Bike Forums - Difference between SoCal and NorCal

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Quote:

Originally Posted by UmneyDurak (Post 7260137)

So I am back in Bay Area for the summer. What a difference in commuting. Example trying to merge left on two lane road in SoCal I am taking life in to my own hands. Cars will not let me merge, speed up, ignore hand signals, swerve in to next lane (dangerously). Not to mention honking and "safety" lectures that I shouldn't be riding on the streets. NorCal I can safely merge in to the left turning lane on a four lane expressway....

Thanks for the confirmation... I keep saying the same things about SoCal here on BF and folks just seem to treat me like those very motorists you have mentioned.

Bottom line is, sure, it can be done... but it ain't easy, and it can be quite discouraging to have to put up with time after time.

BTW I have toured the length of the state... and you can feel the difference as you go further south.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GV27 (Post 8239701)

Why is it the more I hear about California the more it sounds exactly like hell?

Well it is "car heaven." "Nobody walks in LA."

Quote:

Originally Posted by agarose2000 (Post 8244927)

As a LA person, I do feel that if you feel like "taking the lane" anywhere where there's traffic in LA during most commute/rush hours, you'll get a LOT of pissed off drivers, most of whom expect to have right of way. Unfortunately, our bike lanes on the Westside seem to "vanish" abruptly, then reappear, which gives cagers no idea of how much space to give us. I actually think that if the bike lanes are going to vanish every 4-5 blocks for large stretches, they should just remove them entirely - with a clearly labeled (but vanishing) bike lane, cars assume they can run me off the road or honk me out of the lane even if I'm in a "Bike Route" labeled road (with no bike lane.)

I definitely think parts of NorCal are alot better. Not sure about SF proper, but for sure, the Bay Area Palo Alto/stanford area is incredible for cycling and bike commuting. On any given decent Sat afternoon, you will see COUNTLESS cyclists on Alpine rd - where you'll see only a handful even on gorgeous San Vicente in LA.

"Bike Route" means nothing to drivers... heck, half the time they don't even see those signs.

At least in SF they have signs that say "Cyclist may take full lane."

How's that for a huge difference between north and south.

Quote:

Originally Posted by genec (Post 8244960)

Well it is "car heaven." "Nobody walks in LA."

Be careful with the absolutist language there Gene. The people who talk about "nobody" walking in Los Angeles usually don't do much walking. I'm also of the same opinion that people who complain that no one cycles in Los Angeles must not do much cycling or they would see all of the cyclists.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Treespeed (Post 8245148)

Words from a song... just used to illustrate my point. (BTW I do walk in SD...)

The reality is that cycling friendliness can vary considerably from block to block in just about any city...

The other reality is that there is a lot of pavement devoted to the automobile in LA.... and I'd be willing to bet there is not 1% of that devoted to BL or other cyclist accommodations. Further, I feel that high speed roads with sweeping turns are anything but cyclist friendly... no matter how many stripes they put on them... and I know that Orange and San Diego counties have their share of freeway like roads that would scare the crap out of all but the most seasoned cyclists... hardly "friendly."