Bike Talk - A radio show dedicated to the idea that for public and planetary health we need to prioritize public transportation by bikes

Nick and Taylor ride Joe Borfo’s Tandem in Griffith Park

Latest Episode

09/01/12 Bike Talk

September 1, 2012

Expo Phase II Bikeway Planning

We look at bikeway planning along the Expo Line Plase II rail corridor. We cover some of the challenges highlighted in a recent Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition alert, discuss the opportunities that await cyclists and cycling advocates who want a say on this $1.5 billion public project, and talk about the systemic barriers to true grassroots participation and how a progressive culture of planning may overcome these barriers. This show aired September 1, 2012.

News

California Bicycle Coalition honcho Jim Brown returns to hip us to the latest developments in Sacramento, including the safe-passing bill (SB 1464) that’s gone to the Governor’s desk; a proposed an anti-harassment ordinance for Sonoma County pushed by the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition; and a new bill that would allow testing of driverless cars on public roads (like Nevada’s law). Call it the Google bill!

Biking in LA blogger Ted Rogers gives the heads up re: last night’s Critical Mass fatality and updates us on the LACBC Civic Engagement Committee’s efforts to hold our elected officials accountable for street safety.

In-studio guest:

Gary Kavanaugh, Streetsblog LA writer and the fast thumbs behind @GaryRidesBikes on Twitter, talks about his perspective on the Expo Line bikeway as a member of the appointed Bicycle Advisory Committee. He recaps his streetsblog post about the design challenges at Pico Gateway (definitely worth a read).

Call-in guests

Monica Born, Expo Line Authority Project Manager for the Phase II extension talks about the state of the project. With design 30% complete and concrete now getting poured, she touches on already-identified problem spots (Pico-Gateway, Westwood Plaza station) and talks about the budgetary constraints – and compromises – that seem to be a part of every mega-project in Southern California.

Paul Backstrom, Transportation & Planning Deputy for Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl (CD11) talks about the office’s support for the bikeway and identifies “critial points” and other opportunities where the cycling public can get involved to ensure that we get the best possible facility. You can reach Paul with any questions about Expo bikeway planning at the City Hall office: 213-473-7011 or by email: councilman.rosendahl@lacity.org.

In our bonus hour, Kent Strumpell, member of the City of Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee and longtime transit advocate, talks about his perspective on Expo Phase II from his position as an informal liaison between the Expo Authority and the cycling community. And Don ‘Roadblock’ Ward calls in to grieve about that Critical Mass crash. A packed show! Read more in an extended post about the Expo bikeway on Better Bike.

Next week: West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition takes the slot for our monthly LACBC regional chapter show.

Upcoming Events

Sunday: join LACBC’s own Herbie Huff for a ‘FunGay’ ride (yes you read that right!) TOMORROW Sept. 2nd. This easy 12 – 15 mile ride from Downtown’s Pershing Square to brunch at Hamburger Mary’s in West Hollywood will explore local gay history along the route.

Saturday Sept. 8th at 10 am. ArtsFest 2012 East L.A. Bicycle Ride (Register at 8:30 am). Bike co-ops in the house, bike valet, & farmers market. East LA Civic Center 4810 E. 3rd St.

Saturday, September 15th at 10 am. New Belgium’s Tour de Fat Los Angeles rolls on This all-day adult ride benefits local bike orgs like the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (ride leader & provider of complimentary bike valet), C.I.C.L.E., and the cooperative Bicycle Kitchen.

October 12-13 the Bicycle Film Festival returns with a screening of The Contender at the Cinefamily theater on Fairfax (on 10/12) with screenings the following day, all day, at the Downtown Independent theater, our city’s newest fine art theater.

September 29-30th Carmageddon 2 westside rides in the planning stage. Look for more details as they’re available. We hope to have SM Spoke, Culver City Bicycle Coalition, West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition (and yours truly, Betterbike.org) celebrating with a series of community rides.

Same weekend, Wolfpack Hustle invites cyclists citywide to meet at the L.A. River bike path for the first-ever All-City LA River Ride, which is more likely to keep to the spirit of this event’s namesake video game, Carmageddon (one in a host of ‘Carpocalypse’-themed games). (Stay tuned for details.)

archivedarchived
08/25/12 Bike Talk

August 25, 2012
‘Choosing Your Route’ on Bike Talk

This episode looks at choosing a bike ride route for exploratory pleasure. We interview a team of bike guide authors and talk with a representative from the Adventure Cycling Association about translating good routes to good maps. This episode aired on August 25, 2012.

Jim Brown of the California Bicycle Coalition gave an update on state news:
- The California Assembly postponed to next week a vote on the 3-foot passing (SB1464) bill;
- State Senate approved increased fines for driving while texting or using a cellphone ($30 first offense, $60 second);
- Long Beach entered 10-year partnership with Bike Nation to start a bike share in LB come next February; And,
- USC’s will use metal barricades to separate cyclists and pedestrians on the campus spine, Trousdale Parkway. He noted that a student survey showed that 20% (!) of undergraduates have no regular cycling experience prior to coming to campus.
Yikes – metal barricades won’t fix that problem. Thanks, Jim!

For local news we caught up with Carol Feucht, Membership & Communications Manager for the LACBC, who hipped us to Ballona Creek and LA River path closures, local events, and opportunities to support SB 1464 – as well as to highlight that organization’s monthly Sunday Funday ride, which this coming weekend will be a ‘FunGay’ ride to the infamous Hamburger Mary’s Drag Queen Brunch. Thanks, Carol!

