CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

NYE Bike Safety Ride Underway

About two dozen riders are participating in the Second Annual New Years Eve Bike Safety Ride, which left Corona del Mar about 8:15 this morning.

“Stay away from car doors,” cautioned organizer Frank Peters just before the ride got underway.

This year’s group is about twice as big as last year. The group met at the parking lot at Marguerite Avenue and Bayside Drive before leaving on a course that followed Bayside to Balboa Island, to the ferry and Peninsula and back.

Newport Beach Police Chief Jay Johnson participated on a borrowed electric bike courtesy of Pedego’s Don DiConstanzo.

The bike, which had “Police” labels, is a prototype that DiConstanzo plans to show the Los Angeles Police Department. The bike is heavier, he said, and can go 10 mph faster than the state-mandated 20 mph for most electric bikes.

The youngest participant was Eddy Merckx Huntsman, 8, who attends Newport Coast Elementary. Eddy’s father has cycled professionally, and Eddy wasn’t worried about today’s ride because he is able to ride the entire length of Newport Coast Drive up and down the hills, he said.

Cyclist Barbara Peters, who missed the ride last year, said she was proud of her husband and his bicycle advocacy. Peters served on the city’s Task Force on Cycling Safety and writes a cycling safety blog and weekly column for Corona del Mar Today.

“It’s a great benefit to the community,” she said, adding that she appreciated the police chief and one of his commanders joining the ride.

“I applaud the chief,” she said. “This is really great.”

City Councilwoman Nancy Gardner of Corona del Mar stopped by, although puppy sitting obligations prevented her from joining.

“Have a safe ride,” she said as they began to ride away.