It has shown us that with a little forethought and ingenuity you can make a change, maybe not a change that you are looking for, but that’s how things go when you have revolutionary protests. No, you won’t get a speedy expedited process of convincing people to throw their cars away for a bike, but you will get them to think about it.
Although at times simplistic, Cordoba's piece is a counterpoint to Kyle's harping on the negative aspects of the ride, and a good reminder to Mass riders that the movement is supposed to have a purpose behind the excitement and chaos. It's also an indication that Critical Mass is gaining a higher profile in San Diego. This is neither uniformly positive nor uniformly negative for other bicyclists. The lack of consensus in media reporting about the event reflects the city's own ambivalence toward bicycling generally. Some love it, some hate it, few take the time to truly think about it. Our city is experiencing an awkward teenage phase in its transition to a truly bicycle-friendly city, and we're bound to encounter the usual teen drama. And like the teenage years, it's going to seem like it takes forever.
Dr. Christopher Thompson is taken away in cuffs Monday. Photo: Los Angeles Times
Following a highly-publicized, intensely-followed trial, Christopher Thompson, the physician accused of using his car to seriously injure two cyclists in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles, is behind bars.
Thompson was convicted yesterday of six felony counts: two counts each, according to VeloNews, of assault with a deadly weapon, battery with serious bodily injury, and reckless driving causing specified injury and mayhem.
On July 4, 2008, Thompson passed cyclists Ron Peterson and Christian Stoehr as the pair rode through the emergency room surgeon's upscale neighborhood. Angry after a verbal exchange with the men, Thompson slammed on the brakes of his red Infiniti as Peterson and Stoehr rode behind. Stoehr ended up in front of the car, wounded with a separated shoulder. Peterson hit the rear window, suffering severe facial injuries. Thompson told police on the scene that he was tired of cyclists in his neighborhood and wanted to "teach them a lesson."
At trial, Thompson denied making that statement, claiming that he had been attempting to get photographs of the cyclists, who he said had frightened him. But the jury didn't buy it, possibly because of Thompson's history of hostility toward people on bikes. He was also convicted Monday of misdemeanor reckless driving, a charge stemming from a prior encounter with two other cyclists.
Prosecutor Mary Stone urged that Thompson be remanded to jail, saying: "In terms of public safety, there isn’t a cyclist in Los Angeles who would be comfortable if he were out on the streets." Judge Scott Millington apparently agreed, ordering Thompson held without bail. Sentencing is set for December 3. Thompson faces up to 10 years in prison.
How to minimize accidents between bicyclists and drivers? Educate the drivers.
Perhaps the planners at Leucadia need to meet the planners from St. Louis? A test run of reducing "four traffic lanes to three, changes the timing of traffic lights, adding curb “bulb-outs” to reduce the amount of yardage pedestrians need to cross from 56 to 40 feet, and increases lighting and landscaping." The results? Public feedback was about ten-to-one in favor.
Space Hogs - Streetsblog collected images from around the world of the space invaders; images of motor vehicles taking up public space.
On a ride through University Heights a few weeks ago, I noticed what looked like two delivery bikes parked outside a small pizza restaurant on Park Boulevard right under the neighborhood sign. I made a mental note to investigate further, and when I finally emailed the owner of Pizza Gourmet Express to ask for an interview, I was pleased to find James Tuckwell to be extremely congenial and willing to submit to my battery of poorly-conceived questions.
Open for almost a year now, Pizza Gourmet Express inaugurated its free bicycle delivery program in May of this year. Two delivery riders handle about ten percent of the restaurant's business on single-speed cruiser-style bikes, outfitted with oversize delivery baskets mounted on front. The free bicycle delivery zone is limited to University Heights, but the restaurant also offers auto-driven delivery outside of this zone through Expressly Gourmet.
When I asked James about his decision to offer neighborhood bicycle delivery, I was pleased to learn that neither he nor his riders consider themselves “bike people,” per se, but that bicycles were the most cost-effective, convenient, and efficient way to deliver within the neighborhood. They are also a unique and attention-grabbing feature of the business. “After all,” said James during our interview, “I wouldn’t be talking to you now if it weren’t for the bikes.” He was right, of course.
One of Pizza Gourmet Express’s goals is to be University Heights’s neighborhood pizza place, and this means building on the already-strong bonds of community in the area. A fleet of cars emblazoned with the Pizza Gourmet Express logo didn’t seem like the right way to go in this compact and historic neighborhood, where parking is at a premium and many residents choose to travel by foot or bicycle.
To mesh with this atmosphere, James chose bicycles as both a low-impact and high-visibility means of delivery. James’s friendly and law-abiding riders are easily identifiable on their red and white delivery cruisers, and they present a visible reminder of Pizza Gourmet Express’s commitment to the community and its character every time they go out.
My wife and I visited Pizza Gourmet Express this past weekend, since any good reporter has to know what he’s writing about, right? The atmosphere is cozy, comfortable, and friendly, and the pizza is quite good. The menu is simple: one side has more traditional fare, the other side has fancier concoctions, but nothing outlandish or terribly expensive. We chose the pesto pizza with chicken on a thin crust, which was tremendous. I went with the on-tap root beer, while my wife had a bottle of mango soda. The panna cotta for dessert was, uh, I don’t really have words, actually. It was darn good, anyway, and made locally.
After dinner, we took a walk around the neighborhood, and wouldn’t you know, we saw one of James’s delivery riders coming back from a delivery. It was one of those moments, which are becoming more common in San Diego, when you begin to appreciate what a truly bike-friendly city could be like.
Pizza Gourmet Express is located on Park Boulevard in the heart of University Heights, right by the sign. They are open for lunch and dinner, and the free neighborhood bicycle delivery runs from 5pm to 9pm daily.
Special deal for Bike San Diego readers who made it all the way to the end of this article: mention Bike San Diego when you place your order at Pizza Gourmet Express through November 2009, and receive 20% off your pizza order.
What? Problems with street repair? Here, in San Diego? We're shocked, just shocked.
SignOnSanDiego reports that the city auditor's office has submitted a report to the mayor and city council detailing failures in the city's prioritization of streets that need resurfacing and repair. Among the problems, a database that is not accurately updated, leading to redundant projects and neglecting streets that have worsened between surveys, particularly residential streets. Says the report:
The condition of streets is an integral component to the quality of life within the City of San Diego. Due to the scale and diversity of the streets maintained by the City, effective management of City streets requires significant and consistent dedication of public resources. Street conditions within the City are considered to be in less than acceptable condition.
So, in other words, throwing some temporary soft money at the issue doesn't actually solve the larger endemic problems within the system. This is the first of three reports that will be submitted by the auditor's office on this subject, and they do provide some recommendations for reforming the system. Perhaps something will come of it. Also, there are some colorful graphs.
On a ride through University Heights a few weeks ago, I noticed what looked like two delivery bikes parked outside a small pizza restaurant on Park Boulevard right under the neighborhood sign. I made a mental note to investigate further, and when I finally emailed the owner of Pizza Gourmet Express to ask for an interview, I was pleased to find James Tuckwell to be extremely congenial and willing to submit to my battery of poorly-conceived questions.