In-Studio Guests

We talk to Sarah Amelar and Jon Riddle about Where to Bike Los Angeles, their spiral-bound 81-route guide to the greater Los Angeles region. Amelar, a New York-born writer & editor with a Masters of Architecture, and Riddle, a So-Cal native and desert rat from Needles (ouch!) with his PhD in economics, mix their respective right & left brain talents to come up with 81 rides that map points of interest, restaurants, and hidden gems from the Santa Monica Mountains to Long Beach and beyond. Thanks Sarah and Jon for your time and wisdom.

Call-In Guest

We talk with Melissa Thompson, a GIS specialist & cartographer with Adventure Cycling Association, about how great rides are translated into nifty Adventure Cycling touring maps. She’s resident in Missoula, Montana, but has trekked from Los Angeles to Boston and most recently came to our region to recoinnoiter Route 66 for the organization’s US Bike Route 66 effort. This 45k-member 501©3 nonprofit organization is worth a $40 annual membership. Thanks, Melissa, for a peek behind the curtain at the magic!

In our bonus hour, we engage in some freewheeling conversation with Sarah and Jon.

Additional Links:

Where to Bike Los Angeles

Adventure Cycling

Further Reading

US Bike Route System
archived
08/18/12 Bike Talk

August 18, 2012

Safe Routes to School on Bike Talk

We look at Glendale’s RD White Elementary School – a Safe Routes success story – and talk about how to identify opportunities for safer travel to school, and review demonstrable local achievements that have flowed in this community from the leadership of everyday folks with little money to mount a big campaign.

In-Studio Guests

Kara Sergile, grassroots advocate, about organizing for action and getting an advocacy toehold in your community.

Mikaela Randolph talks about school district joint use facilities and opportunities to leverage school district plant investment for local recreation and health benefits.

Jessica Meaney talks Safe Routes policy context and the need to ‘flip the script’ by looking holistically at data-driven transportation planning. We need to connect the public health & transportation dots, she says.

South Los Angeles advocate Tafari Bayne talks about connecting those dots for safer streets via a local non-profit like Trust LA.

Planner Deborah Murphy reminds us that there is no ‘silver bullet’ but instead there are multiple means (like the five Es of education, enforcement, etc.) to the safe streets end.

Paul Backstrom from City Council district 15’s (Rosendahl) provides an update on the City of Los Angeles’s new pedestrian staffer and talks about securing school-proximate improvements.

Thanks to Jim Brown of the California Bicycle Coalition for calling in with news from Sacramento and around the nation. Much appreciated, Jim!

Additional links:

Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Los Angeles County DPH
T.R.U.S.T. South LA
Los Angeles Walks

Supplemental reading:

Why Johnny Can’t Ride
Take Back the Burbs
A Talk With a Walker: Los Angeles Walks’s Deborah Murphy

archived, Deborah Murphy, LA Walks, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Mikaela Randolph, Paul Backstrom, Safe Routes to School, Safe Routes to School National Partnership, T.R.U.S.T. South LA, Tafari Bayne
08/11/12 Bike Talk

August 11, 2012

Walk Bike Glendale on Bike Talk

We look at lessons learned from Walk Bike Glendale, the LA County Department of Public Health-funded bike planning and advocacy effort and hear about the challenges of organizing for bike-friendly streets in this auto-centric community. This show originally aired on August 11, 2012.

In-studio guests

Rye Baerg, Southern California Policy Manager for Safe Routes To School National Partnership

Links

Walk Bike Glendale
Glendale Safe and Healthy Streets Plan
Safe Routes To School National Partnership
Los Angeles County: Department of Public Health
LA County DPH ‘Policies for Livable, Active Communities and Environments’ (PLACE) Program
PLACE grant FAQs
Helpful PowerPoint on the PLACE grant initiative purpose

archived, lacbc, Walk Bike Glenale
08/04/12 Bike Talk

August 4, 2012

Bike Collisions: What Happens When You Get Hit?

We take a look at bike-involved collisions from the perspective of injured cyclists and a prominent bicycle attorney and talk about what to do in the event of a collision. This show aired on August 4, 2012.

California Bicycle Coalition honcho Jim Brown delivers the latest on federal and state legislation and policy. Upcoming legislature action on SB 1464 (3-foot passing), SB 1380 (CEQA relaxed review for bike lanes), upcoming Long Beach events (ProWalk, Women’s Summit)

Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Policy Director Eric Bruins introduces himself to the Bike Talk audience and discusses some of our regional policy challenges – including PCH improvements like buffered lanes near Trancas, numerous bike plans in progress, and the importance of LACBC regional partnerships. We touch on challenges and tips for advocates.

In-studio guests

James Hawkes talks about his collision experience, which could be called ‘best case’ because the driver claimed responsibility. Then come the challenges: dealing with the driver’s insurance company. A recumbent rider, James shares is bad experiences with Hummers in particular.

Alan Miranda shares his experience getting caught in the door zone on Pico when a parked car door flies open. These mean streets of Los Angeles!

Attorney Ross Hirsch offers some solicited and unofficial legal guidance, beginning with “Get out of the door zone! Take the lane.” He talks about what to do in the event of a collision.

Call-in guests

BikingInLA blogger Ted Rogers talks about this summer and the tally of road carnage from every cause from solo collisions to hit-and-runs. Thanks Ted!

archived, California Bicycle Coalition, Eric Bruins, lacbc, Ross Hirsch, Ted Rogers

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