sunday, someone had beaten me to it, placing a small bunch of flowers in the basket, and adorning it with artificial white roses.

Maybe others in the community will be inspired to add to it, showing that we care, and sending a message that love is stronger than hate.

We can hope.

Or better yet, we can do it.

Thanks to Andrew for the heads-up. 

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It takes a major schmuck to assault a 14-year old kid.

And an even bigger one to attack the kid in an apparent case of bike rage, just because he didn’t like the way he got passed on a bike path.

I mean seriously, get over it already.

According to KTLA-5, the boy was riding ebikes with a friend on the San Francisquito Creek Trail in Santa Clarita around dusk last Wednesday, when they were startled to see a man riding his bike without lights just ahead of them.

They swerved around him, with one boy letting out a scream as them continued down the path.

But instead of leaving him behind, the man chased the kids, and knocked the victim off his bike when he caught up to him. Within seconds, the man was on top of him, repeatedly punching the kid with one hand while holding a knife in the other, shouting that he was going to kill him.

The boys then recorded the man stomping of the victim’s ebike, cutting the cables and slashing the tires as they cried out for help.

The attack only ended when a Good Samaritan stopped his car and got out to help, and the attacker slunk away into the night.

The boy, whose name has been withheld, was lucky to escape without serious injuries.

Sheriff’s deputies are looking for a muscular white man with a mustache in his 30s or 40s, who was riding an orange bicycle.

If you think you know this jerk, call the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at 661/260-4000

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If you want to keep a sharp mind as you age, ride a bike. That’s the conclusion of a new study showing bicycling dramatically reduces your risk of dementia.

According to CNN,

Riding a bike is associated with a 19% lower risk of all-cause dementia and a 22% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease, compared with taking nonactive travel modes such as a car, bus or train, found the study that assessed nearly 480,000 participants from Great Britain and published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Physical activity has long been associated with lower dementia risk in multiple studies, so much so that the 2024 Lancet Commissionidentified it as one of 14 factors responsible for preventing or delaying approximately 45% of dementia cases. More than 55 million people worldwide have dementia, a number expected to nearly triple by 2050.

So get pedaling.

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Local 

A 30-year old man was killed in a collision with an LAPD cop while riding a skateboard in Highland Park Friday night; the victim was riding in the center divider when the officer passed other traffic on the left while responding to a call without lights and siren.

 

State

An enterprising — or maybe desperate — Santa Fe, New Mexico bike rider started a fire to signal police, after he was the victim of a hit-and-run driver fleeing the cops after allegedly choking a family member; police arrested the 24-year old man on DUI and hit-and-run charges, as well as domestic violence and false imprisonment. Yet he was somehow still on the road despite three previous DUI convictions.

Fallen ebike rider and surf legend scion Kolby Aipa was honored with a traditional paddle out in Huntington Beach, as well as induction into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame.

Sad news from Santa Rosa, where an elderly bike rider was killed after stopping on the side Old Redwood Highway north of the city when an SUV driver drifted off the roadway.

 

National

Great idea. A couple of Hawaiian bicycling organizations are teaming with a funder to provide ebikes to victims of the Maui wildfire.

A 19-year old college sophomore from Belen, New Mexico is still missing, 37 years after she disappeared while on her daily 36-mile bike ride — and two years after police said they had made substantial progress in the case.

A four-person team of Wichita, Kansas bicyclists rode across the entire state in 24 hours, from Colorado to Missouri, raising $4,000 for refugees.

An Austin, Texas ebike rider is suing an autonomous vehicle company, alleging one of their delivery robots rolled out in front of him in a bike lane when he had the right-of-way.

It’s happened again. An alleged drunk driver slammed into a 38-year old woman riding an ebike in Gulfport, Florida, then drove eight blocks with her body lodged in his windshield; police arrested a 22-year old man a few miles away.

 

International

London is considering increasing the fines for scofflaw bicyclists who commit “dangerous, antisocial and nuisance cycling behaviors,” like repeatedly running red lights.

Momentum says London deliveries are getting a two-wheeled makeover from a massive cargo bike boom.

The infrastructure minister for my ancestral home says there are no plans “at this time” to require bike riders to wear helmets on the Isle of Man, just months after a failed proposal to ban bikes from a crowded mountain road.

A bicycle website takes the Irish Times newspaper to task for “stoking hostility between road users” as bicycling deaths reached a ten-year high, by publishing a letter reading “Sir, – on a recent visit to Dublin I saw a cyclist stopped at a red light. Is this a record?”

Grenoble, Strasbourg and Rennes have topped the list of bike friendly French cities since 2021, for your next trip to the land of wine and cheese.

 

Competitive Cycling

The Road Cycling World Championships are under way in Rwanda, with Remco Evenepoel winning his third consecutive time trial; Jay Vine finished second and Ilan van Wilder third, while Tadej Pogačar just missed the podium in fourth.

Swiss cyclist Marlen Reusser won the women’s time trial, with Anna van der Breggen second and her Dutch teammate Demi Vollering third.

Everyone competing in this year’s worlds will be required to carry a GPS tracker following the death last year of 18-year-old Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer, who lay unnoticed on the side of the road for an hour-and-a-half after falling in the junior women’s road race.

A Rwandan website says the story of Jean-Marie Vianney Gahemba, father of the country’s most decorated cyclist, shows just how far they have come.

A writer for Bike Radar found the “mismatched, beat-up” bike Tadej Pogačar rode to his first Continental victory, bearing “all the hallmarks of a U23 racer on a budget,” while demonstrating his talent was forged the hard way.

 

Finally…

Who needs pedals for a world biking championship? That feeling when a Nobel Laureate tells you to drink pickle juice to avoid cramps (scroll down), when he could have just recommended rotted herring.

And if you’re riding your bike with nearly 26 grams of coke, 8 grams of meth, and 2 grams of fentanyl stashed in your wallet, hatband and underwear, just obey the damn traffic laws, already.

