Tag Archive for this is who we share the roads with

Smilianska guilty in death of US National Team’s Magnus White, and hit-and-run driver posted online looking for killer

April 7, 2025 / / No comments
Day 97 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

About damn time. 

For the first time in four full weeks, my wife and I both finally tested negative for Covid over the weekend. 

But I still missed yesterday’s Hollywood Meets Koreatown CicLAvia, as my diabetic body just doesn’t bounce back that fast anymore, and even just walking part of the route seemed like more than I could manage. 

So feel free to let me know how it went. 

And in other health news, I’m now on yet another medication that affects my balance, making my goal of finally getting back on my bike seem even more unlikely. 

Maybe I can find an ebike with a built-in gyroscope to keep me upright. 

Photo from USA Cycling website. 

………

Guilty.

A Boulder, Colorado jury convicted 24-year old Ukrainian immigrant Yeva Smilianska for the 2023 death of US National Team cyclist Magnus White.

Smilianska admitted running the rising 17-year old cyclist down from behind, drifting off the roadway to plow into him at highway speed, after reportedly falling asleep at the wheel.

However, White’s father complained that she didn’t show any remorse or take responsibility until she got on the witness stand, 615 days after the fatal crash.

Prosecutors showed evidence that Smilianska had partied with a co-worker the night before, despite both denying they had been drinking. They also posted a text Smilianska reportedly sent a friend admitting she was drunk at the time of the crash.

The jury convicted Smilianska of reckless vehicular homicide, which in Colorado carries a penalty of two to six years behind bars, after just seven hours of deliberation.

She will be sentence in June.

………

This is who we share the roads — and social media — with.

After a Tennessee man was killed in a hit-and-run while riding his bike, a 25-year old woman posted on Facebook to say how much the victim would be missed, and begging anyone who knew anything about the crash to come forward, adding that she couldn’t imagine leaving someone on the road to die alone.

You can probably guess what comes next.

Just hours after sharing her last post, she was arrested for the fatal hit-and-run, admitting she was drinking before the crash and drove to another county to get her car fixed in an effort to coverup the crime.

………

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

Houston bicyclists held a funeral for a protected bike lane, after the mayor had it ripped out because it inconvenienced drivers a little bit; a local letter writer says that’s the last straw, and they’re leaving the city because the mayor is making it less safe — although you’ll have to get past the paper’s paywall to read it.

No bias here. Residents of Grantchester, England have taken their fight against a new greenway all the way to London’s Royal Courts of Justice, arguing that the bike lane would ruin one of the UK’s most picturesque villages. Because as we all know, cars don’t ruin anything and only make villages more picturesque, right?

No bias here, either. A sign warns bicyclists using a Dublin bike lane to slow down for school children, posting that the village isn’t a racetrack. Yet no similar sign warns the people in the big, dangerous machines, who are more likely to treat the road like a racetrack, and can cause far more harm when they do.

Not even four-time Tour de France champs are immune from road-raging drivers, as Chris Froome angrily posted the license plate of a French driver he claims tried to intentionally drive into him as he tried to filter past on a training ride.

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

A Hong Kong veterinarian won widespread paise on the Chinese Weibo social media site after springing to action to perform CPR — including mouth-to-snout resuscitation — saving the life of a stray cat after it was struck by a bike rider.

………

Local 

West Hollywood will consider a proposal to paint bike lanes green throughout the city at tonight’s city council meeting.

Burbank is looking for solutions to the rising tide of ebike “incidents.” Once again conflating ped-assist electric bicycles with electric motorcycles and dirt bikes that can travel nearly four times as fast. 

Long Beach will close Willow Street and Santa Fe Ave in West Long Beach to cars on Saturday, May 10th for the next edition of the city’s Beach Streets open streets event.

Speaking of Long Beach, the city will allow e-scooters on the beach bike path, starting next month.

 

State

Your next hoppy pale ale could be developed in collaboration with the San Diego Velodrome.

A Redwood City woman is on the verge of becoming the first person known to have ridden every mile of bikeable roadway and trail in San Mateo County, completing a five-year project to ride all 2,800 miles.

Caltrans has once again delayed a decision on removing the protected bike lane on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, as they attempt to strike a balance between the needs of motorists and cyclists. Or rather, whether people in cars will get every lane on both levels of the two-lane bridge, or if bike riders can continue to hold on to one measly little lane. 

Hats off to the Sausalito Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, after every member of the committee resigned in protest because the city rejected a half-million grant to build bike lanes on its main thoroughfare.

Marin County has taken the “unprecedented” step of banning kids under 16 from riding throttle-controlled Class 2 ebikes, as well as requiring anyone of any age riding a Class 2 ebike in unincorporated parts of the county to wear a helmet; the local paper says the new rules make sense. Although while my understanding is they can legally do the first part of that under a bill signed by the governor last year, requiring anyone over 18 to wear a bike helmet exceeds their authority under state law.

 

National

A group of Anchorage residents rode their bicycles through the city wearing signs of support for the people Palestine, in a campaign that began with the Gaza Sunbirds, a group paracyclists who launched a community aid campaign in Gaza.

In what may be the ultimate open streets event, Yellowstone roads once again opened to bicycles over the weekend before cars are allowed in.

An Arkansas organization is recycling used bicycle tires for use as industrial fuel in place of coal, saying burning the recycled rubber chips is more environmentally friendly than allowing them to sit in landfills — although it seems like a far cleaner use is mixing them into paving materials, rather than releasing the carbon to the atmosphere.

Tickets are on sale now for an escorted, five-mile mile bike ride to the Indianapolis 500, benefitting an Indianapolis bicycle advocacy group.

One of the two hit-and-run drivers who fled after killing a St. Louis bike rider was arrested when a tracker placed on her SUV by the dealership placed her at the scene; she admitted to drinking and using marijuana the day of the crash. Two other drivers also hit the victim, but remained at the scene.

 

International

Momentum rates Germany’s most “beloved” long-distance bicycling routes, and says look past Amsterdam for nine underrated international biking destinations. None of which are Los Angeles, of course.

A British Columbia family took matters into their own hands, drafting their own map showing the safest routes for kids biking in their neighborhood, as well as highlighting safety concerns.

Women in the UK report being bullied off the road by motorists, with one woman from Northern Ireland stating that people often shout that she shouldn’t be on the road with her bike, while that rarely happens to her male partner.

A new German study says mountain bike tires are polluting the atmosphere, releasing an average of 3.64 grams of rubber per 60 miles of off-road riding — about a third of the rubber wear from motor vehicles over the same distance. But just imagine if they tried to burn them for fuel. 

Bollywood superstar Salmon Khan is one of us, riding his bicycle and hitting the gym despite suffering a rib injury filming his latest movie.

Tern North America GM and former LACBC board member Steve Boyd says the industry can’t survive Trump’s tariffs, which were raised from zero to 46% for ebikes, and 57% for standard bicycles coming from Vietnam, where Tern is assembled; meanwhile, a Boston professor says tariffs could upend imports from Taiwan, much to the chagrin of builders, golfers and, yes, bicyclists.

Must be nice. A Kiwi writer says she commutes to work by boat and bike every day.

A pair of Aussie university researchers consider the challenge of getting people to shift from private vehicles to walking and biking, arguing that safe infrastructure is critical.

 

Competitive Cycling

Three-time Tour de France champ Tadej Pogačar soloed to victory after attacking on the final climb of the Ronde van Vlaanderen, aka Tour of Flanders, on Sunday, winning the one-day classic for the second time; Belgian world champ Lotte Kopecky became the first woman to win the race three times.

Pogačar said he doesn’t follow social media, calling it “the cancer of our society.” So maybe save the online attacks for someone who cares enough to read it. 

Sad news from Belgium, where two of the 15,000 bicyclists participating in the Ronde van Vlaanderen Gran Fondo died of natural causes during the sportive, one day before the pros took to the course.

 

Finally….

We may have to twisted drivers, but sharing a bike lane with a sick sea lion is a new twist. That feeling when you get busted for speeding on your bike — in a triathlon.

And next time you ride your ebike, maybe leave the hidden stash of drugs and the jagged-edged sword at home.

Just saying.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

April Fools-free edition — sadness and schadenfreude on Highland Ave, and let’s impound the cars of repeat scofflaw drivers

April 1, 2025 / / One comment
Day 91 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

Well, this is not fun anymore. 

I found myself struggling to breathe Sunday afternoon, accompanied by a spike in blood pressure and a drop in blood oxygen.

Fortunately, the situation resolved before it got serious, but left me feeling like I’d been hit by a truck for the rest of the night. 

So my apologies for yesterday’s absence. 

I’m starting to realize why my doctors all warned that combining Covid and diabetes probably wasn’t the best idea.

Anyway, let’s get on with today’s April Fools-free update.  

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay.

………

This is who we share the road with.

And why.

Over a decade ago, there was a movement to build LA’s first bicycle boulevard on 4th Street through Hancock Park.

But it didn’t take long for local residents to get out their torches and pitchforks in opposition to it, despite our best efforts to explain how it would benefit them, from eliminating cut-through traffic to increasing property values.

The greatest conflict, however, was over finding a safe way to get bike riders across busy Highland Ave.

Each proposal was soundly booed, whether a traffic circle, stop light or on-demand crosswalk. Even though it would have made Highland much safer for everyone, on foot, a bike or in a car — or just living in the general area.

It didn’t take long for then Councilmember Tom LaBonge to fold, promising not to make any changes to the dangerous intersection, and dooming the entire proposal to the scrapheap of history.

Although someone later saw the light, and belatedly installed a push-button on-demand traffic light. Which helps people cross the street, but does little or nothing to slow speeding drivers.

So it was with a combination of sadness and schadenfreude that I heard local residents complain about speeding drivers using the wide, straight divided roadway as a race track, after the driver of a Lamborghini ran away from a fatal hit-and-run on the street.

No, literally.

On foot, leaving the smashed supercar behind.

All just blocks from where that proposed traffic circle would have forced drivers to slow down, improving safety along the entire corridor.

It’s common for people everywhere to oppose change. But in an effectively run city, the final decision would be made with an eye to safety, after listening to objections and incorporating any reasonable suggestions, knowing that most people will come around to support it once they get used to it.

But in Los Angeles, the only voices usually heard are the loudest — and too often, wealthiest.

So Highland will continue to be a racetrack, just like Sunset and Hollywood boulevards.

And innocent people will continue to die.

………

This is who we share the road with, too.

And why people keep dying on our streets.

A 35-year old mother was killed, along with her two young daughters, when a speeding driver slammed into another car, and careened into them as they walked in a New York crosswalk; at last report, her four-year old son was still clinging to life in critical condition.

