Are You Afraid to Ride Your Bike in Highland Park?
A recent post on KCET Departures blog suggests that many Angelenos don't ride in the city due to fear.
Is fear keeping cyclists off Los Angeles' city streets? KCET Departures blogger Roadblock thinks so.
From Roadblock's recent Departures blog:
Studies show that 50% of trips made by car are less than 3 miles long. We know that not all of those trips are to carry lumber and tons of groceries. They're mostly trips to the movies, to get coffee, dinner, the book store, school, concerts - how about a bike date with peanut butter n' jelly sandwiches in the park?
So what gives, L.A.? Why won't you come out and play-ay?
The reason is pretty obvious. Fear. Not many people feel safe mixing it up with the L.A. traffic. I don't blame them. Our streets seem to encourage a kind of bipolar disorder - motorists slowing and speeding only to stop at traffic jams and red lights. Hitting the gas, then hitting the brakes then hitting the gas.
Highland Park became more bike-friendly in late 2010, with the installation of a new bike lane that runs from Ave. 54 on York Boulevard to Eagle Rock Boulevard.
The city's recently approved the master plan calls for the completion of “The Loop,” a set of connected bike lanes which would run along York Boulevard, North Figueroa Street, Eagle Rock Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard.
As it stands now though, Figueroa--Highland Park's other main commercial corridor--is without a dedicated bike lane, leaving cyclists and motorists to duel for asphalt.
Roadblock suggests that the fear experienced by many cyclists stems from both their and motorists' ignorance of the rules of the road.
In L.A., since there are relatively few bike lanes and facilities, cyclists are forced to ride in a vehicular fashion - ride in the lane as a motor vehicle would. But not every driver understands that cyclists have a right to be in the roadway, let alone expects them to be in the roadway. Likewise, not every cyclist knows how to ride in the roadway either.
As Highland Park saw last summer, this unwillingness to share the roadway can also led to dangerous clashes between cyclists and motorists.
Are you a Highland Park cyclist? What do you make of Roadblock's assertion that Los Angeles is a bike friendly city in waiting? Have you had any frightening run-ins with motorists in the neighborhood?
Motorists, does sharing the road with cyclists cause you anxiety? Tell us in the comments.
Marius
8:32 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Bikes lanes NEED to be more visible! Lanes should be BRIGHT yellow with MORE "BIKE" wording and bike "PIC's" on the road throughout the length of the bike lane!
Adding "Road Lane Reflectors" throughout the lane distance for night visibility would also be a GREAT safety aspect.
Harvey
9:09 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Many LA bike lanes are dangerous because all they do is force the bicyclist into the door zone, and sandwich the cyclist in between zombie motorists and zombies opening their car doors. South-east-bound Sunset between Sunset Junction and Parkman is a perfect example of this. Often times, the cyclist is better off riding in the car lane, within the tunnel vision of the frequently oblivious and distracted motorist. The more the motorist sees you the safer you are. I am not saying to hog the motor lane, but you can always yield to the motorist when it becomes safe to do so. I have seen people get absolutely clobbered by car doors. Don't be fooled by poorly designed bike lanes...use your common sense.
Dan Abendschein
9:39 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I agree with Harvey. I don't live in Highland Park but I have biked through town on York and I consider it a dangerous bike lane - too close to parked cars that people are coming in and out of, and too close to vehicle traffic that is traveling at high speeds. I'm not sure I would say the street would be better off without the bike lane, but it is not a lane I would want to regularly bike in.
Bob Bailey
9:51 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I like Harvey's last sentence. Use your common sense. Most bike accidents are the biker being hit from the side. What does that mean someone did not stop or was not using their common sense. I watch them all the time run stop signs. I know it takes a little more effort to get started again. But you need to remember AUTO 1 bike 0. Another thing bike like motor cycles are hard to see. Maybe we need to put ghost bikes heres a link to ghost bikes. http://ghostbikes.org/ . So live to ride again.
