Signs that summer’s almost here:Two tourists were...

Signs that summer’s almost here:

Two tourists were arrested Thursday after allegedly trying to steal a 16-foot catamaran in the surf off Malibu. They had aroused the suspicion of sheriff’s deputies when they were observed pushing the craft through the surf at about 1:30 a.m. No getaway was possible for the catamaran burglars inasmuch as the craft tipped over and broke a mast.

Meanwhile, a forgery suspect tried unsuccessfully to elude Monrovia police the other day by hiding in a parked boat.

Unconfirmed reports say that Tom Bradley may or may not run for a sixth term as mayor in 1993. But he’ll be on the move at Dodger Stadium tonight. As part of Think Blue Week, Bradley will sprint onto the field before the game in a Dodger uniform. He’ll be wearing No. 100, in honor of the Dodgers’ centennial, if not the Century Freeway.

Angelenos are among the nation’s slowest walkers and slowest t-a-l-k-e-r-s. And L.A. has some of the nation’s slowest bank tellers, too.

So says Robert Levine, a psychology professor at Fresno State University, whose students sampled the pace of life in 36 cities.

Among downtown pedestrians, tested over a distance of 60 feet, Boston finished first while L.A. came in 24th. New York City might have ranked No. 1, Levine said, except that on the block where the Big Apple was surveyed, “there was an attempted purse-snatching as well as a mugging. And then someone mugged the mugger.”

In the talking category, clerks in L.A. ranked 35th in words-per-second in answering questions. And L.A.’s bank tellers were the slowest at making change, possibly owing to the shaky situation of so many financial institutions around here.

Levine, whose findings were published in Psychology Today, next plans to determine which cities’ residents are most helpful in such categories as giving a stranger directions and picking up a package dropped by a passer-by.

“Some cities reacted negatively” when they were ranked as slowpokes, Levine said, but they shouldn’t. After all, L.A. also ranked 28th in heart disease.

For L.A.’s not-so-laid-back folks--for instance, bank tellers whose bosses read about the above survey--the summer catalogue of posh Hammacher Schlemmer offers the “Stress-Relieving Facial Mask” for $29.95.

The Beverly Hills shop says, for best results, “refrigerate the mask before use.”

Also ideal for hockey goalies.

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The city of Rolling Hills on the Palos Verdes Peninsula has gates staffed by guards 24 hours a day at every entrance.