Geo Duarte
By Geo Duarte
Vehicle Collision, at Cabrillo Blvd. and Helena. 06/21/23
Recently there have been several bicycle, E bike, and motorcycle accidents and incidents in the S.B. area. Cabrillo Boulevard, is often the scene of many collisions and near-misses. Additionally and separately there was a report of a speeding motorcycle around the same time on Cabrillo.
At 5:14 PM, it was reported that a vehicle may have hit a bicyclist. The adult rider suffered scratches and bruises to his knees and possibly a serious injury to his left arm and shoulder.
It is officially summer, and the downtown areas are teeming with life, much mixed-traffic. People, bikes, E bikes rental vehicles, skate borders, and tourists along with other alt-ped. vehicle types are in a constant flux, plus the evident car-traffic.
Enjoy Summer, and be safe out there. Also, in hopes that the young man recovers quickly and his injuries are not more serious.
here is a solution. if you’re on a bike. you stay on a bike safety lane. if you’re in a car, you stay in a car lane, if you’re a walker, you stay OFF of the bike path, OFF of the roadway and ON the sidewalk. There is no mixed use path. It’s a bicycle safety lane for a reason. sidewalks are pedestrian safety lanes. you want to walk safely, stay on the side walk.
*Eventual. The Eventual-High-Tides or Tsunamis. NLOL
As per the logic stated. I then wonder, shall all sidewalks have K-Rails to prevent most cars from ever crossing. Should all Bike paths have concrete dividers? IDK, I would hate to get pinched against either.
Although, evident high-tides and possible future Tsunamis could be slowed by such multiple barriers. Just thinking, and sharing..
The issue with mixed collisions may just be Summer Density of Traffic, People, and maybe the relaxed enforcement on Alt-Ped traffic (Onewheel Electric Boards, Remote E-Skates, E-Bikes, Etc.) So much to ponder??
The path is signed as a beachway.
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.4119605,-119.6888458,3a,75y,62.44h,87.83t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0GQ2Dzf9SScWAiF4CVsprA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu
Can we also use the picture that was sent in and is closer to the scene? The one with the blurred out faces. Thx.
Cyclists: get off the street, use the bike path! Pedestrians: get off the bike path, use the sidewalk! Everyone: open your eyes, and ride/walk/drive defensively! There’s room for us all.
the bike path is a BIKE path. If you want bikes and cyclists staying off the SIDEWALKS, then peds need to stay off the bike safety lanes. Pretty simple. people that refuse to acknowledge a bike path for being just a bike path are the ones causing the issues. You, your stroller, your doggies all walking on a bike path when you have a side walk about 5 feet away that is over 3 times the size, but you still want to walk on the damned bike path and cause problems. Watched three fools walking side by side on the beach bike path yesterday. Two college age guys on the path called out for them to move aside, the people refused to move. A few words were exchanged, one of the pedestrians got in the face of the kid on the bike and hands were thrown.
This happened in front of several people.
You or anyone who thinks it’s ok to redefine things to their liking are just self entitled fools of the highest order. The city built a bike safety lane for BIKES, so they are safe from cars and away from people.
Since 1986 I’ve been using marine air horns and squirt guns with cheap perfume to ward off idiots walking on the bike path. I will continue to do so every moment I can.
Pedestrians don’t need to “get off the bike path.” We all call it “The Bike Path,” but in reality it is a “beachway” and is for multi-use and meant for bicycles, skateboards surreys, any and all pedestrians such as tourists, dog walkers, parents with baby strollers, etc. (Please note that I am addressing the Cabrillo Beachway specifically.) *****************************************
What we do need to change, is to get **motorized** vehicles off the beachway and all other multi-use paths. E-bikes, which each can weigh up to 160 lbs + weight of rider, and can achieve speeds of anywhere between 28mph to over 70mph, have no place on the beachway ——– or on any route/path which is designated multi-use. Not only E-bikes, but also motorized skateboards (aka E-skates and gasoline-powered skates) and other such motorized vehicles do NOT belong on any multi-use paths. Allowing motorized vehicles on multi-use paths is not only a hazard to users, it is downright dangerous.
At Cabrillo, cyclists are allowed on the street. The sharrows showing that are clearly marked. The bike path is actually a signed “multi-use path”. Now, if only the cyclists would get off the darned sidewalk. Every time I’m down on the sidewalk on Cabrillo, there are people on bicycles. Two choices: road, or bike path. Pick one.
You are correct that it is not in fact a dedicated bike path. But the practical and common sense reality is that it is a crap place for pedestrians and dogs. Why wouldn’t people just walk on the 4x wide unused sidewalk ten feet away.
There’s the technical truth of it and then the practical reality.
Not to be a stickler, but on most of the way (from Stearns to East Beach), the sidewalk is not five or ten feet away, it’s over 200 feet away at most, 60+ feet away at best from the sand adjacent multi use path. While it should be a no brainer for folks walking along West beach to use the sidewalk, the rest of the path is much further from the sidewalk and should be widened and modified to safely accommodate everyone.
I second the gist of Sacjon’s comment. Walking is technically permitted on the Beachway, and on the parts that run through the beach, it’s completely understandable why people walk there, rather than over next to the busy road.
and that thinking is what causes problems. self entitled decisions like this. Ok Mini, you go a head and keep walking on the bike path, in the bike safety lanes and I’ll make sure to cruise on the sidewalks until i see people like you staying off of the bike path. seems fair to me.