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L’shana tovah to everyone celebrating tonight. 

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

Los Angeles: Not safe, but our drivers don’t suck as much as San Bernardino; and demand HLA bike lanes on Vermont

Just 83 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025. 

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A new WalletHub report ranks the 180 safest cities in America, based on 41 metrics, including traffic safety.

Not surprisingly, no Southern California city made the top ten, although Irvine checked in at number 11.

Yes, Irvine, followed by Chula Vista, Glendale and Santa Clarita in the top 30.

Needless to say, Los Angeles wasn’t. In fact, the City of Angels came in all the way down at — no, keep going — 162.

A whopping 18 from the very bottom, at the top of the lowly 10th percentile.

On a related note, another survey — this one from Consumer Affairs — concluded that Victorville has the second-worst drivers in the US, surpassed only by Memphis, Tennessee.

But San Bernardino wasn’t far behind, at 4th.

Neither of which should surprise anyone who’s familiar with this site, where both appear far too frequently.

Oddly, Los Angeles came in at exactly the same position as the safety study, at 162. But this time, that’s good news, because it means 161 other American cities have worse drivers than we do.

As hard as that may be to believe.

On the other hand, it also means over 130 other US cities have better drivers.

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In an update to yesterday’s lead item, Streetsblog says three meetings will be held over the next two days to discuss Metro’s proposal to add bus lanes — but no bike lanes or better sidewalks — to the Vermont Ave corridor.

Which means it’s your chance to put your foot down, and tell them to stop ducking their commitment to Measure HLA. And put in the damn bike lanes the mobility plan calls for, as they are now legally required to do.

Tuesday 10/8 and Wednesday 10/9 – Metro is hosting another round of community input meetings on its Vermont Transit Corridor project: long overdue improvements for a top ridership bus line. Streetsblog reviewed recent developments last week. Advocates are urging significant low-cost bus, walk, and bike upgrades for the entire ~12-mile project. Metro is looking at initially adding bus lanes for about half the corridor. Show up and let Metro know what you think. Three Vermont meetings this week:

It’s also a reminder that Streetsblog is usually your best source for the latest information on active transportation and transit meetings and activities every week.

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Which kind of leads us into this next item, as Streets For All urges you to show up for Wednesday’s LA City Council Public Works Committee meeting, where our select electeds will consider proposals to halt automatic street widening, and require better quality bollards.

But for buildings, not bicycles.

Although maybe we could talk them into protecting us humans someday, too.

There are two important items (#2 and #3) at Wednesday’s Public Works Committee meeting; Item 2 would stop automatic road dedications that make our roads more dangerous and drive up the cost of housing, and Item 3 would protect buildings with quality bollards (we want the same protection for bike lanes!) In-person public comment is the most effective:
Public Works Committee
1:30pm, Wednesday 10/9
City Hall, Room 401
200 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

If you can’t make it in person, send in your comments prior to the meeting.

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The City of Los Angeles offers a reminder about this Sunday’s CicLAvia, which returns to the Heart of LA.

https://twitter.com/LACity/status/1843380939394625754

And yes, SAFE will be there.

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Peter Flax answers the eternal question of why bicyclists don’t use the damn bike lane.

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Had to look it up, but yes, he really said it.

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Famed cyclist Danny MacAskill took his stunt riding skills to Adidas HQ — no, not just riding at it, riding on it.

And, uh, off.

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It’s now 293 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And an even 40 months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

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

A local Indiana TV station somehow blames an 11-year old boy for running into the side of a moving car on his bicycle, without apparently considering the possibility that the driver cut off the kid or drove way too close to him.

Unbelievable. There’s a special place in hell for the hit-and-run driver who fled the scene with a bike-riding Avon, Connecticut high school student trapped on their car; the heartless driver stopped four miles away to push the badly injured teen off the roof the vehicle’s roof.

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

Police in Osaka, Japan are investigating how a drunk off-duty cop got ahold of the bicycle he threw at a moving taxi. And yes, why.

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Local  

The sister of fallen bicyclist Danny Oerlemans is asking anyone with information about the two heartless cowards who needlessly took his life in a pair of Northridge hit-and-runs last month to come forward so he doesn’t become just another statistic; he was just riding his bike to get cat food when they ran him down and over, leaving him to die alone in the street.

SoCal Cycling considers how bicycles are revolutionizing the coffee business.

Proposed new signage for the Venice boardwalk makes it clear that no electric vehicles — ebikes, hoverboards or electric skateboards — or bicycles are allowed.

 

State

Calbike recaps the bicycling wins and loses from this year’s legislative session.

San Diego’s KPBS explains the county’s Measure G, which would add a half cent to the local sales tax to fund transportations projects, with the bulk going to public train and bus lines and operations, while flushing a quarter of the funds down the induced-demand inducing toilet. And apparently, nothing for bike lanes.

Evidently, young tourists love bicycling in the California wine country. But actually drinking the stuff, not so much.

 

National

A new grant program from State Bicycle Co. will provide cash, gear and yes, bikes to independent filmmakers to bring unique bicycling stories to life.

Bicycling looks at the best October Prime Day deals on bicycling gear. This one doesn’t seem to be available anywhere else, so you’re on your own if the magazine blocks you — but they probably won’t, because they likely get a piece of any clickthrough sales.

Arkansas has opened a new network of bikepacking trails, which can be combined to form routes up to 260 miles.

There’s not a pit in hell deep enough for whoever stole the adaptive bicycle a North Carolina teenager with autism and Down syndrome relied on to get to school.

 

International

Momentum wants to school you on how to lock up your bicycle. And how not to.

Bike Radar looks at the best cheap road bikes retailing for less than £750 — a little less than $1,000.

How to buy a cheap ebike this year, from government-backed loans to finding a good deal. Although this advice is for the UK, so California’s notoriously moribund ebike rebate program won’t hold you back.

