Let’s start with a quick blast from the past.
It came up in conversation on Tuesday, when the subject turned to the needless divisions between bike riders based on what we ride or wear.
This is how I addressed the topic a couple years ago, in a post called The terrible tyranny of two-wheel tribal wear.
The bottom line is, clothes don’t make the bike rider.
It doesn’t matter who you are, how you ride, what you ride, where you ride, or what you wear. Especially not what you wear.
The only thing that really matters that you ride.
The rest is just details.
It’s not a bad piece, if I say so myself. And maybe worth a second look if you’ve got a few extra minutes.
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It came too late to make the news, but word is the Santa Monica city council voted to go forward with a 500-bicycle bike share program, making it the first in the LA area.
And hats off to the Santa Monica Police Department, which will fairly target violations that can lead to bike and pedestrian collisions this Friday.
They deserve congratulations, because unlike previous safety efforts that unfairly focused on bicyclists or pedestrians, this one will look equally at violations by drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.
And yes, as we all know, motor vehicles pose the greatest risk.
But police are required to enforce the law equally, rather than targeting one group while ignoring the rest.
Nice to see they get it.
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No page to link to yet. But mark your calendar for the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s 2nd Annual Open House on December 4th at LACBC world headquarters, 634 S. Spring Street in DTLA.
And while we’re on the subject, the LACBC is hosting a Basic Biking Skills class for coalition members on Saturday, November 22nd. A good reason to join if you haven’t already.
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LocalBike thefts are on the rise in Huntington Beach. And pretty much everywhere else, as well.
Student run Tommy’s Bike Shop is gaining momentum at traditionally less than bike friendly USC.
KABC-7 looks at Ride 2 Recovery, a great program that uses bicycling to help bring wounded vets all the way back home.
State
San Diego has to address the concerns of the city’s bike-loving residents if it plans to meet ambitious goals to increase bike commuting by 2035.
A San Diego bike manufacturer makes Oprah’s list of Favorite Things, which is pretty much the next best thing to being anointed by God.
Caltrain is looking for new members for its Bicycle Advisory Committee.
Nothing like getting into a bike collision on the way to an interview with a San Francisco paper to discuss your new album.
National
This is what can happen when you ride in extreme weather, as a Portland cyclist is hit by a falling tree; fortunately, she’s expected to survive.
If you’re going to steal a bike, probably not the best idea to try to make your getaway through a group of Spokane ROTC cadets.
Louisville KY plans to build 100 miles of bike boulevards.
In response to the city’s panic over speeding cyclists, New York officials propose banning hand-held cell phone use by bicyclists, which should cut the city’s traffic death toll by roughly zero.
No bias here. A Florida TV station blames a teenage bike rider for a sideswipe collision with a driver when the kid’s pedal — yes, pedal — allegedly hit the car, rather than blaming the driver for passing too close. And they freak out over riding his bike safely and legally a whole 30 inches inside the traffic lane. Or at least it would have been safe if the driver hadn’t been violating the state’s three-foot passing law.
Palm Beach officials seriously think Share the Road signs will make bicycling safer. There’s a first for everything.
Thanks to an alert — and caring — bike rider, a Florida Marine gets his missing ring back.
International
A Toronto writer goes into histrionics over the supposed wasted space of bike lanes in the winter when no sensible person would ride a bike; clearly, these people would beg to differ.
A British study shows drivers pass bikes more safely on roads without center lines; not too surprising that motorists will give more space when they don’t feel constrained by lane markings.
London Cyclist offers advice on riding safely around potholes — something every LA bike rider should know, considering the decrepit quality of our deteriorating streets.
‘Tis the season. A UK charity is looking for bike riding Santas.
Apparently, I’m not the only one with concerns about that new solar panel bike path in the Netherlands, which will only generate enough power for three households when it’s fully built out.
Finally…
Congratulations to the newly married Chris Froome. If Cadel Evans and Oakley have their way, your next bike could have a truly bizarre set of handlebars. Or you could end up with an e-bike that weighs less than 11 pounds and folds down to fit in your backpack.
