California roll: Bill to allow bikers to pedal past stop signs gets mixed reviews

San Diego Union-Tribune

Feb. 23, 2017 11:45 AM PT

Biker stop sign bill is a road map to disaster

Regarding “New bill would let bicyclists roll past stop signs” (Feb. 23): You have got to be kidding? Why not make the inside lane on our freeways speed-free zones? 65 MPH? 85 MPH? 105 MPH? No problem. After all, it takes “so long to re-build momentum” after slowing for the car in front of you that just changed lanes or took an off-ramp.

The same goes for joggers. Do they need to stop at controlled intersections and risk damaging their knees by losing momentum?

This is, in essence, the completely idiotic conclusion that two of our incompetent elected officials used in filing a bill that would allow bicyclists to ignore stop signs. One of them question, Jay Obernolte, “an avid cyclist,” claims that bikes spend substantially longer in an intersection after losing momentum to stop.” This asinine thinking raises two questions. Are there any products on the market that clean brightly colored (and bloody) spandex off the bumpers of cars and how soon can these two be voted out of office. I’m just surprised that Mayor Kevin Faulconer hasn’t come out in favor of this insanity.

Jim Smith

San Diego

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This proposal, the general current confusion drivers have towards cyclists at intersections, and the particular venom online-commenting drivers have towards cyclists are all arguments for more traffic circles.

As Logan Jenkins mentioned in his column about Bird Rock roundabouts, they are “designed for low-speed cooperation” and “intuitive improvisation.” These things are absent at traditional intersections.

Plus, according to Jenkins, the average traffic speed on La Jolla Blvd has dropped to 19 miles per hour, from 40 – 45 miles per hour prior to traffic circles. Coincidentally, 19 miles per hour is just about my average cycling speed on La Jolla Boulevard. And I can tell you from experience, it is much safer cycling when bikes and cars are moving at similar speeds.

If Congressman Scott Peters did anything good when he was on city council—and this is just about the only thing—it was helping to shepherd in Bird Rock traffic circles.

Brian Peterson

Birdland

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By this logic, cars should also be allowed to blow stop signs: They would spend less time in the intersection, they produce the most pollution and use the most fuel at start up and the drivers will also be worn out and sweaty when they get to work due to the trauma they go through getting there.

In fact, they should be encouraged to speed through the intersections:

“The longer it takes for a vehicle to pass through an intersection, the greater the likelihood they’ll get hit by an oncoming vehicle.” Of course, putting our children at risk is not such a big deal as long as we do not have to peddle harder. Yes, “Its pretty compelling.”

Scott Mac Laggan

Point Loma

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