LA's Best Bike Plan - The plan with a Backbone!

The Backbone Bikeway Network is a simple yet significant commitment to supporting cyclists and their fundamental need to travel to the same destinations that attract those using other modes of transportation. Cyclists travel across town from east to west, from north to south, and the Backbone simply establishes a basic framework of priority corridors and a strategy for supporting a cyclist's freedom to move. This is the foundation of LA's Best Bike Plan as articulated in the vision statement "Every street is a street that cyclists will ride."

The Backbone requires little, if any, funding in order to become a significant improvement over the status quo. The City of Los Angeles already provides many services that are key to making the Backbone the foundation for cross-town cycling, including law enforcement, routine maintenance, and prioritized repairs. Now is the time to focus them on the removal of obstacles so that the Backbone flows.

Imagine if the LAPD would use the Backbone Bikeways Network as a training tool to reinforce with the patrol officers that cyclists ride the streets, that they have the right to take the lanes, that they need to get to the same destinations as others and that they are a part of the traffic mix, not an exception. Couple this "learning opportunity" with enhanced law enforcement and speed limit enforcement and cyclists would enjoy an already funded but inconsistent public service, one that would contribute dramatically to the success of the Backbone.

Imagine if the Bureau of Street Services would give the Backbone priority maintenance, sweeping the curb lanes and keeping the gutters cleared, something that typically happens on secondary streets and side streets in residential areas but rarely on the larger cross-town routes. Just like in snow country, there should be a hierarchy of streets that receive maintenance attention. It would benefit all modes to put the focus on the Backbone, especially cyclists. Clean curb lanes allow a cyclist to ride a straight line because they don't need to dodge broken glass and debris. Cyclists will be able to give more attention to the traffic around them if they can spend less time watching for obstacles.

Imagine if the Bureau of Public Works gave the Backbone priority repairs, conducting street work and revitalization according to real priorities of traffic rather than political pressure. In Hollywood, we've got side streets getting resurfaced but the section of Santa Monica from the 101 Freeway to La Brea has a curb lane that is simply un-ridable. Wilshire Blvd. has a curblane that has cars and buses dodging asphalt drift and potholes which is unsafe for everybody. None of this is good for the efficient flow of traffic.

The real immediate impact of the Backbone Bikeway Network is that it provides the City of Los Angeles a focus point for the delivery of services and an opportunity to invest in "human infrastructure" instead of more cement. The significant value to be gained from the implementation of the Backbone Bikeway Network is the change in attitude, in philosophy, in actions and it starts with an investment in education, encouragement, and enforcement.

During conversations over the Backbone, many suggestions have come up about the different opportunities to implement engineering solutions ranging from the "floating bike paths" to the "K-Rail separation scheme" to simpler bike lane and sharrow solutions and that is a conversation that will take place over time. The solutions will result from a robust process and they remain to be seen.

For now, I recommend that the Backbone be established with great wayfinding that serves as a confirmation and as an "invitation to ride." Great cities such as Munich, Sydney and San Francisco have wayfinding signs that direct cyclists to the popular destinations and have simple distances and route identities labeled. The establishment of the Backbone and the supporting signage is the foundation of LA's commitment to connectivity and to supporting basic access and mobility.

As for additional enhancements, this is the time to position a commitment to "neighborhood pilot projects" as the next layer of Backbone effectiveness. Now is the time to get sensitive to the community and the local environment and to use this as an opportunity to engage the public in the development of innovations instead of tired template solutions.

I'm guessing that Alex has a different idea for Venice Blvd. than what Mihai might propose for Wilshire/Westwood. I'm certain that Ron will have a great solution for Santa Monica through Beverly Hills that will be nothing like Jeremy's ideas for Wilshire in K-Town. I know Enci has ideas for Hollywood, that Dan has plans for Sunset and that Mark can certainly make Vermont a better street to ride.

Regardless of what these folks come up with, we can rest assured that it will pale in comparison to what Josef has in store for Figueroa Avenue in Highland Park. The ideas and the solutions will vary from neighborhood to neighborhood and will address the many unique circumstances that occur throughout the LA area. But they all have one thing in common, the Backbone commitment to facilitating and supporting cyclists as they ride to same destinations as everybody else.

The Backbone foundation supported by "human infrastructure" allows us to position "neighborhood pilot projects" so that innovations with community support can be implemented, increasing through-put with speed moderation, limiting friction by enhancing curb lanes, calming traffic with road diets and traffic calming, enhancing capacity with speed management and synchronization, and enhancing connectivity with local communities by involving them in the process.

The League of American Bicyclists has a Bike Friendly America program that evaluates communities based on the "5 E's" which are Engineering, Education, Enforcement, Encouragement and Evaluation. Cities such as Portland and Boulder have achieved Platinum status, while San Francisco and Seattle have picked up Gold awards. In the LA area, Long Beach, Claremont, Santa Clarita and Santa Monica have all received slight nods from the League.

A couple of years ago, the Bike Writers Collective started pushing for the inclusion of Equality as the 6th E, a campaign that paralleled the efforts of Long Beach cycling advocate and CABO Director Dan Gutierrez who has been pushing for "Equality."

Imagine if we left the LAB behind and went beyond the "Bike Friendly" concept, instead using the Backbone Bikeway Network to lay down a LEED street program that went beyond the "6 E's," adding the Environment and the Economy as standards for performance. LEED standard streets would be vital connectors, not dividers, they would lose the "traffic sewer" status and instead became lifelines that enhanced the quality of life in a community instead of imposing a state of siege on a neighborhood.

LEED standard streets would have a positive impact on street life, on the reduction of crime, on the improvement of health, on revitalizing property values, and on the local economy. The benefits of a Backbone Bikeway Network go way beyond simply access for cyclists and is the foundation for a new approach to mobility.

The Backbone Bikeway Network is an important opportunity for the City of Los Angeles to embark on a journey of commitment, a journey of innovation, a journey of community building and it all starts on the streets of LA.

The change we want will take place because we ride, not because we want to ride or because we think about riding or because we plan to ride, it will take place because our actions will change the character of Los Angeles, and the development of that "human infrastructure" is of greater value than all of the cement and paint in the world.

As for me, I'll be riding the Backbone and I'll see you on the Streets!

