Local historians were aghast this last weekend when it actually rained here.
Matt Lingo took advantage of the rainy opportunity and captured these scenes of Isaac cutting puddles in North Park. More available at MattLingo.com.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
North Park Splashes: New work by Matt Lingo
Local historians were aghast this last weekend when it actually rained here.
Matt Lingo took advantage of the rainy opportunity and captured these scenes of Isaac cutting puddles in North Park. More available at MattLingo.com.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
SD Critical Mass Culture Jams Mission & Fashion Valley Malls on Black Friday
Last nite, approximately 900 San Diego Critical Mass riders rode from Balboa Park to downtown, passed Old Town, and through the poorly-planed, auto-dependent area of Mission Valley to culture jam the Fashion Valley and Mission Valley malls on Black Friday.
Steady-handed Mason captured the experience on video:
Overall, the ride was a blast! There are no known serious injuries from the ride. Generally speaking, Black Friday mall-goers seemed to greet the riders w/ smiles, as the video makes evident. There are more fun things to do on a Friday nite than sit around in malls gazing at objects to consume. Last nite, San Diego Critical Mass riders demonstrated to the Black Friday mall-goers how much more fun it is to be active on two-wheels rather than living life via a canned experience. (Canned experience is an expression, coined by urban-social theorists Kantor & Judd, to explain an increasingly popular social experience of modern suburban life. Kantor & Judd describe the increasing facilitation of canned experiences--i.e. privatism in the suburbs, the development of big-box malls (i.e. private property where public rights do not apply), etc. all connected via the automobile, which is, in itself, an extension of the canned experience.)
Black Friday 2008 was the first time SDCM ever rode through the Mission and Fashion Valley malls. It appears that riding through Mission and Fashion Valley malls on Black Friday has become a new tradition for SDCM; a sustainable tradition that doesn't require money. All you need is a bicycle and an adventurous spirit.
Steady-handed Mason captured the experience on video:
Overall, the ride was a blast! There are no known serious injuries from the ride. Generally speaking, Black Friday mall-goers seemed to greet the riders w/ smiles, as the video makes evident. There are more fun things to do on a Friday nite than sit around in malls gazing at objects to consume. Last nite, San Diego Critical Mass riders demonstrated to the Black Friday mall-goers how much more fun it is to be active on two-wheels rather than living life via a canned experience. (Canned experience is an expression, coined by urban-social theorists Kantor & Judd, to explain an increasingly popular social experience of modern suburban life. Kantor & Judd describe the increasing facilitation of canned experiences--i.e. privatism in the suburbs, the development of big-box malls (i.e. private property where public rights do not apply), etc. all connected via the automobile, which is, in itself, an extension of the canned experience.)
Black Friday 2008 was the first time SDCM ever rode through the Mission and Fashion Valley malls. It appears that riding through Mission and Fashion Valley malls on Black Friday has become a new tradition for SDCM; a sustainable tradition that doesn't require money. All you need is a bicycle and an adventurous spirit.
Tomorrow! Missing Alleycat Race by Bogus! 4 pm
The Bogus homies organize the best alleycats in San Diego. Be there (Market & 8th) tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 29) at 4pm. Race departs promptly at 5:30pm.
The final destination is a huge party for the race and for Emerson's birthday! Don't miss it.
Bogus' latest race, the Beach Party Alleycat, which took place earlier this summer was one of the most fun bike events of the entire year! Long-lost pictures from that race to be posted up soon, finally.
I (this particular Bic Control contributor) came in 4th at that race! Yeah-yuh! It was a super fun time, w/ an SD style bonfire rager afterwards. Everyone had a blast, so don't miss tomorrow's race.
But beware and be aware; The Cretins are gonna take this sh*t!
Friday, November 27, 2009
Right now!: Black Friday Critical Mass and Footdown, tonite!
There's been a lot of sad entries lately involving pedestrians and cyclists killed, shot at, and/or denied justice.
However, tonite at Critical Mass any and everyone can come together for a fun bicycle ride throughout our beautiful San Diego. The ride is meant to be fun for all. You can help keep it that way by being an ambassador for conscientious riding by offering constructive communication to things you do and/or do not approve of. This is the people's ride. So speak up to make it better and as fun for as many people as possible.
