We’re wrapping up National Bike Month. What’s been in the news here in Santa Clarita? Heated debate about the plastic-paddle protected bike lane on Orchard Village Road and tons of complaints about kids on ebikes. Those issues need resolution, but an even more important bike issue hasn’t even been talked about: sharing the road.
My friend Gary Horton, mad about the plastic-bedecked pre-existing bike lanes on Orchard Village, declared “we’re a car town!”
To which I replied, “No Gary, we are a people town.”
I’m no fan of the faux sense of security sprinkled on Orchard for too much money. I’m also no fan of out-of-control anybody riding anywhere on anything – ebikes, emotorcycles, regular bikes, and yes, in cars. What we aren’t talking about enough, though, in bike month and all year round, is common courtesy and sharing the road with vulnerable road users.
The city has a glorious network of peaceful off-street bike trails. Both the city and county also have designated bike lanes and bike routes. However, bicycles are allowed to ride on any road (unless there is a bike lane on that street.)
Did you know that in California car drivers are supposed to move over one entire lane, if available, to pass bikes? If there’s no other lane, they need to pass with at least 3 feet clearance? What if there is oncoming traffic, you say, or not enough room in the lane to pass with 3 feet separation? In that case, car drivers need to slow down and wait until it’s safe to pass.
Did you know that cyclists can legally “take the lane” and ride in the middle of the lane if it is too narrow for a cyclist and car to share the lane safely? Cyclists normally ride on the right side of the road but may move away from the shoulder when preparing for a turn, avoiding hazards, or passing other cyclists or vehicles.
Is this sometimes inconvenient for car drivers? Sure. With child and work commitments, I know how frustrating slow traffic can be. I also know how some drivers have become completely self-centered and reckless. Running red lights. Tailgating. Passing on the shoulder or median. Driving impaired with who knows what. Driving angry. All of this leads to car crashes. Sometimes, though, the victims aren’t in a car.
Did you know that there’s a definition of a vulnerable road user (VRU?) It’s individuals on roadways lacking the protective enclosure of a vehicle. This includes pedestrians, cyclists, users of skateboards, scooters, skates or wheelchairs, individuals with disabilities, motorcyclists and road workers. California and other states are in the process of trying to increase safety for these folks. This means building new streets safer, but also education of VRUs and car drivers, anti-harassment laws, and measures to deter unsafe behavior by drivers.
The California Highway Patrol website says it well: “We all share the responsibility to make sure California roads are safe for everyone. This is achieved by following the rules of the road, watching out for others, and using courtesy while on the road.”
The city’s recent Bike to Work Day was a fabulous, positive event that celebrates people who get out to ride. We need more of that attitude and less harassment. (Hello to the person screaming at me from his car window in the industrial center.) Cyclists need to be visible and follow the rules of the road. Car drivers need to pass safely. (Hello to the guy in the truck who stuck my friend with his mirror the other week.) Maybe we can teach our kids to ride courteously and even point them to fun programs like at the city’s bike park. (Hello to the young man I met riding to school and doing some cool tricks on his bike.)
Who rides bikes? Parents on cargo bikes with kids. Lawyers. Cancer survivors. Realtors. Ex-military. Ex-law enforcement. Artists. Rocket scientists. Students. Contractors. Film industry folks. Retirees. Friends.
We need to remember these are our neighbors, not something in our way. Sharing the road, with courtesy, is the most important bike conversation and it needs to be had.
Santa Clarita resident Maria Gutzeit has ridden and raced bicycles for 50 years. She is a past board member of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.
