Our E-Mail to SDPD About the Crash that Killed Walter Freeman
It has been more than a month since a marked SDPD cruiser struck and killed avid bicyclist Walter Freeman in University City. No information has been forthcoming from the SDPD regarding the results of their investigation, which they initially promised would be completed and released within a week of the incident. Below is the e-mail we sent to Chief William Lansdowne this morning, reminding the SDPD of their obligation to the citizens of San Diego to provide a full and public investigation of this deadly incident involving one of our public safety officers:
Dear Chief Lansdowne,
I am writing both as a concerned citizen and as the editor of Bike San Diego, a news and advocacy blog highlighting bicycling issues in the city and county of San Diego. The concern I would like to bring to your attention today is the lack of information coming from the SDPD regarding the investigation into the crash that killed bicyclist Walter Freeman on November 9, 2009. As you know, one of your officers was driving the marked patrol car that struck and killed Freeman. It has been more than one month since the crash, and your department promised information within a week of the incident. That information has not been forthcoming, and I would like to remind you of your obligation to the citizens of this city to provide them with information about public safety. This includes disclosing the details and results of this investigation, at the very least so that concrete steps can be taken to make this intersection a safer place to ride a bicycle. Naturally, I and other bicyclists in San Diego are very interested to hear the results of your department's investigation.
Respectfully, Thomas Bahde
Naturally, we will also post the SDPD's response, if any, and as soon as we have details of the investigation, we will share them with you.
San Diego's 1st Annual Tweed Ride - December 12th
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By Carly Studer
Just when San Diegans thought that they would never have a chance to wear that tweed jacket or scarf they bought on impulse, a community event is coming to San Diego to prove them wrong. TWEED RIDE is a bicycling community event where San Diego cyclists forego lycra and don their most dapper antiquarian apparel for San Diego's first annual event. Similar events have taken place in cities like London, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Boston. Rain or shine, participants will help demonstrate that cycling is appropriate for everyday life and leisure. Starting around teatime, the leisurely ride ends at The Station Tavern at 2204 Fern St. where you can wet your whistle and grab a bite to eat.
While there may be a misconception that bicycling is for children or racers, San Diego has a growing amount of residents that have the bike bug. SANDAG estimates that there are currently over a half million bicycle trips everyday in the San Diego region. Bicycling is good for your health, for the environment, doesn’t create noise or fumes, obstruct space – and makes you happy. The TWEED RIDE is one way to show the utility and joy of riding.
The TWEED RIDE is for fun, but it is also meant to show that cycling is appropriate and sustainable for everyday errands, commuting, and leisure - and it can even be done in nice clothes. San Diego has one of the best climates for cultivating a sustainable infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians. The TWEED RIDE is one of many fun events that encourages cycling for as a less-polluting, healthy, and fun alternative to motorized travel. We live in a era where individuals are stopping and looking at the input the contribute to the environment, and also care about the world they are leaving for the future. TWEED RIDE embodies the spirit and characters of the cyclists in San Diego and the billions of utility riders around the world. An event like this shows their good-hearted nature, but also is reminding the rest of the community of the impact they could be making.
For more information, visit sdbikecommuter.com, or contact Esteban del Rio at edelrio[at]sandiego.edu or Sky Boyer at veloculture[at]gmail.com.
Also, visit:
San Francisco Tweed Ride
The Washington Post covers D.C.'s Tweed Ride
Dandies and Quaintrelles
Boston Tweed Ride
Tweed Ride Philadelphia
Greetings from behind the handle bars.
Hello, my name is William. You could label me the average person, and you’d be right. In fact, as extremes go, it’s accurate to say that a person such as myself is the bland chicken soup of cycling. The avoiding-chicken-soup of cycling. The anti-extremism of cycling. Just someone who wants to ride a bike. So, what good is a bland chicken soup cyclist? Perhaps the world needs some chicken soup. Or perhaps more. For many years, my cycling perspective, personal views and feelings were posted on several succeeding blogs. Kokusai, sdfixed, and then sdcyclist were the titles. Some here may have read them in the past. Periodically, a need for a change would come and I’d delete one blog and open another. A few months ago I deleted mine all together.
