Bike Racks Would Benefit Montrose

Living in Montrose and in a larger way as a part of Glendale we have a number of advocates working for us to promote safe cycling in our community (la-bike.org/glendale).  

Some examples of what these advocacy groups have been able to put into action are the bike lanes and sharrows you see throughout lower Glendale.  As a bike commuter I see the benefit, at the least its an incremental increase in awareness.

Back in December, Crescenta Valley Weekly ran an article about how The Bicycle Master Plans will effect upper Glendale, specifically Montrose.  I was ecstatic to see that both the city council and Montrose Shopping Park acknowledge that Montrose is a cycling community. I was also relieved that I didn't have to write this post about how Montrose could use some bike racks.

But this is about exactly that!  Although approved in December, Montrose has yet to see any of the benefits of the Bicycle Master Plan.

I am an avid road cyclist and triathlete, I'm very secure with riding on the street amongst cars.  So, personally I disagree with the CV Weekly article saying we need bike lanes on Honolulu.  When I do drive on Honolulu, I rarely see 25 mph.  On my bike I could easily see 70-80% of the vehicle speed under my own power.  Thats a complicated way of saying that, relatively, cars are not moving that fast through this part of our community.  In my opinion, safety and awareness may not come automatically with a bike lane at those speeds. Sometimes things like bike lanes offer more perceived safety than actual safety, but if it gets people on their bikes, it is a positive.

Although Montrose is probably the safest community I have ever lived in, it is not devoid of crime. With that said, the community could still use bike racks and I hope we get them soon.  

My wife and I walk to Honolulu from our house at least once a week.  Our goal is to not use our cars at all to get around locally.  As the Montrose community grows, we hope to ride our bikes more often to take advantage of local retailers, farmers market and eventually Trader Joes.  

I think bike racks would enable us get out more using pedal power!

Some safe riding tips:

• Ride predictably: indicate your intentions using arm signals etc. Ride in straight lines especially around other vehicles (including bikes!)
• Know where you are going and plan ahead: know your route and turns needed to prevent last minute course changes
• Give way: you are a vehicle on the road, if you are hit by a car you lose.  Its ok to give way sometimes
• Equipment: helmets are a must, reflective equipment, lighting at night, gloves (optional), mirrors (optional)
• Use your eyes: continuously survey your environment, its changing all the time.  The better you know what other vehicles are doing the safer you will be.
• Food for thought: remember that on a bicycle you are a vehicle. As soon as you lift your foot off the ground you no longer are a pedestrian and are not protected by pedestrian safety laws.
• Have fun!