Tag Archive for Streets For All

Assembly candidate calls for safety on Forest Lawn Drive, whacking out over SaMo bike lanes, and Caltrans talks safety

September 9, 2026 / / One comment

Yesterday, I mentioned that my California Assembly Member, Rick Chavez Zbur, had signed a letter calling for a halt to the shovel-ready safety improvements planned for Forest Lawn Drive this past June.

He also supported, and voted for, SB 194, a last-minute bill introduced in the state legislature that will make it virtually impossible to remove a traffic lane on Forest Lawn for the foreseeable future, assuming Governor Newsom signs it.

So I reached out to Zbur’s opponent in the November election, fellow Democrat Colin Hernandez, for his comments. Surprisingly, he responded right away, sending me the following statement.

Forest Lawn Drive has a documented and deadly safety problem, and we have a responsibility to act before another person loses their life. After years of public input and technical review, LADOT developed a fully funded project designed to slow traffic and improve safety for everyone who uses the road, including drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.

SB 194 would block a safety project that has already gone through years of public review and is ready to move forward. Assemblymember Zbur’s support for the bill puts a narrow carveout ahead of urgent safety improvements on one of Los Angeles’s most dangerous streets. I urge Governor Newsom to veto SB 194 and Mayor Bass to allow the Forest Lawn Drive Safety and Mobility Project to proceed. Public safety decisions should be based on evidence and the needs of the community—not special interests.”

So, we have an incumbent who bends to the will of an intense lobbying campaign — to the tune of $360,000 — to halt a much needed safety project, and a challenger who supports it.

I know which way my vote will be going.

I should also mention that Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass personally intervened to halt the project, which her challenger, Nithya Raman, had shepherded through years of public meetings and revisions.

So I know how that vote will go, too.

A ghost tire like those pictured above was installed on Forest Lawn Drive on Saturday to honor the four people killed there in the last 13 years, including a man killed in a single car crash last month. 

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Nope, no bias here.

The Santa Monica city council voted to approve a nearly $2 million contract to move forward with a Complete Streets redesign of 14th Street Tuesday night.

But someone in Santa Monica threw together a hastily designed website that does everything but call Vision Zero a commie plot to drain America of its vital bodily fluids.

The site calls out the made-up dangers protected bike lanes, and their supposed risks to the elderly and first responders.

It places blame for the project squarely on Streets For All, which disavows any involvement with it. And basically calls the LA group a wholly-owned subsidiary of California YIMBYs, bought and paid for by those nefarious Silicon Valley tech bros.

This didn’t start with a traffic study. It started with a movement, and the movement is billionaire-funded.
“Vision Zero” and “protected bikeway” sound like neutral engineering terms. The advocacy infrastructure behind them is not neutral, and it’s not local.

Streets for All, the region’s leading “safe streets” advocacy group, is a fiscally-sponsored project of the California YIMBY Education Fund. California YIMBY and its affiliated funds have taken roughly $15 million from Open Philanthropy — the fund run by Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz and Cari Tuna — plus six-figure checks from Stripe co-founders Patrick and John Collison and Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman. This is who is underwriting the advocacy machine pushing this design template statewide…

The bikeway funding is bundled into a state housing grant, not a resident-driven transportation request — and the political infrastructure that put this council in place traces back through Streets for All to the same tech fortunes that fund the YIMBY movement statewide. None of that makes the underlying safety goal illegitimate. It does mean residents are entitled to ask whose priorities are actually being served before a $2 million contract gets signed on a street most of them drive, not bike.

It gets worse.

This isn’t a debate about bike safety. It’s a debate about who gets to move through this city.

“Vision Zero” is marketed as a road-safety program. In practice, on corridor after corridor, it’s a template for taking travel lanes and parking away from drivers and handing that space to a small, specific mode of transportation — engineered by an advocacy and funding network built by tech investors, not by the seniors, tradespeople, and parents who actually drive these streets every day.

The whole thing sounds like it was written by someone who spent five minutes looking up words on the internet, without understanding any of them.

Or maybe just some of the safe pro-car propagandists we’ve encountered before, under different names.

And as loathe as I am to disagree with the site’s bogeymen and women, I think Claude would have done a much better job putting the whole damn thing together.

Twitter post

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Speaking of traffic safety, Caltrans will take part in a rare webinar scheduled for when most people can actually participate, at 7 pm on Wednesday, September 23rd, hosted by Streets Are For Everyone.

As for asking the hard questions, I’d suggest asking why they’ve spent the past few decades trying to kill us.

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Once again, multiple bike riders have been killed by a dangerous, allegedly stoned, hit-and-run driver.

This time it happened in Kent, England, on Sunday, when a 22-year old man allegedly slammed into a group of three people riding bicycles. A man in his 60s and a woman in her 50s both died at the scene.

Another woman was hospitalized with minor injuries.

The driver was charged with two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic collision and possession of a class C drug.

In the UK, class C drugs include anything from anabolic steroids and nitrous oxide to prescription tranquilizers like Valium.

A 21-year old man was also arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, while 19-year-old woman was held on suspicion of assisting an offender.

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

A 20-year old Florida man faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and hit-and-run involving property damage after allegedly using his car to intentionally run down bike rider in a Taco Bell parking lot, resulting in minor injuries and a fucked-up bike; the men reportedly knew each other.

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Local 

A section of the popular Ballona Creek bike path is closed due to storm damage just north of Duquesne Ave in Culver City; no word yet on when it will reopen.

Streets For All is hosting a virtual mobility debate for Santa Monica city council candidates tomorrow evening. Providing yet another opportunity to foist their YIMBY-fueled and tech bro-funded agenda on the unsuspecting citizenry of the fair city. 

Also tomorrow, Glendora will host an open house to discuss the $21.4 million People Movement Project, with eight miles of offroad greenways, and two miles of on-street multimodal improvements.

Monrovia will host a community bike ride and audit supporting the city’s Bicycle Master Plan update on Saturday, and Carson will host an interactive open house for the city’s Bicycle Action Plan.

 

State

Escondido becomes the latest California city to ban ebikes for kids under 12.

A group with the friendly name Friends of Hopkins Street sues Berkeley over plans for protected bike lanes on the eponymous street, preferring their precious parking over human lives. Which seems not-so-friendly to me, but what do I know?

They get it. The Sacramento Bee reports that California has the third most congested traffic in the US, with Los Angeles drivers losing 83 hours a year due to traffic congestion, but adding more lanes will just make things worse.

 

National

There’s not a pit deep enough for the two men charged with stealing an adaptive bicycle from a 10-year old Santa Fe, New Mexico kid with cerebral palsy.

The victim gets the blame in a Colorado crash, when a 32-year old ebike rider was killed in a right hook, and accused of speeding up to pass a semi driver on the right side. Yes, that’s possible, but it’s more likely that the driver didn’t notice the victim on his right until it was too late.

A 31-year old El Paso, Texas man learns the hard way that it’s probably not the best idea to try to run over a bike cop during a traffic stop.

A Michigan TV station says bicycling deaths are rising in the state, and asks if anything will change after a 12-year old boy was killed by a driver while riding his bike. Nothing changed after dozens of little kids were shot to death at Sandy Hook and Robb Elementary, so what makes them think anyone will actually care about a single kid on a bicycle?

A 77-year old New York man was killed in a head-on collision with an ebike rider, who lost control of his ebike in a bi-directional protected bike lane, and crashed into the man’s bicycle. As usual, though, the story doesn’t say whether it was a legal ped-assist bike, or an illegal e-moto.

Heartbreaking story, as Florida man says he watched surveillance video of his bike-riding brother run down and killed by a hit-and-run driver in New York State from 1,200 miles away in Florida, saying the driver didn’t even try to stop.

 

International

Montreal becomes the latest Canadian city to consider going backwards on bike lanes, after building a bike network that has made it North America’s most bike-friendly big city.

A look at London’s leading bicycle cafés.

A London bike rider says he’s embarrassed to be a bicyclist after watching one bike rider after another ride through a busy crosswalk. Seriously, pedestrians are the only road users more vulnerable than we are, so just stop for them, already. 

Leading Euro bikemaker Orbea announced a recall of their 2019 and 2020 Optima urban ebikes due to a possible weak joint that could cause the frame to break while being ridden.

Sad news from Ukraine, where a Ukrainian soldier who had been photographed early in the war riding a bicycle while carrying three RPGs was killed in a Russian airstrike. War sucks. 

 

Competitive Cycling

When we last left our heroes, the Vuelta peloton was taking a well-earned rest day, as Enric Mas held tightly to his red leader’s jersey; Tuesday’s stage 16 saw 21-year old Brit rookie Matthew Brennan take his fourth stage win, with Mas 2 minutes, 6 seconds ahead of Felix Gall, as Primož Roglič stands another 4 second back in third.

Dutch sprinter Dylan Groenewegen suffered a torn rib muscle and a shattered bicycle when he was hit by a motorcyclist while on a training ride, saying “it could have been much worse.”

Tadej Pogačar may be done for the season, but he’ll be back next year, and every year through 2032.

Is anyone really surprised to learn that bra doping is a myth, and maximizing cleavage doesn’t actually do anything to make women faster? Although it would do more to draw more male fans to women’s cycling. 

Velo says pro cyclists are surprisingly bullish on the prospect of wearing airbags to prevent injuries.

 

Finally…

Honestly, who among us hasn’t ridden over 400 miles dressed as an orangutan? Ditching the subway for a $1,300 ebike.

And who needs a motorcycle when you could have a Ducati?

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

Oh, and fuck Putin.

 

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

Another mass casualty crash by elderly driver, WeHo denies all blame in Ackerman death, and more on Forest Lawn backdoor deal

September 4, 2026 / / No comments

It’s happened again.

A 90-something driver was involved in a mass casualty crash, this time right here in Los Angeles. And in a Trader Joe’s parking lot, no less.

The 91-year old driver reportedly drove into a group of pedestrians at a high rate of speed, killing one person and injuring four others.

The crash occurred in the parking lot of the Trader Joe’s on Fairfax and Third, directly across from The Original Farmer’s Market and The Grove.

According to KTLA-5,

Witnesses said that for some reason, the driver lost control as she was entering the parking lot, sped up, slammed into a parked car, then veered into a group of people near a parking attendant stand before her car crashed into the (parking attendant) stand.

It’s unknown at this point exactly what caused the elderly driver to crash. Investigators at this time do not believe this was an intentional act of violence, but rather a horrible accident.

A “horrible accident.” You know, just another “oopsie.”

KABC-7 reports the crash occurred about 1:30 pm Thursday.

One victim, described only as a woman in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene, while four others were taken to a hospital, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Those injured included a 19-year-old man who suffered serious injuries and two women ages 30 and 57 with minor injuries, according to the fire department.

The driver, a 91-year-old woman, was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, the LAFD said. No arrest was announced.

