Bikes in Oakmont
After several recent conversations with bicyclists in the area, I have realized that Oakmont has gotten a reputation of ‘hating bicycles’. I myself found the opinions expressed in a recent OVA Board letter to Santa Rosa City Manager Sean McGlynn highly disturbing and not representative of my thoughts on cooperation with the city’s bike/pedestrian planning process or those of most of the people I know in Oakmont.
I remember when Wild Oak fought the city over bike access and being so amazed at their willingness to push bicyclists out onto highway 12, which is so very dangerous, just to keep them off one small street and a walking/bike path. I always thought Oakmonters would be much better citizens than that.
I enjoy having bike riders on our streets – I love seeing people get outdoors participating in a healthy, mostly quiet, non-polluting activity. Yes, they can sometimes hog the road or slip through stop signs, but I believe that those who may be at risk are far more in danger from our own drivers than some random bicyclist. Having Oakmont included in a bike/pedestrian plan would not lead to many more bikes than we already see. The big bike events all take place in the west county and anyone going east along the highway 12 corridor already uses Oakmont.
Has the OVA Board thought about the fallout from taking such an exclusionary stand on this by being ‘adamantly opposed to any route that would pass through Oakmont?’ Do they really want to be responsible for putting the safety of so many people at risk by sending them out onto the highway? I doubt that a new bike path along highway 12 will happen any time soon. Do we really want a reputation of keeping others out because we are afraid of their impact on our streets?
With access to Oakmont streets, the city could save a substantial amount of money by not having to build the path along our stretch of the highway. If Oakmont refuses to work with the city on ways to incorporate safe corridors for bikes and pedestrians, what is the city’s motivation to keep up access and repairs on the bridge to Channel Drive from Stonebridge Road. What message does that send out about the community of Oakmont?
To portray our whole population as frail, challenged, unfriendly, etc. is not accurate. There are many healthy active people in Oakmont – we are called an ‘active adult community’! Studies have been done about the benefits of multi-generational contact – please let’s not act out of fear and try to insulate ourselves from one of the most popular activities in Sonoma County. I want to be seen as an elder, not elderly! I want to be a part of an open, caring, inclusive and thriving community that looks at the big picture and is willing to think of and work with others in the community to make Sonoma County a better place to live.
Kathy Kelly
Just a quick comment, as I believe the issue is that the City of Santa Rosa wants to designate Oakmont Drive as a bicycle route when the new bicycle map (?) is issued by the city. Oakmont Drive is a street maintained by the City of Santa Rosa, so bicyclists can come and go as they please–it is their legal right.
My biggest concern is the flagrant disregard I see almost everyday when bicyclists ignore the “Rules of the Road.” Please note that I have bicycled thousands of miles in my time–in almost half of the states in the US and in many countries overseas. What I see here, in Sonoma County, amazes me. Bicyclists continue to ride 2-3 abreast when cycling on Oakmont Drive–so they can chat while cycling. This is a violation of the law that requires single file as far to the right as safe. Of course, a cyclist can take up the entire lane if road conditions are otherwise unsafe–but to continue to block clear roadways because they have to socialize is really breaking the law.
I also see no signaling when turning and breezing through stop signs. On Channel Drive, if you a walker, you will never know when a bicyclist is riding up behind you–as so few bother to signal that they are there. I was always taught to ring my bicycle bell or at least yell out “bicycle on the your left”–so as to give warning to a walker that I was there. It is also fairly common to see “packs” of cyclists (on Channel Drive especially) taking over the roadway space, never mind that walkers were on the pathways and have to move aside. I also continue to see bicyclists with NO mirrors on their bike handle bars or on their helmet–they turn their heads to constantly glance what’s behind them. Very dangerous. There are all kinds of mirrors that can be mounted on a bike to provide a safe view of what’s behind them. The lack of safety equipment really scares me.
I totally agree that Route 12 is a dangerous road for bicyclists. I would not enjoy it–too many distracted drivers at high speeds–a bicyclist cannot win against the average weight of a 2-ton car. Also, there is a big wind vacuum created when big trucks drive by that can cause a nearby bike to move and become unstable. So, yes, Oakmonters should welcome bicyclists. I’m glad that folks are able to get out and bike but bicyclists need to hold up their end of their legal right to ride and abide by the rules.
Well Said!
Yesterday I was almost hit by a bicyclist who pedaled/raced through the Stop sign intersection of Oakmont Drive and Stonebridge while I was making a left turn (I had signaled and made a full stop previously). The oncoming auto traffic had also come to an appropriate stop but he just raced on.
Unfortunately, this sort of activity is much too common here in Oakmont – and is a reason why we should be “adamantly opposed to any (official listing of) route that would pass through Oakmont” and the consequences of thereof.
Those on bicycles will and can come through Oakmont, but there is no reason to encourage it with such official listing of the Oakmont pass through route.
I don’t see any advantage in encouraging Santa Rosa to designate Oakmont Drive as an official public bike route. Many Oakmont cyclists use this route and that is enough. Also some Santa Rosa residents know about this route and already use it because, as was pointed out above, Oakmont Drive is a public street. It’s not a private road, and doesn’t belong to OVA. I don’t see the value is making Oakmont Drive more crowded with cyclists which might happen if it is designated an official route and advertised on maps and websites.
I’m an Oakmonter and a bike rider and I’ve almost entirely stopped riding on Oakmont Drive because of the cars that drive thru stop signs and seem to resent sharing “their” streets with anyone on a bike. I also walk along Channel Drive a few times a week and find the bike riders to be cautious and courteous.
These aren’t our streets exclusively and sharing the road is the decent thing to do. Shame on those Oakmonters who are so quick to blame anyone on a bike. We’ve all been run out of crosswalks by “distracted” Oakmont drivers, so there’s plenty of blame to go around.
Shirley describes perfectly the way many cyclists ride through Oakmont. They are a danger to themselves and others. At the traffic safety meeting held months ago (when residents were upset about cars speeding), this topic of poor cyclist driving also came up. The SRPD officer stated that the law does not limit riding to single file, but rather, to ride “so as not to impede traffic”. Riding 2-4 abreast, even while passing parked cars, and gliding through stop signs are things I see cyclists do all too often. I don’t think riding on Hwy. 12 is safe for them, but am concerned that if more cyclists ride here, there will be accidents and trouble. Maybe once they get to Oakmont Drive or Pythian from Hwy. 12, they should turn around and go back the way they came.