Tag Archive for The War on Cars

LA Public Works pulls fast one on HLA, private group examines CA ebike safety, and bike events on a rainy weekend

November 14, 2025 / / No comments
Day 318 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

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This has been a very long and rough day, leaving me dead on my ass, because I don’t have the strength to get on my feet.

And Friday doesn’t promise to start any better. 

So we’re going to depart from our usual format to cover some breaking news and time-sensitive announcements today, and catch up on the rest of the news on Monday. 

Scout’s honor. 

Meanwhile, the forecast calls for some pretty heavy rain this weekend, especially on Saturday.

So if you can, stay home. But if you do have to ride your bike, make yourself as visible as possible, because drivers will have limited vision, and won’t expect anyone to be out on a bike in the rain. 

Also, be careful riding through flooded intersections. It can be hard to judge how deep they really are, and they can hide hidden objects like potholes and bodies.

Okay, maybe not bodies. Hopefully. 

Avoid bike paths along river channels. And be alert near burn scars from the January fires, which can be prone to flooding and mudflows. 

I want to see you back here Monday in one piece. 

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Is the Los Angeles Board of Public Works trying to pull a fast one?

And I mean that literally.

Because the city’s ordinance implementing Measure HLA says they have to give ten days advance notice before hearing an appeal from someone accusing the city of violating the measure.

Yet they only sent out notification yesterday that seven appeals filed by Joe Linton in his personal capacity will be heard on Monday.

Which by my calculations works out to just four days. Then again, I was an English major, so math isn’t exactly my strong point.

Still, it’s a clear violation of the law, any way you count it.

But assuming they don’t care about that — and why would they, since they don’t seem to care about anything else having to do with HLA — the appeals are scheduled for Monday’s 10 am virtual meeting.

You can download the agenda here; just click on the Download button on the right of each agenda item for full details of each appeal.

They have already denied six of the seven complaints. On the seventh, they agreed there was a violation, but only promised to fix broken sidewalks, rather than adding the bike and pedestrian improvement required under HLA.

So it’s worth signing up for the meeting and commenting to demand they follow the requirements of HLA, which is now the law after passing with overwhelming support.

Because right now, it looks like the city is just daring us to sue them.

Again.

And not just for pulling a fast one.

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This could be worth keeping an eye on.

A new statewide coalition funded by a grant from Honda will study “what makes ebikes dangerous and how to make them safer,” without simultaneously discouraging their use.

The California Independent Electric Mobility Council says they will meet six times before releasing recommendations for state and local governments.

Although it seems a little odd to have a set schedule for deciding what the problem with ebikes is, and what solutions there might be — unless maybe they’ve already decided and are just going through the motions.

And that’s assuming that ebikes really are dangerous. We still haven’t seen a study looking at rising ebike rates in the context of increasing ebike usage. Because it’s entirely possible that ebikes are no more dangerous than regular bicycles.

Because to my knowledge, no one has even looked at it, rather than just starting from the assumption that rising injury rates mean ebikes are bad.

There’s also the question of whether they will bother to distinguish between ped-assist ebikes, electric motorbikes and non-street legal dirt bikes, rather than lumping them all together.

You know, like everyone else does.

As a privately funded organization, they won’t be subject to California’s Brown Act, which guarantees the public’s right to attend and participate in government meetings.

So we don’t know yet if any or all of those meetings will be public, and if we’ll even have a chance to offer any input.

I’m not saying this private coalition is a bad thing. It could yield some very positive results.

But there are still a lot of questions we need answered.

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BikeLA, nee Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, says their annual Bike Fest will take place tomorrow rain or shine. And right now, that looks like rain.

 

Rain or shine — BikeFest 2025 is on!

Good news: Rain or shine, BikeFest is happening this Saturday, November 15, from 12–3 p.m. Thanks to Highland Park Brewery, we’ll be shifting the party indoors as the weather turns, so the celebration is fully covered!

