Back to “School”

As students head back to “school” remotely in virtual classrooms held in Zoom meetings don’t forget to go outside and get some exercise. As Diana Nyad, the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida and founder of Everwalk reminds us, “the new smoking is sitting.” And now we are doing more hours of sitting than ever!

With that in mind the LACBC team is thinking about how we can reclaim our commutes between home and school/work as more than just a distance to travel. Whether you are a daily commuter, telecommuter, or remote worker we want to know how you rate the commutes you have besides distance and speed? We’ll be reaching out to you in the next few weeks to find out what matters to you about your commutes and learn what it would take to make them a healthier, safer, happier and more sustainable experience.

Action Alert – AB1286! This bill is about to be voted on by the State Senate and if passed, could mean the end of shared mobility in the state of California. The biggest issue is that it eliminates the ability of shared mobility providers, including any non-profit providers, to be protected against the negligence of users. This means if someone does something foolish and negligent and has a crash, it opens up the provider and the municipality to lawsuits even if they did not contribute to the crash in any way. No other industry is subject to this standard and with how broadly the bill is written, there will be lots of unintended consequences. Please take a few moments to contact your State Senator (click here to find your Senator’s contact info) and ask them to vote NO on AB1286.

Also coming up this month are public hearings for Metro’s Next Gen Bus Plan. Buses and public transit provide us cyclists an additional way to expand the places where we can ride. The ability to take your bike on a bus or on the train and get to places much further than you could reach by riding alone is an important one. If you have time, take some time to participate in the public hearings and make sure that Metro’s plan supports all its patrons, including those of us who ride with our bikes!

Need a bike lock? Make your purchase through this link and support LACBC while you’re at it! Even though many of us are not locking up our bikes at school or work right now, doing what you can to secure your bike is one of the best ways to keep riding. Check out SeatyLock, who make a variety of easy-to-use and super secure bike locks, including their unique integrated lock & seat design. If you purchase any SeatyLock by clicking here, a portion of your purchase will support LACBC’s work to make bicycling more accessible for everyone!

And while we are promoting cool branded collaborations, check out WHAT DRIVES YOU: JOHN JONES OF EAST SIDE RIDERS BIKE CLUB courtesy of Thousand Helmets.

We congratulate our long time friends and collaborators at Walk ‘n Rollers on the new Safety Video Prepping Your Ride: ABC Quick Check. LACBC proudly partnered on it as a part of a SCAG Go Human Mini Grant.

Speaking of SCAG Go Human Mini Grants, our #LACountyBikeMatch program is about to go into high gear with some upcoming bike building parties. Send us an email if you’re handy with a bike tool and want to be a part of refurbishing 125 bikes for folks needing a new ride.

Finally, LACBC is proud to join with a growing number of organizations across the nation that are taking November 3rd off as a holiday to vote. #GOTV like your lives depend on it!

Stay cool and hydrated!