LAPD Chief Bonding with LA’s Cyclists

Photo courtesy by Eric Richardson
CityWatch, Jan 19, 2010
Vol 8 Issue 5

LAPD's Charlie Beck, barely into his third month as Chief, is off to a great start in his promise to forge a strong working relationship with the cycling community. Shortly after his nomination he was working the neighborhood council circuit, introducing himself to community leaders and promising to make "good policing and civil rights" the foundation of his LAPD legacy. It was at the Citywide Alliance of NCs that he was presented with the Cyclists' Bill of Rights and a challenge to put his leadership team to work making Los Angeles a great place for cyclists to ride.

Since then, Commander David Doan and his team have formed the Cyclists/LAPD Task Force which met in a marathon session to initiate a comprehensive survey of the cycling conditions from all perspectives, not just from the patrol car.

Representatives from the Bike Writers Collective, illuminateLA, Sustainable Streets, Bikeside, the Bike Working Group, the Voice, and the Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee were all present and offered up insight from different perspectives, all united in a desire to see the LAPD embrace cycling as a transportation solution, not simply as interruption in the smooth flow of motor vehicle traffic.

Cmdr. Doan convened the meeting saying "The LAPD is committed to making our roadways safer for all commuters with an emphasis on our most vulnerable commuters, cyclists. We are committed to working with the cycling community to improve police cyclist interactions and to find ways to make our streets safer for everyone."

As the City of Los Angeles wallows in the midst of a budget crisis of unprecedented proportions, one might wonder why the LAPD would put valuable resources on such a niche constituent group but this is exactly the model for community policing that is essential, not just as a public safety solution but as an example of how community leaders can partner with city leadership to make the most of our valuable resources.

A strong working relationship with the cycling community allows the LAPD to draw on the insight and experience of cyclists who experience the gritty details of the streets of LA up close and personal. Something the LAPD won't experience from a patrol car that is racing from one high priority call to the next.

As for the cycling community, the issues that were presented included:

1) Education - It is imperative that we work together to educate the LAPD officers who patrol the streets and the City Family as a whole on the rights of cyclists on streets of Los Angeles. Last year a DWP contractor ran over and killed a cyclist in the crosswalk of a quiet residential street in the Valley.

Last year a LADOT contractor ran over and killed a pedestrian in the crosswalk of 5th and Flower. There's no doubt that our streets are congested and contested, but it is imperative that we move past debates over rights and into a campaign to make our streets safer.

2) Cyclists Count - It is important that the LAPD has good accident data so that the allocation of resources can be most effective yet cyclists are uncounted as a user group, uncounted in accident surveys and uncounted in crime reports.

In spite of the forms that are used on the streets, the databases that collect the information don't capture the cyclist as a unique travel mode. The result is that simple questions of public safety, conflict hot spots, areas that need additional enforcement and simple reviews of performance are unanswerable because, at present, cyclists don't count.

3) Crime Scenes - When a motorist "asserts" himself against a cyclist, it is not a simple traffic violation or traffic collision, it is a crime. Crimes against cyclists need to be treated as real crimes, not as simple infractions that are simply part of everyday traffic in Los Angeles. A hit-and-run motorist that leaves a cyclist behind needs to be pursued and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The recent Mandeville Canyon road rage incident that resulted in several felony convictions for Dr. Christopher Thompson wasn't the first reported incident for the Dr., it was the third, and it wasn't investigated as a crime until it got political. That must change!

4) Civil Rights - Cyclists riding alone and late at night sometimes find themselves in handcuffs while the LAPD checks their information. LAPD officers report that this "immobilization" is simply for the safety of the officers but critics call it "bias based policing" or "profiling" and that riding a bike should not be a cue for handcuffs.

The cyclists who stand the greater chance of ending up in cuffs are the "workforce" cyclists who ride for economic reasons, may not have lights and who may ride on the sidewalks late at night. The opportunity here would be to have the LAPD pass out blinkies and a copy of the Cyclists' Rules of the Road rather than to assume that late-night cyclists are "capering."

5) Bike Safety - Cycling advocates hold that in spite of all the well-intentioned advice for cyclists, real public safety on the streets of Los Angeles starts with a focus on Motor Vehicle Safety.

Motorists will cause approximately 40,000 deaths this year in the United States. It's no secret that our streets are filled with high-performance vehicles operated by low-performance motorists. The distractions are many and GPS units, cell phones, entertainment equipment, in-car dining, behind-the-wheel grooming, road rage, speeding and simple contempt for others on the road all contribute to an unsafe environment. The place to start is with the operator that is able to do the most damage, the motorist.

6) Road Rage - Cyclists talk of their journeys on the streets of Los Angeles as if they were campaigns in a war-torn third world country. Motorists who race up from behind, lay on the horn and threaten death turn out to be soccer moms. Bus Operators "asserting" themselves across bike lanes, vehicle passengers who throw things, "right-hooks" and "left-hooks" and "doorings" all add up to a simple journey across town.

Through it all is the common thread, simple road rage. Yet reporting these incidents to the LAPD reveals that we don't have strong investigation or enforcement policies in place. That has to change!

7) Hot Spots - Cyclists are just like anybody else on the road, they expect to make safe and effective progress toward destinations that include homes, places of employment, schools, cultural and social destinations, shops and parks. Cyclists also recognize that route selection is an essential element of safe and effective cycling. There is a real opportunity for the cycling community and the LAPD to work together to identify "hot spots" that could use enhanced LAPD patrols and enforcement, perhaps even LAPD Bike Stings.

8) Bicycle Network - The LA Bike Working Group (BWG) is developing "LA's Best Bike Plan" and a key element is the Backbone Network, a series of streets that stretch from Downtown to the Westside, from Downtown to the Harbor, from East to West across the Valley and from Downtown to the Eastside. In other words, a Backbone Network that connects the city of Los Angeles and really gets cyclists from one side to the other.

The current LADOT inspired bikeways network consists of bits and pieces of bikeway scattered "where it fits" instead of "where it's needed." LA's Best Bike Plan is the Bike Plan with a Backbone and it doesn't require millions of dollars in infrastructure funding to put an enforcement and maintenance focus on the streets that are vital to cyclists who simply want to get across town safely and effectively.

