Manuel Gallegos, the man who recorded the violent confrontations between Los Angeles police officers and Critical Mass participants in May 2010 has filed a lawsuit against the city, according to CBS2. Shortly after the incident, which took place during a ride organized to protest the BP oil spill, Gallegos filed a claim against the city, setting the wheels in motion for yesterday's suit. more ›

Despite the many challenges Angelenos face when it comes to alternative methods of transportation (read: not a car), 2010 turned out to be a surprisingly hopeful year in advances for livable streets and the results of the Streetsies Awards at L.A. Streetsblog prove it. L.A. Streetsblog asked readers to vote on many bike-friendly issues facing residents from more ›

On the last Friday of every month, hundreds of Earth cities mobilize on two-wheels to celebrate the joy of cycling and gather for pedal rights during organized Critical Mass rides. more ›

A violent altercation between the LAPD and cyclists on a large group street bicycle ride last May beget something unexpected: a monthly Critical Mass, notoriously known across the country as a leaderless sometimes chaotic event, ride accompanied by the police officers for the last three months. more ›

Last night was the August Critical Mass ride through the streets of Los Angeles. The event, by most morning-after accounts, went well; the group's Facebook wall has multiple postings from participants citing a "dope," "great," "fun," "tight," and "successful," ride. more ›

It's the last Friday of the month and that means hundreds of cyclists under the guise of Critical Mass will take to the streets tonight. The LAPD will join in, albeit with a smaller presence than the one made in June. more ›

By all accounts, Friday night's first Critical Mass ride that shared the road with hundreds of cyclists and cops was a success. And it was also a completely opposite scenario from last month when the LAPD used force against cyclists, causing an uproar within the bicycle community and Chief Charlie Beck promising that things would improve. more ›

One of the key elements of large Critical Mass bicycle rides is that there's no official leadership, but with recent steps to improve relations between the LAPD, the cycling community and the public -- efforts that stem from a police incident caught on tape -- some cyclists are planning to step it up and lead by example. In the comments section of LAist's post about Friday's Critical Mass where the LAPD will be joining, cyclist Joe Borfo calls for "Project Civil Obedience." His comment: more ›

The face of Critical Mass in Los Angeles could change next week when the LAPD takes part. Yesterday, they announced to cyclists that they would join the June 25th ride. "The Department will support the rights of all persons to peacefully gather and bring attention to their cause," a flyer read. "LAPD officers will be present to ensure the safety of all those who lawfully participate and will take enforcement action against those who violate the law or the vehicle code." more ›

The videographer apparently tackled by police during a large bicycle ride last Friday today filed a claim against the city of Los Angeles, he and lawyers announced today. The claim is based on assault, battery, false arrest, false imprisonment and First, Fourth and 14th amendment civil rights violations, among other legal theories, his lawyer Hermez Moreno said. more ›

Thanks to video captured Friday night, some of LAPD's Hollywood Area bike unit officers are under scrutiny by LAPD internal affairs following complaints raised by bicyclists participating in a group ride organized in protest of the BP oil spill. The bicyclists are questioning the officers' use of excessive force during the ride, and the LAPD has announced via a statement that they are pursuing the matter internally. more ›

A large group bike ride was staged last night in protest of British Petroleum and the gulf oil spill. There were an estimated 200-1,000 bike riders in fluctuating numbers who took part in the ride that converged on the BP gas station at Robertson and Olympic, however encounters with LAPD officers signaled an end to the ride for a few in Hollywood. more ›

We've heard about the LAPD doing this before--one LAist writer witnessed something like this last year in Hollywood--and here it is again from last Friday night, via Damien Newton at Streetsblog: ... things got ugly when Los Angeles Critical Mass breezed onto Los Angeles Street and ran into an LAPD Squad Car facing against traffic with its lights flashing. According to eye witnesses, the two officers tackled cyclists... more ›

It's probably one of the least heard of tickets, especially given to a bicyclist. But a ticket for signaling and then not turning was apparently handed out to one Critical Mass rider in Santa Monica on Friday night. Fellow rider to the cyclist and a photographer Alex Thompson said it was "biased enforcement." more ›

For over a year, Critical Mass and the Santa Monica Police Department have been at odds and last month at their monthly ride, an unusual amount of officers monitored the ride of approximately 150 cyclists. A total of 16 officers were assigned to the ride costing the city $3,067.88, according to documents obtained by LAist in a public records request. Nine citations were written for various violations such as not having a headlight. more ›

FILM: The Aero in Santa Monica screens the L.A. premiere of the rock doc Patti Smith: Dream of Life at 7:30 tonight. “Twelve years in the making, the first film directed by fashion photographer Steven Sebring stitches together layer upon layer of human experience to paint a portrait of Patti Smith, the artist as a tireless and dynamic worker for music, poetry, peace, family and friends.” more ›

