[SDCBC] avoiding the right hook, was Re: Gilman / I-5 interchange

[Gene Carman]

Without the bike lane there at all...  where do you feel lesser 
skilled riders would position themselves?   I think it would be to 
the right off all the traffic, thus ensuring a right hook.

At 06:55 AM 2/21/2007, JonIsaacs at aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 2/20/07 11:51:46 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
>bikes.alot at cox.net writes:
>
>>It's more fun and productive to do this than to try to describe 
>>what happens.... and traffic situations vary.
>
>
>
>Jim et. al.:
>
>Thanks for taking the time to reply.  This seems to be the same 
>approach I use.  I guess all those years trying to kill myself on a 
>motorcycle had some purpose after all.  :-)
>
>My concern with the SB Gilman to SB I-5 Bike Lane is that it 
>encourages riders to place themselves to the right of motorists who 
>are likely to turn right.  And unlike many intersections where the 
>motorist has to slow down to only a few mph, the right hook here can 
>be executed at 20mph or more. So in my mind, that Bike Lane just 
>doesn't make sense.
>
>I have  neighbors and co-workers who are door zone hugging, gutter 
>loving cyclists and they will blindly ride in that bike lane even 
>after being hit or nearly hit.  My attempts at educating them seem 
>to have been futile.  I think that Bike Lanes need to be aimed at 
>such riders because trained/skilled riders will ignore the bike lane 
>if necessary.
>
>My primary concern here is that there is no easy way around the 
>Gilman I-5 interchange and it is the prime route between UCSD and PB 
>as well as between North County and San Diego.   Getting to the Rose 
>Canyon bike path has difficulties from both Gilman and La Jolla 
>Colony.  LJC has no proper bicycle access to the path and I have 
>already discussed Gilman.   (The best solution to this region could 
>be to put in a left turn lane for bicyclist from LJC to the Rose Canyon BP)
>
>What this means is that while I am a great believer that cycling is 
>a safe mode of transportation, I also recognize that for a casual 
>cyclist who maybe interested in commuting, these sorts of issues are 
>daunting and that a situation like Gilman-LJC-I5 means they will 
>likely never even consider hopping on their bike and riding to 
>work.  Indeed, with the current conditions, I am reluctant to 
>encourage my co-workers and friends who live in PB and to the south 
>to ride their bikes to work, I figure anyone with the skill and 
>confidence to ride I-5 Gilman already is riding....  I do encourage 
>people to get training but that is a lot easier to do once they are 
>on the bike and realize the need.
>
>So, I think the underlying reason I would like to see the 
>I5-Gilman-LJC made bicycle friendly is because I believe this one 
>area is a major reason why there are not more people riding their 
>bicycles to UCSD and surrounding areas.  And until something is done 
>about these problems, I don't really see that it can change or even 
>should change...
>
>Jon
>
>
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