KingSlav
10:18 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I'm more afraid that my bicycle will be stolen when I get to my destination. Bike racks are still too few and usually in out-of-sight places where thieves can clip a bike with little fear of being seen.
Kathy
10:44 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Bikes should be banned from streets......the 'bike lane' is nothing but a hazard to both the biker and auto driver.
Harvey
11:55 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Wow! Interesting perspective!
Nayely Moreno-Limon
12:50 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I bike Highland Park and surrounding North East LA cities like Eagle Rock, Cypress and Glassell. Ironically my route is called "LocaL LooPs" on MapMyRide.com.
Those main streets are ridiculously intimidating but i'd like to point out that im some of these areas, the route faces the problem of trash cans on trash pick-up days. I hope this plan has that type of enforcement.
Other than that I'm looking forward to them. Yay local bike lanes! :)
Bob Bailey
11:13 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Where is North East?
Carl Showalter
1:02 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I have never seen a cyclist stop at a stop sign, ever.
Harvey
1:07 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Carl, if I encountered you on my bicycle in a 4 way stop, and you had the right of way, I would definitely stop for you...just sayin!
KingSlav
10:50 am on Friday, February 10, 2012
If you saw me ride you would say otherwise, but I certainly agree that most bicyclists are flagrant violators of stop signs. In fact, most motorists seem surprised if not confused when I stop at intersections.
David Fonseca
11:13 am on Friday, February 10, 2012
Same here, King, I basically follow all the same rules of the road that I would If I were driving. Many don't, though. I also crashed into a young cyclist on a fixie who was riding down Figueroa on the wrong side of the road.
Jen MacLean
8:16 pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Me neither! I don't understand it. It seems incredibly dangerous and short-sighted.
Arline DeSanctis
3:04 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I'm afraid to even WALK in H.P. Have you seen the crime stats?
alron67
6:22 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
yesterday i rode(pulling a trailer in tow) from ave 52 to eaglerock/colorado and honestly people just keep your eyes scanning and never assume the drivers see you. key tip: watch the driver, not the car itself... be safe and enjoy
David Bloom
11:02 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Hey, is this Alron Garcia? Taking the kids on bike rides again in the towable trailer? Be careful out there buddy.
alron67
11:49 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
yes it is bloom... oh yeah for sure...i always ride as if every car out there want to run me down. always watch the driver, not the car . i cant stess that enough
Bob Bailey
10:23 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Now now Kathy. Bike are a great way to get around. If more of our kids would ride one to school instead of mommy taxi there would fewer over weight kids. I grew up in Highland Park from Aldama, Burbank and Franklin two times I got a ride and that was only because my dad was going that way. I had a paper route here and sold the Sunday paper on a corner. Plus Sats and Sundays my buddies and I would ride our bikes to China town up to Griffith Park Marry-go-round. So get your kids butts on a bike and NO MORE RIDES TO SCHOOL.
Kathy
5:08 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Bob, you must be about 50 or so. When you were young it was safe, but now the riffraff has taken over and it's no longer safe. Try doing that today..........you'll realise what's happened to our City
Harvey
10:32 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Bob I totally agree. Kathy's comment scared the crap out of me. Are people really that addicted to our failing auto transportation system?...disconnected from fresh air and exercise? When I was a kid I took my bike all over LA. I used to ride from the valley to Topanga Beach with a boogie board strapped to my back. Instead of banning bikes from the road, we should ban car trips that are less than 1 mile to anywhere. And, "alron67" your comment about watching the driver is so true. Nothing is worse than an impending car with tinted windows...you have no idea what kind of distractions the driver is up to!!
Kathy
5:11 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Next time you try riding from the valley to Topanga Beach with a boogie board strapped to your back......watch out for all the unlicensed, uninsured drivers who just may run you over.........and keep on going.
Bob Bailey
11:20 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
While I longer rider. I sure racked up the miles as kid. But to the bikers please stop at the stop signs. If you get hit you lose. You may have had the right of way but it's still Auto 1 biker 0.