Archive | Bicycle
Cyclists Battle Over Bike Lanes
Is it better for cities to add bike lanes, or for cyclists to adapt and learn to ride in traffic on busy city streets? Here’s an article that discusses both the perspective of a cyclist who comfortably rides in traffic daily, and from others who think this is far too dangerous.
Article Source: http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/mar/06/battling-bikers-need-better-headline/
During morning rush hour, La Jolla Village Drive near I-5 is a noisy snarl of speeding cars, trucks and busses. There are eight lanes of traffic and no bike lanes, but that didn’t stop Serge Issakov from riding his bicycle to work on this street for the better part of a decade.
“This is where everybody thinks I’m crazy, but if you ride clearly in the lane, it works,” said Issakov, who serves on the board of the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition (SDCBC), the region’s largest bicycle advocacy group. Issakov subscribes to a philosophy called vehicular cycling, which maintains that bicyclists are safest when they act like drivers. That often means mixing with cars in traffic lanes on high-speed roads like La Jolla Village Drive.
“It’s totally non-intuitive, but once you do it a few times its like, ‘Wow, why don’t I do this all the time?’” he said of the vehicular approach. “Thinking like a driver completely changes your experience out on the road.”
Issakov doesn’t think La Jolla Village Drive needs a bike lane—that with the right training, anyone can ride here comfortably like he does. In fact, some in the vehicular cycling movement, which has followers all over the world, are vehemently against bike lanes.
“They were designed to shove cyclists off the side of the road,” said John Forester, the Lemon Grove man who literally wrote the book on vehicular cycling. “I oppose bike lanes not for the physical harm they do so much as for the political and behavioral harm that they create.”
As a former president of the League of American Bicyclists and a still-prominent voice in advocacy circles, Forester has fought for decades to preserve bicyclists’ legal right to use public roads, and he thinks bike lanes send the wrong message about where bicycles belong. According to the California vehicle code, bicycles are allowed to go anywhere cars can go (except, in most cases, on the freeway), regardless of whether or not there’s a bike lane. But Forester and Issakov worry that if we build separate facilities like bike lanes, those rights could be lost.
The question of where bicycles belong inspires endless debate among bike geeks—not to mention some gentle ribbing from the comedy show Portlandia. In San Diego, an argument always seems to be simmering between vehicular cyclists like Issakov and his fellow SDCBC board member Samantha Ollinger, who lives in San Diego car-free and blogs about bike issues.
“Many of my friends are afraid of riding in high-speed traffic,” she told me at a coffee shop on El Cajon Boulevard in North Park as trucks and vans roared past. “I don’t like the fact that that is the only option.”
Without a striped bike lane, El Cajon Boulevard is the kind of fast-moving, busy street that poses no problem for a vehicular cyclist like Issakov, but can intimidate a less experienced rider. Where Issakov stresses training over infrastructure, Ollinger think the city should do more to make streets appealing to bicyclists.
“I’d love to see a bike lane, I’d love to see a cycle track. I’d love to see something that everybody feels comfortable riding on,” Ollinger said. “You need to have a certain level of nerve to ride on a street like this.”
Some of the bicyclists on El Cajon were riding on the sidewalk, which can be not only dangerous but is actually illegal in some parts of town.
“People ride on a sidewalk because they’re responding to an environment,” Ollinger said. “They may feel more comfortable separated from traffic. I think the city needs to look at that as something that’s deficient in the street, because that’s how people are responding to it.”
In a city like San Diego, with relatively few bike lanes and paths, people who ride a bike for transportation often have no choice but to mingle with traffic at some point on their commute, and vehicular cycling offers some useful techniques for doing so safely. But as an advocacy strategy, the movement has its critics.
“I equate this with the young men who run with the bulls in Pamplona in Spain,” said Denmark-based mobility consultant Mikael Colville-Andersen, who also runs the popular site Copenhagenize.com. “It’s a big kick and they’re rushing down the street with the bulls after them, but this is really nothing that appeals to the 99% of the population.”
Colville-Andersen travels the world advising cities on how to promote bicycling for transportation, not just recreation. That’s important in San Diego, where planners hope to triple the number of people who commute by bike in order to meet California’s new limits on greenhouse gas emissions.
“Separated infrastructure sends the message that bicycles belong, that bicycles are a feasible, accepted and respected form of transport,” he said.
What do you think? Should bicyclists continue to adapt, as Issakov has, to the existing conditions in their city? Or should cities change to accommodate their cyclists and attract even more? Ollinger, for one, knows what she’d like to see.
“My grand big picture is that everybody in San Diego who wants to ride has the ability to ride,” she said. “It should not be just something that only the very brave do. It should be something grandma can do.”
Not Your Typical Bike Event Sponsor
Oceanside, CA – Richard L. Duquette, Bicycle Injury Lawyer, Cyclist, and Personal Injury Attorney supports local cycling groups and female cyclists by sponsoring 9th Annual Red Trolley Classic Criterium, February 5, 2012 in Sorrento Valley. The Red Trolley Criterium is an Annual bicycle race, which covers 0.6 miles on a closed loop course.
Sponsorship will be used toward this race and future races and bicycle events, which promote and support local and collegiate cycling. Richard Duquette also strives to create equal opportunities for women cyclists. “I specifically asked for half of my sponsorship contribution to this year’s Red Trolley Race to be put toward women’s cycling groups participating in the event,” said Richard Duquette.
Other sponsors of the 2012 Red Trolley Classic Criterium include Xterra Wetsuits, Yakima Bikes, It’s A Bike Shop, Annullo Sports Academy, San Diego Bicycle Club, and more.
