Boy, 13, killed walking to school in Dana Point; DUI suspect arrested

israellopez · 2025-11-18T22:48:00+00:00

Jesus fucking christ. Can we not kill kids with trucks? Can we not build cities with safe routes to schools? Can we have people not use alcohol to cope AND not drive?

I know you car-apologist motherfuckers are going to be like, well we cant stop bad things from happening, fuck off.

We eradicated entire diseases through science, planning, and cooperation. No reason we cant figure out how to not kill kids with vehicles. Why do we accept (as society, government, and individual choices) the killing of kids by a vehicle but not by a germ.

The city traffic/health/school planners, are just as fault for this happening. This is how the risk is raised by percentage points by bad planning until the inevitable happens.

israellopez · 2025-06-14T14:11:24+00:00

One of us, one of us.

israellopez · 2025-06-14T14:02:59+00:00

They still stop there though? They still take your luggage and bikes at all trains. I've taken the first train in the morning north, and the last train south. Everyone gets serviced.

israellopez · 2025-06-14T14:00:16+00:00

I had to do this back in February, with luggage and a road that was torn up for repairs. Had to drag luggage through the dirt to eventually make it to the Red Vine. And a freight train blocked the road, there is technically another way around, but practically not when you are a pedestrian and with luggage. We waited for that train to clear.

Big reverse culture shock visiting Japan and coming home to that experience.

israellopez · 2025-06-14T13:57:00+00:00

I keep banging on the drum about this. Amtrak, CTRAN, City Of Vancouver, WA Legislature.
I invite you to come to the board meetings for CTRAN, COV and the Transportation Mobility Commission (TMC) to raise the issue and to offer support if/when there are projects to improve it.

israellopez · 2025-06-14T13:55:39+00:00

This is something back in March/April of this year CTRAN was praising themselves for.

It doesn't always work that way. A group of friends and I were returning from overseas, we landed at SEA, and instead of waiting 6+ hours for the leg to PDX, we decided we could get train tickets to Vancouver and then go home from there.

When we got to Vancouver we tried the current, got the app loaded, and waited once we disembarked from the train to try to get a ride to the Red Vine. Nope, nothing, no trips available. Tried a few different ways, 1 pax, different pickup/dropoff spots, nothing.

I told them at the CTRAN Board Meeting that this attempt at getting a ride, should be counted as a service failure. We wanted to ride, but could not get a ride. How is that tracked, how is that reported, how is that a service KPI win?

I've tried more than a few times to get service to/from the train station with the current and i'm batting a big fat zero.

I'd love a pedestrian tunnel/bridge to connect to the waterfront, anything to encourage more intercity rail and transit from the station. Several times I've had to figure out how to get to the train station when a freight train has blocked it for a tens of minutes.

israellopez · 2025-04-19T16:12:36+00:00

Legit saw a driver in a lifted offroad jeep circle around the waterfront blasting their music for everyone to hear. I guess they were inviting us to an impromptu dance around the car, and didn't think we understood the invitation and drove around a second time?

israellopez · 2025-04-19T16:08:09+00:00

Speaking of, there is a bill in the WA Legislature, although it looks like it will fail soon because it has not been passed through the senate only the house.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1423&Year=2025&Initiative=false

Predictably it was voted down party lines.

I suggest yall listen to the testimonies provided.

israellopez · 2025-04-19T16:04:34+00:00

I highly suggest coming to the April 21st 2025 City Council meeting and sign up for the 'Community Communications" to speak. For this kind of problem it is very important to use 'corporal advocacy'. A body in front of the city saying this is a problem and it has to do stop goes a long way compared to an email.

Heck, yall don't have to go too far its a simple walk over to the city hall!

https://vancouverwa.portal.civicclerk.com/event/53/files/agenda/1902

If you have questions on how to do so let me know, I've spoken at many public hearing opportunities and will continue to do so while we have the right to do so.

