Advocacy & Safety - Los Angeles has a boatload of bike cops

Today was yet another protest in my hood. They once again closed down blocks of Wilshire Blvd. A big block for Israeli's and a big block for Lebanese I guess. I rode over to get some videos at Blockbuster and at that point at least over 50 bike cops came flying out of an alley to close the protest down. Wild to see so many cops on bikes. Good that the city saves cash instead of so many cars. Now if they can make more of the parking ticket idiots ride them too. Heres a couple of pictures of a mass of them.

Then on the way home, two 20 something girls thought to hell with my right of way and even though she saw me, she tried to run me down crossing a stop sign she was at while I had the right of way, good thing I wasn't just a little slower. I'd be under her Lexus. I caught her at the next light she got to, but it changed before I got to school her on who has the right of way when she has a stop sign and I don't. I wonder what the cops will do if I report them.

I was just in a training class for bicycle safety and had 6 LA cops there. Wonderful people, once you get to know them!

The bike cops I've met so far are all really friendly and courteous.

Maybe because they spent most of the day outside instead of being in a cruiser.

I know I'm probably going to regret asking this, but here goes: Where do 20-something females get the money to buy pricey cars like that? I only ask because when I went to college, you were rich if you had twenty bucks in your pocket.

I know I'm probably going to regret asking this, but here goes: Where do 20-something females get the money to buy pricey cars like that? I only ask because when I went to college, you were rich if you had twenty bucks in your pocket.

From parents who want their precious baby to have everything...

-Kurt

The money is either borrowed (financing or leasing the car) or they have parents with money. Or it is possible that they actually saved enough by that age to buy that car through hard work and thrifty spending (and made THE worst investment they could have made with that money). I'm going with one of the first two though.

The money is either borrowed (financing or leasing the car) or they have parents with money. Or it is possible that they actually saved enough by that age to buy that car through hard work and thrifty spending (and made THE worst investment they could have made with that money). I'm going with one of the first two though.

The latter of the first two is the most possible of the three, and happens more then you think. Not limited to automobiles either. Spoils the children rotten.

(Anyone who wishes to read further on that subject should look into the book "The Millionare Next Door")

-Kurt

I went to high school with a guy (who was a friend for a while) whose parents (both doctors) gave him a new Chevy Blazer at 16, a 1977 Corvette at 17, then a Mitsubishi 3000 GT VR4 later on that same year. His cars took up their whole 3 car garage. I hear it's worse now at some schools out west.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_parent

I'd say rich parents. I'd bet a good bit of cars are leased out here. I don't see a parking sticker on the back, but i'll be scouring the area when I ride to look for the vehicle. I have some share the road printouts i'd like to leave on the window as well as a printout about the right of way.

My family and I went to Chili's for dinner the other night, and waited outside for our table. We sat on a bench right next to four bicycle cop's bikes so I could check them out while I was waiting. When we were seated, we were right next to the bicycle cops. I was dying to know about the bikes but didn't want to bug the cops on their breaks, but my wife -- who has no social inhibitions, heh -- had no problem leaning over and striking up a conversation about the bikes.

The cops were cool and knowledgable too. I was impressed; I thought bicycle cops just rode the bikes and handed them off at the end of the day, but they knew bike sh*t. I was impressed.

Or, option 4, she was taking Mumsy or Pops's car out for a spin to go shoppin' because she would just DIE if Haleyigh, Lindsay, or any of her tri-delt sisters saw her in that nasty old Explorer she got last year at prep school graduation. I mean, it's not even Eddie Bauer edition, you know?

I know I'm probably going to regret asking this, but here goes: Where do 20-something females get the money to buy pricey cars like that? I only ask because when I went to college, you were rich if you had twenty bucks in your pocket.

My aunt has lived in the Brentwood section of west LA and Santa Monica for the better part of 40 years. I've visited her almost every year ever since I can remember and this is something that has puzzled me since I was old enough to notice. Matter of fact, that whole area seems to me (on the surface) like a weird drug-induced trip into TV-land. Maybe that's why TV is the way it is?

I think tangling with bike cops could do these 20-something females a great deal of good.

Today was yet another protest in my hood. They once again closed down blocks of Wilshire Blvd. A big block for Israeli's and a big block for Lebanese I guess. I rode over to get some videos at Blockbuster and at that point at least over 50 bike cops came flying out of an alley to close the protest down. Wild to see so many cops on bikes. Good that the city saves cash instead of so many cars. Now if they can make more of the parking ticket idiots ride them too. Heres a couple of pictures of a mass of them.

Then on the way home, two 20 something girls thought to hell with my right of way and even though she saw me, she tried to run me down crossing a stop sign she was at while I had the right of way, good thing I wasn't just a little slower. I'd be under her Lexus. I caught her at the next light she got to, but it changed before I got to school her on who has the right of way when she has a stop sign and I don't. I wonder what the cops will do if I report them.
I will have to say that LA's bike cops are the best on the planet, IMHO! http://www.planet-smilies.de/a_smilies/award_1.gif