Move along, nothing to see here

I have to beg your forgiveness.

Trying to follow up on the recent rash of bicycling fatalities ate up the time I would have used to write today’s post, which was intended to be a rant over the City Council’s repeated rescheduling of the vote to repaint the Spring Street green bike lanes.

Because it’s looking more and more like this issue is being hammered out behind closed doors. And while the council may or may not be talking with representatives of the film industry, they sure as hell aren’t talking to us.

And that scares me.

Meanwhile, if you haven’t seen them, I’ve updated the stories on the death of the 25-year old Los Angeles resident killed while riding near Caltech, and the 12-year old killed in Camarillo on Sunday.

Just a couple other quick notes.

Damien Newton offers a great recap of the issues involved in the debate over repainting the Spring Street green bike lanes, pointing out the fallacies offered by the other side — which is the nicest way I can put it.

A new study shows California drivers want bike lanes just like we do. I’ve long argued that bike lanes provide as much benefit to drivers as they do for cyclists; thanks to Monet Diamonte for the link.

Yes, the Bible teaches us to share with the less fortunate. But if you encounter a bear while riding your bike, it’s probably best not to offer it any barbecue from your church picnic.

And if you’re too drunk to stay on your bike, you might not want to ride away from the police while making siren noises with your mouth.

Just a suggestion.

A little this, a little that — missing NY green lane, WeHo bike workshop, SaMo bike shooting suspect

Just a little light reading to get you through your Wednesday.

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Remember those vivid green bike lanes that Hollywood says don’t exist anywhere else and are impossible to remove in post-production?

Evidently, not a problem in New York.

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West Hollywood will host a workshop to help overhaul their bicycle and mobility plan this Saturday. The meeting takes place starting at 9 am at the WeHo library, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd; the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition encourages anyone who rides or walks in the city to attend to help make the plan as powerful as possible,

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Sign the petition to keep the bike lanes on Westmont Drive in San Pedro; thanks to Jennifer Gill for the link.

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Santa Monica police have identified a suspect in the shooting of a bicyclist last Sunday. Oddly, they say it doesn’t appear to be related to the shooting of two men, one fatally, in the same area Tuesday morning — let alone the nearby shooting rampage on Friday.

You might want to avoid the area south of Pico Blvd in Santa Monica for awhile until things settle down.

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A 13-year old L.A. boy has been missing since he was last seen riding his bike on Sunday. Bicycle Fixation looks forward to CicLAvia on the Miracle Mile. Bike Nation is seeking a Fortune 500 company to sponsor their bike share program; I could use one of those myself. A sponsor, that is. The Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee now has a Facebook page. It’s a busy bike weekend at Flying Pigeon, with a Streetsblog fundraiser on Friday, LACBC’s RideFigueroa Saturday, and a Get Sum Dim Sum ride on Sunday. A look at the World Naked Bike Ride, L.A. edition. The L.A. Sheriff’s Department is fixing unclaimed bikes — actually, the inmates are — to donate to kids throughout the county. The woman who helped put bike lanes in Rolling Hills Estates has passed away. A Sierra Madre cyclist suffers minor injuries when a motorist fails to yield; thanks to John Lloyd for the heads-up. How not to lock your bike.

More money for bike and pedestrian projects in the new state budget, but Safe Routes to School programs are at risk. Santa Ana will build two secure bike parking facilities holding a total of just 36 bikes; evidently, not many riders need secure parking down there. It seems the facts are however you spin them, as a San Francisco grand jury says the city must do more to prevent bicyclists’ deaths — but all a Bay Area website hears is a call to crackdown on scofflaw cyclists.

Nice read on being an unwitting role model for little girls. A new Tucson Walgreens didn’t eliminate a bike lane in front of the store after all. If you’re going to make your getaway by bike, try to steal one your own size. Traffic laws apply to cyclists, even in Idaho. The teams have been announced for this year’s USA Pro Challenge. Colorado man spots his stolen mountain bike on eBay, leading to the arrest of a serial bike thief. A lesson from Kansas for all drivers — don’t kill people with cars; damn good advice if you ask me. A new Cincinnati app allows cyclists to report harassment and collisions.

Brit drivers are more miserable than they’ve been in 25 years. If you really want to be seen, ride a Penny Farthing. An Irish writer demonizes cyclists — literally — in calling for greater courtesy around pedestrians. A look at bicycling in Paris. Johan Bruyneel, former sports director for Lance’s various cycling teams, denies being a demon or putting anyone’s health at risk.

Finally, a self-identifying cyclist criticizes a “small, tiny, sub-section of cyclists” — the cam-wearing, lycra-clad aggressively mentally ill subsection, evidently. Something tells me the conversation he relates may not have occurred exactly the way he tells it.

If it occurred at all.

CHP says we have a right to ride Mulholland, going away party for Villaraigosa, and finally, some links

I’m sure you remember the recent collision where everyone was lucky to walk away after a motorcyclist plowed into two bicyclists on Mulholland Highway.

I’m told that the inexperienced motorbike rider, who set events in motion by touching a foot down while leaning into the curve, has received one point against his license. Which he probably shouldn’t use for anything more challenging than riding, very slowly, to the nearest 7-11 and back.

Meanwhile, the CHP has reached out to local motorcycling groups to let them know, in no uncertain terms, that bicyclists have as much right to ride the road on Mulholland as they do. And we’re not going to go away, so they need to deal with it.

Maybe the CHP isn’t so anti-bike after all.

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Family members call for an investigation into the shooting of bike rider Terry Laffitte last month. There seems to be a rash of bike-involved police shootings these days.

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Say goodbye to outgoing Mayor Villaraigosa at a free party at Downtown’s Grand Park this Friday, complete with bike valet — something that became common at L.A. events during his tenure, thanks in part to the LACBC.

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It’s a busy bike weekend, with the first memorial ride for fallen cyclist Chris Cono on Saturday, while CORBA will hold a memorial for former board member Danusia Bennett-Taber this Sunday. KNBC-4 looks forward to Sunday’s lucky 13th L.A. River Ride.

Also Sunday, learn to be more confident on your bike in Long Beach. And the LACBC is working with Metro to offer a series of free bike safety classes this summer.

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Streetsblog’s Damien Newton handicaps the candidates for chair of the city council Transportation Committee. The city council is scheduled to decide the fate of the Spring Street green bike lanes on Friday, June 14th; cyclists and supporters are urged to attend. The first section of the new Wilshire Blvd bus — and yes, bike — lanes are now officially open. Who rents Metro bike lockers and why. Speaking of bike parking, it looks like the Dodgers have finally improved theirs. Better Bike asks if civility is finally coming to the streets of Beverly Hills; probably not. Ride the Ballona Creek bike path to Marina del Rey with C.I.C.L.E., Metro and Walk ‘n’ Rollers on the 29th. Will Campbell offers a timelapse video of the longest game of bike/bus leapfrog ever. Richard Risemberg calls out the lies opponents of the Colorado Blvd bike lanes employed. Boyonabike says that new bike lane is great, but Arcadia is still stuck in a 1950’s auto-only mentality. The Press-Telegram says if bike share can make it in New York, it can make it anywhere — including L.A. And it will get to Long Beach eventually. California’s Coastal Commission will rule on a proposal for an expanded Long Beach bike path next week.

