After Deaths, OC Officials Ramp Up Bike Safety Efforts

After reading about another cyclist killed in HB yesterday, I saw this

http://www.voiceofoc.org/county/article_83722070-c50b-11e3-8b94-001a4bcf887a.html

 

Bike lanes on the sidewalk and not on the road. Article looks like they're moving in the right direction here. Distracted drivers gonna distracted drive.
http://www.greatcity.org/2009/05/11/euro-style-bike-lanes/

 

This is a great start. I hope the momentum continues. maybe one day I'll be able to feel comfortable enough to bike to work.

 

I like the idea of using medians. OC and its cities spend an absurd amount of money (and water) on landscaping medians which are, for the most part, wasted space. It may not be as good a solution as the separated bike lanes at the curb, but it's better than a normal bike lane, or no bike lane. Of course, perhaps it just increases your odds of getting hit - you're now vulnerable to traffic from both directions. But if there's a curb, that helps.

Interestingly, in the midst of all this discussion, Newport Beach is considering banning southbound bicycle traffic on Back Bay Drive, one of the most popular, and safest, bicycle routes in the county. I think it would make a lot more sense to eliminate car traffic - I guarantee there's a lot more cyclists/walkers/runners using it than cars.

 

Buffered bike lane is too expensive will never work.
Painted bike lanes give the rider a false sense of security and make drivers think that bikes only belong in bike lanes. Instead of bikes lanes, I support wide shoulders and a single pass/fail question on the DMV driving test about cars sharing the road with bikes.