Rivera was struck around 6:23 pm Saturday while riding on Mojave Drive, near Village Drive. He was declared dead after being taken to a local hospital.
The driver stuck around after the crash, and reportedly cooperated with the investigators.
As usual, there’s no word on how the crash occurred, or who may have been at fault. There’s also no word on whether the driver was ticketed or arrested.
Anyone with information is urged to call Deputy J. Stroik of the Victorville Police Department at 760/241-2911.
This is at least the 46th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Manuel Rivera and his loved ones.
October 8, 2024 /
bikinginla / Comments Off on Los Angeles: Not safe, but our drivers don’t suck as much as San Bernardino; and demand HLA bike lanes on Vermont
Just 83 days left until Los Angeles fails to meet its Vision Zero pledge to eliminate traffic deaths by 2025.
Neither of which should surprise anyone who’s familiar with this site, where both appear far too frequently.
Oddly, Los Angeles came in at exactly the same position as the safety study, at 162. But this time, that’s good news, because it means 161 other American cities have worse drivers than we do.
As hard as that may be to believe.
On the other hand, it also means over 130 other US cities have better drivers.
Which means it’s your chance to put your foot down, and tell them to stop ducking their commitment to Measure HLA. And put in the damn bike lanes the mobility plan calls for, as they are now legally required to do.
Tuesday 10/8 and Wednesday 10/9 – Metro is hosting another round of community input meetings on its Vermont Transit Corridor project: long overdue improvements for a top ridership bus line. Streetsblog reviewed recent developments last week. Advocates are urging significant low-cost bus, walk, and bike upgrades for the entire ~12-mile project. Metro is looking at initially adding bus lanes for about half the corridor. Show up and let Metro know what you think. Three Vermont meetings this week:
Tuesday 10/8 – 6 p.m. in-person meeting at LA City College Student Union Room A. The campus address is 855 N. Vermont. The LACC Student Union is located just west of the intersection of Monroe Street and New Hampshire Avenue, behind the Braille Institute.
It’s also a reminder that Streetsblog is usually your best source for the latest information on active transportation and transit meetings and activities every week.
Although maybe we could talk them into protecting us humans someday, too.
There are two important items (#2 and #3) at Wednesday’s Public Works Committee meeting; Item 2 would stop automatic road dedications that make our roads more dangerous and drive up the cost of housing, and Item 3 would protect buildings with quality bollards (we want the same protection for bike lanes!) In-person public comment is the most effective:
"Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring." -Desmond Tutu, anti-apartheid and human rights activist#BicycleBirthday#BornOnThisDay October 7 (1931 -2021) pic.twitter.com/Nx9upwgKXo
San Diego’s KPBS explains the county’s Measure G, which would add a half cent to the local sales tax to fund transportations projects, with the bulk going to public train and bus lines and operations, while flushing a quarter of the funds down the induced-demand inducing toilet. And apparently, nothing for bike lanes.
Bicycling looks at the best October Prime Day deals on bicycling gear. This one doesn’t seem to be available anywhere else, so you’re on your own if the magazine blocks you — but they probably won’t, because they likely get a piece of any clickthrough sales.
How to buy a cheap ebike this year, from government-backed loans to finding a good deal. Although this advice is for the UK, so California’s notoriously moribund ebike rebate program won’t hold you back.
They all died at the scene, despite the efforts of paramedics. They were identified only as a 30-year old white man and a 38-year old woman man who had been on the motorcycle, and a 57-year old Black man riding the bicycle.
Unfortunately, there’s no word yet on how the crash occurred.
Anyone with information as urged to call the Victorville Police Department at 760/241-2911, or call anonymously at 800/782-7463.
This is at least the 33rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the just the second that I’m aware this year in San Bernardino County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for all the victims and their loved ones.
December 19, 2022 /
bikinginla / 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
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.
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.
"Innocent driver killed in crash at end of chase in Westminster involving OC sheriff's deputies"
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.
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.
Unfortunately, there’s no word on whether the victim had lights on their bike, or if the driver of the SUV was distracted. Or if there was some other reason why the driver were apparently unable to see someone on a bicycle directly in front of them.
Anyone with information is urged to call Deputy M. Lee or Deputy R. Castillo at the Victorville Police Station at 760/241-2911.
This is at least the 43rd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fifth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and all their loved ones.
A Victorville boy is dead, all because someone had to get drunk and get behind the wheel in the middle of the day.
Allegedly, of course.
According to the Victorville Daily Press, a 15-year old boy was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver in downtown Victorville Monday afternoon.
The victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was headed west on C Street at Fifth Street, when he was run down by a driver traveling south on Fifth around 2:01 pm.
He was taken to a local hospital, where he died at 3:19 pm.
A photo from the scene shows what appears to be a mangled mountain bike resting on the curb.
The driver apparently continued without stopping. Sheriff’s deputies arrested 29-year old Victorville resident Hector Castro Loaeza later that night.
Loaeza was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence causing death, hit and run resulting in death, and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He’s currently being held on $150,000 bond.
There’s no word on what led investigators to Loaeza, or how they know he was drunk at the time of the crash, when he wasn’t arrested until hours earlier.
