Tag Archive for South LA

CicLAvia returns to South LA in June, SaMo bike & ped enforcement day today, and road-raging man rams Georgia group ride

April 28, 2026 / / No comments

To be honest, I’m pretty wrung out after writing about our third SoCal bicycling death in just three days.

And I don’t have a lot of time left to work tonight after dealing with all that before my last drop-dead deadline to get some sleep — hopefully not literally. So let’s just see how much we can get done, and try to catch up on more tomorrow.

And that includes the photos I promised you from Sunday’s CicLAvia, so I hope you’ll be patient with me for a few days.

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Mark your calendar for at least two more CicLAvias this year, despite Metro’s threats of cutbacks to future events that would only coincide with the World Cup and the ’28 Olympics.

Next up is a return to South LA with Leimert Park meets Expo Park at the end of June.

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Streetblog’s Joe Linton offers photos from Sunday’s very busy West LA CicLAvia, including the newly repaired bakery window at the 99 Ranch Market, where an elderly driver killed three people crashing into the building February 5th.

Redditor johnnyshotit has some nice shots, too, while Michael Schneider offers video from the day.

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And speaking of Schneider, he spotted a new LA modal filter.

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Police in Santa Monica will conduct yet another of the LA area’s traffic safety enforcement operations targeted at traffic violations that endanger pedestrians and bicyclists today.

The operation will be in force this afternoon and evening, from 2 pm to 8 pm.

As usual, ride to the letter of the law until you cross the city limits, because the cops may be focused on motorists, but they’re legally required to enforce any violations they see, regardless of who commits it.

Meanwhile, today may be your best day to ride a bike on a state roadway, as the CHP begins a 24-hour Maximum Enforcement Period focused on speeding drivers. Unless you can top the posed speed limit on your bike, which was always a personal goal of mine.

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Once again, a driver has deliberately attacked bike riders for the simple crime of being in his way.

This time, the assault came in Cherokee County, Georgia, where a 72-year old man faces charges for deliberately driving into a pair of bicyclists on a 33-mile group ride, after calling 911 and repeatedly honking his horn — even though the next lane was empty and he could have easily just gone around them.

The driver later told sheriff’s deputies “it wasn’t ‘reasonable’ for cyclists to take a whole lane, so ‘he drove into them.'”

“I told him I had video of the incident and offered to show it to him, which he stated he didn’t want to see because he knew he did nothing wrong,” the report says.

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.

He is now being held without bond on two counts of aggravated assault, hit and run, reckless driving, aggressive driving and failure to maintain a safe distance from a bicycle.

Which is a lot of charges for “not doing anything wrong.”

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UCLA will mark Bike Month with two days of pit stops, and three bike repair days.

Meanwhile, Pasadena announces a full month of Bike Month activities.

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

Trash collection company Waste Management pinky swears they’re going to stop leaving empty trash bins in the bike lane on LA’s Reseda Blvd.

A 73-year old Wisconsin man faces charges for pointing a gun at a 13-year old boy riding an ebike, after the kid kept riding away when the older man tried to confront him; no word on whether the gun was loaded.

Waymo effectivesly tells London bike riders “screw you,” arguing that it’s just too high a bar to expect their autonomous cabs to keep out of bike lanes, because customers want to be dropped off in them. Although the few times I’ve used one, I can’t recall ever being asked whether or not I want to be let out in a bike lane. I can recall getting extremely carsick, however.

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

A Binghampton, New York man faces charges for playing repo man with a baseball bat, beating another man senseless when the victim didn’t pay everything he owed after buying an ebike from him; he then rode off with the bike in question.

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Local 

Bike thefts in West Hollywood surged a whopping 250% last year, ten times the increase in shoplifting, though the overall numbers are relatively small.

You’ll now find a new conservation mural facing the Ballona Creek Bike Path on the ima Members Lounge building on Sepulveda Blvd; created by Victor Ving with support from the League of Conservation Voters, the mural calls for protecting our public lands.

 

State

Streetsblog’s Melanie Curry reviews Calbike’s California Bike Summit in Sacramento last week, with the first installment focused on advice for living with Caltrans.

A Eureka father and son made just their 5th stop at a Major League ballpark in San Diego Monday, after roughly one month and 1,500 miles on the road in their journey to visit all 30 American and National League parks in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

A 26-year old Stockton man was lucky to escape injury when a car pulled up next to him as he was riding his bike, and someone fired a gun out the window.

There’s a new king of the hill in San Francisco, where British hillclimb champ Harry MacFarlane set a new KOM for the city’s steepest hill, with a ridiculous 41% average gradient.

Streetsblog says San Francisco’s two-mile linear Sunset Dunes park is an unqualified success on it’s first anniversary, as the city’s traffic safety has improved, merchants are doing better and the park is more popular than ever.

Sacramento’s CapRadio explains why California’s crackdown on ebikes may not solve the biggest safety risks, which are caused by e-motorbikes and dirt bikes, often of questionable legality.

 

National

Governing writes that ebike regulations are proliferating across the US, while advocates warn “some laws risk over-regulating low-speed bikes while ignoring high-speed e-motos.” No shit. 

There’s not a pit in hell deep enough for a Pennsylvania man accused of fleeing the scene after killing a third grader riding a bicycle, while driving under the influence; when police smelled alcohol on his breath after tracking him to his home, he first asked “How can I get a DUI if I have been drinking at my house all day?”, before admitting he’d felt “a bump” while he was driving home.

Heartbreaking news from North Carolina, where a 51-year old man faces multiple charges after he “veered off” a roadway while under the influence of coke, opiates and benzodiazepines, and slammed into a nine-year old boy as he sat on a bike in his own driveway, knocking the kid into retaining wall and severing his leg. Speaking of that pit in hell…

 

International

Residents of Liverpool, England say they don’t think plans for a five-mile bike lane connecting two other bikeways is popular with locals due to a loss of parking, even though 77% of respondents support it, and 69% say they’ll use it.

Velo looks at “jaw-dropping” custom road and gravel bikes at London’s Bespoked Show.

Bicycling deaths climbed nearly 4% in Germany last year, with over 61% of the victims aged 65 or more, while nearly half involved ebikes.

