A task force presented recommendations for adding bike lanes to West Hollywood's streets at last night's WeHo City Council meeting, reports West Hollywood Patch. The group made suggestions that would significantly change the layout and traffic flow of the area. more ›

The hallowed practice of leaving cars on the street with "for sale" signs slapped in the windshield may soon become a banned activity in some neighborhoods, reports the Pasadena Star News. Tomorrow morning, the LA County Board of Supervisors will consider an ordinance introduced by Supervisor Gloria Molina that would effect cars parked on streets primarily in the east and north parts of the county. more ›

Though not the first or only hydrogen fueling station in the region, a new place for drivers of fuel-cell vehicles is open for business in Torrance, and its how it brings in the fuel that makes this station distinctive, according to the L.A. Times. " The public Torrance station, operated by Shell on land leased from Toyota, is the first in the country to pull hydrogen from an existing and active pipeline." more ›

A Santa Clarita resident who shares a home with several roommates says he was the target of an apparent hate crime. Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Deputies were dispatched on a call of a vehicle fire at the home, according to a release issued by the LASD, and the victim, an African-American male, said he initially heard noises coming from outside the front of the home. In his driveway was "his 2009 Scion fully engulfed in flames." more ›

First cell phones and now the car. California, you're grounded. Why? Because you broke curfew to go on a date with that college boy and you're $25.4 billion over your allowance. On Friday, Jerry Brown ordered California agencies to immediately stop buying new cars and announced that all vehicles deemed non-essential for state business are to be sold within 120 days. more ›

A carport fire at an apartment building in Los Feliz left four vehicles destroyed and another eight melted, according to KTLA. The fire was reported early this morning in the 4500 block of Los Feliz Boulevard. Some of the windows in the above apartment units were blown out, though no one was injured. Arson investigators were called to the scene, according to a report aired on CBS2, however they have not yet determined how or why the fire was started. more ›

The Greater Los Angeles area once again renews its passion for the automobile and welcomes back the Los Angeles Auto Show. Over the next 10 days, car manufacturers from around the world will present their latest creations, in some cases, for the first time ever. more ›

Other cities do it, but in Los Angeles taxi cab franchises are not required to have a fleet of fuel efficient vehicles. Now, thanks to a vote of the L.A. City Council today, a new contract with nine franchises means that by 2016, 80% of cabs on city streets will have to be green. In past months, the issue has been hotly debated with crowds packing committee meetings. Some argued that phasing in clean cars should be done in two years. Others said a five-year contract would allow for industry stability, allowing time to recoup the investment made in new alternative fuel vehicles purchases. more ›

Owners of luxury sedans and coupes might want to tone it down a few Sammy Hagars. Turns out several models of swankmobiles made the recently released list of "most-ticketed cars on the road" according to MyFoxLA. more ›

Last month Google CEO Eric Schmidt hinted towards a big announcement they made Saturday: “Your car should drive itself. It just makes sense,” he said at a conference. “It’s a bug that cars were invented before computers." more ›

There was 9/02/10 day last month and 10/10/10 this Sunday, but today is 10-4 day. more ›

The 5th Annual Alt Car Expo is in its second and final day of its two-day run in Santa Monica. Showcasing "one of the most extensive presentations of Alternative technology vehicles and transportation, infrastructure, renewable energies, energy efficiency and urban planning found worldwide," the event is free and open to the public. LAist Featured Photos contributor Alex de Cordoba headed to the hands-on event yesterday and shared a few photos of some of the cars that are on display. The event is open until 5 p.m. today, if you're in the area and are alt-car curious. more ›

The Natural History Museum in Exposition Park is known for it collections of dinosaurs and mammals, for its exhibits about history and Native Americans and for interactive opportunities like the Spider Pavilion. In L.A.'s Miracle Mile, the museum operates the famous La Brea Tar Pits.And in the Santa Clarita Valley, they operates silent cowboy film star William S. Hart's former home and ranch. Now another facility is gearing up to open to the public on a limited basis. more ›

We just got a heads up that the comedy event, The Wong Sans Wheel Chronicles, happens tonight at 7 pm at the 18th Street Gallery in Santa Monica. Irreverent comic Kristina Wong takes the audience on her carless journeys of LA (by foot, bus, and piggyback) after her vegetable oil-run Mercedes catches fire on the 405. The performance is in conjunction with Diane Meyer's photography exhibit Without A Car In The World that features 100 photographs with accompanying narratives from persons who live--believe it or not!--without a car in Los Angeles. The exhibit runs through Dec. 11. more ›