Yet the 32-year old woman behind the wheel was still driving despite a suspended license, suspended registration and expired insurance, as well as 15 school zone speeding and red-light tickets in just the last 12 months.

Yes, 15.

New York Mayor Eric Adams described as a “tragic accident of a Shakespearean proportion.”

But in reality, it was the entirely predictable result of allowing a woman who has shown a clear disregard for traffic laws and the courts to keep a car she could no longer legally drive.

Virginia just passed a law allowing judges to require repeat excessive speed drivers to install speed limiting technology, making it impossible to exceed the posted speed limit; New York State is considering a similar law.

Now we need to take the next step of impounding the cars of people with suspended driver’s licenses until they regain the right to drive legally.

………

Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor is one of us — or at least his son is now — using a towel as a sling to help the kid learn how to ride a bike.

………

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

Houston is ripping out a vital protected bike lane in the city’s Mid-City neighborhood, replacing it with sharrows and putting bike riders at needless risk, because drivers found it a little inconvenient.

A Tennessee man faces charges of reckless endangerment, aggravated assault and criminal littering for threatening a group of bicyclists on a rural road, driving his car at them and throwing beer bottles out the window, leaving two of the victims with visible bruises; he then made a U-turn and came back to run over one man’s bicycle, after the rider managed to jump out of the way.

Boston is joining Houston in ripping out protective curbs and bollards on a trio of newly installed bike lanes, after the mayor initiated a review of all the city’s safety and bus infrastructure projects, bowing to impatient drivers as she prepares to run for re-election, as it they are the only voters.

An English city was forced to install bollards on a new bike lane outside a hospital, after drivers immediately turned it into a parking lane.

No surprise here. British women continue to be frightened off their bikes by threatening and intimidating drivers, compounded by a lack of safe infrastructure.

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

A former English cop complains that he’s being taunted by ebike-riding “yobs” after he was fired for ramming his patrol car into a couple of teens with long criminal records, when they “taunted” him by riding past his car on their bikes.

………

Local  

Metro is hosting a series of meetings this week to discuss the Sepulveda Transit corridor, with in-person meeting on Thursday and Saturday, and a virtual meeting on Friday; Streets For All urges you to voice support for heavy rail under the Sepulveda Pass, rather than the inefficient monorail preferred by wealthy Bel-Air homeowners who don’t want to be disturbed by underground construction.

The Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition with host their monthly virtual meeting on Monday, highlighted by presentations on the San Gabriel Valley Greenway Network and a local carbon-free electricity campaign; they’ll also host a family-friendly ride on April 12th showcasing homes with native California landscaping.

The South Pasadena Public Library will host a Repair Café on April 19th offering free repairs on a number of items, including bicycles.

 

State

French startup Upway opened their first SoCal location in Redondo Beach over the weekend, buying and selling refurbished e-bikes, similar to Carvana or CarMax for motor vehicles.

About two dozen Fontana kindergarteners got new bicycles, courtesy of All Kids Bike.

A Simi Valley letter writer complains about a recent ebike editorial, asking if there are “excellent bike lanes” traversing the city, where are they?

Your next ebike could charge in just 15 minutes, thanks to a new bike mountain biking legend Gary Fisher plans to introduce this month at Monterey’s Sea Otter Classic.

The threatened protected bike lane on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge is safe for now, after Caltrans withdrew a proposal to turn it back into a motor vehicle lane on weekdays.

 

National

A tech website asks why buy your bike accessories when you can just 3D print them?

Momentum teams with People For Bikes to dispel the most common myths about bike riders, ranging from not many people ride bicycles to we’re all rich, lawbreaking and fearless.

Juiced Bikes is rising from the dead after the ebike maker shut down operations last year, amid efforts from the founders of Lectric EBikes to revive the brand.

America’s seven-time ex-Tour de France champ says if you want to feel safe on a bike, ride a gravel bike so you can go onto any surface, and avoid long straight stretches of roadways to reduce the risk of distracted drivers.

Here’s another one for your bike bucket list, with the Great Plains Gravel Route that stretches 3,800 miles through Texas, Kansas and five other Midwestern states.

Life is cheap in Idaho, where the driver of a gravel truck got a whole 90 days behind bars for the hit-and-run death of a 14-year old kid standing on the side of the road next to his bicycle, but at least he’ll have to spend every holiday behind bars for the next two years, along with both his and his victim’s birthday.

The 24-year old woman accused of killing 17-year old Magnus White went on trial yesterday, nearly two years after running down the rising US National Team cyclist in Boulder, Colorado; prosecutors say she fell asleep at the wheel after staying up all night partying.

San Antonio, Texas becomes the latest city to offer ebike vouchers, providing 244 $1,000 vouchers for low-income residents. Meanwhile, California’s deliberately throttled voucher program remains just this side of moribund.

A 64-year old Galveston, Texas man was sentenced to 35 years behind bars for using his truck to murder one man and injure another as they tried to get away on their bicycles, all over over a paltry five buck debt, as well as another 25 years for assaulting a third man. Which means he’d be 124 if he survives to serve his full terms, which seems just a little unlikely. 

The Illinois legislature is considering over a dozen bike-related bills, from including tricycles in the legal definition of a bicycle to plainly stating that bicyclists are intended users on every roadway.

A kindhearted Ohio man gave away dozens of refurbished bicycles to anyone who needed one, just because he could.

People For Bikes flew a group of bicycle industry leaders to DC to advocate for tariff relief and trade fairness.

 

International

Severance star Britt Lower is one of us too, riding a bicycle through the streets of Toronto to get a better understanding of the character she plays in the upcoming film Darkest Miriam.

Welsh advocates warn that budget cuts are threatening to put the government’s efforts to promote bicycling at risk.

Momentum offers 20 reasons why the Netherlands is a bike rider’s paradise.

Stars and Stripes celebrates the joys of biking in Deutschland.

Nice work if you can get it. A 28-year old British woman says her 9-to-5 job is riding her bicycle from her English hometown to Singapore to raise funds for a mental health charity; meanwhile, a 31-year old British man is one year into his ride around the world to raise money for a children’s hospital.

A pair of 15-year old Japanese junior high students spent 13 days riding over 600 miles around Taiwan. At that age, my parents barely let me ride around my own hometown. 

 

Competitive Cycling

Tour de Big Bear is adding a 50K cross-country mountain bike race to their August lineup, promising a “a thrilling 36 miles, starting with a 4-mile neutral rollout before immersing riders into demanding single-track and double-track trails.”

Dutch sprinter Olav Kooij crashed just as he attempted to respond to an attack by eventual winner Mads Pedersen at Gent Wevelgem, suffering a broken collarbone.

Slovenian Primož Roglič won an “explosive” final stage of the Volta a Catalunya ahead of Laurens De Plus and Lennert Van Eetvelt, vaulting into first place in the overall standings, points and mountains classifications.

 

Finally….

Fight off bike thieves with a U-lock that smells like something died. Your next NFL draft baseball cap could have a bike on it, but only if you’re a Packers fan.

And always remember to bungie your corgi before you ride.

@tedrogerla.bsky.social Grabbed this from a Kiwi Corgi FB group. The owner takes "Spud" everywhere on the bike. She says Spud is harnessed in and loves it.

— (@nzdebs.bsky.social) 2025-03-31T23:26:17.058Z

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin. 

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

San Diego traffic deaths climb 10 years after Vision Zero, rigid bollards pose risk to bikes, and who we share the road with

November 13, 2024 / / 2 comments
Just 47 days until LA fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025. 

Meanwhile, San Diego’s Vision Zero program is working about as well as most, including here in Los Angeles, as a new report says pedestrian and bicycling deaths have continued to climb in the ten years since the program was adopted.

The difference is that San Diego actually took major steps to improve safety, building new bike lanes and pedestrian improvements throughout the city. Although it’s arguably — and demonstrably — not enough.

But whether cities can ever do enough to compensate for bigger, faster vehicles and drivers distracted by smartphones and dashboard video screens is highly debatable.

………

A new German study confirmed the complaints of some San Diego bicyclists who’ve argued that rigid bike lane bollards pose a high risk for bicyclists, and can result in serious injuries to riders who hit them.

The authors conducted an experiment to test the risks to riders.

To assess the risk posed to cyclists by rigid bollards, DEKRA conducted two identical collision tests at its Crash Test Center in Neumünster, Germany, with a three-wheeled e-cargo bike driven at a speed of 25 km/h (about 15-16 mph), one against a flexible post and the other against a rigid one.

“In the test against the rigid post, there was a strong deceleration [slowing down] that threw the dummy from the saddle towards the handlebars. The bollard buckled and then acted as a ramp. The rear of the bike was lifted up, throwing the dummy off and causing the bike to tip over.”

“In a real-life situation, the person riding the bike would have suffered serious injuries,” Egelhaaf said.

On the other hand, flexible plastic bollards — like the car-tickler bendie posts preferred by LADOT — allowed riders to simply roll over them, with little or no risk of serious injuries.

But flexible bollards also do nothing to keep inattentive or uncaring drivers out of the bike lanes, and are often flattened within weeks, if not days, of their installation.

So the question becomes whether the risk of falls outweighs the risk posed by motorists and their big, dangerous machines.

I don’t know how to answer that.

The only way to get a actual answer would be to try a real world test on comparable roadways, and measure the rate of injuries on both after six months and a year.

And to the best of my knowledge, no one has done that. Or plans to.

………

This is who we share the road with.

A Santa Monica collision resulted in unexpected tragedy after a pickup driver collided with a motorcyclist on the 1400 block of Cloverfield Blvd, near the Specialized bike shop at Cloverfield and Santa Monica.

The motorcyclist only suffered minor injuries. But as he walked back to the truck to talk with the driver, he heard a shot ring out as the driver pulled out a gun and committed suicide, for reasons known only to himself.

………

This is who we share the road with, part two

A cop found a Lubbock, Texas man dead from complications of diabetes, which apparently resulted from injuries he suffered in an earlier road rage crash.

Witnesses said a driver seemed to intentionally crash into the victim’s motorcycle, after the motorbike rider waved a gun as the two men argued moments before the crash.

The driver claimed he accidentally hit the motorcycle while attempting to flee from the gunman — then he did flee immediately after the crash, turning a road rage incident into a fatal hit-and-run.

Or maybe even a homicide.

………

No bias here.

A panel of sadly misinformed Aussie broadcasters called for banning all bicyclists from the roads, especially the ones who “wear Lycra and have large guts,” while calling a three-wheeled recumbent bike a child’s toy tricycle.

All because video showed a driver correctly slow down behind the recumbent rider to wait for a safe opportunity to pass, before a truck driver slammed on his brakes to avoid running up the driver’s ass, and nearly hit an oncoming car headed in the other direction.

And somehow, they managed to conclude this was all the bike rider’s fault.