Katmandu, meet Los Angeles. Asian News Network says bicycling used to be central to life in Nepal, but now it’s done mainly for sport, as “poor infrastructure, unsafe roads, and status-driven attitudes continue to keep cycling from becoming a mode of commuting.”

 

Competitive Cycling

Tadej Pogačar and French wunderkind Paul Seixas battled back and forth before Pogačar pulled away to wrap up his third consecutive Liège-Bastogne-Liège; Remco Evenepoel settled for third, his day doomed by a badly timed breakaway.

Dutch cyclist Demi Vollering ran away with a solo win at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, demonstrating her mastery of women’s cycling following her uphill victory on Wednesday in Flèche Wallonne.

Tragic news from Spain, where former WorldTour pro Cristian Muñoz died in Spain Thursday night from complications due to a knee infection following a crash at France’s Tour du Jura Cycliste on April 18; the Colombian cyclist was just 30 years old.

More tragic news, this time from Belgium, where U-23 cyclist Milan Bral was killed when he was struck while training for next month’s Gent-Wevelgem under-23 race; Bral is the nephew of Soudal-Quickstep sports director and former pro cyclist Sep Vanmarcke.

Former WorldTour pro Mike Woods asks the burning question we’d all like to know, what the hell happened to North American bike racing in the decade-plus since he competed on the circuit.

 

Finally…

Your next ebike could be a weird little solar powered, 75 mph car — but yes, you still have to pedal it. If you’re going to try to run down someone on a bicycle, try to make sure it’s not a bike cop first.

And yes, it’s true.

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

Update: 30-year old man riding bicycle killed in South LA hit-and-run; police looking for black Tesla Model X

July 2, 2025 / / Comments Off on Update: 30-year old man riding bicycle killed in South LA hit-and-run; police looking for black Tesla Model X

The news just keeps getting worse this week.

At least, I think it’s this week.

According to a cryptic report from My News LA, the LAPD is looking for a hit-and-run driver who killed a 30-year old man riding a bicycle in the Vermont-Slauson neighborhood of South Los Angeles.

Except there’s no time listed for when the crash occurred. Or a date, for that matter. Only that police asked for the public’s help on Wednesday, which doesn’t exactly narrow it down.

The crash also occurred in a manner that would seem to be physically impossible.

According to the story,

The crash occurred when the vehicle, which was speeding east on 67th Street toward Flower Street, hit the bicyclist as he rode east on Flower, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Except while 67th runs east and west, Flower runs north and south. Which means the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was apparently either rear-ended as he rode east on 67th, or struck as he rode on Flower.

He died after being taken to a hospital, which was also unidentified.

The driver was last seen fleeing east on 67th Street toward Grand Ave. No description of the driver or vehicle was given.

Anyone with information is urged to call Officer Lozada at the LAPD’s South Traffic Division. But apparently, you’re supposed to look it up yourself, since there’s no number given.

Okay, I’ll save you the trouble.

It’s 323/421-2577, unless it’s 323/421-2500, since one is listed on the LAPD’s website, while the other came from a previous South Traffic Division press release.

Although you’d think they might have told us if they really want our help.

As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for any fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles. Maybe they want you to tell them when and how the crash occurred to collect the reward.

This is at least the 22nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the sixth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; remarkably, it’s only the third we’ve learned about in the City of Los Angeles

This was also at least the sixth SoCal bike rider killed by hit-and-run drivers since the first of the year.

Update: Police finally confirmed two weeks later that the victim, who still hasn’t been publicly identified, was riding a bicycle when he was killed. 

The suspect vehicle is described as a black Tesla Model X. A still photo pulled from a security video appears to show a passenger in the right seat.

Anyone with information is urged to contact LAPD South Traffic Division Officer Lozada at 213/677-9791, or anonymously at 800/222-8477 or online.

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

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

Update: 30-something man on bicycle killed by hit-and-run driver in South LA; nearly 1/3 of SoCal bike deaths this year hit-and-runs

June 2, 2025 / / Comments Off on Update: 30-something man on bicycle killed by hit-and-run driver in South LA; nearly 1/3 of SoCal bike deaths this year hit-and-runs

Once again, someone on a bicycle in Los Angeles has been left to die alone in the street by a heartless coward.

But for a change, we actually learned about it the next day.

According to multiple sources, the victim was run down from behind while riding west on East Century Boulevard near San Pedro Street, in the Broadway-Manchester neighborhood of South LA, around 11 pm Sunday.

The victim, identified only as a man in his mid-30s, died at the scene, his mangled yellow road bike lying nearby in the crosswalk.

Unfortunately, security video was too blurry to provide a description of the suspect vehicle or driver, and there doesn’t appear to be any immediate witnesses.

Google Maps shows a bike lane on the west side of San Pedro, but none on the east, where the crash appears to have occurred.

Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD South Traffic Division at 323/421-2500, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 800/222-8477 or lacrimestoppers.org.

As always, there is a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver for any fatal hit-and-run in the City of LA.

This is at least the 16th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, the fourth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County, and just the second we’ve learned about in the City of Los Angeles — which is likely a dramatic undercount.

This is also at least the fifth bike rider killed by a hit-and-run driver in Southern California this year.

Update: The victim has been identified as 34-year old Jose Villalobos.

Update 2: The LAPD has posted video of the crash, which occurred with other vehicles around, so someone probably saw it. But be warned, it shows the full crash and the aftermath, be sure you really want to see it before you click on the link. 

The police have identified the suspect vehicle as a silver Chevrolet Camaro. 

“Following the crash, the driver of the Camaro made a right turn onto San Pedro Street, continued northbound, and then turned westbound onto East 98th Street, fleeing the scene without stopping to render aid or identify themselves, as required by law,” police said.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Jose Villalobos and his loved ones.

Thanks to Jeffrey for the heads-up. 

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

Chino driver flees with ebike embedded in bumper, Historic South Central Meets Watts CicLAvia, and pledge to bike in OC

May 29, 2025 / / Comments Off on Chino driver flees with ebike embedded in bumper, Historic South Central Meets Watts CicLAvia, and pledge to bike in OC
Day 149 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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Just a quick note. 

