Thread started by Creative Thing at 05.3.09 - 4:53 pm

I have had email run-ins with L.A. Times writer Steve Lopez (who's stories on a homless musician are now a major movie). But his article in today's paper is pretty perceptive, and I do think he is a pretty good writer.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez3-2009may03,0,4350578.column?track=rss

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Funny timing. I was just on the beach path today - rented a tandem and took my Mom out for a pre-Mother's Day excursion.

Everything he says is true, you have to be super vigilant - my years of MR experience served me well. Lots of near misses, but still a fun day.



mr rollers
05.3.09 - 5:28 pm

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Rlrz - I love hearing about the bicycle adventures you and your mom have... so cool!



redridinghood
05.4.09 - 1:39 am

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Steve lopez - fuckin wasted a whole article talking about the beach bike fuckin path? Another useless mainstream media dinosaur. Uh yes lopez, assholes walk on the beach bike path tell us something we don't know, welcome to cycling newb get on the streets and write about that shit!




Roadblock
05.4.09 - 2:09 am

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Bike paths on the beach are basically a big long attractive nuisance. Of course people are going to walk on them. Good intentions, meet human nature. NEXT!



PC
05.4.09 - 2:15 am

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If bicyclists can get tickets for riding on the Venice Boardwalk, why aren't pedestrians cited for walking on the bike path?





skd
05.4.09 - 8:54 am

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i've almost seriously injured myself or a few toddlers running across the path at the most inopportune time.

i think it's a good piece that some cyclists in the city can relate to. judging from his other columns, i think there's a good chance steve would be open to writing more about bicycles if more people let him know the city's inadequacies in that area. especially if he has an opportunity to rip into villaraigosa or rocky d. he loves ripping into city hall.



sciencefriction
05.4.09 - 12:59 pm

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Haha. Could we get him to rip into LaBonge as well? The guy's so.... (!!!) frustration. I don't even have words. Slimy disgusting, nasty politician. That's not enough, but I tried.
I agree that he probably could be encouraged to write more about cycling- maybe we right him letters thanking him for the article on the beach path, and btw, have your heard about the Hummer Incident?



danya
05.4.09 - 1:08 pm

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I wish we could do a "Bikes take back the Bike path" ride. Doesn't have to be a big ride, just 20 or 30 bikes with bullhorns, whistles and bicycle bells. Ride up and down the bike path from Santa Monica all the way to Playa Del Rey. Yelling at people..."if your not on a bike, get off the bike path!" Yeah, it might get people pissed off. Yeah, they might call the cops. But what are the cops gonna do? You are riding on the bike path.





urbanpedal
05.4.09 - 1:17 pm

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The beach bike path is probably a lost cause, between poorly designed and antiquated infrastructure (that fuckin' word again!) and general lack of consideration from almost everybody that uses it.

One thing in Steve Lopez's favor: wasn't he the guy that called out Jaime de la Vega for driving a Hummer a year or so back?



mr rollers
05.4.09 - 1:45 pm

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http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/06/steve-lopez-on.html

another one about rocky's wife driving a city-owned yukon on a suspended license.
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/20/local/me-lopez20



sciencefriction
05.4.09 - 2:17 pm

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One of our favorite activities is to ride on the bike paths (particularly in Venice) and scream LOUDLY and maniacally as we get close to pedestrians dumbly standing/walking there. It's really, really awesome to watch them jump in terror, and it gets onlookers laughing too. It becomes a fun Saturday afternoon activity to go to Venice and pick out the people who deserve to get screamed at as we come down the path. Kissing couples, people on cell phones, parents with kids spread out the width of the path, and drunkies are favorite targets.

If you can't beat 'em, turn 'em into your own entertainment.



Team Creanberry
05.4.09 - 2:27 pm

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I was phone interviewed concerning this, and while he opened with questions about the bike path I tried to redirect conversation toward bike lanes designed in the door zone and other hazards regular SM bike commuters deal with, but I guess he didn't use anything from our conversation.



GarySe7en
05.4.09 - 2:38 pm

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yeah, Team Creanberry is right. Make the event fun. Videotape it and put it up on Youtube.



urbanpedal
05.4.09 - 2:51 pm

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Gary,
In defence of the story as it ran, he is limited to the total number of words he can use, so he must remain on topic, which was the S.M. "bike path".
I 'm thinking his refrence to L.A. streets needing improvement for bicycles came directly form your conversation with him, slight as it was.



Creative Thing
05.4.09 - 2:52 pm

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Let the peds have the damned beach bike paths. If you're in that much of a hurry, ride on the street. And if you're in that much of a hurry at the beach, you should maybe consider having a more leisurely attitude toward your leisure time, no?



PC
05.4.09 - 3:32 pm

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+1 PC

it's the beach bike path, making a ride to harass people off of it wont teach anyone a lesson you'll just look like dicks on bikes and prolly get into some fights too. besides it's like trying to hold back a wave with your hands it aint gonna stop. LOL

it's Lopez's fault for writing about something so trivial. When Lopez writes about commuter cycling on the streets, or bike lanes then he'll be relevant.



Roadblock
05.4.09 - 6:41 pm

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