Meet at the big fountain at Balboa Park tonite (in 40 minutes!)! Bring a working bicycle, lights, a helmet, friends, and a posi-attitude.
After the ride, why not stop by Footdown for a friendly drink w/ other SD cyclists?:
However, tonite at Critical Mass any and everyone can come together for a fun bicycle ride throughout our beautiful San Diego. The ride is meant to be fun for all. You can help keep it that way by being an ambassador for conscientious riding by offering constructive communication to things you do and/or do not approve of. This is the people's ride. So speak up to make it better and as fun for as many people as possible.
Meet at the big fountain at Balboa Park tonite (in 40 minutes!)! Bring a working bicycle, lights, a helmet, friends, and a posi-attitude.
After the ride, why not stop by Footdown for a friendly drink w/ other SD cyclists?:
Bicyclist Killed in Crash with Trolley
A bicyclist, 42-year-old Rafael Reyes, was killed in a crash with a trolley in the Mount Hope Cemetery area on Wednesday, reports the San Diego Union Tribune.
According to the Metropolitan Trolley System conductor, Mr. Reyes attempted to pass up the trolley on his bike to most likely cross in front of it.
Not much information is known on this incident, other than what was reported in SDUT.
According to the Metropolitan Trolley System conductor, Mr. Reyes attempted to pass up the trolley on his bike to most likely cross in front of it.
Not much information is known on this incident, other than what was reported in SDUT.
Man on Wheelchair Killed by Motorist in Santee; More Auto-centric Media Bias
A man on a wheelchair was struck and killed by a motorist in Santee (San Diego County) on Wednesday, November 25, 2009, reports the San Diego Union Tribune.
According to investigators, as reported by SDUT, the 60-year-old man, Hector Villasenor, 'was on an electric wheelchair when he went onto Carlton Hills Boulevard about 6 p.m. and crossed directly into the path of a pickup truck that was heading southbound.'
However, the reasoning behind this action seems to defy logic. Why would a wheelchair-bound man purposely 'cross directly into the path of a pickup truck'? Was it for suicidal purposes? No one would intentionally cross into the path of a 3,000lb vehicle unless it was for suicidal purposes or due to a mental illness. The SDUT writer of this piece did not shed light on this possibility.
The writer of the piece also omits some seriously important portions of information. The author never asks the essential question at hand; why wasn't the motorist able to stop for this pedestrian? Was the motorist driving distracted? How fast was the motorist going? Are crashes at this intersection frequent and how frequent are they? Furthermore, are there are any plans described in the General Plan to improve the area for safer bicyclist and pedestrian access? These are essential questions the author has omitted.
We are told that Mr. Villasenor "crossed" 'directly into the path of' the pickup truck rather than being told that the motorist crossed directly into the path of the man on the wheelchair. Why did the author chose to frame the incident from the perspective of the motorist but not from the perspective of the pedestrian involved?
Mr. Villasenor and the motorist of a pickup truck collided, one is person is dead, and now the discourse of this SDUT writer suggests that the man who was crushed to death is to blame for the crushing. Yet, we haven't seen any evidence which supports this claim except for a vague claim that the motorist's 'path' was "crossed". What exactly does that mean and how did the incident occur?
In regards to media bias, our issue is that this deadly crash is one one such representation of a series of incidences where the now deceased victims of automobile hegemony are blamed for their own deaths, while the authors of these pieces have omitted crucial bits of information from the story; consider the recent cases of 12-year old Randy Vargas who was killed by a motorist in North County and Walter Freeman who was struck from behind and killed by a police officer in a patrol car. (In the Randy Vargas case, the author of the news article omits the speed of travel of the motorist. In the Walter Freeman case, the authors of the various articles representing this incident never ask what it was that the officer was doing inside of his car at the time that Walter Freeman entered that portion of the roadway).
The death of Hector Villasenor is extremely sad. We sympathize with the family.
What makes the matter worse is that this incident was written from a windshield perspective which essentially blames Mr. Villasenor for his own death, while the author offers no explanation of how the incident occured. It was written from the perspective of the motorist and the motorist only. This piece is thereby, an auto-centric and biased representation of an incident which claimed the life of a pedestrian on a wheelchair.
According to investigators, as reported by SDUT, the 60-year-old man, Hector Villasenor, 'was on an electric wheelchair when he went onto Carlton Hills Boulevard about 6 p.m. and crossed directly into the path of a pickup truck that was heading southbound.'