I always try to thank people who submit stories, because I truly appreciate the help finding stories I might not otherwise see.  

After hearing from a few people, however, I am changing my policy to identify people just by their first names going forward, in order to protect their privacy. 

I mean, you’ll still know it’s you. But everyone else doesn’t need to.

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Um, okay.

Police in Chino arrested a woman who drove roughly five miles or more to Montclair with a shattered windshield, and an ebike embedded in her bumper, after fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run crash that left the victim with a head injury.

Police found the woman by tracking an AirTag hidden on the ebike across multiple cities.

What they don’t say, though, is how much time elapsed between the crash and the arrest, and whether the driver would have had time to sober up first.

Because something tells me she might have needed to.

Thanks to Jeffrey for the heads-up.

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Mark your calendar for the next CicLAvia next month, as Historic South Central Meets Watts.

Here’s how a press release describes the open streets event.

6.4-Miles of Open Streets Connecting Historic South Central, Florence, Firestone, and Watts Via S Central Ave and 103rd Street to Enjoy this ‘Pop-Up’ Park for the Day in One’s Favorite People-Powered Way for All Ages and Abilities

On Sunday, June 22; between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. CicLAvia will celebrate its 61st car-free open streets event catalyzing vibrant public spaces, active transportation and good health through car-free streets. CicLAvia—Historic South Central meets Watts connects historic South Central, Florence, Firestone, and Watts, welcoming everyone of all ages and abilities to enjoy this day-long 6.4-mile pop-up park. Always free, you can enjoy the day,by walking, jogging, biking, roller skating, skating, or simply spectating at CicLAvia. Participants can show up anywhere along the route between 9am-4pm to enjoy the open streets, take the time to explore, and see where the day takes you.

Imagine streets alive with joy, laughter, and the freedom to roam. CicLAvia is a non-profit organization that has been opening streets throughout Los Angeles County for nearly 15 years now. It transforms city streets into a car-free celebration of community, connection, and possibility — places where participants can slow down, connect, and appreciate the city in a new way. CicLAvia is about reimagining our city streets as welcoming spaces for everyone — places for walking, running, rolling, skating, cycling, gathering, and enjoying the moment.

As a nonprofit organization, CicLAvia relies on the public’s support to continue bringing opportunities for meaningful community connections, mindful exploration, and greater understanding across Los Angeles.

CicLAvia—Historic South Central meets Watts includes five (5) hubs filled with plenty of activities and programs along the route. Hubs are walking zones (mandatory dismounts) and meeting points along the route which includes theHistoric South Central Hub located on Central Ave, just south of Washington Blvd.; Jazz Park Hub located at 41nd Place and Central Ave; Florence Firestone Hub located on Central Ave near 61st St; Central Ave Hub located on Central Ave near E. 84th St; and the Watts Hub located on E 103rd St and Success Ave. Hubs offer family-friendly activities, restrooms, free water refilling stations, free basic bike repair, bike parking, places to sit and meet up with friends and family, and first aid. Free pedicab rides are available at each hub’s information booth.

The CicLAvia—Historic South Central meets Watts route is accessible via many different forms of transportation. There is not one place to start or finish. Read more about getting to the route through these links: hubs, Metro, bike rentals, parking for the event, group meet ups: walk/run clubs, feeder rides, bus detours, and help getting to CicLAvia.

(Please note, if you are biking to and from CicLAvia along any streets that are open to cars, it is at the discretion of the individual.)

“South LA is always one of the highlights of CicLAvia’s schedule,” says CicLAvia Executive Director Romel Pascual. “Along South Central Ave, LA’s dynamic culture can be seen in the local businesses and restaurants, community parks, and public art that are on the route. It gives Angelenos the opportunity to see new things, which reminds us of what makes our city a remarkable and special place.

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As long as we’re doing press releases, the Orange County Transportation Authority, aka OCTA, says there’s still time to pledge to ride a bike this month.

While OCTA encourages people to ride all year long, May is National Bike Month, which is also celebrated all month long in Orange County.

OCTA invites people of all ages and abilities to take part in Bike Month, and there’s still time to pledge to ride a bicycle – for commuting, for fun, or for fitness.

This year’s “Every Ride is Your Story” campaign encourages participants to ride at least once during May. Those who pledge online will be entered in a raffle to win a commuter e-bike prize package that includes an Avant Agile Commuter E-Bike, along with accessories including an adult helmet, child helmet, bike lock, and baby seat.

Pledges must be received by the end of the day on Saturday, May 31, at www.octa.net/bikemonth. A winner will be announced in June.

In addition to the Bike Rally, OCTA continues to promote safe cycling habits for all riders, including those using e-bikes. Resources and safety tips are available at www.octa.net/bikeand www.octa.net/ebike.

Orange County offers more than 1,000 miles of bikeways, from beach paths to mountain trails, making it easier than ever to ride safely and explore the region on two wheels. Over the last 15 years, OCTA has invested approximately $437 million in active transportation, including cycling and more than half (54%) of the county’s primary roadways include bike lanes.

Over 80 riders made a 4-mile bike ride from the Orange Metrolink Station to OCTA headquarters for a Bike Rally Wednesday morning to promote active transportation throughout the county.

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No bias here.

The anti-bike New York Post is trying to whip a nonissue into an “explosive” campaign issue, after an ebike rider crashed into a three-year old girl who apparently got out of a double-parked car and darted into the bike lane he was riding in, making a crash virtually unavoidable.

Yet the paper somehow blames the bike lane, and not the driver who double-parked or the dad who didn’t hold her back.

And the result could have been far worse if she had darted in the other direction. But no one seems to be calling for removing dangerous traffic lanes from the roadway.

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

A Lancaster, Pennsylvania man was charged with intentionally crashing his car into a 16-year old boy riding an ebike, after he admitted to intentionally driving into the victim, causing serious injuries.

Seriously? After a British bike rider was struck by a hit-and-run driver who darted in front of him on a roundabout, The Sun can’t seem to figure out who was in the wrong.

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Local 

Metro’s board of directors moved last week to put the planned Southeast Gateway Line underground, leaving them a paltry $10 to $12 billion short. And even that probably wouldn’t result in the green, bike-friendly Alameda corridor shown in the picture.

