Bicycle Activist Works To Overcome L.A.'s Car Culture

With activist roots in organizations and events like the Bicycle Kitchen, Whirly Girls and Midnight Ridazz, Monica Howe is well-prepared to make streets safe for ordinary people to ride their bikes. "It's a Catch-22," Howe said. "Officials in this city won't take the moves to make it safe until there are more bicyclists. Until they see bicycles all over the road, they will continue to regard us as freaks."

"What has to happen now - and what I think will happen in five years - is we'll see new advocacy groups joining in the work of making room here for the bicycle. Los Angeles is really the last big city to realize that bicycling is a good idea," explains Howe. She continues: "In Los Angeles, people are sick of driving, sick of looking for parking. And most trips are under five miles. But people don't want to ride in a city that feels dangerous."