Los Angeles Bicyclists Threatened by Unsafe Motorists

On April 20, 2009, police reported that a drunk driver who was driving with a suspended license struck and killed a Los Angeles bicyclist, then fled the scene. The cyclist was 44-year-old Jesus Castillo. A witness wrote down the motoristıs license plate number, and within hours, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) arrested the motorist on charges of gross vehicular manslaughter.

Members of the Los Angeles bicycle community reacted swiftly to this incident. On April 24, they organized a 300-strong group ride in Jesus' honor and dedicated a "Ghost Bike" ­ an all-white bike that is erected when a cyclist is killed ­ at the site of the crash. Cyclists and community leaders staged a "die-in" at the memorial, and issued a call for prioritizing public safety on Los Angeles streets.

During the same week, another unfortunate car-on-bike conflict occurred. In this second incident, the evening of April 23, the driver of a Hummer maneuvered the sport utility vehicle into a group of about a dozen cyclists, injuring one and destroying several bicycles. In this incident, the motorist was clearly at fault, and should be held responsible for personal injury and property damage. There were numerous witnesses at the scene and plenty of evidence of the driverıs misconduct. However, a responding LAPD officer apparently sympathized with the SUVıs driver and passengers, and let them drive away without pressing charges. Both of these incidents illustrate the vulnerability of bicyclists on Los Angeles streets, something many drivers and even law enforcement officers may not always consider. Whether riding alone or in a group, cyclists are endangered by the actions of careless and inattentive drivers on the roads of Los Angeles every day. Clearly, the City needs to do more to protect bicyclists from getting killed, injured, and intimidated by motorists. Members of law enforcement agencies are too often unaware or misinformed about the rights of cyclists on the road, and are sometimes reluctant to offer their help when incidents occur between motorists and bicyclists. The contrast in the police response to these two incidents is striking, and begs the question: does it take a fatality for law enforcement to take cyclists' rights seriously?

In light of these recent incidents, and the hostile atmosphere that cyclists experience daily on L.A. streets, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition strongly recommends the following:

• The City should support a State bill comparable to Kentucky House Bill 88 for Vehicular Assault of a Bicyclist or Pedestrian. This legislation gives traffic police and prosecutors the opportunity to hold reckless motorists accountable when they hit pedestrians or bicyclists, and is designed to ensure the safety of all road users regardless of their mode of transportation.
• The City of Los Angeles should release its now-overdue Bicycle Master Plan draft documents as soon as possible to ensure adequate time for thorough public review and input. A strong, fully implemented Bicycle Plan is essential for bicyclists' safety in Los Angeles.