Ebike dealer Upway is hosting a community bike ride and ebike block party in Redondo Beach on Saturday.

 

State

Former Los Angeles mayor and erstwhile bicycle champion Antonio Villaraigosa is complaining about high gas prices and closing oil refineries. Neither of which could have anything to do with taking more than $175,000 in campaign contributions from the oil industry for his run for governor. Right?

The chief executive officer of the San Diego Youth Services rode his bicycle 500 miles from San Francisco to San Diego earlier this month to call awareness and raise funds for the 55-year old nonprofit.

A Madera teenager got a new, refurbished bicycle after his was stolen, thanks to a program run by inmates at a local penitentiary.

Sad news from Petaluma, where a man riding a bicycle was killed when he was rear-ended by a driver.

 

National

Portland wants residents to help them choose a new tagline to promote bicycling. None of which would have made it past the first round at any decent ad agency.

Singletracks looks at five of the best mountain bike trails in Washington state. Sasquatch sightings optional.

Another teenager has been arrested for the Albuquerque, New Mexico hit-and-run that killed a 63-year-old physicist as he was biking to his job at Sandia National Laboratories last year, making them the fourth juvenile in the stolen car when the kids intentionally steered it into the victim, and posted it on social media.

A Denver, Colorado TV station examines the intersection between May’s Mental Health Awareness Month and National Bike Month, and how riding a bicycle can improve your mental health.

An Austin, Texas woman learned the hard way about reckless ebike riders on the city’s trails. Or one in particular, anyway.

Atlanta’s bike-riding Magnet Man has a new bicycle thanks to fans and supporters who replaced the one he had stolen, enabling him to get back to using his magnet-equipped bike trailer to sweep metal debris off the streets before it ends up in the tires of local drivers.

 

International

Bicyclists in the Cayman Islands are calling for immediate action to improve safety on the streets after an uptick in serious injuries.

What’s the point of living in a haunted Manitoba city if you’re not going to have a bike ride visiting all the ghastly and ghostly sites? Although it really should have been after dark. 

 

Competitive Cycling

Mexico’s Isaac del Toro bounced back from a bad day in the Alps to win Wednesday’s stage 17, extending his lead to 41 seconds, as Richard Carapaz climbed into second.

This is pretty much the definition of a gnarly crash, taken from a New Jersey Cat 3 race.

Instagram post

 

Finally…

That feeling when your AI reporter doesn’t know the difference between a linear park and a sports attraction. Or when a fundraising ride ends in a new bike — and a proposal.

And NFTs once again raise their ugly, scammy and virtually worthless head, this time with a bicycle spin.

Seriously, shame on Pez Cycling for even accepting the sponsored post.

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

Bike rider killed in South LA hit-and-run last month; LAPD just now bothering to tell us and ask for our help

May 8, 2025 / / Comments Off on Bike rider killed in South LA hit-and-run last month; LAPD just now bothering to tell us and ask for our help

Once again, someone riding a bicycle was killed by a hit-and-run driver weeks ago.

Yet somehow, we’re only learning about it now.

The LAPD is just now getting around to asking for the public’s help in finding the driver, nearly three weeks later.

The victim, who still has not been publicly identified, was riding their bike north on Central Avenue near 120th Street in South LA around 10 pm on Sunday, April 20th, when they were run down from behind by a speeding driver.

The victim died after being rushed to the hospital.

And that’s all we know.

There’s no description of the suspect vehicle or the driver, or not even the age or sex of the victim. We don’t even know whether the victim has been identified, and if so, why the identification is being withheld.

Which gives us absolutely nothing to go on, other than the time and location, after the police inexplicably waited to release any information until the trail was so cold you could almost see your breath.

And didn’t bother to use the hit-and-run alert systems approved by the city and state a decade ago to try to reduce the epidemic of fleeing drivers.

It also raises the question of how many other people have been killed riding a bicycle — or walking or driving — that they haven’t bothered to tell us about.

And just who decided to keep us in the dark, and why.

Anyone with information is urged to call the LAPD’s South Traffic Division at 213/677-9791, or 877/527-3247 evening or weekends.

As always, there is a $50,000 reward for any fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles. Although it’s unlikely anyone will collect, given the dearth of information and such an extensive delay in asking for the public’s health.

This was at least the 13th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and just the second that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County. And it’s the first we know of in the City LA, which seems highly unlikely this far into the year.

This is also the fourth SoCal bike rider killed by a hit-and-run driver since the first of the year.

Someone needs to investigate this crap to find out what the hell is going on here.

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

Arrest in South LA hit-and-run of 15-year old bike rider, and bike-riding teens swarm market and assault gay couple in car

April 24, 2025 / / One comment
Day 114 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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They got one, for once.

The CHP announced an arrest in the hit-and-run crash that injured a 15-year old boy as he rode his bicycle on a South LA sidewalk.

The driver, identified only as Krunal Jigneshbhai Dhanani, faces felony hit-and-run charges for driving up on the sidewalk and hitting the kid, in what appeared to be an intentional act.

But police evidently didn’t think so, because it wasn’t charged that way.

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It’s happened again.

A mob of around 30 bike-riding teens swarmed a grocery store near USC, before assaulting a gay couple and hurling homophobic slurs.

The teenaged boys, who looked to be middle school-aged, rode up to the Ralphs market on South Vermont Ave around 4:30 Saturday afternoon, running out with bottled cocktails, Gatorade and other items.

At least one of the boys was pepper sprayed by a security guard, after the kids threw things at store employees.

They then swarmed the gay couple as they tried to enter their car and drive off, honking their horn to clear the way, as the kids shouted slurs.

After one of the boys slammed himself on the side of their car, the couple got out holding pepper spray and a stun gun, chasing the group off before they approached once again, hitting the car window with a rock as they drove off.

This follows numerous other similar robberies where kids would ride up to a store on their bikes before swarming the aisles, overwhelming the staff and emptying shelves.

There have also been at least three instances of teen bike riders swarming cars and attacking the vehicles and their drivers.

………

The LAPD has identified the suspect accused of riding his bicycle through DTLA while chopping down trees with an electric chainsaw.

