Bicycles Banned (Again)
Thread started by
pavetheplanet at 07.26.08 - 2:07 pm
Last night's 13th Annual Griffith Park Holiday Light Festival community meeting opened with the DWP reps explaining to the public that the Festival is off limits to cyclists because "these aren't public streets." Protests from the audience elicited a response from Councilmember Tom LaBonge to have the lawyers take a look at it.
When it was pointed out that they are indeed public streets, operated by the City of Los Angeles and open to the motoring public, Tom paused for a moment, looked at the room of 15 community members, none of whom were there to support the LaBonge/DWP environmental nightmare that has proven to be resistant to change, and simply moved on to another comment.
LaBonge put on an all too common display of absurdity as he was peppered with requests to comply with State law and simply lift the ban on cyclists at the Light Festival. He explained that cyclists wouldn't be able to use the park because it is "one-way" during the light festival. By "one-way" he means two lanes north and one lane south. How that becomes "one-way" in LaBonge speak is a mystery but it is an argument that he has been repeating for so long that he's convinced that it's true.
LaBonge and the DWP used to attribute the ban on cyclists to the LADOT but Assistant General Manager John Fisher went on record earlier this month explaining "any thoughts that we have on traffic safety and security is strictly advisory and that DOT has no jurisdiction over streets within Griffith Park."
While the streets of Griffith Park are under the authority of the Department of Rec & Parks, they are still under the authority of State law which provides that if they are open to public motor vehicle, they're open to cyclists.
LaBonge then shifted his tack, explaining that cyclists will have their very own personal day of holiday celebration, this year on Monday, November 24, and not just until 8pm but until 10pm. Tom demonstrated that he has his elbow firmly on the pulse by acknowledging "I know you guys like to ride at night, kinda like that 'Knight Riders' group."
When it was pointed out that the issue is simply removing an illegal ban on cyclists, Tom again paused, stared and then moved on to another angry member of the community.
It should be pointed out that there were many representative voices in the meeting, not just cyclists, and all of them were flatly rejected as they asked for improvements and adjustments to the Festival of Lights.
Those seeking car-free nights closer to the holidays were disappointed to find that the "ped" nights would immediately follow Thanksgiving and from December 8th on would be dedicated to the motoring public with pedestrians allowed on the path farthest from the lights and separated by the gridlock (Cough Cough!)
Equestrians were represented but failed to elicit any accommodation in the presented plan other that to be acknowledged and informed that now is the time to start planning next year's Festival!
Those seeking a car-free Festival of Lights were flatly rejected as Tom explained "It's about the kids!" Somehow asking children to walk, breathe urban wilderness air and enjoy the outdoors is simply too much of a hardship for our children and the commitment to an auto-centric festival is all part of our commitment to the children.
Through it all, Tom and the DWP simply explained that it is too difficult to simply make changes, that these things take time and that change comes in little increments.
Bernadette Soter, chair of the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Committee and a member of the Greater Griffith Park Neighborhood Council, asked Tom and the DWP if they would simply concede to passing out fliers this year, informing the public that the Griffith Park Festival of Lights would be car-free in 2009.
"No! That would impede traffic!" was the response and just as fast Bernadette asked it instead of fliers, could the DWP put up a sign at the beginning of the festival announcing plans for a 2009 car-free festival.
Tom simply paused, stared, listened to the crickets chirping and the meeting was adjourned.
Read this letter and this one (both in pdf) submitted to Tom LaBonge articulating the error of his ways and offering legal support for the claim that the City of LA does not have the authority to restrict cyclists from the Festival.
And here is a letter (pdf) from the City of Los Angeles Bicycle Advisory committee advising the city that "bicycles are part of traffic and should be treated equally as such.
reply
LAist article by Stephen Box
http://laist.com/2008/07/25/tom_labonge_declares_im_big_on_bike.php
pavetheplanet07.26.08 - 2:09 pm
reply
Oh God I wish I have been through law school already and had my bar card.
This is law suit city. Some lawyer out there, come on. Pick up the ball and run with this. This is easy picking.
sexy07.26.08 - 2:14 pm
reply
Maybe we need to do some more
civil obedience actions this year (its only civil
disobedience if you are breaking a law.
I didn't have a chance to join the ninjas last year, but i did bomb the festival on my own and it was quite safe and fun.
Apparently we need to make a constant presence, and keep ignoring their illogical and illegal rules, until they come to understand the error of their ways.
trickmilla07.26.08 - 8:08 pm
reply
REPOST!
