Just received in the NCCC Inbox:
QuoteWhy are your members so rude? Why do they think they own the road? Why do they travel on roads with no shoulders and ride side by side? Why do they stop at people's homes and use their water without asking? Or pee in a homeowners bushes? One time I went to my sister's house and they were in her driveway and I couldn't get through so because they refused to move I honked at them and slowly started my turn in the driveway and they stared at me like I was in the wrong! I told them to leave as it was private property and eventually they did leave. We are sick of these guys who ride on West Lilac Road!!!! This road has no shoulders and they refuse to get over and ride single file. Perhaps you can send members flyer or something and explain what manners are because clearly they don't know what they are. Irritated in Escondido and Valley Center!!
It is clear that this person probably doesn't ride a bike, doesn't understand cyclists rights and responsibilities to use all roads, and most certainly has never taken the Smart Cycling class. Nevertheless, in that class, we like to say that the #1 rule of the road is: all road users should treat each other with courtesy. It is possible to ride multiple abreast because it's safer that singling up and edge riding on places like W Lilac Rd, but also acknowledge when cars are behind you and give them a friendly (five-fingered only) wave when they pass you to show you appreciated their slowing down until they could safely pass. And remember, when 5 cars line up behind you on a single lane road, you are obligated to pull aside at the first safe opportunity to let faster traffic pass you.
But, gee, I wish I could tell this person to come to one of our classes!
At Terry Delaney's request, I replied to the Valley Center resident:
Dear Ms. McManus,
Thanks for the courtesy alert. All our ride leaders and board members have been forwarded your email. As road users of all the roads in North County, the North County Cycle Club strives to ride safely, legally and courteously. We obviously have some members who have failed in that third category. We will have all the ride leaders include the courtesy reminder in next week's pre-ride discussions.
As a certified cycling instructor, I and others teach a class called Smart Cycling. In this class we teach the legal rights and responsibilities of cyclists when using the public roads, all of which are open to cyclists (excepting most stretches of freeway). On a road like W Lilac where a shoulder is virtually non-existent and certainly unreliable where it might open up to 3-4 ft, we recommend that the cyclist controls the full lane. That is because the width of the road is only 11-12' which, by the CA Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, is too narrow to safely share side-by-side with a motor vehicle; you need at least 14 ft from center line to edge line to safely share because avg car width (7') + legal buffer (3') + cyclist operating width (4') = 14'. That said, single file is not even a good idea as motorists think they can squeeze by, unsafe for the cyclist and unsafe for the motorist if traffic is oncoming and the car needs to swerve at the last minute in order to give the cyclist 3-5 ft of safe passing distance. Think about it. If you have 20 cyclists riding single file, you have a line twice as long to get around than if you had 10 pairs riding abreast; the shorter line is better for following motorists. Plus the cyclists provide more visible width (like a slow tractor) so that motorists aren't surprised. This is all legal, per CA Vehicle Code 21202(a) via the "sub-standard width lane" exception to having to ride "as far right as practicable." That said, the law also says that when 5 cars are being held up, the slower traffic (cyclists or tractor) need to find a safe place to pull off and let the held-up traffic by. Additionally, we teach in our Smart Cycling class that if even just one motorist has slowed down to patiently wait, find a chance to let them by before there are even 5 in line behind. Also, we encourage the cyclists to let motorists know "yes, we see you back there, we're paying attention" and. when the patient motorist is finally allowed to pass, acknowledge with a smile, a friendly wave and a big thank you. So, legality aside and what we teach all across the USA for how to ride on roads 11-12' wide, we need to remember the #1 (unwritten) rule of the road: "All road users shall treat each other with courtesy."
So, I hope you might understand why cyclists might be riding to control the lane sometimes on W Lilac Rd. At the same time, we want to make sure our riders are behaving courteously while on the road and, while off the road, that they certainly do NOT block private property and/or urinate in public.
