UCLA Bicycle Academy: January Meeting Notes

Thursday, January 13, 2011

January Meeting Notes

The January meeting of the UCLA Bicycle Academy was held on 7 January at Lu Valle Commons. Special guests were the 2006 UCLA Bicycle Master Plan and Donald Shoup. Donald is Professor of Urban Planning with a special interest in transportation and parking. He is the author of The High Cost of Free Parking, a revolutionary study which is of great relevance for sustainable transportation advocates. He is also the editor of ACCESS Magazine, a publication from the UC Transportation Center (free subscriptions are available). The latest issue has a paper about Electric Two-Wheelers in China.

Our other special guest, the 2006 UCLA Bicycle Master Plan presented itself in all its glory. 120 pages, ring bound, with many colour maps, tables and graphs, this is a veritable mine of information and good intentions. The plan was created by Sam Corbett, who now works for Alta Planning in San Diego. We have invited him to tell us about the plan at the February meeting. It was also resolved that those present will produce reviews of some the seven recommendations of the plan, comparing the language on the page with the reality on the ground

Improve Bicycle Accessibility to UCLA
Improve On-Campus Bicycle Accessibility
Improve Bicycle Parking at UCLA
Offer Incentives to Bicycle to Campus
Campus Bicycle Regulations
Bicycle Safety and Education
Bicycle Marketing

The "reviews" will appear on this blog. Some slots still open, please get in touch if you are interested in a particular topic and want to share your reading notes with the group

Also present (apart from the usual suspects) were four apologies (one dentist, one vet, two conflicts). If all goes well we will need two tables for the next meeting on the 4th of Ferbruary. Spread the word !

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Our Board

Phillip Bonacich (President) is emeritus professor of sociology with an interest in the economy of power in groups. He is a long time bicycle commuter and his daughter, Cory Caletti, is a senior transportation planner and bicycle program manager for the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission. Phillip cycles from Mar Vista.
Michael Cahn (Secretary) has "invented" the Bicycle Academy in 2008. He occasionally teaches a class on the history of transportation for the history department. He is a former board member of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition and previously served as secretary of the Cambridge Cycling Campaign. He runs a secondhand bookshop in Cambridge (UK). He cycles from Santa Monica.
Jack Katz (Director) is professor of sociology with an interest in video documentation of the interactions of cycling in urban traffic. He would like to work with others to evaluate local candidates for political office for their track record on cycling issues. He picked up a 20$ bike at a garage sale on the way back from the car repair place 15 years ago, and would never be without one since. In the morning, he puts the bike on the 20 / 720 bus near Koreatown, and enjoys the ride back from campus.
Michael Manville (Director) is a professor of Urban Planning at the Luskin School of Public Affairs. He rides to campus from West Hollywood. Lucky him, he says he has been able to avoid for car commute for most of the positions he has held in the past. He is an active participant in regional planning issues and contributes to legislative initiatives on housing and transport.
Suzanne Paulson (Director) is a professor of Atmospheric & Oceanic Science and at the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. She rides to campus from Sunset Park in Santa Monica on a quality steel bike. She has cycling company on her commute because her son Ry attends Geffen Academy on campus. He likes to use her panniers to transport his books to school.
Alex Purves (Director) is an Associate Professor of Classics at UCLA. She bicycles to campus from Santa Monica and also cycles with son to his elementary school. She is currently writing a book on Homer, who knew neither bicycles nor cars, but who did sing of the odd collision between chariots and pedestrians.
David Williams (Director) is a professor of Ophthalmology and Neurobiology at UCLA. He does research and teaches on the retina, and would like to see more motorists using their retina to view the road rather than their smart phones. He cycles in Westwood, but prefers places where there are fewer motor vehicles.

Purpose and Membership

The purpose of the UCLA Bicycle Academy is to improve conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians at UCLA. The Academy will
* Advocate for bicyclists’ and pedestrians’ interest on UCLA facilities
* Work with the campus and agencies and communities surrounding the campus in order to improve bicycle and pedestrian access to campus.
* Host social and educational events with a focus on bicycle/pedestrian issues related to UCLA.
Membership is open to current or former staff or faculty or visiting scholars of UCLA. Partners and family members of the above are also eligible as members. Students are welcome to all our functions.