However, the reasoning behind this action seems to defy logic. Why would a wheelchair-bound man purposely 'cross directly into the path of a pickup truck'? Was it for suicidal purposes? No one would intentionally cross into the path of a 3,000lb vehicle unless it was for suicidal purposes or due to a mental illness. The SDUT writer of this piece did not shed light on this possibility.
The writer of the piece also omits some seriously important portions of information. The author never asks the essential question at hand; why wasn't the motorist able to stop for this pedestrian? Was the motorist driving distracted? How fast was the motorist going? Are crashes at this intersection frequent and how frequent are they? Furthermore, are there are any plans described in the General Plan to improve the area for safer bicyclist and pedestrian access? These are essential questions the author has omitted.
We are told that Mr. Villasenor "crossed" 'directly into the path of' the pickup truck rather than being told that the motorist crossed directly into the path of the man on the wheelchair. Why did the author chose to frame the incident from the perspective of the motorist but not from the perspective of the pedestrian involved?
Mr. Villasenor and the motorist of a pickup truck collided, one is person is dead, and now the discourse of this SDUT writer suggests that the man who was crushed to death is to blame for the crushing. Yet, we haven't seen any evidence which supports this claim except for a vague claim that the motorist's 'path' was "crossed". What exactly does that mean and how did the incident occur?
In regards to media bias, our issue is that this deadly crash is one one such representation of a series of incidences where the now deceased victims of automobile hegemony are blamed for their own deaths, while the authors of these pieces have omitted crucial bits of information from the story; consider the recent cases of 12-year old Randy Vargas who was killed by a motorist in North County and Walter Freeman who was struck from behind and killed by a police officer in a patrol car. (In the Randy Vargas case, the author of the news article omits the speed of travel of the motorist. In the Walter Freeman case, the authors of the various articles representing this incident never ask what it was that the officer was doing inside of his car at the time that Walter Freeman entered that portion of the roadway).
The death of Hector Villasenor is extremely sad. We sympathize with the family.
What makes the matter worse is that this incident was written from a windshield perspective which essentially blames Mr. Villasenor for his own death, while the author offers no explanation of how the incident occured. It was written from the perspective of the motorist and the motorist only. This piece is thereby, an auto-centric and biased representation of an incident which claimed the life of a pedestrian on a wheelchair.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Ghost Bike Memorial for UTC Cyclist Walter Freeman
A pro-active member of the San Diego bike community recently put up a ghost bike memorial honoring Walter Freeman, the experienced and safety-conscious UTC area cyclist who was struck and killed by a San Diego Police Officer in a patrol car on November 9, 2009, reports NBC 7/39. A sign on the ghost bike memorial reads “Walter Freeman, Cyclist, Killed By Motorist.”
The officer, who was driving down Genessee Ave. on Monday, Nov. 9, was responding to non-urgent call at a reported 45mph on a 45mph road without sirens or lights when he/she struck Mr. Freeman from behind.
Three and half weeks after the deadly collision,the results of the SDPD-conducted investigation have still not been released. SDPD Assistant Police Chief expected the investigation to be complete within a week of Mr. Freeman's death.
Mr. Freeman's step-son, Joe Nieto, M.D. has criticized SDPD's handling of the incident. The Freeman family recently requested a meeting with the officer involved with the crash.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Man Gets 120 Days for Shooting Cyclist in the Head
Charles Alexander Diez, the former North Carolina firefighter who shot cyclist Alan Simons in the head, has been sentenced to four months in jail.
(Charles Diez shot a cyclist in the head).In August, a grand jury reduced charges against Diez from attempted first degree murder to felony assault. While assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill certainly sounds like an offense worthy of a lengthy prison term, the presiding judge apparently agreed that this was a case of a stand-up guy having a bad day. Mountain Xpress reports:
Convictions on such a charge result in an average 20-39 months in prison for the defendant. But in the sentencing, Superior Court Judge James Downs found that Diez’s military service, along with testimony from former colleagues about his good character, were mitigating factors, and chose to sentence him to 15-27 months instead. Downs suspended all but four months of that sentence unless Diez breaks the law again in the next 30 months.
Diez must also undergo anger management counseling and pay Simons $1,200 "for damage to his eardrum."
