Yeah there have been some improvements but all basically in the past year, and it's still so insufficient, especially the proportion of bike lanes that are actually protected
Also - as an injury attorney I can say there are too many traffic accidents involving bicyclists, inattentive drivers (and bicyclists), speeding, etc. I'm not a civil or traffic engineer, but I can say that we see too many serious injury cases involving cars vs. bikes (and pedestrians too). In fact, California ranks pretty poorly in terms of pedestrian and bicycle collisions. There are too many factors to list.
Yes. I would never bike on a public street, not with all the idiots on the road. I just read about an incident that happened the other day in Rancho Cucamonga. Young intoxicated idiot speeding around traffic, decides doesn’t want to wait, passes on the right in the bike lane and takes out a 40s couple. Both dead and gone now.
Yes. It's very dangerous. Search the term "bike lane" in San Diego subreddit and you'll see a myriad of people saying that they would sooner run over a bicycle rider than wait for them while riding in the lane, even if it was a Sharrow Lane and the cyclists was entitled to be there.
I've been riding bicycles in San Diego for 15 years and the amount of times that I've been honked at, yelled at, had to slam on my brakes because of cars or people texting while walking in the bike lanes etc etc is innumerable.
I still do it because I love it but I am extremely cognizant of what's going on around me. Cell phones are generally involved (the root problem being person is using phone and not paying attention to what's going on around them) whether it's a car, pedestrian motorcycle, or even another cyclist.
I’ve been biking regularly in SD for 25 years. 99% of bike safety is what street you are on. If the cars are going 25mph or less, it’s generally a safe street. Above that speed, there must be a protected bike lane. North county streets are unsafe, and were mostly designed in the automobile era, with auto speeds way above 25 even in neighborhoods. It’s easy to find safe streets to bike around in the city.
Then there’s the hills. When I first moved here, they were daunting, now I enjoy them. I actually look forward to certain hills.
Now there’s rampant bike theft. There’s ways to mitigate it, but I wish the police would institute a bate bike program and get these guys off the streets. They are easily noticeable, scoping out your bikes. It’s in plain sight.
With all that said, I love biking in this city. Just be careful, pic your route wisely, watch your bike, get a 9+ rated Bluetooth lock so it can’t be jammed, and you’ll grow to love it too.
The short answer is that San Diego was planned around cars and freeways - things are far apart and there are few connecting surface streets.
A few reasons based on my experience -
Safety - Bike infrastructure is improving but inconsistent. Often the best and most direct route involves biking next to multiple lanes of 40+mph traffic with no protection (ie painted bike lane or nothing at all).
Difficulty - geographically San Diego is a series of mesas and valleys, so going >3 miles usually involves one or more pretty serious climbs/descents. Trolley runs close to some places ppl work but nowhere near residential areas, so even if you bike to trolley you'll still have a hard, scary ride. (Local biking is more common in flat neighborhoods like PB.)
Culture - Some folks drive real weird (and dangerously) around bikes bc they're not sure what to do and/or are not expecting a bike to be there.
It's a big county, and the quality of bike infrastructure varies *wildly*. The city / SANDAG has been going hard around downtown, Uptown, North Park area and it's starting to get to the point where you can get around pretty well in that part of town using a mix of protected or separated lanes (class 4 or class 2).
As others have said, the hills are rough and for me having an ebike is a necessity. It flattens the hills and makes it easy to get around, where I'd be panting up the hills on a regular bike.
Outside of the central urban areas, lanes get more sparse and more sketch. There's still a lot of really shit bike lanes where cars are like trying to merge on and off the freeway and they have the bike lane cross over the merge lane (Morena Blvd and Pershing both have bits like that which are terrifying).
The recent rains notwithstanding, the weather here really is perfect for biking. I think it'll keep getting better as more protected lanes are installed, but it's a slow process.
Its really sad, because i felt the same way for a short bit. I was pretty confused when I first moved here from chicago and couldn't find anywhere to lock my bike up to outside, besides a street pole.
Then my bike got stolen.
I think that's one of the biggest issues. I got a new bike, but I don't dare ride it to anywhere I know i can't take it inside and watch it.