He was rushed to a local hospital, where he died just 35 minutes later.
No word on whether the crash was reported right away, or how long he may have been lying there before he was discovered. Or if any delay in receiving treatment may have contributed to his death.
Meanwhile, another letter writer says Copenhagen is a great place for bicycling because it’s relatively flat.
Unlike Los Angeles, which is… uh, relatively flat.
………
As long as we’re on the subject of letters, an Oregon letter writer says —
Bicyclists need to take more responsibility.
There’s no proof bicycling infrastructure benefits anyone but people on bikes;
Bike riders use senior citizens as “wrinkly, silver-haired pylons on the imaginary racetrack of the handle-barbarians;”
Bicycling can never be made entirely safe, so riding on city streets will always be a gamble;
Oregon’s governor is rewarding the lawless behavior of bicyclists by allowing them to “wander through red lights, stop signs and ignore yield signs while challenging vehicles to the same space.”
Bike riders need to be taxed, tested and licensed. And ticketed.
Damn, that’s a lot to unpack.
But let’s give it a try.
First of all, yes, bike riders — and everyone else — need to assume more responsibility.
I myself recently assumed responsibility for disappearing Jimmy Hoffa, snatching the Lindberg baby, and trading Babe Ruth to the Yankees.
Third, anyone who endangers pedestrians, especially older, younger or disabled pedestrians, is a complete and total jerk. And probably drives exactly the same way. Never mind that a lot of the people on bikes fit in that nebulous senior category themselves.
Fourth, saying the streets will never be safe for bike riders is just another way of saying motorists are incapable of driving safely. But yes, there are ways to improve safety, even in intersections.
Finally, most bike riders already hold a drivers license, so they have been tested and licensed. And bike riders are subject to traffic fines, just like drivers, in every state of the union.
And as we’ve already seen, testing and licensing drivers hasn’t exactly inspired good behavior, either.
He particularly goes off on plans for a bike lane on the street next to where he’s sitting, insisting no one rides there, as numerous bike riders glide past behind him.
And he insists you’ll get a disease if you ride a bus.
No, really.
Although evidently, he’s including himself in that big FU to bikes and the people who ride them.
Thanks to F. Lehnerz for the heads-up.
………
Lots of generous people in today’s news, starting right here at home.
Unfortunately, we can’t always stop a crime before it happens. And we can’t always recover someone’s stolen property—but we can help get someone back on two wheels with a shiny new bike. The LAPD wishes all Angelenos a safe and fun, sunny SoCal weekend. pic.twitter.com/8taclNon1E
This is who we share the roads with. Legally or otherwise.
Police: 14-year-old getting driving lessons with dad in car crashed into Marysville bus stop — where grandmother was sitting next to 13-year-old granddaughter while holding 1-year-old baby. All 3 taken to hospital. @KIRO7Seattlepic.twitter.com/tzqWKunMW7
An Oregon appeals court says yes, bicyclists can legally pass vehicles on the right, after a bike rider was cited by a cop for unsafe passing after he was right hooked by a bus driver who’d just passed him.
It was nice while it lasted. In the two years since St. Joseph MO opened a free bikeshare system with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all 40 bicycles have been stolen or destroyed.
A Philippine paper looks at SoCal’s Coryn Rivera and her efforts to make the US cycling team for the 2020 Olympics, even though she could compete as part of the Philippine national team.
Despite the efforts of a nurse and other bystanders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A pair of boxing gloves were found by his side.
Police didn’t hesitate to blame the victim, who has not been publicly identified, for dressing in black, and said he “did not appear to have the proper safety equipment for riding at night.”
That would appear to be a reference to not having lights and/or reflectors on his bike, though that is not clear.
The driver remained at the scene, and did not appear to be under the influence. There’s no word on how the crash occurred, or what direction he was driving.
A street view shows a two lane road with dirt shoulders, and no visible street lights.
This is at least the 48th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth that I’m aware of in San Bernardino County.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.
First responders found a mangled bike next to the SUV, with the victim, who hasn’t been publicly identified, still on the hood of the car; he was pronounced dead at the scene. The story says he was a pedestrian; however, while he may have been walking his bike, it’s not uncommon for police dispatches to refer to bicyclists as pedestrians.
A street view shows what appears to be a three lane road with two lanes eastbound and one headed west, with a center left turn lane. The photo included with the story appears to place the wreck in the westbound lane, next to the freeway.
No other details are available at this time.
This is the 22nd bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the fourth in San Bernardino County; that compares with just three in the county for all of last year.
This has been the deadliest first two months of the year for at least the last six years. In fact, last year it took until until May 27th to reach that level in the seven county SoCal region.
Update: The victim has been identified as 16-year old Victorville resident Cesar Machuca Jr. Anyone with information urged to call San Bernardino Sheriff’s Deputies Sahagun or Haynes at 760/552-6800.
Update 2: The Victor Valley News reports the high school junior, who they identify as a Hesperia resident, was on his way home from his girlfriend’s house when he was rear-ended by the SUV’s driver.
My deepest sympathy and prayers for Cesar Machuca Jr. and his loved ones.
