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It's been an issue for some years now. The LADWP Festival of Lights--a holiday light show where people in cars drive slowly along Crystal Springs Dr. in Griffith Park viewing the displays--has been car-oriented since the beginning.
Cyclists have contended that they should get the right to bicycle through the festival just like cars. After all, California Vehicle Code says that they have the same rights and responsibilities as cars on the roads.
That hasn't worked and it has been a bitter battle for a couple years now. Councilman Tom LaBonge and the LADWP have bended little for cyclists, deeming one night, the first night of the festival, to be bike night. However, the cyclists, in order to have the festival be car-free--an obvious route to take a festival that claims to be green--did help succeed in getting the city to do two weeks of dedicated pedestrian nights.
In a phone interview about the festival with LADWP's Kim Hughes last September, she told LAist that safety is the number one reason why bicyclists cannot ride on car nights, but also that Crystal Springs Drive is a private road and as far as she understood, state law would not apply forcing the city to allow bicycle riding. Plus, this is a special event on a private road, which further blurs the line on what the bottom line is.
Tonight's protest, dubbed The Festival of RIGHTS, was announced in an e-mail to LaBonge and the press last night. Participating cyclists will meet at the Mulholland Fountain and ride at 7 p.m.
Photo by nesoxochi via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
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very cool. now all i have to do is drive down to griffith park with my bikes.
damn. i missed it. why does laist always report things after they happen? like the ucla pervert run.
It's tonight, unless you are living in tomorrow, it has not happened already. Unless you are talking about the official token bike night, that has passed already.
yeah. i meant the ped/bike nights of the festival of lights.
Is Crystal Springs Dr really private property??? In a public park? I've never heard that before.
Cool.
I went last night which was the "last night of car free". It was cool but the line as the night went on was INSANE! They had these shuttle buses you could take but then the shuttle bus had to sit in the same long line as the regular cars. Not really run that well.
It seemed that a park ranger came thru the "no car zone" every 10 minutes with a siren and/or lights blazing. Kinda ruined the spirit.
This morning I asked to get further clarification. So far, I've gotten that it is a "park road," which is "subject to park hours and park regulation."
Still looking for some deeper meaning on this, awaiting more answers.
They should be civilly disobedient for something other than that lame ass light show. That thing sucks.
Thanks for the coverage, Zach!
I was there on the last ped night. Wisely, we walked from Los Feliz Boulevard. Which took MUCH less time than driving!
is it really that bad? i guess i should go at least once just to earn the right to say that it sucks.
oh well, there's always Youngwood Court.
http://la-stories.blogspot.com/2007/01/so-just-who-is-norwood-young_13.html