Brilliant Move --Dedicated Bicycle Lanes in Downtown (San Diego, Encinitas: insurance, neighborhoods)

[sdurban]

Most drivers I see can't be bothered to put down their cell phone. Illegal cell phone use, DUIs and speeding by drivers cause tens of thousands of needless injuries and deaths every year. How many people did bicyclists kill last year?

While it doesn't justify bad cycling behavior, bad driver behavior has a far greater negative impact on our public spaces.

[T. Damon]

Originally Posted by JohnAlt

I suppose legal is a relative term. Most bicylists I see can't be bothered with a stop sign, and quite a few will blow through a red light if there is no cross traffic. It's always fun to have to navigate around the same rider multiple times who keeps getting ahead by ignoring the rules of the road.

Yeah, because every car I've ever seen at a clear 4 way stop sign always comes to a complete and total stop.

Why folks in cars get so bent out of shape when a cyclist gets to a clear 4-way stop before them, confirms quickly it's clear and rolls through maybe a couple of miles an hour faster than they (or I) would in their car, on their turn and violating absolutely no one's right of way and causing no disruption or danger to anyone and just hurrying the sequence along is something that will forever baffle me.

Christ, can you just imagine what a pain in the ass it would be if every cyclist totally stopped at every 4 way stop sign that they got clearly first to and you had to wait for them to slow down to a complete stop, stand their bike up for a second, and then back on- hopefully clicking their shoes in correctly or flipping up and getting them in the toe clips just right- get back going slowly trying to build up momentum while you are just sitting there face palming yourself to implore them to get the hell going and out of the intersection so I can just get on my way!! ?

I'm not speaking of anyone who violates anyone else's right of way - a completely different thing.

[futbol]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

As in dead?

Very seriously injured.

Originally Posted by Rumble On Rose

If San Diego actually wants to attempt to be bicycle friendly, the first the they should do is put up concrete barriers between the 56 bike path and the adjacent traffic going 80 miles an hour. Maybe then no more bicyclists or joggers will have to risk getting killed in order to use it. The chain link fence might as well not even be there. Duh!
...

I totally agree. The good news is that this is in the works. It is part of the new massive traffic budget.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by futbol

Very seriously injured.



I totally agree. The good news is that this is in the works. It is part of the new massive traffic budget.

Hate to hear about the rider. I ride the 67 a lot and that is rather chilling.

[futbol]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

Hate to hear about the rider. I ride the 67 a lot and that is rather chilling.

Yeah, I remember that we've discussed this before here. You and I and others here ride the 67. There is plenty of room on the shoulder along most of the stretch of road. It is the 67 however, which is one of the most dangerous roads in California.

Another piece of good news is that the state is stepping in to make changes to make the 67 safer. There is a study now which will focus on a median barrier in the high accident frequency spots, among other things like widening, etc. They announced this about 6+ months ago.

I'm impressed that this problem has the state's attention.

[DinsdalePirahna]

I try to stay on dedicated lanes and paths as much as possible, but frequently ride streets.

Its getting to the point where its a gamble every time I ride.
I dress like a freak'n neon circus clown riding a christmas tree just to increase my visibility to the jerk texting or dialing his phone.

my second biggest peeve are the recreation cyclist and tourist that insist on riding on the wrong side of the road.

[Rumble On Rose]

Originally Posted by futbol

Very seriously injured.



I totally agree. The good news is that this is in the works. It is part of the new massive traffic budget.

I'll believe it when I see it. They can put the same concrete barriers up from one end of Carmel Valley Road to the other in the blink of an eye when it comes to building strip malls and million dollar houses. But three years after someone is killed on the 56 bike path because of their gross negligence, nothing. Low priority.

[sdurbanite]

Originally Posted by elchevere

As if downtown is not already crowded and getting more traffic day to day, I now see there are dedicated bicycle lanes on Broadway and G Street in downtown (might be another street or two I am missing as well).

People complain about SD being car dependent, so I think this is great step in the right direction to get people out of their cars, especially for those living downtown. Those people living in East Village might now be able to bike to the Little Italy Farmer's Market instead of drive over.

Also, I don't see a problem with having just two streets with dedicated bike lanes. If drivers want to avoid the cyclists, there's always Market St, India St, A, B, F, Ash, Park Blvd, Pac Highway, 7th, 8th, 9th, etc.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by sdurbanite

People complain about SD being car dependent, so I think this is great step in the right direction to get people out of their cars, especially for those living downtown. Those people living in East Village might now be able to bike to the Little Italy Farmer's Market instead of drive over.

Also, I don't see a problem with having just two streets with dedicated bike lanes. If drivers want to avoid the cyclists, there's always Market St, India St, A, B, F, Ash, Park Blvd, Pac Highway, 7th, 8th, 9th, etc.

I see OB did that. There are still plenty of jerks late for whatever that use those streets to try and get around the main collector streets. I had some woman try to squeeze by me even though I was mid-lane and doing the speed limit. There are huge signs saying bikes may use the entire lane.

[Slappy san]

Because a lot of drivers hate cyclists. That's why there are so many injuries/deaths. Even with the lanes, there isn't really safety. If the worst a cyclist gets is honking and screaming...he or she is very lucky.