Canyon racers can no longer fly under the radar

STEPHANIE BERTHOLDO Acorn Newspapers ON THE LOOKOUT- Motorcycle enthusiast Gunner Wright is questioned by Officer Leland Tang for riding without a license plate. Law enforcement agencies have increased their patrols on canyon roads. The long stretches of Mulholland Highway are a favorite stomping ground for motorcyclists, but the hundreds, possibly thousands, of bikers who flock to the area every weekend- especially on Sundays- put themselves and others in jeopardy with their daredevil riding habits, say local traffic safety enforcement officials.

The California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles County Sheriff 's Lost Hills Station are on a mission to make the canyon roads safer. Recently, the two agencies joined forces with Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and other city agencies to introduce a traffic safety program called "Operation Safe Canyons."

I got a taste for the magnitude of illegal racing and other unsafe driving practices last Sunday when I drove with CHP Officer Leland Tang up Mulholland Highway to the Rock Store, the legendary restaurant and biker hangout in the Cornell area of Agoura.

BILL SPARKES Acorn Newspapers WARNING- Left, Capt. Tom Martin of the Lost Hills Sheriff's Station introduces the "Operation Safe Canyons" traffic enforcement program at a news conference last week. He said dangerous driving is rampant. While on our tour we noticed motorcycle riders making illegal passes on winding roads. We saw some who were speeding and others who were riding recklessly.

Due to the crowded conditions at the Rock Store, many of the bikes were parked precariously on a curved, hillside section of the nearby road where it seemed they might be easy targets for oncoming traffic. Tang reminded the motorcycle owners they should keep their bikes within the safe parking areas marked by white lines.

Operation Safe Canyons received a grant that will pay for three additional patrol cars on the Santa Monica Mountain canyon roads. Tang hopes the three patrol cars will discourage unsafe driving habits.

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers NO NEED FOR SPEED- A fast-moving motorcycle makes its way along Mulholland Highway. Local law enforcement officials are hoping to curb the obsession with canyon racing due to high risk. Tang believes a recent enforcement effort in the Angeles Crest Highway, another fast track for bikers, caused many riders to come to the Santa Monicas for their weekend thrills. But he said the CHP now receives complaints from the locals about the dangerous driving.

Gunner Wright, a 33yearold actor from Venice Beach, was stopped by Tang for not having a license plate on his motorcycle. Wright said he sold his car and only rides his bike in Los Angeles. He hadn't been to the Rock Store for six months, he said.

"I'm an actor; I don't want to get hurt," said Wright when asked his thoughts about the canyon speeding. "I want to keep that kind of racing on the track."

Not only did Wright not have his license plate displayed, but he failed to register his $10,000 sports motorcycle. Tang said he could have impounded the bike, but let Wright off with a warning if he spoke to me and other members of the media about his riding habits.

Robert Blaine, 45, drove here from Torrance. He was stopped by deputies for crossing a double yellow line to pass a van.

But Blaine still feels the one hour drive from Torrance was worth it because he enjoys the mountain scenery and the weather.

"I just wanted to get on the road and ride," Blaine said. Ordinarily he travels Mulholland Highway with friends, but on this trip, he rode alone.

Motorcyclists aren't alone for long once they get to the Rock Store.

"They're real nice people," Blaine said of the fellow bikers he meets at the Rock Store.

As it turns out, Tang could have issued dozens of tickets on this day. One biker had a video camera installed on his bike and was surpassing the speed limit in order to capture his friend's stunt riding. Bikers often share their adrenalinepacked videos on YouTube and other Internet venues.

Motorcyclists have also been caught traveling in the wrong direction on Tuna Canyon Road and racing on Stunt Road, Tang said. He believes it's not a matter of if an accident will occur, but when. One of the goals of "Operation Safe Canyons" is to reduce the number of collisions, injuries and deaths.

Tang said many bikers don't have adequate experience and that such riders could easily ride off a canyon embankment where there is no guard rail to protect them.

Other problems include excessive noise, graffiti, driving under the influence and "defacing county roadways."

"We don't want to take away their enjoyment of the Santa Monica Mountains," Tang said. "It's just that they need to drive responsibly."

"Operation Safe Canyons" receives its funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"It all boils down to public safety," said Tang.