Just nine days left in 9th Annual BikinginLA Holiday Fund Drive!
We’re running neck-and-neck with last year’s record-breaking total — which means we could easily set a new record for the ninth time in a row. Or fail for the first time ever.
Which way it goes is entirely up to you.
Thanks to Nina N for her generous donation to support SoCal’s best source for bike news and advocacy, and keep it coming your way every day.
So don’t wait.
Drop what you’re doing, and give now!
And if you have any money left, toss a few bucks to LA Streetsblog for their fundraising campaign.
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Days left to launch the California ebike incentive program as promised this fall: 6
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If you live, work or ride in West Hollywood, clear your schedule for Monday night.
Because the WeHo City Council is scheduled to consider the city’s first Vision Zero Action Plan at Monday’s council meeting.
The meeting is set to begin at 6 pm in the council chambers at the new West Hollywood City Hall, at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. It’s Item 5C on Monday’s Council agenda.
As we’ve learned the hard way — hello, Los Angeles — a Vision Zero plan is only as good as the political will of city leaders to fund and implement it.
But so far, West Hollywood’s leadership seems committed to carrying out their decisions — including the recent decision to only build protected bike lanes.
So this one is worth showing up and fighting for.
Thanks to David for the heads-up.
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More on the arrest of the driver who killed 17-year old US Cycling Team member Magnus White in Boulder, Colorado earlier this year.
The 23-year old driver appeared in court Wednesday, and entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of vehicular homicide, a class 4 felony with a maximum of 6 years in prison, along with a potential fine ranging anywhere from two thousand to half a million dollars.
Yeva Smiliansk described herself as a Ukrainian refugee, with no criminal history there or here in the US.
According to Smiliansk, she ran down White as he rode on the side of the roadway because her steering failed, while prosecutors allege she chose to drive while sleep deprived, and fell asleep at the wheel.
White was training for the junior mountain bike world championships in Scotland, where he was scheduled to compete just weeks later.
Meanwhile, his parents discussed their grief over the loss of their son, who would have carried a 4.2 GPA into his senior year of high school, despite competing at an international level.
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In another followup, we’re learning more about the tragic death of popular standup comic Kenny DeForest, who died surrounded by family and friends in a Brooklyn hospital on Wednesday, nearly a week after crashing his ebike.
Despite initial reports that he was struck by a driver — and the subsequent anger of his fellow comedians — Deadline reports he was injured in a solo crash while riding near Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.
However, police were not called to the scene, and there’s no word on what may have caused the crash.
The 37-year old comedian appeared on MTV Decoded, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Late Night With Seth Meyers, the Just For Laughs TV series Straight Up, Stand Up, HBO’s Crashing, and Comedy Central’s Tales From The Trip.
The Springfield, Missouri native had also recently released a standup special on YouTube.
A crowdfunding campaign to help pay his medical expenses has raised more than $178,000, easily topping the $150,000 goal.
I’m told that DeForest’s death hit close to home for LA writers, who got to know him during the recent writer’s strike, when he participated in several of the Bike the Strike rides.
Thanks to Mike Burk and Nina Moskol for the tip.
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‘Tis the season.
First responders in California’s Alameda County answered a little girl’s letter to Santa, giving her the bicycle she asked for, along with some milk for her baby brother.
Volunteers in Vancouver, Washington built 800 bikes to be handed out to children during the holidays.
The nonprofit Boise Bike Project will give away 500 bicycles to kids in need this year, despite a local driver’s best efforts to kill their building.
Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels will team with the founder of the Raising Cane’s restaurant chain to give away over 1,000 bikes to kids in cities across the US.
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Local
Santa Monica cops will conduct another bike and pedestrian safety operation today, ticketing anyone who commits a violation that could endanger someone walking or riding a bike. So ride to the letter of the law until you cross the city limits, so you’re not the one who gets ticketed.
REI is closing their very busy Santa Monica location, while a new ebike dealer opens its doors in the city.
Police in Redondo Beach asked parents to control their ebike-riding kids so they don’t have to.
The Acorn has more on the half-million dollar grant to build 11.5 miles of bike lanes in Agoura Hills.
State
A Bakersfield bicyclist was collateral damage when a driver ran a red light and slammed into a truck, which was pushed into the crosswalk where the victim was riding; he was taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
A Santa Barbara writer says the city needs to learn from the Netherlands by slowing traffic and building safe bike infrastructure to encourage higher bicycling rates.
National
The Biden administration has instructed federal employees to use sustainable transportation and zero-emission vehicles, including bikeshare, whenever possible.
Bike riders from across the US share what keeps them coming back to their favorite local bike shops.
Hawaii has seen a nearly 20% drop in traffic deaths this year, although bicycling fatalities reached their highest level yet, with nine riders killed this year.
Maine could soon follow California’s lead in limiting the number of gas-powered vehicles sold in the state.
Automated speed cams passed the Pennsylvania legislature, with the support of local advocacy groups.
International
Road.cc rates the best reflective bikewear and gear for the coming year.
Competitive Cycling
A writer for Men’s Journal says he dove into the deep end of ultra-distance bike racing so you don’t have to, encouraging others to learn from his mistakes in the 800-mile Bohemian Border Bash.
Finally…
Wear a lighted bike helmet without looking like a geek. And what it’s like to actually live with one of us.
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Chag sameach!
Be safe, and stay healthy. And get vaccinated, already.
Oh, and fuck Putin