Seriously? The investigation into the death of a Irish woman has been delayed for six months, so investigators can go to the UK because the software they need to view dashcam video belonging to the truck driver that killed her isn’t available anywhere on the Emerald Isle.

An architecture site examines what lead the Netherlands to become a bicycling Utopia. Which is a very odd way to put it.

 

Competitive Cycling

Good question. Cyclinguptodate wants to know why there are no American races on the UCI WorldTour.

Bicycling says Slovenian cycling star Tadej Pogačar isn’t the GOAT yet, but the cannibal should be watching his back. Read it on AOL this time if the magazine blocks you. 

 

Finally…

That feeling when you offer to help the gravel-grinding new cycling GOAT, and he drops you like freshman English. If your Halloween costume doesn’t revolve around a bicycle, maybe you should rethink it.

And if history had gone a little differently, you might be riding something like this today.

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

Update: Man killed riding bicycle in Santa Clarita Saturday afternoon; at least the 32nd bicycling death in LA County this year

Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be any end to the danger on our streets this year.

That was driven home yet again in Santa Clarita Saturday afternoon, when a man was killed in a collision while riding his bicycle.

According to The Signal, the victim was struck by the driver of a Mini Cooper around 12:42 pm at Market Street and Railroad Ave.

While he was down on the street, the man, who has not been publicly identified, was then run over by another driver. He died at the scene.

Both drivers reportedly remained following the crash.

There’s no word on where in the intersection the crash occurred, or how the initial collision happened.

However, raw video from the scene appears to show the Mini Cooper stopped in front of a building on the northwest side of the intersection, with the victim’s body blurred out on the corner.

Which should serve as a warning to be careful deciding whether you really want to click on the link.

This is at least the 66th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 32nd that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.

Update: The victim has been identified as 42-year old Franklin Mejia.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Franklin Mejia and his loved ones. 

Update: 17-year old ebike rider killed by Bud Light truck driver in Santa Clarita Monday; 5th SoCal bicycling death in 6 days

At least this time it wasn’t a hit-and-run.

The Santa Clarita Valley Signal is reporting that someone was killed while riding a bicycle in Valencia this morning.

The victim, who has not been publicly identified, was apparently riding on southbound McBean Parkway at Skycrest Circle Drive when they were struck by the driver of a Bud Light semi-truck around 9 am Monday.

He died at the scene.

Unfortunately, no other details are available at this time. Hopefully, we’ll learn more soon.

This is at least the 40th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the ninth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.

The victim was also the fifth person killed while riding a bicycle in SoCal since Wednesday.

Update: KTLA-5 has identified the victim as a 17-year Santa Clarita resident Louie Alexander Barba.

The station reports he was riding an ebike, though it’s unclear if that had anything to do with the crash. 

The station places the crash at Decoro Drive and McBean Parkway in Santa Clarita, rather than two blocks away at McBean Parkway and Skycrest Circle Drive. 

Update 2: I receive the following email from Nina Moskol, of BikeLA chapter Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition, which adds some context to the story.

As of now, there are no particulars that we have received to share regarding the crash, other than the crash location. It could be noted however, that the area where the crash occurred is posted for 45 mph traffic with 3 lanes apiece traveling north and southbound. Named as a parkway, motor and truck traffic are often traveling on it at highway speeds. The parkway is flanked on either side with sidewalk, and oversized sidewalks, referred to here as paseos, which are intended for pedestrians and cyclists to use. Sidewalk riding is legal in this part of the city.

Unfortunately, it looks like the crash occurred in an uncontrolled intersection. This parkway is really hard for pedestrians and cyclists to cross, unless at a signalized crosswalk or via the nearby bike/ped bridge.

The nearest signalized intersections would have been a few tenths of a mile away from Skycrest, where the crash happened, and the only bike/ped bridge is further north of where the crash occurred too, serving a park and elementary school. If he was traveling to school at COC, this bridge would have been in the opposite direction of his intended destination. Regardless of the travel choices to make, the teen cyclist never had a chance against a semi-tractor trailer.

A crowdfunding page to benefit his family has raised over $35,000, far exceeding the $21,000 goal.

According to the page, Barba was riding his bike to school at the Academy of the Canyons, where he was in his final year of high school. 

They describe him this way — 

Louie was not just any teenager; he was a beacon of joy, hope, and dreams. A brilliant student, he was adored by his peers, teachers, and every life he touched. Those hallways of the Academy will surely miss his infectious laughter, his unwavering dedication to learning, and his unforgettable presence.

But school was just one facet of Louie’s vibrant life. The great outdoors was his playground. Whether it was skiing down snowy slopes, cycling through mountainous terrains, fishing under the serene sky, or camping under the stars, Louie was happiest when he was amidst nature. And what made these experiences even more precious was the company of his beloved family. Louie leaves behind his mother, Oksana; sister, Ivanna; father, Louie; and stepfather, Chris.

SCVBC is planning on placing a Ghost Bike near the crash site on Monday at or around 7pm.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Louie Alexander Barba and all his family and loved ones.

More Bike Week news, bikes and accessibility at PCSC next month, and LA gets new electric bike lane sweeper

More Bike Week news.

The Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition is teaming with Day One to host a free evening taco ride tonight.

Pasadena’s Day One is hosting a bike-in movie Saturday night, screening Together We Cycle, a documentary about the history of bicycling in the Netherlands.

Santa Clarita is hosting a Bike to Work Week Challenge for businesses and their employees, including five pit stops on Thursday’s Bike to Work Day.

Metro is sponsoring a series of Bike Week events —

UCLA Bike Week Commuter Event

  • May 18 @ 8:30 am – 10:30 am
  • Perloff Hall at UCLA, 1317 Portola Plaza
  • Los Angeles, CA 90095 United States

It’s Bike Week! Come to Perloff Hall to learn more about Metro Bike Share at UCLA.