For more information, visit 911BicycleInjuryLaw.com, call Richard Duquette at 760-730-0500 or email to rduquette@911law.com.
ABOUT The Law Firm of Richard L. Duquette
Richard L. Duquette is an experienced Personal Injury Attorney, who since 1983 has focused his practice on Bicycle, Motorcycle and Car Accidents as well as Hit and Run, Brain and Spine Injuries, PTSD, Property damage, and Wrongful death. The Law Firm of Richard Duquette is family owned and operated, taking pride in their service and commitment as one of San Diego County’s top Personal Injury Attorneys with results to prove it. Located in Oceanside serving Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido, Fallbrook, and all San Diego, Riverside, and Orange Counties.
Mr. Duquette represents amateur athletes as well as Professional World Class Athletes and World Champion Triathletes and Duathletes. As a triathlon competitor, including two Ironman triathlons and former sponsor of the Attorney for Athletes Triathlon and Mountain Bike team Mr. Duquette understands how an injury affects your active lifestyle. He has also raced motorcycles and bicycles (including Mountain Bikes) and is familiar with the subtleties of these cases. He consults with bicyclists and offers them free evaluations of their cases.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Kim Duquette
kduquette@911law.com
760.730.0500
UcCyclery – La Jolla, CA
Dave Sadeghi , Owner of UcCyclery, studied mechanical engineering, then followed his dream – owning a high end bicycle store focusing on customer service. It shows! That was over 25 years ago. Today, UcCyclery is conveniently located off La Jolla Village Drive and the I5 Freeway in La Jolla, CA. You can find them at www.uccyclery.com. Besides Dave’s technical experience, he employs over seven professionals, including four full time mechanics. Each mechanic has a minimum of two decades of mechanical experience. For example, Steve Kowaluk attended the Specialized Technical Masters Courses. He knows mountain bike suspensions, builds wheels, and keeps up to date on any industry technical or recall bulletins, in order to insure your safety. For your convenience, you can E-mail him in advance to schedule your free inspection, maintenance, and repair work at uccyclery@gmail.com.
Before you buy a bicycle at UCC, one of their three staff members who have been to the Specialized Fitting School will make sure you buy smartly. UCC is an authorized Specialized Bicycle Dealer, and sell Road, Tri, CX, TT, Commuter, Kids, and hybrid bicycles, including a women’s line of bicycles and accessories. Plus, they annually attend the Interbike Trade Show in Las Vegas to learn the latest technological advances, and test ride products. They even carry biodegradable cleansing and lubricant products.
UCC has an impressive track record of reaching out and giving back to the local community by sponsoring the Tour de Cure bicycle Ride and fundraiser to fight diabetes. UCC also hosts the San Diego Bicycle Club Saturday ride.
So, Visit UcCyclery for excellent customer service, and a diverse selection of products. You’ll be impressed! Call (858) 452-8842 M-F 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Injured? Contact Law Firm of Richard L. Duquette for Free Consultation. Experienced Personal Injury Attorney focusing on Bike, Motorcycle, Car Accidents, Hit and Run, Brain and Spine Injuries, PTSD, Property damage, wrongful death. Located in Oceanside serving Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido and all North San Diego County.
FREE Case Evaluation – Call Now 760-730-0500, Get in touch online here, or email rduquette@911law.com
9th Annual SPY Red Trolley Classic
We are only 6 days away from the 9th Annual SPY Red Trolley Classic Criterium, which takes place February 5th, 2012. Here is some information about this year’s race, along with the flyer.
The 9th Annual SPY Red Trolley Classic takes place on February 5th, 2012.
El Camino Bike Shop
Proudly serving Encinitas and North County is the El Camino Bike Shop. Fittingly, they are located near Encinitas Boulevard and El Camino Real. They can be found at www.elcaminobikeshop.biz. The experienced owners, Will Schellenger and Jerry Marazoni have combined bicycle industry expertise totaling over 43 years. Will has a mechanical engineer’s critical eye and the ability to solve mechanical issues with ease.
They employ Mike, a full time mechanic, as well as seven other employees. Dave Calendar, a veteran cyclist competently handles their marketing. Further, their staff has multiple Spanish speakers, to service the local Hispanic community in Encinitas. Impressively, they cater to women cyclists, who are “treated with respect” when entering the store.
Their store offers a wide variety of Diamond Back bicycles from Gary Fisher, Trek, CX, BMX, HARO, Mt. Bikes, Cool Beach Cruisers, and Electras, on top of their wide range of cycling accessories.
What I like is that they reach out into the community and sponsor “Bicycle Rodeos”, which teach kids safe riding practices. They also sponsor the Moonlight Velo Bicycle Club, a local group of experienced bicyclists. Plus, they are active in maintaining mountain bike trails and work with officials to keep them open to the public. Reaching out to the community set El Camino apart!
Give El Camino Bike Shop a call at (760) 436-2340. You’ll be glad you did!
Injured? Contact Law Firm of Richard L. Duquette for Free Consultation. Experienced Personal Injury Attorney focusing on Bike, Motorcycle, Car Accidents, Hit and Run, Brain and Spine Injuries, PTSD, Property damage, wrongful death. Located in Oceanside serving Carlsbad, Vista, San Marcos, Escondido and all North San Diego County.
FREE Case Evaluation – Call Now 760-730-0500, Get in touch online here, or email rduquette@911law.com
SPY Colocross Race Saturday, Jan 7 at CSUSM
Look for some fun this Saturday in North County San Diego!
A good fast course with some challenging dirt sections including the SPY-clone! The course uses part of the cross country running and frisbee golf course near running track stadium. Check out this great video from last year HERE
For Race Times and Registration visit www.SoCalCross.org/events