………

Drivers often act like we’re invisible.

Sometimes, it may actually be true.

………

Maybe Santa will bring me the new Tern do-it-all e-cargo bike for Christmas.

It could happen, right?

………

It’s now 329 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And a full 41 months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

………

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

No bias here, either. A Boston bike commuter says the city’s new bike lanes are a metaphor for the Democratic Party, since they were built to appease a “small, highly vocal minority,” a “depressing number” of whom consider the resulting traffic congestion a benefit, not a trade-off. Tell us you don’t understand traffic calming without saying it. 

If you’re going to hate on bicycles, might as well do it poetically, as a British letter writer pens an ode to the local city council’s “absurd” and “crazy” “cycle crusade.”

Now we’re being attacked by elderly Florida dog walkers and British people on e-scooters.

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

A Long Beach bike rider learned the hard way that when you’re carrying a bag of meth on your bike, don’t ride salmon. And don’t lie to the cops about having a gun, for chrissakes. 

Police in Brighton, England are investigating after a teenaged ebike rider crashed into a 75-year old woman, who had to be hospitalized.

………

Local  

Lucky us. Even more bicyclists get to participate in Waymo’s beta test, willingly or not, as the autonomous cab company expands into more Los Angeles neighborhoods, and opens up to all users.

WorldTour cyclist Neilson Powless and US crit champ Coryn Labecki led a 25-mile bike ride through the streets of Pasadena, before returning to a new private school to help the students build bicycles for underprivileged youth.

They get it. A Pasadena study session will consider how to revitalize North Lake Ave and turn it into a Complete Street to make it more inviting to bike riders and pedestrians, as it currently “suffers from excessive space allocated to cars.”

Manhattan Beach students will now be required to display a sticker saying they’ve taken an approved ebike safety course if they want to park them on campus.

Streetsblog hosts an open thread on Saturday’s relatively sparsely attended Beach Streets open streets event in North Long Beach, including Joe Linton’s always great photos.

 

State

Costa Mesa will host Micromobility America, a trade show for ebike and e-scooter makers, and others in the micromobility industry, this Thursday and Friday.

The Guardian examines the backlash to the closing of San Francisco’s Great Highway, as if it hadn’t just been approved by a majority of the city’s voters.

Sad news from Sacramento, where a 32-year old woman was killed when she was stuck by a driver while trying to ride across the street; naturally, the CHP blamed the victim for riding directly into the car’s path, without mentioning whether the driver may have been speeding or gone through a traffic signal.

 

National

Momentum writes in praise of community bike co-ops.

Bicycling considers how to say goodbye to the rider you used to be. A lesson I’ve struggled to learn myself. Unfortunately, this one doesn’t seem to be available anywhere else, so you’re on your own if the magazine blocks you.

National Geographic — yes, it’s still a thing — picks the best ebikes to “make cycling adventures a breeze,” while the National Council on Aging selects the best ebikes for old farts older Americans.

Bike Portland says last week’s election bodes well for bicycling in the city.

Colorado county commissioners nixed a hotly debated proposal for a mountain bike park, although the decision left developers demoralized.

NBA star Klay Thompson is one of us, riding his bike to relax between games after signing with the Dallas Mavericks.

A YouTuber rides the rough streets of Dallas to confirm whether it’s really the country’s most unbikeable city.

That’s more like it. An Illinois driver faces up to 61 years in prison for the drugged-driving crash that killed a man riding a bicycle, after he was convicted on four counts of aggravated DUI causing death and one count of reckless homicide.

A Vermont police officer was placed on administrative leave after killing a 38-year old man who was pulling a bike trailer behind his bicycle; officials unofficially exonerated the driver of the police cruiser by insisting it was rainy and dark, and the street was wet. Which is usually what happens when it rains.

Kindhearted McDonalds coworkers bought a new bicycle for a Cambridge, Massachusetts man after his bike was stolen.

New York completed the final phase of a Vision Zero makeover of the city’s former “Boulevard of Death,” which has already resulted in a dramatic reduction in deaths and serious injuries for all road users, while increasing bike use up to 450%.

Prosecutors in New Jersey are headed to the grand jury to seek a formal indictment of 43-year old Sean Higgins, accused in the drunken, high-speed crash that killed the hockey playing Gaudreau brothers as they rode their bikes on the shoulder of a New Jersey highway the night before their sister’s wedding.

Once again, someone riding a bicycle fell off a Florida drawbridge, when a 72-year old man fell after holding on for dear life after the bridge opened as he was riding across; fortunately, the victim’s injuries weren’t life threatening.

 

International

Canadian Cycling Magazine looks at city bicycling rules that need to be changed.

The BBC takes a look at bike riders who are taking things into their own hands, and tracking down their own stolen bicycles when the cops won’t. Speaking of which, Amazon has Air Tags on sale for just $19, or $70 for four. 

Life is cheap in Wales, where an 84-year old driver walked without a single day behind bars for killing a bike rider after claiming he just couldn’t see the victim, he was apparently spared jail time by virtue of being old. And once again raising the question of how old is too old to drive, if you can’t even see a grown man on a bicycle. 

An English police department is employing “scarecrow” bikes to frighten off bike thieves.

A British doctor suggests wearing a hot and slightly cumbersome face mask that may take some getting used to when you ride a bike on city streets.

Add riding a bike through the streets of Istanbul to your bicycle bucket list. Singing “Istanbul (not Constantinople)” while you ride is optional.

An American experiences “dirt, sweat and philosophical enlightenment” while gravel biking across Morocco.

Streetsblog considers what the US can learn from Africa’s bike mayor, asking what we can “learn from developing countries where car dependency hasn’t yet taken root.”

The New York Times looks at the thinking behind the massive five-hour bike ride that brought tens of thousands of Chinese people out on a search for dumplings, which became so popular the government shut it down. Cycling Weekly says with enough belief, we could all have our own viral Chinese dumpling ride.

Cycling Up To Date examines the ten biggest scandals in cycling history, culminating with our old doper buddy Lance.

 

Competitive Cycling

Cyclist looks back to Connie Carpenter’s — now Connie Carpenter-Phinney — win in the first women’s Olympic road cycling race at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, 40 years before the next American woman would take gold at this year’s Paris Olympics.

 

Finally…

Now you can crash your bike without ever leaving your living room. Even ungulates are breaking into bike shops these days.

And you really can carry a sofa on a bicycle. Or what looks like a love seat, anyway.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

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

Study shows road diets don’t affect EMS response times, and LAPD belatedly asks for help solving Lincoln Heights hit-and-run

July 25, 2024 / / Comments Off on Study shows road diets don’t affect EMS response times, and LAPD belatedly asks for help solving Lincoln Heights hit-and-run
Just 159 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025. 

………

A new study shows exactly what we’ve been saying all along — that road diets don’t affect emergency response times.

The study involved Iowa road diets that converted formerly four lane roadways to two lanes in each direction and a center turn lane. It confirmed there was no difference in emergency response times from before the installation to after they were installed.

And despite what we’re usually told, most EMS responders didn’t think they did, either.

On the other hand, what did affect response times was drivers who didn’t know how the hell to yield to emergency vehicles, especially after a lane had been removed.

And from what we’ve seen here in Los Angeles, that’s most of them.

Photo by F. Muhammad for Artistic Operations from Pixabay.

………

This is who we share the road with.

The LAPD is looking for a hit-and-run pickup driver who caused a fatal crash involving a motorcyclist in Lincoln Heights this past May.

The driver reportedly ran a red light, causing the 49-year old motorcyclist to lay down his bike to avoid a collision. The victim then slid under a box truck and was run over, and died after being taken to a hospital.

The pickup driver continued without stopping.

And yes, it’s considered hit-and-run if you cause a crash, even if you don’t come into actual contact with the victim or their vehicle.

Never mind that, as usual, the LA cops waited until the trail got cold and people’s memory of the event faded before bothering to ask for the public’s help.

Even though both the city and state have passed hit-and-run alert programs intended to notify the public immediately after a crash, when people are most likely to recall key details that could lead to an arrest.

As always, there is a standing $50,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of this driver, or any other driver involved in a fatal hit-and-run in the City of Los Angeles.

………

It’s now 217 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And 37 full months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

Meanwhile, Baltimore becomes just the latest city to launch an ebike voucher program before California’s moribund incentive plan gets off the ground, offering up to $2,000 off an electric bicycle.

Even though California’s program would have been the first in the nation if it had actually launched when it was originally approved by the legislature.

………

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

Four people have been arrested on murder and conspiracy charges following a West London collision that killed two men in their 20s riding bicycles. Unfortunately, given British press restrictions, there’s no information on how the crash occurred, why so many people were arrested or why police consider it a double murder.

No bias here. After yet another mass casualty crash, the BBC employs it’s most passive voice to say a “car and seven cyclists collided,” resulting in at least four serious injuries, and doesn’t even mention that the car had a driver until the next-to-last paragraph. Never mind that it’s highly unlikely the bicyclist collided with the car, rather than the driver plowing them down. 

………

Local 

Bicycle owners were told to claim their bikes after a popular Marina del Rey bike locker program operated by LA County Beaches and Harbors was shut down following the theft of a dozen bicycles; the county promises to reopen it if and when they figure out how to make it theft proof.

 

State

Police in San Diego are asking for the public’s help in finding the hit-and-run driver who left a 60-year old bike rider in grave condition. The victim suffered numerous injuries, including a fractured neck and bleeding in the brain; unfortunately, there’s no description of the driver or suspect vehicle. The cops actually managed to alert the public within days of the crash, rather than waiting weeks or months after a serious hit-and-run, if they even get around to it, like the LAPD. 

A 67-year old man was shot and killed following an altercation on a Simi Valley bike path Tuesday night, although there’s no indication it had anything to do with bicycling.

Oakland bike advocates rightfully object to a call from port officials for the city to move planned bike lanes just “a few blocks over.” So the bike lanes don’t, you know, interfere with their plans, bike riders be damned.

 

National

The tiny little two-seat ELF ebike car rises zombie-like from the dead.

NACTO reports micromobility use — including standard bicycles, ebikes and scooters — climbed 16% in the US last year.

An Alaska news site questions whether anyone is actually using a new Anchorage bike path as it nears the halfway point of the pilot project — even though it’s used by up to 150 bike riders a day, and the downtown bike corral it connects to is often full, with as many as 100 bicycles.

A Minnesota writer says St. Paul needs to connect its breweries to its bike trails. I second that. And vote that we do that here, too. 

The post-pandemic bike bust claims another victim, as a 141-year old Cleveland bike shop that’s been run by the same family for three generations prepares to shutter its doors at the end of next month, a victim of supply chain problems and the difficulty finding trained workers.