We find that those who take the Smart Cycling curriculum graduate as better motorists. And motorists who do not even bicycle get a lot of value out of the 3 hr classroom session. You and your neighbors are welcome to attend any of our Smart Cycling classes, hosted by the San Diego County Bike Coalition - click here (https://sdbikecoalition.org/smart-cycling/) for the schedule, course description, and registration page.
Please let us know if you observe any further discourteous behavior by NCCC. About 25% of the club have taken the Smart Cycling course and the whole club strives to be good ambassadors for cycling.
Regards,
Karl Rudnick
North County Cycle Club web admin
League of American Bicyclists League Cycling Instructor #3481
San Diego County Bike Coalition webmaster@sdbikecoalition.org
Did she reply to the email? I assume the house is at the top of Circle R where we regroup and the day in question we were there and didn't get out of her way quick enough for her to enter her driveway? If at some point a visit or conversation is needed, I'd help out to mend fences and educate.
No reply yet. Ken Okamura has the excellent idea to put together a Town Hall forum in Valley Center and maybe Escondido. Don't blame yourself, Anthony. These complaints have come in through other people and at other times, so this is not anything new. We may never be able to educate them on our rights to the road and why we teach to discourage "edge riding to be out of the way," but at least we can go high if they go low. On the Wed ride yesterday, stopping at the same place we always do after coming up from 395/bridge direction, I suggested that we vary the driveways at which we regroup. And, please, watch where we take our natural breaks. At my age, I'm never sure when a sudden, uncontrollable urge may occur (mostly for us older guys ;)).
Karl, Anthony, All,
I just spoke with Bernadette from the City of Escondido City Manager's Office. She thought it would be a great idea for an Open Forum with the North County Cycling Club and the community of Escondido. If this happens, I've requested the Chief of Police and City Council Members to attend this forum as attendees. With the ultimate understanding of cycling laws, rights, and safety (all Karl here :) ).
She will discuss this with the City Manager on Monday and get back to me via email.
R/
Ken
Thanks Ken... looking forward to updates and a date and time ~Peg
The discussion with the City Manager did not actually pan out, so at Kevin Brickley's suggestion, I went before the Escondido City Council and offered to be the educational lead for any kind of educational event they please. So, the bait has been set. We shall see whether they bite. Attached are my comments that I left with the City Clerk (verbal presentation hit all these points but wasn't a straight read).
Talking to City Council actually worked. They passed on the information to Lt Mike Kearney of Escondido PD, a mountain biker who Ken Okamura also had been in contact with. I sent him the recent Cycling Savvy video (http://www.northcountycycleclub.com/smf/index.php?topic=2607.msg6184;topicseen#msg6184) for him to look at and figure out how they may want to promote that in Escondido, but I think he has a better idea to really reach all the residents. It is so hard to get the public to actually attend events. I have done these things in Solana Beach and with the North County Coastal County Sheriff station, but only reached a few dozen people. Lt Kearney's idea is to use electronic signs strategically placed around Escondido to make people aware of bicycle behavior. I agree that we may actually engage thousands of motorists this way.
Here is one example. When the green-backed sharrows were first introduced on Hwy 101 in Solana Beach, electronic signs proclaimed:
QuoteBikes May Use Full Lane.
Change Lanes to Pass.
That simple message got the cars behaving correctly, although it took many cyclists about 3 years to figure out they shouldn't be riding far right down the line of diagonally parked cars. :o
So, I need some help. Think of areas within the City of Escondido where you would like to make motorists aware of our position on the roadway, or really any other conflict point, such as the new "cycletrack" which was placed in order to connect two bicycle paths (which we don't often use on our rides). Please reply here or privately to me at rudnick.cooper@gmail.com with a location where you might find an electronic sign useful. Suggest words if you like. The SD County Bike Coalition Education group will massage them to make sure the message represents best practices (and of course is legal 8)). One example I can think of is Hwy 78 into San Pasqual Valley to Bandy Canyon. Poor shoulder and single lane. Something like "Bikes May Use Full Lane. Pass Safely."
Your help is appreciated and this may set a precedent for other areas around the County, Valley Center comes to mind.