Are You Afraid to Ride Your Bike in Highland Park?

Is fear keeping cyclists off Los Angeles' city streets? KCET Departures blogger Roadblock thinks so.

From Roadblock's recent Departures blog:

Studies show that 50% of trips made by car are less than 3 miles long. We know that not all of those trips are to carry lumber and tons of groceries. They're mostly trips to the movies, to get coffee, dinner, the book store, school, concerts - how about a bike date with peanut butter n' jelly sandwiches in the park?

So what gives, L.A.? Why won't you come out and play-ay?

The reason is pretty obvious. Fear. Not many people feel safe mixing it up with the L.A. traffic. I don't blame them. Our streets seem to encourage a kind of bipolar disorder - motorists slowing and speeding only to stop at traffic jams and red lights. Hitting the gas, then hitting the brakes then hitting the gas.

Highland Park became more bike-friendly in late 2010, with the installation of a that runs from Ave. 54 on York Boulevard to Eagle Rock Boulevard.

The city's recently approved the calls for the completion of “The Loop,” a set of connected bike lanes which would run along York Boulevard, North Figueroa Street, Eagle Rock Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard.

As it stands now though, Figueroa--Highland Park's other main commercial corridor--is without a dedicated bike lane, leaving cyclists and motorists to duel for asphalt.

Roadblock suggests that the fear experienced by many cyclists stems from both their and motorists' ignorance of the rules of the road.

In L.A., since there are relatively few bike lanes and facilities, cyclists are forced to ride in a vehicular fashion - ride in the lane as a motor vehicle would. But not every driver understands that cyclists have a right to be in the roadway, let alone expects them to be in the roadway. Likewise, not every cyclist knows how to ride in the roadway either.

As Highland Park saw last summer, this unwillingness to share the roadway can also led to between cyclists and motorists.

Are you a Highland Park cyclist? What do you make of Roadblock's assertion that Los Angeles is a bike friendly city in waiting? Have you had any frightening run-ins with motorists in the neighborhood?

Motorists, does sharing the road with cyclists cause you anxiety? Tell us in the comments.