9) Speed Limits - Last year the LADOT peppered the Transportation Commission and the Transportation Committee with speed limit increase proposals throughout the city. While surrounding communities such as Glendale and Burbank supported then-Assemblyman (now Councilman) Krekorian's AB766 "Safe Streets" bill that would allow local communities to have more control over the establishment of speed limits, the LAPD lobbied neighborhood councils, the Commission and the Transportation Committee in support of speed limit increases.

All this was in an effort to maintain speed limit surveys that would allow the LAPD to continue to use radar/laser speed limit violation enforcement. The times are changing and we should work together to change the speed trap law. We should also work together to implement traffic calming techniques such as speed tables, bulb-outs and road diets, all of which slow traffic without requiring the presence of a law enforcement officer.

10) Training - The LAPD has a Traffic Division commitment to providing officers with roll call training on bicycle safety but it is imperative that the training start with an Education Module at the Academy and that it is supported by significant ongoing education that reflects the changes that are taking place on our streets, in the traffic mix, in the legislature and in the courts.

11) Crime Reports - When a motorist has their car stolen, it's investigated by Traffic Investigators. When a cyclist has their bike stolen, should they walk to the nearest Police Station to give a report that is then investigated as a property crime? Can a cyclist give a "stolen bike" report over the telephone? What are the LAPD policies for crime reporting when it comes to cyclists? Road Rage reports, hit-and-run crimes, jurisdictional confusion, CVC interpretation that varies from the CHP to the Sheriffs to the LAPD, all on the same street in Los Angeles.

Good policing depends on good data which results from good crime reporting which is in need of some significant departmental policy and education, internally and externally. Cyclists contend that many crimes go unreported because the "hassle" factor exceeds the "impact" factor.

12) Bike Plan - The City of Los Angeles is in the process of updating the Bike Plan, which is a component of the Transportation Plan which is an element of the city's state-mandated General Plan. The LADOT and City Planning have spent two years and $450,000 on the Draft Bike Plan and yet they somehow forgot to involve the LAPD policy makers who might find the Bike Plan to be a useful tool for funding, for synchronizing with the City Family, for addressing priorities, for working with the other departments who have authority over the streets of LA, and most of all for making sure that the streets of Los Angeles are safe for everybody. Somehow this is simply unacceptable and the LAPD must be involved in the bike Plan update process.

13) Cyclists' Bill of Rights - LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has the Cyclists' Bill of Rights in his hands and it is up to him and his LAPD leadership team to support the cyclists of Los Angeles by establishing Equality as the foundation upon which we will work together to make Los Angeles a great place to ride.

Commander Doan of the LAPD's Operations Department is supported on the Cyclists/LAPD Task Force by Lt. Torsney, Sgt. Graham and Sgt. Krumer. They will be at the next meeting of the Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committee on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at 7 pm. The LABAC meets at Parker Center, 150 Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

(Stephen Box is a cycling advocate and writes for CityWatch. He can be reached at Stephen@thirdeyecreative.net)

CityWatchLA - LA’s Best Bike Plan

CityWatch, Oct 20, 2009
Vol 7 Issue 86

The City of LA's recently released Draft Bike Plan has stirred so much controversy, the cycling community moved right past "public comment" and convened the LA Bike Working Group in an effort to simply go to work drafting "LA's Best Bike Plan."

Drawing people from all over the city and from all walks of life, the first Bike Working Group (BWG) took place this past Saturday in Hollywood, one of the communities that the LADOT and City Planning continue to overlook as they schedule workshops for the Draft Bike Plan process.

The BWG opened up the Draft Bike Plan for discussion and then drew the participants into the process of actually creating a real Bike Plan, rather than simply commenting on somebody else's version. From the opening vision to the need for imperative language, to the standards and designations to the tools for implementation, the entire document is open to revision or replacement.

The release of a "plan" is no news in Los Angeles, a city where at any given moment there are a dozen Community Plans in various states of revision along with an assortment of Master Plans, Specific Plans, Strategic Plans, Overlays, Surveys and Zones, all of which demonstrate that if nothing else, Los Angeles has big plans.

Typically generating little interest from the community, plans such as this are usually decent paydays for a consultant, all in fulfillment of some funding mandate that requires a municipality to maintain a "City Council approved Transportation Plan" in order to qualify for funding that will likely get cobbled together with other funding sources, all of which slips into a murky mess that defies oversight.

According to the Draft Bike Plan, in the last 13 years the City of Los Angeles has spent $65 Million on Bikeways amenities. During that time they have built "13 miles of Bike Paths, 55 miles of Bike Lanes and 6 miles of Bike Routes." I'm sure there are other elements in there such as bike racks, bike maps, little blinkie lights and racing socks. But $65 Million? This Draft Bike Plan is a cry for help, better yet a cry for an audit.

As the LADOT and City Planning come up on the two year anniversary of the initiation of the Draft Bike Plan process, it is apparent that this plan is worse than a mess, that it is a boiler-plate document rife with mistakes and lacking even the simplest attempt or ambition to improve over the old 1996/2002 Bike Plan that currently reigns as the Bike Plan of record.

Two weeks ago at the NC Action Summit, Dr. Alex Thompson presented, as one of the six action issues on the agenda, the Cyclists' Bill of Rights. He called on the neighborhood council members at the Summit to take the CBR to their respective NC's for endorsement and then he went further, urging them to ask for a longer comment period for the just released Draft Bike Plan and to use the CBR as the starting point in their examination of the plan.

Since that time, the Valley Alliance of Neighborhood Councils voted unanimously to ask the City of Los Angeles to extend the comment period for the Draft Bike Plan from 42 days to a minimum of 90 days in order to allow the NC's to analyze the plan and to offer comments.

The City's Bicycle Advisory Committee also voted unanimously, this time to "demand" an extension of the comment period for the Draft Bike Plan from 42 days to 94 days, ending on January 8th, 2010.

As neighborhood councils grapple with their committee and board schedules in an effort to add their voices to the call for a lengthened comment period, a survey of the Draft Bike Plan revealed the true motivation for the enthusiastic push for an accelerated approval process, the document is a pro forma mess!

The LA Bike Working Group will convene again on Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 1 pm to continue with creation of LA's Best Bike Plan. For information visit http://LABikePlan.com.

As for the other issues from the NC Action Summit, the next meeting of the Rate Payers Advocate Task Force will be on October 24 at 1pm, immediately following the SLAP meeting. (4th Saturday). For more information visit the DWP Ratepayer Advocate.

