Nobody Drives in L.A.

31/10/2024

Nobody Drives in LA -- Kate Chan (陳靄淇)

Kyle and Eric sit down in an LAPL study room with Alhambra City Council District 4 candidate, Katie Chan (陳靄淇). Chan (陳) is an Alhambra native and their discussion touches upon Alhambra Community Transit (ACT), green space, walkability, her journey to politics, and Alhrambra's role as a progressive example within the San Gabriel Valley.

Spotify -- https://open.spotify.com/episode/2IscYMUP5DNk6SaDWEiQ6a?si=80804c73e5bd47be

Apple -- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/look-to-alhambra-with-katie-chan-%E9%99%B3%E9%9D%84%E6%B7%87/id1766873923?i=1000675123158

Podcast Episode · Nobody Drives in LA · 10/30/2024 · 1h 29m

18/09/2024

The podcast is go!

The podcast is finally here! The only podcast about the pressures, perils, and yes, pleasures of car-free and car-lite living in pathologically car-brained Los Angeles. Co-hosts Kyle Rebar and Eric…

03/04/2024

Sometimes I assume that certain things are common knowledge in Los Angeles when, in fact, they're not. A few weeks ago, on , I mentioned that Sunset Boulevard began life as a railroad designed to transport Angelenos to an ostrich farm... which was the seed of Griffith Park. A few people asked for more on that so here goes...

THE OSTRICH FARM RAILWAY Detail of Map of the City of Los Angeles, 1887, depicting the route of the Ostrich Farm Railway [Note: This essay was written for and originally appeared in the Silver Lake…

28/03/2024

Some of you may know that, a few years ago -- pre-COVID19 -- when podcasts were still "reasonably" fresh, I had an idea for a podcast version of Nobody Drives in LA. Originally I thought I'd interview car-free Angelenos on their favorite transit routes. I quickly realized, though, that buses and trains were pretty loud -- and that I don't know anything about producing or editing. A few people gave me hints and encouragement but I finally realized that I really needed someone else to help out. I think that I've found that person -- although I don't want to introduce him right now. I also found out that the Los Angeles Public Library's Central Library has a free podcast studio in its amazing Octavia Lab.

Rather than try to record on bikes, buses, trains, or walks -- we're going to record in the lab. We already recorded a "pilot." This guy seems to know what he's doing and although I haven't heard the final edit, what I heard sounded good -- better than some podcasts I regularly listen to, actually -- at least those ones where guests are recorded over Zoom or a phone.

I don't have a timeline for the podcast but, obviously, when it comes out I'll share it everywhere that I can think of. I imagine we'll cover current transit topics like Metro considering hiring more Ambassadors or cops, the battle over the Gondola to Dodger Stadium, the battle over the Sepulveda Pass, the battle over Metro's Bike Share (and, ideally, some less heated issues -- Access to Hollywood, the OC Streetcar, the LAX People Mover, open streets events, &c.

We'd also like to have some "evergreens" that we can drop at any time. Those are what I want the bulk of episodes to be about, actually, because I'm creating this podcast, primarily, for car-free Angelenos and the potentially car-free Angeleno... the car-free curious. So, if you're a car-free Angeleno or know any car-free Angelenos who'd like to talk about both the joys and tribulations of car-free living in Los Angeles, let me know!

28/12/2023

Mark your calendars! A DTLA walk with California Assembly candidate, John Yi. Experience Bunker Hill's oldest human-made feature, the unfinished people mover, the world's shortest railway, a collection of "plop" art, the Blue Ribbon Garden, the improbably long-named General Thaddeus Kosciuszko Way -- and more!

On Saturday 20 January 2024, I’m going to co-lead a walk of Bunker Hill with State Assembly candidate, John Yi. We will meet at Metro’s Civic Center/Grand Park Station in Gloria Molina Grand …

17/12/2023

Top 23 of '23: No. 7

The California Cycleway

2023's seventh-most viewed post was about the Los Angeles Cycleway -- a bicycle freeway that was derailed when it collided with the city's dominant transit mode -- the streetcar.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2023/10/13/nobody-drives-in-la-the-california-cycleway/

26/10/2023

Hey everyone, I was a guest on a new podcast called All Valley Everything (). If you were a fan of 818s & Heartbreaks (), just love the Valley, want to hear about Plaza del Valle -- or for whatever reason -- give it a listen!

On this week's episode we're joined by cartographer, writer, and LA explorer, Eric Brightwell for a conversation that spans the lenght of the valley and beyond! We talked about his love of making maps of LA, Plaza Del Valle, Jug Jug Sports Bar, the LA River, and so much more! Veronica Shirley joined...

14/10/2023

and are hosting a bike ride, tomorrow, that explores the route of the old California Cycleway -- you know, that old bike freeway... no? Then read here, first, and then register for the ride.

https://ericbrightwell.com/2023/10/13/nobody-drives-in-la-the-california-cycleway/

07/09/2023

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nol0knU_f_E&t=2s

In our latest installment of L.A. Untangled we caught up with to discuss his floor to ceiling map of Los Angeles, neighborhood boundaries and...

15/06/2023

The On Monday 19 June, interested parties should meet at Standing Egg Coffee in Los Feliz at 8:00. There's a Metro 182 Line stop there, a Metro bike share, and street parking in the area.

From there, we will TRY to ride to all of the official-ish ethnic enclaves in Los Angeles. 50 miles. Around the world in a day. There will be walking, and eating, and drinking... so we may not finish. It's not a race or a marathon. There are at least a dozen Metro stations along the route if you decide you've had enough.