Scofflaw Bicyclists and Pedestrians Are Hot Ticket Items

Dear Street Smart:

Have you noticed that some--not all of them, of course--of the bicyclists and joggers on the street think they are the kings and queens of the road?

They do not have any--I mean any--respect for the traffic regulations and those who have the right of way.

For instance, when you proceed on a green light, you have to stop for them as they are crossing a red light illegally. If you don’t, you will be yelled at with all kinds of dirty names.

I believe that if the traffic police would catch a few of them and fine them heavily, it should stop this nuisance, which could be a serious traffic hazard.

Luke Lui, Westlake

Dear Reader:

Traffic enforcement officials in Thousand Oaks are on your side.

So much so, in fact, that catching scofflaw bicyclists and errant joggers is one of the main jobs of the 12 officers assigned to traffic detail in the city.

“We cite a lot of bicyclists,” traffic cop John Popp said. “Bicyclists have the same rules of the road as drivers do, so they get cited the same way.”

Popp said he has witnessed relatively few problems with joggers, however. Instead it seems to be pedestrians who defy laws designed to protect them, he said.

“I’ve had a couple of pedestrian crashes that have been the fault of the pedestrian,” Popp said. “Usually it’s because they went across a street when a walk sign was flashing red.”

Nonetheless, Popp offers this suggestion when drivers encounter disobedient joggers:

“Just don’t run over them. They do have the right of way. If they’re in the crosswalk, you just have to wait. If we happen to see it happen and they are in violation, we will cite them.”

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Dear Street Smart:

There is a very dangerous stretch of road in the Mira Monte area of Ojai.

This is an area without guardrails where barrancas overlook the Ventura River. There have already been fatal accidents and suicides along these ridges, and I am most concerned about young children who ride bikes on the narrow shoulders.

Hope you can draw the proper authorities’ attention to this problem.

David Howard, Ojai

Dear Reader:

The agency responsible for installing guardrails along state highways is Caltrans.

Engineers at Caltrans’ local office are familiar with California 33, especially the two-lane stretches between Oak View and Ojai, just before it turns off toward Nordhoff High School.

But Associate Transportation Engineer Bob Houle said he doubts that the state will order guardrails for the highway any time soon because the danger you describe is not that great, according to traffic and accident counts.

“I see no plans right now,” Houle said. “We have criteria for [installing] guardrails, including the number of accidents that have occurred in the area and the steepness of the slope.

“But I will take another look at the area,” he added.

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Dear Street Smart:

Recently, Sinaloa Road was repaved and a solid white line was painted on the road.

Since it isn’t marked, please advise what this lane depicts. Is it a bike lane? If so, why isn’t it marked?

Several times now I have been in the lane closest to the double yellow line and have drifted over the solid white line to make my turn onto Capri Drive. Sometimes there are other cars in the lane next to the shoulder, and they have nearly hit cars turning from the lane closest to the double yellow line.

Jane A. Darling, Simi Valley

Dear Reader:

What you are describing is not a bike lane. Rather, the white line along the right side of Sinaloa Road indicates the shoulder of the road, Traffic Engineer Bill Golubics said.

“Motorists should not be driving in that shoulder lane unless they plan to make a right turn at the next corner,” he said.

Simi Valley has no painted bike lanes within the city, instead electing to promote the off-street bike paths along the Arroyo Simi and in other places, Golubics said.

“It’s safer to have bicyclists use the off-street bike paths built along the Arroyo Simi,” he said. “We’re adding three more miles next year.”