Also meeting on the 24th is the Sidewalk Repair Task Force, at 1pm, immediately following the SLAP meeting. (4th Saturday) For more information visit the Sidewalk Repair Program.

Meetings location:
Hollywood City Hall
6501 Fountain Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90038

(Stephen Box is a cyclist advocate and writes for CityWatch. He can be reached at Stephen@ThirdEyeCreative.net) ◘

CityWatchLA - A Significant First Step

CityWatch, Oct 6, 2009
Vol 7 Issue 82

Saturday's NC Action Summit was a tremendous success from my perspective and I learned a great deal. It was an ambitious event, literally 10 pounds of meeting packed into a five pound agenda and as the emcee, I found it to be quite a challenge to keep things on track. Ultimately, I'm proud of the organizers, the participants and of the results. The NC Action Summit set out to create a forum for neighborhood council stakeholders to take on the issues that are relevant to the community, all with "Less Talk, More Action!"

That was a worthy goal but the first thing I learned on Saturday is that the "talk" is an important part of the "action" and the trick is not to limit, but to balance. There is no way to get to action without accommodating the public's need to be heard, to clear the air, to sound off and to deliver the anecdotes, the experiences, the defining moments that stirred the passion and prompted the public to give up their Saturday to get involved. It all starts with talk and it is, for many people, the action. I've learned to respect the important role 'talk" plays in "action."

The Summit had quite an ambitious agenda and we structured a schedule that in hindsight, could have been a tad more flexible.

Some issues went quickly, some went slowly and some were quite intense and were schedule busters.

I've been to meetings where success is based on adherence to the schedule, I've been to meetings where success is based on addressing every item on the agenda and hearing from every person. The real test of the NC Action Summit's success will not be based on our schedule or our open participation, it will be based on our ability to translate the event into results and I'm very optimistic.

We worked the agenda, people participated and I've learned that the event will be judged based on the next 90 days.

The event had something for everybody and for me, I was quite pleased with the outcome for the Cyclists' Bill of Rights. Dr. Alex Thompson, member of the Bike Writers Collective, Co-founder of the BikeRoWave, and Co-author of the CBR gave a presentation and engaged in a robust interaction with the public.

For all of the focus on action, this interaction was as valuable because we were able to hear concerns, misunderstandings, fears, new ideas and great suggestions, all of which we never hear in traditional settings at City Hall, Council Committee or Departmental presentations.

The Cyclists' Bill of Rights received a 50 to 1 vote of endorsement and Thompson gave a call for action, urging the audience to get their respective neighborhood councils to call for an extension on the city's Bike Plan comment period to 90 days, currently scheduled for 42 days and closing on November 6th, effectively leaving the NC's out of the comment loop.

The proposed comment period would end on Jan 4th allowing community members to evaluate the Bike Plan, take it to committee and then the board, offering an opinion on the Bike Plan and the improvements or lack of improvements in each NC.

Jeff Jacobberger offered to assist NC's in evaluating the Bike Plan and in inventorying any proposals or projected improvements in the community and the Bike Writers Collective will send speakers to any NC with the Cyclists' Bill of Rights on their agenda for endorsement.

I'm really encouraged that the Cyclists' Bill of Rights received such a great reception from the community and I'm also encouraged to see the cycling community engaging the neighborhood councils and looking for common ground.

At the end of the day, for all of the issues and all of the discussion and all of the commitment to action, the most significant part of the day for me was the fact that I had participated in the maiden voyage of LA's Government 2.0 and that real change is on the horizon.

Saturday's NC Action Summit was the significant first step.

You can sign up to the Twitter page at http://twitter.com/ncactionsummit and visit their website http://NCActionSummit.com for upcoming news and documents.

(Stephen Box is a transportation and cyclist advocate and writes Box Soap for CityWatch. He can be reached at Stephen@ThirdEyeCreative.net)

Holiday Light Festival - NC's Walk!

Photo by Militant Angelino
LA's Department of Water & Power has dusted off the Holiday Light Festival decorations and is busy investing the public's money in the event that won the "Eco-Moron" award last year for its ability to drawing idling vehicles in such numbers that Griffith Park, the adjacent communities and the 5 freeway all sit in gridlock for hours each evening of the holiday season. As the Park Rangers and the Department of Transportation grapple with the traffic, the DWP claims the "Going Green" title and then proceeds to go after more of your green.

The Griffith Park Holiday Light Festival is an old tradition, dating back to Councilman John Ferraro who visited San Antonio during the holiday season and came back all enthralled with the idea of a public light festival. In hindsight, it's only too bad that he didn't visit a city with Great Streets, one with holiday lights and people walking and talking and having conversations and singing and enjoying a human-sized people based festival. Of course, it's not too late to make some changes!

The Greater Griffith Park NC, the Atwater Village NC, the Los Feliz Improvement Association, the Oaks Home Owners Association and community members representing hikers, runners, cyclists, equestrians, and folks who simply like to breath clean air when standing in the middle of the America's largest urban wilderness park have joined together to ask the DWP to simply have motorists park their cars in the Zoo parking lot, then get out and walk through the Festival. The simple move to a pedestrian based festival, with ADA accommodations, would relieve the community from the idling queue that approaches the park from the south. It seems so simple!

The DWP's Public Affairs office, very nice folks who have one of the hardest jobs imaginable, putting a shine on the DWP's policies and programs, gave this year's version of "Why you can't have what you want but here is something shiny to distract you!" presentation, again to a full house and again to well-articulated arguments for the same old vehicular based paradigm for enjoying the great outdoors.

The Bike Writers Collective objects to the DWP's Griffith Park Holiday Light Festival for a few reasons, first because it excludes cyclists from the vehicular nights based on the recommendation of the LADOT that it is too dangerous to have motor vehicles and bicycles on the same road. This becomes a principle issue since one of the basic rights cyclists claim is the right to ride on the streets of Los Angeles. The DWP claims that it is exempt from the law and can exclude cyclists which leaves cyclists charging "The DWP is trying too hard to find a legal loophole to do something absurd, prevent cyclists from riding bikes in traffic that moves so slowly, the road resembles a parking lot."

