Northern California - riding through downtown campbell

Here's how I've been doing it..

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=11146310444825258799,37.287875,-121.944208%3B3948104106269993966,37.287880,-121.946526%3B10499359958236908761,37.287655,-121.947915&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=37.287105,-121.934456&daddr=Civic+Center+Dr+%4037.287875,+-121.944208+to:Civic+Center+Dr+%4037.287880,+-121.946526+to:Civic+Center+Dr+%4037.287655,+-121.947915+to:e+campbell+and+s+winchester+campbell+ca&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=17&via=1,2,3&sll=37.28644,-121.936558&sspn=0.004038,0.006523&ie=UTF8&ll=37.286602,-121.949594&spn=0.004038,0.006523&t=k&z=17&om=1]westbound

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=11146310444825258799,37.287875,-121.944208%3B3948104106269993966,37.287880,-121.946526%3B10499359958236908761,37.287655,-121.947915&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=e+campbell+and+s+winchester+campbell+ca&daddr=37.287105,-121.934456&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=17&via=1,2,3&sll=37.28644,-121.936558&sspn=0.004038,0.006523&ie=UTF8&ll=37.286073,-121.947695&spn=0.004038,0.006523&t=k&z=17&om=1]eastbound

While riding along the above routes, in the right track of the right lane, I've twice had a car come up behind me, then hover about one foot from my left leg in a show of impatience and anger, and then finally pass me. I've held my ground each time but it's unnerving.

Do you guys ride along the above routes or do you ride down the center of downtown with its 4+ stopsigns? Or do you take the side streets?

I personally dont and wont ride those roads at all. If you dont have to ride them Id consider a different route.

Since I'm going westbound from Bascom I have to cross HW17 at some point and going under 17 via Campbell Ave. seemed less dangerous than going over 17 via Hamilton Ave., the latter which I've heard from coworkers is stressful if not downright dangerous.

I may end up circumventing downtown Campbell via the backstreets.

Anyone else with my or even a similar predicament?

I usually do the bypasses around downtown - I've not run into those problems, however, I've usually been through there on off-peak times, either mid-days or after 7:00PM. Riding down the center of town, I worry about either getting doored or hooked by someone coming out of the side streets. And I find Campbell much preferable to Hamilton.

I'll never take Hamilton over hwy 17, almost got run over twice by crazy drivers.
other wise he back road thru down town Campbell is very nice.

How about taking Bascom to the Creek Trail. I know its kinda out of the way. But hey a little extra distance is good for ya. ;)

The Creek Trail runs NS and I need to go EW.. it seems that most of the off-road paved bike paths run NS in this valley :(. And as a rookie roadie riding 15 miles each way I am barely able to pull off what I'm doing now :).

I will try the following next time:
westbound:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=10126973758101037930,37.286998,-121.941532%3B12950189073863910484,37.289080,-121.942440%3B10976993166784935039,37.287120,-121.949850&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=Unknown+road+%4037.286998,+-121.941532&daddr=Harrison+Ave+%4037.289080,+-121.942440+to:37.289026,-121.947169+to:S+Winchester+Blvd+%26+W+Campbell+Ave,+Campbell,+CA+95008+%4037.287120,+-121.949850&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=16&via=1,2&sll=37.287182,-121.944637&sspn=0.008058,0.013046&ie=UTF8&ll=37.288172,-121.944551&spn=0.008058,0.013046&z=16&om=1
eastbound:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=10126973758101037930,37.286998,-121.941532&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=w+campbell+ave+and+s+winchester+blvd&daddr=37.281958,-121.94983+to:Unknown+road+%4037.286998,+-121.941532&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=16&via=1&sll=37.285151,-121.946826&sspn=0.008058,0.013046&ie=UTF8&ll=37.286038,-121.946096&spn=0.008058,0.013046&z=16&om=1

I go through downtown campbell every day because I live at Bascom and C-bell Ave and head out west and north to work in Palo alto, then back again at night. It does suck that there are bike lanes leading up to each side of this intersection that stop entirely through the downtown area, but I have no qualms about taking up a reasonable lane position and pedalling through orchard city E and civic ctr drive W as you have indicated. I haven't experienced any special motorist hostility either, but perhaps I just don't notice it so much anymore.

Write an letter to Matthew Jue , City of Campbell Traffic Engineer, either snail-mail or at publicworks@cityofcampbell.com to let him know you would like to see bicycle safety increased through this part of downtown.

