Dear Editor,
Unintended consequences, at least you hope it is unintended.
I have been cycling Pacific Coast Highway (this is the part that seems to be required to establish some sort of “I live here” credibility) since 1980. In the early 2000s, I cycle-commuted to work from Malibu to downtown LA three times per week. I have witnessed some bizarre situations and behaviors. The saddest incident was the death of a cyclist that was forced into the road by K-rails put up by the Jewish Center when they were doing landscaping. The cyclist was hit by a food truck and killed. I don’t remember if any charges were ever brought against anyone for this avoidable death.
History seems to repeat itself.
The speed control signs now posted along PCH may be deterrents for speeding drivers. The location of the digital warning devices is about as detrimental to safety as you could possibly conjure up. I can only imagine the meeting and planning that went into the creation and location of those signs. Did the discussion ever go to “this will force cyclists right into traffic”?
We are all saddened by the recent events and the 58 deaths memorialized with the white tires. Unless we are ready to put multiple ghost bikes (bikes painted white to note a dead cyclist) alongside the tires, then let’s figure out a better placement of those speed control warning boxes and do it now.
Whoever is responsible for locating these signs needs to get it together and stop creating problems.
As is usual in Malibu, I am sure this letter will create a backlash of anti-cyclist rhetoric. Let’s get real. Thousands of cyclists use PCH to access some of the best cycling in the world, that is not going to stop. We can stop doing stupid things to further make PCH a killing field.
Stupid is as stupid does, and the consequences of stupid in this situation are deadly.
Michael Johnson, Malibu