LACBC
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter

March 27, 2014

In this issue
Ciclavia is here! Join our feeder rides and participate in the scavenger hunt fundraiser!
Whole Foods Market Woodland Hills fundraiser brings in more than $5,000
Register for Finish the Ride on April 27
Next Community Planning Forums in Boyle Heights and Westwood
ACTION ALERT: Stop Hit-and-Runs in California! Sign the Petition
Active Streets L.A. Community Mapping Ride Is this Sunday
Updates from Around the County: Beverly Hills gets bike lanes? LA's next steps in implementation
LACBC Members Save at Cafe de Leche in Highland Park
LACBC Celebrates St. John's Grand Opening
14th Annual Los Angeles River Ride on June 22nd
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: Sweet Ride USA Gets the Bicycling Magazine Treatment
Help Alek and Eric Raise Money for the Climate Ride!
Courtesy is the Word for Elysian Valley Section of LA River Path
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities
CicLAvia is here! Join our feeder rides and participate in the scavenger hunt!

The first CicLAvia of 2014 comes back to one of L.A.'s favorite streets: Wilshire Blvd. from 9 to 4. Bike, walk, run, skip, play, and eat. Find LACBC's booth at the One Wilshire Hub, as well as around the route with our Rolling Advocacy Trailer. New Belgium will also be having a CicLAvia Scavenger Photohunt, and for each clue sheet turned in, $5 will be donated to LACBC and CICLE. More info on CicLAvia.


Feeder rides are also available...

Santa Monica (more info here)
When: meet at 8 and roll at 8:30 am
Where: at the top of Santa Monica Pier

When: meet at 9 and roll at 9:30
Where: Glendale Public Library, 222 E. Harvard St.

Silver Lake > Hollywood > Wilshire
(also this month's Sunday Funday ride) 

When: meet at 9 a.m., ride at 9:30 a.m.

Where: Meet at Sunset Triangle (Sunset and Edgecliffe)

Spread the word and RSVP on Facebook.  

 

USC > Wilshire

When:  meet at 10:45 am

Where:  Southern end of Trousdale Parkway on campus, next to the entrance of the Expo Park/USC expo line station, in front of the Mudd Hall of Philosophy.  FB link here.  Led by our own local chapter USC Bicycle Coaliiton.

Whole Foods Market Woodland Hills fundraiser brings in more than $5,000WholeFoods  

Thanks to Whole Foods Market Woodland Hills for selecting LACBC as the non-profit beneficiary of 5% day in March. Altogether we raised $5,190!!! 

 

We had a great time hosting two feeder rides from Chatsworth and Reseda (in partnership with Ride Reseda), hosted a lunch courtesy of Whole Foods' vendors, and gave away two bicycles, including a Tern Xtracycle Cargo bike!

 

Special thanks to Tina Varjabedian of Whole Foods Woodland Hills and Councilmember Blumenfield for stopping by to celebrate bicycling with us.

Register for Finish the Ride on April 27thFinishTheRide

 

On Sunday, February 17th, 2013, Damian Kevitt and his wife were riding their bikes around Griffith Park when someone driving a light colored mini-van struck Damian and pinned him underneath. Damian suffered road burns and lost his right leg and has since vowed to Finish the Ride that he started on that day.

 

Please join Damian on Finish the Ride on April 27th. 

Rides include a 6-mile ride, a 12-mile ride, and a 23-mile ride.

 

Finish the Ride benefiting LACBC and Challenged Atheletes

 

When: Sunday, April 27; registration starts at 6:30 a.m.

Where: start Fountain Ave/L Ron Hubbard Way in E. Hollywood 

Next Community Planning Forums in South Valley and Harbor areasPlanningForum

The Plan for a Healthy Los AngelesMobility Plan 2035, and the re:code LA have teamed up to offer seven community planning forums, where residents give feedback on the proposed vision for the city's future. As Los Angeles prepares for the urban challenges of the 21st century, health and mobility are important to ensure that every Angeleno has the opportunity to thrive. Please check out the LACBC blog for more information.