A bike rider is expected to survive after being critically injured in multi-car Buena Park collision, in a story just short enough to make it past the OC Register’s paywall. A 2.5 mile bike lane project in Thousand Oaks will plug the gap in what will be a 13-mile continuous bikeway. Chico could use eminent domain to complete a planned bike path bridge. A San Francisco court rules bicycling is an inherently dangerous activity in dismissing a suit against Strava. How not to make a right turn around bikes. What is it that reactionaries have against bicycles?

The Feds back off that long discredited claim that bike helmets reduce head injuries by 85%. An Arizona woman faces 10 to 25 years after pleading guilty to the drunken death of a college student from San Jose. Dallas pro cyclist Lauren Stephens races on weekends, and commutes to work by bike during the week. Far from being overrun with bike lanes, New York still doesn’t give cyclists their fair share. Is it just me, or is this cycle chic look from the New York Post just a little creepy? Now there’s some rational thinking, as locals call for bike lanes on a proposed I-10 bridge over Alabama’s Mobile River. Bob Mionske says the truth is finally emerging in the Toronto death of bike messenger Darcy Allan Sheppard. VeloNews says only Lance can save cycling.

Finally, it turns out that New York’s bike share isn’t a commie plot after all; it’s really a Nazi-Muslim plot to firebomb the streets of the city to avenge the WWII bombing of Dresden. Who knew? The Wall Street Journal’s Jason Gay says just get on a bike and it will all make sense; I wonder how long he’ll work there once the wicked witch finds out about it. And a Sonoma County writer seems to find great humor in the death, serious injury and possible impotence of bike riders.

Jerk.

Brit twit tweets she hit cyclist, bike rider attacked on L.A. River path, cyclists may get Jerry Browned again

In today’s lead story, a common sense-challenged motorist is in deep doo doo with British authorities after she tweeted about hitting a cyclist.

And claimed it was her right, since the bike rider doesn’t pay the country’s road tax. Which was actually eliminated roughly 80 years earlier.

“Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier. I have right of way – he doesn’t even pay road tax!,” “#Bloodycyclists.”

And yes, hit-and-run is a crime in the UK, just like it is here. Especially if you confess to it online.

Thanks to everyone who forwarded this one to me.

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The LAPD promises to step up their mostly non-existent patrols along the L.A. River bike path after a Glendale man is violently attacked in an apparent gang assault in order to steal his bike.

I’ve long argued that L.A.’s separated bike paths, most of which are hidden from public view along river banks, should be regularly patrolled by uniformed bike cops to deter crime.

Not that anyone has listened, of course.

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Rails to Trails says cyclists are about to get Jerry Browned once again, as our anti-bike governor threatens to cut funding for the state’s Recreational Trails Program; thanks to Allan Alessio for the forward.

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In an absolutely disgusting column, a Denver writer apparently assumes she is the only bicyclist who observes traffic regulations.

And blames riders like you and me for making motorists mad enough to kill — even though the case that inspired her hateful diatribe involved a cyclist killed by drunken, wrong way, though admittedly bike-hating, driver.

Using the same irrational logic she employs, domestic violence victims should also be blamed for inciting violence by angering their attackers. And while we all agree sexual assault is wrong, it must be the victims’ fault for wearing their skirts too short or jeans too tight, right?

I though we’d outgrown that kind of offensively misguided thinking decades ago.

Except, evidently, when it involves people on bikes.

If a driver attacks another human being using a motor vehicle as a weapon, it’s because there’s a dangerous psychopath behind the wheel.

Not because a bicyclist — or every damn bicyclist on the road — run stop signs.

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A more rational writer responds to the same case by suggesting that when motorists start to obey all traffic laws and regulations, then — and only then — can they start getting pissed at cyclists.

As I recall, someone once said something similar about those without sin casting the first stone.

Naw, that’s just crazy talk.

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Rising BMC rider Tejay Van Garderen wins the Amgen Tour of California; turns out he’s from my hometown, though he went to the wrong one of the other high schools. And three-time ToC winner Levi Leipheimer hangs it up after his recent doping ban.

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The Buffalo News reports that a bike riding upstate New York boy thanked the paramedics who saved him after one of the most gruesome freak injuries I’ve heard or read about.

Caide recalled the accident – in detail.

“My friend bumped into the back of my bike tire, and I fell,” Caide said. “He flipped over me, and that’s when the right brake handle went into the right side of my stomach, and then my intestines came out.”

Something tells me I’m going to remember those last six words for a very long time.

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Join Figueroa for All in fighting for bike lanes in Northeast L.A. Los Angeles gets its first commuter bike trains, which may not be what you think. Bikeside comes back to life to predict the winner of Tuesday’s election; oddly, I made pretty much the same prediction on my own. UCLA hosts its first bike-powered concert this Friday. A San Pedro driver complains about taking 45 minutes to drive his kids half a mile to school, as drivers and bike riders counter-protest a recent road diet; hint to driver — your kids could walk that in 15 minutes, tops.

Beware the handlebar-basketed beach cruiser-riding bike path stalker in Rancho Santa Margarita. Temecula is now officially bike friendly. San Diego cyclists may get concrete barriers along a freeway where a car left the road and killed a bicyclist on a separated bike path. Guess Hollywood won’t be filming there either, as San Diego’s Nimitz Blvd goes green thanks to newly painted bike lanes. Our neighbor to the south will honor 95-year old cycling legend Gordy Shields. A bike riding San Jose teenager is killed on his way to school, the ninth cyclist or pedestrian killed in the city this year; thanks to Rebecca Wong for the heads-up. Remarkably, a six-year old Rohnert Park bike rider survives being run over by a multi-ton garbage truck; police may blame the victim, but there’s something seriously wrong when a driver can’t even see what’s directly in front of his truck.

Outside offers bike commuting essentials; if you ask me, the only real essentials are shorts or pants, without which you’re liable to get arrested. Seven reasons conservatives should embrace bikes — if you can find an actual conservative these days, that is. Maybe what you really need is a self-monitoring helmet complete with accelerometer and wireless communications capabilities; or you could just, you know, ride a bike. A new study suggests you’re not as visible at night as you think you are. Who could have predicted that a New Mexico woman who got a slap on the wrist for killing a cyclist in 2010 would be arrested for DUI and careless driving just three years later? A visiting MIT scientist from Japan is killed riding her bike in Boston. A passing New Jersey bike rider saves a family from their flaming home. New York’s bike share program is based on ideas from around the world; predictions of carnage when it opens next week are just a distraction. A New York writer astutely notes that bikes that heavy and slow aren’t likely to terrorize anyone. Georgia looks to lower their rate of bike deaths, something that should be top of the agenda everywhere.

A Toronto man is killed trying to perform stunts on a bike share bike. So much for cycling being clean these days, as French rider Sylvain Georges is the latest to be busted for doping.

Finally, boldly go where most of us have enough sense not to go; no, seriously, I’m sure you wouldn’t look like a total geek in your new Star Trek cycling jersey. And it’s not quite warp drive, but a French cyclist set a new record of 163 mph on a rocket powered mountain bike, just slightly faster than my best speed, albeit without the rocket power; thanks to Michael Eisenberg for the link.

