Monday: Cyclist Killed in West Valley, LA Bike Plan Disappoints, AIDS Care Threatened in CA, Abortion Doctor Murdered, and a Bike Snob on a Pink Bike

I know, I've been terribly absent, but we already took your training wheels off and really, you should be out there riding.

I have too much work to do this week and one hundred miles to eat right and drink a lot of water for, so here's a quick news digest relating to major points of personal interest.

In cycling news, we're going to have to prepare another ghost bike for a woman cyclist who was killed today in the west valley when she was struck by a LADWP truck (Yup) in much the same way I was hit by a car about a month ago. I believe that's three ghost bikes we have erected so far this year. Please drive, ride, and walk safely out there.

I'd also like to mention LA's update on the elusive Bike Plan. Indeed, they threw up some maps which are as disappointing and as frustrating as what the maps actually depict - a wet noodle effort to connect Los Angeles' bicycle network. If you can actually decipher the low-resolution unwieldy PDF files, you'll see that the city has kindly taken the time to gray out most of the proposed bike paths as "infeasible." To add insult to injury, the map is populated with deceptively cheerful blue dotted lines which are supposed to represent "bike friendly" streets. In reality, "bike friendly" 4th Street from West LA to Korea Town is riddled with the sort of mangled streets I'd feel more comfortable riding my mountain bike over, deep water-filled dips across intersections, and careless soccer moms in luxury SUVs. I shudder to think of what some of those other "bike friendly" streets look like considering the condition of 4th Street. Surprisingly, the Valley looks considerably more pleasant. I might have to just move there...so long as I steer clear of any LADWP trucks.

In LGTBQ news, California Governor Schwarzenegger's budget cuts are threatening the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which helps provide treatment for low-income AIDS sufferers. Also at risk are other public programs which provide HIV counseling, testing, education and monitoring. Please take action now.

In feminism related news, late-term abortion doctor George Tiller was murdered Sunday morning in front of his church in Kansas. While Anti-Feminist Pro-Life advocates have been quick to denounce the shooting, the logic behind Pro-Life violence leaves me sadly perplexed.

And since such news potentially renders me hopeless, allow me to introduce you to the comedic velocipedal musings of Bike Snob NYC, of which not even I could escape the scorn! (Can you spot my bicycle? It is not necessarily obvious.)

Here's hoping the week improves and that my buzz wears off enough for me to actually get some work done.