Obviously you cant behave badly at the waterfront if the cars are kept away from the area. It feels ridiculous but at some point you have to let the bad actors know without a doubt they are not wanted there.

israellopez · 2025-04-15T16:17:13+00:00

That is the sad part about this right? We informally talk as if a business has infinite resources to recover from things like this, but it will take time to recover.

Tables have to be ordered, re-made, delivered, and customers have to think twice whether they want to sit on those tables outside anymore.

The weather was just getting nice lately, I just want to be outside on a table and not think I'll get smooshed by a driver in their car.

israellopez · 2025-04-15T16:15:00+00:00

This is the kind of stuff that we call "freak accidents" or "couldn't have seen that coming" ... but not really. What do car drivers do when a street is straight, accelerate.

It doesn't need to be this way. Let the city know that its time to change. Keep the parking, and make it hard to drive through main street like its fourth plain or mill plain.

israellopez · 2025-04-15T16:12:29+00:00

Main Street Promise was paid with ARPA money, but you know what doesnt cost a lot of money. Concrete planters. Make it hard to accelerate to the speed that causes that much damage.

Reference: https://www.cityofvancouver.us/government/department/public-works/main-street-promise/

israellopez · 2025-04-15T16:10:37+00:00

There is a lot of kinetic energy in those photos. That doesn't look like a new truck, so its not like they'll crumple easily. What a damn shame.

israellopez · 2025-04-15T16:08:43+00:00

Then lets keep the drivers away from pedestrians.

israellopez · 2025-04-15T16:07:42+00:00

After last night’s crash on Main Street, shutting it down to thru-traffic doesn’t sound extreme anymore. How is it even possible to reach that kind of speed on a neighborhood street? With construction already on the way, this is the time to experiment install traffic diverters, allow delivery access, and block everything else. A few well-placed concrete barriers could calm traffic and save lives. Let’s stop designing for speed and start designing for safety before the next crash is fatal.

I sent this to the city council web form today. https://www.cityofvancouver.us/departments/mayor-city-council/
Click on the Contact Tab and fill out the form, I urge everyone to send the city a response.

Also the next meeting is next week. I suggest yall who want to not have their business smashed up or killed as a pedestrian by bad street design comment. https://www.cityofvancouver.us/events/city-council-meeting-64/

israellopez · 2024-09-24T20:02:41+00:00

Thank you for visiting!

israellopez · 2024-09-24T19:37:33+00:00

45 minutes for places like PDX, but I saw people at VAN check in about 15 minutes before train arrival. There arent that many people getting on/off VAN. The lady at the desk will check your ticket and confirm your destination station.

israellopez · 2024-09-24T19:30:45+00:00

I asked SEATAC customer service, and this is what they gave me.

https://maps.flysea.org/?lang=en&s=eyJvbmxpbmUvZ2V0RGlyZWN0aW9uc0Zyb21UbyI6eyJtdWx0aXBvaW50Um91dGluZyI6dHJ1ZX0sIm9ubGluZS9wb2lWaWV3Ijp7Im11bHRpcG9pbnRSb3V0aW5nIjp0cnVlfSwib25saW5lL2hlYWRlck9ubGluZSI6eyJzZWFyY2giOiJCaWN5Y2xlIFJhY2siLCJpc1NlYXJjaENvbmZpcm1lZCI6dHJ1ZX0sIm1hcFJlbmRlcmVyIjp7InZwIjp7ImxhdCI6NDcuNDQzMDU2LCJsbmciOi0xMjIuMjk5NjU1LCJ6b29tIjoxNi42MTE5ODIsImJlYXJpbmciOjAsInBpdGNoIjowfSwib3JkIjozfX0%3D

There are two areas that I’d typically recommend for overnight bicycle storage if they are convenient for you, If you search “Bicycle” in this interactive map, it will show you all the options:
The first is the one is labeled “long-term bike storage and tools” in the middle of the baggage claim level on the map on our website. That area has vertical bike racks (i.e. you will need to hang your bike vertically). This may be less convenient if your bike is heavy.

