Combining Bikes with Metro

Heather Armstrong from Metro Motion TV reports on using a bike in combination with LA Metro light rail and subway services to commute greater distances more efficiently. In this segment we meet up in South Pasadena at the Mission station for a brief interview before I hopped on Metro Gold and Purple lines to make the trip home to Beverly Hills.

Using the train and subway is a great gap connector for bicyclists who want to extend their boundaries in a time efficient and cost effective manner. Certainly I am capable of riding the entire distance, but from a practical perspective it makes sense to take advantage of the available travel options, especially in rainy weather as shown in the video. The Metro expands my boundaries while the bicycle gives me independence and the freedom to easily explore broader areas on either end of the train.

Thanks to LA Metro for supporting bicycling as a viable mode of transportation. Enjoy the video, more importantly get out there and ride your bike LA.

TRADER JOE'S IS RACKING UP POINTS WITH CYCLIST'S

The story is simple, ask a cyclist about the bike parking at retail destinations in LA and you'll likely get an earful about lack of accommodation to park safely and securely. Grocery stores in particular offer some of the worst bike parking options, forcing many would be cycling customer's back into their cars simply to avoid the numerous hassles and more importantly, to avoid the risk of theft due to insecure parking schemes.

On the bright side, a new leader is emerging in Trader Joe's. The recent addition of bike parking at its Hollywood & Vine location has received favorable reviews by the cycling community, albeit after a social media boycott started by illuminateLA. Following the Hollywood & Vine victory, representatives of Sustainable Streets and illuminateLA sought improvements at the Trader Joe's on the corner of La Brea & 3rd Street (click on image for before and after views). To be fair, cyclist's have been asking for better bike parking at this location for many years, myself included; however in this instance the ask transformed into real action. I also give credit to the fact that we were about to shoot video of the dismal parking conditions when Prince Clay, Store Captain, came out to see what we were up to. We explained that the bike parking conditions were unacceptable and simply wanted to document the lack of consideration given to customer's who arrive by bike compared to customer's who arrive with a car.

Mr. Clay handled the situation with grace and tact, requesting that we work together to solve the problem. After hearing our complaints and suggestions, he not only committed to solving the problem, he delivered on his promise (see image above). Thank you Prince!

Although these victories may seem insignificant to the casual observer, cyclists' depend on a safe, secure, accessible and comfortable place to store a bicycle while shopping. In my view, this is an easy and cost effective way for merchants to win loyalty from customers who cycle. My hope is this trend will continue and more stores will see the value of accommodating bicycles in their parking schemes. Do you know a store that needs a little motivation? Leave a comment.

The Other Side of Bike Lanes Revealed

Video and commentary by Oikofugic Productions gives the cyclist's perspective on some recently installed bike lanes in New York City. I'm opposed to bike facilities that place cyclist's in more danger than they would face by simply riding in their rightful place on public roadways. Likewise, as the cyclist noted at 3:50 in the vid, motorists are inclined to wield more hostility and aggression towards cyclists who choose to avoid the hazards of the bike lane by riding in the normal traffic lanes. You be the judge, are bike lanes the panacea or an invitation for crashes?

Bici Centro in Santa Barbara

I plan to check out Bici Centro in Santa Barbara in a couple of weeks during a visit to learn more about the innovative transportation solutions being implemented by the City. Ralph Fertig of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition is leading a group of us on a tour by bike so we can see first hand the latest and greatest techniques for accommodating cyclists on the streets. Besides facility and amenity improvements, the human aspect is also important and Bici Centro is just another example of how an initiative centered on meeting the needs of cyclist's spins off to become a wider community asset. In my experience, these bike collectives serve as vital meeting grounds where people with a common interest in sustainable transportation can share ideas on a wider array of interrelated sustainability issues, such as food, energy, land-use, resource acquisition, water quality, air quality and more.

Fortunately here in Los Angeles we have at least four DIY bike repair shops that have been thriving and not only serving the needs of cyclists, but also serving the greater community for up to five years now. For those that are not familiar with the LA offerings, check out Bicycle Kitchen/LA Bicicocina in Koreatown, Bikerowave in Mar Vista, Bike Oven in Highland Park, and Valley Bikery in Chatsworth.

Enjoy this video, which sums up quite nicely what all of these shops have in common and how they are an important asset for the entire community whether you ride a bike or not.

The Pedal Home from Nick Hoyle on Vimeo.

Sustainable Streets FREE 2010 WeHo Bike Ed schedule

Choose your dates, register with Ron, mark your calendar and join us in West Hollywood for an upcoming bike education class.

Santa Monica BikeIT Days - June 7 thru 10

Video from BikeIT Day, March 2010, in Santa Monica featuring Samohi students. Sustainable Streets will be at JAMS on June 7 for a FREE after school prep course for cyclists. Parents and kids are invited to attend, please meet near the main bike rack after school.

Information on specific BikeIT Day events at schools in Santa Monica.

Give Earth A Hand by Greenpeace

Get involved, join the cause.

EXXON rapes the world and achieves #1 profitability for its effort.

How much more evidence do we really need to break oil consumptive habits? Its time to hang up the pump handle and pedal or walk to your destination's. At the very least, please stop supporting ExxonMobil.

ArtCycle2

The East Hollywood Neighborhood Council and the East Hollywood Arts and Culture Committee announce the Second Annual East Hollywood ArtCycle, an event designed to showcase the emerging art and bicycling cultures in East Hollywood. On Saturday, March 13th, 2010 from 2-10 p.m., artists will take over the street in celebration of the art and culture of East Hollywood. This year, the event will be held at Santa Monica Boulevard between Vermont & Virgil, right by the Metro Red Line (Santa Monica & Vermont) in the heart of East Hollywood and on Historic Route 66.



For the full line up of events and music click here!

Bike Working Group V

Join the Bike Working Group for its fifth session dedicated to the creation of LA's Best Bike Plan.

When: Saturday, March 6, 2010 from 2 PM - 5 PM
Where: Hollywood Adventist Church, 1711 N. Van Ness Blvd., Los Angeles, CA