www.sbbike.org Serving Santa Barbara County
October 2009
Roberts envisions new Carpinteria trails
We’re a countywide advocacy and resource organization that promotes bicycling for safe transportation and recreation.
How to reach us Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition PO Box 92047 Santa Barbara CA 93190-2047 phone 962-1479 email info@sbbike.org web www.sbbike.org
October 6th meeting Join us for our general meeting: Tuesday, October 6th Madam Lu Chinese Restaurant 3524 State Street Santa Barbara No-host dinner 6:00 PM Meeting 7:00 PM
Online email list We sponsor a free online email forum where you can post and read messages about regional bicycling issues. To subscribe, send an email to: sbbike-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
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Join our Coalition You can help improve bicycling safety and conditions in Santa Barbara County by joining others in our bicycling advocacy group. See page 6.
CycleSmart program The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition’s CycleSmart bicyclist education program offers bicycling skills classes. Details at www.sbbike.org/ CycleSmart/ apply.html, or email coordinators at CycleSmart@ sbbike.org.
This map shows the forthcoming Palm-Linden Trail that will provide a safe passage between Linden Avenue businesses and Carpinteria State Beach.
At our September 1st monthly meeting, we were pleased to have Carpinteria’s Director of Parks and Recreation, Matt Roberts, talk about present and future multipurpose trails. What he foresees is a continuous way of travel between Rincon County Park on the east and Santa Claus Lane on the west. A lot of the trails are in place, one is about to happen, and others are still drawings or concepts. The County had received $55,000 in CREF funding in 2002 for a study of feasible ways to connect Rincon Park to Carpinteria’s blufftop trails. The city of Carpinteria has taken over the study and will soon release results. Roberts is optimistic that some connection will be made in the future. Plans and funding for a strip park next to Carpinteria State Beach are in place (see map above). The multipurpose trail will connect Palm Avenue and the Beach on the east with Linden Avenue on the west. It will provide a scenic trail for campers to access downtown businesses. Currently they have to walk through either parking lots or an industrial part of town. Another important connection is between Santa Claus Lane and Carpinteria Avenue. We’re hoping that the long-
studied link will be part of the upcoming Highway 101 widening project. Finally, there are several gaps in the Bluffs Trail, some with easements in place, some on private property without easements. Overall, Carpinteria is determined to continue to make a network of paths available for residents and visitors alike. Our thanks to Matt Roberts for his efforts.
Open Air Bicycles finds more shoppers on State Street
Bici Centro program Bici Centro of Santa Barbara is our community bicycle program, helping people who bicycle. Look at www.sbbike. org/bici/BiciCentro.html, or phone 617-3255. Quick Release is published monthly by the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, PO Box 92047, Santa Barbara, CA 93190. Subscribe for $25 per year. Issue # 216.
This shows a section of the all-weather multipurpose trail on the Carpinteria Bluffs.
Open Air Bicycles offers bikes for everybody—road, mountain, cruisers, hybrids and more. Stop by and check them out.
After decades in the old Southern Pacific RR baggage building next to Santa Barbara’s train depot, Open Air Bicycles has moved 10 blocks to a new home. It’s now at 1303 State Street, just above the Victoria Street intersection. Bike shop staff say that being located between the Arlington and Granada theaters means more walk-in traffic than they ever had before. Even though their new shop is smaller, they have been selling more since their move in early September. They are already extending their late afternoon hours to serve potential new customers. Plans are coming for more accessories and clothing. They are also continuing to offer high-end road bikes for rent, soon to be expanded to include mountain bikes.
Kinetic Sculpture Race in Ventura
Santa Maria bike plan available for comment The Santa Maria Bikeway Master Plan is online and the city is seeking comments on it from bicyclists through October 16th. The 142-page plan describes an expanded network of 139 miles of bikepaths, lanes and bike routes that connect ways of travel within the city and to destinations outside as well. Photos of each project area
are included. The plan also looks at existing facilities, regional issues, land use, commute patterns, safety, air quality, costs, and sources of funding. If you’re familiar with Santa Maria biking, go to www.ci.santa-maria.ca.us and click on “Documents out for public review.” Your comments will make it better for us all.
State/De la Vina changes bring confusion
This dragon was a 2001 race entry, pedaled through the mud by blue-robed wizards.
It’s amazing what people can create in terms of bicycle-pedaled machines. The Kinetic Sculpture Race began when artists in Ferndale, California started a crazy race of their creations in 1969. The Ventura version takes place October 24, at 10:00 AM. It’s worth the trip to Ventura to watch the teams move their “sculptures” over water, sand, pavement and a mud pit, in that order. Details at www.kineticrace.com.