Then there was this, also from KABC.

“[The driver] was pretty shell shocked, and she got out she didn’t realize what was happening. She said she tried to stop the Tesla, it was accelerating and she couldn’t stop it,” said Drake Piscione.

“She said her foot was on the brake, but it kept going. She got out and couldn’t believe what happened and didn’t realize she had killed someone”.

Yes, it’s possible that the Tesla malfunctioned, particularly if it was in a self-driving or assisted driving mode. But it’s far more likely that she was stomping on the accelerator, thinking she was hitting the brake, as has happened in countless crashes across the country involving elderly drivers.

You only have to think back to the 99 Ranch Market crash on Westwood Blvd this past February, when a 92-year old driver hit a bicyclist, then continued down the sidewalk on the wrong side of the street for a full block before she crashed through the side of the market, killing three people.

Because this, or some other similar incident, was the entirely predictable outcome of allowing someone that age to keep her license and continue driving.

It’s not being ageist to recognize that mental and physical abilities decline with advanced age. It is easier for someone that age to lose control of a vehicle, and become confused about how to respond afterwards.

There are rare exceptions, as there are with any other generalities. But most people reach a point where they simply should not be allowed to keep driving.

There was a huge outcry from older drivers when the California DMV reinstated a requirement for drivers over 70 to pass a written test, as well as an eye exam. The requirement had been suspended during the Covid pandemic, and the state was simply going back to the policy that had been in place since the ’70s.

Needless to say, the requirement was suspended. You don’t fuck with the Geritol generation.

I say this as someone who will be 70 later this month, and gave up driving several years ago, in part due to medications I was, and am, taking that inhibited my ability to drive safely.

And just like the vast majority of elderly drivers, I also don’t see as well as I did even five years ago.

We’ve got to find a way to weed out people who can no longer drive safely as they age. Because not everyone will willingly give up their keys.

And things like this will continue to happen until we do.

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No surprise here, either.

We said yesterday it wasn’t surprising that the family of fallen bicyclist Blake Ackerman would file a lawsuit against the hit-and-run driver who killed him, as well as West Hollywood for maintaining a roadway known to be dangerous.

It’s also not surprising that WeHo denies any liability.

According to WeHo Times,

The City of West Hollywood is pushing back against a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the mother of a 27-year-old cyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Fountain Avenue, denying allegations that the city’s roadway design contributed to his death.

Court documents reveal the city’s answer filed March 23 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, where the city denied “generally and specifically each and every allegation” in the complaint brought by Robin L. Ackerman, the mother of Blake Adam Ackerman and successor-in-interest to his estate. The city also denied that Ackerman was damaged as alleged or “at all.”

The city also blames the victim, alleging that Ackerman was “careless, reckless and negligent” and that his conduct somehow contributed to any injuries or damages.

You know, like death.

From what I’ve heard, however, Ackerman was doing everything right when the driver slammed into him from behind, then kept going without stopping. The only mistake anyone has charged him with was simply riding on Fountain to begin with.

It goes on, of course. The city’s attorneys throw everything they can at the wall, hoping that something sticks.

It may be enough. But chances are, the city will end up settling for something in the low seven figures to keep from having the case go in front of a jury, where the damages could be a lot steeper.

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Streets For All is urging you to tell Governor Newsom to veto the Forest Lawn loophole.

TELL GOVERNOR NEWSOM:
VETO THE FOREST LAWN LOOPHOLE

The legislature and cemetery lobbyists inserted language at the 11th hour into the California state budget to make it harder for LA to implement the Forest Lawn Safety and Mobility Project. This is a dangerous precedent that, if allowed to become law, would entice any wealthy Californian to create their own law.

We need Governor Gavin Newsom to veto SB 194.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Email to request a VETO from Gavin Newsom

EMAIL GAVIN NEWSOM TO STOP THIS BILL

ICYMI – Context on What Happened:

The cemetery has enough customers.

Just 16 days ago, another horrific crash killed someone on Forest Lawn Drive.

This is a road where 95 crashes occurred between 2013 and 2023, three people were severely injured or killed, and nearly 3 in 4 drivers drive at a deadly speed in the event of a crash.

After years of work, LA finally has a plan to make Forest Lawn Drive safer. Mayor Bass paused it in May.

Now Sacramento is threatening it.

SEC. 2. Section 1811 is added to the Streets and Highways Code, to read:
1811. (a) A city with a population of 2,000,000 or more shall not reduce the number of vehicle travel lanes on a street that provides the only access to two or more adjacent cemeteries without prior approval of the governing body and the concurrence of the mayor of the city.
(b) Prior to approval of a reduction in the number of vehicle travel lanes pursuant to subdivision (a), the governing body of the city shall do both of the following:
(1) Conduct a duly noticed public hearing regarding the proposed vehicle travel lane reduction.
(2) Consider and make written findings regarding all of the following:
(A) Whether there are alternatives that would allow for proposed street modification without a vehicle travel lane reduction.
(B) The impact of the vehicle travel lane reduction on emergency access to the cemeteries and the surrounding community.
(C) The impact of the vehicle travel lane reduction on emergency response to very high and high fire hazard severity zones
Text from SB 194 that threatens the Forest Lawn Safety project, ok’d by Assemblymember Zbur and Senator Durazo

Friday night, two hours before the deadline to amend bills, lawmakers introduced SB 194—language threatening the long-planned safety project after opposition from cemeteries along the route.

Yes, they’re really trying to put this into state law. And they could send it to the Governor by Monday.

This is what it looks like when politics and powerful interests are put ahead of human lives.

We have 48 hours to kill this disastrous precedent and misguided, last minute back room deal. Read our full statement here.

Forest Lawn Drive should be a road that passes a cemetery—not one that sends people to it.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Email to request a VETO from Gavin Newsom

EMAIL GAVIN NEWSOM TO STOP THIS BILL

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On a related subject, Streets Are for Everyone sent out this notice yesterday.

This Saturday, we’re asking you to stand with us on Forest Lawn Drive.

On August 13, 2026, a single-vehicle crash on Forest Lawn Drive ended with a vehicle engulfed in flames, killing one person. Details about the crash are unknown, but we know this is not the first deadly crash on Forest Lawn Drive, and without meaningful safety improvements, it won’t be the last.

SAFE recently released a report detailing the urgent need for these safety improvements, after documenting that more than half of drivers regularly exceed the speed limit. The report highlights how a fully funded safety project designed to reduce known dangers on the 1.1-mile road was indefinitely paused by Mayor Karen Bass after nearby cemeteries successfully lobbied to stop the safety improvements.

Streets Are For Everyone, People’s Vision Zero, and Streets For All will be hosting a Ghost Tire Memorial on September 5th, 2026, at 10:00 AM to honor 70-year-old Bijan Yousefian, a victim of traffic violence who died in a fiery crash on Forest Lawn Drive.

Please join us this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. as we remember a life lost and demand that our local leaders stop killing road safety improvements at Forest Lawn Dr and across Los Angeles.

Event Details:
Date:

September 5th, 2026

Time:

10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Location:

Forest Lawn Drive (across the street from Malinow and Silverman Mortuary) click here for the exact meeting location and see image below:

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Evidently, the bike leg of a triathlon is your only chance to beat a hungry, hungry hippo.

Twitter post

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

No bias here. A Berkeley neighborhood group is suing to prevent the city from installing protected bike lanes on Hopkins Street, accusing it of violating the city’s bike plan. Which is kind of funny, considering Los Angeles has done nothing but violate its bike plan.

No bias here. A pro-driving group is accusing the Bristol, England city council of “ignoring road safety” with its so-called “cycling propaganda” — for the crime of showing someone riding a bicycle without a helmet.

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Local 

Um, okay. A writer for The Argonaut calls ebikes a menace on the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, complaining about “30–60-year olds clocking more than 25 mph without head gear on the narrow path;” however, he’s no fan of pedestrians, either, griping about “clueless and inconsiderate pedestrians” annoying bicyclists by walking on the bike path instead of the walkway. No offense, but he comes off like an old man yelling for kids to get off his lawn.

Streetsblog reports sections of the popular San Gabriel and Rio Hondo river path will be closed for several years starting October 1st, as the Army Corps of Engineers begins a “high urgency” $735 million project to repair the Whittier Narrows Dam.

 

State

Encinitas is urging Governor Gavin Newsom to veto a budget measure that will keep them from ripping out a new protected bike lane on Santa Fe Drive.

Axios San Diego suggests beating the heat with a bike ride on the Solana Beach Rail Trail, a fully protected bike path located between Highway 101 and the Coaster train tracks. Although this weekend, wind and rain from a rare Pacific coast hurricane could be more of a problem.

The carnage continues in Northern California, as a man in San Jose was killed by the driver of a dump truck while riding an ebike in the bike lane. And yes, what’s left of the bike looks like an actual ped-assist ebike.

The NorCal news gets worse, after a Sacramento woman was killed by a hit-and-run driver as she tried to her bicycle on the side of the road.

 

National

Cycling Electric says that studies from around the world prove that ebikes are not cheating, and the workout they provide is similar to the effects of a regular  bike.

A Seattle podcaster says bicycles are medical devices, after he took up bicycling to treat his type 2 diabetes and get in shape, losing 30 pounds, and improving his health and wellbeing. On the other hand, bicycling and a healthy diet hid the most of the effects of my type 2 diabetes, causing me to go undiagnosed for more than 20 years, and doing major damage to my health. 

Kentucky’s governor announced plans for a new pedestrian and bicycling bridge to provide better access to a Civil War battlefield.

This is the cost of traffic violence. An MIT professor described as “an expert in ancient metallurgy” died two weeks after he was was struck by a driver while riding his bicycle.

Atlanta is rolling out another round of the city’s ebike rebate program, with $1 million in funding to offer rebates up to $1,600. Which compares favorably to LA’s zero dollars in funding, with rebates up to not a damn thing.

 

International

Road.cc offer bicycling hacks to provide cheap alternatives to expensive products to keep you riding this winter.

The Times of London dropped their paywall to say that gravel biking will be the next great MAMIL-ian obsession. And here I thought it was pickleball. Although the cheapest of the three gravel bikes they recommend retails for the equivalent of $13,500, which makes pickleball look a lot better. 

An English hotel manager raised the equivalent of over $5,400 for a Welsh children’s hospice with a 180-mile ride between all nine of the company’s hotels in England and Wales, completing the ride in under 12 hours.

That suddenly shuttered bike shop in the UK is promising that everyone who left a bike to be repaired will get it back, even as someone reported the shop for stealing his bike — but if you put down a deposit on a new bicycle, you’re screwed.

Tragic news from Australia, where a second person has died following last week’s mass casualty crash in Canberra, Australia, when a 40-year old woman plowed into a group of bicyclists; a 39-year old man died in the hospital this week, after a 32-year old woman died at the scene.

