Starting next week, a new pilot program will allow riders to bring bikes on the BART all day on Friday’s during the month of August. The normal blackout times during rush hour and restrictions on bringing bikes into certain stations will be waived, as the BART attempts to determine the impact a more lax set […]
Yesterday Moreno Valley, California police passed out flyers promoting pedestrian safety in Riverside County. According to the Press-Enterprise, a pedestrian is injured or killed in California every hour, and in 2009 pedestrians comprised almost 1 out of 5 deaths from traffic collisions, which is 58% higher than the national average. Moreno Valley hopes to bring […]
By a margin of 37-0, the California State Senate voted to approve a bill that will allow self-driving vehicles on California streets and highways. The bill (SB1298) was designed to establish guidelines for autonomous vehicles to be tested and operated in California, and thanks to a unanimous vote earlier this week, will now be moving […]
There’s no good excuse for not wearing a seatbelt, but in case you needed yet another reason to buckle up, California Highway Patrol has begun taking a “zero tolerance” approach to anyone caught driving without a safety belt. Beginning on Monday, May 21st, California Highway Patrol will no longer be issuing warnings, but rather doling […]
Senate Bill 1464, which would require drivers to give bicyclists at least 3 feet of space when passing from behind, was approved by the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee following a hearing on April 17th. During the hearing a number of witnesses spoke on behalf of the legislation, including Heath Maddox, a Berkley resident whose […]
Recently we talked about how in New York City, there’s a discrepancy between the number of cyclist deaths in the city and arrests issued. The city doesn’t quite know how to handle collisions between vehicles and bicycles and are reluctant to point fingers. Now it appears as if San Diego is adopting a similar stance. […]
A new San Francisco startup offering a subscription based scooter sharing service is running into difficulties with California’s licensing laws. The company, Scoot Networks, was introduced earlier this month, and would allow users to sign up for the service and check out scooters on an as needed basis from a variety of locations throughout the […]
We’ve written a lot on this blog about the tragic result of San Francisco bus accidents. In the past, fatal Muni bus accidents have cost the city millions in lawsuit settlements, and most importantly, have claimed the lives of far too many San Francisco residents. Over the weekend, new city dweller Emily Dunn was struck and killed by a Muni bus in the city’s Castro District. The police report indicated that Dunn was struck 95% into the crosswalk by a Muni Bus making a left turn, an action that is commonly cited as unsafe.
When it comes to cities that put a priority on bike safety, you can’t do much better than California’s Alameda County, the East Bay bicycle mecca that includes Berkeley. But Alameda County is also home to one of California’s most unexpectedly innovative towns when it comes to bike safety technology: Pleasanton. In fact, Pleasanton is using microwave technology to sense when cyclists are near an intersection that will trigger the light to stop cars and allow the cyclist through safely.
In September 2008, a train accident near Chatsworth California killed 25 passengers and injured more than 135. Since commuter Metrolink was so clearly at fault for this accident, observers have said the company could have been on the hook for nearly $400 million in damages if not for a 1997 law that limits the liability for train accidents at $200 million. While this is great for Metrolink, it leaves hundreds of wrongful death and catastrophic injury victims out of the funds they deserve. This week, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Peter D. Lichtman Jr. concluded the case with a ruling that emphasizes the incredibly difficult task of allotting funds to victims that deserve much more.