Catching up with today’s way too long compendium of all the latest bike news and links

Let’s take a few minutes to catch up on this week’s news now that things have settled down a little.

Or maybe quite a few minutes.

It’s a long list.

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Beverly Hills isn’t the only place where a road raging driver has left an injured cyclist in his wake.

Around 5 pm last Friday, a group of women visiting from Las Vegas were riding single file on eastbound PCH in Newport Beach, when a Cadillac pulled up behind one on the riders and started honking impatiently — then plowed into one of the riders, rather than wait a few seconds until they could get out of his way.

The jerk driver fled the scene, but returned later, claiming it was the victim’s fault. Evidently for having the audacity to occupy the same space where he wanted to put his car.

The woman was transported to a local hospital with a head injury; a comment to the story indicates she was released after being kept overnight.

And no word yet on whether the driver was cited, or if charges are pending.

Thanks to Lois for the link.

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An unarmed bike rider is shot by an L.A. Sheriff’s Deputy who thought he was acting “suspicious” and might have had a gun.

Maybe I’m missing something here, but since when is the mere possibility that someone might a weapon sufficient justification for using deadly force?

Maybe that’s why some drivers have been so aggressive lately. They can’t tell if I’ve got a gun in my bike shorts, or just happy to see them.

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On the job front, Safe Routes to School is looking for an Active Transportation Fellow in DC. The League of American Bicyclists is looking for a Development Director. And if you’re a bike enthusiast with wrenching skills, GMR Marketing has a job for you at this year’s Amgen Tour of California.

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The LA Weekly trolls for web hits once again, claiming, among other things, that the best way to improve L.A. traffic is to rip out bike lanes in favor of restoring regular traffic lanes. As evidence, the bike-baiting writer who shall remain unnamed claims the 7th Street bike lanes are unused and result in angry motorists.

Yet he somehow fails to explain why the city’s worst traffic problems are on streets that don’t even have bike lanes.

As someone who rides 7th Street on a regular basis, I can attest that I have never seen a traffic jam there since the bike lanes were put in, even at rush hour. And seldom find myself the only cyclist using the popular lanes, which have become the primary feeder route for riders coming into Downtown from the Westside.

But then, the Weekly doesn’t always let the facts get in the way of the story when it comes to bikes these days.

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Once again, L.A. County’s killer highway claims another life, this time a pedestrian crossing Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu.

Which is a needlessly tragic lead-in to the news that Malibu is hosting a pair of public meetings next month to discuss the city’s PCH Safety Study next month. If you ride on PCH — or ever find yourself trying to cross the street there — you owe it to yourself to attend one.

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Maybe it’s just because the producer is my nephew. But this looks like a pretty decent distracted driving PSA. Especially considering it was made by a 16-year old who just got his license.

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The city council gives the go-ahead for bike share in Downtown L.A., while CD14 Councilmember Jose Huizar introduces a motion to repaint the Spring Street green bike lanes. Speaking of which, the most recent bike count shows ridership on Spring Street is up another 40%, after a 52% increase last year; I suppose the Weekly would say no one uses those, either. Construction will begin soon on shared bike/bus lanes on Sunset Blvd. Mark your calendar for Bike Week; pledge to ride on Bike to Work Day and you could win a bike from REI. Examined Spoke offers some good thoughts about CicLAvia; I missed that somehow in yesterday’s roundup. Will Campbell unwillingly shares a burger with a man who blames cyclists for everything that’s wrong with Los Angeles; maybe he’s a regular Weekly reader. A Silver Lake bike rodeo is scheduled for May 18th. Metro works to improve bike and pedestrian access in Boyle Heights and Little Tokyo. How to get abandoned bikes removed from racks. Both Helen’s Cycles in Santa Monica and Pasadena’s Incycle Bicycles invite you to ride with them this weekend to learn about Tour de Cure. County Commissioner Zev Yaroslavsky says NBC Universal has agreed to complete — and help pay for — a missing link in the L.A. River Bike Path through Universal Studios; now if he could only apply a little pressure to the anti-bike city of Vernon. Calabasas bike-centric farm-to-table restaurant, coffee roaster and Moots bike boutique Pedalers Fork is open, and the first reviews are already in and looking good. In other food news, bike-powered Peddler’s Creamery is now open in Downtown L.A. The San Marino paper offers what may be the most accurate estimate of attendance at Sunday’s CicLAvia, putting the total at an open-to-interpretation several hundred thousand.

The third attempt at a California three-foot passing law passed its first hurdle in the state legislature; now its on the Appropriations Committee, even though it wouldn’t seem to require any. Riverside boldly decides to study a disputed bike lane. An open letter to the AAA. No charges against a stop sign-running Apple Valley driver who hit a cyclist. A call for artistic bike racks in Beaumont. A Newport Beach city councilmember criticizes the sentence given the killer driver in the Campion-Ritz hit-and-run; but why is the death of a “significant citizen” any more important or tragic than anyone elses? Presenting the best bike ride around San Diego’s Mission Bay; I often followed a similar course when I lived down there. Escondido’s Muffler Man will get bike drag in time for the Amgen Tour of California. When a little girl’s bike is stolen, an Oxnard cop buys her a new one at his own expense, then teaches her how to ride it; thanks to our Carolina friend Zeke for the heads-up. Red Kite Prayer drops in on this year’s Sea Otter Classic. A new bike path opens connecting Downtown San Jose to the Bay. A case so old I’d forgotten all about it finally comes to a conclusion, as a Santa Clara County deputy gets a warm caress on the wrist when he’s sentenced to four months, possibly to be served at home, for killing two riders while asleep at the wheel. Unlike its L.A. counterpart, the San Francisco Weekly doesn’t have it’s collective head planted firmly up its own posterior, explaining why protected bike lanes are good for business; then again, even NBC says the same thing, at least for small businesses. It’s been a bad year for NorCal cyclists, as a 79-year old rider was the latest to killed; if a bike rider can fall under the wheels of a passing car, doesn’t that suggest the car was passing dangerously close — let alone that it might have caused the fall?

A Portland driver somehow finds herself on a separated bikeway rather than the interstate highway bridge next to it; local police say “oops.” Another self-hating bike rider who says cyclists don’t belong on the road (scroll down). Those bike-riding Portland kids sure have it easy these days. Bike share will launch in Seattle next year. An Alaska cyclist rides his fatbike over 2,000 miles in the middle of winter along two of the state’s famed sled dog trails. Big hearted strangers give a new bike to the victim of an Oklahoma hit-and-run victim. America’s only surviving Tour de France winner says he has no vendetta against Lance Armstrong; can’t say the same about the U.S. government, though. Louisiana driver gets a minor citation despite hitting and seriously injuring a bike rider who stopped in a bike lane. Bikeyface wishes bikes were more like cars. New York imposes new restrictions on bike delivery riders. NYC’s new bike share program isn’t even open yet, and it’s already being vandalized.

