Thread started by ramonchu at 10.25.09 - 9:29 pm

Riddazz,

The powers that be in the City of Los Angeles have noticed the growing number of us hitting the streets and they don't like what they're seeing. Their response? "STOP THIS SHIT BEFORE IT GETS OUT OF HAND."

The City of LA has released a Draft of the proposed 2009 Bicycle Plan and it's a steaming pile of discrimination. The Draft Bike Plan is trying to take away half the lanes cyclists are already guaranteed by the 1996 plan that came before it and the document is clearly meant to be a stick in the spokes of cyclists everywhere. How are we going to fight this clampdown? We're going to get organized, duh.

The FIGHT THE [bike] PLAN ride starts at the Bike Oven, 3706 Figueroa, at 5pm. We'll start banging drums and getting our story straight so we can head up to Ramona Hall in Highland Park, 4850 N Figueroa St. from 6-8pm, where we've worked with City Councilmember Ed Reyes' Office (an ally to bicyclists) to set up an opportunity for your voice to be heard. The Draft Plan hasn't yet been approved and the City is currently taking public comment, and Reyes' office will be taking our comments to the city.

COME OUT AND DEMAND A STRONG BIKE PLAN THAT SUPPORTS BICYCLISTS AS AN IMPORTANT PART OF LOS ANGELES' FUTURE:

--Ask for en extension of the comment period, which was way under the normal 90 days given to all other plans like the Bike Plan. Right now we only have until November 6th; we deserve until January 10th, 2010.

--Look at the plan; it's a big document, but focus on the maps in the part of town that you ride most often. Notice how there are no lanes where you ride? Notice how everything is "proposed this" or "potential that" and not something strong like "future bike lane"? Notice how many routes there are (only signs, no lane paint) as opposed to bike lanes? Tell them what you want!

--Check out the articles being written about the plan. Get educated.

--Extra credit for attending any of the other workshops or writing Jordann Turner, Rita Robinson, Mayor Villaraigosa and your City Council Member with your thoughts on the Draft Plan.

After the ride we'll head back to the Oven to decompress, maybe burn some pinatas, and talk about what comes next.



Ride or die,

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beat em up and take there benz'



north_valley_critical_mass
10.25.09 - 9:55 pm

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So who's goin tonight to the valley meeting?
5-7pm
6262 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401

south/central was a lot of people, harbor not so much; we've got to swarm these meetings and show em we mean business.

http://www.labikeplan.com/



j3r3my
10.26.09 - 11:14 am

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Seriously, I would have made a thread with the word "valley" in the heading title to catch the peeps in the valley for your meeting tonight. Little late now.



NOT a Troll!
responding to a comment by j3r3my
10.26.09 - 5:13 pm

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whatever, there's still this ride; bring your pitchforks




ramonchu
10.27.09 - 11:02 pm

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GO. FIGHT. WIN.

One thing I'm bringing up is how the new plan removes Figueroa as a bike lane (this was not built but was at least in the 1996 plan). I want a plan that makes it possible (legally possible) to remove a car travel lane if necessary to facilitate a bike amenity.

It would be better for local business in NELA if our streets were calmer, traffic was moving a little slower on our surface streets, and everyone felt safe walking and bike riding in the neighorhood (not just hardened bike commuter types).



ubrayj02
11.2.09 - 8:36 pm

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This is so crucially important. Cycling in LA has grown leaps and bounds in the last five years, but the people who make the decisions on how the city plans for cyclists have no fucking idea. What is normal and obvious to us is totally off their radar.

Unless we show them and tell them that is.

Thanks Joseph and everyone else at the Bike Oven for organizing a ride to this and everything else you all do for all of us. Much appreciated.




bike punk
11.3.09 - 9:22 pm

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There is actually a pretty good chance that some non-bike people from the area will show up and say their piece in favor of bicycle facilities in East LA/NELA/etc.

Another big point is that there is no really good connector street from LA to South Pas and then on to Pasadena, or from LA to Glendale and Burbank. I mean, yeah there are streets that connect these cities - but they are insane when you're riding a cargo bike with your kid in it. Too much crazy car speeding - and those assholes have freeways to use! Where is my on-street facilities?!

Also, not good connections from our side of town into downtown. Just give us one street coming into downtown from NELA and East LA - one street!

Finally, most of this presentation is due to the work of Ramon from the Bike Oven and others. I just have a big ass mouth. Thanks though.



ubrayj02
11.3.09 - 11:06 pm

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What we need to figure out and focus on is how to get all these kids who are now riding, amped on doing the work to improve our cycling resources. Of course most won't be interested, but if we had 10% of 'new' riders doing some sort of advocacy, and I use that term very loosely, we'd really be kicking ass.




bike punk
11.4.09 - 7:25 am

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Bike Punk. The kids have been mobilising. You know what I'm talkin about. All city in one night. You in?



Roadblock
responding to a comment by bike punk
11.4.09 - 7:32 am

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Do the kids like stickers? I got stickers.



bike punk
11.4.09 - 7:36 am

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Someone at the Oven made a couple of sheets of labels with the LADOT logo and "planned but unfeasible" underneath. Maybe those need to be busted out at the meeting tonight. I sense a good photo op with those stickers.

There are some legitimate things that could be done cheaply and pretty quckly to improve things in this part of town. Hopefully, we'll use tonight to crystallize some of that and build an effort to get those pro-bike things done.



ubrayj02
responding to a comment by bike punk
11.4.09 - 10:30 am

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Thanks to all who showed up for tamales and beer!



thunderthighs
11.4.09 - 11:17 pm

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Jon from the Flying Pigeon LA shop got some good pictures last night on my point and shoot. It was a really good turnout at the meeting - ramonchu did some awesome work bringing everyone together along with Councilman Reyes' office. Dayum it was a good night just to meet all these people in one room!

Sadly, it looks like we might get stuck with this lemon of a plan or have to wait for a better one in a few years time :(

They took out all the stuff in NELA from the 1996/2002 plan because Michael Uyeno claims it would hurt car traffic (that is the only measurement that seems to have guided the formation of the plan).

The Bike Film Project caught a lot of stuff on tape and hopefully we'll have somethign to show for it later on in the year.

Sigh. Sometimes I fuggin hate LA and love it at the same time.




ubrayj02
11.6.09 - 12:23 am

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