New York Uber drivers complain about the city’s ever-worsening traffic congestion, while failing to recognize they’re  big part of athe problem.

A writer for an art website takes an educational 60-mile ride to Edward Hopper’s home in Nyack, New York for his 142nd birthday. And yes, Hopper was one of us.

 

International

The sister of assassinated British Member of Parliament Jo Cox celebrated the “inspirational” bike ride in her honor, with 83 people ranging from 16 to 78 completing the 288-mile ride from her hometown to London, where Cox was killed by a terrorist eight years ago.

Officials promise to “review” the narrow gate gap on a new Irish bicycle and pedestrian path  that only allows standard bicycles to pass, while blocking cargo bikes, adult tricycles and other large bikes. And the “cyclists dismount” sign doesn’t exactly help.

An Irish man credits his bike helmet with saving his life when he was struck by a driver this past weekend, and thinks because they helped him, they should be required for everyone. Even though bike helmets are designed for relatively low speed falls, not violent collisions with bigass motor vehicles.

Slovenia invites you to explore the country for your next bicycling vacation, which is home to some of the world’s best bicyclists — like the newly crowned three-time Tour de France champ, for instance.

 

Competitive Cycling

Velo examines who did and didn’t rake in the big bucks for the recently completed Tour de France, with three-time champ Tadej Pogačar hauling in nearly $875,000, while Eritrean cyclist Biniam Girmay brought a relatively paltry $58,000, despite winning three stages and the green jersey.

The Cofidis cycling team was forced to defend their Look racing bikes and Corima wheels used in the Tour de France, after team member Guillaume Martin blamed heavy bikes for their poor showing. Or, it could just be the team sucked they got beat by better teams. 

Bloomberg says Paris could be the bicycle Olympics, with virtually every venue reachable by bike.

Cyclist remembers the best cycling moments from the 2021 pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Outside profiles Olympic mountain biker Riley Amos, and the small southwest Colorado mountain town I can’t talk my wife into moving to that’s produced more top cyclists than almost any other American city.

The Daily Pilot looks at the semiannual Costa Mesa Grand Prix, saying the race has found a home in the bike-friendly city.

 

Finally…

Nothing like NFL team security blocking your son from riding his bike to training camp — even though you’re the head coach. Why let a little thing like no front wheel stop you from riding?

And that feeling when you have to backtrack 170 miles in a transcontinental race to retrieve the passport and wallet you left at a gas station.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

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

Metro reneges on pledge to complete LA River path by ’28, and life is cheap for Ethan Boyes in San Francisco’s Presidio

March 21, 2024 / / Comments Off on Metro reneges on pledge to complete LA River path by ’28, and life is cheap for Ethan Boyes in San Francisco’s Presidio
Just 285 days until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
So stop what you’re doing and sign this petition to demand Mayor Bass hold a public meeting to listen to the dangers we face walking and biking on the mean streets of LA.

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

We’re still stuck at 1,018 signatures, so let’s keep it going! Urge everyone you know to sign the petition, until the mayor agrees to meet with us! 

Actual image of Metro executive promising to complete LA River bike path, by Schwerdhöfer for Pixabay.

………

It’s now 92 days since the California ebike incentive program’s latest failure to launch, which was promised no later than fall 2023. And 33 months since it was approved by the legislature and signed into law — and counting.

………

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

No bias here. A Toronto bike lawyer suddenly had his mic cut after asking a city counselor to denounce anti-bicyclist comments made at a recent public forum that had devolved into a war of words, with one commenter threatening to run over any bike riders that get in his way.

No bias here, either. A UK petition calling for bicyclists to “display registration, pay road tax and have insurance” has closed after drawing just 353 signatures in six months.

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Local 

Investing in Place considers the implications of LA’s newly approved Measure HLA, and what needs to be done to prevent implantation from devolving into a chaotic mess, and leaving already underserved communities behind.

Streets Are For Everyone, aka SAFE, is looking for volunteers to help with next month’s Finish the Ride and Finish the Run in Griffith Park.

Metro is offering a new and improved on-demand process to rent their new and improved electronic bike lockers.

West Hollywood approved a Complete Streets makeover for Willoughby Ave, as well as parts of Gardner Street, Vista Street and Kings Road, replacing the existing sharrows with curb extensions, scaled traffic circles, protected bike lanes, wayfinding signs, a mini-park, and enhanced crosswalks near schools.

Pasadena wants your input on a proposal for quick-build Complete Streets improvements along Allen Ave to improve access to the Metro A Line Station, and connect to existing bike lanes on the city’s north side.

Santa Monica cops will conduct yet another Bike & Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Operation on Saturday, ticketing any driver, bicyclist or pedestrian who commits a traffic violation that could endanger anyone on two wheels or two feet. As usual, ride to the letter of the law until you cross the city limits so you’re not the one who gets written up.

 

State

More on the Encinitas bicyclists calling for removal of a curb-protected bike lane on the coast highway, after a 48-year old man was found dead next to his cruiser bike early Sunday morning, even though there is no indication yet that the barriers played any role in his solo crash; Oceanside bike lawyer and BikinginLA sponsor Richard Duquette says the rash of bike crashes since the lanes were installed may be an argument to remove those barriers, but not all protected bike lanes.

A Palo Alto website says a proposal by Caltrans to install green bike lanes on busy El Camino Real is the wrong way to go, because it would encourage bicyclists to ride on a busy street interrupted with frequent entrances and exits, and other “ingress and egress interruptions.” Or is it just that only drivers deserve safe, direct routes to wherever they happen to be going?

 

National

Bicycling reports Strava is now giving you even more data to obsess over. Or you could just, you know, enjoy riding your bike, instead. Read it on AOL this time if the magazine blocks you. 

Cycling Weekly says forget Amazon’s Big Spring Sale if you’re looking for good deals on quality bikewear, although you can find some deals on bike tech.

Bike Portland says a whopping 94.5% of women and non-binary bicyclists responding to a recent survey reported some form of traumatic harassment while riding on the streets. Which should be astonishing, but sadly isn’t. 

A Montana man says he hated ebikes, but using one to go elk hunting changed his mind. Although I suspect the elk might have a different opinion.

 

International

Cyclist considers the best titanium road and gravel bikes, as prices for Ti bikes continue to drop, while simultaneously going pretty damn far in the other direction, too.

Strong Towns examines how cold, hilly Montreal became a year-round bicycling success story.

With a timeline only Los Angeles could envy, Edinburgh, Scotland officially opened the city’s longest bike lane after a ten-year process, with a local councilor complaining that contractors had made a “pigs ear” of the installation work.

Manchester, England bike advocates are calling for the removal of new barriers recently installed to keep “antisocial motorcyclists” off a bridge forming part of the UK’s National Cycle Network, warning that the “unlawful, discriminatory” barriers would block access to anyone with a disability.

New hiking and biking trains will roll out of Prague to take bike riders and hikers to trails throughout the Czech countryside.

After nearly 60 years of riding, a 70-year old Gibraltar man calls for more bike lanes, as well as stricter regulation of e-scooters.

 

Finally…

Your next ebike could have an electronic crankset with an automatic transmission, and no chain or belt drive. That feeling when a groundbreaking rock opera becomes a Broadway musical because you fell off your bike.

And who needs a mountain when you’ve got an e-mountain bike in DTLA?

……... 

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

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

I confess to a major screw up, advocates call on Metro to keep its damn promises, and shooting cars while naked

July 27, 2023 / / Comments Off on I confess to a major screw up, advocates call on Metro to keep its damn promises, and shooting cars while naked

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. 

I screwed up. 

On Tuesday, I issued a call for BikeLA, the former LACBC, to step up and resume their rightful place as LA County’s leading bicycle advocacy organization, after recovering from serious economic turmoil.

Something I continue stand by. 

But in doing so, I called on them to help Fullerton bike advocates support a planned lane reduction, which has run into predictable opposition. 

In my mind, I was placing Fullerton in the tangle of cities in Southeast Los Angeles County. 

It’s not.

It’s in Northern Orange County, of course, on the other side of Buena Park. Something I should have known, having written about it several times. Let alone being there more than once. 

So my apologies to BikeLA for any real or implied criticism of any lack of action in Fullerton — which is like criticizing the OC Sheriff’s Department for not patrolling in Norwalk. 

I fucked up, and I own it.

Photo by Steve Johnson from Pexels. 

………

Los Angeles bicycle and livability leaders called on Metro Wednesday to keep its damn promises.

Streetsblog’s Joe Linton writes that a group of organizations including BikeLA, Climate Resolve, MoveLA, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Streets For All signed a letter urging Metro to “promptly add several bike/walk facilities left out of Metro Regional Connector construction.”

Linton broke the news last month that Metro had left out several promised and/or required first-and-last-mile projects intended to improve safety and connectivity for people walking and biking near the near Regional Connector stations.

Although they somehow didn’t forget to add lanes for drivers.

According to Streetsblog,

The missing Connector first/last mile facilities fall into two categories: (more on these below)

  • omitted and scaled-back facilities in a Metro (with LADOT) federal grant – by Little Tokyo Station
  • facilities omitted that had been approved in the city’s Downtown Street Standards – at all three Connector stations

Streets For All founder Michael Schneider has been sounding an urgent note regarding the grant moneys, declaring that “[Metro and DOT] should implement the omitted elements now to avoid having to give the Feds their money back.”

The letter urges Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins and Metro Board Chair Mayor Karen Bass to “to move expediently to complete these required and promised pedestrian and bicycle improvements in the next three months,” as Linton notes in his subhead.

Let’s hope they take the advice to heart.

As well as the streets of DTLA.

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This is who we share the road with.

A naked woman armed with a gun opened fire on passing cars on the busy San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge until she was taken into custody, apparently without hitting anyone.

She was probably angry that bike riders still can’t get more than halfway across the bridge.

Although she probably wasn’t the same person who took a drive-by shot at an Oakland bike rider in broad daylight early Wednesday afternoon.

………

Speaking of BikeLA, they’ll be at the Bicycle Kitchen — which is celebrating it’s 20th anniversary — on Saturday, preaching bike safety and giving away free digital bike horns

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

Safety advocates predicted more bicycling deaths after the New Orleans suburb of Algiers ripped out a two-year old protected bike lane, because some people complained about the aesthetics, lack of parking, and traffic. Someone should tell them that traffic congestion isn’t caused by bike lanes; it’s the result of too few people in too many cars. 

Tampa officials blame “rogue cyclists” for plans to ban bicycles from the city’s Riverwalk. But at least the mayor is calling for bike lanes parallel to the popular route.

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

The LAPD finally arrested a bike-riding man suspected of committing multiple assaults, including the sexual assault of a 67-year old woman outside her East LA home.