A UK nurse was over twice the legal alcohol limit — and on her way to work — when she killed a cyclist and fled the scene, stopping only to pull the bike out of her way. A driver with a suspended license killed a cycling married couple as he fled from police. Amazingly, British police refuse to file charges against a road raging driver was captured on helmet cam beating the crap out of a bike rider; thanks to Joni for the heads-up. Parliament members call for reducing speed limits and jailing dangerous drivers, as well as boosting spending levels to £1 billion to encourage more people to take up bicycling. Photos of eyes over bike racks cut theft rates. Town Mouse is more concerned with the safety of the dog chasing her. The director of a Dutch — yes, Dutch — road safety institute calls for a mandatory helmet law for riders over 55. A new book looks at Italian cycling great Fausto Coppi. The authoritarian state of Uzbekistan is banning bicycles in the capital, seizing bikes and advising bike shops to shut down. A Persian Gulf writer asks if taking a dangerous shortcut is really worth it. Queensland is relaxing their mandatory helmet laws to allow religious requirements. An Aussie woman is ticketed for using a handheld cell phone while riding, but the local press is more freaked out by her “bizarre” tall bike. Tempers run hot Down Under, as a cyclist is punched out by an angry driver. Why women should ride to work and how to get started.

Finally, build your own sandwich bike; peanut butter and jelly optional. A British thief returns a stolen “lusciously smooth” bike with an apology and a coupon. And trust me, you don’t want to read the comments to the Times’ story  about the Beverly Hills road rage case — let alone the ones on the CBS version.

But you’re probably going to anyway.

Eastside teen cyclist critically injured; murder charge in last week’s Cathedral City DUI hit-and-run

The Eastsider reports a teenage bike rider was critically injured in a Glassel Park collision on Tuesday.

The student at the Alliance Environmental Science and Technology High School was making a left from westbound San Fernando Road to Fletcher Drive when he was hit by a car and dragged underneath the vehicle, suffering severe head injuries.

And no, he wasn’t wearing a helmet. In this case, it might have made a difference.

My prayers for a fast and full recovery.

Thanks to Patrick Pasqual for the heads-up.

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Twenty-seven year old Palm Springs resident Brandon Royce Melton has been charged with homicide in the DUI hit-and-run death of Edward James Shaieb in Cathedral City last Saturday.

This is Melton’s second DUI case; under California law, a previous conviction for DUI can elevate the charges to second degree murder. In addition, he faces charges for DUI, gross vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run resulting in death or injury.

Unless prosecutors completely screw up the case, he should off the streets for a very long time.

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LAist offers a list of the best bike rides in the L.A. area, including my all-time favorite L.A. ride. Great job by LAist’s Lauren Lloyd.

Meanwhile, SFist could only come up with five great rides by the Bay.

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LADOT Bike Blog implores you to stop running stop signs and red lights.

They’re right, though I might argue for different reasons; running stops greatly increases your risk of a collision — for which you’ll be found at fault — and virtually eliminates any chance of a financial recovery afterwards.

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I don’t usually link to fundraisers that benefit individuals unless they’ve been injured in riding collisions; after all, most of us could use a little help, myself included.

But I’m going to make an exception for this project for Michele Chavez, one of the top bike advocates in the Antelope Valley. She’s run out of funds after going back to school to develop the skills to work full-time in bike advocacy, and currently finds herself just under $800 short of her 4th quarter tuition.

I can personally vouch for Michele and the job she’ll do to make the world a better place for bike riders.

And maybe you followed the recent links to the heartbreaking, and ultimately triumphant, story of Patrick Brady’s newborn son. Now you can contribute to a Kickstarter project to publish a book of the Red Kite Prayer writer’s best work — some of the most beautiful bike writing anywhere — to help defray their heavy medical costs.

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The Veggie Grill is offering a free meal to anyone who bikes in during the next seven days.

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Everything you need to know for this Sunday’s CicLAvia, along with four feeder routes from South L.A. and more from the Westside. The Weekly says CicLAvia could see tightened security, including undercover cops mixed in with the crowd. And Will Campbell shows how CicLAvia can be used for an unusually pleasant bike commute.

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The LAPD asks If you see something, say something to fight terror; I wonder if that extends to the terror on our streets, where I see speeding and distracted drivers every day. USC’s Daily Trojan looks at the upcoming MyFig project, which should benefit the school’s many bike-riding students. Evidently, L.A. Street Services has figured out how to seal street surfaces without covering over sharrows, as they did in Westwood last year. Sign, sign, everywhere a sign — except on the L.A. River bike path, which will be the sight of a walk and bike-in movie on the 27th. Santa Monica will soon allow pedicabs, but not on the bike path. Popular cycling route Topanga Canyon Blvd could be designated a state scenic highway from PCH to the Ventura County Line. Another look at bike-centric Calabasas farm-to-table eatery Pedaler’s Fork, which opens next Monday, and will host the first ever Moots boutique. Black and brown bicyclists band together to demand justice in the Gardena hit-and-run that took the life of bike rider Benjamin Torres. Cyclists debate the safety of a planned two-way cycle track through Redondo Beach; thanks to Jim Lyle for the link. Long Beach will have have it’s own mini-ciclovía Thursday, courtesy of the Long Beach Grand Prix. Every bike shop should have a dog.

A call for justice for an Indio bike rider who was shot by police in a case of mistaken identity. Why shouldn’t Big Bear students ride a bike to school; why indeed? A San Diego program uses bikes to help keep ex-cons from returning to jail. If a San Diego brewer meets its Kickstarter goal, they’ll make a $2,200 donation to BikeSD. San Diego wants to know where you want a bike rack. The 28th annual Crusin’ the Conejo Bike Ride rolls through the Thousand Oaks area on May 11th. A Santa Rosa motorcyclist wasn’t at fault in a collision with a cyclist, but broke the law by fleeing the scene. An Apple bike is finally photographed in its natural habitat, and turns out to be underwhelming. Cyclelicious updates pending bike legislation in Sacramento; the much hated bill that would absolve government agencies for liability for defective bike lanes may be dead or dying. Bad grades turn a pending art school dropout to a life of bike crime.

People for Bikes is planning a bike hackfest next month. Apparently, riding can beat dementia; including the craziness of driving when you could ride. Bicycling reviews the latest city bikes. Denver city council makes bike and pedestrian safety its top budget priority. Boston cyclists will soon get enhanced sharrows. In light of the recent bombings in Boston, NYC’s Five Boro Bike Tour pulls ads showing flames at the starting line; good call. New York’s new bike share program sells 5,000 memberships in the first two days, leading New York’s bike-hating Daily News to call for panic on the streets. A road diet may be on the way for Brooklyn’s most dangerous street for pedestrians. Remarkably, a New York cyclist can’t sue for injuries following a collision with an unleashed dog, even though the owner called on the dog to cross his path. There is no war on cars, despite what some auto-centric AAA directors may tell you.

Actor Gerald Butler rides a bike share bike in Mexico. Brit bike scribe Carlton Reid provides a preview of his free e-book, the upcoming Roads Were Not Built For Cars. London’s Guardian looks at why male cyclists shave their legs; I’ve done it ever since I found myself trying to field shave a badly cut calf so I could get a bandage to stay on long enough to ride back home, besides, I’ve got the legs for it. London mayor Boris proclaims himself a wily, curb-hugging cyclist. Dutch bike riders are most likely to have their bikes stolen while shopping. Turns out Lance failed four doping controls in the ’99 TdF. Great read from the Wall Street Journal on an American woman supporting the budding yet banned women’s bike movement in Afghanistan. An Aussie rider says unsanctioned races could be the future of cycling.