 

Competitive Cycling

Cal State Dominguez Hills has founded what officials there say is the only varsity collegiate cycling team in California, one of just 20 other varsity collegiate cycling teams in the US; so far, it seems to have just one member, student-cyclist Alejandro Che.

Enric Mas strengthened his hold on the Vuelta’s red leader’s jersey, gaining nearly 30 seconds on second-place Primož Roglič.

The BBC is covering everything but the actual Tour of Britain, showing far more interest in flower-covered bikes and Spitfire flybys.

A writer for PeopleForBikes says that when the Philadelphia Cycling Classic returned to the city for the first time in ten years, it found a new cycling team and bike club from his own neighborhood.

 

Finally…

Your next cargo bike could have just a basket upfront, and no battery anywhere. Riding a bicycle to map the city’s crappy sidewalks.

And more proof that trees are out to get us.

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

Oh, and fuck Putin.

 

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

Trial set for accused hit-and-run killer of 6-year old Hudson O’Loughlin, and a call for less parking and more options at UCLA

June 30, 2026 / / Comments Off on Trial set for accused hit-and-run killer of 6-year old Hudson O’Loughlin, and a call for less parking and more options at UCLA

Mark your calendar for September 8th, when the hit-and-run driver accused of killing 6-year-old Hudson O’Loughlin is scheduled to stand trial.

The boy was riding bikes with his family in Pacific Beach in January when he was allegedly struck by 33-year old Tiffany Sanchez as she turned into an alley. Sanchez reportedly knocked the boy off his bike, then paused briefly before stepping on the gas and driving over Hudson as he was trying to get back on his feet.

She faces 12 years behind bars on charges of gross vehicular manslaughter, hit and run with death, and driving without a license in the Jan. 17 incident.

Sanchez has pled not guilty to all charges, and is free on bond.

Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels. 

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He gets it.

An op-ed from a UCLA law student refutes the idea that the school should provide more student parking and reduce costs, arguing that Westwood is well served with other transportation options, and only 25% of off-campus students drive to their classes.

Rather than subsidize driving, UCLA should invest in better means of transportation. Coordinated policies between the university, Westwood Village and city and regional governments have reduced and can continue to reduce car dependency in this eminently walkable, bikeable and scooter-friendly area that is well-served by public transit. Bruin U-Pass is a perfect example of that coordination. Metro Bike Share is similarly a good idea, but it needs investment and expansion.

The goal in Westwood should not be more parking or more permits, but less driving and fewer cars.

He’s going to make a damn good lawyer.

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Streets For All is hosting a webinar on July 9th to discuss the status of their bills in the state legislature.

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

No bias here. An op-ed writer for the very anti-bike New York Post argues that ebike riders and their bikes must be licensed and registered, and commercial ebikes should be geofenced to keep them off sidewalks and pedestrian paths, and prevent them from speeding, arguing that “disorganized cyclists are just as fed up as pedestrians with the reckless e-bike takeover of bike lanes.” Except she makes the common mistake of lumping all ebikes together, when the problems are caused by people on e-motos and motor scooters, not people on ped-assist ebikes. And the problem isn’t caused by bike organizations, either. 

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

A video appeared to show a group of teenage boys assaulting a man in Maine, after they had allegedly ridden their bikes through a stop sign and forced him to brake suddenly, to which he responded by getting out of his car and tossing one of their bikes into a pond.

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Local 

No bias here. LA Reported says Los Angeles has finally resumed resurfacing streets, but have focused on the wealthy community of Bel Air over less advantaged areas like Boyle Heights — not because of the political power of the ultra rich, but because the streets need less work and don’t require conforming to Measure HLA or the Americans with Disabilities Act, significantly lowering the cost of repairs.

Participation in the Culver City Pride Ride has gotten bigger in each of the last six years, despite “the algorithms of billionaires…making us all feel smaller and less important.”

ActiveSGV will host a free, family-friendly Tour de Arroyo bike ride on Sunday, July 12th, providing participants with a behind-the-scenes look at existing and proposed water projects in the Arroyo Seco.

Talk about bad timing. Long Beach’s Beach Streets open streets event will return with Beach Streets Kickin’ It Downtown on July 19th; unfortunately, that’s the same day CicLAvia returns to Hollywood and West Hollywood, forcing a difficult choice over which one to attend. Unless they are both taking place in honor of my wife’s birthday, in which case, carry on.

 

State

No news is good news, right?

 

National

WTF? A Portland man faces charges for trying to kidnap a three-year old boy following an argument over a bicycle; the boy’s father was in the park with his kids when a stranger tried to make off with his ten-year old daughter’s bike, then tried to snatch the kid when he couldn’t get away with the bike.

Relatives of an 85-year old Arizona man believe he was attacked while on a routine morning bike ride, after he woke up in the hospital with around a dozen broken bones, including a neck fracture, and no memory of what happened. Although I still don’t have any memory of how I ended up in the hospital after the Infamous Beachfront Bee Encounter, and that was almost two decades ago.

A 23-year old Texas man faces charges for the hit-and-run death of two men training for an Ironman triathlon near Denton, Texas last year; Eliseo Mauala was allegedly speeding and not paying attention to the road when he slammed into the two men from behind as they were riding their bikes, and refused to take a drug and alcohol test after returning to the crash scene.

A Cincinnati area man is repairing a thousand discarded bikes to donate to people in need this year.

Sad news from Illinois, where a 29-year old man riding a bicycle was killed in a collision with a car, which apparently did not have a driver.

An 18-year old New Jersey man faces two murder counts for killing two young women sharing an ebike last year; he is accused of intentionally slamming into the two 17-year old girls while doing at least 70 mph in a 25 mph, before fleeing on foot. He will be charged as an adult after relatives accused him of persistently harassing one of the girls, who had reportedly sought a restraining order against him.

Electrek says Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bipartisan ebike bill for “the most Florida reason ever,” because it could lead to increase government surveillance of civilians; leaders in Florida’s Orange County are working on their own ebike bill as a result of the governor’s veto.

 

International

Canada appears to be going the wrong way, as a new report shows both children and adults over 65 were constantly more likely to live further from bicycling infrastructure than just a decade ago.

More than a thousand London bike riders took place in a mass trespass when the latest Critical Mass ride went around road closure signs to ride on a highway where bikes aren’t allowed, which is currently closed for repair work.

The London borough of Brent finally got around to publishing its annual monitoring report for 2025, showing car ownership and injuries from traffic violence continued to rise, despite local targets calling for a drop in both.

Cyclist talks with the CEO of iconic British bike brand Pashley.

I want to be like him when I grow up. An 83-year old British man hopes to set a new Guinness World Record as the fastest octogenarian to ride the length of the UK; if all goes well, he expect to beat the existing 14-day record by a whopping four days.

A 27-year old Irish man fulfilled his dream of riding a bicycle back into his hometown, over two years after losing his sight due to a rare health condition.

Road.cc looks at the unreleased aero gravel bike prototypes and concept bikes from the recent Eurobike trade show.

Spanish bike riders face fines ranging from the equivalent of $228 for using a handheld phone, to over $1,100 for biking under the influence.

Forget Mallorca and the Canary Islands; the new Cycle Tourism Index says Croatia’s Adriatic Coast is the place to be for bicyclists this summer.

Tragic news from Poland, where the heat wave gripping Europe claimed the lives of two men, ages 71 and 30, participating in a mass mountain biking event. Although the “blistering heat” the competitors faced was just under 97° Fahrenheit, which wouldn’t bat an eyelid in most of the US.

Taiwanese bikemakers are moving to reimburse migrant workers following accusations of forced labor and human trafficking.

 

Competitive Cycling

The Olympics website offers tips on who to watch in this year’s Tour de France, and how; you can watch live on live on NBC Sports and streaming the race on Peacock.

 

Finally…

That feeling when you have to remind drivers that bike riders are people, too. Or when you spot a giant octopus along the local bike path.

And your next really, really expensive watch could be a homage to classic Tour de France winning bikes.

And not just because of the tiny motor hidden inside.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin.

 

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

Alleged killer Playa driver faces 2 prior DUIs, Bass works to keep Forest Lawn deadly, and “tyrannical bike kings” overtake NYC

May 18, 2026 / / Comments Off on Alleged killer Playa driver faces 2 prior DUIs, Bass works to keep Forest Lawn deadly, and “tyrannical bike kings” overtake NYC

I may be wrong. 

But somehow, I don’t think this plate I spotted yesterday on motor scooter is an official DMV-issued license plate.

And thanks to everyone who sent items in over the weekend. I’m holding most of it over until tomorrow because of the epic length of today’s post, and my own short attention span. 

………

This is why people keep dying on our streets.

Police identified the man who ran away from a fatal Playa del Rey collision as 28-year old Moises Santiago Rodriguez Leiva of Canyon Country.

Leiva was arrested three days after the May 3rd crash that killed a one-year old boy and his 25-year old uncle, and injured three others — one critically.

Survivors alleged that Leiva crashed into them in an act of road rage, while driving on the wrong side of the road at a high rate of speed.

The Los Angeles Times reports he was already facing two counts of DUI at the time of the crash, one from June of last year, and another from July, 2024. A judge had issued a bench warrant this January for failing to appear.

His arrest after three days on the run gave him plenty of time to sober up if he had been drinking again prior to the Playa crash. He is currently being held on $200,000 bond as prosecutors ponder charges.

This case raises the question of why drivers are allowed to remain on the road after they’ve been arrested for DUI.

A single arrest should result in the automatic suspension of a driver’s license, at least until the driver appears in court to respond to charges.

If they receive a second DUI before the first case is adjudicated, their license should be physically removed by the judge, and their vehicle impounded until such time as they are acquitted, or complete the sentence from both crimes.

That would have kept Leiva off the road. And chances are, one-year old Roger Sandoval and 25-year old Oswaldo Sandoval would still be alive.

Meanwhile, Streets Are For Everyone offers a guide to the state of DUI in the state of California, as well as the 16 DUI-related bills currently under consideration in the California legislature.

Yes, 16.

I say pass them all, and let the courts figure it out.

I’ve already lost a cousin and a childhood friend to drunk drivers. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to lose another one.

And speaking of drunk drivers, a New York driver plowed into a car while traveling at 108 mph, allegedly under the influence, then continued on into a group of pedestrians, killing two people and leaving three others in critical condition.

But sure, let’s let this guy stay on the road once he makes bail.

………

Streets For All alleges Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has intervened to pause, if not halt, the safety work scheduled for Forest Lawn Drive.

According to the traffic safety PAC, Bass reached out to StreetsLA to order a delay in the project at the request of Forest Lawn and Mount Sinai cemeteries, as they apparently attempt to increase their business by killing more of us off.

