http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20050823-1219-bn23fatal4.html
This is the third death I know of in the same spot in the last few years.
Every Saturday I ride the exact spot where this young Marine now lies, dead, in a pool of blood.
I am on the board of one of the largest cycling clubs in San Diego, so what can I do to prevent deaths in this specific location?
Seeking specific advice, I am sick of my fellow cyclists ending up dead on the road, and ready to take serious action.
Unfortunately, the only effective action would be to advocate from reducing suburban sprawl and to increase funding for good public transportation. That is the only way to reduce the number of vehicles out on the road. But I don’t think there’s much else that can be done to reduce America’s car culture.
Perhaps raise money for a bike underpass/overpass?
I like the whole Critical Mass movement. Just my type of anarchy.
T.
I’m intimately familiar with that area. I used to be stationed at the old NAS Miramar, just before it became MCAS Miramar, and I and my riding buddies used to cycle out that way all the time. I don’t know what’s worse; taking it from behind like that, with no warning, or seeing it coming at you, head-on.
Really sad way for this Marine to go out.
T.
Unfortunately, the only effective action would be to advocate from reducing suburban sprawl and to increase funding for good public transportation. That is the only way to reduce the number of vehicles out on the road. But I don’t think there’s much else that can be done to reduce America’s car culture.
Perhaps raise money for a bike underpass/overpass?
I don’t think that’s the only effective action, although it would certainly be a great thing to pull off.
There are specific things that can be done at specific places, like your second recommendation (underpass/overpass).
I don’t know the area in question (haven’t ever been to SD at all) but my understanding is that it’s a road with a bike lane. I’m guessing that this is marked with white lines… maybe by the interesection in quesiton the DOT could add some sort of bumps along the side of the lane, making it clearer that cars don’t belong in the bike lane; it also helps if, near/at intersections, the bike lane is solidly colored. They could also put stop signs on the on-ramps, instead of yield signs.
Just some thoughts. It’d be nice to see some real enforcement of traffic laws but that never lasts long.
Yesterday I sold a bike to a fella who is a driver’s education instructor. Since he is also a cyclist I asked him, “Do you mention anything to your kids about interacting with cyclists on the road and what appropriate conduct is?”
He said he didn’t. He mentioned the curriculum for teaching new drivers is already too full for most of their attention spans. He went on to say that the students he teachs are a different mindset than even a decade ago: They feel they are exempt from the possibility of having an accident. They feel traffic laws are “flexible” and they feel the world revolves around them.
Until some significant effort is made to incorporate information about cyclists on the road for drivers- both new drivers and drivers renewing their licenses- it is unlikely there will be a large shift in attitudes and awareness of drivers toward cyclists.
I’m so sorry to hear about these terrible accidents. My sympathy and kind thoughts to all those involved. How sad and tragic it is for anyone to die on a bicycle- utterly avoidable. How ironic that one of our nation’s finest- a U.S. Marine, is one of the victims.
Very sad.
Unfortunately, the only effective action would be to advocate from reducing suburban sprawl and to increase funding for good public transportation. That is the only way to reduce the number of vehicles out on the road. But I don’t think there’s much else that can be done to reduce America’s car culture.
Perhaps raise money for a bike underpass/overpass?
This is the biggest load of bullshit I have ever read!!!
For starter, this troubling trend happens on country roads and minimally traveled areas where sprawl has no effect on the population. A weak argument that you probably regurgitated from some college professor in a class this week.
When did it become OK to drive in a car in a reckless manner, hit and kill a person who, by police accounts, rode in the proper designated lane, wearing reflective vest and blinking lights?? When did it fall into the category of blaming it on urban sprawl and poor funding for public transportation?
Perhaps raising money for a team of lobbyists to vigorously go to our lawmakers to change weak prosecutory laws and impose appropriate punishment for acts of recklessness that cause great bodily harm or death. The policeman at the scene of the capture of the alleged driver stated that if he had only stopped when he hit the cyclist, he probably would have been charged with a misdemeaner offense.** **
AM I THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS ABSOLUTELY ENRAGED BY THIS???
Who is going to look at that Marine’s family in the eye and tell them that their sons/dads/husbands life wasn’t worth enough to protect him from people who continually act in a reckless fashion and do not have to pay the consequences for their poor decisions? Everyone who has read this thread (over 2000 hits) has experienced some kind of altercation or near miss while riding on a public road that we all pay taxes for, obey traffic laws and ride in designated bike lanes. Funny, guy hits you in a car, kills you and has a misdemeaner hanging over his head. On the other hand, guy almost hits you, you confront him, fight ensues, you’d get charged with a felony aggravated assault. Now, before anyone starts ragging, I am not advocating chasing people down and pulling them from their cars to shake some sense into them. But how does one outway the other so differently? When do we take out lives back? When do we make people accountable for their actions?
I think your making huge assumption when you say “driving in a car in a reckless matter”. Like you said in the other post, we don’t have all the fact yet, so be careful what you write.
