Councilmembers discussed the drafting of an anti-harassment law for bicyclists on Wednesday.
The proposed ordinance would offer increased legal protection to bicyclists.
"I try to ride safely and courteously." said Ted Rogers, a blogger and veteran bicyclist.
"Yet, I've been honked at, yelled at, told to get off the road, had objects thrown at me, I've been buzzed by cars through close, I've been forced off the road, I have had doors open into me, and I have been intentionally hit by a car in a road rage incident."
LAPD was cited as uncooperative towards enforcing road safety for bicyclists.
"I can't go to a cop and say hey this guy made some horrible comments and my life felt threatened, said bicyclist Siku Thompson. "There is no law to protect me."
Another cyclist, Ian Banks recalled a road rage incident in which he suffered a laceration on a residential street, yet was unable to procure help from police.
In recent years, bicycling has become a more prevalent form of transportation in Los Angeles.
However, the number of bicycling-related harassment and resulting incidents has also gone up as well. Christopher Thompson, an emergency room physician at Beverly Hospital in Montebello, was recently sentenced to 5 years in prison for a 2008 road rage incident in which 2 cyclists were seriously injured. LAPD officers were accused of tackling a group of cyclists last November.
"This whole issue of harassment is about a cultural shift." said councilman Ed Reyes. "It won't start until we demand accountability from our personnel."
Aurisha Smolarski of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition made proposals for the inclusion of training for motorists and a mandate giving cyclists at least 3 feet of room between vehicles.
A set of meetings will determine the fate of the law. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), city attorneys, committees on public safety and transportation will meet with cyclists. The city council's transportation committee will meet with LAPD Chief Charlie Beck on February 24th before a final draft is released.
A similar law was passed in Boise earlier this month and another is currently being considered in San Antonio.
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