"SPECIAL REPORT / THE CYCLING COMMUTE
This paragraph amused me: ""Many of her friends and colleagues were incredulous when she switched to biking, she recalls. They didn't believe that it was possible for someone to ride from South Pasadena to Venice, a trip she made regularly.""
I can picture them saying: ""There is no remotely direct way to get from South Pasadena to Venice by bicycle without taking your life into your hands."""
Cycling in L.A.
Mon, 05/22/2006 - 10:00am
Mon, 05/22/2006 - 10:41am
#1
I loathe LA
My father, who incidentally lives in South Pasadena, sent this article to me this morning. While it may seem silly that someone could not fathom being able to travel a few miles by bicycle, it probably does seem unreasonable to most Angelenos. The reason is that living in LA you almost never take surface streets; almost all trips seem to require getting on a freeway. In fact, I've always told Christian (you may know him as the anonymous cow) that we can't move home because there is no way that I would be able to commute to work by bicycle. So now that this article has come out I will need to think of a new excuse.
Mon, 05/22/2006 - 11:12am
#2
Excuse
No good pizza.
(Among thousands of others)
Mon, 05/22/2006 - 11:25am
#3
Alas, Johnnie's New York Pizzeria on Santa Monica Blvd in Century City and PCH in Malibu (456). It's better than any pizza on the UWS.
- Christian
Mon, 05/22/2006 - 11:31am
#4
Malibu--isn't that far from the city?
Can you ride your bike there in under five minutes?
Here, you can roll right up to an open window and get a slice. Can't do that there, huh?
-----------
To be honest, I was very impressed with the extensive bike lanes in Orange County on a visit two years ago. And cars stayed out of them. But the roads swallow a HUGE amount of space.
Mon, 05/22/2006 - 11:18am
#5
New excuse
Commuting through the rain and snow and cold here in New York keeps it interesting. L.A. weather is too dull and monotonous.
Mon, 05/22/2006 - 12:03pm
#6
it's the drivers that keep LA interesting
True. I lived car-less in LA last year, commuting to work and everywhere else by bike, and the worst I faced was a downpour or two. The drivers who are oblivious to cyclists and gun you down at 50 mph are another matter, and make LA way more treacherous than NY even in the worst of weather. Cycling here is a relief.
Mon, 05/22/2006 - 1:50pm
#7
Not enough rain
When I lived in L.A. for 4 years I got lots of flats because the glass, grit, etc. just stays on the roads longer than in places with seasons and more rain. I loved my one ride up to Mount Baldy (I lived in Claremont), but the options were pretty limited. Mainly, however, it's better here because -- even in New York -- I get far fewer flats.
:-)
D