Plans are already underway for a protest ride, The Festival of Rights, which will take place on Friday, December 18. The protest ride, which gathers at the Mulholland Fountain where cyclists decorate themselves with lights, has become an annual tradition and this will be the third year (2007 and 2008) that the absurdity of a vehicular light festival at the expense of the community, the pedestrians and the cyclists will be challenged by the cycling community. Cyclist should be cautioned that the ride is not without risk, participants who elect to breath while riding will be subjected to greenhouse gases, auto emissions and noxious odors.

As for the larger issue of the "Pedestrian Friendly" event that local community leaders have been proposing, endorsing and working to bring to fruition, the DWP Commissioners, the DWP Management and Councilman Tom LABonge have all been notified that the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council has polled the community and concluded with a resolution calling for the "complete environmental reform of the annual LADWP Light Festival in Griffith Park."

Bike Rack Contest

Good for Bikes, Good for Artists! Bike Rack Contest!

Great Bike Racks are like Welcome mats for cyclists. They communicate to cyclists that they are a part of the gestalt of the community. Putting bike racks up front where everyone can see them is not just a benefit in terms of safety, but it has a significant impact on the non-cycling community and it normalizes and integrates cycling as a transportation choice.

What's best is when they're part of an overall streetscape improvement campaign that includes other elements such as trees, planters, and street furniture that both improves the overall aesthetic of the street while contributing to a vibrant streetlife.

This long, windy into is all to set up the big announcement:

Ladies and Gentlemen of the cycling world, the creative world, the DIY world, the "I think I can do it better" world, the "I want to win a contest " world and the "I want to design a bike rack on Hollywood Boulevard" world:

BICYCLE RACK DESIGN COMPETITION FOR LOS ANGELES ARTISTS & DESIGNERS

Presented by City of Los Angeles, Council District 13

DEADLINE: 3 PM Friday, March 6, 2009

Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti, in partnership with the Bike Writers Collective and the support of the Hollywood Project Area of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, is sponsoring a competition for a unique bicycle rack for the East Hollywood community.

This project seeks to add visual appeal and transportation amenity to its vibrant East Hollywood streetscape along Hollywood Boulevard between Western Avenue and Vermont Avenue.

The City of Los Angeles welcomes the creative energy of the greater community to assist in the creation of this important element of street furniture – the bicycle rack.

When Holidays Lights Go Bad

A Million-Light Baby, With Parental Issues
How can an "eco-friendly" festival exclude bicycles?
Min Kang
Issue date: 12/22/08

The Insider

The festivities have begun and it is time again to visit the bright child of Los Angeles, officially known as the 13th Annual Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Griffith Park Light Festival. Whether you like it or not, with its twinkling lights, it attracts Angelenos searching for a unique winter holiday experience with a traditional twist.

The festival sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) draws large crowds; an estimated 650,000 visitors attended last year. A bold mission to "go green" attached to its glittering surface, the festival could be the poster child for the city's eco-friendly lifestyle. At least that is the objective. The problem is that not everyone can agree that earth-consciousness is what the festival represents.

The Department of Water and Power (DWP) gushes about how the festival has "gone green." To them, this means converting festival lights to Light Emitting Diode Lights or LEDs, using a clean fuel cell for power and expanding the "vehicle-free" nights to two weeks of pedestrians walking through the one-mile route.

During the walking-only nights, it can be a pleasant trip. Fortified against the cold with a delicious warm churro in your mouth, you join other pedestrians out for a leisurely stroll. There is a predominant theme of mischievous elves. Kids gaze intently and point to the lit brontosaurus, while others stand awkwardly in the cold against a dazzling tunnel of light as cameras flash. Music blasting from hidden speakers hit all notes of holiday emotions; from nostalgic carols to sexy saxophones evoking the content end of a night of revelry.

One grandmother dressed as Mrs. Santa hustles the two-step with her grandson as they dance along to the tunes. Couples cuddle in crooked arms and kiss. A troupe of dog owners and a variety of pedigreed dogs reminiscent of "Best in Show" walk briskly past.

Linda Bennett with her red-nosed husband (illuminated Rudolph bulb attached to his nose), a newcomer to the festival, already has made memories. "It is a great family meeting place. My whole family is here, my grandsons. It was my daughter's idea to bring us all together here."

Kim Hughes of the water company's Public Affairs office, says that this is "a gift from the city to the city (residents)." Certainly the DWP is proud of their baby. It is the most visible public relations outlet they have. But this is the artifice of holiday cheer is created by LED lights. And like Cinderella's pumpkin carriage, the magic is only temporary.

After December 7, the festival returns to its car-dominated tradition of gridlock and its generous contribution to global warming. "Never let the cars in, says Richard, a light festival visitor and new father. "The fact that we could walk through is great, rather than smelling the exhaust (from cars)." In previous years, pedestrians have had to walk along the path with motor vehicles.

When Hughes claims that DWP has enjoyed a long-established, strong environmentally-conscious reputation, it reflects the staunch efforts of the department to maintain the image - that the festival represents the same altruism to the environment as in their projects. "The LADWP has always been a leader in environmental stewardship, as it was one of the first utilities in the country to develop a "Green Power" program, a solar program, etc."

In reality, the DWP has reservations about letting the festival be completely car-free. Many of the concerns involve unsupervised children. In a recent Los Angeles Times article "City-Sanctioned Traffic Jam Adding to Global Warming," by Steve Hyman, he suggests that Joe Ramallo of the DWP fears that a pedestrian-friendly festival would encourage solicitors of "unsupervised kids who linger and hang out." Some other concerns veer to the ludicrous, like how pedestrians "could trip over things" or "children may stray too close to the lights."

A serious obstacle to creating a pedestrian-only festival is, ironically, the lack of parking spaces. Pedestrians drive to the festival form their homes and need a place to park their cars. "We try to monitor parking because there's only a certain amount of space," says Hughes. To be precise, there are only 2,200 spaces in the zoo parking lot, by the Merry-Go-Round and its adjacent lots. The festival has to accommodate 2,000-5,000 cars a night. "We're trying to bring in the Metropolitan Transit Authority [MTA] public transportation, says Hughes, "but right now there's only one bus (during "vehicle-free" nights) that takes visitors up here until 6:30 p.m." She admits, "The budget is tight," but returns to reassuring plans as she ends her sentence, "and next year we hope to lobby for longer times and more shuttles."