We’ll still be hosting free bike valet for anyone who rides, so bring your bike and pedal on over. And don’t forget to dress for a little rain–jackets and rain-ready gear encouraged!

Join us for a Pedal-Powered Party featuring:

  • Free bike valet
  • One beer or non-alcoholic drink
  • A commemorative BikeLA bandana

️ Our largest-ever bike-themed silent auction, with gear from Spurcycle, Patagonia, Yakima, Tern, Road Runner Bags, ABUS, Kryptonite, and more.

The auction is live now, so you can start bidding today!

Come celebrate with us and support BikeLA’s mission to make L.A. a safer, more connected place to ride.

Meanwhile, Bike Long Beach is hosting a feeder ride to Bike Fest in the morning.

Bike LA Bike Fest annual fundraiser

It’s that time again! Bike LA’s Bike Fest happy hour annual fundraiser is this Saturday and once again we’re riding from Long Beach. Come join us as we head to DTLA for an unforgettable day where bike-minded people come together, celebrate, and keep the movement moving. This time we’re riding all the way there via the LA river trail, about 22 miles. For the ride back we can do the same route in reverse, or you can hop on Metro and ride the A line back to Long Beach.

Everyone is welcome on any bike, but keep in mind that due to the distance it’s not a beginners ride. Make sure you’re okay with a ride of this length.

Start: Wardlow station, Wardlow Ave and Pacific Pl.
Meet time: 9:00 a.m., roll at 9:30 a.m.
End: Highland Park Brewery, 1220 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Distance: 22 miles, via the LA river trail.

If you want to attend Bike Fest but rather not ride all the way there, you can take Metro! The venue is very close to the Chinatown station.

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Streets For All is hosting a discussion Monday night on the future of cities, and how to free ourselves from car culture.

Please.

Freeing ourselves from car culture — live in LA

We’re just a few days away from welcoming The War on Cars hosts for a lively and humorous discussion about their national bestseller, Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile.

Join us Monday, November 17th at Dynasty Typewriter for an evening on the future of cities, featuring:

Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez
️ Alissa Walker (Torched.la)
Bill Wolkoff (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)

️ Get your tickets now — they’re going fast!
Dynasty Typewriter, 2511 Wilshire Blvd
7:30pm (VIP reception at 6pm for Members Club)

Cleverhood giveaway -> Attend for a chance to win branded merch! A winner will be drawn at random. Choose either a Streets For All Rover 2.0 Cape or Streets for All Anorak.
(Benefit from a 15% discount on gear anytime online)

Don’t miss it!

See you there,
Streets For All

BUY TICKETS!
Category: Morning Links / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WeHo council unanimously commits to protected bike lanes, and Emeryville mayor talks bikes with The War on Cars

November 8, 2023 / / Comments Off on WeHo council unanimously commits to protected bike lanes, and Emeryville mayor talks bikes with The War on Cars

It’s a slow new day, which is a good thing since I spent most of the night sleeping off the effects of riding the blood sugar roller coaster all day yesterday. 

So let’s get right to it.

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West Hollywood has committed to building only protected bike lanes from here on.

As opposed to Culver City, which seems committed to removing them.

Let’s just hope that doesn’t turn into an excuse not to build any WeHo bike lanes at all.

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Popular podcast The War on Cars talks with Emeryville mayor John Bauters, the country’s real bike mayor.

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

No surprise here, as Chicago drivers complain about changes to a popular new protected bike lane that makes it harder for them to park illegally.

Good question. London bike riders question what “genius” thought it was a good idea to leave a utility pole standing in the middle of a new bike lane.

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

A Seattle man faces charges after allegedly attempting to stab a man sitting outside a restaurant in the face as he rode past on his bicycle, for no apparent reason; the intended victim escaped injury when he leaned back in time to avoid the blade.

If you’re planning to burglarize a St. Louis apartment, make sure to lock your bike first so someone doesn’t toss it in a dumpster and steal your beer.