In a truly bizarre story, a 19-year old Rhode Island man was arrested when security cam video showed he was the “primary aggressor,” after someone driving a pickup stopped and took his bicycle, and threw it into the back of the truck; he then took his bike back and punched the pickup driver hard enough to possibly break his own hand. Because apparently, you’re not allowed to fight back to keep someone from stealing your bike in Rhode Island, at least not if you’re big and Black.

………

Local 

The Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering wants your feedback on three options for remaking the massive Sepulveda Basin, including an extension of the LA River bike path. And pickleball courts.

They get it. Pasadena city councilmembers say more has to be done to prevent bike and pedestrian deaths in the city, which has suffered between 2 and 6 active transportation fatalities per year for the past four years.

Santa Monica police will conduct another bicycle and pedestrian safety operation next Thursday and Friday, ticketing any violations that could put either at risk, regardless of who commits them. So follow the usual protocol and ride to the letter of the law until you’re safely back in LA. “Safely” being a relative term. 

 

State

Calbike says California is falling short on Complete Streets policies, with only one California city making Smart Growth America’s list of the nation’s leading cities for forward-thinking active transportation policies. And needless to say, it wasn’t Los Angeles. 

For the second day in a row, a San Diego ebike rider was seriously injured in a crash with a pickup — even if this one was unoccupied — when 32-year old man crashed into the left rear bumper of a legally parked truck in the Shelltown neighborhood. Although it’s always possible that he was forced into the truck by a driver passing too close. 

Only In Your State calls the 16-mile bikeway from Ventura to Carpinteria the ultimate outdoor playground.

At least one bicyclist likes San Francisco’s new centerline protected bike lane, finding the new Valencia Street project “glorious.” Although it’s interesting that the San Francisco Chronicle dropped its draconian paywall just for this story.

San Francisco’s Vision Zero plan is failing after traffic deaths jumped during the pandemic; the city has just one more year to meet its goal of eliminating traffic deaths by 2024. Los Angeles has two more years, and still doesn’t have a chance in hell of meeting that.

A proposed bike and pedestrian bridge would connect the East Bay cities of Oakland and Alameda, replacing a dark and dirty tunnel under an estuary between the cities; however, opponents balk at the $200 million price tag.

 

National

The US Chamber of Commerce highlights five small businesses capitalizing on the ebike “craze,” including Orange County’s Electric Bike Company.

Truly awful story from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where a 40-year old woman was found dead in her home after someone apparently drove her there when she was the victim of a hit-and-run while riding her bike miles away. Yet another tragic reminder to always seek medical care if you’re hit by a motorist, because you’re probably hurt more than you think. 

An Iowa state senator was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of refusing to abide by a law enforcement officer during this week’s RAGBRAI, insisting he didn’t have to budge when the cop ordered a group of bike riders to clear a roadway.

The Green Bay Packers maintained their annual tradition of opening training camp by riding bicycles borrowed from little kids, after the storm clouds parted to allow the event to go on.

Jalopnik apparently sees its first advisory lane at a pilot demonstration in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and comes away predicting disaster for bike riders; the roadways feature a single traffic lane shared by drivers with bike lanes on either side, requiring drivers coming from opposite directions to briefly move into the bike lanes to pass one another.

Feel free to keep parking in Michigan bike lanes, after a supposed bill banning the act turned out to be a hoax.

Connecticut is increasing funding for the state’s ebike rebate program after accepting nearly 6,400 applications. That’s not likely to happen when California exhausts the far too low $7.5 million budget for the state’s ebike rebate program, in a state with over ten times the population of Connecticut.

Hundreds of New Yorkers demanded the city do something to get dangerous ebikes and scooters off the streets at a local town hall, complaining that people on ebikes, mopeds and other motorized vehicles often run red lights and refuse to yield to pedestrians. Because evidently, only people in cars are allowed to do that.

Philadelphia bike messenger bag maker R.E.Load Bags is going out of business after 25 years, because the founders want to move on to other things.

Once again, Florida retains its title as the nation’s deadliest state for people on bicycles. California usually comes in second to Florida in terms of sheer numbers, despite having nearly twice the population.

 

International

In another bizarre case, a 31-year old Scottish man confessed to the drunk driving death of a 63-year old man taking part in a charity bike ride, then coming back with his twin brother the next day to bury the victim’s body and dispose of his bike and other belongings; the victim was considered missing until his body was finally found over three months later.

A UK electric safety organization calls for regulating ebike batteries, after 12 people died in suspected ebike and e-scooter fires in the country since 2020.

The pandemic bike boom is clearly over, as Shimano’s bike component sales dropped nearly 18% in the first six months of this year due to weak demand.

 

Competitive Cycling

Velo writes that Wednesday’s fourth stage of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, aka the women’s Tour de France, turned into a measuring test between pre-race favorites Demi Vollering and Annemiek van Vleuten, with Vollering gaining eight seconds over her chief rival.

Dutch cyclist Yara Kastelijn won a “hard-earned victory in a long, grueling stage,” according to Velo.

UCI conducted nearly 1,000 checks for motor doping during the recent men’s Tour de France, looking for any mechanical device that could give a cyclist an unfair advantage over his competitors. And thankfully came up empty.

Twenty-three-year old Polish cyclist Filip Maciejuk will miss the world championships and his home country’s stage race, after he received a 30-day ban for causing a massive pileup in April’s Tour of Flanders.

Bold move from the Northampton International Cyclocross, as the country’s oldest ‘cross race requested that it be removed from the UCI calendar in order to continue to welcome all riders, after bike racing’s governing body recently reversed course to ban trans athletes from competing in women’s events. Thanks to Megan Lynch for the tip.

 

Finally…

Your new cyberpunk ebike could look like a Tesla pickup — but why the hell would you want it to? Every city needs a bike path connecting local microbreweries.

And who needs a bike mechanic when you can fix it yourself in the middle of the race?

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin

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

More on Fountain Valley hit-and-run, Boerner pulls Stop As Yield bill — again, and this is who we share the road with

July 13, 2023 / / Comments Off on More on Fountain Valley hit-and-run, Boerner pulls Stop As Yield bill — again, and this is who we share the road with

This is the face of hit-and-run.

It’s not often that we learn what happened to a crash victim after the initial news stories.

If it even makes the news, that is.

But we’re learning a lot more about the bike-riding victim of a Fountain Valley hit-and-run driver, who barely survived the initial impact.

We gave the hit-and-run a brief mention on Monday, based on the limited information that was available at the time.

Fountain Valley police are looking for the hit-and-run driver who critically injured a 20-year old Huntington Beach man when he was rear ended while riding in a bike lane in the Orange County city on the 4th of July.

Since then, KABC-7 has added more information to the story, including identifying the victim as 20-year old Huntington Beach resident Caysen Robinson.

They place the crash at 10:30 pm on Tuesday the 4th, when Robinson was run down from behind as he was riding in the northbound bike lane on Bushard Street.

A crowdfunding campaign started by the victim’s family to help pay his medical expenses reports Robinson’s heart was ruptured when he was literally run over by the driver’s SUV, surviving only because one of the first people on the scene had medical training.

He was rushed into surgery, where doctor’s were able to repair his heart, despite suffering an injury with a less than 1% survival rate.

They add this about his ongoing injuries —

Caysen was in a medically induced coma and put on a ventilator. Drs weaned him off, and he had surgery for a compound fracture of his tibia. Caysen still needs surgery for the 4 facial fractures. Today Caysen had unidentified pain in his shoulder and wrist, and Drs are looking into additional broken or fractured bones.

According to his family, Robinson is facing a long road to recovery.

Police are looking for the driver of a possible 2014-2019 Toyota Highlander. Anyone with information is urged to call the Traffic Bureau with the Fountain Valley Police Department at 714/593-4481.

The crowdfunding campaign for Caysen Robinson has raised nearly 80% of the $50,000 goal — an amount that is likely to barely put a dent in the hospital and therapy bills illegally left on his battered shoulders by the heartless coward who left him lying broken in the street.

So if you’ve got any extra cash lying around, they could certainly use the help.

Photo from the GoFundMe page for Caysen Robinson. Thanks to Bill Sellin for the heads-up. 

………

Once again, California’s proposed Stop As Yield law, aka the Safety Stop or Idaho Stop Law, has failed to become law, as Assemblymember Tasha Boerner pulled the bill from consideration for the second year in a row without explanation, after a pair of previous attempts were vetoed by Gavin Newsom.

And yes, that’s the same Tasha Boerner who pledged to introduce a bill mandating licensing for ebike riders; we should have more on that tomorrow.

Meanwhile, a number of bills were passed out of committee in the state Senate, including —

  • AB 645 creating a speed cam pilot program in six California cities, including Los Angeles, Long Beach and Glendale;
  • AB 413 mandating daylighting at intersections to improve safety;
  • AB 825 to legalize sidewalk riding anywhere in California that lacks good bike infrastructure (and no, sharrows aren’t “good” bike infrastructure);
  • AB 7 requiring transportation and highway planners to align their work with the state’s climate goals;
  • and AB 610 to create statewide a youth transit pass program.

………

This is who we share the road with.

Part 1 — A 69-year old man was critically injured when he was struck by a hit-and-run driver in LA’s Pacoima neighborhood; the driver hit the victim as he was standing next to his car after drifting into the bike lane. As always, there is a standing $25,000 reward for any hit-and-run resulting in serious injuries in the City of Los Angeles.

Part 2 — A Pennsylvania driver faces charges for killing a 54-year old man during a New York road rage confrontation, accelerating into the victim after he got out of his truck to slash the Pennsylvania man’s tires; witnesses absolved the killer, saying he acted in self-defense to protect two young girls in his car.

Part 3 — A 75-year old man was killed, and a 13-year old girl was injured, when a driver fleeing a traffic stop by the Secret Service plowed through a crowded DC crosswalk; at last report, police were still looking for the driver.

………

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

Police on Michigan’s Mackinac Island are impounding ebikes belonging to visitors who break the strict rules on the carfree island, where only Class 1 ped-assist ebikes are allowed, and all ebikes must be licensed on the island.

A Toronto bike rider complains he was almost killed by someone driving nearly 40 mph in a bollard-protected bike lane, who couldn’t comprehend that what they were doing was wrong when he confronted them.

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

Spain’s Ecological Transition Minister was subjected to well-deserved criticism for virtue signaling for riding her bike to a climate summit, after she was seen removing it from the trunk of her car a just mile away — and escorted to the meeting by security vehicles front and rear.

………

Local 

Metro, LADOT, Walk ‘N Rollers and BikeLA are hosting a community meeting tonight at the Helms Design Center in Culver City to consider first and last mile connections to the Culver City Metro Station; this comes after Culver City’s newly conservative city council voted to remove the highly successful Move Culver City protected bike lanes through the downtown area. Which is probably the most I’ve ever used Culver City in a single sentence.