Quick Release ~ October 2009 ~ Page 2
The City of Santa Barbara seized an opportunity after an asphalt overlay was installed on large sections of outer State Street. Since all traffic lanes, bikelanes and crosswalks needed to be re-striped, they altered the striping to increase overall safety at the problematic intersection Heading east on State Street, bicyclists heading straight should be safer given the new lane striping—if everybody pays attention to it. with De la Vina. is considering two additions. One is to glue The challenge for bicyclists heading east “Botts’ Dots” to the edges of the bikelanes. on State is weaving though right-turning Those are the white ceramic dots that are motorists entering De la Vina. By making highly visible and noisy when driven over. the bikelane path into a Y-configuration, The other possibility is to color the bikemotorists turning right are expected to stay to the left of bicyclists farther into the inter- lanes so they stand out. In our state, San Francisco, Long Beach, Sunnyvale, and Folsection, slowing them somewhat and giving som have been experimenting with colored them a better view of others. At least that’s bikelanes. A problem is that there are no the idea. California standard colors or materials, and Most motorists, however, just see where there is confusion over permission to install they want to go, and go there without rethem. It might be from the California Traffic gard to the roadway striping. In all honesty, they are continuing what they have done for Control Devices Committee or the Federal Highway Administration—or both. years; and the new lane striping is hard to So still be careful when biking there, and see from a distance. watch for upcoming alterations. The city is monitoring the situation and
Lompoc bike auction
Avoiding bike injuries
On September 19th, Lompoc police auctioned off lost or stolen bikes that were unclaimed for at least 90 days. Minimum bids started at $7 that goes to register the bicycles so recovery in the future will be more likely. People wrote bids on a card, not knowing what others had bid. The highest bidders were contacted a week later. The funds raised will go to provide uniforms and equipment for the Lompoc Police Explorer Post, an affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America
Some think that getting off the road to bicycle is the key to avoiding injury. Two recent studies of cyclists in Toronto and Ottawa suggest otherwise. They found that cyclists riding on sidewalks were 4 to 8 times more likely to suffer an injury than cyclists on the road. And they are 1.2 to 1.8 times more likely to be injured on a paved or unpaved multi-use path than on the road. While it’s illegal to bike on our sidewalks, many people do it, exposing themselves and pedestrians to ongoing dangers.
Meet Johan on Oct 6th Johan Montoya is the young man who nearly died in a car crash last April 2008 as he was biking to work in Santa Barbara. Come to our October 6th evening meeting and hear how his determination and the support of others helped him recover.
Bike camps and tours expand in 2009 Our Bicycle Coalition has kept an ongoing online list of events and meetings since 1991. While it doesn’t capture or encompass all bicycling activities, it does a good job of listing main ones, and offers a rough measure of what is changing. What is so striking is that the number of bicycle tours and camps/clinics/workshops has greatly increased the over past three years, as shown in the graph of events listed on our website over the past decade. The four categories are defined as follows: Camps. These are workshops, camps and clinics where participants learn and hone their bike skills. Example—our Street Skills for Cyclists class.
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A youth mountain biking camp was offered several times during the summer at Elings Park. Photo by Christine Bourgeois.
Tours. These are pleasure multi-day rides, typically escorted and with options for beginners and more advanced cyclists. Example—the six-day Solvang Wine Country Tour by Cycling Escapes.
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Wet Willy Sez
by Wilson Hubbell
Dear Wet Willy: Can you say a word or two about cyclists riding on the wrong side of the road? It seems to be a continuing problem, even though it’s illegal and dangerous. — Pierre Dear Pierre: “Wrong way” riders are a particular hazard for those of us who ride lawfully because we encounter these folks as they careen directly at us. Like you’ve said, it is illegal and dangerous for those who ride this way—and “wrong-ways” make it dangerous for us to be on the same roadway with them. There may be several reasons for people to be cycling on the wrong side of the road: (1) Some don’t know which side of the road to be on, but that should be evident by simply watching most other cyclists. (2) Some claim to feel safer facing traffic, like pedestrians are supposed to do, but cyclists are not “pedestrians on wheels” and accident statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that riding a bicycle while facing traffic is particularly dangerous—and so it is now illegal throughout the United States. (3) As children, some were taught to ride facing traffic, and there are still those who wonder why most of us are “breaking the rules” by riding with traffic. (4) Some just don’t care. What can be done? Education and enforcement are probably most effective. Wet Willy makes it a point to politely “educate” those wrong-way riders that he encounters on our local streets. You can do the same, but be gentle; they may have been taught to ride facing traffic… “Wet Willy” is an advice column authored by Coalition Vice President Wilson Hubbell. Please submit any questions you have about cycling issues to him at wilsonhubbell@aol.com.
