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| At the Capitol | |
Cell phone bill advances
A bill to toughen penalties for drivers who violate California's bans on hand-held cell phones and texting while driving passed another hurdle this month when a Senate committee approved Senate Bill 1475 by Palo  Alto Senator Joe Simitian, who also authored the original bans.
Although the laws initially reduced the number of drivers using hand-held cell phones while behind the wheel, the effect was short lived. For example, the Automobile Club of Southern California says the rate of texting by drivers has returned nearly to pre-ban levels.
SB 1475 more than doubles the fines for violations, adds a point on a driver's record for each violation, and directs a portion of fine revenues to support a public awareness campaign.
The bill also extends penalties to bicyclists, although with fines lower than those for drivers and without the driving record point. CBC pushed Simitian to ensure that penalties for bicyclists reflected minimal collision hazard presented by cell-phone-using bicyclists when compared to motorists.
Advocates challenge pedicab regulation bill
Pedicab operators in San Diego could be required to carry a California driver's license as the result of a bill that has bike advocates concerned about where it all might lead.
Assembly Bill 2294, co-authored by San Diego-area
Assemblymen Marty Block and Nathan Fletcher, would authorize San Diego County and its cities to adopt pedicab regulations that include a driver's license requirement for  operators. Current California law only requires licenses for motor vehicle operators.
San Diego's pedicab scene is dominated by young drivers hired from Central Europe on summer work visas. City officials regularly hear complaints about the aggressive way they operate their vehicles. Tensions reached a full boil last summer when an intoxicated passenger fell from a pedicab and died.
The California Bicycle Coalition and other bike advocacy groups have noted that requiring licenses for San Diego pedicab operators will do nothing to improve safety, since the California driver's manual and license exam focus on operating motor vehicles, not bicycles. There's also concern that requiring these particular bicyclists to have driver's licenses inevitably could lead to wider licensing of bicyclists.
And then there's the question of the bill's necessity. Sacramento, San Francisco and Santa Barbara have pedicab ordinances that require operators to carry a driver's license, but none of the cities sought a change in state law to allow them to require it. |
| Sharing the road | |
SF Grand Jury calls for peace
A product of the grand jury's review of the San Francisco Bicycle Plan, the report states, "If the City and County of San Francisco truly want to increase responsible bicycle use, it will need to solve the issues of anger, misunderstanding, and mistrust among motorists, cyclists, police, transit riders, and pedestrians, and  increase everyone's view of shared responsibility on the roadway."
The report documents the considerable resentments among these parties and recommends several ways to ease them, including education about safety and mutual respect, enforcement of traffic codes, and equitable taxes, fines and fees so that all road users share the cost of maintaining the local transportation system.
What do you think? Read the report, then take our survey to tell us whether you think these kind of solutions could help persuade more Californians to get out of their cars and choose bicycling, walking and transit.
Sharrows get a test ride in LA
Starting this week, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation will measure how motorists respond to bicycling volunteers who take the lane on streets where permanent sharrows are planned. The test involves marking streets with temporary sharrows and observing motorist behavior. The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is soliciting volunteers to take part in the test, which is the last of the preliminary steps before sharrows officially appear on L.A. streets.
San Jose inaugurates ViaVelo
 Several hundred San Jose residents biked, walked and rolled through downtown streets at ViaVelo, the city's car-free celebration with roots in the ciclovia movement begun in Bogota, Colombia. San Jose joins San Francisco and San Mateo County, which held similar days earlier this year. Oakland hosts Oaklavía this summer and CicLAvia in Los Angeles happens this fall.
Californians join annual Ride of Silence
 Bicyclists in 21 California communities took to the streets this month to commemorate bicyclists injured or killed in motor vehicle collisions. The worldwide observance known as Ride of Silence took place on Wednesday, May 19. A one-time memorial ride in Dallas in 2003 has grown into an annual event with more than 300 memorial rides and thousands of bicyclists around the world this year. |
| Connections | |
Amtrak California wants to hear from you
 The Visit Amtrak California's virtual open house and let them know by Friday, May 28, that adequate bicycle storage must be a priority.