The slap on the wrist issued to Diez has some worried that authorities have pretty much declared open season on area cyclists. Asked Brian Jones, who along with his wife is a regular victim of harassment and worse at the hands of local motorists: "If a cyclist shot a fireman, judge or prosecuting attorney in his head, in front of his family, what sentence do you think he/she would receive."
The travesty in Asheville comes amid continuing reports of driver-on-cyclist violence, with, as Sarah noted this morning, recent incidents in Tulsa and Miami.'Brief Bic Control comment: This is a frightening and disgusting example of extreme injustice. Charles Diez was saved by a radically unjust North Carolina judge after "assaulting" a cyclist by intentionally firing a gun into the cyclist's head with the cyclist's 3-year-old child nearby. On top of that, the entire argument between the motorist and cyclist was originally started by the shooter! Thanks to Superior Court Judge James Downs, intentional close-range gun shots to a cyclist's brain is merely a form of "assault."
It's disgusting and unjust how so many motorists w/ violent tendencies are able to harass, intimidate, threaten, assault, vehicularly assault, and kill cyclists with impunity. Now one motorist was able to get 120 days for shooting a cyclist in the head.
This is a dark day for justice in America.
Matt Lingo video on The Revival Nov. 20 SD Premier
"The Revival" 21+ San Diego Premiere from Matt Lingo on Vimeo.
Awesome! Thanks, Matt!It's Prolly love
John Watson showed us some love on his highly purposeful, informative, and fun-to-read NYC-based bike blog, Prolly Is Not Probably.
Check it out (click on pic) for linkages:
Prolly is awesome; there's no other way around it. It's really impressive how he is able to update his blog so frequently (with quality posts), find the time to ride so often and hard (see his section in The Revival), and work as an architect. How the f*ck does he do it? It's really rad to know there are urban design experts out there, like Prolly, who know what serves cyclists best.
In the global warming era, it should be a requirement (or at the very least a strong recommendation) for traffic engineers, urban planners, developers, and architects to also be a cyclist (unless they are physically unable to do so) so those decision-makers know what it's like to integrate into an urban design/city/facility on a bicycle. This is kind of a side point, but it was really frustrating when the only City of San Diego representatives at the City of San Diego Bike Plan Meeting earlier this year were 'traffic engineers' who don't ride bikes. (We were there and we spoke w/ them). How do they know what's best for bicyclists when most of their experience using roads is from a windshield perspective?
Anyways, glad to know there are people like Prolly out there. Dude's got mic control and bike control.
Thanks for the awesome write-up, Prolly!
Check it out (click on pic) for linkages:
Prolly is awesome; there's no other way around it. It's really impressive how he is able to update his blog so frequently (with quality posts), find the time to ride so often and hard (see his section in The Revival), and work as an architect. How the f*ck does he do it? It's really rad to know there are urban design experts out there, like Prolly, who know what serves cyclists best.
In the global warming era, it should be a requirement (or at the very least a strong recommendation) for traffic engineers, urban planners, developers, and architects to also be a cyclist (unless they are physically unable to do so) so those decision-makers know what it's like to integrate into an urban design/city/facility on a bicycle. This is kind of a side point, but it was really frustrating when the only City of San Diego representatives at the City of San Diego Bike Plan Meeting earlier this year were 'traffic engineers' who don't ride bikes. (We were there and we spoke w/ them). How do they know what's best for bicyclists when most of their experience using roads is from a windshield perspective?
Anyways, glad to know there are people like Prolly out there. Dude's got mic control and bike control.
Thanks for the awesome write-up, Prolly!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Thank you, everyone! SD Revival Premier a Great Experience!
Thank you to everyone who came out Friday nite! You all helped to make the nite a blast!
We we're all super stoked on the turnout. Thank you for supporting.
The Revival film was absolutely incredible! The full length feature certainly lived up to the superb trailers. All the sections were super sick. The soundtrack was excellent. We could gush about our favorite sections for days but we don't want to spoil any parts for anyone. We want those who haven't seen it yet to go in fresh to get a true first-time Revival-viewing experience--a phenomenal rush.
However, we will comment on the final scene in the film. It was one of our favorite scenes ever recorded on video involving a bicycle. This scene represents our love for the bicycle and the sense of freedom which this human-propelled instrument can provoke. Wonka nailed it.