Bike Share 101: Bike Safety Basics at UCLA Bike Week (In-Person Class)

  • May 18 @ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
  • UCLA LuValle Commons, 398 Portola Plaza
  • Los Angeles, CA 90095 United States
  • RSVP HERE

The BEST Bike Share 101: Bike Safety Basics class, presented by Metro, Metro Bike Share, and LA County Bicycle Coalition, is a 1.5-hour in-person class where you will learn how to navigate the Metro Bike Share system and improve your safety while riding Metro Bike Share on campus. RSVP REQUIRED.

Bike to Work Day Celebration

  • May 19 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
  • Union Station, 800 N Alameda St
  • Los Angeles, CA 90012 United States

Ride Metro Bike Share to work on Bike to Work Day! Stop by our booth in Union Station East for free coffee, pastries, and passes for FREE 30-minute rides.

Bike to Work Day Lunch Community Ride

  • May 19 @ 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
  • Union Station West Portal, 834 N Alameda St
  • Los Angeles, CA United States

Are you a bike commuter? Do you work from home and want to get out for a bike ride? The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and Metro Bike Share invite you to celebrate National Bike to Work Day with a short, fun-filled lunch hour bike ride sponsored by Metro’s Bicycle Education Safety Training (BEST) Program. Join us at Union Station, where we’ll ride along to Chinatown and the LA State Historic Park to enjoy a tasty fresh lunch.

3rd & Santa Fe Pop-Up

  • May 21 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
  • 3rd & Santa Fe, 999 E Third Street
  • Los Angeles, CA 90033 United States

Are you looking to visit the Arts District this weekend? Visit our table at 3rd & Santa Fe and get a free 1-Ride pass for you and your friends.

In addition, Metro is offering a one-year Metro Bike bikeshare pass for $75 this Thursday and Friday only.

You can find still more Bike Week news in yesterday’s post, in case you missed it.

Photo by Ana Arantes from Pexels.

……….

Bike accessibility advocate Megan Lynch will be speaking at next month’s meeting of the Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition.

https://twitter.com/may_gun/status/1526308359820914688

As she notes, her appearance builds on the successful panel discussion she hosted at last month’s Calbike summit.

………

Apparently, Los Angeles has a new electric bike lane sweeper.

Now we just need more bike lanes to sweep.

https://twitter.com/TorresKristen/status/1526252066909216768

………

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

No bias here. NFL quarterback Tom Brady rode a bikeshare bike through the streets of New York over the weekend, but all anyone seemed to notice is he wasn’t wearing a helmet.

No bias here, either. Bike riders in a British city decry plans to cope with periodic flooding by removing a bike lane to make room for the flood waters, rather than actually dealing with the problem.

Or here. Scottish bike riders criticize an Edinburgh website for posting a video purporting to show a bike rider racing through a roundabout, which has obviously been speeded up to make it appear far more dangerous than it was. While ignoring the real problem of the person on the soundtrack singing about how he’d like to run the rider down with his truck.

………

Local

Los Angeles looks at the battle between challenger Dulce Vasquez and incumbent Curren Price for LA’s CD9 council seat.

Streetsblog’s SGV Connect podcast talks with bike-riding state Senator Anthony Portantino, who has sponsored legislation requiring communities to make progress on bicycle and pedestrian planning, as well as talking with the leaders of the very active Active SGV.

 

State 

A San Diego man was shot in the leg following an argument with another man in the city’s Logan Heights neighborhood, before the shooter made his getaway on a bicycle.

 

National

The Biden administration is sending out $5 billion to cities and localities to address the rising traffic death toll on our streets by by “slowing down cars, carving out bike paths and wider sidewalks and nudging commuters to public transit” under the Transportation Department’s new Safe Streets & Roads for All program. Needless to say, right wing Breitbart News does not approve.

Mas mojitos, por favor! Bicycling says drinking mint could make you faster in the summer heat. As usual, read it on Yahoo if Bicycling blocks you.

A writer for Electrek says “acoustic bikes” are incredible, but he only rides ebikes for transportation.

Cosmo offers their picks for the best cruiser bikes, with prices starting at just $190. Although that’s for a Huffy, so “best” may be relative.

Kindhearted Spokane cops replaced a seven-year old girl’s stolen bicycle after a group of teens pushed her off and rode off with it.

In a sign of pent-up demand, it only took three weeks for buyers to max out Denver’s new ebike rebate program. A fate that’s likely to befall California’s $10 million ebike rebate program as well, once it kicks off later this summer.

Nice gesture from the Pro Football Writers of America, who gave a lifetime achievement award to former Denver Broncos and New York Jets assistant coach Greg Knapp, who was killed in a collision while riding his bike in San Ramon last summer.

Houston is holding its annual Bike Summit for the first time since it was cancelled by the pandemic, amid calls to do more to improve and maintain the city’s bikeways. Los Angeles held a bike summit once. And needs to do it again.

More on the murder of rising gravel cyclist Moriah Wilson, who was shot to death in Austin, Texas last week while preparing for Saturday’s Gravel Locos race in Hico, Texas.

Once again, an elderly driver has taken the life of an innocent victim, as an 85-year old Oklahoma woman ran down a popular dentist from behind as he was riding his bike; investigators described it as “unfortunate,” while saying it’s unclear why she didn’t see him. Once again raising the question of how old is too old to drive.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland has withdrawn a request for the death penalty for the truck-driving terrorist who killed eight people by speeding down a New York bike path, opting for life in prison instead of the death penalty requested by former Trump AG Jeff Sessions.

Unbelievable. The driver who killed a man and woman riding in a green bike lane on Miami’s Rickenbacker Causeway has been ticketed, but isn’t facing charges for their deaths; meanwhile, advocates call for safety improvements on the deadly bridge. Because evidently, killing two innocent people while breaking traffic laws is just an oopsie.

 

International

The United Nations is marking next month’s World Bicycle Day with a set of ten bicycle postage stamps. Raise your hand if, like me, you had no idea the UN had its own post office.