We should understand that the department is working hard for us. That same dedication for the community is the message the department wants ingrained. It is perfectly stated in Ken Lombard's, President of the LADWP Commission, 2002 interview with Business Wire: "The light festival represents an important opportunity to reinforce LADWP's commitment to the communities throughout Los Angeles and the 3.8 million residents we serve by bringing them together to celebrate our history and our City's landmarks in grand holiday fashion." In other words, the department is trying to promote its presence in the community and accommodate as many people as possible. Unfortunately, the goal of "accessibility" conflicts with the goal of "green."

Keep in mind that this is the work of a bureaucracy, a well-oiled machine pumping public relations propaganda. The commitment of accessibility for the masses excludes bicyclists from the 3.8 million Angelenos served. Other than one preview night for bikes, Nov. 28, bicyclists are banned from the light festival. Access has been granted to motorcyclists who speedily wind through spaces between cars. Recently, equestrians and canines have been welcomed, yet bicyclists are excluded. One discontented group of avid bicyclists wants in.

This group, known as the Bike Writers Collective, views the water company's ban on cyclists as being poorly justified. Founder and spokesperson Stephen Box, of steely eyes and a quick tongue, lashes against the DWP's ineptness to reduce congestion. He says, "The light festival is accommodating so many more vehicles that the Interstate 5 shuts down all the way to the 134 Freeway, as a result of the significant traffic congestion." He continues, "One would think then, that in an effort to reduce the congestion, (the DWP) would encourage other modes of transportation like (he makes an emphatic pause) - what do you call this? - a bicycle." Box has no mercy when revealing the fallacy of the water company's reasoning. "But instead what (the DWP does is) take the lane that typically cyclists would use on Crystal Springs Drive and dedicate it to another lane of motor vehicle transportation."

When asked why bicyclists are banned, Hughes unknowingly reveals how water and power encourages congestion without placating bicyclists. "We are concerned with safety, as a two-lane road is converted to three with an emergency lane and two vehicle lanes converted into a one-way route," she says. "Vehicles go through the festival without their headlights on and since we also have barricades, there is a very little safe area for bicycles and we would not want anyone to be injured."

The Bike Writers Collective is skeptical. "This is the same battle cyclists fought when the Griffith Observatory reopened," said Box in a LAist article, "and Recreation and Parks intended to exclude bicycle access."

The Bike Writers see the ban as a violation of California state law which the DWP has no authority to enforce. Box recites the state laws: "California Vehicle Code (CVC) 21 is the uniformity code which restricts the municipality's authority to regulate the movement of cyclists with three exceptions: freeways, sidewalks and bike licenses. CVC 21200 says where motorists go, we go." Three years since its formation, this legislation-savvy group has rallied and petitioned the city council to allow them to exercise rights supported by state law. Some have taken their passion for bicycles and cyclists' rights to articles and blogs to vent the frustrations of their campaign or relate the latest progress made on behalf of bicyclists.

The bicycle activist's most demonstrative act is the annual protest ride through Crystal Springs Drive which they did on Dec. 8, which, ironically, was the opening night for cars to enter the festival. They met at the Mulholland Fountain, dedicated to the legacy of William Mulholland, a paradoxical figure that brought water and expansion to the city while ravaging the Owens Valley and provoking outrage from environmentalists. It is clear that they are no pushovers. This community of bicyclists exudes youthful energy. Some of the cycling comrades are wrapped in stringed LED lights, another plays irreverent holiday tunes that include a parody from South Park, and one is a stern Santa wearing glasses. It is a sight to see.

Though excluding bicyclists may not be the most prominent issue, Box sees that the ban is a consequence of the DWP's refusal to recognize the core problem - severe traffic congestion around Griffith Park. Surveying the intersection between the southwest corner of Los Feliz Boulevard and Crystal Springs/Riverside Drive, Box notes, "This is one of the most congested intersections in our city; this is a treacherous intersection in general. A police officer was killed right over there. As he pulled someone over, he was hit."

In a 2005 study of fatalities and injuries from motor vehicle accidents in Los Angeles County cities, Los Angeles had the most fatalities; 277, and injuries; 42,832, of all other cities in the county. Box asserts, "For us to encourage motor vehicle transportation as a form of recreation and entertainment is absolutely antiquated. It is the complete antithesis of all that (the city) should be doing as a committee, to improve the quality of life in this community."

Despite complaints from residents and bicyclists alike, the light festival pushes safety and environmental concerns aside. It continues to support motor vehicle transportation because it brings in the most visitors. In the LA Times article by Hymon, Councilman Tom LaBonge "thinks cars are part of the deal to allow as many people as possible - including those who cannot walk the route - to see the lights." After all, isn't popularity what maintains legitimacy in the DWP's claim to "dedicated" service? This is the car-centric city. The 2000 census on the means of transportation utilized by Angelinos reveals that nearly 1.2 million people travel by car, truck, or van in Los Angeles.

Box makes a poignant statement of the water company's and the city's attitude: "There's a saying that success has many parents, but failure's an orphan." Water and Power and the city are proud to brag about their light festival that dazzles. As for the other offspring - the traffic jams, heavy smog and ban on bicyclists, both parents refuse to claim responsibility.

For now, the Light Festival carries a heavy burden to uphold the family name - the same "quality" service to the Los Angeles community.

Bike Writers Collective at Transpo Committee

Yesterday's Transportation Committee endorsement of the Cyclists' Bill of Rights was a significant victory for the Bike Writers Collective and marked the culmination of a journey that began in January of this year when the BWC was formed and when we first set out to change the world, one bike right at a time.

The rights articulated in the CBR already exist and are guaranteed by Federal, State and Local laws, regulations and policies so the City of LA endorsement is not necessary in order to "create" or codify any of the rights but is instead a significant symbolic gesture that informs the cycling community and affirms to the Community as a whole that cyclists ride as equals and with the support of our leadership.

The Transpo Committee's Special Meeting had much more on the agenda but for me, it was all derivative of the endorsement of the CBR.

Item #1 on the Agenda was the LADOT report on the Bicycle Master Plan. Our complaint has long and loudly been that efforts to engage the community were feeble...

CBR #8 Cyclists have the right to be actively engaged as constituent group in the organization and administration of our communities.

Item #2 was the LADOT report on the possibilities of a Bike Share program for Los Angeles, a program for which I have no confidence the LADOT could administer let alone simply sub out. Keep in mind, this is the department that can't simply provide bike parking at city owned facilities, all of which is already required by Municipal Code.