Holiday Fesitval of Lights
the LADWP Festival is lame.
a. there is already a bike night
b. bikes travel through griffith park every day
c. clearly the ban should be lifted, as it would take away the need for this TURBO LAME conversation.
d. LaBonge deserves some credit as well as some critique for his actions vis a vis bicyclists. Once again, the only city council man to organize rides of his own volition.
e. yeah fucking right like you'll ever see common ground or consensus on a forum like this. Let alone a reasonable consideration of both sides of an issue.
LAME.
ingipet07.27.08 - 7:58 am
reply
END HORSE DISCRIMINATION NOW!!
they are also banned from that night.
SO UNFAIR!!!
ingipet07.27.08 - 7:58 am
reply
I don't remember hearing anybody say that they had any problems going through on their bikes. Could it be, that the band is for liability issues only? A defense against responsibility if someone gets hurt?
Horse owners don't like bike around their horses.
sexy07.27.08 - 10:44 am
reply
i like sexy cause he is smart.
and sexy.
you gonna get that J.D. now?
Sexy J.D.
(juris doctor! MF!)
ingipet07.27.08 - 11:16 am
reply
You don't need a bar card to file a claim. As a cyclist, you'd be affected by this rule, and therefore have standing to file pro se.
It's not going to be a particularly lucrative lawsuit, as the monetary damages would probably be considered de minimis, but you could seek a preliminary injunction / restraining order prohibiting the city / park district / etc. from restricting cycles from a thoroughfare accessible to the public.
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp/
http://www.lasuperiorcourt.org/
JB07.27.08 - 11:28 am
reply
Ingrid,
Why is it that of 15 comments on this article, 7 of them are yours? How many threads on this board are more than 50% posts by you? Why does every conversation with you degenerate into a blizzard ingipet bomb which leaves less shrill voices drowned out?
I raise the issue because you have so effectively wrecked dialogue on the LAist article. Thanks so much - your singlemindedness is appreciated.
I'm interested to hear, and I fully expect that you will post at least 4 times in response to this post without my posting at all.
Alex Thompson07.27.08 - 11:59 am
reply
WHAT? I CANT HEAR YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE A MEGAPHONE.
Joe Borfo07.27.08 - 12:08 pm
reply
You Gaise are on the same fucking team. Don't you realize that?
You need to see the big picture and work together.
Sometimes you just have to kiss the politicians ass in order for to make change. I totally support Ingrid's position that calling someone a DOUCHEBAG isn't going to put your cause in favor and get to the objective you want.
Keep riding on the freeway. Whatever.
Joe Borfo07.27.08 - 12:18 pm
reply
Here's your opportunity to open up a dialog with him.
And please sedate Mikey Wally.
Joe Borfo07.27.08 - 12:31 pm
reply
All of you are crazy. How can you ignore the Knight Riders comment?!? Blood flow to my brain immediately stopped after reading that line, and I totally forgot what this thread is about. A ride in this name must be organized, now.
jericho1ne07.27.08 - 12:32 pm
reply
One Team Under Coach ROTY.
Didin't you read what he said Borfo? It interchangeable _________ Bomb has now become a Borfo Bomb. Or should we call it a ROTY bomb. Why you got to bring MikeyWally into this?
It Sunday, isn't your den mother taking you out to some outing or to play with the relatives? Do these Borfo Bombs on the weekday. Give us a day of rest already ROTY. Geeeze
sexy07.27.08 - 12:39 pm
reply
AND I WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO ONE DAY ACHIEVE A BIKETOPIAN SOCIETY AND EMPIRE...
THI BICYCLING SITH WILL BE IN POWER AND THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE GALAXY ONCE AGAIN.
DARTH VELOZ07.27.08 - 12:48 pm
reply
knight riders comment was covered in the old thread --- since this is officially a REPOST ^^^^^^^
You got somethin to say, show up on wednesday and say it!!!
ingipet07.27.08 - 12:59 pm
reply
So I'm not going to expect any reasonable comment back. That would be expecting too much
Joe Borfo07.27.08 - 1:00 pm
reply
Alex Thompson ---
Why do you constantly slander me?
Why am I always get reports of you spreading hate about me?
Why was the first comment on the LA-ist article,
"WHAT A DOUCHE" - how is that productive to dialogue?
why are your negatvie and alienationistic (TM) taken seriously
why are you such a baby?
a HYPOCRITE?
A CHILD?
Go waste your energy and all of ours.
Go tear apart any ludicrous hope for a common agenda!