Treehugger says there’s an ebike and cargo bike revolution happening, and cities need to catch up with bike storage solutions to accommodate them. Add adaptive bikes to that list, too; as Megan Lynch has pointed out, bike parking for non-traditional bikes is woefully lacking.

More proof that not even physically separated bikeways are safe from reckless drivers, after a Toronto bike rider was left with life-altering injuries when a driver lost control of their car, jumped the curb, crossed a grass divider, and struck the victim on a bike trail before slamming into a guard rail. Sounds like maybe the guard rail was on the wrong side of the pathway.

The Conversation asks if New Zealand’s new budget will be another lost opportunity to get drivers out of their cars.

 

Competitive Cycling

LA’s Bahati Foundation, founded by Compton’s multiple US crit champ Rahsaan Bahati, is sponsoring five young people of color in this summer’s SBT GRVL race in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to “help broaden their cycling experience and bring diversity to gravel’s starting line.” Unfortunately, this one doesn’t seem to be available on Yahoo, so you’re on your own if Bicycling blocks you.

 

Finally…

Hide your AirTag inside your tire. That feeling when you catch a bike thief in the act, and the cops never show up.

And turn your bike into an ebike with a pocket-sized battery. As long as you have a very big pocket, that is.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin, too.

Update: Man killed riding bike near Santa Clarita in Canyon Country; victim ID’d as popular Rapha ride leader

Please make it stop.

The deadliest year in memory got even worse, when someone was killed riding their bike in Canyon Country this afternoon.

According to KTLA-5, the victim was struck by a driver around 12:45 pm on the 21500 block of Sand Canyon Road near Santa Clarita.

They were pronounced dead roughly 45 minutes later, apparently the result of head trauma.

There’s no word on the identity of the victim, or what may have caused the crash. There’s also no information on the driver, raising the possibility they may have fled the scene.

Hopefully we’ll learn more soon.

This is at least the 33rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 12th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County.

Update: This story is still developing. I received the following email from Hamid Valai with additional information contradicting much of. the earlier reports.

Hi Ted, thank you so much for reporting on our deadly streets.  I rolled on the accident scene in Santa Clara today minutes after it had happened.

First, the news is wrong.  This did not happen in Sand Canyon.  It happened on the Santa Clara Truck Trail, about a mile south of Fire Department Camp 9 (who first responded to the scene).  Here is a Google maps link of the accident site.

I had just met this group minutes before the accident and talked to the victim while we were filling up our bottles at the Fire Department mentioned above.  I didn’t get his name, but he was a really nice guy who told me about all the trails in the area (I was visiting this area and not really familiar with it).  They descended The Santa Clara Truck Trail a couple of minutes before me.  I was devastated to roll on to the accident scene.

Also, the driver did not flee the scene.  He was on the phone with 911 on speaker phone, while they gave CPR instructions to the cyclist’s friend.  He was probably in his late 20’s or early 30’s driving  a BMW convertible.  The front windshield was destroyed along with other front-end damage from the impact.

I did not see the accident.  I have no idea who was at fault.  All I know is that it happened around a tight bend in the road, where you have no idea who’s coming around the corner.

You can see my Strava post with some pictures and my description.

This was absolutely devastating.  A wonderful day or riding turned tragic.  I just attended the Andrew Jemel memorial ride last week in Griffith Park.  As an avid cyclist, this is very disturbing.  Thanks for all the help in reporting on cycling fatalities.

Update 2: The victim has been identified as 37-year old Los Angeles resident John Hermoso

Update 3: Phil Gaimon added this to what we know. 

Update 4: Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for the CHP to blame the victim

According to a CHP spokesperson, Hermoso was riding on the wrong side of the road as he rounded a blind curve, and slammed into the driver’s BMW, which was traveling at a sedate 15 mph. 

Yes, 15 miles per hour. Which seems pretty damn unlikely. 

It also doesn’t make sense that an experienced ride leader would take a blind curve on the wrong side of the road. Or that a collision with a vehicle traveling at 15 mph would result in fatal injuries, especially for a helmeted rider, unless he was traveling downhill at an extreme rate of speed. 

What makes far more sense is that both Hermoso and the driver were hugging the centerline, and traveling at far more than 15 mph. And that the CHP investigated with their usual windshield bias. 

But we’ll never know what really happened until we hear from the other people on the ride. 

And shamefully, Rapha Los Angeles has still had nothing to say about the tragedy

My deepest sympathy and prayers for John Hermoso and al his loved ones.

Thanks to Hamid Valai and Michael Kim for the heads-up.

Morning Links: DIY red cup protected bike lanes today, LA traffic deaths up despite Vision Zero, and a busy bike weekend

It’s National Red Cup Project Day. 

So go out and stake out your own protected bike lane by using your favorite brand of plastic red cups to mark your favorite bike lane for just a few bucks.

And knowing LA drivers, for just a few minutes before they run them over anyway.

But still.

Then send me the photos or video, and I’ll post them on here.

………

Good piece from the LA Times’ Laura Nelson, who writes that, despite Vision Zero, traffic fatalities are up significantly in Los Angeles; advocates blame inaction by the city and a lack of commitment to improve safety if it means inconveniencing drivers.

I’d say that about sums it up.

………

It’s a busy bike weekend in the LA area.

Culver City is looking for volunteers to clean up Ballona Creek on Saturday, presumably including the bike path.

Councilmember Bob Blumenfield hosts his annual Blumenfield Bike Ride in Reseda Saturday morning.

Long Beach’s popular Beach Streets open streets event takes place on Saturday, as well.

And the ever-popular CicLAvia rolls through the streets of Wilmington on Sunday, with their first event of 2015.

………

KCBS-2 looks forward to Monday’s arrival of LA’s first two-way bike lane on Spring Street in DTLA.

Although unlike the photo they use to illustrate the story, it probably won’t be cobbled.

………

Kindhearted Santa Clarita sheriff’s deputies surprised a young boy with a new bike after his was stolen; credit the local Bicycle John’s outpost for donating the bike.

