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http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_8853167
relevant to VC...
Posner said he will continue to push the state for signs letting motorists know that cyclists can take the entire right-hand lane on Mission Street, as it is the only safe way to ride, he said. Caltrans has jurisdiction over Mission Street, as it is part of Highway 1.
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sounds like the quarry drivers need some remedial training
:(
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_8853167
relevant to VC...
Posner said he will continue to push the state for signs letting motorists know that cyclists can take the entire right-hand lane on Mission Street, as it is the only safe way to ride, he said. Caltrans has jurisdiction over Mission Street, as it is part of Highway 1.
That is just awful. I mean I ride city traffic all the time and ride with the ride lane being the bus lane (and potentially a parking lane so you have to watch for doors) as well as city vehicles and other doinks trying to skirt heavy traffic and ... ugh.
Just awful :(
Damn, not again! Condolences to the man's family and friends, this is horrible.
Bay and Mission is a deathtrap of an intersection. this is the 3rd cyclist death there since 2007. Most drivers on Mission drive way too fast and refuse to yield to bikes and pedestrians. Its pretty ridiculous that when you actually exit Santa Cruz on Mission and start riding on Highway 1 its loads safer than riding between Western Drive and Pacific Avenue. What I think will make this intersection safer is enforcement. Post a motorcycle cop in the parking lot next to the bus stop and have him write tickets for unsafe driving and cycling maneuvers.
I'm saddened but not surprised that half of the comments posted to the article were the typical blame the victim/ get the f off of my road drivel. What pissed me off was that after posting that crap they all say "rest in peace" or "god rest his soul". Typing "rest in peace" after typing some variation of "You dumb ******s in your spandex are keeping me from driving like a maniac at 70 mph in a 25 zone and deserve to be killed if I have to put down my starbux to swerve around you" does not make your wishes for us to be banned from the road sound like they are for our own good-it makes you sound like an *******.
Did anyone else notice that the article made specific note of the fact that "The cyclist was riding a black, single-speed cruiser and was not wearing a helmet..." as if to conjure up the image of the ninja cyclist riding a black bike in the middle of the night with no lights. And what good is a helmet going to do if a gravel truck runs you over?
Sorry for ranting, I'm just really sad and pissed off :(
What pissed me off was that after posting that crap they all say "rest in peace" or "god rest his soul". Typing "rest in peace" after typing some variation of "You dumb ******s in your spandex are keeping me from driving like a maniac at 70 mph in a 25 zone and deserve to be killed if I have to put down my starbux to swerve around you" does not make your wishes for us to be banned from the road sound like they are for our own good-it makes you sound like an *******.
It's a crude attempt to camouflage an opinion which the posters know is unacceptable. Similar to "I'm not a racist but <insert racist opinion here>" or "I absolutely _love_ women! <insert sexist remark here>."
I think your suggestion about the cop is a good one. Ever notice how differently everyone behaves on the road when there's a cruiser in the vicinity.
It's a crude attempt to camouflage an opinion which the posters know is unacceptable. Similar to "I'm not a racist but <insert racist opinion here>" or "I absolutely _love_ women! <insert sexist remark here>."
I think your suggestion about the cop is a good one. Ever notice how differently everyone behaves on the road when there's a cruiser in the vicinity.
Sure and the moment the cop exits the road... the behavior goes right down the toilet.
That is the problem with stationing a cop there... all the kids will play nice when they are being watched... But take away the watcher...
I think the signs are a good idea, both to encourage cyclist to ride centerish and with a big yellow diamond bicycle icon to help contribute to motorists awareness of possible cyclists.
Riding far right in a narrow lane with large trucks passing closely is very dangerous as most of us know. I had this happen to me about three years ago and it was a defining moment for me to never ride far right in a narrow lane again. It was a flatbed semi-truck that while it passed I did everything possible to not get bumped by it and pulled under wheels. As soon as it passed I had to pull over in next side street stop and collect my wits for a few minutes before continuing.
Al
I was surprised when one of the commenters said that the street where the accident occurred had a 25mph speed limit.
From a lot of the comments, the street was portrayed as a 50 mph death trap. There's either a serious lack of traffic enforcement in the area, or really bad street layout/planning. Probably a combination of both.
Heck, I used to ride Alaskan way every morning here in seattle, which is a four lane road with a turnoff lane, no shoulders and a blazing 30 mph speed limit, and never felt unsafe. It also is heavily traveled by large trucks.
Maybe the main difference is that at least once a week there's a motorcycle cop parked at one of the side streets pulling over motorists as fast as possible.
^ that is scary (edit:per noisebeam's experience). I had a similar experience last week with a flatbed coming down a curvy hill. The driver drifted into the bike lane and I had nowhere to go (there's a small lake on the other side), so I just stopped and let him pass, then took the lane behind him. I think he lost his job though, its not a good idea to do some dumb **** like that when the name of your company and the phone number is printed in big block letters on your truck, and the owner said that he had some problems with this driver before.
As for Mission, the only way to ride it (sort of) safely is aggressively taking the full lane, which really pisses people off as they see it as their god-given right to speed down Mission st. They usually find some unsafe way to pass you anyway. Motorists are always clamoring for the city to ban cyclists from Mission and make King st. an alternative route, but King st. is one of the worst roads in Santa Cruz in terms of pavement. Huge potholes, giant cracks that can catch your wheel, etc. When I lived on the west side I would ride down King daily and the ****ty pavement knocked my wheels out of true. Its pretty telling what the motorists think of cyclists when they propose that we be restricted to King street.
Sure and the moment the cop exits the road... the behavior goes right down the toilet.
That is the problem with stationing a cop there... all the kids will play nice when they are being watched... But take away the watcher...
Yeah, but if it becomes a regular thing and the cop is hidden behind the bus shelter on Bay, then the people won't know they are being watched and the word will spread that you will be held accountable there when bad drivers start pissing and moaning to their friends about the expensive ticket they got at Bay and Mission. I have lived in Santa Cruz for almost 5 years, and 3 of those years I was riding through this intersection at least once every day and often down Mission, and I have never once seen any sort of traffic enforcement whatsoever, so accordingly people (in cars and on bikes) feel entitled to do all sorts of moronic dangerous things there.
As for Mission, the only way to ride it (sort of) safely is aggressively taking the full lane, which really pisses people off as they see it as their god-given right to speed down Mission st. They usually find some unsafe way to pass you anyway. Motorists are always clamoring for the city to ban cyclists from Mission and make King st. an alternative route, but King st. is one of the worst roads in Santa Cruz in terms of pavement. Huge potholes, giant cracks that can catch your wheel, etc. When I lived on the west side I would ride down King daily and the ****ty pavement knocked my wheels out of true. Its pretty telling what the motorists think of cyclists when they propose that we be restricted to King street.
If King street is what the motorists think cyclists should ride, then why aren't the motorists driving on it?
As for Mission, the only way to ride it (sort of) safely is aggressively taking the full lane,
What is aggressively taking the lane? I only have ever defensively taken the lane.
The only way I could imagine aggressively taking the lane is if I was tailgating and yelling at the driver of a vehicle ahead of me.
Al
There is going to be a memorial ride tonight at 5:00 pm, meeting at the clocktower on Pacific Avenue, if anyone is so inclined.
I am down biking in Arcata and I have to say that California drivers get way closer to pass than those in Oregon, even when there is no need to. i have been passed several times in the last few days by inches when the car had plenty of room to pass.
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