Santa Monica Daily Press says the city still has a way to go to meet its Vision Zero commitment to eliminate traffic deaths by 2026. But unlike its much larger neighbor to the east, they’re actually trying to. And could.

 

State

Kids and teenagers in Temecula caught riding a bicycle with their helmet on will be rewarded with gift certificates to local restaurants, cookie shops and ice cream parlors. And Staples.

Good for them. Caltrans took Palo Alto residents by surprise with plans to install bike lanes on El Camino Real after repaving the street, which received a lukewarm response from local officials — but since it’s a state highway, they may be powerless to stop it. Now do PCH through Malibu, which is also a state highway.

Sad and infuriating news from Northern California, where an Oakland man was killed by a hit-and-run driver in a stolen car Wednesday morning. And a San Jose woman died five days after she was struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding her bike.

Sacramento’s Sactown Magazine talks with former Vancouver chief city planner Brent Toderian, who has become a star consulting planner in the years since, and is now working with the California city.

Yosemite National Park — or Yo Semite as our former president once called it — is addressing the crushing traffic congestion caused by tourists cars by introducing a free bikeshare system.

 

National

I want to be like them when I grow up. An Ohio newspaper talks with a couple in their 70s who were riding their tandem home to Iowa after visiting their son in Virginia — which is nothing compared to their 4,500-mile Washington to Maine cross-country ride.

A Seattle man settled a lawsuit with the city for $10 million, six years after he crashed into a metal bollard placed in the middle of a bike path to keep drivers from using it, breaking his neck and leaving him a quadriplegic.

Seattle’s Rad Power Bikes is following up on its withdrawal from Europe with its fifth round of layoffs in just over two years.

Dueling demonstrations took place between people for and against a planned road diet in Boston’s West Roxbury neighborhood, although only 50 people turned out to protest it. Someone should tell them that road diets and protected bike lanes have been shown to increase sales and reduce retail vacancies, while improving safety for all road users.

A Florida TV station remembers Miami’s Jack the Bike Man after the local legend passed away at 81; he led a nonprofit that gave away thousands of refurbished bikes to kids and adults in need each year.

 

International

A writer for Cycling Weekly found deals on five fully-built bikes he says are better than anything you could have found on the recent Amazon Prime Days.

Toronto’s new mayor is one of us, as she rides her bike to work on her first day.

London is making permanent a popup, bi-directional protected bike lane, despite criticism from conservative politicians and an almost even number of comments for and against it.

No surprise here, as Dutch ebike-maker VanMoof has filed for bankruptcy protection after suspending operations earlier in the week; if the company goes out of business, the bikes’ app-based connected functionality may be bricked.

An investigative journalism foundation takes a long look at why bicycling continues to claim lives on Nigerian roads.

Philippine news anchor Gretchen Ho is one of us, laughing off a “really bad” fall off her bike while riding in Switzerland; she appeared to suffer minor injuries, while, in typical bicyclist fashion, she expressed more concern for her bike and GoPro.

 

Competitive Cycling

Jasper Phillipson sprinted to victory in Wednesday’s stage of the Tour de France, giving him over a third of the eleven stages so far.

Velo examines the diverging trajectories of back-to-back U-23 world champs Quinn Simmons and Remco Evenepoel, as the Belgian star has shined on the world stage, while the American faded into the pro peloton until he won the US national road championship, just ten days after directing rescuers to fallen cyclist Gino Mäder in the Tour de Suisse.

Velo also discusses how their competitors plan to reel in Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard, as the former winners threaten to ride away with this year’s Tour de France.

Tuesday’s stage victory by Bahrain Victorious rider Pello Bilbao was hailed by His Majesty the King’s Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain. They probably would have given him a longer title, but couldn’t think of anything else to add.

Bicycling reports Costa Rican cyclist Andrey Amador overcame overwhelming odds to lead Wednesday’s stage 11 of the Tour, before dropping off the podium; the 36-year old rider was severely beaten, robbed and left for dead a dozen years earlier. As usual, read it on Yahoo if the magazine blocks you. 

 

Finally…

How to inflate anything without a bike pump — except bike tires, or course. That feeling when you turn your bike into a car.

And in this country, it’s script writers — and now actors — on strike; in the UK, it’s bicycling instructors.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin.

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

California ebike rebate plan takes shape, sentencing for killer San Diego driver, and 15-minute city conspiracy theories

February 21, 2023 / / One comment

This is who we share the road with.

A nice three day weekend with my wife was, if not ruined, at least darkened by a road raging woman who nearly ran us down making a left turn as we crossed the street, less than a block from our home.

She somehow took offense when I objected to the way my wife, dog and I nearly became roadkill, screaming that it was our fault because we hadn’t been paying attention.

Which was true for the dog, anyway.

Never mind that a) we had the right-of-way, b) she started her turn after we were already crossing the street, and c) she neglected to use her turn signal, which might have tipped us off.

But in her mind, we were 100% at fault.

Just another reminder that cars can turn people into monsters.

And that we’ll never have safe streets until our elected leaders have the courage and political will to actually do something about it. 

Ebike photo by Alex from Pexels.

………

Calbike updated the latest outlines of California’s long-delayed ebike rebate program, which is currently slated to begin sometime in the second quarter of this year.

Which means no sooner than April.

  • To qualify, participants can make no more than 300% of the federal poverty level (FPL).
  • The base incentive will be $1,000.
  • Participants can get an additional $750 toward the purchase of a cargo bike or adaptive bike.
  • People whose income is below 225% of FPL or who live in a disadvantaged community can qualify for an additional $250, so the maximum incentive amount is $2,000.
  • Incentives can be applied toward sales tax, as well as the purchase price.
  • Incentives will be applied at the point of sale.
  • All three classes of e-bikes can qualify for incentives.
  • Used bikes will not be eligible.
  • Incentives can be used to buy e-bikes from local bike shops or online retailers with a business location in California.
  • Adaptive bikes can include tricycles. CARB plans to keep the definition of adaptive e-bikes as broad as possible.

As far as I can tell, it looks like the Federal Poverty Limits are calculated using the adjusted gross income on your latest tax return, with certain items added back in.

………

The San Diego Bike Coalition is calling for bike riders to turn out for Friday’s sentencing of the wrong-way driver who killed Matt Keenan in September, 2021.

Keenan was riding his bike to the movies in Mission Valley when the driver, who hasn’t been publicly named, let alone shamed, rounded a corner on the wrong side of the road and hit him head-on.

His confessed killer is copping a plea to misdemeanor Vehicular Manslaughter with Gross Negligence, with a three-year license suspension and not one day behind bars.

Let me repeat.

A lousy license suspension — not even revocation — and no jail time at all. For needlessly killing another human being, while likely driving distracted.

According to the organization, Keenan’s wife Laura has become one of the leading voices for safer streets in the nearly year and a half since his death, and deserves the support of the entire bicycling community in calling for the judge to add additional penalties, like community service and probation, at the sentencing hearing.

If you can’t attend the hearing, they recommend emailing the judge.

Thanks to Phillip Young for the heads-up.

………

Thousands of apparently very confused yet virulent protesters turned out in Oxford, England to protest Low Traffic Neighborhoods, aka LTNs, as well as plans for 15-minute cities.

According to the BBC, the protestors based their LTN complaints on the difficulties they could pose for motorists who could be unable to drive directly through the city. Not to mention some major climate change denial, as well as baseless claims that it would result in a “climate lockdown,” with residents required to stay at home to protect the environment.

Meanwhile, 15-minute city proposals were bizarrely accused of being a front for a dystopian concentration camp-like lockdown, with gates locking residents inside their zone, allowed to leave just 100 days a year. Along with the creation of an Orwellian surveillance state to enforce climate goals.

Not to mention that Neo-Nazis turned out in support of the protests. Or maybe were behind it.

Consider, for instance, this speech by a 12-year old anti-Greta Thuneburg, which has been circulating in rightwing circles for the past few days. Even if it, like the rest of the opposition, is based almost entirely on baseless conspiracy theories.

https://twitter.com/ChildrensHD/status/1627050833706905600

And none of which actually have a damn thing to do with it, of course.

A 15-minute city simply means that everything you need for daily life should be located within 15 minutes of your home — preferably by walking, biking or taking transit.

Meanwhile, LTNs are simply designed to discourage driving through a neighborhood, to increase the safety and livability of the community.

Neither one is intended to force anyone out of their cars. And they certainly have nothing to do with a dystopian surveillance state.

Here’s how British bike scribe and historian Carlton Reid debunks the conspiracies in under a minute.

………

Call this ad the anti-anti-15-minute city ad, asking if we can put a man on the moon, why can’t a kid safely ride a bike?

Then again, we haven’t set foot on the moon in over 50 years, either.

………

A new French traffic safety campaign calls out the dangers of toxic masculinity behind the wheel.

Unfortunately for us monolingual types, though, it’s in French.

………

The legendary Nina Simone was one of us.

………

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

No bias here. A 79-year old Missouri man is dead because a driver’s van struck the victim’s bike. Not, say, the driver. Because apparently, the van somehow did it all on its own. 

No bias here, either. A Florida letter writer says bicyclists are a danger to themselves and others on the road because it’s a fact that we can’t keep up with traffic flow, and it’s our fault drivers get mad about it because we shouldn’t be there into first place. Then again, it’s also a fact that people on bikes are often faster than congested traffic. And we’re not responsible for how drivers, or anyone else, reacts. 

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

Life is cheap in the UK, where the courts let a 25-year old man walk with a 12-month sentence for wanton and furious biking, with all 12 months suspended; he was skitching and popping wheelies just moments before running down a 13-year old kid while blowing through a red light. Thanks to Marcello Calicchio for the link.

………

Local 

Streets For All is asking for your support for a motion at today’s City Council PLUM Committee meeting to end automatic street widening when new construction takes place, which results in those odd mid-block wide spots that too often get blamed on us.

Speaking of Streets For All, the street safety PAC is participating in the annual Climate Ride for the first time, and is looking for volunteers to ride with them, as well as sponsors for the riders.

SoCal Cycling discusses how to get back into bicycling after a long layoff. Kind of like the one I’ve gone through with one diabetes-related health problem after another, which has resulted in a bike that’s virtually unrideable at this point. And a rider who can’t either.

Unbelievable. Metro’s board Planning and Programming Committee rejected calls for pedestrian crosswalk improvements in Pasadena, as part of a package of multimodal projects using leftover funds from the cancelled 710 Freeway extension; advocates hope the full board will overturn the decision this week. Apparently they’ve forgotten the urgent need to improve walkability and bikeability in the face of a climate emergency.