Thanks to Nina Moskol, Chairperson of the Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition for the heads-up.

Speaking of Santa Clarita, the city’s mayor looks forward to next month’s visit by the Amgen Tour of California, while encouraging residents to explore the city by bicycle.

And a columnist for The Signal decries a “relative bloodbath of pedestrian and bicycle accidents” in the area, saying more must be done to improve safety, especially on busy six-lane McBean Parkway.

………

Today’s common theme: mountain bikes.

Recently retired football great Rob Gronkowski is one of us; Bicycling offers a little unsolicited advice as he takes up mountain biking.

Congratulations to gun maker Smith & Wesson, whose attempt to enter the mountain bike market ranks 41st on USA Today’s list of the 50 worst product flops of all time.

Finishing our mountain bike trifecta, Outside offers seven tips for beginning mountain bikes, whether or not they answer to Gronkowski.

But wait, there’s more!

The Orange County Register’s David Whiting takes a docent-led mountain bike tour through the volunteer-managed Irvine Ranch Conservancy, which he says most people have never heard of, even though at 40,000 acres it’s nearly as big as Bryce Canyon National Park and even more spectacular.

………

Local

Spectrum News 1 is the latest LA news outlet to look at the city’s new program to install permanent memorials to fallen bicyclists.

A former LA city planner states the obvious, suggesting that LA traffic congestion is only going to get worse and that solutions like walking and biking remain woefully underfunded, without the safe infrastructure necessary to make them work. However, he also blames increased density and transit oriented development, as well as reduced parking requirements, calling them frauds, without citing evidence to back it up.

An op-ed in the LA Daily News says California drivers won’t willingly give up their cars.

This is who we share the beach with. A woman tells what it was like to get run over by an LAPD SUV while sunbathing on Venice Beach.

Santa Monica’s Breeze bikeshare program could be on the chopping block due to competition from dockless bikes and e-scooters, as the city faces budget cuts and layoffs under a program to speed payment of its $448 million unfunded pension liability. 

He gets it. An op-ed from the vice chair of the Long Beach Transit board of directors says everyone deserves safe streets.

This is who we share the roads with. A Long Beach bus driver faces charges for sideswiping more than a dozen cars while driving at three times the legal alcohol limit.

Signal Hill police will be cracking down on violations that endanger bike riders and pedestrians net month.

 

State

California’s Complete Streets bill moves forward after passing through the Senate Transportation Committee; SB127 would require Caltrans to consider the safety of all road users on any state-owned road.

That’s more like it. An El Cajon woman driving with a suspended license got three years behind bars for the hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a nine-year old boy who was riding his bike to school.

A San Diego TV station says bike riders and skaters at a new pump track think the park isn’t big enough for both of them.

A 75-year old Indian Wells man was hospitalized with significant injuries after he somehow crashed into the back of a parked city van Thursday morning.

Riverside sheriff’s deputies are still on the lookout for the red light-running hit-and-run driver who killed a 21-year old Eastvale man as he was biking home from work five years ago; deputies originally arrested a man who admitted to driving while “drunk out of his mind” and thought he had hit something that night, but phone records placed him miles from the crash site.

The speeding driver in the Sunnyvale crash who intentionally rammed eight pedestrians and bike riders as they waited at a red light was reportedly suffering from PTSD from his time in the Army; witnesses said they heard him repeatedly moan “Thank you, Jesus” following the crash.

 

National

A tax bill pending in Congress could mean an extra $53 a month in your pocket for commuting by bike.

Fast Company says people only realized just how much they’d miss ebikes after they were taken away.

Breaking a sweat today can provide health benefits up to a decade later.

An Oregon weekly offers its annual bicycling edition, with stories ranging from BMX and gravel grinding to low stress bicycle networks.

Phoenix says what’s a few traffic deaths between friends, bucking the national trend by voting not to adopt a Vision Zero plan.

A new study from an Arizona professor recommends leading bicycle intervals or split LBIs to reduce the risk of collisions with right-turning drivers.

Colorado comedian Wally Wallace discusses the second edition of his bicycle and comedy festival in tiny Trinidad CO, choosing the city of slightly more than 8,000 people because it’s halfway between Los Angeles and Chicago by train.

A Boise, Idaho bike cop is about to log 100,000 miles on his bike.

A Minneapolis transportation columnist says if you want a happy commute, travel by bicycle.

The NYPD is cracking down on red light-running bike riders, after a woman suffered a fractured skull that left her in a coma when she was struck by a food delivery rider who blew through the light. Seriously, unless you live in Idaho or Arkansas, stop for the damn red light, already — especially when pedestrians are present.

A DC website says it’s very charitable to conclude that the cop who hit a bike rider as he rode in a crosswalk actually had the right-of-way, as the local police insist.

Life is cheap in North Carolina, where a speeding driver who killed an 18-year old basketball star while he was riding his bike walked with just 75 days behind bars — and even that was suspended.

A travel writer visiting New Orleans says bikeshare is a surprisingly good way to tour the city.

 

International

Research papers usually tell just half the story about exercise science, since they too often leave women out of the equation, according to a Cycling Weekly writer.

Heartbreaking video from England, where a balance bike-riding three-year old became collateral damage in a road rage dispute between two drivers; remarkably, the truck driver who killed him was cleared of wrongdoing. Evidently, road rage is perfectly legal in the UK, even if it kills an innocent person.

You’ve got to be kidding. Life is cheap in Britain, where a “remorseless” hit-and-run driver walks without a single day behind bars for leaving a triathlete with serious injuries after deliberately cutting in front of her bike — and saying she deserved it, calling it karma, for the crime of delaying his car for a few moments. Let’s wish him well, because karma’s got a nasty way of coming back to bite you in the ass.

Seriously? Japan Today points out the dangers of reckless bicycling, while noting that police blame bike riders for “nearly 100%” of crashes with pedestrians. While we have an obligation to ride safely around people on foot, anyone who’s ever had someone step off a curb or turn around in front of them knows that’s pretty damned unlikely.

