![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/pexels-zariflavin-1872713-11423051.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Welcome to our world.<\/p>\n
Traffic fatalities in Long Beach have more than doubled<\/a> in the ten years since the city vowed to eliminate traffic deaths within a decade, rising to the highest level in the last ten years.<\/p>\n That corresponds with the City of Los Angeles, which adopted a Vision Zero program that promised to end traffic deaths by last year.<\/p>\n And you know how that worked out.<\/p>\n Now LA\u2019s Vision Zero is a forgotten program, trotted out only when the city wants to assure us that they are really, truly doing something to reduce traffic violence, without actually holding themselves accountable for it.<\/p>\n Like Los Angeles, most of Long Beach\u2019s traffic deaths have been inflicted on people who weren\u2019t encased in a couple tons of steel and glass.<\/p>\n According to the Long Beach Post story in the above link,<\/p>\n Their greatest toll has been on people outside of cars. Last year, 32 people were killed while walking, biking or riding an e-scooter. That eclipses the number of people murdered here last year: 29.<\/p>\n At least in LA, it\u2019s only the total number of traffic deaths that exceeds the city\u2019s murders.<\/p>\n Photo by Zariflavin<\/a> from Pexels<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n LADOT has released their 2026 Annual Report<\/a>, touting their usual list of successes for the past year, modest though they may be.<\/p>\n Including a rather underwhelming, if not pathetic, total of 31 lane miles of new bikeways installed during the last fiscal year. Which includes 1.3 lane miles of sharrows, which studies have shown are literally worse than nothing.<\/p>\n So make it a little less than 30 miles.<\/p>\n And since lane miles count each side of the roadway separately, that amounts to less than 15 miles out of the city\u2019s 6,642 miles of city streets<\/a>.<\/p>\n Just 0.23 percent.<\/p>\n I also challenge you to find a single mention of Vision Zero anywhere in the report.<\/p>\n If you can, you\u2019re a better reader than I am.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n Interesting idea.<\/p>\n An Idaho legislator is trying to close a loophole in the law<\/a>, after a judge dismissed a case where a driver hit an ebike rider.<\/p>\n According to the judge, the law in Idaho defines a bicycle as a \u201chuman-powered\u201d vehicle, and it wasn\u2019t clear to his or her honor if an ebike is actually human powered.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s the problem. Some ebikes are human powered with an electrical assist, while others are strictly throttle controlled, or a combination thereof.<\/p>\n So defining an ebike as human powered could be the solution to the current dilemma of cities cracking down on ped-assist ebike riders for the problems caused by people on electric motorbikes and dirt bikes.<\/p>\n Something which was made clear by New Jersey\u2019s new law<\/a> that requires a driver\u2019s license and registration to ride even the slowest ped-assist bike<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Vermont legislators say the state\u2019s ebike laws can\u2019t keep up with technical advances<\/a> leading to ebikes that can easily exceed the state\u2019s 28 mph limit.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n We mentioned last month that you can, in fact, use an HSA\/FSA \u2014 Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account \u2014 to buy an new bicycle or ebike<\/a>, as well as bike gear, using pretax dollars, resulting in an average savings of 30%.<\/p>\n Now Marvin forwards word that Trumed<\/a> will be the source you\u2019ll have to use.<\/p>\n He adds,<\/p>\n The reason I really like this is because it supports the middle class. if I was poor, I could get help purchasing an e-bike. If I was rich, I could get help purchasing an EV. Finally, with FSA\/HSA benefits, I can finally qualify for something that helps me.<\/p>\n The only downside I see is that no one can establish a new or add to an existing FSA\/HSA until Nov 2026.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n Streets Are For Everyone will hold a die-in on the steps of City Hall this Saturday to protest the unacceptable level of traffic violence in this city.<\/p>\n In 2025 alone, 286 people were killed on our streets \u2014 deaths that were preventable.<\/p>\n This Saturday, SAFE and partner nonprofits will gather to honor lives lost and demand action after a decade-old City pledge to eliminate traffic deaths was missed.<\/p>\n 4th Annual Die-In for Safer Streets<\/a> Signing up is appreciated, but walk-ups to the event without signing up are also welcome.<\/p>\n Lives are on the line. Inaction is no longer acceptable.