Make Room for Bikes on Roads

The bicycle commuter gets good exercise, saves the expense of operating a car and does a favor for the environment by not adding pollutants to the air. Unfortunately for bicyclists in Orange County, they’re taking their lives in their hands.

Seven bicyclists were killed in the county in 1994. In 1998, the number was 15, according to a review of state accident data. The increase occurred even as the total number of bike accidents declined.

Transportation experts believe one reason for the increase is the lack of bicycle lanes in northern Orange County. For instance, Santa Ana has 14 miles of bike lanes and paths. Irvine has about 350 miles. From 1994 to 1998, Santa Ana recorded 13 fatal bike accidents. Irvine recorded one.

Bike lanes are not a cure-all, but clearly they improve a bicyclist’s odds of getting to and from work or the store safely.

The older cities of north Orange County also are likely to have narrower streets than South County. That puts the bicyclist closer to the car driver, increasing the danger.

One answer would be adding bike lanes. But business owners object to losing street parking. That too often has created a stalemate between city officials and business owners, with bike riders caught in the middle.

There has been encouraging improvement in bicycle safety for children.

Bicycle rodeos and other programs to teach children how to ride and be aware of dangers are a valuable asset. So are helmets. Nearly all the 58 cyclists killed in the county from 1994 to 1998 were adults.

Police say in many instances, bicyclists involved in accidents are at fault. It’s no surprise that it’s more dangerous to ride at night. But it is surprising to see inexperienced cyclists wandering into the paths of cars and riding at night without lights or reflective clothing.

Motorists clearly have to do a better job keeping an eye on cyclists as well. Just about every cyclist has a horror story of the motorist driving too close or turning in front of the bike suddenly.

Even on North County roads without bike lanes, there is room for cyclists, buses, cars and trucks. All it takes is common sense and some courtesy to get the death toll reduced.