Since the invention of the automobile, bicycling on city roads has been a dicey proposition.
On Tuesday night, I attended the first half of a City Council meeting to hear arguments for and against the reconstruction of the De la Vina wye intersection (which would cost the city a minimum of $250,000).
The main argument for changing the intersection appeared to center around bicyclist safety and was championed at the meeting by members of a group called the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition. Having never heard of this group, I looked them up on the internet.
According to their website, the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition advocates “a community where bicycles and other non-motor vehicle options are the norms for healthy transportation and recreation.” Additionally, the website states an organizational belief that more bicycle riders on the roads will have a calming effect on motorists.
To be honest, calm is the last adjective I’d use to describe my emotions when I have to change lanes during rush hour to avoid hitting a bicyclist who is taking up half of my lane.
Persons who ride bicycles on heavily traveled roadways impede intended traffic flow, cause congestion, and are a danger to themselves and others.
Consider the following: A Chevrolet Suburban (a mid-sized vehicle if you consider the size and weight of trucks and buses traversing city roadways) weighs about eight thousand pounds. Conservatively speaking, so does an African elephant. The average bicycle weighs between 20 and 40 pounds - the size of your average toddler.
An adult who allowed a toddler to play with an elephant would be considered unreasonable (on a good day) by most community standards. Adults who choose to dance with elephants must be aware – at some level I would think - of the perilous position in which they place their lives.
A bicyclist who has trouble navigating congested and heavily traveled city streets should seek an alternate and safer route to his destination. (In Santa Barbara, there is always more than one way to get to where you want to go.)
The City Council, perhaps smarting from taxpayer outrage over a city employee wage increase and the purchase of a $60,000 parking enforcement gadget when the city is bleeding red ink, decided to table the measure. Good move.
Reconstructing intersections will not make busy streets significantly safer for bicyclists.
Instead, the City should require bicyclists riding within city limits to travel alternate routes during heavy traffic hours and/or avoid heavily traveled roadways altogether unless absolutely necessary.
Think about it. It’s a win-win and it won’t cost a dime.
Gina Perry writes a political column for the Daily Sound that appears Thursdays. She can be reached at HYPERLINK "mailto:ginaperryinsb@gmail.com" ginaperryinsb@gmail.com.
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