Grateful for the Morning Sun

Good Moring Los Angeles! Last week, I posted a gnarly photo of the aftermath from my accident collision with a hit and run driver almost 3 weeks ago. It freaks me out to see that photo as it crystalizes just how close I came to death.




I wanted to share a recent portrait. As you can see, I'm healing up quickly, which is the most amazing part of this whole ordeal. I attribute my rapid recovery to being in excellent shape before the wreck, ALOT of rest afterwards and most importantly the outpouring of support from my family and friends.

Thank you.

TONIGHT! Cool Haus Parks in Culver City

 This morning, Heather and I caught a glimpse of Cool Haus putting the final touches on their nifty new stationary shop in preparation for their grand opening tonight.



 From 6-7pm they'll be serving free ice cream sammys. I bet there will be a line. Who's going to be the mayor?

Checkpoint

 

 3 weeks ago, I was nearly killed by a hit and run driver while riding my bike in Echo Park. As an avid bicyclist, I've wondered what could be done to make the streets safer for cycling in Los Angeles. This morning, I found the answer.

 

As I was driving to work, I saw an angry man holding a nearly illegible sign waving furiously at the cars passing by. Up on the next block, I saw what he was angry about: a police checkpoint. It turns out, he was warning unlicensed drivers that the police were checking every driver to make sure they had a drivers license. 

I was shocked how many people he had to warn. In just 4 hours, the Culver City Police had taken 100 unlicensed drivers off the road. Their cars were impounded and they were free to walk away.

Here was one such driver. Was he unlicensed or was his license suspended for a DUI? Either way, it was illegal for him to be driving.

Driving is a privilege. More importantly, it's a potentially deadly activity requiring skill and training. If you cannot prove you are trained to operate deadly machinery, you have no business putting people in danger. If you have been suspended from driving and continue to drive, you're a menace to public safety and deserve to be stopped.

An estimated 2 million California drivers are unlicensed. Either they never got a drivers license or their license has been suspended. More than half of all people driving with a suspended license were convicted of a DUI.

Half of all hit-and-run collisions involve unlicensed drivers. Unlicensed drivers are four times more likely than licensed drivers to be involved in a fatal accident.

If you support safe streets and would like to end the menace of hit and runs that kill cyclists and pedestrians, take a moment to thank the Culver City Police Department for catching 100+ unlicensed drivers this morning. Call CCPD Traffic Division at 310-253-6251 and let Lt. Ron Iizuka know how much you support checkpoints to catch unlicensed drivers. Better yet, ask the police in your neighborhood to implement similar checkpoints. I have yet to see a more effective way to reduce the danger posed by hit and run drivers.

Walking The Walk

How many times have you seen a police officer driving in a reckless manner? I've stopped counting the number of cops talking on their cell phone while driving. I even saw a motorcycle cop riding his bike with one hand and holding his cellphone in another. Once when I confronted an LAPD officer while riding next to her squad car on my bike, she smiled and said to me "It's for official police business" as if the subject matter of her call magically immunizes her from distraction and me from the danger she poses to my safety. I've witnessed Beverly Hills police blow through stop signs while speeding through residential neighborhoods. While this is legal when their lights are on and they are responding to an urgent call, their emergency lights were off, and because they made no effort to alert anyone, it can only be described as reckless driving. A call to the watch commander confirmed they should not have been doing that. One of my hopes was that one day, all these officers would be held to the same laws that all other motorists must abide by.

For one Miami police officer, that day has finally come.

Florida Highway Patrol arrested a Miami police officer on Oct. 11 after a seven-minute-long high speed chase on Florida's Turnpike in Broward County.

VIDEO COURTESY OF UNIVISION 23

Bike Your Halloween Weekend

Tonight's Critical Mass will feature one thousand plus costumed riders taking to the streets of L.A. starting at 6:30pm, Wilshire and Western.

On Saturday, head over to the Graff Lab for the L.A. Fixie Bike Film and Music Festival. Music, Films, Food and Racing with CASH prizes for men and women! So if you think you're the fastest fixie rida in all the land,

PROVE IT, and collect $400. Here's a teaser:

And on Sunday, The 99% Ride takes to the streets starting at OccupyLA at noon, sharing our demands for a world that works through democracy, not corporatocracy.

I've invited the mayor to join us.