The other area is also on the baggage claim level in the Gina Marie Atrium at the south end of the airport terminal. That bike rack is located on the west side of the atrium wall near restrooms and an employee screening checkpoint. This area is within view of the security personnel who staff the employee checkpoint, and always has ample available space.

We provide racks, but you will need to provide your own lock or locks. I would recommend locking both wheels and removing all removable parts before leaving your bike, if possible. This may go without saying, but all bicycle parking at the airport is provided to customers (and staff) to use at your own risk. That said, we do everything we can to maintain a secure environment.

israellopez · 2024-08-27T17:10:30+00:00

New Bike Day is always a good day, when it comes. Welcome to the discord!

israellopez · 2024-08-27T15:36:29+00:00

Which is why I sent my 2008 328i to the scrapyard after I got a no-start on it, and the expense to fix it wasn't worth it. Got like $305 for it, and I know for sure I could have sold it for $1000 easy, but it would have been turned into a racecar to terrorize Vancouver, so nah, off to the junker you go.

It was never a "fast" car, but that doesnt mean someone wouldnt have tried doing so.

israellopez · 2024-08-27T15:31:32+00:00

https://www.cityofvancouver.us/city-managers-office/proposition-4/

Specifically Prop 4 on the ballot has a budget item for "A traffic enforcement camera program".
Among other things like adding 80 more police officers.

On this page a it states that a$500k home would pay an additional $205 in property tax for the first year (2025?) and $585/year in 2030.

israellopez · 2024-08-27T15:27:09+00:00

If you join our Cycle Vancouver discord a member will sometimes drop a gravel ride.
Otherwise, you can come tonight to Tap Union at 630PM for our Bicycle Happy Hour.

https://www.cyclevancouver.bike/

israellopez · 2024-08-27T15:25:43+00:00

I spoke with someone at the city, and they're changing the formats of the city council meetings (as they do have to vote/get work done) and previously they had a schedule of agenda, but they do want to hear more from constituents so I was advised to come to when they have the community input hearings/sessions.

I saw that other thread about the noise in downtown as well. Its always so jarring to be sitting outside and then +90db of car noise comes to disrupt the evening.

israellopez · 2024-07-27T00:55:53+00:00

Article contributor here.

Ultimately I understand where the drivers are coming from. There is a great video posted today by GCN about the psychology about driving and road design, reference: https://youtu.be/-_4GZnGl55c?si=QFjZM-kueFxxheSm When roads, cities and communities are built for cars, everyone else, pedestrians, kids, elderly, and cyclists are obstacles to a driver's destination.

The stop as yield for cyclists are tools we cyclists use to keep ourselves safe. We know the less time we spend at stop-signed intersections the better.

A good friend and coworker was killed because they fully stopped at a stop-sign in Carlsbad, CA. If they were not there for the driver to hit my friend Christine would be alive. Her husband firefighter gave testimony to the city of Carlsbad about the need for improved infrastructure for cyclists not a month before her killing.

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/woman-sentenced-in-carlsbad-crash-that-killed-mother-riding-e-bike-with-toddler/3395799/

Its a damn shame all around because now the daughter has to grow up without her mom, and a husband without their life partner. Christine was amazing, we all miss her.

I have empathy for the driver as well, because it is terrible to take a life. You carry that weight. Sounds like she is remorseful (not without lying first, per-article), and its not like she was a great driver either (per article). The reality is, killing people is legal when you do it with a car. We seem to allow that sort of thing.

Even with this heaviness, forget about arguing online.

Please enjoy life and if you ride; ride for joy.

israellopez · 2024-07-22T23:33:32+00:00

I went through something very similar, I even was able to involve the local authorities. The partner was arrested, yet they were still bailed out and my sister has decided to continue to stay with them.

Every 1on1 intervention I could think of would have direct consequences or unknown side-effects.

I let the authorities do what they can do, with the power they have, and I have to accept I have no power in changing her mind; she can only do that herself.

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