This is who we share the road with. A group of pedestrians waiting for lunch outside a Sawtelle Blvd restaurant became collateral damage when two drivers collided and one careened into the crowd, sending four people to the hospital, including a 23-year old woman in critical condition.

 

State

Streets For All calls out Caltrans for misrepresenting 1,600 miles of Complete Streets, most of which are anything but. And asks you to comment on it.

San Diego’s Park Blvd will be getting dedicated bus lanes and buffered bike lanes through Balboa Park, which has proven deadly for bike and e-scooter riders in recent years. Thanks again to Phillip Young.

Woodland Hills Magazine highlights the area’s best bike riding views.

A San Francisco TV station reports East Bay bike riders are showing solidarity in the face of violent dooring attacks by teenagers in an apparent stolen car; shamefully, Oakland cops say they’re too busy to do anything about it.

Apparently having nothing better to do, the CHP is investigating several instances of juvenile bike riders on the Bay Bridge.

 

National

A Utah man pled guilty to reduced charges for killing one man and injuring another when he crashed into their bikes last July; he was on parole for multiple felonies and had amphetamine, meth, codeine and morphine in his system at the time of the crash. Not to mention belonging to a Nazi criminal gang.

Life is cheap in Texas, where a bus driver walked without a day behind bars for killing a bike rider on the UT campus in 2019; the 44-year old woman got seven years probation and 250 hours of community service, while her victim got death.

Minneapolis is staring down a more than a quarter of a million settlement for the forcible arrest of a man riding a bicycle during the 2020 protests over the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, even though the bike rider “was peacefully and lawfully exercising his constitutional right to protest.”

No bias here, either. The Ohio legislature is proposing a ban on center lane bike lanes in cities of 300,000 population, after Cleveland business owners complained they wouldn’t be able to make left turns or unload their trucks.

Tragic news from Pennsylvania, where a 75-year old man was killed when a cop responding to a traffic call rammed his bicycle from behind, while traveling without his lights or siren on; meanwhile, a woman standing in a New York bike lane was killed when she was collateral damage in a crash between a cop and another driver.

Bizarre story from South Carolina, where a John Doe was finally identified as a South Carolina man after his family reported him missing, three months after he was killed riding his bike without ID. Yet another reminder to always carry ID with you when you ride. 

A New Orleans TV station says the city’s bikeshare system is the best way to get around during today’s Mardi Gras celebrations.

 

International

National Geographic says gravel cycling is the next big trend.

CNN highlights ten of the world’s best cities to explore by bicycle; unfortunately, San Francisco is the only US city on the list. And needless to say, Los Angeles isn’t. Thanks to Steve Fujinaka for the tip. 

Canadian F1 driver Lance Stoll is one of us; the driver for Aston Martin will miss next month’s Bahrain Grand Prix after suffering an injury in a “minor” bike crash.

You’ve got to be kidding. Bath, England NIMBYs argue that new green bike parking hangers will threaten the city’s Unesco World Heritage status. Because evidently, all those cars and their parking lots must have been there since Roman times.

Police in the UK are facing justified criticism for advising a pair of bike riders  “be aware,” “keep space” and “expect to wait” after they were struck by drivers, with no suggestions for drivers to not hit people, on bikes or otherwise.

British Channel 5 news anchor Dan Walker is one of us, after he had to miss his broadcast after he was struck by a driver while riding his bike to the strain station.

Hit-and-run drivers in the UK could soon face of fines up to the equivalent of $1,200 for not stopping after hitting a cat. Which is more than many drivers get for killing someone on a bicycle.

Cycling Weekly says bicycling is growing in some parts of the Middle East, despite poor infrastructure and police harassment, while being banned in other places.

Things are looking up for bike shops in Vietnam, as more Vietnamese commuters are opting for riding a bicycle.

He gets it. A Philippine professor says riding a bike is a basic human right, and he intends to keep doing it for the rest of his life.

 

Competitive Cycling

Cyclist looks at the hard road ridden by newly crowned Esteban Chaves, who became Colombia’s national champ for the first time at the ripe old age of 33.

A 20-year old British bike rider says forget hi-viz, after his back and bike were both broken when he was struck by a driver, despite wearing a kit he says couldn’t have been brighter.

British cyclist Tom Pidcock shows off his bike handling skills at the Volta ao Algarve’s time trial on Sunday.

https://twitter.com/writebikerepeat/status/1627332215435657216

Sad news from the Netherlands, where Dutch cyclist Amy Pieters suffered a setback in her recovery from a near fatal 2021 bike crash, although she continues to ride an adaptive bike, despite suffering epileptic seizures.

Hear, hear! Kenyan-born Chris Froome says he has high hopes for African cycling.

 

Finally…

Foster a pet, get a discount on your next bike. Probably not the best idea to hit a cop who stops you for riding without a light.

And no more free bikes for Indian school kids.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin, too.

 

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

High desert man busted for 2nd DUI in 3 months, this is who we share the road with, and lots more ‘Tis the Season

December 19, 2022 / / Comments Off on High desert man busted for 2nd DUI in 3 months, this is who we share the road with, and lots more ‘Tis the Season

It’s the final week of the 8th Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive!

Just six more days to support this site, and help keep all the best and brightest bike news coming your way every day!

Sadly, though, not one single person donated to the fund drive yesterday; just the second time that’s happened this year. 

So let’s all thank Douglas M, Devin D and Steven F for their generous donations on Friday and Saturday to bring you the latest bike news and advocacy every morning. 

So don’t wait. Donate today via PayPal or Zelle! 

Every contribution, no matter how large or small, is truly and deeply appreciated. And very needed. 

Today’s photo: A very sad fund drive spokesdog and chief fundraiser vows to keep staring until you give in and make a donation today. 

………

This is why people keep dying on our streets.

A Victorville man was busted for DUI while he was already out on bail for another DUI arrest in October.

This is how the Victorville Daily Press described the arrest.

While speaking with Woodward, the deputy said the suspect was “uncooperative,” and several liquor bottles were seen inside the suspect’s vehicle. The deputy determined that Woodward was driving under the influence of alcohol…

Woodward was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol over .08%, reckless driving, and obstructing a peace officer. He was cited and released on Thursday.

Because of the reckless driving charge, Woodward’s vehicle was impounded for 30 days.

Go back and read that again.

The driver’s vehicle was impounded after his arrest — not because he was driving drunk, but because he was driving recklessly.

After his first drunk driving arrest, they apparently just handed his license back to him, and sent him home to do it again.

And chances are, this was just the first time he got caught again.

So if you’ve ever wondered why people keep dying on our streets, you can start with lawmakers who think it’s too dangerous to let reckless drivers keep their cars, but perfectly okay for drunks to keep driving.

Thanks to Victor Bale for the heads-up.

………

This is who we share the road with.

………

‘Tis the season.

A Madera, California Ford Dealership gave away 300 bikes, tricycle and mountain bikes assembled by volunteers earlier this month.

The Butte County, California sheriff’s department is giving away 50 donated or refurbished bikes to local children.

An Albuquerque bike shop teamed with nonprofit group More Butts on Bikes  to give away a free balance bike every day this month.

The Texas A&M women’s basketball team held their first ever bike build, assembling 53 bikes for kids in need before their latest game.

An Oklahoma City TV station gave away over 200 bikes to kids, thanks to help from donors and Walmart.

An Ohio nonprofit gave away four truckloads of bikes to kids up to 17 years old; they’ve distributed over 20,000 bikes in the past 17 years.

Over 200 people turned out, many dressed as Santa or other holiday characters, for a 5.5-mile Ohio bike ride to benefit the victim of a dog attack earlier this year.

Continuing our Ohio trifecta, a local church donated 550 new bikes and 600 toys to families in need for the holidays.

A pair of Louisville, Kentucky women worked though the nonprofits they founded to donate bikes to kids who didn’t have one.

A Pennsylvania Toys for Tots program thanked the local community for coming through for them after thieves stole 25 bicycles that were schedule to go to local kids in need; Dick’s Sporting Goods alone donated 25 bicycles to the program.

Former Washington Commanders pro football receiver Charlie Brown gave away more than 100 bicycles to kids in need through his charitable foundation.

A Baton Rouge, Louisiana attorney handed out 430 bikes and helmets to kids in need for the holidays.

Hats off to the owners and employees of a Dublin, Ireland bike shop, who have donated 1,500 bicycles to Ukrainian refugees.

An Aussie couple turned their own living room into a workshop to refurbish eleven bikes for kids in need.

………

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

Italian bicyclists are up in arms after a judge ruled that hate speech directed at them is not a crime, after someone wrote “Hit one cyclist to educate a hundred” in response to a Facebook post. Although that wouldn’t even be a consideration in the US, where the 1st Amendment protects the right to make stupid and hateful comments.

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

There’s not a pit in hell deep enough for the bike-riding man who attacked a 63-year old man in New York’s Central Park while shouting antisemitic comments and “Kanye 2024.”

Police in Belfast, Northern Ireland are looking for a pair of killers who rode their bicycles to assassinate two different men just under a year apart; investigators have connected the cases, but are still looking for a motive.

………

………

Local 

No news is good news, right?

 

State

Police in Newport Beach gave in to the cliches, and gave coffee and donuts to the adults to improve community relations, and bike helmets for their kids.

San Jose leads the Silicon Valley in bicycle crashes, injuries and deaths, with 3.5 times as many bike crashes as second place Palo Alto. Then again, it also has almost 15 times the population.

Sad news from Sacramento, where an Ohio man was killed in a collision while riding his bike.

 

National

Bad news from Oregon, where pedestrian and bike deaths have topped last year with a month to go.

The author of the Seattle Bike Blog has a new book coming out titled Biking Uphill in the Rain: The Story of Seattle from behind the Handlebars, available for preorder for $29.95.

Heartbreaking news from Denver, where a woman battling leukemia lost her husband the same day she received a stem cell transplant, when a hit-and-run driver ran a red light and smashed into him as he rode his bike; a crowdfunding page has raised over $78,000.

A group of Minnesota bike riders aims to prove that people do ride bikes in the snow.

A band of vigilantes is riding and walking around New York, clandestinely fixing license plates intentionally damaged or obscured by their owners to avoid traffic cams and toll scanners.

Frank Sinatra’s namesake Hoboken street is getting a Complete Streets makeover, complete with raised sidewalks and protected bike lanes, although drivers will have to sacrifice 126 parking spaces.

A Virginia man is under arrest for sexually assaulting a 13-year old girl and stealing her bicycle, after the victim managed to take a photo of his truck as he drove away. See pit, deep enough.

That’s still more like it. A New Orleans man had his sentence reduced for the drunk driving crash that killed two people when he plowed into nine bike riders at a 2019 Mardi Gras parade; Tashonty Toney’s sentence was lowered from 91 years to 65 years behind bars after the appellate court rejected the original sentence.

