Living Car Free - Car-free in L.A.

I'm in downtown L.A. for the Siggraph convention. I couldn't help checking out the local cyclists. The first one I saw was a white-mustached senior taking his lane and blasting down Olympic towards downtown. The next three were riding cheap mountain bikes down the sidewalk.

At the Convention Center I was delighted to see a good solid bike rack right by the doors to the West Tower. And it was cool to see one fellow cruising down Figueroa on a late model Schwinn Stingray. There were others, but I can't tell you details. All in all, more bikes in downtown than I remember from when bicycle commuted in the neighborhood 20+ years ago. :D

I'm in downtown L.A. for the Siggraph convention. I couldn't help checking out the local cyclists. The first one I saw was a white-mustached senior taking his lane and blasting down Olympic towards downtown. The next three were riding cheap mountain bikes down the sidewalk.

At the Convention Center I was delighted to see a good solid bike rack right by the doors to the West Tower. And it was cool to see one fellow cruising down Figueroa on a late model Schwinn Stingray. There were others, but I can't tell you details. All in all, more bikes in downtown than I remember from when bicycle commuted in the neighborhood 20+ years ago. :D

They most likely were bicycle messengers and they use cheap bikes so it isn't a big loss if it get ripped off as bike theft is big in down town LA, I used to work with the messengers.

They most likely were bicycle messengers and they use cheap bikes so it isn't a big loss if it get ripped off as bike theft is big in down town LA, I used to work with the messengers.

They definitely weren't messengers. ;) Not riding slowly on the sidewalks. I've never heard of messengers riding slowly. Just poor workers who can't afford cars, using their bikes to get to work or do errands I imagine.

I was car-free in LA for a good 3 years. The best 3 years of my life :)