This project has already been debated for years, and multiple city agencies have concluded that will not only improve safety on Forest Lawn Drive, but won’t significantly interfere with funerals or people going to and from the cemeteries.

And people wonder why nothing ever gets done in this city.

………

No bias here.

A New York writer apparently doesn’t like bike lanes.

Or the people who do.

In a New York Post op-ed, the founding president of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance Greater New York and adjunct fellow of the Manhattan Institute, insists that “tyrannical ‘bike kings'” are taking over the city.

And demanding New Yorkers give up their precious traffic lanes and parking spaces.

New York City is dealing with elevated crime and disorder, failing and emptying schools, taxpayer flight and a fiscally crunched City Hall.

But our ruling class is targeting the “real” emergency: not enough bike lanes.

Cycling activists and their friends at the Department of Transportation have stepped up their crusade against the existential threat of the four-wheeled vehicle, imposing street-redesign plans on neighborhoods, whether residents want them or not.

It gets worse.

The bike kings go to communities with glossy presentations stuffed with buzzwords — “traffic-calming redesign,” “rebalancing public space,” “reimagined corridors.”

Translation: Your car, delivery truck or Access-A-Ride van  — no longer welcome…

And if residents object? Dismiss them as backward, selfish or (worse) suburban-minded.

Face it.

We’re all overprivileged corporate types who don’t care if grandma makes it to her doctor appointment because there’s no parking space for her car. All we care about is reducing traffic lanes to reduce the number of cars.

Never mind that maybe the 81-year old woman with a walker she cites probably shouldn’t be driving in the first place.

Because apparently, bike riders aren’t bus boys. Or college students. Or seniors trying to keep their weight and blood pressure down.

Or maybe just people who don’t want to get killed or maimed riding from here to there. And no self-respecting Chinese American would ever be caught dead on a bicycle.

Right?

But that’s the problem when you see the world in terms of stereotypes. You don’t see people. You see two-dimensional cardboard cutouts who can’t possibly understand your problems, or your perspective.

And you end up talking past one another, instead of with one another.

New York doesn’t need streets designed to conform to the cyclist ideology. It needs streets that make possible greater circulation, commerce and access.

Residents should say no to senseless bike-lane expansion.

Because a city that can’t move and accommodate the people who actually live and work in it isn’t “reimagined.”

It’s just stuck.

Yet somehow, the people going by in the bike lane aren’t “stuck.”

They’re moving. They’re breathing.

They’re living.

And they’re your neighbors.

You know, like us.

………

No bias here, either.

According to the London Telegraph — a bike friendly publication once upon a time — the medieval town on Windsor, home to the famous castle that’s home to the royal family, is being overrun with cyclists.

Make that middle-aged men in Lycra, aka MAMILS.

They are drawn on the 62-mile round trip ride from London because a Windsor cafe is offering a whopping ten percent discount on all drinks and food for anyone who arrives in Lycra, otherwise known as spandex on this side of the Atlantic.

But what some might see as a smart special to draw visitors to town, is somehow an invasion of law-breaking scofflaws who never met a red light they liked.

The paper somehow found a 79-year old woman who apparently doesn’t think it’s fair that bicyclists pay just 90% of the menu price. Never mind that locals get the same deal, Lycra or not, while tourists pay full freight.

However, the growing number of cyclists has coincided with a spate of rule-breaking on London’s roads. Traffic lights and zebra crossings are frequently ignored by some cyclists, leading police to consider tougher penalties for those who break the law…

Meanwhile, councils have been accused of waging a war on motorists in an effort to promote cycling, walking and other forms of “active travel” as part of efforts to tackle climate change…

In Windsor, though, the cyclists keep on coming – not for the castle but for cut-price coffee.

All that, because some local cafe came up with a successful promotion.

And chances are, a few of the people on bicycles may happen to notice the castle while they’re there.

………

A 37-year old Santa Monica woman was arrested for suspicion of bicycling under the influence after she allegedly kept riding after colliding with a car, causing minor damage.

Demonstrating once again that a) it is against the law to bike while drunk or stoned, even if the penalty is less than it is for DUI, and b) you are required to stop after a collision, just like drivers are.

………

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

You’ve got to be kidding. A North Carolina bike rider was handcuffed when cops arrived on the scene and assumed he was an aggressor — even though he was actually the victim of a collision; police swore he was actively resisting. I’d be actively resisting, too, if I got handcuffed for getting hit by a driver.

You’ve got to be kidding, part two. A bike rider in Edinburgh, Scotland was held 50% responsible for getting doored by the driver’s insurance company, which ruled he should have been riding further away from the car.

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

A Redditor complains that her bicyclist boyfriend encouraged her to buy a bike, then came up with reasons why it was impossible to ride together. Hint: Dump the guy, keep the bike. 

A 24-year old Cincinnati man was busted for grabbing ass as he rode by women on his ebike, including local comedian Kelly Collette.

………

Local 

Streetsblog will host the great D-Line Dash tomorrow, pitting a bike rider against people driving and taking the subway from Beverly Hills to DTLA. My money’s on the subway, followed by the bicycle. 

The LAPD busted a suspected shooter after a ten-minute chase that began near Fountain and Formosa avenues, then crossed over into West Hollywood as the suspect jumped on a bicycle — which may or may not have been his — and ended in WeHo’s Plummer Park.

South Pasadena approved a Complete Streets concept for South Huntington Drive, but council members were unable to reach a consensus on how to improve Fremont Ave.

Pasadena residents gathered Saturday to build more than 100 bicycles for the twice-yearly Eva Lin Team’s Charity Bike Build to ensure every child who wants a bicycle can have one.

That doesn’t sound good. A Saugus bicyclist was seriously injured after landing a jump at the Haskell Canyon Bike Park neck first.

This is who we share the road with. Two Valencia teenagers were arrested for an intentional assault on a peace officer when one of the teens swerved his dirt bike into the deputy’s motorcycle, causing the cop to crash.

Harrison Ford is one of us, taking to mountain biking in the Santa Monica Mountains following his 2015 plane crash.

 

State

The Orange County Transportation Authority and the City of Mission Viejo teamed up to host the “Pedal La Paz Road” Bikeway Demonstration Event on Saturday, demonstrating how cities can rethink wide arterial roads to prioritize safety, accessibility, and mobility for everyone, even as nearby Fullerton continues to struggle with disconnected bikeways.

The Cyclovia Encinitas returned to the coast highway for the 6th consecutive year.

This is who we share the road with, too. A driver was arrested after plowing through a group of people standing outside an Oakland market, killing three people and injuring five others; the juvenile alleged killer attempted to flee the scene, but was captured by witnesses.

After a 1,550-mile bike ride from Venice to Athens, a couple who originally met in San Francisco realizes that getting married probably won’t be the hardest thing they do. Although based on 27 years of matrimonial hindsight, I’d say the bike ride is way easier. 

Sacramento bike riders decorated their bikes with bright lights and loudspeakers, and wore colorful outfits, Friday night for the monthly Big Party Sacramento.

Davis residents were warned to be careful riding after a mountain lion was spotted near a popular bike path. If you encounter a mountain lion, or any kind of wild cat, remember you can’t outrun it. So stay still, try to make yourself look as large as possible, yell loudly, and if you have anything you can throw at it, do it. 

 

National

Redditors say wiggle your handlebars, or maybe your butt, to add an air of unpredictability and encourage drivers to give you a little more space on the road.

Life is cheap in Las Vegas, where a man is looking for answers after the driver who killed his bike-riding wife two years ago walked without a day behind bars, and a lousy 100 hours of community service and a $1,140 fine, despite an original charge of manslaughter.

A Detroit man learns the hard way that if you’re going to lead a life of crime, leave your distinctive ebike at home.

The New York Times Wirecutter newsletter offers tips to make bicycling less intimidating. Although what could be less intimidating than just getting on a bike and turning the pedals?

Amazon is using big box ebikes for last-mile deliveries in DC. And yes, they do actually have to be pedaled, albeit with a pedal-by-wire drivetrain.

Savannah, Georgia cops finally got their man — or woman, in this case — nearly two years after a hit-and-run driver killed a 37-year old man riding a bicycle; the 29-year old driver was charged with vehicular homicide, as well as attempting to coverup evidence of the crime.

At a time when our government is kicking refugees from “shithole” countries out of ours, a former competitive cyclist is helping Georgia refugees get on a bicycle by refurbishing donated bikes to provide them with reliable transportation.

A Florida triathlete is recovering after she was sideswiped by a hit-and-run driver while riding her bike, suffering an extensive list of serious injuries, but credits her helmet with saving her life; a crowdfunding campaign has raised over $52,000, topping the $50,000 goal.

 

International

Just in time for Metro’s not Bike to Work Day, Road.cc offers tips on how to avoid common bike commuting mistakes.

Bike lock manufacturer Litelok is offering a real-time look at where bike thefts are occurring so you can avoid hotspots. That’s easy. Everywhere. 

Road.cc guides you through the weird, wacky and wonderful world of alternative bike seats.

While US cities are cracking down on ebikes, a UK petition is calling for raising speeds for ped-assist ebikes to 20 mph.

LA bike riders have to worry about car horns, while British riders are concerned with cow horns in the countryside this time of year.

An Irish couple shares the lessons they learned by bicycling 7,500 miles around the world, including “don’t camp with bears” and “it really is all in your mind.” Not to mention your thighs. And butt. And calves. And back. And…

France is offering the equivalent of $4,600 to trade in your car for an ebike.

Spanish bicyclists will continue to be expected to use the shoulder, but only when it’s passable and never if there’s a separated bikeway — and they’ll be fined if they ride the shoulder when there is a bike path

Bicyclists in Jerusalem are pushing for a more bike-friendly city, as a massive annual event drew bicyclists out to the streets.

Israel is set to mandate license plates for all e-scooter and ebike riders, but the plates will apply to the rider, not the bike, so you could apparently transfer your license from one vehicle to another.

China is starting to leave the Western bicycle industry behind, just like the country is doing with electric vehicles.

An 81-year old San Francisco man is now leading Tokyo bike rides of up to 35 miles on behalf of the fittingly named Half-Fast Cycling.

Frustrations are growing over Japan’s new policy of fining bicyclists for a host of violations, with some people believing the fines go too far and others who think they don’t go far enough, even though most people think they’re about right. Meanwhile, bicyclists also have to deal with fake cops fining riders on the spot.

Aussie bike shops faces fines up to $1.1 million for selling fixies without front and rear brakes, as well as meeting a host of other standards.

 

Competitive Cycling

Good for them. Two Cycling Canada board members resigned from the national sport organization in response to the decision to not field a women’s team pursuit squad in the world championships or the upcoming ’28 Olympics.

Seven-time-ex-Tour de France champ Lance Armstrong is helping to design the mountain biking course for the LA Olympics, after the LA Olympic Committee was apparently unable to find any non-dopers willing to do the job.