Finally, the family of a fallen Albuquerque cyclist is understandably upset about repeated vandalism and theft of his ghost bike; but did they really have to post the story under Paranormal? And it turns out green bike lanes aren’t the only problem Hollywood has with today’s Downtown; it’s all those damn people.

Vote now for Bicycle Friendly Business Districts; new bike study shows what we already know

I was just about to put this when the news broke about the bombings in Boston.

Somehow, posting it then just didn’t seem right. But maybe, by now, you need a break from the fast flying rumors.

Lord knows I do.

And while I’m tempted to just wait until tomorrow, these links aren’t getting any fresher. And this piece is certainly long enough as it is.

So here’s today’s post, just as it was it going to be earlier today. I haven’t changed anything, so if something comes off wrong in retrospect, I apologize.

Just remember, in regards to what happened today, much, if not most, of what you’ve read and heard today will later turn out to be wrong.

So let’s wait to point the finger.

And take the news with a grain, if not a bag, of salt. The truth will come out soon enough. 

And in the meantime, I hope you’ll join me in offering a prayer, or whatever you’re comfortable with, for all those killed or injured in the bombings. No one should ever die or suffer a life-changing injury just because they ran, or watched, a race.

Just as no one should ever die just because they rode a bike.

………

Only two more days to vote for a proposal to create Bicycle Friendly Business Districts throughout the Los Angeles area. If you haven’t voted yet, take a moment and do it now.

Or if you need another good cause, CicLAvia is in the running for some money, as well.

………

Minneapolis conducts a study of bicycling collisions, and concludes that the safety in numbers effect is real and quantifiable.

They also discover that most bike crashes are a result of drivers not seeing or yielding to bicyclists, and bicyclists not riding in a predictable matter.

In other equally startling results, they found that the sun usually does rise in the east, and the bear does, in fact, poop in the woods.

As it turns out, spandex-clad scofflaws are actually more law abiding than the general driving public. But you knew that, right?

And US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood calls for zero tolerance for drivers who don’t respect the rights of bicyclists on the road. No further word on LaHood’s impending retirement; personally, I move we make him DOT chief for life.

Meanwhile, a new study says thinking may be the most dangerous thing a driver can do behind the wheel.

Which suggests that many motorists may have nothing to worry about.

………

Always carry a spare when you’re riding on the bike path.

………

Still no suspects in the gruesome hit-and-run that dragged cyclist Damian Kevitt onto the 5 Freeway. The LAPD points out, correctly, that while a traffic collision may not be a crime, driving away from one is. The eighth edition of L.A.’s toughest hill climb event takes place on the last Sunday of this month. The search continues for the killer of bike-riding artist Sam Michel in Koreatown last year. Would Brentwood residents be willing to give up part of their front yards to make Bundy Drive safer for cyclists? KCET Departures examines fixed-gear trick riding. The Times looks at four new bike helmets. Pedicabs could soon go into business in Santa Monica. It seems cities with progressive bike infrastructure have us surrounded. Injured mountain biker rescued in Altadena. Cal Poly Pomona will host a pair of traffic safety forums this Thursday, followed by an online forum later that evening. Patients from Miller Children’s Hospital kick off the month leading up to May’s Tour of Long Beach. Long Beach-based Women on Bikes offers a new column from a professional triathlete.

Turns out you can live without a car, even in Orange County. Newport Beach extends the deadline to apply for the city’s Bicycle Master Plan Oversight Committee to April 26th. For once, drivers weren’t complaining it was bikes that slowed traffic on PCH in Corona del Mar. In a sparse report, a bike rider is injured on PCH in Huntington Beach; I’m starting to realize that when a newspaper says more details to come, it’s code for we’ll never report on this story again. San Diego-area cyclist Gordy Shields owns master’s criterium records in three separate age categories, and probably set another one as the only competitor in the 95+ age group Sunday. If you’re going to rob a man at knifepoint, you might choose a faster getaway vehicle than a beach cruiser. Temecula residents ride bikes to replace tykes’ stolen trikes. Riverside residents will have a chance to debate a planned road diet, while a Ukiah letter writer predicts disaster if a road diet there goes through. A Santa Maria run will honor a 19-year old cyclist killed by a distracted driver in 2009. Caltrans’ botched resurfacing of Highway 1 north of Cambria will keep most cyclists off the popular riding route through fall of this year. A 79-year old San Raphael man is killed after falling under a passing vehicle, which may or may not have hit him; either way, if he hadn’t been Jerry Browned by the car it wouldn’t have run over him.  A 15-year old San Lorenzo boy is killed playing chicken with a moving train. Damning with faint praise, a San Francisco paper says bike and pedestrian enhancements don’t necessarily hurt businesses, when actually the study they cite shows the results are overwhelmingly positive; thanks to Ralph Durham for the heads-up. Durham also sends word that a newly completed bike path will allow cyclists to ride from Downtown San Jose to Palo Alto using almost no surface streets. And he forwards this story of a San Jose man sentenced to a well-deserved 41 years for the road rage murder of two elderly men.

Andy Schleck plans to come back from last year’s season ending injury at this year’s Amgen Tour of California; on the other hand, his doping-suspended brother won’t. Cannondale’s Peter Sagan will be here, too. If you can get to a National Park this week, your admission is free; and if you get run over, the FBI could investigate, as the death of a rider on the Natchez Trace Parkway demonstrates. A automotive website asks if this is the world’s most beautiful e-bike. The Oregonian says streets are for unoccupied car storage, dammit. A Utah woman receives a piddling 210 days in jail for killing a bike rider because she couldn’t be bothered to scrape her windshield or stop for an oncoming train. A pair of Utah writers debate bicycling progress in SLC. A long-time Nebraska bike cop is sued for colliding with a 63-year old pedestrian. Minneapolis police arrest two children in the case of a cyclist attacked with a Molotov cocktail; would a good spanking followed by being grounded until the age of 47 be considered cruel and unusual punishment? A bicyclist leads police on a slow speed chase in Austin TX. A Long Island mother turned herself in, but denies guilt, for a September hit-and-run that dragged a cyclist under her car for 500 feet — with her five-year old in the car next to her. A New York cyclist offers an introduction to urban cycling. An NYC bike tour may not have to pay for police protection after all; thanks to George Wolfberg for the link. Signups begin today for Gotham’s new CitiBike bike share program. A Newark cyclist is dragged 30 feet following a collision, but survives with minor injuries. Baton Rouge, capital of the other LA, demonstrates that cities can demonstrate the effects of a road diet before making it permanent; note to Hollywood location scouts — evidently, they even have green lanes in the deep south these days. Florida cyclists ride to the state capital to call attention to bike safety. Moving the needle downward on bicyclist and pedestrian deaths.

