[SDCBC] "No space for cyclists"? - a reminder/request to all advocates

[Bicyclist]

So, I agree. Good catch Serge.

Somewhat as with the partially filled glass of water - the one that 
could be said to be half-full or half-empty - a travel lane of 
substandard width (too narrow to share side by side with bike and 
car) is not one that offers no room for bicycling. It is one that 
offers no room for side by side sharing or unimpeded overtaking of a 
bicyclist by a motorist (or vice versa).

Or maybe it's like the chicken and egg question; what came first?
Is the road for cars? Is the road for bicycles? Well, under my 
understanding of the law, it's first come first served. I establish 
right of way by my legally attained position on/in the roadway. 
Overtaking folks then may find there is "No space for overtaking."

They should wait their turn as we all were supposed to have learned 
in kindergarten.

At 12:37 PM 1/26/2007, Serge Issakov wrote:
>Hi folks,
>
>This is a reminder/request to all cycling advocates to think, write 
>and say "No space for motorists to safely pass cyclists" rather than 
>"no space for cyclists" or "no space for bikes".  The distinction 
>might seem subtle, but I think it's very important, especially for 
>statements made by cyclists and especially cycling advocates in 
>writing and/or in public.
>
>I bring this up because at this week's board meeting the statement 
>was made without objection with respect to El Camino Real between 
>San Dieguito Road and Via de la Valle.  The full statement was 
>something like, "The road is 22 feet wide, no shoulders, and no 
>place for cyclists to ride", or something to that effect.
>
>I take objection to the assertion that there is "no space for 
>cyclists" to ride on that stretch of El Camino Real, because there 
>is plenty of space for cyclists: about 11 feet of width in each 
>direction.  California's "keep to the right law", VC 21202, does not 
>apply when the lane is "too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to 
>travel safely side by side within the lane".  See: 
><http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21202.htm>http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc21202.htm. 
>So, cyclists can use and control the full 11 foot wide lane 
>there.  In fact, this is what we teach cyclists to do on these types 
>of roads in our classes.
>
>That some or even possibly most cyclists are not comfortable 
>choosing to assert their right to control the full lane in those 
>types of situations I understand, and partially why I support 
>widening of that road (the other reasons are so that motorists don't 
>have to be held up by cyclists who are controlling the full lane, 
>and so that cyclists have space to use to pass stopped motorists 
>when it is congested).  But to conclude that there is no space for 
>(all) cyclists is misleading, and arguably counter-productive to our 
>advocacy interests.
>
>After all, if there is truly "no space for bikes", then, it's 
>logical to conclude that bikes don't belong there.  I don't think 
>it's a good idea for cyclists and cycling advocates to be on the 
>record making statements that imply that cyclists do not belong on 
>certain roads simply because there is no space specifically 
>designated for cycling.  In fact, I'm sure it's a bad idea to be doing that.
>
>So, let's remember to think and always say that the problem with 
>busy/fast narrow roads is that there is "no space for MOTORISTs to 
>safely pass cyclists (which causes them to have to slow down and be 
>slightly delayed by us)", and NOT that "there is no space for cyclists".
>
>Thank you for taking this under consideration,
>Serge
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