btppberk

On Willow Glen Drive in El Cajon, part of the GWL: https://bikinginla.com/2021/02/12/32...near-el-cajon/

A pretty wide road. Hard to see how it happens without massive speeding, intoxication, or distracted driving.

ooga-booga

it is a wide road with good sightlines and decent pavement and not too many driveways/intersections. reportedly the incident
occurred at 7:20pm which is clearly after sunset. article doesn't mention if the bike had any rear reflectors/lights but motorist
should still have been able to see cyclist. rip.

L134 

I'm always nervous riding or driving out there (but do occasionally) as you are dealing with the impatient casino crowds. A local postman was killed cycling out there about a year ago by a drunk around 10 a.m., if I remember correctly.

btppberk

I think about that too whenever I pass by a casino. I was once rear ended (I was in a car) by a drunk driver at 10 am in Las Vegas when stopped at a red light.

Casinos excepted, though, the GWL strikes me as safer than many other classic rides in the East County.

Here's the story on the post office worker and one on the guy who not only killed him, but didn't stop and then fled on foot. 4 years in jail. He was on probation at the time.

ooga-booga

we that ride realize the whims, entitlements and desires of those inhabiting tons of plastic and steel occasionally incorporate us into their whims, entitlements and desires.
ride as safely as you can. look all ways when crossing through intersections, whether you've got the right-of-way/light or not. light yourselves up like gaudy xmas trees. signal. wave twice.
maintain your line as in american flyers. cast an askew, two-second glance (frequently uphill) to your (usually) left as often as necessary to "freeze" motorists into thinking you've seen them
when you haven't so that they'll pass by slower and with more space. be respectful at stop lights and pull over to the left (but not too far left) so that motorists turning right can turn right.
ime, i've found a solid, one second stare back at an aggro car usually reduces/minimizes/eliminates the testosterone/speed racer mentality for the time they are in my area of concern.
this is all well and good but does little when someone is doing 75+ (without corresponding heart rate or power numbers) on residential surface streets or on a freeway on/offramp trying to avoid the po-po.

stay vigilant, my friends.

ooga-booga

definitely, hence the attraction and dedication to the various, splintered routes of the gwl. willow glen and the 94 are the only roads in the loop that carry significant traffic.
generally, a lot safer than ascending the 79 northbound from descanso to julian.