Recent increase of bike thefts

Bike thefts have occured at an increased rate in the month of April. Over ten bike thefts were reported, according to a CSULB campus police newsletter.

The Parking and Transportation Services department has sent a new surge of volunteers to register bikes because of the increased bike thefts.


Despite recommendations from all bike officials, students still predominantly chose cable locks over U-locks.

Out of ten bikes on the bike rack near the Outpost and the Social Science Public Affairs building, only two were U-locks, the rest were cable locks.

Riding a skateboard to get to class

There are many ways students get to class. For the next few weeks, I will be looking into those different modes.

To begin, let's look at students who drive their cars, but park off campus.

Senior English major Jeremy Irby drives his car to two different apartment complexes near the Ralph's grocery store on 7th street.

Depending on his schedule, he will either park at Channel Point or Stoneybrook apartments.

The closer of the two has free parking for two hours, which he can pull off on days he does not have subsequent classes. For days when he does have subsequent classes, he has to park at the further apartment complex.

"I drive about 1.5 miles and skate a quarter of a mile," Irby said.

He bought his Independent skateboard off of Craig's List and started skateboarding to class this semester: "I bought this board specifically for that reason."

However, Irby has found other uses for his skateboard such as trips to the grocery store.

"It's tough to find parking where I live," he said.

As far as skateboarding on the sidewalks goes, Irby finds that "people walking have no respect for skateboarders."

Everyone is trying to get somewhere, but many people are "oblivious to the fact that it's a common sidewalk," Irby said.

Unfortunately, Irby's habits of skateboarding on campus are against school regulations.

"The operation of skateboards is prohibited on all streets, alleys, sidewalks, parking facilities, driveways, paths and grounds of CSULB," according to the CSULB website.

Students who use skateboards and scooters to get to class may be ticketed for riding these self propelled modes of transportation.

Image from besportier.com

New law would increase car-bike accident penalties

Motorists may see an increase in penalty fees when a car-bicycle or a car-pedestrian accident occurs.
According to the California Bicycle Coalition (CBC), their main goal for 2010 is to pass this new legislation, "extending protections" to bicyclists and pedestrians as well as "toughening penalties" for motorists.
Assembly Bill 1951 would make injury-causing traffic infractions, misdemeanors, set the minimum fine at $145 (equal to a reckless driving fine) and impose a jail sentence, the CBC reported.
Currently, car-bike accident' fines are $70 to $95, but are rarely reported.
Many car-bike accidents go unpunished because of insufficient laws, but if AB 1951 gets amended, many cases will go to court, resulting in judges providing clearer laws.

According to the California Highway Patrol:
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents are the leading cause of death for ages 8 through 14.
- One in six traffic fatalities is a pedestrian.
- Over 100 bicyclists are killed each year in California.
- Every six hours a bicyclist is fatally injured in the US.
- 49% of all bicyclist deaths occur to youths age 16 or younger.
- 86% of all bicycle accidents involve an automobile or truck.
- Motorists failing to yield the right-of-way to a bicycle cause 42% of bicycle-related accidents.
- 39% of bicycle accidents occur because cars make turns without noticing bicyclists.
- 87% of bicyclists in California who die in an accident were not wearing a safety helmet.

According to the Department of Motor Vehicle's website, common causes of bicycle accidents include:
- Bicycle rider using the wrong side of the road.
- Auto driver making unsafe left or right turn.
- Bicyclist riding from driveway or sidewalk into path of car.
- Auto driver opening door as bicycle passes.
- Bicycle rider weaving, leaving edge of road or bike lane.
- Bicyclist making unsafe left turn.
- Bicycle without headlight or reflectors.

How well do you know the law?
Try to answer the questions below. The numbers in parentheses refer to Vehicle Code sections. This quiz is provided by the DMV website. The answers are below the quiz. (No peeking!)