Well, San Diego is a very spread out city. Biking in all parts can be good or bad depending where you are. For me, it's more difficult because in Scripps Ranch, there's lots of steep hills. I do however know that in areas in downtown like Little Italy and Bankers Hill they're completely redoing roads to fit in separate bike lanes.
Edit: I don't commute on bike
Sandag is doing more and more to build up the infrastructure to encourage safe commuting for bikes, and give more options for longer ways. I have a longish route for work myself, about 7 miles (and the ferry!) each way but I’m lucky because my route has a dedicated off-highway bike/pedestrian road alongside so I feel safe enough. Seems like more bike only lanes offset from the road are popping up more and more, with even specific bike traffic signal lights. Like to see that grow!
I commuted to work for thirty years, but it was only 3.5 miles each way. I'd often stretch it out a bit to get a longer ride. It was bike lane/suburban the whole way, so a lot few idiots. On the weekend I'd a 20 or 50. I pretty much stopped riding maybe ten years ago, now I totally don't ride at all except maybe a bike path like the Strand.
My opinion is the vast majority of people are way too lazy to even consider biking; even just for a couple miles. The bike infrastructure can be very good here in some areas and still not many using it; especially to/from work or running errands. I see it every day.
I just got home from a 17 mile ride from Claremont down and around the bay/fiesta island. Also ride down to the bike path up to UCSD, down through La Jolla shores, south to mission beach, back around the bay, then back home.
I love riding here, but the last hill back up to Clairemont is definitely walked!! Also roads have lots of holes right now, but the bike paths and really anywhere west of the 5 is smooth sailing. You MUST pay attention though, I’ve had my fair share of cars pulling out in front of me, driving a little close, or randomly honking at me in anger for some reason, but such is life in a city.
Have you…seen California drivers and the general mega highway based transport system? Yes - San Diego and LA should be the finest bicycling on the continent but alas, the people of California have chosen the car and seemingly never looked back. A pity, indeed.
Cuz when everyone thinks they own the road and it comes down to car vs bike, the car will always win. Unfortunately, it’s hard here to avoid people flying past you at 50mph to get anywhere on a bike
In general, the bike infrastructure isn't very good. The vast majority of the bike "infrastructure" are <3ft paint gutters with no protection, that become right turn lanes for cars around intersections, or are just straight up a "Share the road" sign that expects cyclists to be comfortable biking in 40+ mph traffic. Sure there are some nice curb-protected bike lanes here and there, but they don't form a proper network, so it isn't yet useful for too many people. It's like having a pristine asphalt freeway one mile and the next it turns into an unpaved dirt road.
The obvious solution is to invest more into bike infrastructure, though unfortunately there are too many people who believe that biking isn't a serious form of commuting, or that biking will never work in San Diego for one reason or another. (Hills aren't an excuse against biking! Many places around the world where biking is common often have unfavorable geography, the biggest barrier to biking is not terrain but safety! We need to stop being the exception.)
San Diego is attempting to retrofit streets that are designed for automobile traffic. Whole lanes have to be shared between cars and bicycles, in some cases. The city has a long road ahead of it! (Like how I worked that in? 😂)
Very limited biking infrastructure that makes it safe, places in SD being very spread out (low density), drivers not used to bikers, hilly.
We do have the weather… but that’s about it.
The bike infrastructure here is horrific lol.
This. Just a bunch of painted lines and drivers that don't respect them. Hardly any actual protected bikeways.
Yeah there have been some improvements but all basically in the past year, and it's still so insufficient, especially the proportion of bike lanes that are actually protected
Yep, and all the neighbors complain about the new bike lanes because they think they’re entitled to free street parking.
Also - as an injury attorney I can say there are too many traffic accidents involving bicyclists, inattentive drivers (and bicyclists), speeding, etc. I'm not a civil or traffic engineer, but I can say that we see too many serious injury cases involving cars vs. bikes (and pedestrians too). In fact, California ranks pretty poorly in terms of pedestrian and bicycle collisions. There are too many factors to list.
Too many factors to list, but each one involves a threat from a car. The car is the dangerous elephant in the room.
