UCLA Bicycle Academy: September 2009

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Which Way UCLA and VA (and National Cemetery)

The Westside Urban Forum is inviting to an event entitled: Which Way UCLA and VA: Friday Sep 18, 2009 7:00 AM, Regency Club, corner of Westwood and Wilshire.

7:00 AM is early, very early, but it is important, and de rigueur for every cyclist who has fought his way through the car-filed cemetery which surrounds UCLA, especially to the West. Panelists include our own Chancellor Gene Block, the Hon. Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles County Supervisor, and Ronald Norby, VA Healthcare Network. Moderator Cindy Miscikowski, President of the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners & former Member Los Angeles City Council.

Come ye all you urban planners and cyclists, and let us find out if the developers and politicians have woken up to the call of the bicycle. And if the bicycle bell is still in your pocket from last night's council meeting, leave it there, it may come in handy. Bring money too, allow $ 10 surcharge if you wait to register after the 15th, because there is a ticket requirement, but Parsons Brinckerhoff seems to subsidize student membership. And who is going to stay quiet just because of $ 15 (student non-members). Perhaps the UCLA Urban Planning has a fund for this?

The issues from saddle and handlebar:

The Westwood / Brentwood bicycle dis-connection called 405

The Hallowed Ground Land Grab: Why do cyclists need to risk their lives on Wilshire when a path across the cemetery is simple and easy. Let's have a discussion if endangering and discouraging cyclist (and re-routing the subway to the sea?) is the appropriate and best way to pay honor to those who are honored there. Clearly, given all its benefits, the bicycle is the most patriotic form of transportation, and both the VA and the National Cemetery could do more to welcome it

Does Nothing: Unfilled promises of the UCLA Bicycle Masterplan which requires improvements of bicycle access routes to UCLA

Who Killed the West LA Veloway: A Grand Dream (image above) from the early 1980ies, pursued with much local support, including employing a planner to work on it

The Los Angeles Country Club: Miles of rolling hills for the golfers, but not even a few feet for a decent cycle path?

(Of course, some of this has been said before by the so-called The Bicycle Rider in Beverly Hills (pseud.) and his rather angry booklet)

Jazz is not Dead

Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny, said the honorable Frank Zappa. The same is not true of the UCLA Bicycle Academy. It is neither dead nor does it smell funny.

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.

UCLA Bicycle Academy

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Which Way UCLA and VA (and National Cemetery)

Jazz is not Dead

Calendar

Contact Us

Mailing List

Our Board

Purpose and Membership

Documents

Blog Archive