Bicycle Board Members,
Please read message below!
Any suggestions for a response and/or action to prevent cyclists bombing DOWN the bicycle climbing lane from colliding with a turning vehicle?
This is not the first time I’ve heard about non-motorized travelers descending the bicycle climbing lanes at high speed.
Frank
Begin forwarded message:
From: Dan Cas a440tooner@gmail.com Subject: Frank Gmeindl Date: May 3, 2019 at 6:37:45 PM EDT To: Frank Gmeindl fgmeindl@gmail.com
Hi Frank
Since you are the most knowledgable person I know on the integration of bicycles and motor vehicles I thought I would let you know about a near collision I had with a bicyclist while driving my vehicle on Thursday, 5/2/2019.
I was traveling south/uphill on University Avenue, having just passed Daniels Mens Store. As I neared my destination, KStyles hair Salon,across fron Zen Clay, I put on my blinker to turn right. I checked my rear view mirror as I slowed and started right. A bicycle, traving north/downhill in the bicycle lane at about 40 MPH, missed my bumper by inches.
At first I thought the bicyclist was just reckless riding, but the more I thought about it I started to wonder if the bicyclist did not understand the proper use of the bike lane.
Traffic was stopped in the northbound lane, obscuring the road markings for bicycles. This led me to the question: Do bicyclists think a bike lane is 2 directional, like the rail trail ? So I have a question for you. Are bike lanes clearly and frequently marked "Wrong Way" for those that are traveling the wrong way?
Had this collision occured, it would have been very serious, probably fatal.
Thanks for all the work you've done over the years to improve integration between bicycles and motorists.
Dan Casdorph
www.casdorphpiano.com http://www.casdorphpiano.com/
"May the fourth be with you"