Bike Commuting in LA

Yes, you can commute by bike in LA. No, it is not the most friendly town for cyclists. Still, it is a great way to avoid traffic, get your daily exercise, save money, help the environment, and reduce stress. The more people who bike here, the better and safer it becomes.

My tips for bike commuting specific to LA are as follows:

1. Plan your route to avoid major roads. There are no shoulders here and people drive FAST (except when they are on the freeway and then they will drive all pokey even when there is no traffic).
2. Avoid the sidewalk unless necessary. A lot of people actually use the sidewalk for walking. I'm glad to see so many pedestrians/skateboarders and they need their space. If you do need to get on the sidewalk because of an unsafe section of street, I'd recommend walking your bike as a courtesy to others.
3. Embrace the fact that people will ignore the rules. Those "no pedestrians" signs on designated bike paths apparently translate to "please walk here with your 5 kids, 2 dogs, and a shopping cart". I'm not exaggerating, everyone walks in the bike path here (sometimes for lack of a sidewalk other times just because it is wider and better paved than the sidewalk).
4. Don't use a road bike. LA roads are full of debris and potholes. Plus anything too expensive or flashy is just a giant target for thieves. Stick with a used hybrid bike.
5. If you've never ridden in an urban environment before, start off in a residential area and work your way up to the full commute. I've ridden in central Austin and Houston before and LA is definitely more challenging. If you are from the Netherlands or Denmark, prepare to be appalled.