It was such a fun experience to sit there on the ground with our friends, beer in hand, collectively experiencing Revival and all it's greatness for the first time. After the film ended, I just wish I could have pressed a "re-play" button to experience it all over again.
I was able to watch the film the next day at home and the second-time experience is still a blast, as well. The film really has high replay value. Can't wait for the DVD release.
Thanks so much to Wayne Morehart and Tom Briggs (Skitch and Morehart Films) for allowing us to be apart of the Revival experience. You guys have made a stellar picture. Big ups. It was an honor to coordinate the San Diego premier.
Thanks to the riders in the film, including Jake Ricker and Torey for getting us connected w/ Peel Sessions which ended up putting us into a position to meet Wayne and Tom.
Thanks to The Whistlestop for supporting the nite and allowing us to lock up a Friday at such an awesome space.
Thanks to everyone else involved locally:
-Matt Lingo
-Dan Arel and Leader Bikes
-Eddie Kon
-Justin Cota and Knives
-Alex Miranda and Preteens
-Carlos from Slowcraft Maldoror
-Thatcher
-Velo Cult
-Our friends for the support, encouragement, and words of wisdom
Speaking of "re-play" buttons, the Revival San Diego experience is not over! Dan Arel and Leader Bikes are taking the lead on organizing a huge (free) all ages premier on Saturday December 5th at The Rat Tail Warehouse in North Park! Details posted up soon!
Hope to all see you there.
Here are the remaining dates, as of now, according to Tom's blog at Skitch.
US
San Diego - December 5th, 2009
New York City - December 5th, 2009
Orlando - December 5th, 2009
Buffalo - December 12th, 2009
Mexico
Guadalajara - December 19th, 2009
Europe
Leeds - November 19th, 2009
Manchester - November 20th, 2009
London - November 21st, 2009
Paris - November 23rd, 2009
Rotterdam - November 27th, 2009
Cologne - November 29th, 2009
Australia
Melbourne - November 25th, 2009
Adelaide - December 8th, 2009
South Africa
Cape Town - December 3rd, 2009
Thank you everyone, for the amazing November 20th experience.
We we're all super stoked on the turnout. Thank you for supporting.
The Revival film was absolutely incredible! The full length feature certainly lived up to the superb trailers. All the sections were super sick. The soundtrack was excellent. We could gush about our favorite sections for days but we don't want to spoil any parts for anyone. We want those who haven't seen it yet to go in fresh to get a true first-time Revival-viewing experience--a phenomenal rush.
However, we will comment on the final scene in the film. It was one of our favorite scenes ever recorded on video involving a bicycle. This scene represents our love for the bicycle and the sense of freedom which this human-propelled instrument can provoke. Wonka nailed it.
It was such a fun experience to sit there on the ground with our friends, beer in hand, collectively experiencing Revival and all it's greatness for the first time. After the film ended, I just wish I could have pressed a "re-play" button to experience it all over again.
I was able to watch the film the next day at home and the second-time experience is still a blast, as well. The film really has high replay value. Can't wait for the DVD release.
Thanks so much to Wayne Morehart and Tom Briggs (Skitch and Morehart Films) for allowing us to be apart of the Revival experience. You guys have made a stellar picture. Big ups. It was an honor to coordinate the San Diego premier.
Thanks to the riders in the film, including Jake Ricker and Torey for getting us connected w/ Peel Sessions which ended up putting us into a position to meet Wayne and Tom.
Thanks to The Whistlestop for supporting the nite and allowing us to lock up a Friday at such an awesome space.
Thanks to everyone else involved locally:
-Matt Lingo
-Dan Arel and Leader Bikes
-Eddie Kon
-Justin Cota and Knives
-Alex Miranda and Preteens
-Carlos from Slowcraft Maldoror
-Thatcher
-Velo Cult
-Our friends for the support, encouragement, and words of wisdom
Speaking of "re-play" buttons, the Revival San Diego experience is not over! Dan Arel and Leader Bikes are taking the lead on organizing a huge (free) all ages premier on Saturday December 5th at The Rat Tail Warehouse in North Park! Details posted up soon!
Hope to all see you there.
Here are the remaining dates, as of now, according to Tom's blog at Skitch.
