Palos Verdes Estates Cyclists Stage Die-In Protest
Yesterday about 30 Palos Verdes bicyclists staged a peaceful protest against the inaction of the Palos Verdes Estates City Council. The event was organized by a group called Cyclists for Palos Verdes and Southern California Bike Safety. The cyclists are pushing for PVE to install five “Bikes May Use Full Lane” signs on Palos Verdes Drive West, a popular and scenic street used frequently by recreational cyclists.
In 2016, the Palos Verdes peninsula has experienced three cyclist deaths from motor vehicle crashes:
- In March, Jonathan Tansavadti was killed in a collision with a truck in Rancho Palos Verdes.
- Also in March, Peter Krichman was hit by a car and killed on Palos Verdes Drive West in PVE.
- In May, John Bacon was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Granvia Altamira in PVE.
The Palos Verdes Estates City Council Traffic and Safety approved the new shared lane signage, but this approval was later overturned by the full city council. Protest organizers Delia Park and Kristie Fox expressed outrage over council allegations that signs were not needed because streets were “already safe” and because bike safety signage would “disrupt the peace and tranquility” of local neighborhoods, including the now-infamous Lunada Bay. Park and Fox see parallels in PVE antipathy toward “outsider” bicyclists and the Lunada Bay “Bay Boys” surfer gang activity excluding outsiders.
The protest featured about thirty riders, wearing “blood-stained” shirts lying on the ground at the Malaga Cove Plaza’s grassy area at the corner of Palos Verdes Drive West and Via Corta. A few additional protesters held up signs to get their message across to passing automobile traffic. Eight uniformed PVE police officers and two county Firefighters observed
See additional coverage at Daily Breeze. To get involved contact Cycling in the South Bay.