According to the Los Angeles Times, 45-year old Samuel Patrick Groft was taken into custody about 90 minutes after police released a flyer with pictures of the then-unknown suspect.

Groft stands accused of felony vandalism for chopping down at least 13 trees in less than ten days in downtown Los Angeles, as well Glassell Park and Westlake.

Eight of the those trees were estimated to be worth $347,000.

Groft has an extensive record, including DUI, assault with a deadly weapon, vandalism and a hit-and-run. He has been living on a streets for several years, and was found with the chainsaw in his possession.

In California, felony vandalism carries a penalty of up three years behind bars and a fine of up to $50,000 if the damage exceeds $10,000.

Which means if the DA charges each tree as a separate crime, Groft could be looking at more than three decades behind bars, and $650,000 in fines.

Good luck collecting that.

………

Hats off to the The San Fernando Sun, which appears to be the only Los Angeles news source that bothered to report on the Griffith Park protest marking the third anniversary of the fatal, high-speed hit-and-run that killed 77-year-old cyclist Andrew Jelmert

The paper also noted the protesters’ complaints over red tape needlessly holding up the fully funded and shovel-ready safety improvements promised for the park.

Which are two more reasons — the lack of progress and news coverage — explaining why people continue to die on our streets.

And the latter has a lot to do with the former.

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Streets Are For Everyone, which held that Griffith Park protest, celebrates ten years of fighting for safer streets on July 12th.

https://twitter.com/StreetsR4Every1/status/1915137601587249361

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

It’s happened again, part two. A British ebike rider lost consciousness and suffered serious facial and eye injuries when he struck a rope that was deliberately strung across the trail he was riding on; police blamed a “group of youths” for the “deliberate and highly dangerous act” that could have led to “even more catastrophic” injuries.

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

A British man has been banned from bicycling for ten years and sentenced to 19 months behind bars, after failing to convince the court that riding his bike up behind women and grabbing their butts was a harmless prank, as opposed to serious sexual assault. Schmuck.

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Local 

Streetsblog explores a half-mile of new parking protected bike lanes on San Vicente in the Mid-City area.

Burbank invites you on a walking or biking tour to gather input for the Burbank Rancho Neighborhood Specific Plan on May 10th. Although it sounds like you’d be welcomed on horseback, too.

 

State

The Los Angeles Times examines the new process to apply for a California ebike incentive voucher this Tuesday.

Bingo. San Diego’s KGTV-10 says the city’s spending patterns shows its mobility priorities, spending three times more on repaving streets than it does on making them safer.

This is who we share the road with. A Fresno judge dismissed all the charges against a hit-and-run driver who ran down and killed a homeless woman, and dragged her body eight miles under his car — then ended up with permanent brain damage after jumping out of a top floor window trying to escape the police, leading the judge to rule he would never be competent to stand trial.

Alameda residents turned out to explore a pair of greenway popups slated for completion next year.

 

National

Um, sure, let’s go with that. Police arrested a Colorado man for attempting, and failing, to kidnap a 12-year old girl as she was bicycling with a friend, telling police he tried to stop the girl’s bike from falling, and she just happened to fall into his arms.

A Minnesota magazine considers the best biking apps and online communities, although the later has a distinctly Minnesota focus.

Streets Minnesota recommends this year’s “must-do” bike rides for the state.

If you’re missing a vintage bicycle from your childhood, you’ll have one last chance to buy it before a man who’s been restoring and selling them for the last 30 years holds his final bike auction. But you’ll have to go to, yes, Minnesota to buy one. 

Tennessee is putting old tires to use as armadillos marking a protected bike lane.

One of my pet peeves remains lazy headline writers, like the one who says a North Carolina man rode his bicycle 4,000 miles coast-to-coast “for” breast cancer, rather than to fight the disease. And yes, I acknowledge that peeves make lousy pets. 

 

International

Momentum recommends the best upright commuter bikes to sit up and enjoy the ride this spring, most of which clock in at under $600.

Bike Radar says no, gravel bikes will not replace endurance bikes.

A writer for the CNU Journal looks at the power of bicycles, especially ebikes, to transform 21st Century cities.

Velo takes you on a tour of Belgium’s bike-friendly culture, “exploring pathways, cafés, beer halls, and cycling museums” by city bike.

Clean Technica says a new “virtually bulletproof” ebike has the power to transform transportation in Africa.

Bicycling Australia marks Anzac Day, — an Aussie holiday commemorating the tragic WWI battle of Gallipoli — by considering the role of the “humble” bicycle in the war to end all wars, which didn’t.

 

Competitive Cycling

Say it ain’t so, Joe. Colombian cycling great and 1987 Spanish Vuelta champ Luis Alberto “Lucho” Herrera denied allegations that he was involved in the 2002 killing of four farmers who lived near him, allegedly hiring two ex-paramilitary men to kill the farmers because they wouldn’t sell their land to him.

No surprise here, as Slovenian cycling star Tadej Pogačar captured his second Flèche Wallonne by attacking on a steep climb, finishing 10 seconds ahead of France’s Kévin Vauquelin, with British rider Tom Pidcock in third; Dutch cyclist Puck Pieterse won the women’s Flèche, beating countrywoman Demi Vollering by two seconds, while Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini came in third.

Cyclist looks forward to Sunday’s men’s and women’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Motherhood is no longer a barrier to a successful cycling career.

 

Finally…

Forget bike lanes, now people are driving in underground bicycle parking garages. That feeling when you get a punishment pass from a fellow bicyclist in an empty bike lane

And your next bike could have big red balls instead of wheels, and go in any direction.

But if it’s a bicycle, why doesn’t it have any pedals?

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

Update: Man riding BMX on sidewalk killed by wrong-way, hit-and-run driver in South LA’s Florence-Firestone neighborhood

August 28, 2024 / / Comments Off on Update: Man riding BMX on sidewalk killed by wrong-way, hit-and-run driver in South LA’s Florence-Firestone neighborhood

Nope.

Nothing suspicious here.

A man was struck and killed by a wrong-way, hit-and-run driver while riding his bike on a South LA sidewalk early Thursday morning.

