View from inside Santa Monica Bike Center member section.

-by Steve Herbert
Recently I had my turn at jury duty, reporting to LA Superior Court @ Temple and Spring Streets in downtown LA.   With gas prices ranging between $4.30 and $5.09 that week I wasn’t anxious to drive the 18 mpg household minivan relegated for my use when I’m not commuting by bike.   I considered riding my bike to downtown but recalled the last time I made the 13 mile ride it took 2 hours after getting flat tires across from Exposition …

Really, I do have a great idea!
(According to my husband and kids, this is a phrase I say quite frequently.
Oh, and for clarification – I DO have great ideas.)
In today’s connected 24/7 world we have so much information constantly bombarding, attacking if you will, our lives. It’s hard to keep track of it all. This is where I come in. With my insane twitter habit, instagram, the AP, CHP, LAPD, LAFD, city hall, zines, tweets, twicks, candy bars, plus all of the other social networking I do, I have access and …

I snapped some shots around Hollywood, Larchmont and Silverlake after my gig at Little Temple. It was great to see folks taking advantage of the wonderful post LA rain.  I hope you enjoy these pics!

 You can also check out some more of my pics here or take a listen to my
dj mixes on my blog as well.
 
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Image Credit: http://www.examiner.com
by Steve Herbert
Culver City is implementing its Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, adding bike lanes and “sharrows” as the popularity of cycling continues to increase in the region.  With the number of cyclists growing, a number of issues reveal themselves.   One is that parked cars can be more dangerous than moving vehicles when a motorist suddenly opens a car door into the path oncoming traffic that includes cyclists.  The resulting collision is known as “dooring” or “being doored”.
Bicycle lanes are frequently installed adjacent curbside parking & cyclists …

My Friend and Colleague and author of  Radio Shangri-La What I learned in Bhutan The Happiest Kingdom on Earth Lisa Napoli

“This weekend, ten miles of roads around LA are shutting down—for a good cause.
Not for reconstruction or improvements—but to show us all the value of getting out of our cars.  Walking in the roads we usually drive.  Seeing Los Angeles in a different way.
Heidi Zeller of CicLAvia told us on the air that organizers are trying to make this a regular event around the city, like it …

Car-free streets in Los Angeles, YES! It’s CicLAvia. Now and thankfully a recurring event that reserves miles of streets for bike riding, walking, skating and playing. This occurrence, L.A.’s third, expands the route to 10 miles (from 7.5) with new spurs in Chinatown and South L.A.  Also expect and have fun with walking tours, interactive events and live performances. Citywide  from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. This Sunday, and it’s FREE. http://www.ciclavia.org
 
“CicLAvia returns to Downtown, Macarthur Park and Hollywood on Sunday, October 9, 2011.  This time there are three more miles of …

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Thought you might be interested in this press release I recieved…

Councilmember Bill Rosendahl is advising residents that the celebrated Los Angeles Triathlon will close streets and potentially cause traffic problems on Sunday, September 25.  
 
The event, which will include close to 3,000 racers and thousands of spectators, will start in Venice Beach and impact the area around Venice Boulevard in Rosendahl’s Westside district, mostly during the early morning hours.
 
“While this is a great event for Los Angeles, it could cause potential disruption to traffic patterns and make it difficult for …

Did you know in the US 40% of trips are 2 miles or less, with 90% of
them made by car?*
Did you know that it costs $5170 per year to operate a car, but $120
per yer to maintain a bike on average?*
Did you know that driving a car releases 20 pounds of CO2 per gallon
of gas driven?*
Did you know the folks at Cliff Bar have created a 2 Mile Challenge
with a goal to avoid 100,000 car trips in 2011?
Did you know that as of the end of June, …

My bike (Gary’s) parked outside Swingers Diner with one of the new bike racks. Credit Gary Kavanagh
Gary Kavanagh, well known in the cycling world here in So Cal, wrote a great piece about protecting your bike from being stolen. Santa Monica has been installing new bike racks and Gary has some tips.
 
It was only a couple months ago that I was lamenting the lack of bike racks at many locations around town, particularly parts of Santa Monica outside the downtown region.
I am happy to report that this is quickly being …

Many of you may already know about The California Bicycle Coalition. But if you don’t, it is a heck of a resource for the bicycle enthusiast. A website chalk full of valuable information, and a newsletter keeping you current with not only all the fun stuff about riding a bike, it also includes the politics. Covering  topics such as…

 
Senate approves 3-foot passing bill

California could soon become the nation’s 19th state to enact a 3-foot passing law to protect bicyclists. Last week the California Senate approved CBC-sponsored …