Memorial Day 2018: Bicycles at the National Cemetery

"Sir," they shouted after me, "SIR!" as I rode my bicycle from Veterans Avenue into the National Cemetery. For 364 days in the year that gate is closed, very closed. But today, Memorial Day, the gate between Kinross and Weyburn was wide open for cars to enter and exit.

For those who remember the National Cemetery before 9/11, when this gate was always open, Memorial Day has also become a memorial for the damage done to our Los Angeles communities by preventing pedestrians from using a pleasant and safe route between Brentwood and Westwood. Today, the closed gate has become the major obstacle for improving non-motorized access in West LA. The closed gate forces pedestrians on the Wilshire corridor, where high speed traffic, refuse, homeless people, interstate off-ramps and on-ramps make walking most unpleasant and exceedingly dangerous. Indeed, the closed gate forces people into cars.

"Sir" they shouted after me, "SIR!" "You have to dismount you bicycle."

And so I did, wondering, yet again, why drivers are given a wide open gate on this special day, while cyclists must dismount. Is there something more dangerous, or less ceremonial about a bicycle?

It was a beautiful day in a beautiful cemetery. I walked my bike to the proceedings and counted the bicycles I encountered. Perhaps next year, for memorial day, all these cyclist will not be greeted with a dismount command, but will be allowed to drive their bikes carefully, just as the cars, and to advance slowly and respectfully among the visitors.

Perhaps the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs of the National Cemetery Administration Randy C. Reeves will grant those veterans who arrive on a bicycle the same access to the roads in the cemetery that is given to cars. Or Congressman Ted Lieu might raise the issue in advance of next years proceedings.

On my quick round I counted 15 visitors who should have received a warmer welcome than "Sir, you have to dismount." Here are the images to prove it.

Come again said Tom Rock, the director of the cemetery, come and visit us again, but he was clearly stressed as he directed slow moving traffic (cars) to move onto Sepulveda, no left turns, just straight and right, "thanks for coming." Perhaps next year there will be a better welcome for people on bikes attending the proceedings.