A Toronto hit-and-run driver blows through a red light escaping a collision, killing a cyclist, before causing a five car collision. Toronto debates whether ebikes belong in the bike lane; the same debate is soon to come to a city near you, if it hasn’t already. One of the world’s leading experts on global warming is killed by a truck while riding in London. A writer for the London Guardian says the anti-bike lobby has run out of plausible arguments. Vandals target a UK cycling event, scattering tacks on the route and removing direction signs; let’s call this what it really is — domestic terrorism targeted at bike riders. If Oxford University can create its own bike brand, can USC and UCLA bikes be far behind? The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain offers their typically extensive round-up of links that puts my humble efforts to shame. Scot cyclists call for strict liability legislation. Cyclodeo wants to be a cycle-centric take on Google Street View. A Chinese bike rider has her cell phone stolen by a pickpocket using chopsticks.

Finally, yet another house is the victim of a drunken driver; if only they’d all use lights and wear hi-viz. A UK toddler is saved by his helmet, but not the way you might think. And the Detroit Free Press talks to a bike, or rather trike, riding Winnie the Pooh.

Congratulations to Chris of the Westwood Helen’s, who has been promoted to a buyer at the Santa Monica location. Couldn’t be more deserved, or happen to a nicer guy.

A call for justice for Damien Kevit; Redwood City police blame 14-year old cyclist for her own death

The fight for justice continues in the case of Damian Kevitt.

As you may be aware, the cyclist lost a leg — as well as suffering a number of other horrific injuries — when he was dragged onto the 5 Freeway by a hit-and-run driver last month.

Tonight I received the following email attempting to mobilize the community to find the heartless bastard who did it.

And I use that term advisedly.

……..

COMMUNITY MOBILIZING TO FIND HIT & RUN ASSAILANT

WHAT:  Members of the media are invited to attend a public outreach event in the continuing search for the driver who hit cyclist Damian Kevitt last month.

Volunteers and community organizers will be distributing fliers to inform the public of the hit-and-run collision and the $25,000 reward being offered for information leading to the arrest of the assailant(s).

Damian was struck on Sunday February 17, 2013 at 11:30AM, the timing and distribution area correlate to the time and location of the hit-and-run one month ago.  There is a strong possibility the assailant was playing soccer at or near the field prior to the accident.

WHEN:

Sunday March 24, 2013

10:30AM Check-In

Public outreach from 10:45AM-12:00PM

 

WHERE:

John Ferraro Athletic Fields – Griffith Park

Meet at the Giant Soccer Ball adjacent to the soccer field parking lot

4701 Zoo Drive

Los Angeles, CA 91207

BACKGROUND: On Sunday February 17, 2013, Damian Kevitt was struck by a light colored minivan, possibly a gray Toyota Sienna which might have had a “for sale” sign posted in the rear window, on Zoo Drive near the Ferraro Soccer Complex and Dog Park.  The driver was possibly wearing a soccer jersey.

A $25,000 reward is being offered by the City of Los Angeles and the CHP to find the hit-and-run driver.  Anyone with information is asked to call CHP’s Altadena station at (626) 296-8100 or (323) 259-2010

Damian Kevitt was struck on on Feb. 17 around 11:35 a.m. when a minivan made a hard left, that struck and dragged him 600 feet down the Interstate 5 on-ramp until he fell from the vehicle.  The violent collision broke 20 bones and crushed his right leg.  Doctors had to amputate his right leg below the knee.  His left foot is missing tissue and skin and may also need to be amputated the road rash was so severe, it was down to the bone on Kevitt’s left elbow, and his buttocks will need skin grafts.

………

In a heartbreaking case, police blame a 14-year old Redwood City bike rider for her own death in a right-hook collision.

The official conclusion is that she undertook a truck that was signaling for a right turn, and got squeezed out when the road narrowed at a bulb-out. However, it’s far more likely that the truck overtook her, then cut her off by turning in front of her.

Unfortunately, the victim isn’t around to tell her own side of the story.

But a local rider does a pretty good job of telling it for her; link courtesy of LadyFluer.

But regardless of how it happened or who was at fault, there’s something terribly wrong with expecting a 14-year old to ride and react like an experienced cyclist just to stay alive on her way to school.

………

The family of fallen hit-and-run victim Benjamin Torres still hope for justice, six months after he was killed while riding to work. Boyonabike looks at Thursday’s LACBC-sponsored discussion on making bike-friendly places. An LMU student tells what it’s like to crash the LA Marathon with thousands of other riders. Will Campbell enjoys the irony of biking to the DMV. Pasadena City College installs a self-serve bike repair station; thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up. Streetsblog is throwing itself a 5th birthday party and Streetsie Award dinner on Saturday, April 27th.  C.I.C.L.E. hosts a Street Art Ride for the Pasadena Earth and Arts Festival on Saturday, April 20th. Ride with the mayor of increasingly bike-friendly Glendale on Saturday, April 6th. Santa Monica bike riders deliver Meals on Two Wheels. A Valencia woman faces up to four years for seriously injuring a bike rider in a hit-and-run. Long delayed Calabasas bike-centric farm-to-table restaurant Pedalers Fork is scheduled to open April 15th; let’s see, that’s only a 52 mile roundtrip ride from my place…

A look at San Diego bike paths. Residents are divided on a proposal to right-size a roadway in Riverside; that’s the new, more PC term for a road diet. Riverside’s mayor invites the public to join him on a bike ride today. A Hemet bike rider is airlifted to a trauma center following a collision. More — and more secure — bike racks coming soon to Bakersfield. In a bizarre case, a Fresno cyclist stabs two men after claiming another driver hit his bike when he stopped to help a stranded motorist. If you’re going to break the law by riding on the sidewalk in a city that bans it, leave the meth at home. A bike rider is hit and killed by a pickup in Clear Lake. Don’t plan on renting a bike in Yosemite anytime soon; not even for a guided fundraising ride to dismantle the park’s Hetch Hetchy reservoir, which never should have been built in the first place.

People for Bikes invites you to turn your bike into art. Those woodpecker-inspired cardboard bike helmets should be on the market this summer, while a new prototype headlight projects your current speed onto the roadway in front of you. Tell Bicycling about your favorite ride, and you could win a new bike valued at up to $4,999; my favorite ride is usually the one I’m on. Car commuters, even those who work out, put on more weigh than active commuters. How to ride to work and still wear a suit. Idaho bike club bands together to buy their own Watch for Bikes signs. How to build protected bike lanes even confident cyclists will use. A Minnesota city ends its experiment with advisory bike lanes, deciding a permanent bike lane is preferable. A New York bike rider breaks the rules of subway etiquette. New York bicyclists demand the NYPD get off its collective ass and hold killer drivers accountable; okay, some of that anger might actually be mine. Atlanta cyclists struggle to co-exist with motorists. Two Miami-area mayors ride to work for National Bike to Work Day, which doesn’t actually take place until May. Cycling Weekly gets the skinny on biking scion Taylor Phinney.

