You may see them rolling on two wheels on your way to work, or unknowingly walk by them as you do your evening shopping. Behind the scenes, they’re taking notes on infrastructure, and working on campaigns to get kids to school safely. Who are these local unsung heroes that make LA a safer place to bike, you ask? They are LACBC Neighborhood Bike Ambassadors, and they walk among us, and with some training…you can be one of them.
Our Neighborhood Bicycle Ambassadors, or NBAs (not necessarily basketball players, but we’ll accept LeBron) are advocates spread throughout the City of Los Angeles working for change in the neighborhoods in which they live, work, and ride. In addition to our chapter system, LACBC organizes local experts and volunteers on a neighborhood-level to promote street safety initiatives and advocate for community-led change.
We currently have three groups across the city meeting monthly, and we’d love for you to join! Below, we give you a peek at what they’re currently up to, and give you information on how to get in making your corner of the city a safe, healthy, fun place to ride a bike (cape not included).
Westside NBA (AKA Bike West LA)
This highly active group meets on a regular basis at the new Collins & Katz YMCA on the westside of University High School. LACBC is proud of the initiative they’ve taken in building relationships with their City Council offices and LADOT. Recently, the Westside NBA used their connections to facilitate an application in Council District 5 for funding to complete construction of the long-awaited Northvale Gap. In May, they set up an advocacy table at the Pick Pico Street Fair, providing safety information and community engagement around a safer, more bikeable Westside. Keep up the cadence, Bike West LA! If you want to join them, RSVP on our website for detailed information about their next meeting and be sure to visit them on their Facebook page!
When: The Westside NBA meets on the 4th Thursday of every month from 6-7 PM.
Rob is pumped about our Bike West LA group
Central NBA
Central Los Angeles covers a diverse region (DTLA, Hollywood, Silver Lake, et al) and focuses on a variety of issues. This is a growing and solidifying team of motivated activists looking to affect everything from actualizing a protected bike lane along Sunset Blvd. to clearing impediments caused by drivers parked in clearly marked downtown bike lanes. The group is also narrowing in on a number of specific issues and strategies to address them, including traffic violence. If you’d like to join the Central NBA, join them by signing up on our website or by following them on Facebook!
When: The Central NBA meets on the first Monday of every month from 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (note that the meeting is moved to the second Monday during the month of September, in order to accommodate the Labor Day Holiday).
Our Valley NBAs supporting Bike to Work Day
Valley NBA
The San Fernando Valley is a vast region of Los Angeles, and home to nearly two million people with a variety of needs. Our Valley NBA team recently decided to focus on the poor maintenance of their existing bike network which constantly poses dangers to vulnerable road users. The group is currently planning a ride to survey the protected bike lane along Reseda Blvd. in order to hone in on a strategy to address the perilous refuge. They are also actively working with Metro and neighborhood councils to improve the bike infrastructure on Metro’s rail network. RSVP for their meetings here and find them on Facebook here.
When: The Valley NBA meets on the fourth Monday of every month from 6 -7 PM.