CBR #10 Cyclists have the right to end-of-trip amenities that include safe and secure opportunities to park their bicycles.

Item #3 was the Cyclists' Bill of Rights. Nuff said! Endorsed and sent to the full City Council with the blessing of the Transpo Committee.

Item #4 was a request for a report on the City's bikeway infrastructure and proposals to increase biking opportunities as a viable transportation option.

Duh! There was a SRO crowd of cyclists there to offer a report..."It sucks!" As for increasing opportunities to increase biking opportunities...?

CBR #1 - 12!!!

Seriously, treat cyclists as equals and support equal access, provide educated law enforcement, prosecute those who endanger, injure and kill cyclists, provide routine accommodations, involve cyclists in the process, provide signals and signage, proved mass transit access, get serious about providing bike parking and always defend the 1st and 4th amendment rights of cyclists.

Item #5 was a motion relative to the current status of the City's bicycle licensing program.

This one will get a post of its own, it's such a hot topic, but for now, suffice to say...

The current bike licensing law is simply an opportunity to harrass cyclists by enforcing a law that is badly written, contradicts the state's Uniformity Code and is thereby invalid, has no real purpose other than loss prevention, can't be followed because the LAPD is incapable of providing the licenses...

CBR #11 Cyclists have the right to be secure in their persons and property, and be free from unreasonable search and seizure, as guaranteed by the 4th amendment.

(This item allowed us to see the cavalier nature of the LAPD as Chief Paydinger simply rejected the Committee's admonitions to refrain from enforcement until the Council had rules. LaBonge asked and then backed down when rejected. Rosendahl asked loudly and was rejected. Parks interjected that the LAPD was acting appropriately if they acted to refrain from enforcing until the issue was settled. Paysinger smiled and ignored the Committee!)

Item #6 was a report relative to a Shared Lane Pavement Markings (Sharrows) pilot program.

CBR #2 Cyclists have the right to equal access to our public streets and to sufficient and significant road space.

(This item allowed the LADOT to show its colors as they reported that "painting the sharrows and encouraging cycling might interfere with the movement of the motor vehicles and would subsequently cause traffic congestion.")

The last three items on the agenda dealt with the Rand Corp's report on "Short-Term Strategies to Reduce Traffic Congestion in Los Angeles" (ride a bike!) a report on the Dodger Stadium shuttle service and a report on charter bus services.

I have no comment on the last three because we were all in the hallway celebrating the endorsement of the Cyclists Bill of Rights!

It was a great day! PC, Danny, Luis and Alan came up from the LB/San Pedro, Alex, Candy Cane and Sara rode over from the Westside, Sexy Jr. & Sr. came from the NW Valley, Rhode Bloch, Angle, Trickmilla, Mr. Rollers, Rev. Borfo, DJ Chickenleather and Veronica, cyclists from Caltrans, cyclists from the Metro, cyclists from Reyes and Garcetti's offices, loads of familiar faces and lots of new faces (Ted) all showed up and spoke up and took a huge step to changing the world as we know it, one bike right at a time!

"See you on the Streets!"

Bike Writers Collective at Antioch University

Erik, Alex and I were invited by Antioch University to present at their all-day "A Future Without Cars" forum, an event that featured urban planners, environmentalists and bike activists challenging the grad students and faculty from Antioch to imagine a better way.

All three of us chose to PowerPointificate on our unique approaches to changing the world, one bike at a time, and on reflection, I note that we represent fully one-quarter of the Bike Writers Collective. (One of the effects of spending time with Dr. Alex, our resident mathematician, is that I see things more statistically than before!)

Erik, one half of the Homegrown Evolution duo, opened strong with his sustainable approach to riding a bike and took us on a journey over the last century, painting a dismal picture of the decline of society and the direction our communities are headed. His call to action literally challenged the audience to get up on their high horse and ride a bike, as a duty, an obligation, an imperative if we are to truly change the world.

I've seen Erik's presentation at Caltrans and at USC and I enjoyed it as much, if not more, than ever. Okay, I enjoyed it more. This time he added a new close, pointing out that LA has a car-free population comparable to San Francisco and Chicago (10%) and that for many this isn't a "change the world, reduce the carbon-footprint, lose some weight, etc." choice, but simple economics. For many the bike isn't a statement but a simple brutal reality of not having the money to operate an automobile. It is at this point that Erik positions riding a bike in LA and our support of riding as a civil rights issue. Strong finish!

Alex took off on a journey that promotes the use of F.U.N. as a tool for encouraging cyclists, a journey I felt compelled to interrupt, pointing out that the best way to encourage cycling was to promote the rights that cyclists possess and to affirm those rights and inform the community.

That was the opening shot of the F.U.N. vs. Rights debate, a mano y mano battle that went to the wire, with Alex giving detail on how bike culture has grown exponentially over the last couple of years because of the success of the many rides that were simply fun. These rides drew people in, gave them skills and confidence and utilized the many popular social networking hubs to create a foundation of communication and community that has resulted in a strong presence on the streets.

I conceded that riding a bike is fun but pointed out that one by one, every single right articulated on the Cyclists' Bill of Rights had tested, challenged and violated on one of the many rides over the past couple of years and that if cyclists didn't know they had rights, they were likely to accept violations, limitations and restrictions without question and that this had a dampening effect on bike culture. On the other hand, cyclists equipped with knowledge of their rights, riding a bike with the Cyclists' Bill of Rights spoke card tucked into their spokes, were a force to be reckoned with and they were on their way to changing the world.

We both conceded that the other had made good points. Alex exclaimed "Hey you got Rights all over my F.U.N.!" and I acknowledged "Hey, you got F.U.N. all over my Rights!" and we agreed that it was a draw, but we both vowed to prevail on the inevitable rematch.

It was good to be challenged, it was good to stand before the choir, it was good to debate and it was good F.U.N.!

"See you on the Streets!"

CityWatchLA - Special Transpo Meeting Full of Cycling Issues

CityWatch, November 21, 2008

Civil Rides
By Stephen Box

LA's Transportation Committee meets today (Friday) in a special meeting to weigh in on an agenda that is full of cycling issues, all anchored by a motion to endorse the Cyclists' Bill of Rights. The Cyclists' Bill of Rights was penned early this year by members of the Bike Writers Collective, a group of bloggers and bike activists who write about riding in Los Angeles. Based on simple existing laws, standards, principles and directives, the Bill of Rights was created by the Collective as a tool for engaging the community in a discussion of the rights of cyclists and as a mechanism for engaging the City's leadership in a commitment to support cyclists and their place on the streets.

