Cycling In Los Angeles
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Cycling in Los Angeles accounts for about one percent (1.0%) of all work commutes. Because of the mild climate, there is little need to carry the variety of clothing that cyclists require in other less temperate climates.


History

One of the world's earliest examples of a segregated cycle facility was the nine-mile dedicated Cycle-Way built in 1897 to connect
Pasadena Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial d ...
to Los Angeles. Its right-of-way followed the stream bed of the Arroyo Seco and required of pine to construct. The roundtrip toll was 15 ¢ and it was lit with electric lights along its entire length. The route did not succeed, and the right-of-way later became the route for the
Arroyo Seco Parkway The Arroyo Seco Parkway, also known as the Pasadena Freeway, is one of the oldest controlled-access highway, freeways in the United States. It connects Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles with Pasadena, California, Pasadena alongside the Arr ...
, an automobile freeway opened in 1940.


Los Angeles' cycling network

, there were more than of
bike lane Bike lanes (US) or cycle lanes (UK) are types of bikeways (cycleways) with lanes on the roadway for cyclists only. In the United Kingdom, an on-road cycle-lane can be firmly restricted to cycles (marked with a solid white line, entry by motor ...
s and paths in the Los Angeles bike path network, such as the Los Angeles River bicycle path, which runs from
Burbank Burbank may refer to: Places Australia * Burbank, Queensland, a suburb in Brisbane United States * Burbank, California, a city in Los Angeles County * Burbank, Santa Clara County, California, a census-designated place * Burbank, Illinois, ...
to Cypress Park and from Maywood to
Long Beach Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...
, with a gap of approximately 8 miles through Downtown Los Angeles and adjacent industrial zones separating the two sections. Metro aims to join the two sections by the year 2027 via the LA River Path Project On September 9, 2011, city councilman Ed Reyes unveiled a new 2.2-mile bike lane stretching along 7th Street from Catalina Avenue in Koreatown to Figueroa Street downtown.


Cycling rules and regulations


Road rules

Cyclists may travel either in the street or on the sidewalk. On the sidewalk they must behave so as not to cause danger to pedestrians (which is an arbitrary judgment that seems to translate into traveling at walking pace). Moreover, in some of the cities within the greater Los Angeles region, it is illegal to cycle on the sidewalk. Cyclists in general should follow the same traffic rules and behavior as motorized vehicles. It is legal for a cyclist to " take a lane" within the State of California, and in the case of narrow-width lanes it is advisable to do so. It is not required to wear a
helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...
unless the rider is under the age of 18 years. A
driver's license A driver's license, driving licence, or driving permit is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, ca ...
is also not required for a cyclist. The bicycle relevant sections of the California Vehicle Code indicate that a cyclist may ride out from the right-hand curb in order to avoid obstacles. This explicit provision, combined with the California Driver's Handbook (which indicates that passing vehicles must ensure minimum safe passing distance), means that certain lanes which are not wide enough for a bicycle and a passing automobile should be occupied by the bicycle until it is safe for the cyclist to pull in to the right and signal the automobile to overtake if there is no other safe-passing lane available for the automobile.


On public transport

Both Metro Bus and Metro Rail services are bicycle accessible. All Metro buses have two bicycle racks at the front of the bus, except for the G Line, which has three bicycle racks. Metro Rail allows bicycles on trains at all times. Bicycles are allowed on the Metrolink commuter rail system, which connects the core of the city to the
suburbs A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
. There is storage for two bicycles at the rear of each carriage. The mechanism consists of two pairs of velcro straps per bicycle, which fasten the front and rear wheels to supports. A Metrolink ticket is also valid for any Metro bus, subway, or light rail train in
Los Angeles County Los Angeles County, officially the County of Los Angeles and sometimes abbreviated as LA County, is the most populous county in the United States, with 9,663,345 residents estimated in 2023. Its population is greater than that of 40 individua ...
, and most of the buses in the surrounding communities.


Annual bicycle events


Los Angeles River Ride
* CicLAvia


See also

* Bicycle transportation planning in Los Angeles * List of Los Angeles bike paths * Bicycle Kitchen * Midnight Ridazz


References


External links


LADOT Bicycle ServicesLos Angeles County Bicycle CoalitionC.I.C.L.E. - Cyclists Inciting Change thru Live ExchangeL.A. Bike PathsBike Routing and MappingLos Angeles Wheelmen - A Recreational Bicycling ClubSan Fernando Valley Bicycle Club - The Valley's Recreational Bicycling ClubSoCalCycling.com - Southern California Cycling
- KCET Departures interview with River Ride Coordinator JJ Hoffman

May 19, 2012 {{Cycling in different countries and cities Transportation in Los Angeles