Nineteen-year old Danish wunderkind Albert Withen Philipsen was lucky to escape without major injuries following a training crash at 50 mph, even if he’s been left “mummified” in bandages.

Once again, stupid, idiotic, no-good “fans” have interfered with the peloton, as two 19- and 20-year old men were arrested for stepping onto the roadway during the Giro, and reaching out towards the riders.

 

Finally…

Now you, too, can take a biking vacay just like Richard Branson. Now you, too, can help a bike rider through cartoon traffic, even if the situation is anything but funny.

And you, too, could have had a painting of a bike rider being abducted by aliens.

But you’re too damn late, because someone already bought it.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

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

May 15, 2026 / / One comment

Just a couple quick notes today.

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

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

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

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

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

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

I’ll see you on Monday.

And I promise to be in a better place.

………

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

Twitter post

Twitter post

………

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

……….

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

………

More than 130 Cyclists Roll through Orange
for OCTA Bike Rally

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

………

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Streets For All legislative agenda speeds safer streets and redefines high-powered e-motos, and April Fools in the bike world

April 2, 2026 / / Comments Off on Streets For All legislative agenda speeds safer streets and redefines high-powered e-motos, and April Fools in the bike world

Chag Pesach Sameach!

………

Streets For All introduced its legislative package for the 2026 session, sponsoring ten bills while requesting a $200 million annual addition to California’s Active Transportation Program.

Among their sponsored bills,

AB 1740 (Zbur)  makes it easier to build bike lanes, bus improvements, infill housing, and other multimodal projects in urban coastal communities. Right now, even straightforward street safety projects can get bogged down in the coastal permitting process. This bill would let qualifying urban communities move more quickly on projects that improve safety and reduce emissions, while still preserving coastal access and protections.

AB 1837 (Mark González) extends transit lane and bus stop camera enforcement and makes that authority permanent statewide. Illegal parking in bus lanes and at bus stops slows buses, creates unsafe boarding conditions, and makes transit less reliable. This bill would help keep transit moving and make bus service faster and safer for riders.

AB 1976 (Wicks), the Safe Streets Streamlining Act, tackles the process barriers that delay or kill good street safety projects. It changes local input requirements, ends unreasonable petition requirements for traffic calming, updates the pedestrian mall law, and creates a clearer path for cities to actually deliver the bike, pedestrian, and transit projects they have already said they want. California cannot keep saying yes to safe streets in theory while allowing them to be endlessly blocked in practice.

SB 1167 (Blakespear) cracks down on high-powered “e-motos” being sold as e-bikes. It tightens definitions, changes labeling rules, and requires sellers to clearly disclose when a device is actually a motor vehicle and not a legal e-bike. Real e-bikes are an important transportation tool. But that only works if the category remains clear and trustworthy.

AB 2015 (Wicks) helps cities keep slow streets actually slow by stopping navigation apps from routing cut-through traffic onto neighborhood streets that have been intentionally designed for local access, walking, and biking. If a city has decided that a street should function as a calm neighborhood street, app-based routing should not undermine that decision.

AB 1599 (Ahrens) creates a centralized California Transit Stop Registry. Transit stop data is often fragmented, inconsistent, and confusing across agencies. A statewide registry would make transit data more accurate and useful, improve coordination, and help create a better rider experience. The bill will also help us get more data on what amenities are at transit stops.


SB 1292 (Richardson) gives cities stronger curb management tools to enforce parking violations in places like loading zones, bike lanes, and crosswalks. Curb space matters, and mismanaged curb space creates safety problems, transit delays, and chaos on the street. This bill gives local governments more tools to manage that space better.

AB 2284 (Dixon) requires CHP to publish a list of devices that are being marketed as e-bikes but are not actually legal e-bikes. That kind of transparency would help consumers, schools, local governments, and law enforcement better understand what devices comply with California law and which ones do not.

AB 1833 (McKinnor), the Consumer Driving Data Protection Act of 2026,allows drivers to voluntarily opt into insurance telematics systems, with privacy protections, to better align insurance rates with actual driving behavior. This bill is about allowing safer driving to be reflected more fairly, while preserving strong guardrails around consent, data use, and consumer protection.

SB 1423 (Stern) would steer half of one of California’s biggest transportation funding sources toward projects that actually make streets safer. The bill would dedicate half of STIP funds, one of the state’s largest transportation pots of money, to projects that improve safety for people walking, biking, and taking transit. It would also simplify the application process for the state’s top safe streets grant program and elevate its identity as California’s flagship source of funding for street safety.

Budget Ask: A $200 million annual addition to the Active Transportation Program (ATP), which is our state’s premier pot of street safety funding. Last year, ATP only funded about 30 of the 350 projects that applied.

They’ll host a webinar to discuss their support for the bills on Thursday, April 16th at high noon.

………

Pink Bike highlights the best April Fools gags from around the bike industry.

Meanwhile, Road.cc wrote that BP — the former British Petroleum — is encouraging drivers to deal with rising gas prices by skipping the pump and riding a bike instead. Which actually had me fooled at first. 

Strava joined in with a gag about opening a dating platform. Although that might not be the worst idea. 

Then there was the electrolyte gravy, a fish tank bike saddle and skinsuits that come pre-crashed so you don’t have to worry about messing them up.

On the other hand, an Aussie writer says paying people to ride a bike is no joke, despite what an April Fools gag said.

………

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

An op-ed from the executive director of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association decries demands from the Trump administration for the National Park Service to rip out a popular bike lane that has cut injuries by 91%; meanwhile, Bloomberg’s CityLab considers why Trump’s war on DC streets matters, as the administration exerts control over the city while sidelining its residents.

No bias here. A San Diego letter writer says if you really want to help kids, skip the bike lanes and use the money for libraries, instead. Which sets up a false dichotomy between libraries, which should get better funding, and bike lanes, which improve safety for everyone on the streets, not just kids. Although you’ll have to find a way around the paper’s paywall to read it. 

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

Great use of police resources. The Macomb, Georgia Police Department put their new drone to use in less than 24 hours by capturing a 14-year old kid speeding on his ebike. Next they’ll use it to bring in other dangerous desperados, like maybe a bunch of littering nuns. 

………

Local 

The LA Times examines how to stay safe on an ebike, starting with knowing the difference between a ped-assist bicycle and an electric motorbike.

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton takes an in-person look at new protected bike lanes going in on Colorado and Broadway in Santa Monica, and Washington and Adams in Culver City.

 

State

Orange County’s Newport-Mesa Unified School District is considering a proposal to ban all ebikes for elementary and middle school students, and allow only Class 1 ebikes for high school students with parental consent.

San Francisco’s transportation department is working on plans for hardened daylighting, installing barriers like bike racks or bollards to keep drivers from speeding around the corners newly opened by California’s daylighting requirement.

Longtime Michelin starred San Francisco chef Roland Passot is one of us, balancing work with his passion for road cycling.

 

National

A prolific Portland burglar will spend the next five years and five months behind bars, after he was convicted for stealing over 30 bicycles and ebikes over a three-year crime spree.

A Eugene, Washington program is teaching residents of homeless shelters how to become bicycle mechanics.

Bodycam video is raising questions about a Texas cop’s takedown of a 16-year old kid, who make the simple mistake of trying to call his dad when the cop stopped a group of teens for rolling a stop sign; after taking the kid down, the cop then seized and searched the boy’s phone without a warrant.

A Providence, Rhode Island event demonstrates Intelligent Speed Assist, which could be authorized to rein in chronic speeding and reckless drivers under a bill in the California legislature, as well.

Life is cheap in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a driver faces just a misdemeanor charge for killing an eight-year old girl riding a bicycle, even though he was driving with a revoked license and an unregistered vehicle — and even though witnesses said he revved his engine and sped up just before the crash.

 

International

A British bike rider is suing three police departments for the equivalent of $6.35 million, alleging they covered it up when a driver knocked him off his bike; the cops said he just fell off his bike, even though a witness said she saw the driver clip him. Which sounds a lot like when I was run down by a road-raging driver, and the LAPD concluded I somehow defied the laws of physics by falling to the left while making a right turn, but it never occurred to me to sue them. 

Bicycling Australia says that country is seeing a renewed interest in bicycling as a result of the fuel crisis caused by the war in Iran, but no full blown bike boom — yet.

Velo considers why bicycling in Taipei feels safer than riding in Portland (scroll down).

China’s longtime bikemaker Flying Pigeon is shedding its traditional image as a self-destructing bicycle-shaped object, and using combination of flexible sensors, artificial intelligence algorithms and the internet of things to redefine the bikes from a simple form of transport into an “intelligent health management terminal.” Unless China Daily is pulling an April Fool’s joke, in which case they got me.

 

Competitive Cycling

Filippo Ganna overcame a snapped handlebar and late bike change to win Dwars door Vlaanderen, while Swiss cyclist Marlen Reusser shocked herself by winning the women’s edition.

The Athletic looks, not at the pros taking part, but the Belgian super fans on the sidelines of De Ronde van Vlaanderen, aka the Tour of Flanders.

A 17-year British amateur, part of the country’s development team, was left brokenhearted when an insurance company refused to pay for three stolen Pinarello Dogma bikes worth a total of $20,000 because the thieves weren’t violent enough, and just walked away with the bikes instead of breaking in or causing major damage.

Austria’s eight-time national junior was lucky to walk away with a broken arm and a shattered bicycle when he was cut off by a driver on a training ride, and slammed into the back of the driver’s car.

Instagram post

 

Finally…

Playing bike polo, aka riding a bicycle with a big wooden hammer in your hand. And that feeling when your bike-on-bike collision is memorialized for the masses on Google Street View.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

LA mayoral race starts with Mayor Bass missing in action, and taking both sides of the K Line Northern Extension debate

March 25, 2026 / / Comments Off on LA mayoral race starts with Mayor Bass missing in action, and taking both sides of the K Line Northern Extension debate

That sound you heard Monday was the official start of the Los Angeles mayoral race.

Normally, any contest with a standing incumbent in Los Angeles makes paint drying seem absolutely thrilling.

Particularly since this year’s race starts with LA Mayor Karen Bass enjoying an eight point lead over her closest opponent.

Except CD4 Councilmember Nithya Raman currently has the support of just 17% of eligible voters. Which means that Bass’ seemingly insurmountable lead after four years in office is based on only has 25% support.

And over half of the electorate has a negative opinion of her, making the race anyone’s to claim at this point.

The kickoff for the campaign was Monday’s first debate, sponsored by Streets for All and Housing Action Coalition. Although Bass and reality TV star Spencer Pratt, in third place with 14%, apparently couldn’t be bothered to attend.

Or maybe she was just off on another diplomatic mission, like she was when a large section of the city burned to the ground last year.