The Cyclists' Bill of Rights has spent a lot of time on the road this year, picking up endorsements from East Hollywood, Silver Lake, Atwater Village and Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Councils along with the Caltrans and Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory Committees and then finally ending up in the Ventura County Bicycle Master Plan.

The CBR has been featured on KCRW and KFI radio as well as the KCAL and KTLA news. It has been featured in the LA Times, the Wall Street Journal, the London Times and the London Telegraph newspapers as well as blogs in San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York, Australia, New Zealand and India.

Along the way the CBR inspired cyclists in Florida to initiate a petition urging the State legislature to adopt the Cyclists' Bill of Rights. It also inspired a local Harley Owners' Group to write their own Bill of Rights, a trend that has continued with the LA Horse Council now riding under the Equestrian Bill of Rights.

It has been a long journey and today the Cyclists' Bill of Rights comes home, to the City of Los Angeles' Transportation Committee where cyclists will converge from all over the City to urge the members to endorse the CBR and recommend it to the full City Council for adoption.

The Cyclists' Bill of Rights really needs no endorsement, after all it's simply full of rights cyclists already possess when they ride but it's important to the cycling community that these rights are recognized and supported by our City's leadership.

To that end, the Bike Writers collective is asking the City Council's Transportation Committee to 1) endorse the Cyclists' Bill of Rights "as written - as ridden!" and to 2) direct the LADOT to incorporate the Cyclists' Bill of Rights "as written - as ridden!" in the city's Bicycle Master Plan.

Cyclists have scheduled two group rides to City Hall, one from the Westside and one from East Hollywood. Those unable to "Storm the Bastille" can follow the CBR's journey on Twitter, on Facebook and on Midnight Ridazz.

"See you on the Streets!"

BWC Picks up 2nd Cyclists' Bill of Rights Endorsement from Silver Lake NC

Stephen (BWC,) Enci (BWC,) Alfredo, Elson, Alex (BWC,) Erik (BWC,) Colin, Mark (BWC) and Michael

The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council became the 2nd NC to endorse the Cyclists' Bill of Rights as presented by the members of the Bike Writers Collective and a delegation from the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council. EHNC was the 1st NC to endorse the CBR and they have demonstrated themselves to be leaders among the NC's in fighting to make our communities great, not just for cyclists but for all modes.

Alexis and Erik

As usual, the ride started at REDquarters, the Redline station at Santa Monica & Vermont, this time only traveling a short distance to the SLNC Board Meeting at the Micheltorena Elementary School Auditorium where Alexis and Erik of the SLNC Transportation Committee stood by with motion in hand for 1) a resurfacing project in Silver Lake and 2) the endorsement of the Cyclists Bill of Rights.

Elson took to podium saying "I know SLNC has a reputation for being a progressive NC, so this president of the 1st NC to adopt the CBR hopes to see you become #2 tonight!" He also pointed out that the CBR has no official authority but just like the 232 year old document that we will be busy celebrating on July 4th, it takes time to grow and establish awareness - so we're doing it one community at a time.

Alex, co-author of the CBR, urged the SLNC Board to affirm to cyclists who live here, work here and travel through the neighborhood that the NC cares about them and wants to engage them in the Silver Lake community. Alex's photoset of the evening.

Enci spoke of her experiences riding the streets of Los Angeles, both good and bad, and urged the Board to endorse the CBR as a starting point in stirring neighborhood discussions of equality, shared space and a spirit of community, all of which will ensure that LA is a great place to ride.

Erik spoke of the need for equality, pointing out that on the ride over to the meeting, he passed a long rubber hose stretched across the street, used to measure the number of vehicles that pass through our streets. "But they don't count cyclists. In fact they don't count seniors walking to the store, they don't count children walking to school and they don't count the many people on a bus, simply the bus."

There's something wrong when we don't measure the effectiveness of our streets on the people who use them but simply on the number of vehicles. When it's all said and done, the CBR is about equality. We count!

The Board then discussed the CBR, asking if this was the Bill of Rights or the Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. Common question, simple answer. The Bill of Rights, just like the Bill of Rights for the United States, is a simple list of basic human rights, and addresses the issues and elements that are basic human rights, civil rights and which serve to support an environment of equality. You're not opposed to equality, are you?

Spencer Strauss had a bit of difficulty with item #8 and item #9 and ultimately voted against the CBR.

#8) Cyclists have the right to be actively engaged as a constituent group in the organization and administration of our communities. (apparently he doesn't have a AAA card, a Union Card or belong to any group that acts to represent its membership. Even the SLNC Board has fellow Boardmembers who qualify for their At-Large seats based on a variety of interests in the community)

#9) Cyclists have the right to full access for themselves and their bicycles on all mass transit with no limitations. (Spencer was concerned about the future. What if lots of people start taking the Metro and we reach capacity and it's full and everyone wants to ride a bike. - Wow! Is that a problem or a solution? Meanwhile, City Council President Eric Garcetti has just introduced a motion urging the Metro to remove its ban on rush hour access for bicycles. Spencer has his elbow firmly on the pulse!)

After Spencer spoke, other Board members spoke up affirmatively and firmly. "Cyclists deserve the full support of the Law!" said Gale Jaffe. Elizabeth Bougart-Sharkov said "This is the way to urge the City to encourage pedestrians and cyclists and to improve our community. I support it!" Bea Gold cut to the chase saying "We need to do anything we can. I'm in favor."

And so it passed, 16 to 1, with Boardmember Michael Ray Menjivar joining the group in the hallway, asking about the next NC ride and prompting a few cries of "One of Us!, One of Us!"

Stakeholder Norman Chramoff, an elderly gentleman who had arrived on foot, joined the cyclists in the hallway saying "I think we should all be riding bikes! It would make it safer for all of us! Thank you! What you're doing is great!

As the Board continued with its business, the group broke up, some riding to Tren Way, some riding to Scoops and some to Pure Luck.

As for next steps, on Thursday, July 10th, @ 6pm, we meet at REDquarters and ride to the Atwater Village Neighborhood Council for the 3rd NC endorsement.

See you on the Streets!