Traffic Skills 101—the short-duration course that helps you develop skills to cycle Long Beach streets more safely—is taught by instructors (LCI’s) who are certified by the League of American Bicyclists. The course at CSULB Pyramid Annex is free, but advance registration is required. Click EDUCATION at the top of the longbeachcyclsts.com page for more information and to link to the CSULB web site to register.

This will be will be the last opportunity to take Traffic Skills 101 in Long Beach this summer.

By the way, the photograph was lifted from the cover of the Smart Cycling pamphlet of the League of American Bicyclists. Given that the League is based in Washington, D.C., can you identify which building we see in the background? And… can you identify who is the LCI in the photo? Hint, he is well known in the Long Beach cycling community.

Traffic Skills 101

The last opportunity to take Traffic Skills 101 this summer will be in July.

Click on the image for details.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-outthere26-2010jan26,0,3205517.story

Much has taken place since the article was published. And we know that many cycling events and activities during May 2010 will place Long Beach on the front page again.

If your bike’s tires need air and if your chain needs oil, NOW is a perfect week to get your bicycle into shape. The May 2010 calendar is sprinkled with lots to do, so you’ll want to have your bike in good shape so you can join us.

Barboza’s article can provide you with an overview of some cycling-friendly initiatives in the works. We already have Sharrows (the green lane) along Belmont Shore, and we have trial Bicycle Boxes. A Bicycle Box gives the cyclist at an intersection a designated place in front of motorists to wait until the signal light turns green. 

Barboza also mentions plans for protected bikeways, traffic circles on less-traveled streets, and talk of creating ‘bike corrals’ to favor convenient bike parking near certain shops and restaurants. Barboza quotes Charlie Gandy: “We can fit 15 customers where we used to fit one.” That is, 15 parked bicycles occupy the same amount of space as one car. The idea is that ‘bike corrals’ can help ease parking congestion by encouraging larger numbers of local people to drive a bicycle rather than a motor vehicle. 

Barboza also quotes experienced cyclists, motorists, and other City representatives. And he quotes Jennifer Klausner of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, a nonprofit advocacy group that is something like Long Beach Cyclists’ regional cousin. Klausner says that Long Beach is looking for ways to make east-west and north-south corridors safer and more inviting for cyclists. Klausner suggests that Long Beach is ahead of Los Angeles in that respect.

Barboza reports that Long Beach has raised $17 million in grants that will be translated into traffic improvements, bike share programs, and education.

Although Barboza’s article does not mention Long Beach Cyclists, we’d like to toot our horn here by mentioning that LCI instructors offer Traffic Skills courses for cyclists. Click EDUCATION at the top of the longbeachcyclists.com web page to see the schedule of upcoming sessions and to link to the online registration process. It’s springtime, 2010. Be sure your bicycle is in shape, and be sure to take Traffic Skills 101 so that you can improve your skills cycling safely and legally on city streets.

On April 20th, during its regular meeting, City Council approved construction of two street improvement projects that are part of larger efforts underway to make Long Beach a great city for travel by bicycle. City Council approved construction of separated bike lanes downtown along 3rd Street and along Broadway. And it approved the ’bike boulevard’ project along Vista Street, which will improve neighborhood calm and provide a new, quiet, safe, east-west cycling route. The Vista project will serve as a model; other neighborhoods can view it and may wish to then convert one of their own streets into a ‘bike boulevard.’

Long Beach Cyclists was present at the meeting. More than a dozen LBC members sat in the City Hall chamber, and prior to the council vote, member Chris Quint spoke at the podium on our behalf. Quint thanked the many individuals who are helping to improve the livability of our city, including Sumire Gant of Public Works. Quint pledged our support to help City planners and engineers address minor concerns so that these projects be as well designed as possible.

Having learned how to travel all roads in our city safely and legally, experienced vehicular cyclists are generally not intimidated by motorized traffic. On the other hand, cyclists who are less comfortable driving near motorized traffic will especially love the approved projects. New lanes in the downtown area will be built that are physically separated from motorized vehicles, and traffic calming features will be created along a street in Belmont Heights.

