Traffic Enforcement
Streetsblog LA
Bike Thefts Becoming a Growing Problem in Los Angeles. What Can Be Done?
Last weekend, when I was a guest on Bike Talk, the conversation in the room turned to what can be done about the growing number and boldness of bicycle thieves in Los Angeles. After lamenting that the LAPD basically declared it a non-priority, unless you can hand them the case on a silver platter, at a meeting at Echo Park there was a brief debate concerning personal responsibility and "street justice."
November 23, 2009
Charles Diez 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.
November 23, 2009
Help D.A. Mary Stone Keep the Road Rage Doc Behind Bars
Next Monday, District Attorney Mary Stone will file her motion recommending a prison sentence for Dr. Christopher Thompson, the "Road Rage Doctor" who intentionally used his car as a weapon against recreational cyclists on Mandeville Canyon on July 4, 2008. With her motion she'll also hand over a packet of letters of support for stricter sentencing from a community that has been effected by Thompson's aggressive act.
November 19, 2009
With Thompson Behind Bars, What’s Next for “Street Justice” in Los Angeles
Yesterday, cyclists concerned with the safety on their streets got a boost. For many of us who have been harassed or threatened by uncaring and dangerous motorists, it was a relief to see that the system is capable of convicting one of the more outwardly-psychotic drivers out there.
November 3, 2009
Senior Dems Release New Distracted Driving Bill as LaHood Testifies
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) today unveiled his plan to take an incentive-based approach to distracted driving as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood testified on the Obama administration's campaign to end the use of electronic devices behind the wheel.
October 29, 2009
Last Month’s Headlines
While I was on paternity leave there were a lot of stories that I would have covered if I had been writing. I didn't want to let them pass without any commentary or coverage beyond a sentence in Today's Headlines. H
October 16, 2009
Good news for L.A.: More Congestion, Higher Parking Fees
Here comes one positive side benefit of the L.A. budget crisis:
Gridlock. Our tight budget means the city can no longer afford to pick
up the tab to make driving easier — by providing free traffic officers
for events at the Dodger Stadium, Hollywood Bowl, and other major
venues.
October 15, 2009
Senators Seek Rail Safety Funding in Aftermath of Metro Crash
Mere hours after the Washington Metro system suffered a shocking accident, two senior senators released a letter to their colleagues asking for $50 million in grants to improve rail safety technology. The scene of yesterday’s D.C. Metro crash. (Photo: NYT) The letter was sent by two chairmen with a central role in transportation policy — … Continued
June 23, 2009
A Morning in K-Town: Peds Ticketed, Red Light Runners Ignored
Last Friday the LAPD was at it again. In what they claimed was an effort to make the intersection of Wilshire and Western safer for pedestrians, the LAPD was handing out tickets to pedestrians who crossed the street against a flashing red hand. In the ten minutes I observed their their ticketing I observed the following.
May 4, 2009
Daily News Shocker: Wider 118 Leads to More Speeders
Earlier this week, Sue Doyle with the Daily News reported that with the expansion of the 188 Freeway, aka the Ronald Reagen Freeway, there has been an unexpected consequence. Apparently, the wider highway has led to a pandemic of speeding:
May 1, 2009