Hats off to Mississippi history teacher Ed Abdella, who rode his bike for 24 straight hours to raise funds for the school’s band program, covering 343 miles in the process.

Ivanka Trump is one of us, as she took her two sons to a Miami bike park.

A Florida sheriff’s deputy dressed as the Grinch and handed out onions to drivers speeding in a school zone. Although speeding tickets would have been more appropriate, but less fun.

 

International

Three friends from Argentina rode their bikes 6,200 miles through 15 countries in hopes of securing tickets to the World Cup final, won by Argentina in penalty kicks; no word on whether they actually got in.

Canadian Cycling Magazine offers inspiration for when your Christmas Tree has to reflect your passion for bikes.

It’s going to take five months and $400,000 to rip out a popular bike lane through a Vancouver park. Popular with bike riders, anyway; angry drivers, not so much. 

Police in the UK are defending the people installing new bike hangers, after conservative politician complained about the approval process.

A British husband and wife team set a new record for biking around the world on a tandem bike, passing through Berlin’s famed Brandenburg Gate — in a blizzard, no less — just 180 days after setting off from the same spot, presumably in better weather. Thanks to Mike Wilkinson for the link, who assures us he and his wife will not be challenging the new record.

In yet another example of authorities keeping a dangerous driver on the streets, an 81-year old English driver walked without a single day behind bars and got to keep his driver’s license, despite hitting a bike rider during a failed pass attempt — then doing it again moments later.

No surprise here, as bike riders in the Netherlands ride their bikes twice as much as Germans do doing the winter.

Famed Italian bikemaker Ernesto Colnago’s greatest bikes will go on display in a permanent museum.

 

Competitive Cycling

UCI is making sweeping rule changes to World Cup mountain bike racing.

 

Finally…

That feeling when a stand of cottonwoods explodes next to the bike trail you’re riding. A two-mile bike ride could pay for your next hotel stay.

And someone out there definitely knows how to get my attention.

https://twitter.com/LisaNSanders1/status/1604356361323974663

………

Happy Chanukah to everyone celebrating tonight. Or a happy Hanukkah, if you prefer.

Chag Urim Sameach!

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin, too.

 

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

Soto-Martinez calls for new bus and bike lanes in CD13, San Diego op-ed calls bike lanes a rip-off, and drivers behaving badly

December 14, 2022 / / One comment

Less than 12 days left in the 8th Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive!

Which means time is running out to show your support for SoCal’s best source for all the latest bike news and advocacy, delivered fresh to your favorite screen every morning!

So let’s all thank Nina M and Todd T for their generous donations to ensure the bike news you need is ready and waiting when you need it. 

Don’t wait. Donate today via PayPal or Zelle.

Or better yet, stop what you’re doing and donate right now to keep all the bike bike news coming your way every day!

………

You can’t say things aren’t changing in Los Angeles these days.

And Hollywood in particular.

In his first council session after replacing the recently ousted Mitch O’Farrell in LA’s 13th Council District, Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez introduced a motion calling for LADOT to report back with a list of bus lanes, bike infrastructure and pedestrian safety improvements that can be implemented within the next 18 months, as well as calling for placing shelters at every bus stop in the district.

https://twitter.com/streetsforall/status/1602864863667101697

Quite a change from O’Farrell, who spent eight years slow walking most safety projects, if not outright blocking them.

You can ask Soto-Martinez about his plans for the district at this evening’s Streets For All virtual happy hour; RSVP here.

………

No bias here.

A retired university professor suggests that San Diego’s commitment to building bike infrastructure, with a goal of achieving a 10% bike commuting rate, is just another special interest rip-off.

Is this a joke? Or is it a monumental rip-off perpetrated by a very small but clearly well-organized special interest group of biking enthusiasts?

And then there is a safety issue. To date, there seemingly has not been any effort by the city or the state to either educate or enforce the multiple safety issues that are important for a mutual use of roadways by bicycles and automobiles. Few bikes on the road after dark have reflectors or lights; it is very rare to see a bicyclist signal to turn. And bicyclists blow through red lights and stop signs consistently — usually as they fly down one of the hills.

Just wait until he sees how people drive, in their big, smelly, two-ton death-dealing machines as they text on their phones, roll stop sighs and race to the next red light.

Of course, his proof that it’s a rip-off is that he and his husband don’t see bikes in the exact bike lane they’re watching, at the exact moment they’re watching it.

And never mind that the well-funded advocacy groups he complains about are in fact dramatically underfunded nonprofits who have to beg for money to continue their work every year.

It would be of interest to know which consultant arrived at this 10 percent number — and how. Special interest groups are focused, connected, well-organized and funded. My guess is that they were heavily involved in the planning for the pathways. And while clearly their prerogative, their influence seems to have outweighed the broader public good.

In reality, the broader public good includes getting people out of their cars — electric or otherwise — before we succeed in our so far successful efforts to destroy our planet, unless and until the erstwhile world’s richest man manages to find another one to move us all to.

And, of course, he can’t manage to make his case without the stunning revelation that “San Diego is not Copenhagen, Stockholm or Amsterdam.”

No, it isn’t. San Diego has much better weather for much of the year. And none of those cities were bike-friendly until they made the commitment and difficult transition to become that way.

But there is one thing he gets right.

San Diego is hilly, built around numerous canyons and hillsides. Yet I somehow managed to find relatively flat routes to get wherever I was going when I lived down there decades ago.

I doubt it’s gotten any hillier since.

Then there’s the ability of ebikes to flatten that terrain, and let anyone ride up and down them with minimal effort.

And if you’re to believe the local media and panicked seaside city officials, the entire place is already being overrun by ebike-riding social terrorists.

It’s possible that the city’s efforts to increase bicycling rates may fail, with too many people clinging to their steering wheels like Charleston Heston to his guns.

But it’s far too soon to give up, when the city’s bike network is still in its nascent stage. Let alone when its success is the only way the city can meet its climate goals.

So give it time, and keep building bikeways.

The worst thing that will happen is that the city will continue to get safer and more livable.

And maybe someday, someone in Copenhagen or Amsterdam will insist that they’re not San Diego.

………

This is who we share the road with.

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, except for the driver of the suspected stolen truck.

And a Laguna Beach hardware store was forced to close when a woman somehow drove her Tesla through the outer wall. Luckily, no one was injured.

………

You only have until the end of this month to offer your input on how to make Redondo Beach Blvd and Ripley Ave safer and more comfortable spaces to bike and walk.

………

After yesterday’s item about the brief flight of a pedal-powered plane, Steven Hallett reminds us about the Gossamer Albatross, the human-powered plane that successfully crossed the English Channel all the way back in 1979.

………

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

New York building owners are banning ebikes and e-scooters over concerns about battery fires, even though the problem is largely limited to refurbished batteries and mismatched chargers.

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

The people have spoken. People commenting here have all said we should stop linking to articles here where bike use is just incidental to some crime, rather than central to the story. So from here on, this section will be reserved for bike riders who fuck up big time. Let’s just make sure it’s not you, k?

Or me, for that matter.

………

………

Local 

A Los Angeles actor and producer makes a pilgrimage to the great bicycling meccas of Europe.

In what should be must-see viewing for local and state officials, the new documentary 21 Miles in Malibu examines LA County’s killer highway, calling it one of the deadliest stretches of roadway in California.

 

State 

Caltrans is holding a webinar on Friday to present a progress report on the the Statewide Bike and Pedestrian Plan, with public comment extended to January 13th. Yes, Friday the 13th.

Streetsblog examines the worthy active transportation projects that didn’t get funded by the California Transportation Commission under a one-time, $1 billion state funding boost, demonstrating just how much demand there is for better bike and walking infrastructure.

‘Tis the season. The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office held their annual Christmas Bike Giveaway for the 33rd straight year, donating 300 bicycles refurbished by county jail inmates to kids in need.

San Francisco Streetsblog checks the progress on the new curb-protected bike lanes on Oakland’s iconic Telegraph Ave.

 

National

A writer for Planetizen argues active transportation and micromobility can do far more to provide cost-effective cuts in emissions than most current emission reduction plans. Meanwhile, Government Technology suggests micromobility has rebounded from its pandemic-induced downturn.

A Streetsblog podcast talks with historian and author Peter Norton about the history of roadside memorials to the victims of traffic violence.

Bike Portland reports the city is working with the FHA to build several advisory lanes, where bike riders get a lane on both sides, and drivers share a single center lane.

Kindhearted Texas cops worked with a nonprofit group to give a boy with special needs a new bike after his was stolen. Don’t get me started on what kind of schmuck would steal a bike from a special needs kid, though.

More on the Michigan bike shop owner killed in a Florida collision while delivering bikes to children affected by Hurricane Ian; 57-year old Steven Pringle was a grandfather and Army vet who founded a nonprofit providing “bicycle therapy” to veterans by repairing bikes to give to children in need.

The bike lanes on New York’s Roosevelt Island Bridge got a new weather-resistant surface, replacing the metal grate that was prone to causing tire punctures.

New York building owners are banning ebike and e-scooters over fears of battery fires.

 

International

CityLab sees a big opportunity in tiny electric minicars.

Quebec rules that a bike rider who was grazed, but not hit, by a passing motorist is entitled to compensation for her injuries. Although someone should tell them that getting “grazed” is getting hit. And so is getting sucked in or blown off the road by a passing vehicle. 

A London micromobiity company is placing a cognitive function test within their app, which will require ebike and e-scooter users to prove they’re not intoxicated before they’re allowed to rent one. So why can’t we do the same thing for motorists?

Portugal is the first country to reduce the value-added tax, or VAT, on bicycles in an effort to encourage increased ridership.

A Norwegian student praises the kindness of people in India’s Uttar Pradesh province, after thieves stole his phone, credit card, ID and other documents while on an around the world bike tour.

Bizarre story from Australia, where a young woman pled guilty to manslaughter in the death of a 7-foot tall man who was last scene riding his bike, after arguing that she only thought her boyfriend and another man were going to “kick the shit out of him,” not kill him.

 

Competitive Cycling

Colombian cyclist Miguel Ángel López was unceremoniously fired from his Astana-Qazaqstan cycling team, after the team found “probable” connections to a Spanish doctor being investigated for suspected drug trafficking and money laundering. But the era of doping is over, right? Or did they just get better at hiding it?

A Burbank website profiles a 16-year old mountain biker who competes in competitions throughout the US.

 

Finally…

Your bike could soon tell you when it needs new shoes. Why reinvent the wheel when you can just build a better kickstand?

And that feeling when bikes get squeezed out by pickleball.

………

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

Oh, and fuck Putin, too.

 

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