Day 189 of LA’s Vision Zero failure to end traffic deaths by 2025.
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Bad news from Ventura, where a 24-year old woman lost an arm when she was struck by a train.
The victim was reportedly carrying her bike in one arm as she crossed the railroad tracks near Seward Ave when her bicycle somehow got caught in the tracks, and was struck by a southbound Amtrak train as she was still holding it.
Her arm was located near the crash site, and was taken with her to the hospital; however, there’s no word on whether doctors were able to reattach it.
Anyone is urged to call the Ventura Police Department at 805/650-8010.
This is yet another tragic reminder to never attempt to cross railroad tracks when a train it approaching, or once a crossing gate closes and the warning lights start flashing.
Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels.
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More bad news, this time from Escondido, where someone riding a bicycle suffered “significant injuries” when they were struck by a driver.
The victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was reportedly riding against a red light while crossing North Centre City Parkway at Mission Ave Friday evening.
And yes, the driver stuck around afterwards this time.
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The war on cars may be a myth, but the war on bikes just keeps on going.
No bias here. A San Diego letter writer calls on police to ticket lawbreaking bicyclists who ride through stop signs and red lights, while complaining about bicyclists riding two and three abreast in the traffic lane on the coast highway. Yet somehow fails to also call for ticketing all the speeding and/or distracted drivers who pose a far greater danger to the public.
An Irish city counselor who claims he was a “keen cyclist” before a recent injury now opposes a planned bike lane, claiming his opposition is evidence based, and he will defend it even if “cycling zealots bombard” him with emails. Proving once again that it’s always the ones who claim to be cyclists that you have to worry about.
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Local
People for Mobility Justice will host a a solidarity ride in East LA this Saturday in “response to the ongoing attacks on immigrants and communities of color.”
Culver City will host a community input meeting for the Better Overland project this evening, which includes plans for protected bike lanes on the dangerous street.
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is planning another bicycle and pedestrian safety operation in West Hollywood this Thursday. The standard protocol applies, ride to the letter of the law until you cross the city limit line, so you’re not the one who gets ticketed. Thanks to David for the heads-up.
State
Calbike is calling for more people to join the 1,256 people who have already written to support AB 954, the Bike Highways Bill currently before the state Senate.
I want to be like him when I grow up. Eighty-two-year old Bonita resident Jacobo Melcer is planning to attempt a new age group hour record, aiming to ride 32 kilometers — 19.88 miles — in 60 minutes at the San Diego Velodrome in Balboa Park.
San Francisco Streetsblog celebrates the completion of the first segment of a sidewalk-level bike lane on a one-block section Market Street, in an attempt to tame the previously car-choked street.
National
Calbike shares a guest post from the National Youth Bike Council recounting the recent three-day Youth Bike Summit.
A Portland, Oregon TV station examines why the city dropped in the recent City Rankings from People For Bikes.
A Las Vegas man faces a murder charge for fatally shooting a 27-year old man in a dispute over a stolen bicycle; he was just released from prison in 2023 after serving a year behind bars for another alleged attempted murder, after pleading to a reduced charge for participating a double shooting.
In a poignant moment after the recent flash floods that have killed over 100 people, a Texas police chief spots a little boy’s bicycle atop a pile of rubble, and hopes that whoever it belonged to is safe now. Amen.
A Milwaukee man who spent his honeymoon riding around Ireland with his wife now questions whether he will ever ride a bike again after surviving a hit-and-run in his home city.
A Chicago area hit-and-run turned doubly tragic when the suspected driver was found dead in his home on the 4th of July, two days after the crash that killed a 15-year old boy as he rode his bike with a friend.
A suspect was arrested in an Orlando, Florida hit-and-run where a 43-year old man riding a bicycle was killed, and the truck set on fire in an apparent attempt to destroy the evidence.
International
A Nova Scotia woman wants answers about her father’s death days after hitting a culvert on his bicycle while possibly being chased by a pack of dogs; he managed to walk home, but no one realized how badly he was injured until hours later. A tragic reminder to always get checked out by a doctor after any hard crash, especially if you hit your head. And keep your damn dogs under control and on your property.
Once again, a bike rider is a hero, this time for loaning his bicycle to a Yorkshire, England cop chasing an attempted murder suspect, who was quickly caught and taken into custody.
A 16-year old English girl set a new 24-hour record by biking 294.3 miles in 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds,
A pair of British men are attempting to set new records for the first father and son to ride around the world, and the longest distance ever ridden by a father and son.
Competitive Cycling
Belgian cyclist Tim Merlier won a crash-filled third stage of the Tour de France yesterday, beating Jonathan Milan and Phil Bauhaus in a photo finish as they lunged for the line, while Mathieu Van der Poel held onto the yellow jersey.
Sprinter Jasper Philipsen is out of the Tour after breaking his collarbone when he hit the pavement after several riders bounced off one another during the intermediate sprint on Monday’s third stage.
Sports Bible remembers former British world champ Tom Simpson, who died climbing Mount Ventoux after dosing himself with amphetamines in the 1967 Tour de France.
Conservative media sources are up in arms after a veteran women’s cyclist refused to share the podium with a trans woman who took gold at the Lyons Masters National Championships in Wisconsin last week.
An HBCU sport site celebrates the success of the Bowie State University Cycling Club, which went from a brand-new team to finishing in the top 10 of the Atlantic Conference of USA Cycling.
Finally…
That feeling when Marshmallow is protecting your new bike, after the local cops replaced the last one. Or when you and your uncle ride cross-country in opposite directions eight years apart to honor the same woman.
And 20 comic reasons to love bicycling.
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Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin.