That's tragic, is the main public view that urban biking is pretty dangerous?
Yes. I would never bike on a public street, not with all the idiots on the road. I just read about an incident that happened the other day in Rancho Cucamonga. Young intoxicated idiot speeding around traffic, decides doesn’t want to wait, passes on the right in the bike lane and takes out a 40s couple. Both dead and gone now.
Yes. It's very dangerous. Search the term "bike lane" in San Diego subreddit and you'll see a myriad of people saying that they would sooner run over a bicycle rider than wait for them while riding in the lane, even if it was a Sharrow Lane and the cyclists was entitled to be there. I've been riding bicycles in San Diego for 15 years and the amount of times that I've been honked at, yelled at, had to slam on my brakes because of cars or people texting while walking in the bike lanes etc etc is innumerable. I still do it because I love it but I am extremely cognizant of what's going on around me. Cell phones are generally involved (the root problem being person is using phone and not paying attention to what's going on around them) whether it's a car, pedestrian motorcycle, or even another cyclist.
I’ve been biking regularly in SD for 25 years. 99% of bike safety is what street you are on. If the cars are going 25mph or less, it’s generally a safe street. Above that speed, there must be a protected bike lane. North county streets are unsafe, and were mostly designed in the automobile era, with auto speeds way above 25 even in neighborhoods. It’s easy to find safe streets to bike around in the city. Then there’s the hills. When I first moved here, they were daunting, now I enjoy them. I actually look forward to certain hills. Now there’s rampant bike theft. There’s ways to mitigate it, but I wish the police would institute a bate bike program and get these guys off the streets. They are easily noticeable, scoping out your bikes. It’s in plain sight. With all that said, I love biking in this city. Just be careful, pic your route wisely, watch your bike, get a 9+ rated Bluetooth lock so it can’t be jammed, and you’ll grow to love it too.
The short answer is that San Diego was planned around cars and freeways - things are far apart and there are few connecting surface streets. A few reasons based on my experience - Safety - Bike infrastructure is improving but inconsistent. Often the best and most direct route involves biking next to multiple lanes of 40+mph traffic with no protection (ie painted bike lane or nothing at all). Difficulty - geographically San Diego is a series of mesas and valleys, so going >3 miles usually involves one or more pretty serious climbs/descents. Trolley runs close to some places ppl work but nowhere near residential areas, so even if you bike to trolley you'll still have a hard, scary ride. (Local biking is more common in flat neighborhoods like PB.) Culture - Some folks drive real weird (and dangerously) around bikes bc they're not sure what to do and/or are not expecting a bike to be there.
It's a big county, and the quality of bike infrastructure varies *wildly*. The city / SANDAG has been going hard around downtown, Uptown, North Park area and it's starting to get to the point where you can get around pretty well in that part of town using a mix of protected or separated lanes (class 4 or class 2). As others have said, the hills are rough and for me having an ebike is a necessity. It flattens the hills and makes it easy to get around, where I'd be panting up the hills on a regular bike. Outside of the central urban areas, lanes get more sparse and more sketch. There's still a lot of really shit bike lanes where cars are like trying to merge on and off the freeway and they have the bike lane cross over the merge lane (Morena Blvd and Pershing both have bits like that which are terrifying). The recent rains notwithstanding, the weather here really is perfect for biking. I think it'll keep getting better as more protected lanes are installed, but it's a slow process.
Its really sad, because i felt the same way for a short bit. I was pretty confused when I first moved here from chicago and couldn't find anywhere to lock my bike up to outside, besides a street pole. Then my bike got stolen. I think that's one of the biggest issues. I got a new bike, but I don't dare ride it to anywhere I know i can't take it inside and watch it.
Bike racks are pretty uncommon in busy areas? I'm from Minneapolis and there's quite a few bike racks in public areas
You might see them at the park, but you won't find them on city streets.
I bike with several others from PB to Sorrento. It's not bad, especially since they redid Rose Canyon Bike Trail. There are dozens of us! Dozens!
