Sharrows: Are you Cool with Your Kid Pedaling in Them?

With the recent addition of a share-lane along 2nd Street and roundabouts placed along Vista in Belmont Heights, Long Beach is aiming to become a “bike-friendly” community.  What do you think of these additions and modifications?  Are they ingredients for a “bike-friendly” Long Beach or a recipe for disaster?  Do you allow your kids to pedal along the green lane on 2nd Street? 

Elizabeth Borsting

 When I first moved to Long Beach it was touted as the “International City.”  Since moving here as a college student back in 1986, I’ve seen the city go through several identity crisis as city officials grapple with what exactly they want Long Beach to be.  Wasn’t it just a few years ago that we were going to market ourselves as the “Aquatic Capital of the World?”  While I think making the city more bike-friendly is a good idea, I think that strip of green paint along 2nd Street is an accident waiting to happen.  I don’t want my 13-year-old son using the 2nd Street bike lane.  I’ve seen distracted drivers and people opening their car doors and nearly missing a cyclist.  On the other hand, I love the bike path along the beach.  As a family we’ll ride our bikes down to Shoreline Village and have lunch, and I feel safe doing so with my kids. 

 Patricia Tsoiasue

 I love that the city wants to be designated a bike friendly city.  Wanting to do something is half the battle. Long Beach has an old infrastructure that didn't leave room for bike lanes.  The sharrows are an experiment.  (trying a new solution to a problem is never a bad thing).  So... Now that we've tried the sharrows... Do they work?  I've seen folks use the sharrows on occasion, but not a whole lot.  I have to admit the sharrows are a bit scary for me, and I don't think it's a good idea for kids to share the road with cars on such a busy street. I think the sharrows were an interesting idea, but really, the traffic is too heavy for bikes to use them.  If they are to work, it would be on a less congested street.  To be honest, I would find them somewhat tricky for myself.  When I think of bike friendly, I think of separate bike lanes.

Susie Ridgeway

A. I am a pretty safety conscious Mom and I would never send my kids on the green lane in Belmont Shore on their bikes.  Number 1, there are too many cars going through the Shore; Number 2, there are too many cars trying to park or get out of their parking spot and Number 3, the drivers often are in a rush and have no patience for bikes in the bike lane and they go through the Shore too quickly.  I just don’t feel the green lane is safe enough for kids on their bikes.  As far as the roundabouts go, I don’t feel they are safe right now.  Cars go flying around the round about with no consideration of the other cars, I have almost been hit a few times and now.  I try to avoid the roundabouts at all costs.  I think there needs to be some education of drivers on how the roundabouts work!