GO ALEX THOMPSON!
RIDAH OF ALL TIME!!!
What a crock of horse shit.
ingipet07.27.08 - 1:02 pm
reply
ALIENATIONSITIC (TM)
The bike movement will not find common ground because of people like you.
ingipet07.27.08 - 1:03 pm
reply
Retaliation is unnecessary.
Just work together folks.
Joe Borfo07.27.08 - 1:06 pm
reply
and thank you Borfo!
I'm so sick of constantly being attacked by Alex Thompson.
DONE AND DONE.
I'm not the only one who is completely fed up with the negative, hateful, slanderous and childish way in which some people conduct themselves in this "community"....
Bike Summmit - Crock of shit
Bike advocacy - same crock of shit
Slander - Lawyer up. Totally and completely unacceptable.
ingipet07.27.08 - 1:07 pm
reply
dear humans,
please stop trying to change the world, until you've learned to love it in all its inherent fucktupedness. your hearts are in the right place, but your motivations are angry and it comes through in your actions.
-knittens
malo lado07.27.08 - 1:14 pm
reply
i do not support HATE.
end of thread.
NUFF SAID.
ingipet07.27.08 - 1:17 pm
reply
I think most of you are missing the point. Nobody has been hateful towards Tom LaBong. He is breaking the law! STATE LAW! There have been many dialogues with him. There have been many letters written to him. He is ignoring the issue that he is breaking the law.
If cyclists would say, NO MORE! and if we would boycott his ride, it would change his attitude. But as long as cyclists work against each other towards a common goal, we will just get ice cream, not law enforcement!
The access to the Light Festival is not about the festival! The public street that is closed to bikes just happens to be during the festival. But if Tom says it's for safety, then other streets and other districts will follow! While other cities close down streets for safety of the people and make them accessible to peds and bikes only, Tom LaBong closes down the street and makes it accessible to cars only! Not a good move! Not a legal move! And we are accepting it as long as we get ice cream!
This is not a new issue! Stephen has been working on this issue for 3 years (!) and he won the ban to cyclists and peds to the Griffith Observatory! Cyclists should stand together on this and not mock each other.
If you want to help keep your streets open then look at the big picture and boycott Tom's "fun" ride and the bike only night and storm the festival when it's not legal for us to be there!
illuminateLA07.27.08 - 7:51 pm
reply
One of the reasons that i find this forum to more civil than most, is that most of us interact n a very fun way in the real world. >> Ridazz!
It is pointless for us to fight and call each-other names especially in a public forum. At this point, if things get heated with somebody ... just get their private email and work it out.
Every political/ civil/ human rights movement has people of different ideas and different agendas about how to attain the goal.
I am really happy that Ingrid is around to dialog in a positive way with Tommy LB. I am also happy that we have members of the community that are willing to put heavy pressure on him, other politicos, and I am also happy that we have members of the community that will put their bodies and freedom on the line by committing civil disobedience. Everybody has their own method and as long as we are committed to the cause of making biking in LA better we should respect each other, even if we don't agree.
trickmilla07.27.08 - 8:21 pm
reply
Bike ride will be scheduled for the first day opened for vehicles!!! Not that last freaking day!!!
If we have FUN......... we do it again!
User107.27.08 - 8:25 pm
reply
20 Years ago I helped in running the wed. night ride that did laps around the park. It was very successful usually drawing several hundred racers. This was a race training ride. Lots of fun. But unfortunately the powers at be city councel and park rangers where against us. The excuse was that we where impeading traffic ? Isn't the park a recreational area? or is it a short cut off the 5 frwy? Seems like nothing has changed. still f#@*ked up.
Dedicated81811.20.08 - 7:22 pm
reply
mount yer steads!
bicycles I mean
not the horses
they are banned too
aksendz11.20.08 - 8:06 pm
reply
Amplify Love.
Dissipate Hate.
That said, I couldn't give a rat's ass about anything to do with xmas, which includes environmentally irresponsible light shows that ban my sexxeh bike peeps.
ephemerae11.20.08 - 8:09 pm
reply
FUCK Tom LaBonge.
HE'S A DICK, AND I CANT WAIT FOR SOMEBODY TO STEAL HIS BIKE, WE SHOULD HIRE THE 'ECKO KIDS' TO DO IT.
AND ALL YOU TRAIGHTERS, THAT WENT ON HIS RIDE....
....
....
....
....YOU GET THE POINT.
eddieboyinla11.20.08 - 10:58 pm
reply
-->
Ridazz Roulette!
spell check!