Today’s Headlines

LASD Sharrow Cluelessness Makes the Evening News (CBS2)
Long Beach Ready to Rumble on OC Plan to Widen 405, Charge LB for Mitigation (Post, Press-Telegram)
Hollywood High Rises Approved After Contentious Council Hearing (Daily News, LAT)
City Council Will Hear LAPD Hit and Run Report in Committee on Friday (LACBC Blog)
Bonin Proposal for Reinstating Free Parking at Broken Meters Gets High Marks (Daily News)
More People Using ExpressLanes Than Replaced HOV Lanes (Daily Breeze)
Expectations High for Nury Martinez (Daily News)
Council Names Council Member-Elect “Caretaker” Until Election Certified (KPCC, Daily News)
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Write Incoherent Op/Ed on High Speed Rail (Daily News)
CicLAvia Returns to Its Downtown Routes for October 6 Event (Curbed, LA Weekly)
Gold Line Turns 10 Tomorrow (The Source)
Want a Big Canvas for Your Art? Try a Bus (KPCC)
CAHSRA Seeks Contractors to Build First Segment in Spite of Looming Lawsuit (Fresno Bee)
Racist, Sexist, Jokes Told at LASB Event (LAT)
Mayoral Help Desk, I Like It (Daily News)
Child Killed in Crash While Crossing Street May Not Have Been in Crosswalk So It’s OK (LAT)

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

lex h

So the sheriffs department doesn’t even know the law of staying in the middle of the lane when that is the safest option.
Joe B

I just want to point out that the Daily Breeze article on the Express Lanes is full of doublespeak and weasel words. Sure, Metro has managed to cram more CARS into the Express Lanes than used to use the Carpool Lanes. But, because many of those cars are now single-occupancy, the number of PEOPLE in the lanes is greatly reduced compared to before. Metro is trying very hard to hide this embarrassing fact, and we shouldn’t let them get away with that.
Niall Huffman

It should be pointed out that Bonin’s proposal is to *reinstate* free parking at broken meters, not end it.
HighNoon

The carpools who were previously using the lane can continue to do so, provided they have a transponder. I don’t understand the fuss, it is essentially the same operation as before, except it has a different name, HOVs now need a transponder, and SOVs can now pay to use it. There is nothing preventing carpoolers, and therefore the same numbers of people who were using the HOV previously, from now using the express lanes. If there are less people it is because less people are choosing to use a facility they can use (admittedly at the “great inconvenience” of needing a new piece of equipment).

As someone who uses the facility as a carpooler and solo driver I think this program is working pretty well.
Erik Griswold

Which adds an incentive to vandalize meters, does it not?
Niall Huffman

I’m inclined to think so.
Erik Griswold

The KTLA coverage of the Santa Ana killing:
http://ktla.com/2013/07/25/girl-dead-brother-critical-after-being-struck-by-cars-in-santa-ana
Indicates clearly that the children were in a crosswalk, albeit an unmarked one.

Looking at the Aerial View on Bing Maps confirms this: http://binged.it/12nvnJc

Of course, not too many drivers know that under California law, a crosswalk exists on all three sides of an intersection like this one, and so they will not even slow down for a child, thinking the law is on their side.

As we see with Mr. Teufel of the LASD, most police officials are themselves ignorant of any part of the Vehicle Code having to do with Pedestrians and Cyclists, so Santa Ana Police have unsurprisingly made the statement that the child murdered last night was “not in a crosswalk”.

And anyone who has dealt with the dinosaurs who staff our city engineering offices in this region will relay to you experiences of being told that the removal of a marked crosswalk is justified since the “unmarked crosswalk” still exists.

But good luck getting the police or motorists to stop for you, let alone not slaughter you!

We must move more cars after all!