6 Responses to “Cycling Safety”
Comments
September 18th, 2011
I'll take advantage of the radio silence to point out that the City of Newport Beach has dedicated bike lanes on Pacific Coast Highway, San Joaquin Hills Drive, Newport Coast Drive and other streets and that driving a car over the solid white line in to the bike lane (except to enter or leave the roadway, park where permitted, or merge in to the lane to turn right within 200 feet of an intersection) is a violation of California Vehicle Code section 21209. Furthermore, parking is prohibited in bike lanes by both by the California Vehicle Code and city ordinance. I understand that, probably due to inadequate signage, many people are unaware that the area to the right of the solid white line on those streets is in fact a bike lane and therefore many people pull over to make phone calls, enjoy the view, check maps, et cetera and that gardeners and landscapers park their trucks there. Keep in mind that when you see this happening, the law is being broken and cyclists who want to use the bike lane must now ride out in to the 55 and 60 MPH right lanes of the road. (In case you are wondering, they can't use the sidewalk as the City of Newport Beach has a blanket prohibition on sidewalk cycling (even for kids).
September 19th, 2011
I'll take advantage of this opportunity to point out that, yes, we drivers are thoughtless, selfish, egotistical, distracted idiots and if it's paved, well, 'all your roads belongs to us'. -heh- Which begs a most puzzling question, given the options and choices of using safer routes, WHY does anyone insist on risking their lives by inserting themselves into high risk deadly routes? But I won't ask, however I will take the time to REMIND both car and bike people that while you, David, are correct in that the bike lanes are for bikes and not for parking when there is an obstacle in a drivers lane before we change lanes we must first be sure it is clear and safe to make that lane change otherwise we must stop and then proceed with our lane change only when it is safe. I suggest, strongly, that bikes adhere to the same traffic rules to avoid becoming another -easily could have been avoided- statistic.
September 19th, 2011
Robincdm, I appreciate your concern but I am on to a different objective than simply "going around" the hazard. "Going around" is not a practicable solution on high-speed thoroughfares. Cyclists are not being inconvenienced, they are being put in extreme danger. The underlying reason for the hazard needs to be addressed and prevented from happening again. Education - as much as you dislike it - is the only way to do that. In any case, this is not a matter of convenience. Consider this: THERE IS NO OTHER ROUTE BETWEEN MY HOME AND MY SON'S SCHOOL OTHER THAN THE STREETS I DESCRIBED ABOVE. I also wish you would not use such inflammatory language. I did not mention any of those qualities you attribute to drivers; I don't think trying to pit drivers against cyclists with remarks like yours is at all helpful. As I wrote above, I attribute motorist behavior to a lack of information, particularly inadequate signage. My goal is to make things safer by pointing out egregious violations of state and city motor vehicle and parking laws designed for safety.
September 19th, 2011
Robincdm, I have uploaded a video of landscaping trucks blocking the bike lane (and the sidewalk, actually) past the crest of 60 MPH Newport Coast Drive coming up the hill from the beach. This is a road that is used by hundreds of cyclists and is a way for them to avoid the traffic in Corona del Mar. (Out of the frying pan, into the fire...) But here's the link: http://youtu.be/ofwbXH2kIxs
September 19th, 2011
I watched the video. What's the problem here? If it's illegal for the work trucks to be in the bike lane, call the police and have them cited, it's not a motorists problem or their doing and again if those trucks were blocking a lane I'm in and I can not safely change lanes because of traffic then I have to stop and wait until it is safe to change lanes. I can't just merge over into the next lane whenever it's convenient for me because something is blocking my path. And come on the bike at the fore wasn't even using the bike lane even after he passed all the landscaping trucks. He had a lane so again, what's the problem? As far as "inflammatory language" goes, sorry you're overly sensitive. Fact is I know, and I have a sneaking suspicion you do too, know that drivers love their cars and cars have a tendency to extend or project and even magnify the personalities of those driving them. Can they not be egotistical with a 'get out of my way' - 'me first' mentality? I see it all the time only I was being honest about it. I just said what everyone thinks, car and cyclist alike. And then you throw in the "Education - as much as you dislike it - " comment. Nice, real nice. You dare accuse and chastise me for throwing in inflammatory comments and then turn right around and throw in a personal dig. No hypocrisy there, eh David!
September 19th, 2011
Thanks for pointing out how the cyclist in front does not return to the bike lane. That is the result of habit, from the landscapers leaving their debris in the lanes as they move up and down the street. Cyclists are aware that there will be everything from pine cones to rocks in the bike lane after the landscapers leave. In effect, the landscapers have eroded cyclist's confidence in the bike lanes, especially on downhill stretches. Yes, the Newport Beach Police Department is aware of the matter. I have no interest in friction between motorists and cyclists, so I again ask you to keep your inflammatory observations to yourself. You seem to have an agenda of stirring up trouble beyond the matter at hand, in an attempt to undermine safety for cyclists, and thus my comment. Hypocrisy? My comment was directed to you.