A great BIG ‘thank you’ goes out to the following Long Beach Cyclists who were present at the April 20, 2010 Long Beach City Council meeting: Bernadette McKeever (president of the LBC board), also Travis, Chris, Donald, Tom, Lee, Amanda, Allan, Scott, Jessica, Josh, Cal and Michael.

Click above right to read the two City Council motions as recorded in the draft of the meeting minutes. To watch a video of the entire board meeting, click on the link below. Look for April 20, 2010 City Council meeting. Chris Quint started speaking 3 hours, 5 minutes and 35 seconds into the meeting… so you may wish to fast forward:

http://longbeach.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=12

Sevilla is a Spanish city that is rich in history, yet is also very modern in its cycling infrastructure. Citizens and visitors can rent bicycles (free for the first 30 minutes) at any of 250 bike parking facilities. Long Beach, take note!

The program is called “Sevici,” which is the city’s name, Sevilla, combined with the Spanish word for bicycle, “bicicleta,” affectionately also known as “bici”. Spaniards pronounce the letters ‘ci‘ with a lisp—‘seh-VEETH-ee’. 

Each “Sevici” rental bicycle has water-spatter protection, a handy basket and lock, and a walkthrough design for ease of use—folks dressed in expensive skirts or suits will not soil their clothing.

Long Beach Cyclists member Donald Moore recently visited several cities in Spain, accompanied by his family, and he files the following report:

Biking in Spain, by Donald E. Moore

My family and I spent three weeks, from Christmas until January 14, 2010, sightseeing and visiting a friend in Spain. It was great fun. Among other things, I noted biking conditions in the cities we visited.

Seville is about 300 miles south of the Spanish capital, Madrid. Like most Spanish cities, Seville is built along a river and offers a lot to see. It has an extensive system of bike paths, is very bike friendly and has a public bike rental program.  According to Wikipedia, Seville has 250 bike stations, inaugurated in April of 2007, with 2,500 bikes. 

My family used the short-term, one week membership that costs 5 euros, (about US$7.50). The first half hour is free, the next hour costs 1 euro (about US$1.50), and subsequent hours cost 2 euros each, (US$3.00). You can use any credit card to purchase membership at the control pane located at each of the 250 locking stations. A deposit of 150 euros (US$225) is taken from your card to deter theft and is returned when the bike is locked up again at any station.  

Obviously, the Seville municipality wants you to ride a bike to the station nearest your destination and leave it there for the next rider. Locking stations are spaced about two city blocks apart.

As you can see in the photos, Sevici bikes have a step-through frame, upright bars, effective fenders and a chain guard and medium-width tires. A Sevici rental bike has a very good dynamo lighting system that is always turned on, front and rear. It has a three-speed internal hub transmission, and a built-in cable lock for locking the bike when away from a locking station. Sevici bicycles must have originally been designed for circus bears as they weigh about fifty pounds; their brakes could be a disaster on a long, steep hill! Fortunately, the neighborhoods where I rode are almost flat.

Sally and I had a great time riding our Sevici bicycles on the many separated bike paths and along the river path. Seville drivers were courteous. The city is very bicycle friendly. 

Other cities we visited include Madrid and Salamanca. 

Spain’s capital is “sunny” Madrid. When we visited, there was as much snow as sun.

Madrid has a great deal of history and culture. Our friend Ramón says that Madrid has a “beltway” of paths around the city and is building “spokes” into the center.  Although Ramón walks to work, he does not commute by bike because he does not feel it is safe.  With the narrow streets, buses and taxis there, I do not blame him. Madrid is less bike friendly than Long Beach. In downtown Madrid there seem to be more motor scooters and motorcycles than cars. I did not find a public bike rental system there. As in other parts of Spain, about one half of all bikes are folders—probably due to small living spaces.