According to Fox-11, the man was riding on the 7900 block of Alameda Street in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood just after 1 am Thursday, when an unknown driver jumped the curb on the opposite side of the roadway, traveling against traffic, and striking the victim on the sidewalk.

The driver sped off following the crash, leaving the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, to die at the scene.

My News LA places the location at 7927 Alameda.

Video from Fox-11 shows the victim’s blurred body lying on the sidewalk, next to his backpack and cellphone, with his BMX bike in the street nearby.

There’s no description of the suspect vehicle at this time, let alone the person behind the wheel.

But considering that the driver struck someone on a raised sidewalk, on the opposite side of a two-way street, it suggests they may have lost control at high rate of speed, or while driving distracted or under the influence.

Or that the crash may have been intentional.

Hopefully we’ll learn more soon.

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

Thirteen of those SoCal deaths have come at the hands of heartless cowards who didn’t have the basic human decency to stick around afterward.

Update: The victim has been identified as 37-year old Julio Castellon, while the location has been corrected to be the Florence-Graham neighborhood of South LA. 

My deepest sympathy and prayers for Julio Castellon and all his loved ones.

 

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

CicLAvia and World Naked Bike Ride this Sunday, and ruining a good buffered bike lane with plastic posts

June 21, 2024 / / 2 comments
Just 194 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

Don’t forget Sunday’s CicLAvia on Western Ave in South LA, where you’ll find the good folks from Bike Talk and KPFK hosting a booth at the Western/Florence Hub.

Or if CicLAvia seems a little too formal for your last, the Los Angeles edition of the World Naked Bike Ride rolls tomorrow. Tip: Bring lots of sunscreen. And a few disinfectant wipes if you’re using a bikeshare bike.

………

Evidently, some people just don’t like separated bike lanes.

Or what Los Angeles insists on calling “protected,” even though the usual flimsy plastic car-ticklers wouldn’t stop a Yugo, if you could even get one running.

That was driven home in a new post by Cycling Savvy’s Keri Caffrey.

She explains how she was never a fan of bike lanes. Until moving to California, that is, when she got to experience her first wide buffered bike lane.

But some people insist on ruining those “good enough” buffered lanes by adding little white plastic bendy posts and other assorted permeable and semi-permeable barriers.

In her opinion, anyway.

Imagine my horror at seeing a movement to convert these bike lanes to “separated” bikeways by adding barriers such as flex posts, bollards, curbs, and a host of other innovations.

I get the desire to feel protected from cars, but at what cost? First of all, “feel protected” is all you get. Posts and curbs will not stop a moving car. They will, however, cause a bicyclist to crash. This is a known hazard which causes actual casualties, including serious injuries. Yet, these crashes don’t show up in national crash data, because it counts bicycle crashes only if they involve a moving motor vehicle.

She also takes issue with the stat up there on the right from the Federal Highway Administration.

The research behind the FHWA’s claim didn’t include junctions, only mid-block segments.

The only relevant crash type is a mid-block overtaking crash, around 5% of total crashes for all roads, including ones with no bike lane. The majority of overtaking crashes are actually sideswipes in narrow lanes (the motorist misjudges the space). We have a robust dataset from Mighk Wilson’s crash analysis in Orlando. In it, overtaking crashes on streets with bike lanes were 1.5% of crashes. The majority of bike lanes in the area are narrow and non-buffered. Paul Schimek’s study in Boston came to a similar conclusion.

I get what Caffrey is saying. And it’s worth reading to get a different perspective from what we usually share here.

My personal take is that separated bike lanes aren’t for confident bike riders like her who are comfortable riding nearly anywhere. They’re for the people who would like to ride, or ride more, but are afraid to mix it up with the people in the big dangerous machines.

Although calling them protected does a disservice to everyone by overpromising on safety.

………

Any kind of separation or buffer might have helped those Texas bicyclists who were run down by a drunk driver in a crash caught on bike cam earlier this week.

The driver who was allegedly three sheets to the wind at more than three times the legal blood alcohol limit has been identified as an American Airlines cargo worker.

Which could explain why your bags always seem to get lost or crushed beyond all recognition.

Thirty-one-year old Benjamin Hylander has been booked on two counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury, accident involving injury, and driving while intoxicated with a BAC greater than 0.15.

Meanwhile, the victim shown getting run over by Hylander’s SUV after the initial impact, retired physician Tom Geppert, credits his bicycle with saving his life. And allowing him to walk away — if that’s the word for it — with “just” a concussion, injured left hamstring, a fractured rib and a severe laceration.

The other victim, Deborah Eads, suffered a severe laceration as well.

We can only be grateful it wasn’t much worse.

Maybe someday, carmakers will be required to use already-existing technology to ensure intoxicated people can’t get behind the wheel.

And can’t go anywhere if they do.

………

It’s now 182 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And three full years since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

………

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

An English town has waived fines for bicyclists targeted by “cowboy” traffic wardens who wrote them up for breaking a nonexistent ban on biking through the city center.

………

Local 

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton takes a look at the new $11.2 million 1.4-mile Pacoima Wash multi-use path, expected to open this fall.

Santa Clarita has begun work on the new Bouquet Canyon shared-use pathway.

LAist offers a reminder that Caltrans needs your input on a proposed protected bike lane on PCH through Long Beach.

Long Beach hosts the city’s 12th Annual Kiddical Mass bike ride this Sunday.

 

State

No news is good news, right?

 

National

Yes, you can go bikepacking on an ebike.

Congress is considering the Domestic Bicycle Production Act, which would use a combination of tariffs and incentives to reshore American bike manufacturing.

Streetsblog says there’s a pedestrian death and injury crisis in New York City this year. Unlike Los Angeles, where there’s always a pedestrian death and injury crisis.

Tragic news from Michigan, where an 83-year old Florida man on a cross-country bike ride was killed when he was rear-ended by driver, who was allegedly distracted for some undisclosed reason.

 

International

Cycling Electric makes the case for why ebikes are the best vehicles for the environment.

Road.cc offers tips on how to avoid getting scammed buying a used bike on Facebook Marketplace.

Momentum recommends a new bike route that “glides along rainforests and epic beaches” on the west coast of Canada’s Vancouver Island.

