Saving Money But Risking Injuries on Bicycles in LA

I ride my bike in Los Angeles more than I drive my car (hybrid). I've been riding to work for a little over a year, and I got in a hit-and-run accident when a car right hooked me. But not all car drivers in LA are bad.

http://forums.treehugger.com/viewtopic.php?t=971

"Risking Life and Limb"? Come on. Sounds like Angelino whiner to me.

I rode to work in the SFV for years on Canoga Ave. There are plenty of sidewalks with no cars or pedestrians using them.

The cyclists that rode Topanga Canyon for fun, though, are definitely crazy.

It can get bad, perhaps even horrible at times, but I ride thousands of miles in LA a year and most of it is incident free. Some ride for economic reasons, but for many of us it goes far beyond that. Environmental, health and social aspects of cycling can be just as important as money or more so to some. I can afford to drive if I wanted to, but how boring would that be.

I got hit a week ago, same week 3 co-workers were hit. My left arm is still F'd. I got some x rays, everything was fine. I paid for the repairs myself. I don't need/want to press someone for money. I can buy a $40 dollar rim myself.

I cycle-commute in L.A. often - for years. No accidents yet (knock wood). Two major issues: There's no safe way for cyclists to get over the major barrier in the city - the Santa Monica Mtns (from the San Fernando Valley to the west side). So I either ride fire roads over the mountain into work (avoiding traffic, but way harder) or brave one of the two narrow, steep roads, neither having a bike lane or even a shoulder. Oh, and drivers on the West Side are nasty, nasty, nasty people. Rich with a sense of entitlement second to none.

I'm an LA bike commuter, too. I can't wait to get back on my bike, but for the time being I'm recovering from one of those "right hooks" stated in the previous post (use your turn signals, people!). I usually commute about 30 miles a day from Silver Lake to Santa Monica. It's quite dangerous. A car door sent me to my first emergency room visit in 35 years. I love every aspect of it except for the fact that I'm risking life and limb. I'm not trying to be holier than thou, but I feel it's important to keep at it and that my presence will make drivers more aware of bicycles.

Share the road! Bikes rock!

In my 15 years of bike riding, I have never had a single accident with another vehicle.

I would like, however, to point out that many bicyclists do not take good enough precautions when in traffic.

What I observed is that cyclists often veer off too far to the left, stressing drivers who have to evaluate if there is enough space to pass.

When riding in traffic, ride as far to the right as possible, ride at the same speed as traffic so that vehicles can pass you at 5mph rather than at 20mpf (speed difference), look over your shoulders often and pay attention to noises...detect potential dangers as far ahead as possible.

I have encountered several of these maniac bicyclists here in Orange County. We have bike lanes but the bicyclists do not know how to stay in them. We have traffic signals but the bicyclists do not know that red means STOP. These people need to learn that they remain alive at the pleasure of vehicles traveling 55mph on busy arterials, and need to stay the heck out of the way when we are trying to get somewhere.

My parents really do not need to see this article...I bike to school and work everyday. I am saving a ton on gas every month. Now

Nick, the reason why some of us veer "too far to the left" is because we try to avoid the door area. Many times drivers will open there door without looking to see if a cyclist is coming. Even while riding in a bike lane, we have to be careful of getting the "door prize" as many bike lanes are painted aside parked cars (like the streets that I mentioned in the wsg article above).

Besides, when there is no bike lane available, according to CVC 21202, we must ride to the farthest right of the lane possible, but if conditions are unsafe (parked cars, other bicycles, pedestrians, glass, potholes, debris, etc) we have the right to take the lane. That means veering a bit to the left.

If the cars dont kill you the air will.

I lived and bike commuted in LA for a couple of years with no problems. My commute was 9 miles each way.

Since then I've lived and commuted in 2 other major metropolitan areas and even done a stint in Manhattan. in 20+ years of bicycle commuting I've had no collisions ( other than the one time I rode into the back of a stopped vehicle) and very few "near misses".

Ride with traffic. Don't curb hug and don't ride within the door zone! (That is a VERY common cause of serious injury). Bicycle like a vehicle and use proper lane positioning at intersections. If you feel you must ride on the sidewalk, cross the streets like a pedestrian ( on foot). Stop at lights!

Hardly any collisions happen when a car is passing you. Nearly all bike/car collisions happen in intersections. Learn how to go through them properly.

Speed has nothing to do with bicycling safety. I'm lucky if I can cruise at 12 mph. It's all about staying out of the door zone and going though intersections properly.

Oh, and have a good rear reflector and a decent headlight for nighttime commuting.

You do these things and you will dramatically reduce you probability of collision and likely dramatically reduce the stress of your commute.