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What Qualifies a Woman to Compete as a Woman? The Ugly Fight Is Here Again – New York Times
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Last month, the I.A.A.F. gave a sneak peek of what it had found in the two years since the courts ruling, publishing a news release that included a study financed by the I.A.A.F. and the World Anti-Doping Agency. The study, a paper published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, examined the testosterone levels in 2,127 blood samples provided by athletes competing at the 2011 and 2013 world track and field championships. It concluded that some women with high testosterone levels can have a marked advantage over some women with lower levels but only in certain events.
The event that yielded the most glaring advantage was the hammer throw, an edge the paper put at 4.53 percent. The pole vault (2.94 percent), the 400-meter hurdles (2.78 percent), the 400 (2.73 percent) and the 800 (1.78 percent) were found to have smaller, yet significant, advantages for competitors with hyperandrogenism, but all were far below the 10 to 12 percent advantage generally recognized as the performance difference between men and women.
Thats an important point. In 2015, the court said the I.A.A.F. might want to reconsider barring women with hyperandrogenism from the female category if the degree of advantage were well below 12 percent.
For Chand, who competes in races decided by fractions of a second, this focus on numbers and percentages is not merely a theoretical debate. It has made her anxious about her fate.
I do get afraid, but I have faith in my God, Chand told FirstPost, an Indian news site, at a meet in June.
In a statement, Chand and her lawyers contended that the I.A.A.F. study failed to clear the high bar set by the courts ruling two years ago. They appear to be right. On its own, the study is hardly the slam dunk the I.A.A.F. probably hoped it would be.
But nothing about this issue is a slam dunk.
Dr. Eric Vilain, a medical geneticist, helped create the International Olympic Committees hyperandrogenism policy, which requires a competitor with the condition to undergo treatment that lowers her testosterone levels. But he admitted that the policy was not perfect, and that it couldnt be perfect.
Determining whether a single athlete has an advantage over others is basically impossible, Vilain said, because looking at performance through the lens of only one variable, like high levels of testosterone, ignores too many others training regimen, height, limb length, nutrition that can contribute to success.
This issue could be made simpler, according to Dr. Myron Genel, a Yale professor emeritus and longtime consultant to the I.O.C.s medical commission, if the governing bodies would finally listen to the advice that he and others had given them more than two decades ago.
In the 1990s, those experts suggested that athletes born with what is known as a disorder of sex development a biological anomaly that might result in atypically high testosterone production should compete as females if they were raised as females. It is the same advice that Genel and some of his colleagues give today.
Hyperandrogenism can be a natural genetic advantage, Genel argued, in the same way Michael Phelpss flipper-size feet or Usain Bolts uncommonly long stride give those athletes a winning edge.
I think all elite competition at an elite level is unfair, in one form or another, Genel said.
But will it ever be perfectly fair? Could it ever be perfectly fair? Not when so many different qualities come together to make athletes successful. And not when gender distinctions are changing so rapidly.
At its core, the sports world rigidly separating men and women will perpetually struggle to adapt to increasingly nuanced gender distinctions. In June, the District of Columbia became the first jurisdiction in the United States to offer an X gender, signifying a neutral gender, on its drivers licenses. In March, a transgender New Zealand woman crushed her competition in her first international weight-lifting meet, and a transgender boy won a Texas state championship in girls wrestling.
Not every governing body is equipped to rule on these kind of eligibility questions. Not every athlete fits into this box, or that one.
To Chand, though, the issue of hyperandrogenism in sports is clear cut. She grew up as a girl. At 21, she is a proud young woman. She wants to race as one.
On Saturday, she will. But in the coming months, the Court of Arbitration for Sport will decide whether letting her continue to do so is fair.
What if it gets it wrong?
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What Qualifies a Woman to Compete as a Woman? The Ugly Fight Is Here Again - New York Times
Inspirational Natalie share’s her brave story to help others lose weight – Evesham Observer
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AN EVESHAM mum who battled her weight for a number of years and fought depression hopes to share her story with others.
Natalie Moxey will launch her own Slimming World group at the De Montfort School next Saturday from 9.30am.