The Japanese man whose wife and three-year old daughter were killed when their bike was struck by an 87-year old driver calls attention to elderly people who can no longer drive safely. We’ve got to find a better way to identify unsafe drivers and take the keys out of their hands. Because despite what Elon Musk says, self-driving cars are a long way off.

 

Finally…

When you’re sexually harassed by your e-scooter.  Here’s your chance to tour Winterfell by bike.*

And yes, I would.

In a heartbeat.

*dragons not included

Morning Links: LACBC Open House tonight, and Amgen Tour of California gets Santa Clarita to Pasadena finish

It’s Day 14 of the 4th Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive.

Your support keeps SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy coming your way every day.

And allows me to devote whatever I have left on this planet trying to make it a better place for people on two wheels. 

Anything you can give helps, and is truly and deeply appreciated!

………

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition will celebrate their 20th anniversary tonight with an Open House at LACBC headquarters on Spring Street in DTLA.

The event is open to members only. However, you’re welcome to join the LACBC at the door if you’d like to attend.

………

Evidently, we got it right.

The Amgen Tour of California announced the host cities for next year’s race, starting in Sacramento on May 12th, and ending with a final stage from Santa Clarita to Pasadena a week later.

But you already knew that last part.

Or at least you did if you read BikinginLA yesterday.

After noting that the Daily Breeze posted, then removed, a story about that final stage, we speculated that the paper may have jumped the gun on a news embargo by the race.

Sure enough, when the stages for next year were announced this morning, they included the aforementioned final stage.

So congratulations if you read that before the official announcement was made.

You got a jump on cycling fans around the world.

………

Forget singletrack. Try mountain biking down ramps, jumps and endless flights of stairs at breakneck speed through the alleyways of Medellin, Columbia.

Sort of like this.

Okay, maybe exactly like that.

………

This one is pretty self-explanatory.

Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

………

Local

The LA City Council will vote next Tuesday to raise speed limits on 67 streets around the city to comply with the deadly and outdated 85th Percentile Law.

Marketplace looks at LA’s efforts to bring e-scooters and dockless bikeshare to Boyle Heights and other lower income neighborhoods.

Bike SGV says Metro is scheduled to vote this morning on an unhealthy, unsustainable package of auto-centric proposals to replace the now-cancelled 710 Freeway extension.

Not even a Welcome to Glendale sign  is safe from traffic violence.

 

State

Safe Routes to School is hiring a Southern California policy manager.

A Los Altos bicyclist says one size does not fit all when it comes to bike lanes. Or paths.

‘Tis the season. A group of St. Helena bike riders greet Santa Claus on the city’s kickoff to the holidays.

 

National

Walt Disney was one of us. So was Sylvia Plath.

Bike Snob argues for not wearing a bike helmet, saying you don’t have to wear one just because the pros do. On the other hand, you don’t have to not wear one just because he says so.

Quartz says scientists are still debating whether drivers pass helmet-wearing bicyclists closer than non-helmeted riders.

Bicycling continues their profiles of people who made positive changes in their lives through bicycling, like this man who was pushing 400 pounds before he lost 150 after he started riding.

A new study being conducted by Portland State University will look at how bicycle and pedestrian street improvements affect retailers and other businesses.

More proof that drivers are the same everywhere, as Albuquerque NM traffic engineers are working on keeping cars out of a new bike and pedestrian crossing, because motorists keep ignoring the posted No Motor Vehicles signs.

A bike rider found dead on a Boulder CO bike path in October died of a meth overdose.

She gets it. A Lincoln NE letter writer says it’s cheaper for the city to go into debt to build a bike lane than pay for injured bike riders because they didn’t.

Memphis gets a road diet right, reducing a five lane boulevard in the medical district to three lanes, with wheel stop-protected bike lanes, hi-viz crosswalks and self-watering planters.

NYPD officials refuse to call the thumb tack attack on a city bike a terrorist attack, settling for describing it as a nasty crime. And insist they’re taking it seriously.

A New York driver was arrested for hit-and-run, even though the cops were probably at fault in the crash for parking in a bike lane, which forced the victim to swerve her bike around their van.

 

International

Modacity offers photographic proof that it is possible to take your Christmas tree home on a bicycle. And lots of people do it.

Great idea. Vancouver’s Spikes on Bikes program uses trained volunteers on bicycles to spot homeless people suffering from drug overdoses, and intervene in time to save their lives.

Calgary is overcoming growing pains in their two-year pilot program with Lime’s dockless bikeshare.

Fourteen bike riders from the UK combined to ride 4,200 miles in just four days, raising the equivalent of nearly $45,000 for cancer research; riders included a former Olympic-level cyclist recovering from a life-threatening brain injury.

A road raging British traffic instructor loses his job after being convicted of running a bike rider off the road because he had the audacity to ride in it.

Now they’re just showing off. The transport minister in the Netherlands is going far beyond Vision Zero to set a goal of no traffic collisions at all.

A market study for a newly opened New Zealand bike shop predicts that ebikes will make up 80% of bike sales in the country within five years.

 

Competitive Cycling

British Cycling is using Zwift to identify the next British cycling star with a 3D virtual reality eRacing Championship next February.

The San Francisco Chronicle says summer won’t sound the same without Paul Sherwen.

 

Finally…

Maybe there really is a conspiracy to keep mountain bikes skittish. How to match your bike to your kit instead of the other way around.

And reviewing bike helmets is one thing. Firsthand testing by crashing headfirst into a pile of rocks is another.

And not particularly recommended.

……….

Thanks to Kevin G, Robert K, Amanda G and Stephen C for their generous donations to the BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive

Morning Links: Englander proposes temporary dockless bikeshare ban, and BOLO Alert in El Monte hit-and-run

Not everyone is welcoming dockless bikeshare to Los Angeles.

CD12 Councilmember Mictch Englander has introduced a motion that would ban any dockless bikeshare programs in the city, with the exception of pilot projects sponsored by various councilmembers.