Rides. The number of rides has stayed about the same over the years. They might be charity rides or bike club rides. Example— the Solvang Century that attracts thousands.
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Races. These are timed competitive events. Example—Mothballs Criterium organized by Echelon Santa Barbara.
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The increase in tours has certainly been fueled by professional cycling teams training here, and publicity from four years of Tour of California races. It may also reflect challenging economic times where people are seeking active, lower-cost vacations. Certainly more people are biking than before (the 2008 American Community Survey tells us that bike commuting to jobs has increased 43% since 2000), so more people are comfortable riding their bicycles. During 2009, there are eight companies offering 32 bike tours, typically with days in both the Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Barbara. Last year, there were five companies offering about a dozen tours.
September Coalition meeting topics Our September 1st monthly Bicycle Coalition meeting was held at noon in Downtown Santa Barbara, with 19 participants talking about these topics: g Rosemarie Gaglione and Gerald Comati updated us on bicyclist accommodation on the new Los Carneros bridge over the UPRR. They are planning both bikelanes on the road and a separate bikepath on the south side of the road. Construction is expected to begin in 2011. g Adam Fukushima, the new Caltrans District 5 bike guy, talked about his job that serves five counties. After the meeting, Ralph Fertig and Wilson Hubbell took him on a bike
tour of area facilities. Matt Roberts from the city of Carpinteria talked about current and upcoming trails in the city.
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Courtney Dietz from COAST is organizing pedestrian/bicyclist counts at Santa Barbara intersections
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Ed France noted that a short video about Bici Centro was showing on public access channel 21.
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New roadway striping on De la Vina, and shoulder parking on Foothill Road, were described and discussed.
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Bike Month 2010 is coming!
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Quick Release ~ October 2009 ~ Page 3
Foothill suddenly has resident parking For those who have been following the drainage and roadway shoulder construction along Foothill Road west of Mission Canyon in Santa Barbara, you may have been surprised by new designated car parking along the shoulders. “It’s only temporary,” says the County’s Matt Dobberteen. They are part of a threemonth trial to determine how safe they are. If you bike there, let Matt know what you think. Phone him at 568-3576 or email him at matt@cosbpw.net.
Bike Month in 2010
Bici Centro seeks bikes
For years, we’ve organized a Bike Week of activities, and with more people bicycling now, we are going to expand it into “Bike Month” next year. The name may be different, but it will be in May. We’re looking for businesses or groups who will oversee individual events during the month. If interested in joining the oversight committee or crafting a Bike Month event, phone Ed France 252-9064.
Our Bici Centro community bike program is seeking donations of your unused road bikes. It will balance out the demand for all kinds of bicycles that they refurbish and pass on to new users. If you have bikes or accessories or tools, phone 617-3255 to confirm the need and good drop-off times. Bici Centro, located at 601 East Montecito Street in Santa Barbara, has classes and open shop hours as follows:
“The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” — Albert Einstein.
October bike meetings and events October is one of the nicest biking months in our area. The following are condensed descriptions. Our website has ongoing updates, details, and live links to event sites at www.sbbike.org/meet/meet.html. October 1, Aeolian Ride, sponsored by our Bicycle Coalition and the Community Arts Forum. This ride in Santa Barbara entails a train of bicyclists sporting white nylon outfits that billow as they ride. October 3, Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, sponsored by Santa Barbara Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers. For kids aged 9-15, and parents, this builds an appreciation of the outdoors. Elings Park, Santa Barbara, at 12:00 noon. October 6, Bicycle Coalition General Meeting, sponsored by our Bicycle Coalition. This is an evening meeting at Madam Lu Chinese Restaurant, 3524 State Street, Santa Barbara. No-host dinner at 6:00 PM. Meeting at 7:00. October 10, Family Bike Tour, sponsored by Santa Barbara Natural History Museum. This 2-hour ride for adults and kids goes from Foothill School to Goleta Beach and back, stopping to learn about natural and historical features. Starts at 9:00 AM. October 11, Santa Barbara Duathlon, sponsored by Santa Barbara Action Pro. This runbike-run event out of Santa Barbara’s East Beach offers 30K or 17K bike rides, through Montecito and Summerland. October 18-23, Morro Bay to Santa Barbara Tour, sponsored by Santa Barbara Wine Country Cycling Tours. Two nights in Morro Bay, two in Santa Ynez, and one in Santa Barbara with guided cycling every day. October 18-24, Solvang Wine Country Quick Release ~ October 2009 ~ Page 4