The mum of two has fought back from weighing more than 18 stone and having to wear size 22 clothes.
Natalie had always battled with her weight, stretching back as far as her teen years but her weight gain spiralled out of control over the past five years.
After tying the knot with her childhood sweetheart Tom in August 2011, the happy couple dreamed of starting a family.
But after the joy of falling pregnant in March 2012, Natalie and Tom suffered the heartbreak of a miscarriage on Mothers Day.
Following the tragic loss, the couple struggled to conceive and Natalie was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormone-related condition caused by small cysts or follicles on the ovaries.
Despite the setback, Natalie fell pregnant in 2013 but endured an awful first 12 weeks where she suffered bleeding and cramping.
Little David arrived safely in December 2013 after a pregnancy beset by severe pelvic pain which made it difficult for Natalie to walk and ended with an emergency c-section after complications during his birth.
The couple discovered a second baby, Jack was on the way six months after Davids birth but again Natalie endured a difficult pregnancy with pelvic pain so bad she ended in up in a wheelchair.
Despite Jacks safe and healthy arrival, Natalie was haunted by the demons of the previous years which led to a crippling depression.
I was eating my feelings, with no care of concern for myself. Getting through the day was my only aim, she said.
To me, food was an instant high but really it was just compounding my depression. I had no control.
The 31-year-old saw her weight rocket and regularly dined on sugary cereals, crisps, chocolate and ready meals and would often eat takeaways, sometimes up to five times a week.
During the day, I wasnt that bad, but at night Id just sit and eat and eat, she said.
The caring mum tackled various weight loss methods but said her life began to change when she first attended a Slimming World group last January.
She discovered she could still eat tasty meals and chocolate and even the odd glass or two of wine.
Before I could barely walk but now I run regular 5ks and enjoy exercising at local fitness groups, she said.
I can chase around after my boys without having to worry about not keeping up, or getting stuck on a slide!
Call Natalie on 07791674678 on the group.
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Inspirational Natalie share's her brave story to help others lose weight - Evesham Observer
Grant to pave way for fitness center at Weston Middle School – Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
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Athena-Weston School District has been awarded a grant of a $100,000 fitness center to be placed at Weston Middle School.
When installed this fall, the center will include strength training and cardio fitness equipment, plus a circuit training system.
Superintendent Laure Quaresma said the rural district of 570 students is one of nine in the nation, three of those in Oregon, to be selected by the National Foundation for Governors Fitness Councils multimillion dollar Dont Quit! campaign.
On Thursday, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown announced the awards, including those to the Neil Armstrong Middle School in Forest Grove and Oaklea Middle School in Junction City.
Founded by Body by Jake entrepreneur Jake Steinfeld, the California-based fitness foundation promotes healthful eating and exercise to fight childhood obesity.
In 2016, three Washington state schools received such fitness centers.
Quaresma said district students were responsible for doing the grant paperwork to enter the competition for the fitness facility. All public and private elementary and middle schools in Oregon were eligible to apply for the Dont Quit! campaign.
Each fitness center is financed through public and private partnerships with companies such as Oregon-based Nike, the Coca-Cola Company and TuffStuff Equipment.
The fitness center campaign does not use taxpayer dollars or state funding, the foundation notes.
Oregon joined Colorado, Louisiana and Maryland in participating in the campaign. Since 2012, the foundation has delivered fitness centers in 18 states and Washington, D.C., with a goal to reach all 50 states.
Quaresma said the center will be open to all Athena-Weston students.
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Grant to pave way for fitness center at Weston Middle School - Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
Paul Johnson likes team’s fitness level – Atlanta Journal Constitution
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Paul Johnson wasnt completely satisfied he rarely is but he liked the way his Georgia Tech team looked Friday in its first practice of the preseason.
I think weve got a lot of guys who are in great shape, Johnson said following the practice. Weve got some guys that have got to work on it, but thats always the way it is. But weve got a lot of guys who have worked really hard in the offseason. Theres no question. You can tell by the way they look.
Friday was the first of 26 scheduled practices in advance of the season opener Sept. 4 against Tennessee in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Johnson, as he is wont to say, said there wasnt too much to learn about his team given that players were in helmets and shorts with no pads. Players go through a five-day acclimatization period to prepare them to play full contact.