US
San Diego - December 5th, 2009
New York City - December 5th, 2009
Orlando - December 5th, 2009
Buffalo - December 12th, 2009
Mexico
Guadalajara - December 19th, 2009
Europe
Leeds - November 19th, 2009
Manchester - November 20th, 2009
London - November 21st, 2009
Paris - November 23rd, 2009
Rotterdam - November 27th, 2009
Cologne - November 29th, 2009
Australia
Melbourne - November 25th, 2009
Adelaide - December 8th, 2009
South Africa
Cape Town - December 3rd, 2009
Thank you everyone, for the amazing November 20th experience.
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Word Gets Out on Tonite!: Trackosaurus, Prolly, Death Pedal, & Bike San Diego Write Up
Trackosaurus Rex, Prolly is Not Probably, and Death Pedal showed us some love by helping to get the word out on the celebratory San Diego premier of The Revival taking place tonite! Thanks homies. Check their blogs at the above linxxx.
We also did a write-up on the premier for Bike San Diego. Bike San Diego.org is an excellent resource for San Diego cyclists. The good people at Bike SD even offered us an account to write whatever the hell we want for their website. On occasion, we do just that. Here's our excerpt:
See you there tonite!
We also did a write-up on the premier for Bike San Diego. Bike San Diego.org is an excellent resource for San Diego cyclists. The good people at Bike SD even offered us an account to write whatever the hell we want for their website. On occasion, we do just that. Here's our excerpt:
The Revival, urban cycling’s latest film by Canadian phenoms Skitch & Morehart Films, will be premiering [tonite!] for free at The Whistlestop Bar (21+) in the South Park neighborhood of San Diego.
The trailers have indicated that this will be one of the finest fixed gear films to date. Even non-fixed gear cyclists can appreciate the perspective these talented filmmakers have on urban bicycling.
Whether you ride a fixed gear or not, it is undeniable that the fixed gear bicycle has propelled new interest in urban bicycling–particularly among today’s youth. Traffic sociology in many major U.S. cities is changing. Bicycle ridership–in many U.S. cities–is reaching historic levels. Young adults are taking to the streets on two wheels like never before. They’re scouring thrift stores and their parents’ garages looking for 70s/80s steel road frames to strip down, simplify, revive and convert to fixed gears to thrillingly propel [themselves] around cities cheaply, healthily, and sustainably.
San Diego is but one city where this social phenomena is taking place.
The Revival represents modern youth’s fascination with the fixed gear bicycle. This film is bound to further propel interest in urban bicycling, particularly among young people. Come out [tonite!] for a celebratory and fun SD bike party at The Whistlestop (2236 Fern St. near Velo Cult) to see why we love the fixed gear bicycle so much.
There it is, y'all. Hope to see you tonite! Please, ride home when sober and safe to do so.See you there tonite!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Jake Ricker on The Revival World Premier
Our buddy Jake Ricker (The Revival, Death Pedal) wrote a piece for Trackosaurus Rex on the World Premier of The Revival in Vancouver, B.C. Check it out:
While you're at it, check out Jake Ricker's photos. He's one of our favorite photographers out there right now.
While you're at it, check out Jake Ricker's photos. He's one of our favorite photographers out there right now.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Questions in the Deadly UTC Crash Involving an SDPD Officer
Originally published on Bike San Diego
Posted By Thom on November 12, 2009
In the three days since Walter Freeman was killed by a SDPD cruiser in University City, questions from the bicycling community have continued to roll in. The primary concern is that the officer in question may have been driving distracted. Freeman exited a driveway and crossed a bike lane and two other lanes of traffic, wearing a reflective vest and red helmet before being struck from behind by the cruiser, which according to the SDPD was traveling under the posted 45 m.p.h. speed limit.
Residents of the area said Freeman was an avid bicyclist who rode the area regularly, but witness statements claimed that Freeman moved left suddenly into the path of the cruiser, emphasizing a common misperception that bicyclists are erratic and unpredictable. But if Freeman was the experienced and safety-conscious bicyclist he seems to have been, it seems unlikely that his move reflected anything other than an assumption that a police car, of all things, would obey traffic laws and allow him to merge left.