The Dutch have an idea that's good for debate here at home. A proposal would tax the miles driven on a car instead of the current taxes levied on roads and new car purchases. Specifically, "the plan proposes an average tax of $.07 per mile, with fees higher during rush hour and for commercial vehicles," says Live Earth. "It would use GPS systems installed in each car to track mileage and automatically bill drivers. The goal, the Dutch government says, is to cut traffic by 15% and reduce transport emissions by 10%." more ›

As part of the large car-free photography exhibit at the 18th Street Arts Center in Santa Monica, a series of panels are being run in conjnction. Tonight at 6 p.m. Green LA Girl and others will discuss how to live a car-less or car-free lifestyle. Then at 7 p.m. a panel discussion with D.J. Waldie will explore the social, spatial, and psychological aspects of walking in Los Angeles. more ›

With a $1 billion net income for the 3rd quarter, Ford is forecasting "solidly profitable" future by 2011. The AP reports: "The automaker said Monday earnings were fueled by U.S. market share gains, cost cuts and the Cash for Clunkers program, which drew flocks of buyers to showrooms this summer. Ford's shares rose 58 cents, or 8.3 percent, to $7.58 in pre-market trading." The company was the only Detroit automaker that did not receive government aid or go to bankruptcy court. more ›

A crash between two vehicles left an apparent transient dead this morning during rush hour in North Hollywood. Around 7:53 a.m., the vehicles traveling eastbound on the 134 freeway collided, leaving the freeway over the side where an encampment was set up behind the McDonalds at Riverside Drive and Lankershim Boulevard. "He just happened to be there at the wrong place at the wrong time," explained California Highway Patrol Officer Miguel Luevano over the phone. more ›

Passing the measure known as "Cash for Clunkers" looms before lawmakers--and their summer recess--and has been met in the media with its fair share of critics and cheerleaders. Categorizing himself as the latter, Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti published a post today on his website declaring his support--"love," actually--of the program that "gives car-buyers vouchers worth up to $4,500 for trading in their low-mileage vehicle for one that’s significantly more fuel-efficient." more ›

How's this for punishment? Police checkpoints will be set up on Saturday around hillside areas not to make sure you're driving sober, but to see if you have fireworks. If you get busted, they could confiscate your car, throw you in jail or fine you $50,000, according to the Pasadena Star News. Remember, for the most part, fireworks are illegal and only some cities allow "safe and sane" ones. And of course, they'll be on the hunt for illegally parked cars. more ›

After years of lawsuits against the Bush Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency today granted California the permission it wanted to impose strict emissions regulations on cars sold in the state. By 2016, fuel economy in cars and trucks sold in the state will need to have an average of 35.5 miles per gallon, a reduction of 40%. more ›

If "Smokey and The Bandit" featured Colonel Sanders .... He seems to call The Chicken Shack home. We hear their Peruvian chicken is pretty tasty too. FYI: LAist loves Peruvian chicken. more ›

Venice attracts a lot of people and has always had a number of vehicular homeless along its streets. More recently, thanks to the economy, the number of RVs, minivans and other vehicles housing people without a traditional home, have increased so much, that residents want to create overnight parking districts, effectively eliminating the problem... well, from their neighborhood, at least. KCET's SoCal Connected explored the issue last week in this above segment. more ›

As the first stop on their world tour, 4 BMW Art Cars are now parked at the BP Grand Entrance of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The show opens today and runs only until February 24th, but Flickr photographer Rubenstein saw the exciting exhibit featuring four painted BMWs by Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Rauschenberg. Hopefully you can make it to LACMA to see it, but just in case--or as a sneak peek--here are the four colorful cars. more ›

Today President Obama is asking the EPA to reverse a previous Bush-era move that "stopped California and more than a dozen other states from setting their own stricter limits on auto emissions," reports the LA Times. more ›

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The Southern Californian Auto Club would like to remind all of us that 'tis the season for us to be stupid, particularly when it comes to locking ourselves out of our cars. During December the Club deals with more locked out members than any other time of the year. In fact, according to their press release, in December of 2007 "the Auto Club answered 76,346 calls for help by its members for keys locked in vehicles at shopping malls, retail centers, grocery stores and other locations." The busiest locked-out days fell on the weekend before Christmas--you know, right when you're at the peak of frazzled, desperately trying to get everything done and every errand run. more ›

As the "Big Three" American automakers and the federal government get closer to determining what kind of bailout--if any--the struggling businesses can receive, things don't seem to be all that much better for overseas rival Toyota. more ›