Really hard to tell about anybody, he said. A lot of guys look good in shorts.
At the media day Thursday, players testified to the work they put in during the summer workouts led by strength-and-conditioning coach John Sisk. A-back Qua Searcy said the team ran more than it had in previous summers.
I feel like this summer has been the hardest summer Ive been through, Searcy said. I guess it was just one of those things where we were trying to build on what we already started and not just have one year, a good year, and the next year, we slack a little bit.
Searcy said that Sisk told the team that it wouldnt be an easy summer.
He was right about it, Searcy said. Its been the toughest time of my life.
Tough enough to loathe Sisk?
Not so much coach Sisk, he said. Its one of those things, like, Man, I hate football. You have to kind of second guess it, but at the end of the day, you have to realize its for the better.
Quarterback TaQuon Marshall experienced the summer similarly.
This has probably been one of the best offseasons since Ive been here, Marshall said. Honestly, everybodys been working really hard, everybodys been going in the indoor (practice facility). A lot of guys go in there and get extra work in during the week. This, honestly, has been probably one of the hardest that Ive heard since Ive been here.
Johnson said he did not give orders for the intensity of the workouts to be dialed up.
They say that every year pretty much, Johnson said.
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Paul Johnson likes team's fitness level - Atlanta Journal Constitution
Shay Mitchell on "Pretty Little Liars" revival rumors, fitness and … – CBS News
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A day after wrapping up her seven-year stint as Emily Fields on the ABC Family hit series "Pretty Little Liars," Shay Mitchell hopped on a plane to Boston, ready for her next adventure.
In June, the 30-year-old actress left the fictional town of Rosewood behind as "Pretty Little Liars" came to what Mitchell describes as an "emotional goodbye."
On the bright side, fans were finally able to get some closure as the series finale revealed the identity of A.D. the mysterious character who had been threatening to expose their secrets for years.
Handout
"It was an incredible experience, those seven years," Mitchell told CBS News. "We were all so lucky to just have such an amazing family. I'm excited to see where everybody goes from here."
Mitchell already has big plans.
The "Pretty Little Liars" star is ready to show fans a different side of the actress as she joins the cast of "Cadaver," a horror film scheduled for release in August 2018.
In the film, directed by Diederik Van Rooijen, Mitchell will play Megan Reed, a recovering addict ex-cop who takes the graveyard shift in a city hospital morgue where she (of course) is haunted by an evil entity in one of the corpses.
"[Megan's] extremely athletic, extremely driven, competitive and she is older than Emily as a recovering addict and ex-cop," Mitchell said. "It was super fun to be in a completely different environment than what I've been used to."
Mitchell says she has even more projects in the works in the near future, but for now she's focusing on travel and fitness, which includes Propel's first-ever fitness festival in August.
Here's what Mitchell had to say about her life post-"Pretty Little Liars," her fitness routine and her upcoming thriller:
Tell me a little bit about the first-everPropel Co:Labs Fitness Festivalyou'll be participating in.
I think it's a really organic fit. I love working out, you know, it's something that I think is great, especially when you can get so many people to come together and work out together. It makes it a lot easier. It's more motivating, more inspiring. We're going to have some really awesome trainers, like Harley Pasternak and Gunnar Peterson, who are also going to be there on August 12 and 13.
Fitness is pretty important to you. What's your personal fitness routine?
I think it's mixing it up. I think it's confusing your body. If you do the same thing all the time it kind of gets used to it and you have a plateau effect. What's important is trying out different classes and workouts and finding ones you like more than the other. There are so many different classes nowadays anything you can think of, it's out there.
Shay Mitchell works out at the SoFit gym at the Sofitel Los Angeles to prepare for the first-ever Propel Co:Labs Fitness Festival.
Michael Simon/startraksphoto.com
Are you a fitness class person?
Yes, I am. I really do love spinning. It's about the instructors that I love. I love doing Barry's Bootcamp, which is great, because it forces me to run when I don't want to.