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n Streets for All invites you to register for all their upcoming mobility debates\/discussions this month.<\/p>\n \u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n Local\u00a0<\/p>\n The LA Chinatown Firecracker will be back for the 48th consecutive year<\/a> on weekend of February 28-March 1, marking the lunar new year with running, walking, bicycling and dog walking events.<\/p>\n Glendale is very slowly moving forward with plans for the Glendale-Los Angeles Garden River Bridge Project<\/a>, a landscaped bridge, currently in the environmental review stage, connecting with Griffith Park across the LA River.<\/p>\n Santa Monica police will conduct yet another bicycle and pedestrian safety operation tomorrow<\/a>, as usual, ticketing anyone who commits a violation that endangers either one \u2014 even if you\u2019re only endangering yourself, at least in their eyes.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n State<\/p>\n A San Diego bike shop owner is still trying to cope with Trump\u2019s tariffs<\/a>, after a near year of uncertainty.<\/p>\n Residents of San Diego\u2019s Pacific Beach neighborhood are calling for safety improvements<\/a> following the death of six-year old Hudson O\u2019Laughlin<\/a>, who was killed by a hit-and-run driver as he and his family were riding bikes on the sidewalk \u2014 even though all the previous traffic calming measures introduced in recent years were removed following complaints from residents.<\/p>\n A travel website says Northern California\u2019s Forest of Nisene Marks State Park<\/a> is \u201ca rather secluded and uncrowded haven\u201d for hiking or biking surrounded by towering redwoods.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n National<\/p>\n A nine-year old Washington State boy got a new bicycle from a local group<\/a> after his broke down, nominated for his leadership and friendship to others \u2014 and he immediately named it for his favorite soccer star.<\/p>\n A Texas family is coping with the grief of losing a baby by attempting a long-distance bike ride<\/a> to raise funds to support families facing high-risk pregnancies. Although how long they consider long-distance isn\u2019t clear.<\/p>\n That\u2019s more like it. Students, faculty and employees of Cincinnati\u2019s Xavier University can now use the city\u2019s bikeshare system for free<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n International<\/p>\n Road.cc recommends the year\u2019s best road bikes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Cyclist offers recommendations on the best insulated water bottles<\/a>. Which I misread as \u201cthe best insulted water bottles,\u201d which would make for a much more interesting article.<\/p>\n Tragic news from Peru, where 29-year old Florian Berg was killed by lightening on Saturday<\/a> when the German climate activist was caught in a severe thunderstorm in the Andes, after more than a year spent riding around the world.<\/p>\n Next City says Victoria, British Columbia is one of the best bike cities not traditionally known for it, after tripling its rate of bicycling in just 11 years<\/a>. Although they can\u2019t seem to spell Victoria correctly. Or British, for that matter.\u00a0<\/p>\n A Scotsman resigned from the rat race<\/a>, quitting his high-stress job as a communications director for a renewable energy company for a much calmer career fixing bicycles. As I know all too well after a career in advertising, the problem with the rat race is the rats usually win.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Competitive Cycling<\/p>\n Denmark\u2019s Tobias Lund Andresen outsprinted the sprinters to win the first stage of the Tour Down Under<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bike Radar asked the pros at the Tour Down Under how to make pro cycling safer, and was told the solution is slower bikes and safer courses<\/a>.<\/p>\n The first stage of India\u2019s Tour of Pune was temporarily halted due to a crash involving around 30 riders<\/a>; fortunately, no one was seriously injured, though three riders were forced to withdraw<\/a>.<\/p>\n French cyclist Simeon Sebastien Green is still competing at twice the age of many his competitors<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Finally\u2026<\/p>\n That feeling when you\u2019re a legendary British DJ, and the best bike ride of your life started in West Hollywood<\/a>. Or when the local golf club is infested with ebikes<\/a> of the non-bicycle variety.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-22-at-2.45.35-AM.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-2.png\")
<\/p>\n
\ud83d\udccd LA City Hall Steps, 232 N. Spring Street
\ud83d\udd59 Saturday, January 24 | 10:00\u201311:00 AM<\/p>\n