By Richard Firth Santa Monica
I was both amused and amazed at Kent Strumpell’s recent letter to the Santa Monica Daily Press (SMDP, July 26, page 4). However, as a board member of Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition I can understand that his thinking is “cycle-centric.”
While I agree that cycling should be considered as an element in updating any Santa Monica land use plan, I think the drivers in Santa Monica would like a few things in return from the bikey set: ■ Despite the spiffy spandex outfits, none of you are racing across France at this very moment. Where there is a bike lane, stay within it. Riding two or three — or four, five, sometimes six — abreast up, or down Ocean Avenue only invites tragedy. Racing around the “pack” into traffic to take the “lead” is just your misguided fantasy. Where there is no bike lane (but we love the signs, don’t we), please stay to the right as much as possible. ■ Bicycle riders are governed by the same traffic laws as all those cars on the road. This means that you have to halt at stop signs just like the rest of us. Gliding into the intersection at San Vicente Boulevard and Ocean Avenue — a three-or four-way stop depending on how you count it — is both dangerous and foolish. This, of course, applies to every other stop sign on the planet. ■ If you’ve resisted the urge to play Lance Armstrong and chosen to ride a “neato” beach cruiser with those cool wide handlebars, make accommodations for them when riding. Placing your tires at the left-hand edge of the bike lane only puts the handlebars in the adjoining driving lane, putting you at risk as automobiles try to fit between your wide appendage and the car next to them to pass. If a driver has to unexpectedly swerve, guess who will be the big loser? ■ Despite the $1,500 or more between your legs, you are not necessarily a stud, or, as it were, “studette.” While you are probably riding for: a. fun; b. recreation; c. exercise. Those of us in all those automobiles racing past you are probably: a. late for something; b. trying to get somewhere specific; c. paying attention to something else while we drive. I’m not saying that it is not our duty to watch out for you, I’m simply saying that we probably are not. Ride accordingly. ■ Sadly, a bicycle coordinator on the city payroll would be an unnecessary expense for what he or she could contribute to the population as a whole. How about banding together and creating a recognized advisory committee to fulfill this need? Another approach would be to assess each cyclist riding on the streets and bike paths in Santa Monica $1 for every $100 of their bike cost. Judging from the number of high-priced bikes cruising our city, it would be a very well-paid position. ■ Finally, please remember that the Pacific Coast Highway is first and foremost a highway where drivers drive at highway speeds. Unfortunately, the state put in a sidewalk but no bike lane — that’s a few hundred yards to the west. The non-cyclists add additional obstacles by tossing trash and lord-knows-what into the space by the curb.
Please be careful if you choose to ride PCH. I’m doing about 40 mph and it’s hard to miss you when you swerve to avoid a discarded lunchbox.
Oh, I want to thank the guy on the expensive bike that has a bullseye on the back of his spandex tunic. He has done more to remind me to watch out for the interests of cyclists that any brochure or sign ever could.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 28, 2006. Read the original PDF.