According to LAist, the candidates who could be bothered to show up were —

  • Adam Miller, founder of a homelessness nonprofit and self-described lifelong Democrat, said the city is “broken,” physically and figuratively.
  • Nithya Raman, an L.A. city councilwoman, said the city is “challenged.”
  • Rae Huang, a Presbyterian minister, community organizer and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, said L.A. needs “new and fresh leadership.”

Apparently, the other 35 candidates qualified for the June primary were also otherwise occupied. Or maybe they just weren’t invited, since their combined support could be listed on the back of a postage stamp.

You know, those sticky things you used to put on snail mail to make it go places.

LA Public Press offers five takeaways from the debate, including a reminder that Nithya Raman has a masters in urban planning from MIT, adding to her urbanist bona fides.

You can watch the full debate below.

Please enjoy that photo of a bass by Gio Spigo from Pexels up there on the left, since Mayor Bass didn’t bother to show up for the debate.  

………

Meanwhile, Mayor Bass’ insisted that her stance on the Northern Extension of the K Line is being misrepresented, and she’s really a big ol’ supporter of extending the line.

Twitter post

Except, as Streets For All points out, her support is actually a delaying tactic, calling for extending the line while offering an amendment to approve it without selecting a final alignment, even though it has already been studied to death.

And even though that will just lead to more delays, and a loss of funding.

Apparently, she learned a lot during her time in Washington. Like how to take both sides of an issue.

Twitter post

………

Metro Bike is hosting a virtual meeting at noon today to discuss expanding the  city’s bikeshare system.

Twitter post

Meanwhile, Czech carmaker Škoda’s We Love Cycling website takes a look at Prague, Czech Republic’s successful bikeshare system to see what it takes to make one work — starting with broad availability.

………

CicLAvia hosted a recent discussion on the state of open streets in the Los Angeles area, as Metro wants to tie all upcoming events to this summer’s World Cup and the ’28 LA Olympics.

Twitter post

………

Active SGV is hosting a ride on April 4th to check out the new Whittier Narrows BMX pump track.

Twitter post

………

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

The video of Ben Byra and U-23 national crit champ Luke Fetzer being harassed by a road-raging BMW driver in Newport Beach has now been viewed more than eight million times.

………

Local 

The deadline for input on the Monrovia Draft Bike Master Plan is this Friday, aka the day after tomorrow. So get it in, already.

 

State

The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is warning parents after a group of kids rode electric motorbikes through a Santee neighborhood performing “dangerous pranks” that they described as “doorbell ditching,” or what we called “ding-dong ditch” back in the Dark Ages. Although granted, no one was riding an overpowered virtual motorcycle or likely to get shot by a frightened homeowner back in the day.

Caltrans intends to install a crosswalk with flashing beacons on PCH near the Neptune’s Net restaurant, just across the Los Angeles County line, where the speed limit is 55 mph. Because of course drivers will screech to a stop from highway speeds for a few beacons flashing in the roadway.

A 46-year old woman died after she was bitten by a rattlesnake in Thousand Oaks’ Wildwood Regional Park, about a week before a teenaged girl was bitten when she fell off her mountain bike in the same area; a Costa Mesa man died after lingering in a coma for weeks when he was bitten while mountain biking in Irvine February 1st.

San Francisco is completely reimagining the city’s Folsom Street with a Complete Street project designed to prioritize non-motorized traffic. Which compares favorably with virtually every street in Los Angeles, where only motorized traffic gets prioritized. 

Parking mania raised its ugly head in Santa Rosa, where city officials approved replacing a dying mall’s pedestrian plaza with parking spaces. Raising the eternal question of why a dying mall needs even more parking. 

 

National

A writer for Electrek makes the case for why small, seated scooter-type bikes should be classified as ebikes, even if they don’t have pedals. Call them any damn thing you want, as far as I’m concerned, just not ebikes.

Portland, Oregon is launching a $20 million ebike rebate program offering up to $1,600 for standard ebikes and $2,350 for cargo ebikes. Which compares favorably to Los Angeles, where a nonexistent ebike voucher program provides eligible recipients absolutely nothing.

The Bureau of Land Management is considering opening 220 miles of Colorado offroad trails to ebikes, after opening hundreds of miles around Moab, Utah.

The founder of Strider Bikes recalls how the urge to get his two-year old toddler riding the trails around his Rapid City, South Dakota hometown as soon as possible led to the development of the pedal-less bike that forever changed bicycle training for the training pants crowd.

A New York councilmember wants a bike lane on a major roadway crossing Central Park, arguing that more people would ride if they could get from one end of Manhattan to the other.

A 56-year old Florida driver was arrested following a midnight crash that seriously injured a man riding a bicycle, after police discovered he’d been living under a fake name for 30 years to dodge a 1997 arrest and extradition warrant.

 

International

Road.cc recommends a dozen of the best pretend bicycling apps, for when you and your bike are both stuck inside.

The head of e-bikeshare firm Bolt says cities need more bike lanes to reduce traffic congestion and pressure on public transportation.

Momentum recommends the best places in North America to see cherry blossoms from your bike, from BC to DC. Or you can just ride your bike anywhere in Los Angeles and see just about everything, flowering or otherwise.

Um, okay. A Vancouver, British Columbia family known for tall bikes has developed a stacked, double-decker tandem that allows riders to switch positions mid-ride, without stopping, and are now working on a four-passenger version.

Must be nice. The Edinburgh, Scotland city council is fighting back against accusations of covering up figures suggesting a decline in bicycling rates, arguing that the bike network is pulling its weight, and the city needs more bikeways, not fewer.

Cycling Weekly considers the recent British study that shows bicycling saves the country’s National Health Service the equivalent of nearly $100 million, aside from any other activities, arguing that everyone benefits when more people ride.

Ghost bikes are becoming a point of contention between bicyclists and the city government of Melbourne, Australia, which says they don’t come under the city’s “plaques and memorials” policy.

 

Competitive Cycling

Italian cyclist Debora Silvestri is still hospitalized on breathing support after suffering multiple crack ribs going over the guard rail in a high speed mass crash in the women’s Milan-San Remo.

Former Olympic and world time trial champ Grace Brown says she’s glad she got out of the sport alive, arguing that UCI’s “extreme” focus on safety regulations hasn’t kept the peloton from getting more dangerous, as the high speed women’s Milan-Sanremo crash demonstrated.

If you needed any more proof that all-everything champ Tadej Pogačar is riding at the next level these days, he won Milan-San Remo with a mad descent on a cracked frame with a rubbing disc brake, following a bad crash earlier in the race.

Road.cc considers whether modern road bikes are really that much faster, more aero and comfortable compared to bikes from the ’90s.

 

Finally…

Where would Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet and Eeyore mountain bike? That feeling when you scale a bridge with a bicycle on your back, then leave it flapping from the giant American flag at the top.

And why did the chicken use a pelican, puffin, toucan or tiger to cross the road — but not a pegasus, unless it was on a pony?

The chicken, that is.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

Demand a Traffic Violence State of Emergency in Los Angeles, and a Capital Infrastructure Plan for the City Charter

March 12, 2026 / / One comment

Let’s depart with our usual format today, because there are a couple of urgent matters we need to attend to right now. 

We’ll be back tomorrow to catch up on anything we missed today.

Pinky swear.

………

First off, I’ve signed onto a letter demanding that Mayor Karen Bass and the City Council declare a Traffic Violence State of Emergency, after the abject failure of Vision Zero in Los Angeles.

Now I’m asking you to sign on to that letter as well.

Below you’ll find the full text of that letter. If you support it, please click this link or scan the QR code in the graphic below to sign on, too.

Dear Mayor Bass and Honorable Members of the City Council:

The City of Los Angeles has not been taking traffic violence and the public health crisis that is, seriously. The facts speak for themselves:

In 2015, the city committed to Vision Zero – its plan to end traffic violence by 2025. In 2025, traffic fatalities were reported by LAPD to be 290, 56% higher than in 2015.

For the past three years there have been more traffic fatalities than homicides.

An audit directed by the Los Angeles City Council found that Vision Zero failed – and thousands of people died – because of a lack of political will and poor coordination between city departments.

Traffic violence is the leading cause of death for children ages 4-14 in LA County.

Between 31 January and 5 February 2026, there were two mass traffic fatality events, resulting in 5 people killed and 7 others seriously injured.

The City of Los Angeles was about to return 100 million dollars in road safety funding to the State of California because it didn’t have the manpower to use the money.

We, the undersigned, demand that the issue of traffic violence be treated with the urgency and importance that it deserves. We request that the City of Los Angeles formally declare a State of Emergency due to traffic violence, thus redirecting resources and prioritizing actions to address this city-wide problem. This includes but is not limited to:

  1. Recommitting to Vision Zero in its entirety – all five pillars, not just one or two.
  2. Take serious and meaningful actions to fully address the failures of Vision Zero found in the city’s own audit.
  3. Properly staff the LADOT, RIGHT NOW,  with the personnel needed to use the grants and funding it already has.
  4. Immediately empower the community to make their own roads safer through a community-led traffic safety program.
  5. Fast-track road safety programs and improvements that are already in the works.

Vision Zero cannot succeed if it is treated as a slogan rather than a mandate. Preventable deaths are not unfortunate accidents; they are the predictable outcome of design choices and policy decisions.

Our city’s leaders have the tools, data, and authority to act. Now we are asking them to decide that a commitment to protecting human life should not be negotiable.

Jonathan Hale, Founder
People’s Vision Zero

Damian Kevitt, Executive Director
Streets Are For Everyone

………

Second, Streets For All is asking for your help to support critical Los Angeles City Charter reforms at today’s meeting of the Charter Commission.

TODAY: TELL THE CHARTER COMMISSION TO PASS A CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN

This is it! Today the Charter Commission will be deciding whether to submit language for 1) a Capital Infrastructure Plan and 2) a Director of Public Works.

These reforms are absolutely critical. They will create transparency, accountability, and reform the City’s existing antiquated system for infrastructure delivery. This touches everything we care about, from crosswalks to trees to bike lanes to park space.

We are expecting significant push back defending the status quo. It is important that advocates make their voice heard.

EXAMPLE PUBLIC COMMENT LANGUAGE

3 WAYS YOU CAN HELP
Thursday, March 12, 4pm (AGENDA)

1) Show up in person and give public comment
City Hall, 200 Spring Street, Room 350, Board of Public Works Session Room

2) Call in and give public comment
Please call early, they are limiting public comment to 30 minutes only
Use this Zoom link, or call 1-669-254-5252 (Meeting ID: 161 156 7882)

3) Submit written Public comment via email
Add your name and zip code to the bottom, feel free to customize the suggested language. 

EMAIL THE CHARTER COMMISSION

Want to learn more about the Charter Reform process? Read about our research and suggestions here: charter.streetsforall.org

We’ll be back to our regular programming tomorrow.