Well, San Diego is a very spread out city. Biking in all parts can be good or bad depending where you are. For me, it's more difficult because in Scripps Ranch, there's lots of steep hills. I do however know that in areas in downtown like Little Italy and Bankers Hill they're completely redoing roads to fit in separate bike lanes. Edit: I don't commute on bike
Sandag is doing more and more to build up the infrastructure to encourage safe commuting for bikes, and give more options for longer ways. I have a longish route for work myself, about 7 miles (and the ferry!) each way but I’m lucky because my route has a dedicated off-highway bike/pedestrian road alongside so I feel safe enough. Seems like more bike only lanes offset from the road are popping up more and more, with even specific bike traffic signal lights. Like to see that grow!
I commuted to work for thirty years, but it was only 3.5 miles each way. I'd often stretch it out a bit to get a longer ride. It was bike lane/suburban the whole way, so a lot few idiots. On the weekend I'd a 20 or 50. I pretty much stopped riding maybe ten years ago, now I totally don't ride at all except maybe a bike path like the Strand.
Long distances and lots of steep hills. But overall it’s pretty good
San Diego drivers were ranked among the worst in the country.
My opinion is the vast majority of people are way too lazy to even consider biking; even just for a couple miles. The bike infrastructure can be very good here in some areas and still not many using it; especially to/from work or running errands. I see it every day.
I just got home from a 17 mile ride from Claremont down and around the bay/fiesta island. Also ride down to the bike path up to UCSD, down through La Jolla shores, south to mission beach, back around the bay, then back home. I love riding here, but the last hill back up to Clairemont is definitely walked!! Also roads have lots of holes right now, but the bike paths and really anywhere west of the 5 is smooth sailing. You MUST pay attention though, I’ve had my fair share of cars pulling out in front of me, driving a little close, or randomly honking at me in anger for some reason, but such is life in a city.
Every bike ride of mine starts and ends with that hill.. it builds character, or something, haha!
Have you…seen California drivers and the general mega highway based transport system? Yes - San Diego and LA should be the finest bicycling on the continent but alas, the people of California have chosen the car and seemingly never looked back. A pity, indeed.
Cuz when everyone thinks they own the road and it comes down to car vs bike, the car will always win. Unfortunately, it’s hard here to avoid people flying past you at 50mph to get anywhere on a bike
In general, the bike infrastructure isn't very good. The vast majority of the bike "infrastructure" are <3ft paint gutters with no protection, that become right turn lanes for cars around intersections, or are just straight up a "Share the road" sign that expects cyclists to be comfortable biking in 40+ mph traffic. Sure there are some nice curb-protected bike lanes here and there, but they don't form a proper network, so it isn't yet useful for too many people. It's like having a pristine asphalt freeway one mile and the next it turns into an unpaved dirt road. The obvious solution is to invest more into bike infrastructure, though unfortunately there are too many people who believe that biking isn't a serious form of commuting, or that biking will never work in San Diego for one reason or another. (Hills aren't an excuse against biking! Many places around the world where biking is common often have unfavorable geography, the biggest barrier to biking is not terrain but safety! We need to stop being the exception.)
Probably too dangerous cause you'd have to dodge all the crackheads!
I don't like biking up hills. The best biking cities are like Davis, very flat.
ebike, even though i personally hate them, its one less car on the street
They just removed 300 parking spaces along the street(s?) in Kearny Mesa. Who wants to ride their bike in that area with all the cars??
I do, cause I would like to visit all the tasty food places there. They plan to install protected bike lanes there to make it safer
Hope the protection works. What are they putting in? K rails? Or just those flimsy cylindrical plastic cones?
Cones. Better than nothing
Good luck.
San Diego is attempting to retrofit streets that are designed for automobile traffic. Whole lanes have to be shared between cars and bicycles, in some cases. The city has a long road ahead of it! (Like how I worked that in? 😂)
I was going to say San Diego isn’t all the bike friendly like other major cities.
Very limited biking infrastructure that makes it safe, places in SD being very spread out (low density), drivers not used to bikers, hilly. We do have the weather… but that’s about it.
Yes it is such a shame, because SD has some of the best year-round weather you can find anywhere.