Unused Metrolink station to house bike rentals
San Clemente is offering free use of an unused Metrolink passenger rail depot for a proposed bike rental business. Pete Van Nuys, who also serves as executive director of the Orange County Bicycle Coalition, will get five months' free rent to see if he can get his business off the ground. The location would allow train passengers, visitors and the public to rent bikes to ride to nearby beaches and other local destinations.
Meanwhile, at Sacramento's busy downtown train station Depot Bikes & Cafes would provide bike rentals, storage and maintenance for commuters arriving on Capitol Corridor and Amtrak trains and visitors to nearby Old Sacramento. Owner Tim Fallis envisions opening shops in other depots around the state. |
| Safety | |
CBC launches bike safety site
Bike Safe California
is a new website created by the California Bicycle Coalition to help adult bicyclists ride  more safely and confidently.
Designed to serve as a statewide clearinghouse for basic safety information, the site features content based on the "layers of safety" concept taught by certified bike safety instructors, a calendar of upcoming bike safety classes throughout the state, and links to information about bike-related state laws, bike lights, helmets and more.
Bike Safe California is funded by the Healthy Transportation Network, a project of the California Department of Public Health's California Center of Physical Activity. |
| CBC News | |
Help us rename this newsletter
Bicycling involves much more than the particular way we choose to travel. It places us at the intersection of many important issues affecting our world today: personal health, the cleanliness of our air, the consumption of limited energy resources, the safety and livability of our neighborhoods, and the shape of our communities. Covering these issues is the mission of CalBike Report. We think it's time our newsletter had a name that reflects this wider view.
Send us your suggestions for a name that reflects the breadth of the issues where bicycling plays a crucial role. We're looking for a  memorable, positive name that captures the essence of bicycling as a form of active transportation.
What's in it for you? If we choose your suggested name, we'll acknowledge you in an upcoming newsletter and send you a very cool picture frame made from recycled bicycle chain by Resource Revival. Please submit your suggestions to cbc@calbike.org no later than Friday, June 18. |
| Blog roll | |
California bloggers spread the love
The emerging bike culture is taking shape as much online as in the streets. Here's a short, decidedly subjective list of some California-based bike blogs worth knowing about:
Bikes and the City (San Francisco) "Bikes, boys y coffee" with a giant blog roll on the side.
Bikeside LA (Los Angeles) Bike activism with a sharp eye on the local political scene.
Cyclelicio.us (Santa Cruz) Essential reading about bike culture in the greater San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
Eco Velo (Sacramento) The love child of environmental awareness and beautiful design. Widely read, well respected, very elegant.
The Epicurean Cyclist (Long Beach) Mouthwatering reviews of bicycle gear and accessories for camping and travel.
And although not based in California, Urban Velo, produced in Pittsburgh, PA, is a must-read source on urban cycling. CBC Executive Director David Hoffman is a regulal contributor. |
| Rides | |
Cambria
A benefit for the YMCA Cambria Teen Center
Chester
Sponsored by the Chester/Lake Almanor Chamber of Commerce
Eureka to San Francisco
A benefit for Rails to Trail Conservancy, 1Sky and Green America
Fresno
Sponsored by the Fresno County Bicycle Coalition
Los Angeles
Sponsored by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
Napa Valley
Oakland
Sponsored by Walk Oakland Bike Oakland
Palo Alto
A benefit for the American Diabetes Foundation
Sacramento
San Francisco to Los Angeles
Co-produced by the SF AIDS Foundation and the LA Gay & Lesbian Center
San Luis Obispo
A benefit for San Luis Obispo ALPHA
Santa Cruz
Santa Maria
Yreka
Find a full calendar of rides throughout California at Bikelink. |
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