 

SOUTH VALLEY

When: Saturday, April 5; 9 a.m. - 12 noon

Where: Marvin Braude Constituent Service Center
6262 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys 91401

 

HARBOR

When: Saturday, April 12; 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Where: Peck Park Community Center 
560 N. Western Ave., San Pedro 90732

ACTION ALERT: Stop Hit-and-Runs in California! Sign the Petitionaction
Please sign our statewide petition to stop hit-and-runs in California!

AB 1532, Assemblymember Mike Gatto's bill to take back the drivers' licenses of motorists who flee the scene of a crash, recently passed the assembly's Public Safety Committee. While revoking the drivers' licenses of hit-and-run motorists may not seem like big deal, it is very telling that hit-and-run motorists don't automatically have their licenses revoked already.

In the City of Los Angeles, 20,000 hit-and-run crashes occur annually, resulting in over 4,000 injuries. Of those injuries, 150 are severe or fatal, and people walking and biking are disproportionately affected, accounting for 75% of those severe injuries and deaths.

 

We call on the California State Legislature and Governor to revoke driving privileges of hit-and-run drivers and to increase penalties to remove the incentive to flee when drunk.

 

We call on law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to treat hit-and-run collisions like the violent crimes that they are by regularly reporting statistics, allocating adequate resources for investigations, and imposing appropriate penalties on perpetrators.

Next Active Streets L.A. Event Is a Community Mapping Ride ActiveStreets

 

Active Streets LA had a successful mapping ride on Sunday. Community residents and staff rode and walked the Budlong corridor and took pictures, noting necessary changes to infrastructure.

 

Stay tuned for the next step in the Active Streets process where community members and department of transportation staff will review community concerns together.

Updates from Around the County: Beverly Hills gets bike lanes?  Los Angeles' next steps in bike plan implementationSantaClarita

Beverly Hills:  The Beverly Hills City Council again considered bike lanes on Santa Monica Boulevard on Tuesday afternoon in a special study session. Local advocates made the case that bike lanes will fit no matter whether the boulevard is widened or not, neutralizing the supposed parks versus bikes debate.  We are optimistic that the Council is open to a win-win solution that provides mobility and safety for all who travel along Santa Monica Boulevard. Stay tuned for information on when the Council will next discuss the project. 
 
Los Angeles: The Department of City Planning will host a "Bike Plan Primer" webinar on April 17, 2014; from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. to inform the public of the year 2 implementation process of the 2010 Bicycle Master Plan.  With the routes already proposed, we need more folks involved in the process. Join us on the webinar and next steps.  Get more information at thelabikeplan.org.
 
Also, last night, LA City Councilmembers Mitch Englander and Joe Buscaino presented their case for a new 1/2-cent sales tax to fund street and sidewalk repair. If approved by City Council, the measure would go before voters on the November ballot. With Climate Resolve, LACBC has co-led a coalition of transportation, environmental and community-based organizations calling for "streets for the future" that are cool, green and complete. We believe that a 20-year capital investment program should produce the streets that will meet Los Angeles's needs in 2035 and that the best way to do this is to align the new revenue with the City's draft Mobility Element. You can watch LACBC's Planning & Policy Director discuss the proposed measure on ABC7 news. 
LACBC Members Save at Cafe de Leche in Highland ParkDonutFriend  


We would like to welcome
Cafe de Leche in Highland Park to our Business Partnership! Cafe de Leche offers 10% off to all LACBC members.

 

As you may recall, Cafe de Leche started the L.A. city bike corral trend when the business owners fought for and got the City's first bike corral in 2011. It is located at 5000 York Blvd.