A community group in Glasgow, Scotland has launched bikeshare service using refurbished bicycles, allowing anyone to rent a bike for free, or purchase one for whatever they can afford.

I want to be like him when I grow up. A Scottish man is marking his 90th birthday by taking part in a 460-mile fundraising ride.

Not all the news from Scotland is good, however, as a 17-year old boy faces a murder charge for killing another 17-year old boy as he rode an ebike.

Country star Blake Shelton is one of us, as he posts a picture of himself biking back to his hotel in Italy after drinking too much for his birthday.

An Aussie architecture site asks if ebikes and e-scooters could be the answer to the country’s affordable housing crisis, since removing a single car from a household could cover the full cost of a $300,000 mortgage.

 

Competitive Cycling

Road.cc takes a look at what all the best teams will be riding in the Tour de France this year.

The Visma-Lease a Bike cycling team unveiled their line-up for next month’s Tour de France, headlined by two-time winner Jonas Vingegaard and former points winner and three-time world champ Wout van Aert.

British two-time Olympic track champ Katie Archibald is out of next month’s Paris Games, after breaking her leg in two places tripping on a garden step.

A Palestinian paracycling team is working to keep the dream of competing in the Paris Paralympics alive for cyclists in Gaza.

 

Finally…

That feeling when a drivers prefer a genuine horse’s ass to a butt on a bike seat. And when your new e-foldie comes with a name that reminds you size doesn’t matter, except when it does.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

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

Update: Innocent bike rider becomes collateral damage in South LA police chase; victim identified as Colombian man

April 24, 2024 / / Comments Off on Update: Innocent bike rider becomes collateral damage in South LA police chase; victim identified as Colombian man

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

We’ve seen a number of police chases in recent years that resulted in close calls with people riding bicycles, with riders nearly struck by fleeing drivers.

Now you can remove “nearly” from that statement.

According to multiple sources, a man was killed while riding his bike in South LA Wednesday morning, collateral damage to a burglary suspect attempting to speed away from pursuing cops.

The incident began when the suspect allegedly tried to break into a vehicle near East 48th and Central Streets in South LA, and attempted to flee in his car with the owner of the vehicle in close pursuit.

The LAPD took over the chase near 48th Street and Central Ave, pursuing the suspect through several area streets before he slammed into the victim at 46th and Hopper Ave around 6:12 am, while reportedly driving on the wrong side of the roadway.

The victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was sent flying through the air, landing next to his badly damaged bicycle. A witness description suggests that he likely died instantly upon impact.

The driver lost control after the crash, smashing into eight other vehicles before rolling his car, coming to rest upside down in the street. He reportedly attempted to flee on foot before being taken into custody.

He will likely face yet to be determined felony charges, according to police.

One of which should be murder.

This is at least the 14th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also the third in the City of Los Angeles.

And yet another tragic reminder of the dangers police chases pose to innocent bystanders.

Update: The victim has been identified as 46-year old Colombian native Jose David Monsalve Rojas. 

According to KTLA-5, 

A GoFundMe page set up by loved ones describes Monsalve Rojas as a father of five who left Colombia in search of a better life and had a dream, they said, of curing his daughter’s liver disease.

“Imagine, a regular morning now turned into a day we’ll never forget,” the campaign organizer wrote. “David touched lives in ways that words can barely capture. A soul so deeply devoted to his children.”

So far, the crowdfunding page has raised less than $700 of the modest $5,000 goal. 

Meanwhile, the speeding driver who struck Rojas with her Chevrolet Suburban SUV was ID’d as 23-year old Germaine Smith.

Smith is being held on $327,000 bond after being booked for felony evading causing death, as well as additional outstanding warrants,

Anyone with information is urged to call LAPD Traffic Group Detectives at 213/486-0690; information can be provided anonymously online or by calling 800/222-8477.

My deepest sympathy for Jose David Monsalve Rojas and all his loved ones. 

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

Help identify unconscious Boyle Heights bike crash victim, LA backing out of HLA, and South LA ebike lending library

April 16, 2024 / / Comments Off on Help identify unconscious Boyle Heights bike crash victim, LA backing out of HLA, and South LA ebike lending library
Just 260 days until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
So stop what you’re doing and sign this petition to demand Mayor Bass hold a public meeting to listen to the dangers we all face on the needlessly mean streets of LA.

Then share it — and keep sharing it — with everyone you know, on every platform you can. 

We’re now up to 1,095 signatures, so let’s get it over 1,100 today! Urge everyone you know to sign the petition, until the mayor agrees to meet with us! 

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay.

………

Well, I survived Tax Day, although my bank account may be on life-support for awhile. I hope you and your accounts faired better. 

We have a lot to catch up on, so let’s get right to it. 

………

Los Angeles General Medical Center is asking for help identifying a man who was struck by a driver while riding his bike at Fresno Street and Cesar Chavez Ave in Boyle Heights on Thursday.

The victim is described as approximately 55 years old, 5 feet, 11 inches tall, 150 pounds, with average build, brown eyes, a shaved head and multiple distinctive tattoos.

Anyone with information is urged to call Licensed Clinical Social Workers Brian Dillon at 323/409-3134 or Cristol Perez at 323/409-4317.

This offers yet another reminder to always carry ID with you whenever you ride — preferably in a form that isn’t likely to be stolen if you’re incapacitated.

………

It’s now 117 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And 34 months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

Meanwhile, Forbes says other states should follow Colorado’s example of offering a $450 credit on the purchase of an ebike.

Which would make far more sense than California’s bizarre plan to provide a larger voucher to a relative handful of the limited number of low-income residents who qualify, and which is likely to get far fewer people out of their cars than a broader plan open to everyone.

………

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

Poor, put-upon Welsh drivers are complaining they’re being squeezed off the road, after a new two-way bike lane nearly the width of the existing car lanes was installed. Because apparently, enough room for a motor vehicle isn’t enough room to satisfy them.

In an apparent attempt to thin the herd, a town in the UK has installed contraflow bike markings on a number of narrow, one-way streets. And by narrow, they mean barely wide enough for a single vehicle going one direction.