The motion calls on the city to develop guidelines for any future dockless programs, as well as penalties for providers who fail to live up to those standards.

This would allow existing programs from LimeBike and Ofo to continue in the port cities and Griffith Park, respectively, but could prohibit the LimeBikes at Cal State Northridge from being taken off campus.

While the motion seems a little heavy-handed, the experiences in other cities make it clear that unregulated dockless programs invite problems, along with the inevitable bikelash from people who find the bikes on their lawns or blocking the sidewalk.

Let alone in their trees or swimming pools.

Hopefully Englander and the council can find a way to develop effective regulations without stifling the growth of what could be a very effective way to reduce motor vehicle traffic.

Thanks to TJ Knight for the heads-up.

………

Police in El Monte are asking the public to be on the alert to help find a hit-and-run driver who critically injured a bike rider.

Thanks to Tim Rutt for the tip.

………

There will be a pair of public meetings next month to discuss a proposal to convert Pasadena’s Orange Grove Blvd into a complete street.

………

A man riding a bicycle was injured in a collision near the Calgrove onramp to the 5 Freeway in Santa Clarita; no word on his condition.

Nina Moskol, chairperson of the Santa Clarita Bicycle Coalition, had this to say afterwards.

The location of this crash is a known bike corridor. The County has proposed bikeways plans to improve this area. The Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition has been discussing this area at every opportunity with LA County, Cal Trans, and City transportation officials.

To date, we have had no word as to what proposed improvements for safety will be implemented, when, or where exactly. What we do know is that this freeway/County road interchange is complex and under heavy use because of ongoing construction on the I-5 to complete pavement restoration (and possible HOV lanes). We encourage everyone to ride safely and carefully.

………

Local

Curbed says the new Glendale-Hyperion Bridge will feature protected bike lanes on both sides, which would be a change from the painted bike lanes called for in the original plans, but it would still have just one sidewalk on the north side.

Somehow we missed this one, as Metro’s BEST program hosted a tweed ride in Culver City yesterday.

Clear your schedule next Sunday for Los Angeles Walk’s annual fundraiser and free block party

 

State

The LA Times reports on Montclair’s ridiculous law banning pedestrians from crossing the street while using any electronic device, including headphones or earbuds.

Officials opened the first section of the planned 50-mile CV Link bikeway around the Coachella Valley. Or it would be 50 miles, if Rancho Mirage was willing to let it besmirch their fair city.

Protected bike lanes could be coming to Oakland’s Lake Merritt.

Marin’s anti-bike lane crank columnist ridicules comments of a mode shift on a Bay Area bridge, saying 235 bike crossings a day pale in comparison to 71,000 motor vehicles. He’s got a point, although the question is whether there are any safe connections on either side of the bridge that encourage people to ride across.

 

National

Good piece from Bike Snob’s Eben Weiss, who says we need to get more kids on bikes.

Some Portland bike shops are beginning to shun brands owned by Vista Outdoor, which has been linked to a maker of ammunition and AR-15-type weapons.

A Wisconsin nonprofit intends to refurbish 1,000 bicycles to donate to local kids next month.

Heartwarming story from Milwaukee, where motorcycle maker Harley Davidson helped design a custom adaptive tricycle for a four-year old boy born without legs and forearms. And no, the story doesn’t explain how he’s going to pedal it.

Two Indiana men face up to 30 months in prison for building an illegal singletrack trail through an Indiana nature preserve.

A Philadelphia councilwoman proposes requiring city council approval for any bike lane that could affect the flow of traffic. Never mind that people on bikes are traffic, too.

 

International

A Caribbean-based physiotherapist explains how to avoid minor injuries when you start riding.

Life is cheap in the UK, where a road raging driver who threw oven cleaner on a bike rider — with her two kids in the car, no less — and leaving the victim with severe chemical burns, walked with a 12-month suspended sentence.

A British soldier has gotten six years for fatally slamming his car into a man riding his bike, after he was shown on video downing five beers and three shots in a pub.

Road.cc looks at presumed liability, which is the norm in most of Europe, and whether it would make streets safer for cyclists in the UK. If we ever want to end car culture and the automotive hegemony on our streets, we’ll have to adopt some form of presumed liability, which assumes the operator of the larger vehicle is at fault in any crash, because they have a greater responsibility to avoid a collision due to their greater ability to cause harm.

A Scottish newspaper makes the case for a 20 mph speed limit, saying initial opposition has died down nearly a year after it was implemented.

CNBC has discovered Copenhagen, where officials say traffic would come to a standstill if 15% to 20% of bicyclists switched to motor vehicles. Which suggest that getting 15% to 20% of Angelenos on bikes might get traffic moving again.

Chinese dockless bikeshare company Gobee has pulled out of Paris without warning, after quitting other European cities due to extensive vandalism.

Evidently, bike riders are second-class citizens in Kolkata, where they’re required to get off and walk their bikes across major streets.

A Canberra, Australia newspaper says there’s no reason for the country’s Capital Territory to reconsider its mandatory helmet law, which it calls a proven lifesaver. Even though multiple studies have questioned whether the health benefits of bicycling outweigh the benefits of bike helmet laws, which have depressed bicycling rates in Australia.

Japan is considering plans to build a suspended bikeway under a bridge connecting Shikoku and Awajishima islands. Or you can ride a 44-mile route connecting six islands in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea right now.

 

Competitive Cycling

ESPN considers how Cal Berkeley law school dean Molly Shaffer Van Houweling broke the 12-year old hour record in 2014.

Yes, the cycling season is underway already, as Spain’s Alejandro Valverde takes the Abu Dhabi Tour, and Dylan Groenewegen wins on the frozen cobbles of Belgium’s Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.

 

Finally…

The best way to get over a bad breakup? Ride across the US. When the real Tour de France leads leads to fictional romance.

And now you, too, can own your very own dockless bikeshare bike to leave anywhere you want.