Find more discounts for members at la-bike.org/discounts.
LACBC Helps Celebrate St. John's Grand OpeningDonutFriend  

 

 

Last week LACBC participated in the grand opening of the St.John's Well Child and Family Center on Hoover and 58th Street in South Los Angeles. Key speakers who helped cut the ribbon were Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Barak Obama and LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas. In addition to staffing a table at the event, LACBC also donated 10 electric assist bicycles to St. John's for their forthcoming bicycle program. LACBC is looking for help with final assembly of the bikes and ongoing maintenance. Contact Colin Bogart (colin@la-bike.org) for details.

 
Fundraise for LACBC at the 14th Annual Los Angeles River Ride on June 22
RiverRide
Registration for the 14th Annual L.A. River Ride is now open, and we've now made it easier to participate in fundraising. When you register for the ride online, a fundraising page will automatically be set up for you, and you can choose to personalize it or not.
 
Every dollar counts to help make L.A. County a healthy, safe, and fun place to ride a bike. Will you join us?
 
When you meet certain fundraising milestones, you can earn River Ride registration, as well as other great prizes like LACBC and River Ride bike gear.
 
Also, let's not forget about the biggest prizes for our top fundraisers, including VBT's Tuscany by the Sea biking vacation and a limited edition New Belgium Brewing bike.

 

Learn more about fundraising here.

Set up your personalized fundraising page by either registering for the ride or going here.

More on the 14th Annual L.A. River Ride:
 
When: Sunday, June 22, 2014
Where: start at Autry National Center in Griffith Park or Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach
Facebook event: link
Register: here by May 27th and save $10.
LACBC Members save an additional $10.
Kids 12 and under ride for free.
10 great rides with 2 start locations (Autry or Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach)
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: What is CicLAvia Like Around the World?

This Sunday, we'll be enjoying another CicLAvia, this time along the Iconic Wilshire Blvd. CicLAvia was originally inspired by the Cicolovia in Bogota, Colombia, and there are several other open streets events around the world that aim to make sure streets are opened up to people. (In fact, there is a summit that begins tomorrow in our backyard called the National Open Streets Summit, to help people learn how to bring open streets events to their communities or to help infuse new ideas for their events.)


Streetfilms has a collection of open streets films: Sunday Streets, Sunday Parkways, Summer Streets, Ciclovia, Oaklavia, etc. Of course, CicLAvia is covered twice, thanks to Rob Adams. Check them out in film form, and maybe experience them in person some day!
Help Alek and/or Eric Raise Money for the Climate Ride!

Alek and Eric are participating in Climate Ride California(May 17-20, 2014), a 4-day cycling adventure from San Francisco to California's Capitol in Sacramento! We are once again a beneficiary and you can be part of the fun and raise funds for LACBC at the time.

 

We are having a little office competition at LACBC headquarters to determine who can raise more money and be crowned King of the Mountain at LACBC.

 

YOU can help us settle this battle!

Donate to Eric Bruins's fundraising campaign here.

Donate to Alek Bartrosouf's fundraising campaign here.

 

What to support someone else's campaign? Support one the many Team LACBC members here.

 

 
Courtesy is the Word for Elysian Valley Section of LA River Path

LACBC has learned that an elderly resident of Elysian Valley was recently injured in a collision with a bicyclist on the Elysian Valley section of the LA River Path. We're told that the resident was walking on the path (as many residents who live in the area have done for years) and that she suffered a broken arm. We're also told the bicyclist suffered some injuries, though not as serious. We'd like to remind everyone that courtesy is key on paths, especially the LA River Path in Elysian Valley, which is used regularly by senior citizens and children from the adjacent neighborhood. A few important tips when riding any path:

 

Be courteous of all path users, regardless of their mode of travel.
Slow down and be extra cautious whenever young children or the elderly are present.
Pass on the left and give an audible signal (say "passing on your left" or ring your bell).
Ride predictably and verbalize your intentions to turn, slow, or stop to those around you.

Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities

 

Bicycle Film Festival 2014
When: April 4th and 5th
Where: Aratani/Japan America Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro Street, Downtown Los Angeles

Kind Healthy Snacks presents the 13th edition of the preeminent arts event celebrating bicycles: the international Bicycle Film Festival. Films from around the world, directed by established and emerging filmmakers, will be screened.  The four unique screenings of narrative and cinematic films kick off with the premiere of HALF THE ROAD, a highly anticipated feature about the highlights and challenges of women's cycling, setting the tone for the following three programs of fun and poignant shorts illuminating the joys and perseverance riding inspires across cultures, ages and landscapes. Full details here.  

 
CicLAvia - Iconic Wilshire Blvd.

When: Sunday, April 6; 9:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Wilshire Blvd.

The first CicLAvia of 2014 comes back to one of L.A.'s favorite streets: Wilshire Blvd.! Bike, walk, run, skip, play, and eat. Find LACBC's booth at the One Wilshire Hub, as well as around the route with our Rolling Advocacy Trailer. New Belgium will also be having a CicLAvia Scavenger Photohunt, and for each clue sheet turned in, $5 will be donated to LACBC and CICLE. More info on CicLAvia.

  

Fireside Chat on Transportation with Councilmember Mike Bonin

When: Friday, April 11; 7:30 p.m.

Where: Moss Theater at New Roads School - 3131 Olympic Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90404

Angelenos Against Gridlock will be hosting a Fireside Chat on Transportation  Los Angeles Councilmember Mike Bonin, who is also L.A. City Council Transportation Committee Chair and Metro Board Member & Expo Line Construction Authority Vice Chair. Discussion topics will include speeding up the pace of progress, the 405, rail through the Sepulveda Pass, bike share, bike safety & bike amenities, Westside gridlock, transit-oriented development, rail to LAX, the Expo Line, the Subway to the Sea-and the broader vision for improving mobility. RSVP here.

  

Touring L.A. County with LACBC and Where to Bike L.A.: La Roubaix

When: Sunday: April 13; meet at 8:30 a.m., ride at 9:00 a.m.

Where: The Trails Cafe - 2333 Fern Dell Drive, Los Angeles

Every spring, around Easter, professional cyclists tackle Paris-Roubaix (pronounced ru-BAY), a race across Northern France. First run in 1896, it's one of the oldest cycling contests-a true classic. With sections of bumpy cobblestone, country roads, many, many hills, and typically foul weather, Paris-Roubaix is known for making riders suffer, worthy of its term of endearment: "a Sunday in hell" (there's even a movie about it with that title). Our version-L.A. Roubaix-is really not hellish at all, and we can realistically expect for great weather, but you can expect to suffer a little. Our route will take us into car-free, backcountry areas of Griffith Park. From there, we'll ride around Silver Lake, through the city's second-largest park, Elysian Park (way more bucolic than the Champs Elys�es), and swing past Echo Park Lake. We'll finish our loop at The Trails Cafe, where we can dig into well-deserved treats like fresh-squeezed lemonade, great coffee, home-baked quiches, apple pie and cookies, plus amazing avocado sandwiches. More info.

 

South L.A. Kids' Bike Festival

When: Sunday, April 13; 11:00 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where: Foshay Learning Center - 3751 S. Harvard Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018

Join LACBC and Walk 'n Rollers for a FREE Kids Skills and Safety Festival, made possible by the USC Good Neighbors Campaign! Learn how to ride your bike safely, start and stop properly, avoid hazards, yielding, ride an obstacle course and more! Helmets required for all riders. We'll have a limited supply of bikes and helmets for those without. More info.

  

Finish the Ride benefiting LACBC & Challenged Athletes

When: Sunday, April 27

More info in newsletter.

 

14th Annual Los Angeles River Ride

When: Sunday, June 22

More info in newsletter.

LACBC Local Chapters - Join when you become an LACBC member or renew your membership!


Other Events Around Town

Join LACBC or Renew

 

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is a member-supported organization that works for you to build a better, more bike-able L.A. County. 

Members are the backbone of LACBC! Help keep LACBC strong by becoming an 
LACBC member (or renewing your membership) and be part of the change!
Contact Information

Carol Feucht
Membership & Communications Director
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition

[email protected]

 

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