[SDCBC] I uttered discouraging words to a potential commuter.

[Trevor Bourget]

> I've only ridden on KV Rd a few times, and only on weekends.  Would
> you consider it to be a Road2 level route if it were not for the
> southbound merge/diverge with traffic headed to 163?  In other words,
> do you think the few other crossings with the freeway-like
> onramps/offramps are in and of themselves enough to make it a Road2
> level route?  I know that at least on weekends those other crossings
> are quite tame, and the only skill required is to remember to look
> back and yield if necessary before crossing.

These ramp crossings are quite wide, and so they are a danger if you don't  
either move left into the lane or stay far right and then take a 90-degree  
crosswalk-style crossing.
I would agree with you that it's the freeway interchanges that make it  
more than a beginning bike user might be expected to be prepared for. The  
only proper way to deal with freeway-style union/divide and merge/diverge  
is to stay left of all non-through lanes. Most people would call the  
proper lane the "middle of the road". Lane splitting is, in my opinion,  
favorable to taking the lane. That is certainly not something I would  
expect the beginner to perform safely.

> What I'm getting at is if KV Rd is a Road1 level route except for the
> 163 challenge, that challenge can be handled by staying in the bike
> lane and then crossing as a pedestrian during a gap.  It's a hassle,
> but might be less of an inhibitor for some than the hills of
> Genesee...

Hills are not an inhibitor to bicycling any more than punctured inner  
tubes. They are part of bicycling. Lately I choose my route because it has  
more hills, not less.

The comparison between Genesee and KVR should be made based on complexity  
of staying out of trouble spots like the SR52 entrance/exit ramps on one  
versus the SR163 on the other.
Genesee could also be considered more risky due to the higher number of  
intersections that are negotiated, but all in all it's a far better  
commute route. KVR is quite boring scenery, rather like riding on the  
moon. It has more debris. The bike lane surface is rough, resulting in  
less comfortable ride. It is windy, and noisy.

However, the best method to choose the right bike route is the simple  
question: which way would you drive? In my experience, that is the best by  
bicycle also. It may take some time to become an expert at how to deal  
with the route, but in the end it is worth the investment.

-- Trevor