By Dave B
This is a subject near and dear to all Islanders’ hearts. So where is your heart?
I love the fact that cyclists come to the Island to enjoy our hospitality and beautiful yet hilly topography. However, our Island is nothing but two-lane roads with little bike lanes, except on Vashon Highway.
Does anyone remember the debacle when King County put in the rumble strips? We heard from the bicycle community about that one! How we made cycling on Vashon dangerous, that hitting a rumble stripe would make the skinny bike tire drop into the strip and create road rash or give them a flat and send them into traffic? Blame King County.
So, let’s address this quickly. The rumble strips were on the OUTSIDE of the bike lane to PROTECT the bicyclists from traffic by warning motorists they were moving into the bike lane. Kind of like a “Hey fella, move back off the shoulder would you please?”
Understand, we do not HAVE the room to move around you due to our large trees, forest, and killer deer. We want to protect our Lance Armstrongs in the bike lane with their variety of colored jerseys and bike pants, but death is a terrible option here. Also, a helmet and nylon pants are not road proof right (?), or is there a secret protective pant that saves the privates?
Back to my point. Cyclists, the motorist handbook (which I have memorized for my wonderful friends at The Loop) says we are to SHARE THE ROAD. I have a picture of the sign with this article. It exists, yes it does. When a 2,500-pound car or large truck comes up on you at 45 mph, please move over. Riding two and three abreast on a two-lane country road is not safe and makes people cranky. Remember you are going 10 mph, and to pass you involves going into ONCOMING traffic.
Also, it’s difficult to see you on our blind spots, and since we have 16-year-old to 90-year-old drivers on Vashon Island (at various stages of licensure) you have no idea who or what is coming up behind or beside you. It is hard enough to be in a car here!
I lived in San Diego on the Coast Highway 101 for 10 years. Every year, bicyclists would be killed because they took up two lanes of traffic on the highway and refused to move out of the way. People are generally nice, but not all the time. I watched a cyclist swerve INTENTIONALLY to make a point to the line of cars behind his group, and the guy in a large pickup truck had enough and RAN HIM OVER! I am not joking.
Would we islanders do that? Probably not. Maybe not. I don’t know. Why take the chance? Just give us the space and room to get to our destination. I need ice cream, so here I come …
One more question before I sign off on this rant. What is up with “Passport to Pain?” Are you all masochistic? I like a nice bike ride now and again but UP THESE HILLS? I can barely walk up my street! Ok, it is a big hill, but isn’t that the point? Who wants to ride a bike up 103rd? Our streets are narrow and full of potholes, have little markings, are full of Vashon drivers, and you want to go UP steep hills for MILES? You have my respect.
Let’s just play nice on the Island. I know we breathe a little sigh of relief once summer is over, and rain is not your thing on a two-wheeled death trap. But for now, enjoy our weather, restaurants, beer, and bed and breakfasts. We appreciate you! Even me. Say hi as I drive by in my old ford truck. I promise if you wave, I will move over … so waive.
