Carmageddon! July 16-17

[tangentgirl]

Next weekend, the 405 freeway in Los Angeles will be closed for repairs between the 10 and the 101. This means traffic everywhere in the LA area is going to suuuucccck. The other freeways - since they are all connected - are going to be backed up like crazy. The side streets will be a mess, with people trying to avoid the freeways. Locals are calling it Carmageddon, and the MTA is telling everyone just to stay home.

This all sounds like a great weekend for some bike riding. I feel very free in that I can pretty much get anywhere I need to go on my bicycle. If I wanted to go shopping, go out to eat, catch a movie or hit the gym I could just jump on my bike, no problem. I suppose this won't be a big Home Depot weekend or anything, but whatever. I can't help but feel like the appropriate response is a little bit of neener, neener, neener.

LA people, any grand cycling plans for Carmageddon?

[roguedog]

LOL. Love the title.

Oh man, I cannot imagine the chaos that will ensure. Heck it's probably faster anyway to ride than to drieve even when the freeway was open.

[Tokie]

LOL, love the neener,neener,neener! funny how the press hasn't suggested alternate transit like bikes! We're wondering if the traffic here in the Santa Barbara area will be less due to Carmageddon - it would be nice. Am enjoying the 99 cents only stores countdown to Carmageddon ad campaign! tokie

[ACG]

My .02, from a Los Angeles native who lives way east of the 405, who never goes ever to that side of town... it is all a scare tactic.

Hopefully people on that side of town will discover their bikes.

[tangentgirl]

Somehow, I have no problem with the hype on this one. If people were out and about like they normally are, it would be a giant cluster*#&%. Even bigger than the usual cluster*&^@ that that stretch of road is.

Looking forward to my bike ride to work tomorrow. Hopefully I'll see more people on two wheels along the way.

[tangentgirl]

And, yes, Tokie, we're hearing a lot of "just stay home!" and not very much "go for a walk or a bike ride instead!" God forbid anyone find a way around here that doesn't involve cars.

[tangentgirl]

This does my heart good: First, JetBlue is offering $4 flights from Burbank to Long Beach and vice versa on Saturday. One-time deal.

Second, a cycling group called the Wolfpack Hustle is challenging JetBlue to a race. They will leave Burbank on bicycles and ride to the Long Beach Aquarium.

At the same time, a bike blogger will drive to the Burbank Airport, wait for his flight, fly from Burbank to the LBC, then get from the plane to the Aquarium.

Whoever gets to the Aquarium first wins.

Taking the LA River bike path, the route (http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=burbank,+ca&daddr=LONG+BEACH+AQUARIUM+OF+THE+PACIFIC,+Aquarium+Way,+Long+Beach,+CA&hl=en&ll=33.960447,-118.041229&spn=0.607103,1.234589&sll=33.980948,-118.440857&sspn=0.586459,0.830841&geocode=FeeOCQIdmr_y-CmVxRgoFZXCgDHUih-Qr5F3MA%3BFcksAwIdmXb0-CGWXuGCR9_alikBb24xMDHdgDE9zXSG5dSNYA&mra=ltm&dirflg=b&t=h&z=10&lci=bike)should be about 37 miles for the cyclists.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/carmageddon-bicyclists-challenge-jetblue-to-crosstown-race.html

[7rider]

Being in Maryland, I thought this was just some distant wonder for you CA folks.
But then I realized, I'm flying into LAX and will be in Long Beach all week for meetings.
Yikes. Okay. So I won't be driving anywhere, and will just be taking a cab or shuttle from the airport to the hotel (where I'll be captive in conference rooms each day...blech).
I heard the contractor will get fined $6,000 per MINUTE if the closure goes longer than scheduled. I hope that means that all this mess will be done and gone by the time I get there!

[KnottedYet]

This does my heart good: First, JetBlue is offering $4 flights from Burbank to Long Beach and vice versa on Saturday. One-time deal.

Second, a cycling group called the Wolfpack Hustle is challenging JetBlue to a race. They will leave Burbank on bicycles and ride to the Long Beach Aquarium.

At the same time, a bike blogger will drive to the Burbank Airport, wait for his flight, fly from Burbank to the LBC, then get from the plane to the Aquarium.

Whoever gets to the Aquarium first wins.

Taking the LA River bike path, the route (http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=burbank,+ca&daddr=LONG+BEACH+AQUARIUM+OF+THE+PACIFIC,+Aquarium+Way,+Long+Beach,+CA&hl=en&ll=33.960447,-118.041229&spn=0.607103,1.234589&sll=33.980948,-118.440857&sspn=0.586459,0.830841&geocode=FeeOCQIdmr_y-CmVxRgoFZXCgDHUih-Qr5F3MA%3BFcksAwIdmXb0-CGWXuGCR9_alikBb24xMDHdgDE9zXSG5dSNYA&mra=ltm&dirflg=b&t=h&z=10&lci=bike)should be about 37 miles for the cyclists.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/carmageddon-bicyclists-challenge-jetblue-to-crosstown-race.html

Hey, the dude flying is only planning to get to the airport 1 hour ahead of flight time. I thought TSA wanted people to be at the airport TWO hours ahead of flight time.

Bikes are gonna win anyway.... ;)

[tangentgirl]

Hey, the dude flying is only planning to get to the airport 1 hour ahead of flight time. I thought TSA wanted people to be at the airport TWO hours ahead of flight time.

Nah, only if you're checking bags. Even then, two hours is a long time. I usually get there an hour or so ahead.

The bike folks are totally gonna win. The LA River path is a straight shot, no lights no cars no nuthin. :D

[tangentgirl]

Victoire!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/carmageddon-bicyclists-declare-victory-over-jetblue-flight.html

[Jiten]

Victoire!

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/carmageddon-bicyclists-declare-victory-over-jetblue-flight.html

That is just too awesome. And funny!

"The plane had just taken off when the cyclists arrived."

Even fully loaded touring bikes could've done better than JetBlue, I think.

[Jiten]

LOL, JetBlue wants a rematch, is proposing LAX to JFK. Too funny!

[Tri Girl]

That's funny! I would have NEVER bet on the flight arriving faster than the bikes- not for a measly 40 miles. And really- flying 40 miles? Seems like more of a hassle than biking for sure! ;)

[Trek420]

And really- flying 40 miles? Seems like more of a hassle than biking for sure! ;)

That said in a country where 90% of car trips in the US are less than 3 miles. :p ;) :)

[KnottedYet]

That said in a country where 90% of car trips in the US are less than 3 miles. :p ;) :)

There was some movie Steve Martin was in ages ago, where he lived in LA or something. Anyway, at one point he got in his car to drive a block or two to a friend's house, and the entire theatre erupted into laughter at how ridiculous that was.

Now I see that every day. I see people load their garbage bags into their cars and drive to the dumpster 2 buildings down from their apartment. Then they do a U-ie and park in front of their apartment building again, task completed.

Freakin' nuts-o world, I'm tellin' ya.

ETA: here's a fun fact. 1/4 of car trips in the US are LESS than 1 mile! http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200803/twowheeled.asp

[tangentgirl]

Ew. They put trash in their cars? Grody.

[KnottedYet]

Ew. They put trash in their cars? Grody.

Every. Single. Day.

The dumpster is in front of my apartment. This drives me nuts.
(and no, I would NOT put the garbage on my passenger seat just to save me a 50 yd walk)