Tour, sponsored by Cycling Escapes. Each day has a challenging ride, totaling 409 miles over six days, with 26,000 feet of climbing. Base hotel is in Solvang. October 20-25, Santa Barbara & the Santa Ynez Valley Bike Tour, sponsored by Woman Tours. Three nights in Santa Barbara and two in Santa Ynez with rides of 22-69 miles. October 24, Epicurean Century, sponsored by Lighthouse Cycles and Jalachichi Cycling Camps. This special ride features 70 miles of superb food and cycling in the Santa Ynez Valley. October 24, Kinetic Sculpture Race, numerous sponsors. This fun race with humanpedaled “sculptures” that have to successfully navigate roads, sand, mud and water. Ventura harbor. October 24, Classic Climbs of Santa Barbara, sponsored by Trek Travel. Ride options 15-60 miles each day with climbs averaging 2900 feet. Three nights in Santa Ynez, then three in Santa Barbara. October 26-31, Santa Barbara & the Santa Ynez Valley Bike Tour, sponsored by Woman Tours. Three nights in Santa Barbara and two in Santa Ynez with rides each day 22-69 miles. October 27, COAST General Meeting, sponsored by the Coalition for Sustainable Transportation. Meeting at noon in the Community Room at the Santa Barbara Bank and Trust building, 1021 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara. October 31-November 1, 24 Hours of Chamberlin Ranch, sponsored by SG Productions. This 24-hour race begins at 11:00 AM on Saturday. Camping, music, food, outdoor movies, and good times.
Mondays, “Learn Your Bike” classes, registration required, 7:00-9:00 PM
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Tuesdays, volunteer only night, 5:00-9:00 PM
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Wednesdays, open shop Spanish-speaking only, 4:00-7:00 PM
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Thursdays, open shop 4:00-7:00 PM
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Saturdays, open shop 1:00-7:00 PM
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David Byrne talks Singer David Byrne of the Talking Heads has published a book “Bicycle Diaries” that muses on our world as seen from a bicycle seat. Byrne takes a folding bike with him on his tours around the world, and after his rides, he wrote about the people, buildings, events, and cultural differences that he saw. Bicycle Diaries is more a meditation on culture than a travelogue, and the bike is Byrne’s catalyst. On a bike, Byrne observes that people see a lot more than through a freeway car window. And the bicycle, he notes, is often as fast as a car in today’s cities. He lauds human-scale, mixed-use buildings with public spaces and fewer parking lots. “Parking lots and structures are dead real estate—they bring no life into a city and I’d be happy if there were a lot fewer of them.” As with his singing tours, the book jumps around, but Byrne always has interesting observations to talk about. You can buy his book anytime and you can read his ongoing blog about life at http://journal. davidbyrne.com. Finally, Byrne is recording his Bicycle Diaries with street sound effects. When it’s out, you’ll be able to download chapters for your iPod or other player.
CHP recommends charges in fatality
100 million bike sharing rentals
Last July 25th, Erik Okerblom was struck and killed while he was biking on Telephone Road east of Orcutt. The 19-year old driver, Kaetlin Edwards, hit Okerblom from behind about 7:00 PM with her truck going 60 MPH. Okerblom was a graduate of St Joseph High School in Santa Maria, and was going to be a sophomore at UC Berkeley. Matt Olson, the commander of the Santa Maria CHP, has sent the case to the county District Attorney’s office for possible prosecution for misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence.
JCDecaux, the largest supplier of self-service bicycle sharing programs, announced that their rentals have exceeded 100 million since they started in Vienna in 2003. They currently serve 60 cities. JCDecaux installs and maintains the systems in exchange for rights to place advertisements on billboards, transit stops, and elsewhere in the partici-pating cities. Their electronic payment system enables users to subscribe for a day, week or year. Typically, the first half hour or each trip is free. Other bike sharing providers include Comcast and Bixi.
Measure B and bikes by Ralph Fertig
At first glance, the intent of Santa Barbara’s Measure B—to decrease the 60-foot height limit of buildings to 40 feet in the Downtown—seems reasonable. A lot of our signature buildings, however, couldn’t be built, and the resulting three-story limit would reduce the number of apartments—and raise the price—for Downtown workers who would otherwise walk or bike to work, shop, dine, and so forth. A ballot-box charter amendment is not the way to watchdog development. We have commissions and committees, and the current Plan Santa Barbara process that can serve our city well.