Category: General / Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Bloodless account of CA Ebike Incentive killing, LA’s most dangerous intersections, and new CA bill redefines e-motos

February 24, 2026 / / Comments Off on Bloodless account of CA Ebike Incentive killing, LA’s most dangerous intersections, and new CA bill redefines e-motos

Evidently, CARB’s cold-blooded murder of the California Ebike Incentive Program was just one of those things.

At least, that’s the takeaway from a remarkably bloodless Los Angeles Times report that finally made its way into print over the weekend, a couple weeks after first appearing online.

Take this remarkably mild-mannered introduction to the story.

To offset the cost of the e-bikes, which can run in the thousands of dollars, the state launched a generous voucher program — one that heavily subsidized, and in some cases completely offset, the purchase price. Demand soared.

That’s when the problems began.

Vouchers were quickly snatched up. A website set up to manage applications crashed amid heavy demand.

Despite wide public interest, the program quietly and abruptly ended last year — a victim, in some ways, of its own success.

Now the state is pivoting, leaving cycling advocates disappointed and those who were able to snag e-bike vouchers counting their lucky stars.

No mention there, or anywhere else in the story, of the three years it took the California Air Resources Board to even issue the first voucher.

Let alone the alleged malfeasance by, and investigations into, San Diego nonprofit Pedal Ahead, which was hired by CARB to manage the program. And failed miserably.

And then the whole damn thing collapsed, apparently because getting cleaner cars on the road mattered more than getting more cars off it.

The demand was apparent. Some cycling advocates say they were under the impression additional vouchers — that would have been funded by the subsequent $18 million in state funding — were on the horizon as soon as a new administrator of the program was secured.

But those dollars were instead diverted to CARB’s Clean Cars 4 All program, which helps lower-income Californians trade in their gas-fueled vehicles for new or used plug-in hybrid electric, zero-emission vehicles or motorcycles, she said.

“California is committed to supporting e-bikes as a clean mobility alternative to vehicles. But, ultimately, the state has a limited budget and many competing priorities,” CARB spokesperson Bradley Branan told The Times.

That’s it.

Apparently, they couldn’t find a single disgruntled applicant willing to go on the record with a single complain against how the program was (mis)managed.

And yes, that’s me over here waving my hand until it falls off.

The whole program was the very definition of a clusterfuck and a shitshow from beginning to end. Because calling it a complete and barely mitigated disaster is being far too kind.

Instead, the Times very belatedly and very politely suggests that it was just one of those unfortunate things.

You, just another California program gone bad. Nothing to see here.

And don’t pay attention to the man behind the curtain.

Meanwhile, California continues to fall behind the ebike voucher race, as Tampa, Florida is bringing back a program that would award 248 ebike vouchers through a lottery program, offering up to $3,000 for very low income recipients.

That compares very favorably to the zero vouchers for zero dollars offered by the City and/or County of Los Angeles.

And now, California, too.

Image of the murder weapon removed from the back of the California Ebike Incentive Program and California bicyclists by Annie Gavin from Pixabay.

………

Speaking of the LA Times, the paper ranked the city’s 14 worst intersections, based on LADOT traffic counts and LAPD collision data.

Even there, the language and tone are no bolder.

And once again, they couldn’t seem to find a single traffic safety advocate to talk to. Evidently, no one picked up the phones at Streets For All and Streets Are For Everyone.

Or maybe the Times just lost their numbers.

The best they could do was a traffic engineering expert from USC, who evidently doesn’t consider traffic speed or road design a contributing factor when it comes to collisions.

Consider these milquetoast stanzas.

  • Many of the worst intersection were designed to take a lot traffic. They’ve been optimized for car movement (so pedestrians, buses cyclists come second to moving cars). This is controversial because some feel the city needs to prioritize getting solo drivers out of cars and onto mass transit and other alternatives. But most of these intersections lack protected bike and bus lanes.
  • As frustrating as the waits at these intersections can be, Moore argues that the city has generally done a adequate job of moving so many cars and is skeptical much more can be done short the type of “congestion pricing” system being tried in New York and European cities.

While I’m all in favor of congestion pricing, I doubt there are many people who would give LA traffic even an “adequate” grade.

That said, here’s the list in all its glory.

  1. Highland and Sunset
  2. Sepulveda and Lincoln
  3. MLK and Crenshaw
  4. 3rd and Alvarado
  5. El Segundo and Hoover
  6. Los Feliz and Griffith Park
  7. Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset
  8. Santa Monica and Highland
  9. Fountain and Hyperion
  10. Crenshaw and 9th
  11. La Cienega and Centinela
  12. Vermont and 28th
  13. Wilshire and Sepulveda
  14. Pacific Coast Highway and Channel/Chautauqua

Two of those are walking distance from my apartment. Which probably explains why I feel like my life is in danger every time I walk the dog.

And I’ve ridden, driven of bused through most of the rest, and can attest that they do, indeed, suck.

But I don’t think you can evaluate any intersection without considering the design of the roadways leading up to it, or the speed of the drivers approaching it.

This list should be a call to action to fix each of these. But if we only address the intersections themselves, we won’t solve the problems that put them on it.

Then again, I’m not traffic engineering expert.

So what do I know?

………

Now that’s what I’m talking about.

Calbike, Streets for All, Streets Are For Everyone, and People for Bikes have clearly heard the call, and are backing a new bill that would redefine some electric mopeds and e-motorbikes to clear up the current confusion and separate them from Class 1, 2 and 3 ebikes.

Unlike AB 1942, which would require licenses and registration for ebikes, SB 1167 would clarify what is actually an ebike, while renaming and regulating faster and higher-powered two-wheeled vehicles.

Like these, for instance.

The bill would require that an electric bicycle must have fully operational pedals and an electric motor capable of no more than 750 watts; anything else could not be legally called, marketed or sold as a bicycle or ebike.

What is currently termed a motorized bicycle would be redefined as a moped, with clearer definitions of vehicle design, power output, and a top speed of 30 mph on level ground.

The term motor-driven cycles would include electric motorcycles offering less than 3,750 watts and 5 brake horsepower.

Both categories would require that manufacturers and marketers clearly specify that they are not electric bicycles.

Dirt bikes and other electric motorbikes intended for off-highway use will be treated as off-highway motor vehicles and must display identification plates or devices, and be certified by an accredited independent lab.

And perhaps most importantly, it would not require licenses, registration or insurance for ped-assist ebikes — a requirement that would be the best way to kill the growth of ebikes, and limit their ability to replace motor vehicle use.

………

Hats off to our very own Marvin Braude Bike Trail, which leads USA Today’s list of the ten best waterfront bike paths in the US.

………

This is who we share the road with.

A driver in Redlands deliberately crashed his Tesla into a crowd of people standing outside a popular restaurant and bar at closing time, after getting into an “altercation” involving several people.

Four people were hospitalized with major injuries.

The driver then fled the scene, crashing into the curb as he made his escape. After which, someone in the crowd got their revenge by shooting up a couple of nearby businesses, neither of which probably had anything to do with it.

………

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

He gets it. A North Carolina letter writer patiently explains that bike riders already pay for the streets, and that anyone who wants to exclude bicycles from the state’s roadways because they don’t pay gas taxes might as well exclude EVs, too — then signs off that he’s “Not a cyclist or an EV owner.”

No one is happy in Manchester, England, where a key bike lane is being dug up for the third time in two years, leaving merchants, drivers and bike riders fuming.

………

Local 

Los Angeles city leaders have apparently managed to get their collective heads out of their metaphorical asses long enough to request an extension on $100 million in funding from California Active Transportation Program, rather than give the money back to the state after concluding that city staff reductions meant they couldn’t meet the deadline to finish projects in Wilmington, Boyle Heights and Skid Row.

Streetsblog reports the LA City Council Transportation Committee will discus plans for automated speed camera enforcement at their 8:45 am meeting tomorrow.

Long Beach will hold a town hall tomorrow night to discuss plans for a revamp of the city’s 2nd Street Bridge, amid reports they’re backing off plans for the promised protected bike lanes, leaving bike riders with just a thin stripe of white paint to protect them from speeding drivers.

Sad news from South LA, where an LA driver continued the city’s longstanding tradition of killing innocent people without fear of retribution, after a 30-year old woman riding a mobility scooter was killed by a hit-and-run driver.

LA Bike Boy takes a carfree trip from Venice to the venerable Huntington Library in San Marino.

 

State

Sad news from Santa Maria, where a man in his 50s was found lying dead in the street next to his bicycle after a hit-and-run, at the same intersection where a pedestrian was killed in another hit-and-run just a day before. Which is exactly how you know an intersection is a deadly disaster. 

 

National

WTF? The owner of a Boulder, Colorado bicycle and triathlon shop says his store was sold behind his back and without his consent, after a minority parter misrepresented himself as owner of the property and trademark, and sold it to Mike’s Bikes.

A Norman, Oklahoma man is planning to ride across the country to raise funds and awareness of multiple sclerosis, despite living with the disease for nearly two decades.

 

International

Banff, Alberta says it’s time to get all arty and funky with the city’s bike racks. Although the problem with artistic bike racks is that too many people don’t realize they are one.

Locals are enraged when an English bike path is closed for two years because someone living in van community did some unauthorized digging in an embankment next to the path.

A bakery manager in the UK got his stolen handmade bike back after posting the theft online, when a kindhearted stranger spotted the bike and bought it back for the equivalent of just 27 bucks.

When a British physician offered to give away her old tandem to anyone who wanted it, she didn’t expect to ship it off to a Kenyan paracycling group, who needed it for racing with the blind.

Heartbreaking story, as an Irish man tearfully recalls that his wife never rode a bike again after his eight-year old son was killed riding in front of her.

The 15-year old son of the chairman of Israel’s Ra’am political party suffered severe injuries, including a head injury, when he was struck by a driver while riding an ebike in Upper Galilee.

A San Francisco urbanist visits his husband’s family Taiwan, and wonders if the country’s “incredible network of protected bike paths” could be brought home to the Bay Area.

A travel website says Kyoto and Hokkaido, Japan have joined better known locations like Amsterdam, Tuscany and Mallorca, Spain as the world’s best bicycling destinations. But they bizarrely feel the need to illustrate it with an AI-generated photo of bicyclist riding in front of a spectacular mountain range and temples that don’t exist. 

A New Zealand farming website profiles a Kiwi dairy farmer who somehow finds time to ride his bike while running a local gravel cycling group, despite milking 450 cows twice a day.

 

Competitive Cycling

Heartbreaking news from Rwanda, where a race vehicle veered into a crowd of spectators watching the Tour of Rwanda on Sunday, killing two people and injuring six others.

Trailblazing Nigerian cyclist Ese Lovina Ukpeseraye is calling it a career, just two years after she became the first cyclist to represent the country in the Olympics.

