Will Campbell Goes To City Hall

When it was announced that LAPD Chief Charles Beck was to be in attendance at this week’s City Council Transportation Committee meeting Wednesday, I would have bet good money that he wouldn’t show. Nothing against Beck, it’s just that in the recent past there have been blow-offs by the department to requests by the committee …

You Know Its Bad For Cyclists When The Homeless Hate On You

Well, this just has to about beat all. On my bike, I’ve been left-hooked, right-hooked, cut-off, short-stopped, tailgated, shaved, flipped-off, shoaled, poached, thrown at, laughed at, yelled at, cussed out, threatened and derided by all manner of motorists. Never before — nope: NEVER EVER — have I experienced direct derision and disdain from someone so …

Picture This:

I’m always pleasantly surprised when my slapped-together rides draw any interest whatsever, so you can imagine how thrilled I was that yesterday’s 8 Presidents Ride drew a variety of 24 cyclists  at the outset (not shown: Stephen and Alice and Foodtruck Maven Joni — and no, Bobby in the yellow shirt is not about to …

I Always Approach The T-Bone of Vendome Into London Because Of Idiots Like This

Most of the northbound motorist morons I meet at this intersection (map) — and trust me on this there is a legion of ’em — are limit-line challenged. They’ll either barely slow down upon arrival at the stop sign, or they’ll California roll on through with their left turns, leaving me two options. Either I …

Hawks & Redrunners

I was much more uplifted by the first clip, featuring what I expect is a protective mama Cooper’s Hawk chasing off a nest-encroaching and substantially larger red-tailed hawk that I chanced upon this morning when on 4th Street and Rimpau I heard the telltale Cooper’s laughing call and was able to bring my digicam to …

Breaking Containment

Lately I’ve been thinking about the general marginalization and rejection of cycling in Los Angeles and something dawned on me that may be sociological or profound. Or both. Or neither. I realized — while biking, of course — that here in this city, content isn’t nearly the king that the container is. Instead of our …