Bicyclists and Motorists

By John Eldon, Encinitas

E-MAIL STORY

Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2007 | Thank you very much for printing the interview with the San Diego Bicycle Coalition's Kathy Keehan. Kathy truly understands the various needs of recreational, transportation, and casual bicyclists and does a superb job in her capacity as executive director of SDCBC. Motorists, drive attentively and recognize that the safest and most appropriate place for a bicyclist is sometimes right in the center of "your" lane. Bicyclists, ride lawfully and in a courteously, defensively assertive and predictable manner. Traffic engineers, design intersections with the needs of pedestrians and bicyclists in mind.

6 Comments so far on this story...

Dear Mr. Peterson: Dedicated bike paths have their own problems. For one, they're usually not as well constructed as standard roads. One prime example is the Rose Canyon Bike Path, which in the space of less than two miles shows quite a few signs of subsidence. Also, dedicated bike paths are often planned by landscapers instead of transportation engineers, and landscapers seem to be in love with blind corners and other incidental hazards. If we'd fix the roads, they'd be safer and more usable for cyclists. And the roads go where transportional cyclists want to go.

Posted by Robert Leone | reply to this comment
February 13, 2007 12:53 pm

I rode my bike to work once. It took me an hour and I took the trolley home because I realized the majority of the trip back would be uphill. Bicycle commuting would only work for a very few who live close enough to their workplace and who's schedule lends itself to daylight hours

Posted by Sandy | reply to this comment
February 13, 2007 3:15 pm

I do so twice a week. 20 miles each way. Dodging San Diego's nut job drivers. Such a joy. How about a curb to ensure these morons don't run me over on my way.

Posted by I'm in! | reply to this comment
February 14, 2007 2:35 am

Brian, you are absolutely correct. San Diego has the perfect climate to foster a much higher use of bike paths. The City and businesses should give a much higher priority to developing bike paths and the ancillary facilities to encourage their use. One physical problem that San Diego has is the number if hills to climb. A first class bike system should include lift facilities to surmount hills, with paths designed to take advantage of gravity. Think of the energy, space, and money to be saved and health improved. Tourists would love it.

Posted by Dave Wood | reply to this comment
February 14, 2007 2:52 am

A good, close-by example of a city with dedicated bicycle trails and bicycle lanes on city streets is Irvine. I used them to commute to UCI and get exercise on some weekends. Of course, when one has a master-planned city, it's easier to do, and San Diego does have more hills. Still, do it to the extent possible.

Posted by Mark | reply to this comment
February 15, 2007 8:17 am

As a 16 year bicycle commuter in the Inland Empire, engendering a share the road ethic is key to effective cycling. When bicyclists act and are treated as drivers of vehicles every road is in effect a bike way! The key component a community can assist with is multimodal integration (bikes on buses and trains), secure bike parking at work sites and shopping centers. Make it fun, throw a party. http://midnightridazz.com/ is doing it up in LA, try something like that in San Diego, get a bike culture going and you will be amazed!

Posted by Jonathan | reply to this comment
February 23, 2007 6:28 am

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