You've been playing Emily Fields on "Pretty Little Liars" for seven seasons. What's life like post-Rosewood?
It's great. Obviously it was super emotional saying goodbye to that chapter, but such is life. There's different chapters all the time for everybody. Sometimes you have to close doors, but then there's other ones that are open. It was an incredible experience, those seven years. We were all so lucky to just have such an amazing family. I'm excited to see where everybody goes from here. That's the great part. Now I get to watch everybody grow and change and work on other projects that they're excited about.
I'm sure you grew attached to your character over the years. How has playing that role affected you? Did you identify with that character?
Playing Emily definitely was eye-opening, because, yes, those girls were younger than I am. You just kind of see how at times they dealt with things. They were a bit more naive in how they handled things. But at the end of the day it was about those characters and their friendship that they had more than anything. It was that bond that they had. It just reminded all of us that you really can get through anything if you have a good support system and that's definitely something that they had. Otherwise, I don't know how they would have made it out after everything that happened to those girls over seven years.
Would you be up for a "Pretty Little Liars" reunion or a revival in the future?
Absolutely. I was just watching "Sex and the City 2" and it just reminded me of how much fun we had on set. I would totally do that again. I think it would be amazing. A five, 10-year reunion with all of us girls with all of our kids coming to set and stuff.
What's it like being a role model to those teens who have watched you over the years?
It's kind of crazy. That's always kind of a daunting title in a way. To be honest with you, I just need to be proud of who I am at the end of the day. I need to be able to look at myself in the mirror and know that I am happy and proud of who I am first and foremost and then hopefully maybe that goes into others.
Now you're pivoting out of this role into a horror film called "Cadaver." How is this film different from things you worked on in the past?
I went right into this film after we had our wrap party. I was in a plane the next day heading to Boston. Megan Reed, the character that I play, has some characteristics that Emily had. She's extremely athletic, extremely driven, competitive and she is older than Emily as a recovering addict and ex-cop. It was super fun to be in a completely different environment than what I've been used to. It was something that I'm super excited for the fans to see as well get to see me play a different character.
You're very active on social media. Is social media presence really important to you? What do you hope fans take away from your social accounts?
That's why I started my YouTube channel over two years ago. I wanted to share my experiences with the fans. It is fun to go to these different places and get to experience things, but it's so much better when I know that so many other people are going to get something from it. And I think if anybody can take something away from my social media what I want them to do, hopefully, is to just try new things. Whether that be in the kitchen I always joke about the fact that I'm not Martha Stewart, but I try. I may burn a couple things, but I learn. I think it's just about putting a foot out there and trying a couple things. That goes with travel, working out, cooking, all of these different things.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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Shay Mitchell on "Pretty Little Liars" revival rumors, fitness and ... - CBS News
Mountainside Fitness to offer customized wellness testing to health club members – Phoenix Business Journal
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Phoenix Business Journal | Mountainside Fitness to offer customized wellness testing to health club members Phoenix Business Journal Mountainside Fitness is partnering with Sonora Quest Laboratories to offer wellness screens to members at a discounted rate. Taking advantage of a relatively new Arizona law that allows consumers to order lab tests from a licensed clinical laboratory ... Mountainside Fitness partners with Sonora Quest |
Kiwanis Club Of Chattanooga Rallies Community To Build Trail And Fitness Stations At Howard School – The Chattanoogan
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The Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga has been working with The Howard School for a year to create a fitness trail to benefit the school and surrounding community. The efforts will culminate on Saturday with the completion of a 1.5-mile trail and 14 fitness stations at the school.
Last fall, Howard chartered a Kiwanis Key Club, a student-led organization that teaches leadership through service to others. Since we were establishing a partnership with the students, it was only natural to look to Howard as the site of our clubs next project, said Leigh Todd, Kiwanis Club president.
We sat down with students, coaches, administrators and JROTC leaders to figure out what kind of fitness structures would most benefit the students. Once completed, the trail and fitness stations will enhance the training facilities for all of Howards students and athletic teams, as well as provide exercise opportunities for others in the community," Leigh Todd continued. "The design also includes picnic tables, benches, water stations and a childrens station.
