Bicycle:
>> The L.A. Times reports on the LAPD’s new effort to respect bicyclists’ rights:
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck told a group of bicycle advocates that department-wide training would be implemented to highlight the rights of bicyclists on the road and ensure that officers know how to deal with incidents involving bikes.
Toward that end, officer training “would include a document that would be included in official department policy outlining officers’ responsibilities in dealing with cyclists on the road” as well as a mandatory “computer-based ‘e-learning’ agenda … to help [officers] better recognize problems and issues involving cyclists.”
>> Expect more bicycle sharrows by mid-June, after LA DOT finally implements the long-awaited sharrows pilot program. Earlier: Bike sharrows may be on L.A. streets by May.
>> BikingInLA has a great summary of what went down at the first Metro Roundtable.
>> Will Campbell took 89 fun beachy photos of people passed while biking on The Strand between Hermosa Beach and the Ballona Creek bridge.
Bus:
>> Metro got the first of 50 new buses bought with funds from the Stimulus Bill. According to Metro’s blog The Source, “the buses are powered by natural gas and will replace 33 diesel buses and 17-propane fueled buses.”
>> L.A. Times profiles a 26-year-old bus rider — who used to be a snobby driver. Now she enjoys the money savings from de-car-ing, and the views and conversations on the bus. Longer-term bus taking bloggers are split on their take on this profile. Damien Newton at Streetsblog LA sounds happy that the article describes “riding the bus as a fun place to be,” while Rosemary — formerly of Booking it Bus Style and now of Ro Ro Ro Your Blog — says the article “dripped with an offensive and condescending tone from start to finish.”
Rail:
>> L.A. City Councilmember Tom LaBonge wants to see the Metro Red/Purple line extended from Union Station to 6th Street in the Arts District.
Photo by Russ Roca Photography
Thanks for the link love! :)
Comment by Rosemary — March 3, 2010 @ 9:49 am
Such a double-edged sword when you talk about taking the bus especially when you have the “luxury” of not taking it. Or is the other way around. I took it to Hollywood from Bev Hills yesterday to help out at an event. It’s tough putting on the street face. Maybe we should have a class on that: Street attitude for white middle-class adults. Mostly I chat with people, but sometimes you have to revise your demeanor. My teen son calls me on it. “Don’t make such a big deal out of it.” I could go on about walking….
Comment by NameGirl — March 3, 2010 @ 10:13 am
What is it with these wanna-be hipsters’ blogs about taking the bus, like it’s a big deal or something? I’m a U.S. Citizen with two Masters degrees, a car, and a high paying job, AND I take the bus every day to work, as do many thousands of other Angelenos. Yet we’re not blogging about it as if we were in the Peace Corps or something. It’s just the bus, for pete’s sake!
Comment by Andre V. — March 4, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
Ha — “Street attitude for white middle-class adults” actually sounds like a fun class :)
Comment by Siel — April 14, 2010 @ 10:39 pm