The long and ever-growing list of very high-end bikes from exclusive auto manufacturers. The difference between UK and US police is the Brits apologize after they hit you. British cyclists understandably take offense at being called Lycra-clad lemmings. A British pro soccer player credits his helmet with saving his life when a driver swerves into his bike. Road rage strikes even in the middle of a bike race, as a team car not-so-gently nudges a motorcycle out of the way. The Cannibal, AKA legendary cycling great Eddy Merckx, should be back on his bike in a couple weeks after getting a pacemaker. Spanish bicyclists seek asylum at European embassies to protest anti-bike legislation. Here’s your chance to help buy bikes for orphans in Kenya. The first African pro team to compete in a spring classic surprisingly wins the first time out. Tanzanian cyclists ride to support victims of sickle cell disease. New Zealand rider Jack Bauer — no, not the fictional terrorist fighter — suffers a nasty concussion in a racing crash. Safety issues discourage Aussie women from riding. Taiwan needs to lower its speed limits to become a bicycling island. A Thai bike rider’s body is scattered like roadkill in a horrific multiple hit-and-run; seriously, unless you have a strong stomach, you may not want to read that one.

Finally, an amputee makes his own prosthetic finger out of spare bicycle parts. Patrick at Red Kite Prayer continues to remind us that there are things far more important than riding a bike, as heretical as that may seem sometimes. Latest word is the surgery went well, but prayers and good thoughts, whatever you’re comfortable with, are still needed.

And ending on a more upbeat note, UK band British Sea Power becomes the latest group to offer a bike-centric music video. I say it has a nice beat and it’s easy to ride to.

Update: Courtesy of Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious, here’s a story I missed last night, as a very pregnant Seattle woman gets out of a car, pulls a stun gun out of her bra and shoots a bike messenger in the face twice. The male driver of the car also got out and swung a second stun gun at the messenger, both apparently in retaliation for the messenger kicking the car’s wheel well in a crosswalk dispute.

Sometimes, no news is just no news, so let’s get on with a long list of bike links

That’s how it goes sometimes.

I started collecting links for a new post on Friday, but breaking news has kept it offline. And in the meantime, they aren’t getting any fresher, as some of the stories I’ve been hoarding are rapidly nearing their expiration date.

Meanwhile, there’s still no more news on the cryptic reports of cyclists killed in Blythe and Pomona, let alone identification of the rider fatally doored in Hollywood earlier this month. And the bike liaisons for the area appear to be ignoring my request for more information, after apparently thinking no one would be interested in hearing about it at the LAPD bike task force meeting last week.

God, I miss Sgt. Krumer.

Although you’d t least think the death of a bicyclist would make the local news in small town like Blythe, but evidently, it’s less important than announcing the winner of the local rabbit show.

And details on the rider killed in Pomona appear to be a state secret, as no more details appear to have been released by anyone, let alone the authorities. An unconfirmed, and somewhat distasteful, comment to my story suggests the victim was an older man who may have died from a head injury.

So rather than wait for details that don’t appear to be coming, let’s get these links out and make a little more room on the shelf.

………

The battle over bike lanes goes on.

A forum is scheduled to discuss bike lanes in NELA March 27th, while Brentwood residents say no to bike lanes on Bundy; you can sign a petition to support the Bundy and Centinela bike lanes here. And in a surprisingly rational approach, North Hollywood cyclists and business owners agree to actually sit down and talk with each other.

Meanwhile, Councilmember Tom LaBonge officially unveils new bike lanes on Rowena Ave, saying the city’s plan is to make L.A. more bike friendly “where appropriate.”

So where exactly is bike safety inappropriate?

And Better Bike insightfully asks whether the proposed Bundy bike lanes will be the canary in the coal mine that tests the city’s commitment to balancing road safety with political commitment.

………

The Times’ new transportation reporter offers a look at the Wolfpack Hustle Marathon Crash Race; estimates of riders participating the highly praised event range from 3,000 to 5,000.

Meanwhile, hand cyclists compete in the L.A. Marathon. And if you can’t manage to plan your driving around a highly publicized event that’s scheduled a full year in advance, maybe you shouldn’t be driving.

………

Help fund a series of bike-in movies on the L.A River. Photos from the funeral of fallen Cal Poly Pomona cyclist Ivan Aguilar. The 5th annual Santa Clarita Century rolls on the 30th. Despite what some drivers think, PCH is not a freeway, which is exactly the problem. An alleged L.A. gang member is injured in a ride-by shooting, which happens far more often than you might think. This Thursday, the LACBC Planning Committee hosts a discussion of how bike friendly places are made; highly recommended. LACBC storms DC for the National Bike Summit earlier this month. Better Bike updates the sad state of bicycling in the Biking Black Hole of Beverly Hills, including possible, but not necessarily likely, bike lanes on Santa Monica Blvd. WeHo News looks at balancing peds, bikes and cars on busy La Brea Avenue. UCLA continues to make progress in reducing auto dependency. Santa Monica suggests making Colorado Ave a one-way street with a two-way cycle track. Glendale makes a number of bike-friendly improvements, though how censoring intersections will help is beyond me; maybe they meant sensors, instead.

California police promise a crackdown on distracted driving next month; how about cracking down on it every day, instead? The Orange County Bicycle Coalition says OC representative Diane Harkey hates bicyclists, as shown by her bill that absolves cities of any liability for bad bike lane design or maintenance. Newport Beach is accepting applications for the new Bicycle Master Plan Oversight Committee; first action for the committee should be a slightly less unwieldy name. San Diego’s new mayor pledges to make the city the bicycling capital of the nation, if he can only win over the auto-centric people who live there. The rough rides on Highway 1 above Cambria may finally be coming to an end, but not before May. Bakersfield will require more bike racks at new buildings. The Amgen Tour of California will host its third annual elite women’s time trial in San Jose; once again, women riders get crumbs when they should have their own parallel tour. Is Palo Alto improving road safety for cyclists? BART tries out a full week of access for bikes. San Francisco should have bike share by August. The CHP cracks down on a West Marin Sunday morning ride, just as they’ve threatened to do in the Santa Monica Mountains. A Sacramento writer says Californians will continue to rely on their cars, so deal with it.

Long Beach ex-pats the Path Less Pedaled offer five reasons why bike tourism matters. People for Bikes says bike commuting is one of the best ways to stay in healthy. Your Facebook, Twitter and GPS are the latest tools for bike thieves, but a new Kickstarter project promises to employ GPS to protect your bike, while automatically reporting crashes. A new bike computer tracks how much gas you save by riding yours. A guide to how not to put warning signs in bike lanes. Utah bike rider waits for a train to pass, then gets killed by a second one he didn’t see coming. The mere presence of a bike rider on the road is enough to cause a Utah student driver to flip his car. Bad news for women’s bike racing as last year’s inaugural Exergy Bike Tour won’t be repeated; the teams say they saw it coming. Denver’s bike share program gets a $1.3 million boost from the Feds. My hometown of Fort Collins CO narrows their search for a bike program manager to four finalists; regrettably, I’m not one of them. A new Colorado company promotes beer and bike tourism in bike-friendly Fort Collins, where even the thieves are on two wheels. An Iowa cyclist is awarded $1.2 million after mud causes a fall on a bike path. An Illinois man is charged with throwing his bike at the conductor after being thrown off a train. An Indiana man dies of gunshot wounds suffered while riding his bike — 33 years after he was shot. A Queens councilmember says a little speeding never hurt anyone. Bicycling offers photos of the recent Bike Summit in Washington DC.

