Kordite The other day I was coming off the Parkway East inbound at the Bates Street exit down to 2nd Avenue. I stopped at the Bates St. intersection, looked right and didn't see anyone. Looked left and didn't see anyone. Started to go and then saw the cyclist right in front of me, riding the wrong way up Bates Street. It wasn't quite a "nearly hit him" but he was certainly not in the right place at the right time.
I know that Bates between 2nd and the Boulevard of the Allies is narrow but you don't improve your safety by riding against traffic.
I live off teh Blvd, so I go up Bates a lot. I ride on the sidewalk or walk - both of which are against traffic, becaseu tehre is only sidewalk on one side. The exit from the inbound parkway is harrowing either way.
Sometimes I'll get off my bike and walk across that exit - using my bike as a shield because the folks coming off the Parkway are not looking for decent, humane traffic - they are just looking for other cars.
There are times that I see no traffic either coming down the ramp nor down bates and go about 20 ftt on tthe road on the wrong side because there are curb cuts. This is hazardous.
The alternative, riding on the street with traffic? It is a very narrow street. It is a steep hill. My speed is equal to or barely faster than a pedestrian.
If I am tired or unmotivated, my speed is low enough so balance can be a problem. With drivers typically passing within inches, the associated unpredictable path could be fatal .
The cars are coming off the Parkway, so the drivers are acclimated to 80 mph speeds. The traffic, at certain times, is going or coming from to bars and parties, so the drivers are acclimated to illegal levels of intoxicants.
Oakland! Where the rookie drinkers are rookie drivers, too!
And they throw their empties on the tiny space on the road I'm supposed to ride in.
So, so for me, it's pretty clear. I'll deal with the hazardous intersection.
It is roughly equally hazardous riding against traffic or walking against traffic (as any pedestrian going up that hill must) for a few harrowing seconds rather than 5 minutes of hideous traffic -potentially fatal- conditions.
That being said, I'm glad you wrote about this. It increased my awareness. There have been times that I risked my life to avoid getting off my bike at the exit there. That's a fool's bet.
It would be nice to put a STOP sign there with a bicycle logo beneath it, a "Yield to Pedestrians" sign, and a freshly painted crosswalk there
Mick