[SDCBC] Taking the lane > Encinitas Meeting

[Michael Elliott]

(Taking the discussion back to the upcoming Encinitas city meeting...)

It's true that in iffy situations a trained cyclist can mimimize his/her 
risk by taking the road,* but for the recreational cyclist the Leucadia 
portion of North County's SB coast highway** is a challenging one. Only 
Oceanside has less room between parked vehicles and (fairly aggressive) 
drivers, and Oceanside provides an off-highway bike route.

The upcoming meeting in Encinitas is an opportunity to make our voices 
heard w/r/t to making it as safe as possible for cyclists of all skill 
levels, not just highly experienced ones, while keeping it from becoming 
a stupid "kiddie" route.***

====
* The response of the following motorist plays a large role in the safe 
outcome of that strategy; I've had little trouble but I try to act in a 
way that signals that I know motorists are there and what I am doing is 
deliberate.

** Or whatever the road is called in that area. Who can keep track of 
such things?

*** Probably be a good idea to point out that a two-lane bike route on 
the east side would be ignored by the hundreds, if not thousands, of 
serious cyclists that ride through the area weekly, so /that/ plan 
should be scuttled.

-- 
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
Carlsbad. I ride slow.