As a Malibu Public Safety Commissioner, I have been disturbed by the high number of bicyclists who do not follow the rules of the road. While many do obey the vehicle code, just as many do not. They run red lights, do not stop at stop signs and ride three abreast even though the law is clear about what is safe and what is not. Motorists become frustrated and rude in turn, and this leads to ugly confrontations, not just here in Malibu, but everywhere.
With summer coming, it’s important that everyone obeys the law. It is my observation, in the many years I have lived here, that rarely, if ever, do you see the sheriff giving a ticket to a cyclist. That has to change if we want to increase safety here on PCH, Latigo, Corral and other places where many cyclists congregate. Enforcement is key, and to that end I have started a Facebook page to educate cyclists and motorists alike about the rules of the road and to encourage the sheriff, CHP and LAPD to ticket cyclists who break the law. “Share the Road – Share the Tickets” is a campaign designed to promote safety and enforcement, which go hand in hand. With one exception, everyone who has heard about the campaign is thrilled. Please e-mail Captain Stephen at Lost Hills if you agree that enforcement needs to be increased at jhstephe@lasd.org.
Do bicyclists think about the fact that when they do not stop at a red light at a three way intersection like Big Rock, that this is the only time a homeowner south or north of it might be able to pull out of a driveway onto PCH safely with cars and bikes stopped at the red light? This is a winning campaign in that everyone will be safer once cyclists realize that laws for them will be enforced. Tickets will decrease and maybe even disappear as the word gets out about enforcement. The biggest payoff? Motorists will be less likely to threaten bike riders and much more willing to “share the road.”
Susan Tellem