We thank our active members Please thank and support these Bicycle Coalition business members: Bicycle Bob’s, Santa Barbara Nett & Champion Insurance Services, Santa Barbara g Pedal Power Bicycles, Santa Maria g Hazard’s Cyclesport, Santa Barbara g Chris King Precision Components, Portland, Oregon g Santa Barbara Pedicabs, Santa Barbara g Santa Barbara Bike Repair, Santa Barbara g WheelHouse, Santa Barbara g Santa Barbara Bikes To-Go, Santa Barbara g g
We welcome new member: Kenneth Hershberg. Plus, we appreciate those who renewed their memberships: Adrianne Davis, Paolo Gardinali, Tony Johansen, James Elliott, John Cinatl, Peter & Lisa Schuyler, Paul Wendt, Jon Lewis and Susan Beatty.
US bicycle funding nearly lost
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The federal Transportation bill has gone through a rough summer. The current six-year SAFETY-LU transportation act expires on September 30. Both the Senate and House have passed stop-gap appropriation measures that continue funding, and the chambers are now trying to bring them into agreement. The Senate version calls for an 18-month extension, while Representatives James Oberstar (MN) and Peter DeFazio (OR) want a 3-month extension. On July 30th, Senators Tom Coburn (OK) and John McCain (AZ) released a report that criticized non-highway transportation spending, singling out bicycle and pedestrian projects as unnecessary luxuries. That was followed by several proposed amendments from Coburn, one of which would eliminate funding for “Transportation Enhancements” that have been a major source of our local bike and pedestrian projects. We’re pleased that California Senator Barbara Boxer gave a passionate speech against it before her vote. Both of our Senators Boxer and Feinstein voted against the amendment, that was finally defeated by 59 opposed and 39 for. We followed up with letters thanking our senators for their votes. It’s still disconcerting that 39 US senators felt that bicycling and walking are trivial means of transportation, and all federal funding should go into roadways. Quick Release ~ October 2009 ~ Page 5
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Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition President, Ralph Fertig, 962-1479 sb-ralph@cox.net Vice President, Wilson Hubbell, 683-1240 wilsonhubbell@aol.com Secretary, Mark McClure, 967-5031 mcclure606@yahoo.com Treasurer, David Bourgeois, 899-3728 daveb@alumni.caltech.edu Director, Judy Keim, 687-2912 jkpedpad@aol.com Director, Don Lubach, 722-2349 dlubach@mac.com Director, Ed France, 617-3255 edfrance@bicicentro.org Director, Michael Chiacos, 284-4179 mchiacos@cecmail.org
Director, Erika Lindemann, 569-1544 eglindemann@gmail.com Advisor, Dru van Hengel, 564-5544 dvanhengel@SantaBarbaraCA.gov Advisor, Matt Dobberteen, 568-3000 matt@cosbpw.net Advisor, Lori La Riva, 961-8919 llariva@sbcag.org
Road repair contacts
Caltrans www.dot.ca.gov/maintform.html Carpinteria Charlie Ebeling, 684-5405 x402 cebeling@ci.carpinteria.ca.us Goleta Bob Morgenstern, 968-6869 morgenstern@cityofgoleta.org
Lompoc Larry Bean, 736-1261 l_bean@ci.lompoc.ca.us Santa Barbara City Dru van Hengel, 564-5544 dvanhengel@SantaBarbaraCA.gov Santa Barbara County Matt Dobberteen, 568-3576 matt@cosbpw.net Santa Maria David Whitehead, 925-0951 x227 dwhitehead@ci.santa-maria.ca.us Solvang Brad Vigro, 688-5575 bradv@cityofsolvang.com UCSB Dennis Whelan, 893-7009 dennis.whelan@planning.ucsb.edu
Shop discounts Bicycle Coalition members benefit from discounts at local shops. It’s another reason to join. To get your discount, take your copy of Quick Release to the shop and show them your address label or cut out the label box and take it. Discount details are online at www.sbbike.org/SBBC/who.html. Bicycle Bob’s 250 Storke Road #A, Goleta 15 Hitchcock Way, Santa Barbara Bicycle Connection 223 W. Ocean Avenue, Lompoc Hazard’s Cyclesport 110 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara Lighthouse Bicycles, Santa Ynez phone 688-6385 Main Street Cycles 311 East Main Street, Santa Maria Open Air Bicycles 1303 State Street, Santa Barbara Pedal Power Bicycles 1740 Broadway, Santa Maria True Flight Cycle Works 416 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara VeloPro Cyclery 633 State Street, Santa Barbara 5887 Hollister Avenue, Goleta