Traffic Skills 101—the short-duration course that helps you develop skills to cycle Long Beach streets more safely—is offered only a handful of times each year. 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.
The last opportunity to take Traffic Skills 101 this summer will be in July.
Don’t miss this special screening of Michael Wolfgang Bauch’s film “Riding Bikes With the Dutch.”
Images of Southern California automobile traffic—including scenes shot here in Long Beach—are juxtaposed against images of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. Bauch and his family have lived in both Long Beach and Amsterdam.
Come see a special screening of Bauch’s film at the Art Theater (Fourth Street close to Cherry Avenue) Thursday evening, 7:00 pm, June 10th. We hear that Michael Bauch will be present to talk with us about his film and respond to questions.
In terms of traffic conditions and lifestyle choices of most residents, the contrasts between Long Beach and Amsterdam are stunning.
Bauch’s film may fill us with hope. Our efforts locally to make Long Beach a more livable city aim us in the right direction.
For more information about Michael W. Bauch’s work, go to www.everydaybike.com.
In the video, we see a cyclist who ignores a stop sign, passing a car that intends to turn right. The cyclist violates the law by failing to stop. Furthermore, he cycles into a dangerous ‘blind spot’. What if the motorists doesn’t know he’s there? Who is at fault if the cyclists gets struck?
Cyclists who recklessly ignore traffic law put themselves in danger and cause some motorists to feel angry at cyclists in general.
When we cycle, we are wise to cycle legally, predictably and courteously so that motorists and pedestrians are not surprised by our presence… and so that we don’t place ourselves in unnecessary danger.
Click to view the “Share the Road” video.
Attention transportation, planning, engineering and design professionals, (and others interested in gaining an insiders view of the latest bicycle and pedestrian design tools): Register before May 3rd for the MAY 17th training workshop called Designing for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety.
Click on the image for details.
Livable cities! Cities for people! Streets and community spaces for pedestrians and cyclists!
Long Beach, California is embracing cycling and pedestrian life more now than anytime in recent decades. The month of May 2010 is one filled with numerous cycling-related activities—City-sponsored activities on one hand, and the initiatives and rides of numerous cycling clubs and organizations and individuals on the other. The Long Beach Bike Fest—with races, artists, fixed gear and gold sprints fun, bike valet, easy rides, a film festival and more—will take place May 7th, 8th and 9th. Bike-to-Work Week will take place the third week of May. Other rides and cycling fun take place almost every other day throughout the entire month.
Make sure your bike tires are inflated, your chain is oiled and your brakes are properly adjusted because there will be many great reasons to get out on your bicycle this spring. Click EVENTS at the top of the longbeachcyclists.com page to see just some of the fun coming up.Â
We all can see that cycling is catching on in Long Beach… and we know that what’s happening is part of something even larger. People in many cities across the U.S. and in other countries around the world are talking bicycles as a significant component of making our communities more livable.
Recently, more than 500 people from around Southern California met up at Occidental College and at Los Angeles Trade Technical College to talk about making more of the southland great for “walking, biking and beyond.”
To get a sense of the positive energy seen at the recent L.A. Street Summit, (held March 20th, 2010 in Los Angeles), check out the streetfilms.org video produced by Clarence Eckerson. Long Beach was present as well; many of us boarded our bicycles aboard the Metro Blue Line to make the trip to Los Angeles easy and fun.
www.streetfilms.org/l-a-street-summit-2010-building-momentum-for-change/
Soon we will be able to drive our bicycles through the heart of downtown Long Beach along separated lanes. Also, an east-west residential street will be improved for traffic calming, to become our first ‘bike boulevard.’
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:
Drew Reed’s report about Andy Clarke’s recent visit to Long Beach, California is now on line. Clarke is the Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists—the national cycling advocacy and education organization based in Washington, D.C. Reed’s report and photos are now posted at LA.StreetsBlog.org.
On April 16th, many local cyclists and interested citizens, including numerous members of Long Beach Cyclists, met and cycled with Long Beach Mobility Coordinator Charles Gandy and Andy Clarke. In the morning, we were even accompanied by Jeff Mapes, the author of Pedaling Revolution. Throughout the day, we cycled along many Long Beach streets, contemplated traffic infrastructure improvements, and enjoyed local cycling life.
In addition to checking out Reed’s report, be sure to also watch Clarence Eckerson Jr.’s wonderful video, “Long Beach Shifts Cycling in to High Gear.“
City representatives seek your input regarding Metro Blue Line station access. On March 25th, Audit findings will be discussed near Del Amo Blvd. and Atlantic Avenue.
A few months back, many of us participated in the assessment of Metro Blue Line stations in Long Beach. We visited various stations and surrounding neighborhoods, observed conditions and made recommendations to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists.
You are invited to meet at the NPAC (adjacent to Scherer Park, at 4891 Atlantic Avenue near Del Amo Blvd.) on March 25th, 6:30-7:30 pm, to review the Audit Summary and to provide your input. To see a map, click EVENTS at the top of the longbeachcyclists.com page and scroll for Metro Audit Assessment at Atlantic/Del Amo.
French women cycle racers evidently earned more money than male cycle racers in the late nineteenth century, according to an 1896 journal called The Hub.
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.
