From busy freeways to classic-car street racing, Los Angeles has long been considered the capital of American car culture. Can it change in time for the Olympics?

With nearly year-round sunny skies, some say LA is the ideal place for cycling.

“It is the perfect community for runners and cycling and outdoors, yet as a generality we are hooked on our vehicles, we are hooked on the need to have speed,” said Damian Kevitt, the executive director of Streets Are For Everyone (Safe).

But until recently, it was cars – and not pedestrians or cyclists – that ruled the roads.

Spreading over 460 square miles (1,200 sq km), Los Angeles is known for its never-ending sprawl, and its traffic jams.