This one picture sums up San Diego’s Bike Lane’s Perfectly – As locals ‘give up’ on using them
This picture recently went viral on social media and summed up San Diego’s bike lanes pretty perfectly. As seen, the bike lane can be pictured on the right but is inaccessible due to a line of cars who decided to use it as a parking spot. Unfortunately, this happens everyday around the city and is either done out of ignorance or arrogance by the car drivers. Regardless, it completely destroys the purpose of having bike lanes installed in the first place, as they’re effectively turned into parking spaces.
While this problem isn’t exclusive to San Diego and does go on elsewhere, there are still a few things that could be implemented to make life easier for city cyclists. Firstly, they could paint the lane a certain color such as bright green which happens in other cities. Secondly, they could also install soft, physical barriers which would literally stop the cars from entering these lanes. Sadly, these ideas come with their own issues – such as costs and maintenance.
Having said this, some claimed that this was a conspiracy against drivers – with one resident saying, “Inadequate parking is a major cause of urban stress. The mayor and the housing commission are actually trying to reduce parking to entice people to give up their cars! It’s gonna be a disaster.”
Irrespective of this idea, you still shouldn’t park in bike lanes. Sadly, there’s also a ‘No parking’ sign that’s literally meters away from these cars. With this being said, it doesn’t look like the city will come to a solution anytime soon – and for now at least, these spaces will continue to be occupied by cars.
Turning our major thru streets in our neighborhoods into glorified bike lanes, taking away parking for business and people who live here was an incredibly stupid idea in the first place. You can bike on most every in the community where there is less traffic and it’s a lot safer. Seems the bikers scream the loudest so get all they want.
The ignorance of people that disregard cyclists safety is appalling..there needs to be heavy fines for those individuals that park in bike lanes…..period!!!
Well said and absolutely agree Alexander!!!
The bike lane is open, between the white lines. No cars are parked in the bike lane. What is your complaint?
No one in San Diego is giving up their car for a bike. We need less bike lanes and more parking! I lost the ability to park in front of my own house because they turned it into a bike lane (that no one uses). Ridiculous. The roads are for cars.
I’m a disabled veteran who has tried to use the sidewalks but when you have four or five females standing on the sidewalk talking about nothing and their partners thinking it’s funny to spray my with a hose for a “laugh’, you would use the bike lanes.
Maybe if the females were to go inside and drink their box wine and their partners were to go up, and actually ride a bike, they wouldn’t be so bitchy.
I have watched as abled-bodied people have parked in handicapped spaces and just looked at me trying to get a space. So if the bike lanes cause you a little bit of an inconvenience,too bad. Now you know how the rest of of feels. Grow up and get a pair ( even if you have to borrow from a disabled person ).