illuminateLA

Los Angeles is a beautiful city. Riding my bike through various neighborhoods I can smell the various foods from the different cultures that have settled down after long travels in a search for a better world.

Riding my bike down to the beach or to the south side, I encounter communities that I would have never seen, if I had driven a car. I come across fairytale houses that I’ve only seen in the movies.

I often see kids playing bike polo or soccer on the street, hipsters skateboarding into a music store, three generations of men fixing their cars in front of their house, a group of old women huddling together to gossip about their weekly encounters.

When I walk down the streets of Los Angeles, I usually find historical signs and plaques and sometimes even statues, that have only been placed there for the curious passerby.

While walking, I found a journal, a love letter from prison to a girl, a turtle, I made friends with a homeless guy on the west side, who I always drove by in the days when I had a car.

Now that I’m car free, I enjoy Los Angeles like never before and I would love it if more people could have the same experience on the streets as me.

However, most of the people I know won’t walk or ride a bike. Because it’s too dangerous. Because when one crosses the street, one might get whiplash from constantly looking behind ones back to not get hit by the fast moving cars.

Because our streets are getting faster and faster, without regard of the neighborhood needs. Because our intersections are getting wider and street lights and crosswalks are being taken out to move cars faster out of our neighborhoods.

This is the reason that I decided to join Stephen to support the “Safe Streets” Bill this coming Monday.

Stephen and I will go to Sacramento to testify in support of Assistant Majority Leader Paul Krekorian’s AB766 “Safe Streets” bill which will give local communities more control over the establishment of speed limits in their neighborhoods.

Please, join us in person or in spirit and write a letter of support, so we can take it with us to Sacramento. Email the letter to SafeStreets@BikeWritersCollective.com . Tell your personal story of why you would support this bill that would give local communities more say about speed limits on their streets.

Here is Stephen’s letter: http://thirdeyecreative.net/safestreets/soapboxlanews-may409.html . You can sign up to get updates on our journey on making LA more accessible to everybody through the link.

You can also see some sample letters and find some inspiration on BikingInLA, Ron Kay L.A., Homegrown Evolution, and Brays Against the Machine.

I’m looking forward to receiving your support letters and I’m looking forward to this trip to Sacramento.

Photo courtesy by Alex Thompson