The fitness equipment has been provided by GameTime, a subsidiary of PlayCore. Construction of the trail began on July 22 and is expected to be completed and dedicated on Saturday.
Howards Key Club worked with the Kiwanis Club on a Kiwanathon fundraiser in April, which consisted of a pentathlon-styled event with five family-friendly competitive activities and teams sponsored by a dozen local businesses. A team sponsored by Southern Champion Tray won this years Kiwanathon. Other businesses that sponsored teams included: Miller & Martin, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Kohls, Elliott Decosimo, PlayCore, VOYA Financial, Atlantic Capital Bank, Chattanooga Area Schools Federal Credit Union, Regions Bank, SmartBank and Synovus Bank.
During construction, additional in-kind contributions and volunteer groups have been provided by Stowers Machinery, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, Chattanooga Bakery, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 175, Ironworkers Local 704, Chattanooga Track Club. In addition, PlayCores employees have dedicated their annual Day of Caring to the final installation date. Miller & Martin employees have also dedicated the final installation date as one of its monthly community service days during the firm's 150th year anniversary.
To learn more about the Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga, please visit http://www.kiwanishchatt.org
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Kiwanis Club Of Chattanooga Rallies Community To Build Trail And Fitness Stations At Howard School - The Chattanoogan
‘More pressure on new mums to lose weight’ Amy Childs slammed by fans for promoting weight loss product on Instagram – goodtoknow
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Amy Childs has caused a stir on social media after posting about a weight loss supplement, with some fans accusing her of putting pressure on new mums and how they look.
The reality TV star posted a before and after picture of herself on Instagram, showing off the results she's achieved with the product in an 'after' bikini shot since welcoming her daughter Polly.
'I never expected to lose this much weight. I feel like @skinnycoffeeclub has changed my lifestyle for the better.'
'Any new mums will understand how hard it can be to look after yourself as well as caring for your new baby, so when I found Skinny Coffee Club day night coffee I was delighted as it fits in perfectly with my daily routine and requires minimal effort.'
'For anyone looking on losing weight safely but quickly then I would definitely recommend joining the @skinnycoffeeclub program.'
While many fans commented on Amy's picture to congratulate her on her amazing post-baby body, some criticised the mum for putting pressure on other mums to lose weight.
One wrote: 'Yay! More pressure on new mum's to lose weight. Well done Amy, you must be so proud,' whilst a second commented: 'You look amazing @amychilds1990. But some mums don't have that confidence, I used be size 8 now a 14. It's just ignorance!'
A third agreed: 'Nobody just takes this and loses weight like you have in your picture, this must have been achieved by a few other things e.g diet, exercise and maybe a few procedures. Young girls these days don't need more pressure put on them.'
It's not the first time fans slam Amy for promoting weight loss products on social media. Mere days after giving birth, the mum-of-one took to Instagram to post about the meal supplements that she later admitted wasn't taking.
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At the time critics pointed out that it was irresponsible to promote the products as new mums shouldn't breastfeed while drinking the shakes, which prompted Amy to take down the post and apologise to fans.
Read More..Foods you can gorge on but still lose weight – Bundaberg News Mail
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BEING told you can eat endlessly without seriously impacting your health is like being given free licence to rob a bank - or for some, a SEPHORA store.
That feeling of total abandon to literally indulge like you never have before is pretty powerful stuff.
That's why all-you-can-eat buffets and bottomless refill cups get us all hot under the collar.
Well, good news if 'portion' is a foreign word to you. Apparently there are foods you could hypothetically eat endlessly without sabotaging your diet, according to a recent article by Byrdie.
"They're mostly made up of water, are low in calories and contain fibre, which can help make you feel fuller for longer. Plus, they're packed with vitamins, antioxidants and other vital nutrients needed in a balanced diet," nutritionist Lisa Young told the publication.
Here's a quick refresher on fibre - it's an essential nutrient that your body needs in order to keep your digestive system in top notch working order. In other words, it's crucial to keeping waste moving out of your body.
So what exactly can you eat with total abandon?
They're what we've dubbed the 'fine nine': celery, blueberries, grapefruit, cucumber, broccoli, strawberries, cauliflower, oranges and kale.
