Bicycle Awareness
[ Excerpt from SBN-P article of September 13, 2006 by Rob Kuznia: ]
Boy's death may bring about change
Searching for the silver lining in a tragic event, city and county leaders said Tuesday night that last week's death of a 12-year-old boy hit by an SUV while bicycling to school could trigger some long-overdue local changes in traffic safety measures.
At a town-hall forum addressing the death of Jake Boysel, a group of about 60 residents, school officials, bureaucrats and politicians kicked around ideas, from a government-funded media campaign urging motorists to slow down to a citywide effort to better buffer bikes from passing cars.
About 60 people attended the forum at La Colina Junior High School, where Jake was headed last Wednesday morning when he was hit from behind while pedaling in the bicycle lane on Calle Real, near Highway 154. He was wearing a helmet at the time.
The driver of the SUV, 24-year-old Ernesto Landeros Botello, has said the glare of the sun impaired his vision, causing the vehicle to drift into the bicycle lane.
At some points, Tuesday's forum veered political, with City Council members urging the pedestrian-friendly audience to attend City Council meetings to voice support for some of the city's recently installed traffic calming devices -- namely, roundabouts -- which have drawn steady criticism from annoyed motorists.
" 'We're out to get cars' -- that's the message we get all the time," said City Councilman Das Williams. "That there's this secret plot at City Hall . . . when in fact, public policy has been the opposite for the last 100 years."
But the meeting also took on a laser-guided focus, with residents scrutinizing the intersection itself. Several said they believe the 45-mph speed limit on that stretch of Calle Real is too fast. Others criticized the placement of the bike lane, which is sandwiched between cars going straight and cars turning right...
[Matt] Dobberteen said he may push for a media campaign encouraging caution on the road.
"I think it's time," he said, pointing out that this summer witnessed a handful of local bicycling deaths. "Whether it's 'Slow down, Santa Barbara,' or 'Everybody needs to chill,' there needs to be a clear message."
La Colina Principal David Ortiz said it is time for the community to wake up. The city and county, he said, generally need to do a better job of increasing the distance between bicyclists and motorists.
Representing Jake's family at the meeting was his uncle, Bill Cottriel.Mr. Cottriel said much of the responsibility rests on the shoulders of the driver.
"I think slowing down in the morning -- an extra five minutes -- makes a big difference," he said. "If your vision is obscured, slow down."
...
Boy's death may bring about change
Searching for the silver lining in a tragic event, city and county leaders said Tuesday night that last week's death of a 12-year-old boy hit by an SUV while bicycling to school could trigger some long-overdue local changes in traffic safety measures.
At a town-hall forum addressing the death of Jake Boysel, a group of about 60 residents, school officials, bureaucrats and politicians kicked around ideas, from a government-funded media campaign urging motorists to slow down to a citywide effort to better buffer bikes from passing cars.
About 60 people attended the forum at La Colina Junior High School, where Jake was headed last Wednesday morning when he was hit from behind while pedaling in the bicycle lane on Calle Real, near Highway 154. He was wearing a helmet at the time.
The driver of the SUV, 24-year-old Ernesto Landeros Botello, has said the glare of the sun impaired his vision, causing the vehicle to drift into the bicycle lane.
At some points, Tuesday's forum veered political, with City Council members urging the pedestrian-friendly audience to attend City Council meetings to voice support for some of the city's recently installed traffic calming devices -- namely, roundabouts -- which have drawn steady criticism from annoyed motorists.
" 'We're out to get cars' -- that's the message we get all the time," said City Councilman Das Williams. "That there's this secret plot at City Hall . . . when in fact, public policy has been the opposite for the last 100 years."
But the meeting also took on a laser-guided focus, with residents scrutinizing the intersection itself. Several said they believe the 45-mph speed limit on that stretch of Calle Real is too fast. Others criticized the placement of the bike lane, which is sandwiched between cars going straight and cars turning right...
[Matt] Dobberteen said he may push for a media campaign encouraging caution on the road.
"I think it's time," he said, pointing out that this summer witnessed a handful of local bicycling deaths. "Whether it's 'Slow down, Santa Barbara,' or 'Everybody needs to chill,' there needs to be a clear message."
La Colina Principal David Ortiz said it is time for the community to wake up. The city and county, he said, generally need to do a better job of increasing the distance between bicyclists and motorists.
Representing Jake's family at the meeting was his uncle, Bill Cottriel.Mr. Cottriel said much of the responsibility rests on the shoulders of the driver.
"I think slowing down in the morning -- an extra five minutes -- makes a big difference," he said. "If your vision is obscured, slow down."
...
Posted by Malcolm on
9/13/2006
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