That said, I like your idea about lobbyists…we need more ideas like that. And the penelties are very inappropriate. The example you proved it proof of that. it seems like all car releated punishments are askew…I still don’t understand how so many accidents happen with drunk drivers…you get caught, FIRST DUI, license gone for a year, SECOND DUI, 5 years, THIRD DUI…you never get to drive again!!! The entire thing should be reworked!
-bcreager
It seems freeway on-ramps are one of the most dangerous places for a cyclist to cross. Perhaps an economical solution ( compared to finding an isolated path around/over/under those intersections) is to place a detection device in the bike lane before the on-ramp and a traffic light even earlier. The cyclist triggers the light which stops the cars and opens a gap for the cyclist to get through the intersection. Probably, though, difficult to work when the right lane is not dedicated to the on-ramp.
I have to cross a dedicated on-ramp lane on my way home and it’s been scary many times. Most often, though cars wait for me to get through it.
I’m curious to know if bike paths are safer than bike lanes in general. I assume they are, but I also assume some people walking their dogs or small kids playing on bikes could get hit by a commuter cyclist. I’ve actually seen it happen (cyclist hitting a runner on a bridge in Marin).
I’d like to see some of Bush’s transportation bill go toward cylist-only corridors along rail lines. That’s some of the best ideas I’ve heard and the rail lines are the perfect place for this (graded, generally protected, routed around obstacles, etc.) Rails To Trails is working toward this in rural areas and might also support urban efforts. Imagine if we had a bikes-only path along the coaster line from O-side to old town. I’d probably drop 10 minutes off my commute and be much safer.
This particular stretch is uglier than the I5 freeway as stated. The only safe way to negotiate some of the off ramps is to get off and back on, that’s not even terribly safe. I’d love to see a separate corridor built for bikes only that is fenced/barriered off like the I5 Genesse off ramp or the I15 stretch between pomerado and North County Fair.
I think your making huge assumption when you say “driving in a car in a reckless matter”. Like you said in the other post, we don’t have all the fact yet, so be careful what you write.
My assumption is based on statements from the police spokesman who estimated the speed of the vehicle at 70MPH. If you don’t think that 70 on a curving on-ramp is reckless…
If he was going 70 mph, that’s definetly reckless.
-bcreager
How many people die on that road each year in just regular car accidents?
Gary,
If you want to organize something to go to the city counsel with i am on board and will help out with what ever it takes. if we can’t get a dedicated path or a bridge overpass than maybe there could be a traffic light that can be installed as a minimum. we need to come up with a clear plan and bring it to the city.
We need to find out how many people have been killed on that road on bikes, and in car accidents so we can present it. whining on a forum isn’t going to get anything done about it. if we collectively take a stance and get the media involved then we may have a good chance on getting something done about it.
a friend gave me a ride home yesterday, (i wasn’t up for riding back home) we drove KVR and there is plenty of room on both sides of the road to put a dedicated bike path much like what the silver strand has.
another option maybe to talk to MCAS MM and see if there is a way they would let cyclists ride through like they do at pendelton. i am not sure if there is a gate on the south side of the base but its worth a shot.
from the marines friend’s post (billy the kid) it seems like the guy was a really good guy and his death should not just be forgotten about. he deserves better than that.
I just got off the phone with the detective that is handling the case. i asked where we can get that stats on that area and he said that they can provide it. but its going to be general stats, everyone mixed together, street racers, motorcycles, cyclists and so on. He said that we can petition to have a street light put in which would probably be the most likely thing to happen due to cost.
Start with staying off that section of road. Three deaths in one year would keep me away. Just because you have the right to be there don’t mean you SHOULD be there.
Flame away.
This is terrible for the families involved, and I feel sad for them.
I like the whole Critical Mass movement. Just my type of anarchy.
T.
I’m with you. Yesterday, in the original thread, I suggested a memorial/protest ride where I was hoping that hundreds of cyclists could get together and take up the whole road to raise awareness.
Continuously hearing such stories keeps me on my trainer, in spin classes, or out in the local mountains where there is less traffic/ignorant drivers. I’d be on the roads more if I felt safe. Perhaps the following may help: -Cement barrier between bike lane and car lane. -Like the idea about the bike over/underpass -Wider bike lanes in some areas -A road sign stating, “Watch for cyclists” -Designated bike paths/roads…in my dream world, there would be a designated bike only PCH ( : Safe riding trails, Kim
I think that only makes drivers more angry towards cyclists. It’s about educating drivers, not taking up the road and pissing them off. I don’t have an alternative solution but “taking up the road” in my view isn’t the answer. I think people who hit cyclists should be forced to ride a bike for 30 days straight in addition to the other punishment. Maybe then they’ll understand what we deal with on a regular basis.
Everything in life comes with a risk. I’m not about to quit riding my bike because I’m afraid of being hit.