1. A bicycle rider should ride facing traffic. (21202)
- True - False

2. Handlebars must be positioned so the bicycle operator’s hands are not elevated above the level of his or her shoulders when grasping the normal steering grip area. (21201(b))
- True - False

3. It’s OK to let a friend ride on the handlebars, as long as you stay within three blocks of home. (21204 (b))
- True - False

4. Riding with no hands is allowed when your arms are so full of bundles that you can’t reach the handlebars, if your bicycle is not equipped with a basket or carrying rack. (21205)
- True - False

5. During darkness, every bicycle operated on a public street must be equipped with a headlamp that can be seen for 300 feet to the front and sides of the bicycle. (21201 (d))
- True - False

6. It’s all right to hold on to the back of a motor vehicle and be pulled on a bicycle or coaster provided the vehicle is driven by your parents. (21203)
- True - False

7. A bike rider must stop at stop signs. (21200)
- True - False

8. A lawfully equipped bicycle must have a brake that permits the rider to make one braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement. (21201 (a))
- True - False

9. During darkness, every bicycle operated on a public street must have reflectors on each side; white or yellow forward of center and white or red rear of center, unless the bicycle is equipped with reflectorized tires. (21201 (d))
- True - False

10. A bicycle rider must ride upon or astride a regular permanent seat. (21204 (a))
- True - False

11. A bicycle rider can wear headsets over both ears. (27400)
- True - False

3. False 5. True 7. True 9. True
2. True 4. False 6. False 8. True
11. False 1. False 10. True

Grand Opening: The H.U.B.

The first bicycle co-operative in Long Beach opened Saturday, April 3, spreading a positive atmosphere within the community.

Members of the community may use the H.U.B (Habitat Unto Humanity). to meet other bike riders as well as learn how to fix their own bikes, according to the motto.

Cal State University students, graduates and other community members helped make food, spin music, and move activities forward.

Bike riders enjoyed games such as farthest bike jump, best bike trick and fastest 500meter bike sprint.

















Vans and other popular brands helped sponsor the event by giving away tee shirts, backpacks and other apparel to raffle ticket winners and bike champions.

Donations were being taken to help pay for the food and other gifts. Bicycle co-op core member and former art education major Graham Baden expressed his desire to make $1,000. As the evening progressed, people continued to show their support with $1 and $5 bills.

The music band Chase Long Beach and the Long Beach Roller Derby used the H.U.B.'s grand opening to promote their upcoming events.

The main goal of the H.U.B. is to teach others how to maintain their own bikes through cheap, but solid equipment while promoting community bonding.

The H.U.B. created different programs to help people who can't afford a bike or maintanence by offering a trade.

In the Earn A Bike program, the person can trade 72 hours of labor for a new, but used bicycle.

Former journalism major Khristian Berrio recently took advantage of the program after joining the Catalyst.

The Catalyst is the primary organization, consisting of four groups: Pedal Movement, Green Long Beach, Long Beach Girls and Long Beach Creative.

Through the Catalyst, each organization shares information to help goals progress.

The H.U.B. moved forward quickly because of this collaboration. It took two months for the core members to make the H.U.B. presentable and ready to be used.

"I wish you could have seen this place before the remodel. There was a dead cat in one of the rooms," Baden said.

New flooring was put in, the walls were painted and lighting was put in to name a few of the remodel features.

Senior civil engineer major Cypress Kuhn began working on his bicycle at the co-op after getting back from his study abroad trip to Korea.

"They have all the specialized tools I need," he said.

Kuhn like Baden shows others how to fix their bikes themselves.

















For instance, junior civil engineer major and Treasurer of Pedal Movement Sabrina Rivera expressed her joy at learning about her bicycle.

"Graham taught me what a derailleur is," she said with a smile.

A derailleur is the device that moves the chain from one gear to another.

Baden did express the physical and emotional efforts it takes to put together a volunteer, community based operation: "It's a hell of a lot more work than I thought it would be, but I am meeting a lot of people," he said.

Substance abusers are one group of people in the community who have already showed their appreciation for the bike co-op's efforts to get them on a bike in hopes of bettering their lives.

"One guy, Jeffrey, really got involved; it was very cool," Ronnie Sandlin another core member of the H.U.B. said.

"The H.U.B. fosters a sense of community and infrastructure instead of people being isolated in their car," Rivera said. "It [also] eliminates parking problems, traffic, pollution and obesity rates."

Matthew Spencer, junior graphic design major said he and his freinds usually hang out at a bike shop called City Grounds, but noted that he would enjoy the close proximity and convenience of the H.U.B.

The H.U.B. is located at 1736 Long Beach Blvd near the Metro Station on P.C.H. It is open everyday from noon to 5 p.m.

Introducing Google Maps for bicyclists

Find out if you're taking the best route to Cal State Long Beach on your bicycle.

Google introduced a new feature, showing bicyclists better, faster routes to get from point A to point B.

The announcement came during the National Bike Summit on March 11.