Ivanie Blondin, a gold medal winner for Canada in the women’s long track team pursuit speed skating, is one of us, with top-10 finishes in two North American crits last year.

South African Imtiyaaz “Sparkie” Schultz has made the difficult jump from Cape Town gang member to professional cyclist, after asking the local gang leader for permission to walk away from gang life so he could wash enough cars to buy a racing bicycle.

Former WorldTour cyclist and current Costa Rican national cycling team head coach Andrey Amador was hospitalized in “delicate condition” after he lost control and crashed his bike while riding with the national team.

 

Finally…

The internet has ruled — tell another bike rider his taillight is too bright, and yes, you are the a-hole. Science says the best way to get faster on a bike is to do your training rides in hot tub.

And LADOT says they didn’t mean “If you see something, say something” applies to people pooping on buses, too.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

 

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

Unity Rides roll out this weekend; San Diego fights for density LA just fights; and NC pot calls bike kettle “elitist”

January 30, 2026 / / 2 comments

Pink Bike reports that over 100 Unity Rides are planned to honor Alex Pretti, the 37-year old Minneapolis-based mountain biker who was shot and killed by ICE agents last Saturday.

And those are only the ones that have been listed on the website of the Angry Catfish Bicycle Shop, which organized the Minneapolis ride, and inspired similar rides across the US, as well as Canada, Germany, Austria, Finland and Australia.

There are undoubtedly countless others planned around the country, including at least three in Los Angeles.

Okay, make that five.

Here is a press release from Streets Are For Everyone and Domestique Cycling Club, providing details on DCC’s Saturday Unity Ride, which promises to be one of the largest in the LA area.

ALEX PRETTI UNITY RIDE IN SOLIDARITY
WITH MEMORIAL RIDES ACROSS THE US

LOS ANGELES, CA — Alex Pretti was a nurse and a cyclist who loved the outdoors. This Saturday, cyclists from across Los Angeles will join cyclists from across the U.S. and around the world for memorial rides honoring Alex Pretti, in unity with the Minnesota cycling community and in solidarity with @angrycatfish, the cafe and bike shop Alex frequented.

From @angrycatfish:

“Alex was one of us. He rode bikes, he believed in community, and he believed in justice. Whether you’re 5 or 80, you remember the first time you rode a bike—because bikes are magic, and joy itself is an act of resistance. Today, with tens of thousands of cyclists expected nationally, we are showing not just grief, but unity. We are stronger together.”

The Unity Rides are taking place simultaneously across time zones, with riders gathering and rolling together to demonstrate collective grief, unity, and resolve within the cycling community.

Domestique Cycling Club is organizing a slow 10-mile ride leaving from the parking lot of the Veterans Administration in collaboration with dozens of cycling clubs and advocacy groups across Southern California.

Additionally, several smaller rides are independently organized by local cycling groups and bike shops as part of a national and international effort led by community organizers.

A global map of participating rides is available at: https://bikepacking.com/news/alex-pretti-memorial-rides/

Ride details:

  • 📅 Saturday, 1/31
  • 🕚 11:00 AM — Meet
  • 🕦 11:30 AM — Roll
  • 📍 VA Med Center Parking Lot 6
    304 Dowlen Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Hundreds of cyclists are expected (between 150 and 500). This will be an easy, calm, no-drop ride focused on unity, respect, and showing up together as a cycling community.

OTHER LOS ANGELES–AREA RIDES

Friday

• Allez LA Bike Shop & CA Chicken, 7:30 AM — Boyle Heights

Saturday

• West LA Bicycle, 1:00 PM — Bike Path & Main Street

• Trash Panda Cycling, El Mariachi Plaza

Sunday

• Mom Ridaz BC, Downtown Los Angeles

To be honest, I don’t care what your politics are, or where you stand on immigration.

This is about the violation of the right to assemble, protest and report what’s happening guaranteed by the 1st Amendment, as well as Pretti’s right to legally bear arms, as guaranteed under the 2nd.

And the needless killing of our fellow Americans under the color of authority.

It’s your choice whether to turn out this weekend. But as the Angry Catfish bike shop put it,

We are many but we stand together as one. We’re stronger together, and they can’t take us all.

No, they can’t.

And even Surly is joining the fight.

Instagram post

………

Evidently, San Diego has the same fights over increased density that we do.

Except their city leaders are fighting for it, rather than opposing greater density in most of the city, like their neighbor to the north, while retaining single-family zoning and fighting SB 79, which overrides local zoning to allow dense, multi-family housing near major transit stops.

Lawrence Herzog, a writer and lecturer on urban studies and planning at San Diego State University makes the case for the mixed-use Midway Rising project, a medium density development that would replace the current sports arena and warehouses with housing and an entertainment district that opens onto the bay.

The project includes bike and walking paths connecting the various villages that make up the development, as well as connecting to a transit station less than a mile away.

The difference is that San Diego has been fighting a CEQA lawsuit filed by an anti-density group, which recently won its appeal over a failure to conduct an adequate environmental review of the height of some of the buildings.

Never mind that the city had placed the project before the voters, who narrowly approved it.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles continues to fight for an exemption to SB 79, despite a severe housing shortage in the city, affordable and otherwise, leaving us no choice but to increase density, despite what our city leaders seem to think.

Even though that increased density would effectively shrink the city, allowing it to become more walkable and bikeable, and reducing the need to drive everywhere.

And maybe even freeing up road space for better transit and safer bikeways.

Maybe someday our city leaders will stop kowtowing to residents desires to seal Los Angeles in amber and preserve it as it is today, and begin fighting for the healthy growth we so desperately need for the people who are already here. Let alone those who will inevitably come.

But clearly, today is not that day.

………

Meanwhile, San Diego’s 30th Street protected bike lane recorded a record 130,000 trips last year, with ridership rising every year since it opened four years ago.

And tres shock!

It has not destroyed the local neighborhood and businesses, despite the protestations of opponents both before it opened, and after.

………

No bias here.

Santa Monica public radio station KCRW provides a profile of Streets For All founder Michael Schneider, as the group works to extend the Ballona Creek bike path.

It’s a good read, even as Schneider patiently explains that you really can ride a bike to LAX.

But what really stands out is this section —

Disrupting the existing automotive order can mean more traffic and less parking, of course. So Schneider has angered some people over the years.

In 2022, he was on a neighborhood council championing a proposal for a dedicated bus lane along La Brea Avenue. The proposal passed, but in the run up, he says, one guy got pretty mad about it: “He put up a mugshot of me along La Brea at different establishments saying, ‘This guy’s about to ruin your neighborhood,’” Schneider recalls. When his mother-in-law saw the flyers, she “thought her grandkids were in danger.”

Matthew Tallmer says he did post — though not create — those flyers. “Obviously, the businesses were very concerned that they were going to lose business because there’d be no parking,” says Tallmer, now a member of the Mid City West Neighborhood Council, though at the time he was just a guy going door-to-door opposing a bus lane.

Tallmer’s larger objection is that Schneider’s unique lifestyle just may not work for everybody: “The whole idea that people are going to bike all over the place is an elitist fantasy, to be honest.”

So someone who sits on the Mid City West Neighborhood Council posts wanted posters with a photo of Schneider’s face, for the crime of daring to contest the automotive hegemony on La Brea.

And yet he somehow calls Schneider elitist for riding a bicycle, and thinking other people might want to do that, too?

Um, sure.

And I thought the Mid City West NC was one of the good ones.

………

Local 

A trial has begun in the lawsuit over the death of an LAPD training instructor who died following a catastrophic spinal injury during bicycle training exercise; the parents of 32-year old Houston Tipping allege he was intentionally killed after he began a sexual abuse investigation into another officer.

The Argonaut looks at the weekly Venice Electric Light Parade and founder Marcus Gladney, who leads bicycle riders on a musical tour of the city that draws participants from around the world — including the Australian group RÜFÜS DU SOL, who hosted the listening party their fourth album on the parade.

 

State

The National Law Review examines California’s new regulations regarding ebikes, including a ban on converting new ebikes to exceed legal limits, as well as the regulatory gaps in the law that should be corrected. Like defining an ebike as at least partially human powered, and anything that’s not as an electric motorbike. 

San Bernardino Parks will officially open a new 3.8 mile section of the Santa Ana River trail on February 12th.

The Thousand Oaks Acorn looks at a recent bicycle rodeo in the city to teach kids how to ride safely.

Streetsblog San Francisco’s Roger Rudick called for the BART train system to fire a contractor who not only parked in a protected bike lane, but flipped him off when he asked the driver to move his van.

 

National

Newsweek examines why bicycling feels easier than walking and remains the world’s most energy‑efficient mode of human transport, more than five decades after Scientific American first reported it. Which is truly shocking. Not that bicycling is so efficient, but that Newsweek is still a thing.

Escape Collective says Trek is in deep doo doo as it marks its 50th anniversary, with layoffs, overstock, retail decline and debt making this its most challenging year yet. I bought my first adult bike from the company when they were just five years old. And I still have it, even if it’s not in rideable condition these days. Then again, neither am I. 

If you’re one of the roughly 2,000 Americans using a BeePrincess adult bike helmet, the CPSC wants you to take it off and kill it before it kills you.

Google is bringing its Gemini AI navigation to walking and bicycle maps. You know, just in case you want to put your faith in AI not to guide you into a brick wall. 

LA’s favorite ex-pro cyclist Phil Gaimon claims the KOM on Hawaii’s epic Mauna Kea, gaining more than 14,000 feet of elevation in just over four and a half hours.

A Denver website recommends visiting the Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community of Durango, Colorado, calling the small cowboy town an important bicycling hub in the southwest corner of the state. So if I suddenly disappear one day, that’s probably where you’ll find me. 

Megan forwards news that a Denver bicyclist has built a calendar of bike events in the Mile High City.

That’s more like it. A 22-year old Texas man faces up to 20 years behind bars after being convicted of manslaughter for killing a high school student as he rode his bike in a crosswalk; investigators said he never touched his brakes before slamming into the boy’s bike. Although in California, he would only face a maximum of six years for vehicular manslaughter. 

A Florida House committee unanimously approved a provision to rein in ebikes in the state.

 

International

British bike advocates say it’s just common sense that the country’s transit police have reversed their policy of not investigating the theft of bicycles parked at train stations for more than two hours, arguing that it sent the wrong message about whose journeys really matter.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ireland was given the 1,000th refurbished bicycle to be upcycled by a bike nonprofit group. Okay, one of the Lord Mayor’s, since they have four.

Workers in Germany can deduct the full cost of leasing a bicycle or ebike from their taxes, with 2.1 million people taking advantage of the benefit — a full 2.5 percent of the country’s population.

 

Finally…

Now you, too, can have an airbag in your shorts. And why am I only now hearing of Bands on Bike Taxis Getting Beers?

I mean, seriously.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

 

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