I came up with bikesd.org. That is, I dreamt of it back in December of 2008. More of a loose concept, a fuzzy idea in my brain one morning while riding into work. You’re probably wondering why this is my first post. And how someone can just come up and say such a thing, when it’s evident two others here have done sooo much work, or actually, all of it. One of our contributors and I sat in coffee shop once and talked about this idea. That contributor took the idea to another. They made it a reality. While I pondered if it might work, if anyone would listen, or stirred over the colors of the borders, two sat down and put it out there. They didn’t as much take “my” idea, as much as they took “an” idea and made it the reality you’re reading today. To which I am grateful. Because San Diego is a community, and my selfish writing and point of view is only a small portion. Now, in this format, I can contribute to a greater, more diverse view, and be a part of something important. The fact that they’ve allowed me to post my ramblings here is laudable. So, when I use the bold statement, that I came up with bikesd.org, there is NOTHING more qualifying to say other than some people took a fuzzy idea and dream that was in my head (and probably a few other’s heads) and made it a reality.
What do I write about, what am I going to be contributing? The view from the handle bars. Things seen while navigating our city’s streets, waiting at stop lights, locking up somewhere to sit for a bit, at local cycling events, all of it from my perspective, from behind the handle bars. Part personal view, part commentary, part anecdotal stories, it’ll just be bits and pieces from my point of view. My history, just a rider, in San Diego; not a weekend crit racer, not a downhill racer, not a neon commuter, not an activist, not an anarchist… Just a rider. Since about May 2000. If you like the writing, let me know. If you think it sucks, let me know. I ride through downtown 2–3 three times a week, I always LOVE meeting other cyclist and talking about what we see, how we think about cycling and life and everything in general from the view behind the handle bars.
It’s a big deal to contribute here, essentially riding in the shadows of giants, my hope is to provide just a sliver of humor and perhaps a poke of insight.
I think 2010 is going to be a HUGE year for cycling. HUGE.
This Saturday: Mid-City Bike Blast Ride for Human Rights
Consider this a good warm-up for the 1st Annual San Diego Tweed Ride.
In recognition of the anniversary of the Declaration of Human rights, this month’s bike blast is sponsored by the City Heights Human Rights organization. We will meet at the City Heights Farmer’s Market at 43rd and Wightman at 10 AM: bring a bell and wear white! We will ride around the Mid City area, spreading awareness and having fun! Bring your neighbor, bring your friends, bring your kids! It will be a slow 5 mile ride. We will do our best to keep up with everybody, but remember you are on your own. When we come back to the Farmer’s Market, (around 12 noon) there will still be plenty of time to support our local vendors. See you there!
CVC 21202(a) Appeal Opening Brief by Andrew Woolley
Andrew Woolley sent us the Opening Brief to his Appeal [pdf link] stating that he did not violate CVC 21202(a).
Woolley also added:
I am awaiting the City Attorney's Respondent's Brief. I will have the opportunity to issue a Reply Brief within 20 days of receipt of the Respondent's Brief. The City Attorney has 30 days from last Wednesday to submit their brief. The Reply Brief is where I could really use some help, as it will be directly responding to the City Attorney's opinion. It will also be my last chance to submit anything to the appeal board. I would greatly appreciate any assistance or advice for the Reply Brief. I guess the most helpful thing right now would just be an evaluation of the effectiveness of my opening brief, and what line of attack to expect from the City Attorney.
It will be interesting to see how the City Attorney responds to the Appeal. If the decision is reversed, we'd also like to push to have the city actually educate it's officers on the letter and intent of the laws that pertain to bicyclists. I have also posted the conclusion below which summarizes everything extremely well:
Andrew Woolley submits that he did not violate California Vehicle Code 21202(a) as cited by Officer David Root of the San Diego Police Department. Because he was traveling at a speed greater than the normal speed of traffic at the time of the citation the code in question does not apply. Because he was overtaking and passing vehicles moving in the same direction of travel the first exception to the code has relevance. And because he was approaching a place where a right-hand turn is authorized the fourth exception to the code has relevance. The misinterpretation of CVC 21202(a) demonstrated by Officer Root and supported by the Superior COurt Judge Pro Tem promotes the exact dangerous practices the code was written to discourage. Andrew Woolley is an educated, forthright, and law abiding citizen who read the vehicle codes pertaining to the operation of bicycles on California roadways before he began commuting daily. He followed the law in this case, operated his bicycle safely and in keeping with the liberties afforded by the vehicle code, and was cited by an officer with a poor understanding of the letter and intent of the vehicle code. Andrew Woolley, and the cyclists of California, respectfully ask that this Court reverse the decision of the trial court and refund the full amount of the paid fine.