Or could it be vastly different roads and conditions in slightly different areas. East county San Diego in and around Rancho San Diego and on up to Alpine is nothing like West county San Diego in and around the beach areas.

While one would think drivers would be pretty much the same in both locations, there is a great chance that the western folks never get to the eastern part of the county as there is perhaps little to attract them there. So while one may find hurried Mercedes and Volvo et. al. drivers out on the west end... struggling in bumper to bumper traffic to get to air conditioned offices while talking on cell phones; the easty county is more likely to harbor pickup trucks and folks driving longer open distances and being used to other slow traffic such as horses and tractors...

So even though some LCI lives in Long Beach, and someone else lives "relatively nearby" in Anaheim, that does not mean they encounter the same type of motorists nor the same road conditions at all.

My old commute in east county out to El Cajon nary had a 45MPH road on it at all, nor bike lanes. My west county commute is nothing but 45MPH+ roads and all with bike lanes. Vastly different feelings, and dramatic difference in traffic.

Funny how "San Diego, a Cyclists Paradise" shows upcoming rides primarily in quieter eastern county... http://efgh.com/bike/rides.htm

Guess the "fun" rides are not the ones on the busy central corridor boulevards.