Bikeside LA

(Editor’s note – this article originally circulated in CityWatch, an email newsletter on City Hall.  If you want to understand LA politics, you must read CityWatch! Subscribe here!)
“The drivers that hit us and run are driving in your neighborhoods, past your kid’s school, your mother’s church, and your house” – that was [...]

Last year when Jesus Castillo was killed LA Critical Mass went to the site of his death, joined together around his ghost bike, and held a die-in to honor him, and call attention to the driver’s crime.
A little over a year later we are still plagued by hit and runs.  I humbly suggest that those [...]

Until Sara or I can write a proper post, here are some photos from the Blood In protest, courtesy Gary Kavanagh and “Barleye”:

For immediate release.  For information & interviews contact alexcthompson@gmail.com.
On Tuesday, July 27th, and Friday, July 30th, cyclists will gather at the Beverly Hills Courthouse to protest the tepid sentence handed down by Judge Elden S. Fox for Celine Mahdavi.  Mahdavi hit cyclist Louis Deliz and left him to die in the street on December 1st, [...]

“I turned left on to a one way street (the correct way) and a cop started yelling at me while I was catching up to the ride. He drove over, started yelling, didn’t allow me to say anything really and then handcuffed me.” – Chris
That’s what you get for riding bikes Chris.
“When I got to [...]

LACBC recently crowed that the 10% of Measure R (local return) funds set aside for cyclists & pedestrians became available.  As LACBC puts it, the “collaborative effort between LACBC, LA Streetsblog (Damien Newton), and the Green LA Coalition”
led to the liberation of $3.27 million in funds for the next fiscal year for cycling and [...]

It’s a given that understanding a situation improves your ability to respond to it.  That’s the value of edumucation!  That’s why understanding the structure of the City of LA is key to understanding how activists can motivate change, and improve the environment for cyclists.  It follows that misunderstanding can lead to catastrophic failure, and waste [...]

If you’re looking for a job in bike activism and education, C.I.C.L.E. is hiring a Managing Director.  Under the direction of the Steering Committee, the Managing Director will oversee all fundraising, programming, events, and advocacy efforts of C.I.C.L.E.
C.I.C.L.E. gave me my start in mainstream activism.  Mandi Trimas wanted to create a system of bike mentors [...]

Many received an email today announcing that the draft proposed LA Bike Plan will be available for download at the end of the day today.  I’m stoked to see it.  I had a couple opportunities to see it during the drafting and I’m pleased that it’s a 180 degree reversal from the first proposal, thanks [...]

On Friday Ted Rogers of Biking In LA attacked John Fisher, Assistant General Manager of Operations of LADOT, claiming that Fisher is ultimately responsible for Bikeways failures.  In “Who’s the man behind the curtain of L.A. bicycling?” Rogers, a board member for the LACBC, exonerates Michelle Mowery by arguing that she is not powerful enough [...]