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

The local DA says a Pennsylvania driver was justified in shooting a male bike rider who tried to forcibly enter the shooter’s car; the victim reportedly chased the driver, who had honked at him for blocking a line of backed-up vehicles, before opening the passenger door and trying to get in. Thankfully, the victim is expected to make a full recovery. Although I don’t suppose the driver considered just locking the door before getting out his gun.

………

Local 

Urbanize looks forward to Sunday’s Venice CicLAvia. You’ll have to go without me this time; I’ll be home nursing a torn rotator cuff while looking after my wife’s broken shoulder. 

The LA County Sheriff’s Department will conduct a bicycle and pedestrian safety operation in West Hollywood tomorrow, ticketing anyone who does something that could jeopardize people walking or biking, regardless of who does it. Which means the usual protocol applies, so ride to the letter of the law until you cross the city limits, so you’re not the one who gets written up.

Beverly Hills has launched a six-month traffic calming pilot program on Clifton Way, installing curb-cut extensions and a pair of traffic circles, which should make the residential street safer and significantly more pleasant alternative to Wilshire Blvd. Assuming local drivers can figure out how to navigate it, of course.

People using the popular Ballona Creek bike path may experience intermittent closures on a lengthy section between Sepulveda Blvd and Sawtelle Blvd due to flooding; LADWP is reportedly investigating whether the problem is due to a broken water main, or the result of excess rainfall.

 

State

Calbike’s new Executive Director Kendra Ramsey recounts her experiences at her first National Bike Summit.

A decade after becoming the first Congress member to ride in the 545-mile AIDS/LifeCycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles, Burbank Rep. Adam Schiff hopes to become the first US Senator to take part.

Apparently, the San Diego Padres aren’t fans of bicycles after the club banned bicycles from Gallagher Square, aka the Park at the Park, as part of a new renovation, despite being allowed for the past 20 years at the ostensibly public property. Thanks to Malcomb Watson for the link.

Video of a half-dozen Santa Cruz cops swarming a Black man is stirring controversy over what started as a traffic stop for riding his ebike through a group of pedestrians in a crosswalk; he was arrested after refusing to identify himself to the cop who stopped him.

Awful news from Berkeley, where bike-riding man’s leg was severed when a driver crashed into a row of parked cars, pinning him in between; police may have saved his life by applying a tourniquet within two minutes of the crash. A comment on Mastodon says the city refused a federal grant to improve safety at the intersection. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up.

Sad news from Modesto, where a 49-year old woman was killed when she reportedly rode her BMX bike around a railroad crossing barrier, and into the path of an Amtrak train east of the city.

A San Francisco business owner is going on a 30-day hunger strike to protest the centerline Valencia Street protected bike lane, which he claims is killing his business. The point of a hunger strike is being willing to risk death to call attention to the problem; a hunger strike with a limited duration is more like wanting to lose weight after the doctor refused to prescribe Ozempic.

The City by the Bay now has its first sidewalk-level protected bike lane.

 

National

Streetsblog talks with California 4th District Rep. Mike Thompson, the incoming co-chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus, who wants to get more of his fellow US Congress members on bikes.

Outside columnist Eben Weiss sings the praises of cotton clothing for bike riding, calling it the original performance fabric. As long as you don’t mind riding with sweat-soaked fabric clinging to your skin. And as for the original performance fabric, wool and silk might have something to subject.

Witnesses blamed an ebike rider for blowing through a red light, after the victim was struck by a New York cop in a marked patrol car. Seriously, if you’re not going to pay attention to the traffic light, at least look for the police before you blow through the intersection. 

Philadelphia protestors enjoyed coffee, churros and dance tunes as they partied to keep Sunday worshippers from parking in a bike lane.

An incumbent Baltimore city councilmember called for the bicycle community’s support against his “anti-bike” opponent.

 

International

Momentum ranks 30 of the world’s most beautiful bike routes. Yet oddly fails to include any in California. 

Momentum also considers whether cargo bikes are harder to ride, concluding they’re different, but worth the extra effort.

Road.cc looks at some of the world’s most expensive production bikes. For riders with more dollars than sense, apparently. 

Bike riders are on edge in otherwise bike-friendly Bogotá, Colombia, home to the world’s first ciclovia, where small gangs of robbers are targeting people riding bicycles, and a bike gets stolen every 42 minutes.

Hundreds of Toronto residents turned out for the city’s largest ghost bike ride in the past decade, to call for safer streets and honor the year’s third bicycling victim — which may be why Toronto is “getting a whack” of new bike lanes and pathways this year. Maybe if we had a turnout like that here in Los Angeles, we might finally see some safer streets, too. 

London celebrates 30 years of Critical Mass rides to fight for safer streets.

A “chatty” bike-riding French Bulldog charmed people in Amsterdam.

Le Monde considers how Taiwan became the world’s leading bikemaker.

This is who we share the road with. A 28-year old New Zealand man has been drastically undercharged for attempting to use his car to kill a 15-year old boy, who is fighting for his life after the man repeatedly, and intentionally, ran over him — yet the driver only faces a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

 

Competitive Cycling

A man after my tastes. Yorkshire, England’s Tom Pidcock won this year’s Amstel Gold Race, but remained decidedly unimpressed with the namesake beer.

Dutch great Marianne Vos slipped in to win the women’s Amstel Gold after her countrywoman Lorena Wiebes celebrated just a tad too soon; Canadian Cycling Magazine considers the worst premature cycling celebrations.

Velo looks at 18-year old American Andrew August, who makes his debut as the youngest rider to ever compete on the WorldTour.

Canadian Nadia Gontova won the women’s Redland’s Classic, as fellow Canuck Mara Roldan took the final stage in a two-rider breakaway; American Tyler Stites won the men’s GC.

No surprise here, as the US-based National Cycling League decided to “pause” operations for the 2024 season, and release all the league’s riders from their contracts. Which is business speak for shutting the whole thing down unless they can find more funding.

 

Finally…

That feeling when a driver can’t even see you on a Penny Farthing. When a gigantic gator tries to cross your path, maybe you should just let it.

And make your plans to tune in, turn on and drop out for this year’s Bicycle Day.

……... 

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

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