It sounds too good to be true, so we asked accredited practising dietitian and spokesperson for the Dietitian's Association of Australia, Simone Austin, just how 'legit' this info is.
"I would agree with all," says Austin. "Maybe not oranges as they have a little more sugar - but if you're eating the whole orange and not juicing you are likely to self-regulate and not keep on eating heaps of them. You would get full."
"I would also add lettuce, spinach and silverbeet to this list," she adds. "Most non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, green beans and cabbage could also be added," explains Austin.
What do these free-for-all foods have in common?
"Lots of water and dietary fibre means you will become full quite quickly. You also have to chew these foods well so you tend to eat them more slowly," says Austin.
If only the same applied to Pringles.
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Foods you can gorge on but still lose weight - Bundaberg News Mail
We want safe streets, not ‘road diets’ and we are not ‘selfish’ – Los Angeles Times
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To the editor: The Times fails its readers with its sophomoric characterization and reductive understanding of the issue and the people affected. (Blowback over road diets, Editorial, July 30)
We are not "selfish," we are concerned residents who want safety and honest representation.
We want emergency personnel to move quickly, not be stuck in traffic.
We want to turn right without hitting cyclists.
We want local businesses to flourish, not lose money. We want [L.A. City Councilman Mike] Bonin to understand that surveys from 1% of Mar Vista's residents do not equal "extensive outreach" or "clamoring" for this change.
We want safe streets, not dangerously designed, clogged ones.
Catherine Melody, Mar Vista
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To the editor: Your editorial was excellent, but missed a very important aspect of the problem.
Yes, our neighborhoods are drive-throughs for commuters. My street in Venice has become a narrow and dangerous freeway that is used by South Bay and Playa Vista drivers to get to jobs in Santa Monica. Most cars speed down the street and almost none stop at the stop signs. There is a park at the end of my street, and there are kids everywhere.
I have tried unsuccessfully to get traffic law enforcement or even just speed bumps. LAPD and Bonin say that they don't have any officers to ticket the speeders. Less enforcement results in more violations of the law.
It isnt the job of the L.A. city government to ease the drive of these people to and from work. It is their job to make our city streets safe. When will they start to do so?
Jack Schwartz, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Regarding road diets, you point out that the loudest critics of the Vista del Mar reconfiguration dont live there.
Who lives there? Commuters were the only ones impacted.
You mention that taking half of the traffic lanes might slow traffic. Might? Really? Try standstill.
And why add bike lanes when just a few yards away theres a bike path on the beach?
Sure, cutting car speeds from 40 to 20 mph reduces the chance of pedestrian fatality. Why stop there? If we all travel at 10 miles per hour there will be no fatalities.
We dont do that because it makes no practical sense. Neither do road diets.
Paul Konwiser, Manhattan Beach
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To the editor: The juvenile characterization of the hundreds of thousands of folks who live too far from their jobs to bicycle or use our meager transit system as homicidal narcissists is unworthy of an essay on the serious and complex issue of how to make this city work better.
At best, the so-called road diet is little more than a high visibility feel-good vote getter that may or may not actually save lives.
Allen Coulter, Burbank
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To the editor: Your editorial depicting motorists as insensitive louts was ridiculous and an insult to every resident in this city who drives to work.
The fact of the matter is that because of the great distances in L.A., most people simply have no choice but to use their cars to reach their places of employment.
Thats how Los Angeles was designed from the beginning. Until the city can come up with a mass transit system that truly eliminates traffic, people will continue to commute by car.
The road diets were a bad idea, and worse than that, they were implemented without the publics input.
The resulting furor that it caused is a prime example of bad planning and ineffective city management.
Charles Reilly, Manhattan Beach
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To the editor: Your editorial needed to spell out that some of the loudest critics of the traffic lane changes in Playa del Rey live in the affluent cities of Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach.
These rich commuters feel that they have a right to drive through L.A. city residential neighborhoods at high speeds to avoid 405 traffic. (The driving speeds in their safe beach cities are much lower.)