A new warning system puts sensors — not censors — on bikes to warn truck drivers of their presence. The editor of an automotive website says there’s no war between drivers and cyclists and it’s actually possible to enjoy both; thanks to Megan Lynch for the heads-up. London police criminalize Critical Mass. When two cyclists fall 20 feet into a subway at the same site just three year apart, maybe they should consider fixing the damn barrier. In a bizarre coincidence, the founder of Aston Martin was inspired to build motorcars after one ran his bicycle off the road, then was killed in a bicycling collision 45 years later. A Scot driver is clocked doing 138 mph, just a tad over the local speed limit. One hundred thirty five riders survive a Milano-Sanremo classic so brutal it gives suffer face a whole new meaning and the riders had to be bused mid-race; Taylor Phinney bounces back from a career and character defining last place finish to come in seventh despite a snow-crusted helmet. The Afghan women’s cycling team fights for their right to ride in public, let alone compete. A Malawi driver kills three members of the same family walking along a roadway; naturally, uninvolved bicyclists get the blame. A South African writer calls for a shift in behavior on the roads. The cyclist will bounce back from a South African collision, but what about the antelope? A bike rider is killed on one of New Zealand’s most popular, and dangerous, riding routes. A Polish cyclist will ride a seatless bike 2754 steps up the 100 story Shanghai World Financial Center; wait, he already did.

Finally, how many times do I have to say it? If you’re going to carry nine grams of meth in your hat, put a damn light on your bike. Congratulations to the Sydney Daily Telegraph for one of the worst articles on bicycling I’ve ever read, which is saying something. And a Bakersfield bike bum — and I mean that in the best possible way — has some great stories to tell.

You really should read that one.

Today’s post, in which I offer a few helpful corrections for the Newport Beach PD

The Newport Beach Police Department offers advice for cyclists riding in the city.

And for the most part, they get it right.

Where they fail is the admonition that bike riders should position themselves farthest to the right of the lane, ignoring the many exceptions to that requirement contained in CVC21202.

1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
3. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes) that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge, subject to the provisions of Section 21656. For purposes of this section, a “substandard width lane” is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
4. When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.

And never mind that all of that only applies to bicyclists riding below the normal speed of traffic; if you can keep up with the cars on the street at that time — which is usually pretty easy at rush hour — you can ride anywhere you want on the roadway.

All of which explains why the LAPD says “Ride where it’s right, not to the right.”

There is also no requirement under California law to ride single file, despite what some law enforcement agencies will tell you. As long as riders aren’t impeding traffic — which is defined as five or more vehicles stuck behind a slow moving vehicle and unable able to pass — there is nothing to prohibit riding side-by-side in a non-shareable lane.

Especially on a four lane roadway where drivers can use the other lane to go around.

And riding two abreast is often safer than riding single file, allowing bicyclists to control the full lane to prevent dangerous passing where there’s not enough room for drivers to do it safely. Yet many motorists will try it anyway unless riders take steps — like riding abreast — to physically prevent it.

Of course, just because it’s not against the law doesn’t mean they won’t give you a ticket for it.

And no, bicycles are not considered vehicles under California law, though riders are subject to the same rights and responsibilities of vehicle operators.

Thanks to David Huntsman for the heads-up.

Update: This is not intended as criticism of the NBPD, but rather, of the website posted under their name. From what I’ve been told, the Newport Beach Police Department is one of the more progressive departments in Southern California when it comes to working with bicyclists.

However, it remains a common problem that police can misinterpret the laws regarding bicycling, and provide inaccurate information to bike riders and drivers that can cause bicyclists to ride in an unsafe manner, and drivers to think we don’t have a right to the roadway.

When a well-intentioned website like this, which serves to provide safety information for both groups, gives incorrect information, it can do more harm than good and lead to needless conflicts on the road.

………

Don’t forget to vote for Walk and Rollers for the Lakers’ Youth Foundation March YOU GRANT. This is a great, locally based program to encourage children to walk and bike to school more often, and more safely. And one I endorse without reservation.

………

LADOT recounts the recent first-year bike plan meetings. Some of these meetings — and projects — were highly contentious; you can still offer support for your favorite bike lanes, which may need it.

………

A writer for the Wall Street Journal tours L.A. in a Day with Bikes and Hikes LA. L.A. fashion photographer and retailer the Cobrasnake talks tight clothes and L.A. bicycling for H&M; does it hurt my hipness quotient if I never heard of him? This is how you can tell it was a good ride. Gear up for the next battle in the war over parking and bike lanes in North Hollywood. New bike lanes on Rowena Blvd. Santa Monica police bust a bike thief. The Honor Ride for Wounded Veterans rolls in Agoura Hills on April 27th. Manhattan Beach police plan a crackdown on people who walk on the beach bike path, or ride on the Strand; thanks to Margaret Wehbi for the link. The Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition calls for a Metrolink Bicycle Access Plan. Boyonabike looks at the not-entirely-unexpected Cal Poly Pomona Bike Lane Brush-Off; unless and until parents of students, and prospective students, decide the auto-centric school is too dangerous for their kids nothing is likely to change.

Here’s your chance to apply for the planned Newport Beach committee to oversee development of a new bike master plan. The San Diego City Council unanimously prioritizes bike safety improvements, but misses the point about the city’s deadly freeway onramps. Caltrans will test a fix a popular bike route on Highway 1 north of Cambria, after a recent chip seal ruined it for riders; this is what happens when they only consider the needs of drivers. The World Naked Bike Ride hit San Francisco on Saturday, despite the city’s recent ban on public nudity. GEICO partially blames a San Francisco cyclist for the actions of driver who doored her, despite proof to the contrary; and this is exactly what’s wrong with liability insurance in California, where cases too often end up in court for no apparent reason. Manteca plans to triple the amount of bike lanes in the city. The Santa Rosa Press Democrat calls on drivers to share the road, and for Sonoma county officials to pass the first countywide L.A.-style cyclist anti-harassment law; at least five cities have passed a similar law, but no test case has been filed anywhere yet.

Fat Cyclist deservedly takes a bikewear manufacturer to task for their needlessly sexist and borderline offensive ad and asinine, virtually incomprehensible marketing philosophy. The Bike League offers advice on how to approach political leaders gleaned from interviews with Congressional staffers. After a Denver-area cyclist is killed in a hit-ad-run, the driver calls police to claim he didn’t know he hit anyone; if any driver is so careless, drunk or distracted he doesn’t even know he killed someone, he or she shouldn’t be allowed behind the wheel. More on the NYPD dropping the term accident from it’s traffic investigations; now maybe we can get the LAPD — and the press — to do the same. Nearly 600 cyclists are injured by dooring in Great Britain every year. Former pro Laurent Jalabert was seriously injured when he was hit by a car headed in the opposite direction.

Finally, I’ve often said that Red Kite Prayer’s Padraig writes more beautifully about bicycling than just about anyone else who’s attempted to set pen to two wheels. But today, he offers a heartbreaking perspective, reminding us that some things are far more important than riding.

If you don’t read anything else I’ve linked to today, read that one.