Cultural Genocide in South Dakota

A 3 part investigative report by Laura Sullivan and Amy Walters on NPR this week brings to light an awful truth about the United States of America:

Well into the 21st century, the state of South Dakota continues to perpetrate a systematic campaign of cultural genocide against numerous Native American tribes.

Why? To satisfy the greed of politically connected individuals who have succeeded in privatizing the care of foster children in the state of South Dakota, twisting and warping the purpose and mission of state agencies and ignoring federal laws in the process.

A company in South Dakota has figured out that they can steal native children off reservations, put them in group homes that they own, and collect millions of tax dollars to care for them. All they need to do is say the child is being neglected and no one can stop them. Federal law dictates that native children must be placed in native homes or with relatives, but South Dakota does nothing of the sort. Instead, 700 children a year are sent to a chain of group homes operated by this company awarded an exclusive no bid contract to care for foster kids in the state.

Guess who used to run the company: the governor of South Dakota, Dennis Daugaard.

I find it ironic that a Republican governor of a Republican state can pretend to rail against government waste when he has devised an evil little factory that steals children from their families so that he can bill the government for their imprisonment. The taxpayers of South Dakota are robbed annually to the tune of tens of millions of dollars as a result of this illegal child imprisonment scheme.

The loss of identity and psychological damage inflicted on these children is immeasurable. That this is able to occur in our country must give every American pause.

When will Dennis Daugaard be brought to justice for devising and perpetrating unspeakable acts of cultural genocide against the Crow Creek Tribe?

A Modest Proposal

I present to you modest proposal: This Friday, Los Angeles Critical Mass shall bring the ride to Occupy Los Angeles and ride a couple laps around City Hall in solidarity with OccupyLA. I bet we can EASILY give City Hall and the Occupiers a "bicycle bear hug" in costumes nonetheless!

 After all, I'd bet 99% of CM ridazz are part of the 99%. Damien, can I get a Air Horn, Seen? 

I can imagine that a vocal minority will say Critical Mass is not political. I guess you could make whatever conclusions you want about the simple act of riding in circles around the political heart of our city.

BikeroParty!

Saw a tweet yesterday about some party and thought I'd pay the good people at Bikerowave a visit. Bottom Line: they know their bikes AND they know how to party.

STOLEN BIKE in Hollywood #APB

This is a Stolen Bike

When: This morning 10/22/11


Where: Near Sunset and Fairfax


What: Motobecane 10 speed. “Super Mirage” on center frame tube. Grey with Black tape on handle bars, 2 speed levers on handle bars. Toe grabbers on pedals. It is short, about 30” high.


Who: Suspect is a white male, 6’ with ski cap and possibly wearing a black or gray hoodie.


It belongs to my neighbor Bruce. If you see it anywhere call Bruce.


213-Three Hundred-2504


or me 


818-Six Two Zero-7865

The cavalry rides for OccupyLA

Last Sunday I helped organize a bike ride for OccupyLA
I brought the shopping cart rickshaw my friends from Alumina Design fabricated for the inagural CicLAvia.

Decorated with a 20 foot tall bamboo flag pole flying the 99%, and an Aiwa pumping revolutionary tunes, it was the perfect tool to inspire the people with the Occupation's message.





To our surprise, the 1% by and large supports the 99%

Rest In Peace Dan Wheldon

Sunday, Oct, 16th: OccupyLA Bicycle Outreach and Action

Sunday, Oct, 16th: OccupyLA Bicycle Outreach and Action

Time	Sunday, October 16 · 12:00pm - 3:30pm
Location	City Hall 200 North Spring Street Los Angeles, CA
More Info	Occupy LA Bicycle outreach & action day! We will meet at City Hall at 12:00 noon to educate riders on bicycle signaling & safety guidelines. We then leave for Echo & Elysian Park at 1:00pm and return back to City Hall. Bicycles will have with flyers & banners with "Occupy LA" & "99%" !

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=301065449910198

FMLY rides out to visit with #OccupyLA

FMLY riding 20+ deep on Venice Blvd.


Mist enshrouds the Ritz


2 weeks and going strong


General Assembly Open Mic


Facilitator leads the GA in a chant


Hand signal for a 'hard block'


She was suggesting alternatives slogans to rally the 99%


A Visitor from the New York Socialist Party


Ben


Oscar


Interview with New York protestors








Media Tent

OccupyLA will be hosting a big ride tomorrow Sunday October 16. Click here to find out more!