Meena Rao, Los Angeles
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To the editor: I disagree strongly with your endorsement of the city's Vision Zero program. The reasons for eliminating traffic lanes may be very altruistic, but they are not realistic.
A large number of people cannot ride bikes or reach their destinations via public transportation.
The resulting horrific traffic jams lead to increasingly frustrated drivers, leading to more road rage.
Return our lanes, and continue to encourage people who can use alternative transportation to do so.
Myra Kraus, West Los Angeles
To the editor: The tone of the editorial that people from the South Bay are selfish and anti-safety is not true. Bonin's apology was condescending.
It's not about parents coming home late and missing reading time with their toddlers. Doctors, nurses, emergency workers and thousands of other people are impacted by the unpredictable extra road time every day.
The problem is with Bonin and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and their pet project to get cars off the road. It's certain to take a long time to get this vanity pilot project properly corrected, and at what cost to the citizens?
Joyce Handschmacher, Manhattan Beach
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To the editor: It's true that residents of South Bay beach cities Manhattan, Hermosa, and to some extent Redondo use Vista del Mar as a way to commute to Culver City and the Westside.
They have done so for decades, thereby taking traffic away from the 405, which should merit applause, not criticism.
Julie Bisceglia, Manhattan Beach
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To the editor: Venice Boulevard is the best way for those of us who live west of Lincoln to travel east weekday afternoons, since Washington is not direct and I-10 is nearly impassable.
The only thing wrong with the Venice road configuration is the section where Venice Boulevard loses a car lane on each side for about a mile, causing a bottleneck that slows traffic to a crawl, making it harder for emergency vehicles and buses to get through.
I write this as a man who cycles more than he drives, often down Venice Boulevard.
Bring back the old street configuration, with 3 lanes of traffic on each side, a lane for parking and a bike lane.
Paul Suchecki, Venice
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To the editor: Is it possible that the government just might be totally wrong and the people absolutely right when it comes to the misguided notion that bicycles should have equal access to our city streets ?
Taking away needed traffic lanes in the name of increased bicycle use is a myth. All that has been created is an animosity that people trying to get to work in a reasonable amount of time are somehow the bad guys.
As an avid bicyclist, the changes that have been made make my plight more dangerous because drivers cannot see me at stop signs and intersections.
Im a member of the Parking and Transportation Committee for the Venice Neighborhood Council, and we had nearly 100 people at our recent meeting. An overwhelming number opposed these ridiculous changes.
The only ones in support were not-for-profit bicycling advocates, city bureaucrats and non-Venice residents pretending to speak for those phantom supporters of this ill-conceived and poorly planned proposal.
Nick Antonicello, Venice
The writer is a member of the Parking and Transportation Committee of the Venice Neighborhood Council
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To the editor: I have lived three blocks from Venice and Centinela in Mar Vista for 40-plus years. I was ignorant of the fact that this intersection was included in the most dangerous in Los Angeles and worthy of a road diet.
I have utilized this intersection almost twice a day for most of those years going to work and back and have never witnessed an accident. I guess I'm not there at the appropriate time.
The new configuration of only two lanes in each direction on Venice is clearly a mess. It's one lane when someone tries to parallel park.
I did not receive any documentation for any kind of input, ideas and or suggestions pertaining to this Vision Zero concept. Just wait till school starts and the traffic increases.
The increased population density is the real problem.
Glenn Zweifel, Mar Vista
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To the editor: The city needs to focus on creating win-win solutions, rather than pitting cyclists vs. motorists and making both sides more resentful of each other.
Los Angeles needs to crack down on hit-and-run drivers. Letting drivers who've injured people avoid accountability while punishing all motorists via lane removal is not useful.
Then the city needs to expand the network of cycling options on secondary streets, so cyclists can take advantage of lighter traffic and motorists can use major thoroughfares.
Finally, the city needs to look at repurposing/augmenting existing infrastructure for cyclists/pedestrians. There are lots of lesser-known aqueducts, access roads, and even larger storm drains (during the dry seasons) that could offer nonroad cycling and walking routes.
John Brown, Los Angeles
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We want safe streets, not 'road diets' and we are not 'selfish' - Los Angeles Times