Last Friday night in Santa Monica, bicyclists-turned-temporary-pedestrians gathered and protested what they believe is harassment from the city towards monthly Critical Mass bicycles rides. At their latest ride on August 1st, 14 police officers were deployed to monitor the ride resulting in at least nine citations (unofficial counts totaled up to 14). more ›

This past Saturday night, the Los Angeles Police Department set up a Sobriety Check Point on Hollywood Boulevard between Gower and Bronson and staffed the effort with officers from the local Hollywood Station as well as a couple of dozen officers from West Traffic Division. more ›

Whew! This one's not in LA, but with all the bicycle drama happening around town, it's worth noting that it is a national issue. This weekend in New York City, a cyclist was knocked to the ground by a NYPD officer. "The cyclist in this video was arrested, held for 26 hours, and charged with attempted assault and resisting arrest," according to LAist sister site, Gothamist. more ›

On two different days, in two different articles the LA Times profiles two mass bicycle rides. On one side, the large and boisterous Midnight Ridazz who mostly stick to Los Angeles city streets. On the other is the Santa Monica Critical Mass. more ›

Science and art rarely mix. And yet, despite the near polar opposite natures of these two fields, there's something that makes a collaboration between science and art undeniably captivating. Perhaps it's because behind the often sterile and calculated shell of the world of science, there lies the same human stories we find in every other area of life. And while we regularly see tales of greed, corruption, triumph, racism, fame, and passion acted out in the political arena, or on the athletic field, or in the celebrity sphere, the scientific world has just as storied a past, rife with conflict, competition and courage. more ›

This week, Phillyist saw the waters of a landmark fountain run red for a Showtime marketing stunt, the Phils pull ahead, and some serious nostalgia. They also got a chance to review an awesome tribute album, reminded folks to see the King, and appreciated their beautiful skyline. more ›

As Guest Day Editor, Siel, a.k.a Green LA Girl, will be joining LAist with a few posts throughout today. Read her interview here and check out her site. Drinking and driving isn't cool -- Which is why I made the logical decision to ditch the car a few months ago. Now, not only can I drink all I want most nights, I also have a few hundred extra bucks for my drink budget each month.... more ›

more ›

Following up on a news item we told you about on Friday, apparently the residents of Venice are in alignment with those in Mar Vista who are pissed that Santa Monica has passed a law that only allows dogs with SM tags to legally play in their new park on Bundy and Airport Drive which is right next door to Mar Vista. In the letters section of yesterday's Times were two correspondences that we... more ›

This week we'd like to congratulate the -ist network's Mother Hen, Gothamist's Jen Chung, who found herself a recipient of Wired Magazine's Wired Rave Award. If that doesn't sound terribly exciting, keep in mind another recipient was J.K. Rowling. Yep, that's right, the -ist network and Harry Potter now have something in common. Go us. more ›

I attended The Good Shepherd Center's Gala this past Saturday night at the Beverly Regent Wilshire as the guest of my mentor whose company had sponsored a table. I am lucky enough to attend quite a few galas but this particular evening knew nothing about the organization before I got there. I was so impressed with both the presentation, the attendees and the experience overall. Their video really hit home to the problem of homelessness in Los Angeles - especially considering women and children. more ›

Torontoist immediately wins our heart by using the word "Jackass" in a headline. In fact, we love their use of it so much that we're going to use it as much as possible throughout this post. For example, it looks like there are Toronto-area jackasses besides those who misuse the sidewalk: look at the crap on sale on Toronto's craigslist. But it looks like Toronto doesn't contain the kind of jackasses who pee in public pools, as the issue never came up when they interviewed the creators of art installations in their public wading pools. more ›

Both despite and because of many intense past, current and future battles to retain it, Angelenos are increasingly aware of our city’s architectural heritage. This category ranges from the missions to faux Norman castles to austere minimalist spaces. We’re presently living a renaissance era for modernism – a critical mass is more than ever enthralled with the work of largely émigré architects for whom Los Angeles was an ideal environment in which to experiment with built forms and new materials, blissfully free of historic precedent. more ›

With the debate going on on this site this week about whether or not Angelenos are good drivers, maybe it's time to put away the car keys and practice switching gears. Bike Summer is about to enter its final days in Los Angeles. The month long event is all about bicycle love. Today and tomorrow, Bike Summer also coincides with the Bicycle Film Festival. Starting this evening, the Vine Theatre will be wall to wall shorts, films and documentaries about people who like their rides people-powered. If you want to do more pedaling than watching, you can join Critical Mass as they take back the streets of Central LA and the west side tonight. more ›