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Local 

This is why you don’t try to stop a bike thief yourself. A 20-year old man is being held on $1 million bail after allegedly stabbing a man who tried to stop him from stealing a kid’s bike in Beverly Hills.

 

State

Calbike considers the long and winding road to Complete Streets in California.

The surf community gets out its torches and pitchforks after someone posts a photo of a sticker calling for no ebikes in California state parks.

The CHP is hosting a bike light giveaway tonight for students at UC Santa Barbara.

The San Jose Mercury News’ Mr. Roadshow recommends wearing light clothing and reflective bands at night so drivers can see you more easily, and reminds bike riders to use the bike lane, while telling drivers it’s a no-no to use one to pass someone. Then again, some drivers wouldn’t see you if you had a rotating lighthouse attached to your bike. 

Sad news from Turlock, where a 33-year old man was killed by a hit-and-run driver in a Hummer while walking his bicycle.

 

National

Forbes lists five great American cities for bicycling, two of which are on the West Coast. And none of which is Los Angeles, to the surprise of no one.

The student newspaper at Marquette University says Milwaukee has long been known as a top city for bicyclists, but must take steps to improve.

The owner of the New York Mets introduced a plan to replace the stadium parking lot with a casino, but he’s willing to toss in a public park and bike paths, too.

A 12-year old North Carolina boy was lucky to survive when he was sucked into a muddy sinkhole up to his chest while riding his bicycle, and screamed for help for nearly three hours before some other kids heard him.

Tragic news from Virginia, where an 80-year old man riding a bicycle was killed when he was rear-ended by a driver, who got a lousy ticket for reckless driving. Anyone still riding a bike at that age deserves a hell of a lot better. 

 

International

Cyclist says we need new classifications for drop-bar bikes. Evidently, all those road-gravel-cargo-touring-racing-hybrid hybrids are getting confusing.

London’s transportation agency has commissioned a report on sexual harassment of women bike riders to determine why women are more reluctant to ride, and what can be done about it. I’d suggest taking a clue from a classic Cheech and Chong routine, and whack their pee-pee. The harassers, I mean.

An Irish man is asking for the public’s help after a pair of bicycles worth nearly $10,000 were “allegedly” stolen from a shed at his home. Which would appear to be a classic misuse of the term “allegedly,” since they were either stolen or they weren’t.

Heartbreaking news from South Africa, where members of a bike club are considering giving up riding entirely after a member of the club was brutally attacked by thieves who stole his bike as he lagged behind the group, and left him for dead; fortunately, he survived after being stabbed in the back, with the blade missing his aorta by a mere 2 mm.

That’s more like it. Indonesia’s Bike2Work community has revoked Jakarta’s two-year old Bicycle Friendly City title effective immediately, saying the city needs to be more consistent in developing facilities for bicycling.

A New Zealand paracyclist plans to join five other riders to become the first blind bicyclist to ride the full 1,000-mile length of the island nation.

 

Competitive Cycling

Hats off to former L39ION of Los Angeles cyclist Freddy Ovett, who “torched” the New York City Marathon course by achieving a personal best of 2:37:18, finishing 123rd out of more than 51,000 runners.

A writer for Bicycling briefly rides shoulder-to-shoulder with two-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar, before ending up chasing him through the Alps. Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to be available anywhere else, so you’re on your own if the magazine blocks you.

Former Portuguese sports director Nuno Ribeiro received a 25-year ban for “trafficking, possession, and supply” of illegal substances including testosterone, cortisone and steroids; he’s a two-time loser, after he was stripped of one of his two Volta a Portugal wins for testing positive for EPO in 2009. But cycling’s doping era is over, right? Right?

 

Finally…

Now you, too, can have a roadie bike seat with a backrest. Or you could own your very own ugly, blocky, uncomfortable bike that turns into a scooter, or maybe the other way around.

And tell me again how you can’t take your groceries home on a bike.

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

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