Personally I would love to see "Sharrows" as they have in SF, Santa Clara, and San Jose through this area, so there's no need to widen lanes or anything, just paint and signs to show that bikes belong here too.

Do you commute? Want to meet up some morning? Strength in numbers and all that...

Where do you need to end up past Bascom? If you're going north on Bascom, there might be a better way to get across 17.

..I have no qualms about taking up a reasonable lane position and pedalling through orchard city E and civic ctr drive W as you have indicated. I haven't experienced any special motorist hostility either, but perhaps I just don't notice it so much anymore.

Yeah I've been taking the right track of the right lane and holding my ground even though I get the sense that the driver behind me expects me to move (farther right) out of his/her way.

The instances of motorists coming really close to me are ones that a more experienced cyclist may have dismissed as a reality of road cycling. Someone coming within 1' of my left leg unnerved me, though.


Write an letter to Matthew Jue , City of Campbell Traffic Engineer, either snail-mail or at publicworks@cityofcampbell.com to let him know you would like to see bicycle safety increased through this part of downtown.

Will do.


Personally I would love to see "Sharrows" as they have in SF, Santa Clara, and San Jose through this area, so there's no need to widen lanes or anything, just paint and signs to show that bikes belong here too.

That would be ideal. Any ideas on how such a thing would be accomplished? My guess is a petition signed by a large number of Campbell residents (i.e. the tax payers who would pay for it). I'm not sure how such a petition would be publicized or circulated, though. Or, a measure proposed at a meeting of the City of Campbell. I'm even more unsure about how that would be accomplished :).


Do you commute? Want to meet up some morning? Strength in numbers and all that...

I don't ride during prime time commute hours. Rather, I work "second shift" and go through downtown campbell at around 11am and 8:30pm respectively. Otherwise I'd take you up on it.

Thanks for your informative post.

Where do you need to end up past Bascom? If you're going north on Bascom, there might be a better way to get across 17.

I'm going directly west of Campbell such that Campbell Ave is the perfect roadway to use.. even with the now-infamous downtown Campbell lying squarely in my path ;). Just for grins I will post a truncated map of my commute (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=10769137175668403577,37.257230,-121.793120%3B17107798154670305526,37.266040,-121.836550%3B16535777015180131525,37.260700,-121.885310%3B8107490658430916675,37.286110,-121.897848%3B3865109012479780840,37.290550,-121.902970%3B8165654102833807859,37.286972,-121.916080&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=Coyote+Rd+%4037.257230,+-121.793120&daddr=Branham+Ln+%4037.266040,+-121.836550+to:Branham+Ln+%4037.260700,+-121.885310+to:Cherry+Ave+%4037.286110,+-121.897848+to:Hicks+Ave+%4037.290550,+-121.902970+to:Campbell+Ave+%4037.286972,+-121.916080+to:37.286619,-121.949444+to:campbell+ave+and+saratoga+ave&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=6&sz=14&via=1,2,3,4,5,6&dirflg=h&sll=37.290511,-121.936569&sspn=0.030318,0.051155&ie=UTF8&ll=37.27296,-121.858635&spn=0.121302,0.20462&z=12&om=1)

The instances of motorists coming really close to me are ones that a more experienced cyclist may have dismissed as a reality of road cycling. Someone coming within 1' of my left leg unnerved me, though.

No doubt, there's plenty of people who drive without exhibiting any awareness that the thing they are doing has the potential to be instantly murderous. Stay safe!


(Sharrows) would be ideal. Any ideas on how such a thing would be accomplished? My guess is a petition signed by a large number of Campbell residents (i.e. the tax payers who would pay for it). I'm not sure how such a petition would be publicized or circulated, though. Or, a measure proposed at a meeting of the City of Campbell. I'm even more unsure about how that would be accomplished :).

The Campbell Bicycle Advisory Committee is probably the place to bring it up first. I am not sure how to get it on their agenda, but when I applied for the last slot that opened up they seemed like a really reasonable group. (Not reasonable enough though! I didn't get selected :mad: )


I don't ride during prime time commute hours. Rather, I work "second shift" and go through downtown campbell at around 11am and 8:30pm respectively. Otherwise I'd take you up on it.

Thanks for your informative post.

I work tech-job hours but even then, 11AM is a bit late for me..

Good to connect with more folks riding around in campbell, if you see me give a wave :)