Now, you can chose four different transportation methods by clicking the arrow on the drop box. The four methods include: car, bike, public transportation and walking.

It's the same model for finding directions in a car, which means it's still just as easy.

According to Google Maps, I could have been saving five minutes on my ride to school.

CSULB grad founds innovative bike co-op

Cal State University Long Beach alum Allyson Clark is gearing up for the opening of her bicycle club, the H.U.B. Bike Repair Cooperative, on Saturday, April 3rd from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Visit the Long Beach Cyclists website to view the grand opening events.

Many old bikes have already been donated to the bicycle club from locals and bike shops. Those bikes will be tuned up by volunteer mechanics and then sold by Clark's club. For bicycle owners who are looking for a tune up, the mechanics are ready to help.

"This is a DIY center. The mechanics show you how to do it yourself. It's not that hard," Clark said.

Clark received her B.A. in environmental science. The bike club is a way for Clark to help the community become more environmentally conscious.

"I was into [bike] maintenance," Clark said of her interest in creating a bike club. "I sat on different committees, trying to get [CSULB] more bike friendly. They seemed to focus mainly on cars," she said, concerning CSULB's transportation.

Clark also considers transportation around CSULB to have a lot of "bottlenecks." The term comes from the idea that a narrow pathway slows water from pouring out of a bottle.

"Transportation at Long Beach state is stop, go, stop, go," she said.

The CSULB Cyclists is a major group that supplies volunteers to the bike club. And if there's an event, members are alerted right away.

One of the lead mechanics at the Bike Co-op is junior recreations major Alex Tiberi. He donates old bicycles from his work, Pasadena Cyclery.

He also commutes to school on his bicycle. He begins his route at Studebaker Road.

"They have a bike route, but it's funky. I just ride in the right lane rather than the bike lane," Tiberi said.

One group of people that are using Clark's bike club are Cambodians. They left several rickshaw bicycles at the H.U.B. to be tuned up for the 6th annual Cambodian New Years Parade held on Anaheim Street April 4.

The community benefits from the H.U.B.'s programs: With the bike donations program, the price of a bike is reduced 25 percent, but that discount must be worked for by "being a wrench" or picking up trash at the H.U.B. The Earn-A-Bike program allows youth, homeless people and people who can't afford a bike to get one inexpensively.

"We make deals, but it's not free," Clark said.

Parts that are donated to the bicycle club are about one third of the retail price.

"It's $10 here compared to $30 at a bike shop," Allyson Clark said.

Clark has been trying to receive grants from local level committees for her innovative club. She has yet to apply for larger state grants such as the California Endowment grants because state grants are more likely to have a lot of applicants.

At the local level Clark goes to meetings and actually talks to people so they can get to know her and what she is doing for the community.

The H.U.B. is currently under minor construction, but it is still pushing forward and fixing up bikes. The Bike Co-op is located at 1740 Long Beach Blvd. They are open daily from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Do students who commute to campus do better in school than those who live on campus?

Students who commute to Cal State University Long Beach do better in school than those who live on campus, according to a recent poll, which calculates the average G.P.A of 45 commuters and 45 non commuters during their fall 2009 semester.

I approached students who live on campus at the Residence Dining cafeteria, and I approached students who commute to campus at the Student Union cafeteria. I also asked students for their G.P.A's through email. I did not ask them what grade level or major they were in, which may affect the results.

The common assumption is that students who live on campus are in social party mode, and that the students assume, because they live on campus, they will always have plenty of time to do their homework, whereas students who commute to campus take school more seriously and must be prepared for school before they leave home.

Students who live off campus explain their feelings about homework and campus life:

"I am positive if I lived on campus I would get better grades. The atmosphere at school makes it easier for studying," senior journalism major Stephanie Rivera said.

"I do more homework on campus because it feels more conducive to a work environment. I do a lot of work in the library because I need a computer or I work near a power source where I can use my laptop," sophomore film major Allan Tolkoff said.

"I lived in the dorms my freshman year and my G.P.A was 2.91. Since then, my cumulative G.P.A has raised to 3.33," junior communications major Michael Taylor said.

Students who live on campus explain their feelings about homework and campus life:

"I do all my homework [on campus]. My friends and I do homework together and work on projects together," freshman chemical engineer major Tauri Smith said.

"I find it difficult to study and do coursework in the on-campus housing, as there are no quiet places during the evening, which is when I have the most time available for my schoolwork," senior English major Bertrand Ithurburn said.