Editor:
As a cyclist and motorist living in Pine Cove, I want to respond to my friend Jim Krug, whose letter in last week’s issue of the Town Crier spoke of cyclists creating hazards for motorists.
First, let me assure your readers that cycling safety is greatly in the best interests of the cyclist. He or she would undoubtedly be the worst off should a collision occur.
Our traffic lanes are 10 feet wide. Bicycles, including mountain bikes, are a little over 2 feet in width. Cars are generally about 6 feet wide. Trucks, of course, are often wider.
Most cyclists I know in Idyllwild and Pine Cove wish to be courteous and ride near the white margin line at the far right-hand side of the lane. There is normally enough room for a motorist to pass a bike without creating a hazard for either.
If on, occasion, a cyclist is distracted and drifts farther out into the traffic lane (and I’m guilty of this), a quick beep of the horn will get the bike back over to the right-hand margin. What I don’t like to see is a motorist crossing the center divider on a curve in order to provide extra space for a cyclist.
We motorists and cyclists can share the road without creating a hazard. Trucks may have to slow down and look for a safe place to pass, but, in my experience, truck drivers are among the most courteous and safety-conscious drivers on the road.
Most cyclists in Idyllwild and Pine Cove also own and drive cars and trucks. We pay the same vehicle registration and fuel taxes as non-cyclists. Bicycle registration is practical and necessary in communities with large colleges or universities. I don’t think it would provide any benefit for our community such as bike lanes or better safety for school children.
Richard Schwartz
PCPOA Roads and Traffic
Pine Cove
