Month: April 2018

Yesterday we posted the most common comments heard at the booth.  Today, here are the most common questions we were asked.

1. Can I have one of the candies or Cliff Bars?
   Answer:   Yes you can!
2.  What does the La Verne Bicycle Coalition Do?
   Answer:  We are focused specifically on La Verne and encouraging / advocating for La Verne to become a better / safer place for bicycles.  
3. Do you have maps of bicycle routes in La Verne and surround area?
   Answer: No, but we sure wish we did, and many cities do.   However, there is hope.   La Verne will soon begin creating a bike and pedestrian master plan.  La Verne also is still working on a grant to install bicycling improvements.  The Chamber of Commerce is preparing to produce maps of the La Verne, and will update it every two years.  We are hoping the next version will include bicycling routes around the city.
4. Do you have rides we can participate in?
   Answer: Kinda.   If you look at the LVBC website we maintain a list of all the local groups that organize rides.  We also list all the rides that start/finish/travel through La Verne by day of the week they occur.  However, we are indeed planning on organizing and sponsoring rides in the future.  These will be low key, family friendly rides so stay tuned.
5. How much are the T-shirts and can I get one?
   Answer: We’re all out, but we are planning on getting more.  We’re working on the details now but will announce when they are available and prices via our website, Facebook , Instagram and Newsletter.  We do agree, we have a really cool logo!

We want this too…….
“We want to help the students of La Verne get into the city easier,” Grater said. “Hopefully once we bring Spin to campus, the city will become interested and invest in bikes for people to use in the city of La Verne.”

Bike share program Spins to ULV

This is great, I hope they do it every…. (fill in the blank)
Answer:  We do too, but realistically it will probably be much longer than most would hope.  This CicLAvia was two years in the planning, and there is not another one currently being planned.  Hopefully, the success of this one will start the wheels moving for another one in the future.   But there are smaller events and rides happening locally, and La Verne Bicycle Coalition is planning to do some fun, casual rides in the future.

I want to ride my bike around here more but I just don’t feel safe.  
Answer: It shouldn’t require a unique massive event and completely closing the streets to cars for casual riders to feel safe riding their bicycle from their house to visit a local restaurant. 

Fear is the number one factor preventing most residents from choosing healthier, more sustainable options.  Most the people we met have bicycles sitting in their garages already.  We need to make a real effort to make our streets “feel” safer, encourage car-free options, and combine that with outreach and education (like community bike safety classes).

 

CicLAvia was a huge success and hopefully will help raise awareness and continue to change the culture of the cities that hosted it.  While the overall event is set up by the excellent CicLAvia organization, it requires the willing participation and support from the cities involved. The City of La Verne deserves credit for their willingness to try something new and then engage with enthusiasm and commitment as they invested in the CicLAvia event. 

The process started several years ago with each City agreeing to participate and submit an application to receive a supporting grant.  Not every city that was approached chose to participate, but La Verne did.

The route went through multiple changes during the planning phase.  Bonita Avenue has long been one of the more difficult discussions between the City and bicycling advocates.  But in the end, the City agreed to allow the use of Bonita. As a result, the City hosted the nicest section of the entire route, flooding its old town businesses with new guests experiencing the best of La Verne for the first time.  

On the day of the event, elected leaders and City staff were visible everywhere.  And not just “doing their jobs”, they were on bicycles, riding around the city (smiling and maybe wishing it was a little more like this every day).  The City hosted a booth where elected officials took turns being accessible, listening, and answering questions…….in other words, using a human scale event to make human connections.  And staff members were walking and biking throughout the day, checking on things, making sure everything was going well, and just enjoying the event for themselves.

 La Verne Bicycle Coalition is dedicated to helping La Verne reach its potential as a bike-friendly community.  La Verne easily could have been one of the cities that choose not to participate, and frankly, this was a huge stretch for the traditional La Verne.  But they took the step and embraced the opportunity.  They deserve credit and recognition for doing so.

 

 

CicLAvia was so huge and overwhelming it is hard to describe it.  The update from the Daily Bulletin is a good start.

At CicLAvia on Sunday in eastern LA County, these feet were made for walking (and cycling)

 

We are getting close

5 things you need to know about CicLAvia this Sunday in Pomona, Claremont, La Verne and San Dimas

 

Last night at the La Verne City Council meeting, the council went through the normal agenda.  At the conclusion of each night is an opportunity for each council member to discuss past and upcoming events.  Last night, three of the four members spoke about bicycling related topics.

1.  Muir Davis encouraged everyone to attend CicLaVia, and mentioned that the City would have a “Council Corner” from 10:00 - 2:00 where City Council members would be available to answer questions.
2. Robin Carder gave an upbeat review of the Bicycle Revolution Showing at ULV, and reiterated her support for making progress.
3. Mayor Don Kendrik started his comments by discussing the delivery of SPIN bikes at ULV, and how they are already starting to be seen across the city.   He even gave a brief overview of how the program is run and the costs.

   None of these are actually major announcements, rather they are part of the positive trend where bicycling is a part of the normal conversation.   And slowly as it becomes part of the normal conversation it becomes part of the culture.  And really, culture change from a “cars only mindset” is the pre-requisite to reaching our potential as a bike-friendly community.  Last night was a good night.

 

As always, the Claremont Cyclists does a great job of summarizing events.   You can read the summary of the Bicycle Revolution Showing here: 

https://centerlinerule.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-revolution-rolls-into-la-verne.html

 

It’s finally here,  dockless bikeshare at the University of La Verne.  SPIN delivered 125 bikes to the university today, and already they are evident all around the downtown area.   Bikes have even been taken to In & Out, Foothill businesses, and by the baseball team to baseball practice on West Campus.  You don’t need to be a student at the university to use one, you simply need to download the SPIN app.   We’re expecting these to show up all around La Verne, and they won’t be hard to spot.