Q: I truly appreciate that you have written about the critical issue of automobiles and bicycles respectfully sharing city streets. Recent harrowing experiences warrant raising this issue yet again. I am a 70-year-old retired social worker and avid cyclist. I ride often near my Berryessa home. I prefer the South Bay’s many bike trails, including the Guadalupe, Stevens Creek, and San Tomas trails, which are blissfully car-free. To get to them, I must negotiate surface streets and there, encounter automobiles. Many, if not most drivers respectfully share the road. Unlike many cyclists, I am a conscientious rider, following all the rules of the road on my road bike, equipped with front and back blinking lights, and a side view mirror.
Twice one recent week while riding eastbound on Borregas Avenue in Sunnyvale, I encountered cars emerging from commercial parking lots. In both instances, they entered the street directly in my path. Collisions and, likely, significant bodily injuries for me were avoided solely because I ride assuming that drivers are not paying attention to me. In each instance, had I not braked, I would have collided with these vehicles. Please remind your readers to pay attention.
Barry Goldman-Hall, San Jose
A: I’m glad to raise the issue of paying attention. In addition to your plea for drivers to pay attention to bicyclists, a few readers wrote recently with pleas for bicyclists to pay attention, too.
Q: What I just saw would have made some parents gasp and thank an alert driver for not hitting their kids. Three kids on bikes, probably from a nearby junior high, were riding south on Grant toward Bryant Street. Bike No. 1 safely pulled into the left turn lane, and was first at the light, which had a red arrow. Bikes Nos. 2 and 3 lagged well behind and were in the green-painted bike line with a green light for through traffic. When the turn arrow turned green, Bike No. 1 started his left turn and Bikes Nos. 2 and 3, seeing him turn, shot left from the bike lane to make the turn, too, cutting off a driver going through on a green light.
Youth, inexperience, and impulsive behavior = major risk.
David Russel, Mountain View
A: And…
Q: Two weeks ago I saw a boy about 12 to 13 riding a bike on a busy street with all his attention focused on his phone. What could possibly go wrong?
Keith Scott, Milpitas
A: It worries me, too, when I see cyclists riding while focused on their phones, same as it does when drivers and pedestrians are distracted, and putting themselves and others at risk.
Look for Gary Richards at facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.
#Bicyclists #drivers #plead #caution #roadways #Roadshow