[SDCBC] FW: Plastic Cones in Bike Lane

[Trevor Bourget]

Jon Isaacs wrote in response to Serge:
>I am sure all of us reading this list are capable of comfortably 
>dealing with blocked bicycle lanes.   To suggest otherwise is silly.

Serge responded:
>to many cyclists, perhaps unconsciously, a lack of respect for a 
>bike lane seems to be interpreted as a lack of respect for cyclists 
>and cycling in general.  Perhaps that's what this all ultimately 
>about?  I think some of us might identify with bike lanes and the 
>space they demarcate as being "ours", and blocking like this might 
>feel like a personal trespass.


In John Eldon's first message, I actually sensed both the fear that 
bicyclists would be injured, as well as a personal affront at the 
careless disregard of bike lane legalities. Whether we like it or 
not, Jon, there are plenty of recreational riders (worse, groups of 
them) that ride in the wrong position in the roadway for their speed 
and proximity to each other. This section through Cardiff, with beach 
parking, wrong-way joggers, slow and wrong-way bicyclists, can be a 
danger zone for people hugging the right side of the road. Last 
weekend the SDBC "B" peloton pulled through that section 5 abreast 
using the whole right lane and that was the safest. Virtually none of 
the group was in the bike lane. Unfortunately most traffic novices 
(intention or insufficient look-ahead?) wait until the last second as 
they approach an obstacle and then swerve/veer abruptly into the 
adjacent lane, often without even proper look&merge. Such a movement 
next to a bus or large truck can easily result in deadly disaster, 
but serious results can happen even with a car-bike parallel collision.

Personally, I would rather see the problem at this restaurant 
resolved by serving the need than by pretending the need can be 
excised by vigilance or training through deterrence. For example, a 
traffic engineering option would be to cut into property owner's 
space to provide drop-off zone, erase the bike lane, narrow all but 
the outside lane, and post speed limit reduction through the 
restaurant row. I think the speed feedback signs have an effect on 
driver behavior, so I'd probably install one of those there as well.

Another option is a good sign and stripe design leading up to the 
conflict zone. Bike lane ends, Merge Left, Share the road. Bike lane 
should gradually move over into travel lane, dash, then disappear 
with the result that bicyclist is guided into the middle/right third 
of the outside lane.

-- Trevor 
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