As anyone who has been in a fender-bender knows, police typically assign fault in rear-end collisions to the driver in back for failing to yield or traveling at unsafe speeds. In this case, the officer claimed to not see Freeman until it was too late, but it seems that Freeman had done everything within his power to be seen. The SDPD was quick to label this fatality an “unfortuante accident” but the investigation is ongoing and we hope the department will provide more information about what exactly the officer was doing inside his car when Walter Freeman entered the roadway.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
The Revival Premier at The Whistlestop, Friday November 20! Free!
This is gonna be an absolute blast!
Here's the flier for the event which features Tom MOSHER!
Also, there will be an all ages event in early December. It's being organized by Dan Arel and Leader Bikes. It will also be mad fun. So make sure to come out to both! Updates to follow as they develop.
The latest update on The Revival premier at The Whistlestop (21+) is that now both Slowcraft Maldoror (based out of Barrio Logan) and Leader Bikes (based out of National City) will have a bike on display. Slowcraft Maldoror will have a bike a custom bike on display during the first half of the nite and Leader will have their trick-star frame on display during the second half.
Giveaways graciously provided by both Leader and Velo Cult.
Thanks, in advance, to all the sponsors involved with this premier. And a huge thank you goes out to Dan Arel and Wayne and Tom at The Revival.
See you Friday, November 20th for The Revival premier!
Monday, November 9, 2009
Cyclist Killed in Collision with Police Officer Responding to a Non-Urgent Call in Patrol Car
A cyclist was killed this morning in the University City neighborhood of San Diego when a police officer collided with the cyclist from behind while responding to a non-urgent traffic collision call, reports NBC San Diego and NBC 7 broadcast.
(Photo by NBC San Diego).
The 64-year-old cyclist died at the scene around 7:19am, reports the San Diego Police Department Traffic Division. The officer, who struck the cyclist from behind en route to a non-urgent traffic collision call without sirens or lights, is uninjured, reports San Diego News Network.
According to NBC 7 broadcast news, the cyclist was traveling southbound on Genesse Avenue in the bike lane before changing lanes to make a left turn onto Governor Dr. The police officer was also traveling southbound on Genesse, apparently at the exact posted speed of 45mph, before striking the cyclist from behind, sending him to his death. Sign On San Diego claims that the cyclist's turn into the left lane was 'abrupt.'
However, turning left into the right-most lane which serves your destination (such as a left-turn lane when your intention is to make a left turn) is completely legal under California law. It sounds like the police officer never saw the cyclist; otherwise, the officer would have yielded upon seeing the cyclist and/or would have turned on lights and sirens to alert the cyclist, "play it safe," and to most likely prevent another collision from happening.
The cyclist was wearing a red helmet and a vest with reflective patches, reports Sign On San Diego.
(Photo by NBC San Diego).
Apparently, because the officer was traveling at 45mph, which is the exact posted speed limit, the officer was not required to turn on lights or sirens. Speeds that are over the speed limit are considered 'emergency' situations, and therefore necessitate lights and sirens, reports SDPD Traffic Division.
Updates to follow as they emerge.
(Photo by NBC San Diego).
The 64-year-old cyclist died at the scene around 7:19am, reports the San Diego Police Department Traffic Division. The officer, who struck the cyclist from behind en route to a non-urgent traffic collision call without sirens or lights, is uninjured, reports San Diego News Network.
According to NBC 7 broadcast news, the cyclist was traveling southbound on Genesse Avenue in the bike lane before changing lanes to make a left turn onto Governor Dr. The police officer was also traveling southbound on Genesse, apparently at the exact posted speed of 45mph, before striking the cyclist from behind, sending him to his death. Sign On San Diego claims that the cyclist's turn into the left lane was 'abrupt.'
However, turning left into the right-most lane which serves your destination (such as a left-turn lane when your intention is to make a left turn) is completely legal under California law. It sounds like the police officer never saw the cyclist; otherwise, the officer would have yielded upon seeing the cyclist and/or would have turned on lights and sirens to alert the cyclist, "play it safe," and to most likely prevent another collision from happening.
The cyclist was wearing a red helmet and a vest with reflective patches, reports Sign On San Diego.
(Photo by NBC San Diego).
Apparently, because the officer was traveling at 45mph, which is the exact posted speed limit, the officer was not required to turn on lights or sirens. Speeds that are over the speed limit are considered 'emergency' situations, and therefore necessitate lights and sirens, reports SDPD Traffic Division.
Updates to follow as they emerge.
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