| The Northridge South Neighborhood Council voted 12-0 to endorse the completion of the Reseda Bike lanes from Roscoe to Parthenia. This particular stretch of road would be the final piece needed to complete a vital north - south bicycle friendly option in the west valley region. Among many important aspects of this project is connecting the orange line bike path to CSUN. If Northridge is truly to be a "college town" as the Northridge Vision plan comes to shape we will need to provide students with more options to get to and from school. Many residents in the CSUN area have raised issues with student off site car parking. Encouraging bicycle commuting to CSUN would work to alleviate some of that problem. Though the bicycle lane does briefly become replaced by sharrows just north and south of Sherman Way (the jury is still out if the sharrow pilot in that area is having any kind of affect) generally speaking, Reseda Blvd. bike lanes will be complete should this plan get the pass from Greig smith's office. In a reversal of recent process, an LADOT representative presented the street diagrams to the stakeholders in giant b/w print outs accompanied by a verbal run through of the plan and timeline for implementation. This was my first visit to NSNC and I was surprised to find a friendly and supportive board who seemed to receive the many bike lane supporters in the audience with open arms. At one point a speaker asked the board if any of them cycle regularly and several raised their hands. Glen Bailey BAC Chairman, led the effort to notify 100+ businesses along the block between Napa and Chase that will lose some parking on the east side of the street. He reported reactions both for and against with a mjority for. A fast food restaurant with a large parking lot on the block received the news very well stating that several of it's workers get to work via bicycle. Indeed, one businessman did show and make public comment that he was concerned about the safety of the street and the potential issues related to the loss of parking. | View Reseda Bike Lanes proposed connection in a larger map |
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| Mother and Daughter supporters ride bikes in the area |
Just want to let you know that I've really been digging the blog. When I had more time on my hands a few years ago, I put about 3000 miles on my bike riding around here. Most days, I was just about the only bike on the road. I decided to try to set an example and obey all the traffic laws in the UVC and LAVC. I stopped at stop signs and waved wary cars with the right-of-way on their way. I rode in the streets with traffic and was often forced off the road with honks and obscenities. But I often kept pace with traffic, and caught up to assailants at the next light, making a point to voice my displeasure loud and clear. But I had resigned myself to fate: As bicycling moulded itself as a foundation of my well being, it also became very likely be the death of me. Drivers are just too careless, aggressive and uninformed of actual traffic law to be safe entities with which to intermingle. I confronted quite a few people, afraid of their sudden vulnerability from an angry biker that caught up, of what could have been the consequences of their carefree habits.
ReplyDelete"You could have killed me!"
"I gave you plenty of space..."
"Really? Did you hear the straps from my backpack hitting the side of your car? Just give me some space!"
And so on...
After an accident at work, I hung my bike up for a while. When I got well enough to work again, work was jamming. Even in this economy, work has left me busy and exhausted. I drive a lot from job to job (can't bike with a load of lumber and tools), and I've been seeing more and more bikes on the road. Not just bikes on the sidewalks, afraid to actually obey the law because doing so might be a bitter end, but bikes making left lane turns, taking lanes, pacing traffic! And to top it off, drivers are getting used to it. I don't see so many people cutting off bikers or honking at them or running them off the roads.
From where I am, things are looking up! I can't wait to get some free time and ride like I used to. But this time, maybe it won't have to be the death of me. Maybe we actually CAN have cake.