The next city we visited was Salamanca, about 76 miles northwest of Madrid. Salamanca is much smaller than Madrid. It is more bike-able and has a very nice bike path along the river and elsewhere. Salamanca is a beautiful little city, with a university, cathedrals and museums. Although Salamanca has no public bike rental system, I would say it is very bike friendly. The lack of a bike and rain there kept us from enjoying the bike paths.

 ///

The author of this report, Donald E. Moore, was recently elected Long Beach Cyclists board secretary. Don, congratulations!

We learn about this in one of the three readings that will be discussed at the next session of the Long Beach Cyclists Reading Group. You are welcome to join us in a lively discussion. We meet at Portfolio Coffeehouse (Fourth Street at Junipero) on Sunday, March 21st, 6:00-7:00 pm.

One of the three readings to be discussed this month is a study about cycling popularity as impacted by perceived safety, as well as topography and attractiveness and comfort—Barriers to Cycling.

Another reading looks at anxieties felt by people who are “automobilised.” Some people who are not happy that their car-centric way of life is threatened in turn may claim that cycling in urban areas is too dangerous. The author wonders if separate lanes marginalize cyclists. How might we as a society help more people overcome the emotional barrier that is ‘fear of cycling’?

And of course we will discuss women’s professional cycling in the late 1800s, perhaps contrasting that with our sense of women cyclists today.

By the way, just as there was a journal for cyclists in the late 1800s called The Hub, the Long Beach Cyclists newsletter is ALSO called The Hub. Folks in the 1890s beat us with a great name for a cyclists’ newsletter. (Who knew?!!! Perhaps both of us were first.)  What’s more, the fantastic Long Beach bike-repair cooperative that will hold its grand opening April 3rd, (run by Pedal Movement and friends, Long Beach Blvd. just south of PCH), is called… The H.U.B.   With periods. Graham, correctly, really IS first.

For Reading Group contact information and to see a map, click EVENTS at the top of the longbeachcyclists.com web page, then scroll to the LBC Reading Group entry.

The Long Beach Cyclists Reading Group, organized by Kevin Flaherty, meets monthly to discuss books and news of interest to the local cycling community.

Click EVENTS at the top of the page, and scroll to the January 31st calendar entry to view a map pointing to Portfolio.

There has been a lot of buzz regarding the new bike lane treatment on the Eastbound side of 2nd street that runs through Naples Island.  This could prove to be a successful facility, but in the meantime, I think we need some bold traffic signage for our motorist friends!

These pictures were taken by LB Cyclist Justin McKeever on his way home from work today

Mapes is the author of Pedaling Revolution—How Cyclists are Changing American Cities. Mapes has much to say about making Long Beach streets more ‘livable.’ With humor and insight, Pedaling Revolution looks at vehicular cycling, and examines road use and various kinds of separate facilities. Mapes looks at what other cities are doing and provides us with many ideas and considerations that we might incorporate or adapt here in Long Beach.

Bicycle with flag illustration by David Drummond.

On November 19th, Jeff Mapes will meet locally at three locations, first at lunch time, then in the afternoon, and then in the early evening.

At noon, Mapes will be downtown for a brown bag lunch, and will talk with a ‘professional’ focus—How is Long Beach measuring up to its goal of becoming the best bike city in America. (Click on EVENTS at the top of the Long Beach Cyclists web page to view the calendar for location and specifics.)

At 2:30 PM, Mapes will be at CSULB (see EVENTS for specifics), and will participate in a lively discussion with an ‘academic’ focus—Social and political changes, and how cyclists are reshaping American cities.

At 6:00 PM, Mapes will be at the Long Beach Museum of Art, and will meet with the public with a ‘community’ focus—What works, what are our concerns, how might we get there.

“In a world of growing traffic congestion, expensive oil, and threats of cataclysmic climate change, a grassroots movement is carving out a niche for bicycles on the streets of urban cityscapes. In Pedaling Revolution, Jeff Mapes explores the growing urban bike culture that is changing the look and feel of cities across the U.S.”