Class 2 ebikes can sustain 20 mph with just a turn of the throttle … very few cyclists can or will maintain that speed. Also Class 2 ebikes weigh considerably more than human-powered bikes; more momentum = more danger.
Mini, ebikes are just bikes so get off it. they are class 2 bikes and no faster than my human powered mountain bike. I go 5 mph faster on my non ebike. Seems like you’re so out of touch with biking that perhaps you should observe and research rather than spout off nonsense.
What we need are people like you to just stay off the damned BIKE path. You want to be free of bikes and scooters and skateboards, pretty damned simple. stay on the sidewalk. otherwise you are pushing bikes and scooters and skateboards OUT of the bike path and onto the sidewalks. It’s mind numbing that people like you want to sit here and argue with facts and reality.
ZERO, your opinion here does not matter. The Cabrillo path is SPECIFICALLY SIGNED as a BEACHWAY, for bicyclists and others – “use with courtesy and caution”.
https://www.google.com/maps/@34.4119605,-119.6888458,3a,75y,62.44h,87.83t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0GQ2Dzf9SScWAiF4CVsprA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu
The municipal code prohibits bicycling on a sidewalk. It’s illegal.
https://library.qcode.us/lib/santa_barbara_ca/pub/municipal_code/item/title_10-chapter_10_52-10_52_030
“E-bikes, which each can weigh up to 160 lbs + weight of rider, and can achieve speeds of anywhere between 28mph to over 70mph”
Class 1 e-bikes: pedal assist, max speed 20 mph. Class 2 e-bikes: throttle, max speed 20 mph. Class 3 e-bikes: pedal assist, max speed 28 mph.
E-bikes on the heavy side come in at around 80 lbs.
SNICKER: “Are electric bikes heavy to lift?
You can expect a minimum weight of 44 lb and, in some cases, up to 160 lb. This weight can be an inconvenience if you have to carry your e-bike on the stairs several floors up to your apartment. It is also a problem if you have to lift it onto a rack or train. (source: delfastbikes.com)———————–And: “The HPC Revolution XX is the type of e-bike you look at and immediately begin to wonder if e-bikes are getting slightly out of hand. The Revolution XX is the world’s fastest e-bike, with a top speed of 74 miles per hour (tested on a dry lake bed), thanks to an output of 10,000 watts, or 13.4 horsepower. The crazy part is that you can even pedal along at that speed—yikes!” (source: makeuseof.com)
The handle bars, were, bent on the bicycle. The guy seemed pretty lucky. The SUV driver stayed on-scene. Unsure of total injuries. The next day, is said to be, when you feel everything. Eeesh!
Is the SUV next to the ambulance the involved vehicle, anyone??
Pictured, the bicyclist is sitting on the sidewalk being advised by Medics. He is already wearing an arm sling as the image shows.
The extent of any possible injuries is never immediately known and advanced assessment and imaging is always advised. Even if You feel relatively OK, take advantage of our local level-one-trauma-center. SBCH can quickly deal with almost any diagnostics and possible injuries.
I have witnessed several varying incidents in my life. Internal ruptures are the worst. You think Your fine, yet a ruptured lung, ruptured spleen, even a brain aneurysm can slowly become the most life threatening circumstance, if not dealt with ASAP.
The worst is the fact that ‘a stroke is no joke.’ Unrelated of course, yet, in need of constant mentioning. Remember the Acronym FAST, Face drooping, Arm numbness or tingling or inability to move limbs, Speech difficulties, then it’s Time to call 911, immediately. # Edhat #KZAANEWS
I was hit by an SUV (driven by a short elderly woman who could barely see over the dash, never saw me in the bike lane and was unaware that she hit me but did hear a noise and was flagged to stop by the woman behind her) while cycling. I almost declined the ambulance ride to the hospital but the paramedics and police talked me into it. Good thing–I had torn a vessel in my knee and could have ended up a lot worse than the massive hematoma I’ve had for 5 months.
Zero hawk, I assume you are writing about the Cabrillo “ bike path”. That “ bike path” is called officially a “ multi- modal” pathway. It was not designed for exclusive use by just a transportation “mode”. So maybe get your facts right before spouting some juvenile bs.
I don’t think you would want to air horn me or spray me with cheap perfume if I was on the path.
That said all people on the path need to be aware of their surroundings.
hey, lets do some research then. I’ve been here using that BIKE path since 1982. Just until the past 20 years did someone think it would be great to cause problems and change the signage. You are a pedestrian, you should be walking on the side walk. If you’re on a bike, scooter, skateboard or other means, you’re on the bike path. this is done so pedestrians and people moving faster, don’t get into accidents, but it seems some of you just want to continue creating the same damned problem that you’re here complaining about. So go a head and keep walking in the bike path, impeding others and being self entitled. I’ll actually start riding on the sidewalk now. I’ll do this with kids, friends, family until people stop walking on the bike path. You have a sidewalk 5 feet away that is 3x the size. Ever wonder why there are marked lanes and directional arrows? Yeah think about that too….
“It was not designed for exclusive use by just a transportation “mode””.
What makes you think that? It was in fact *designed as* a bike path but was later redesignated.
That said, I recommend this guidance:
https://www.calcoastadventures.com/santa-barbara-bike-riding-guide/
“Starting from the same east beach parking lot as most of these bike routes you’ll have the choice of bike lane or bike path. If you prefer to be off the street and don’t mind a slower pace you’ll enjoy the Cabrillo Bike Path. If you prefer speed you’ll want the bike lane on Cabrillo Blvd where there aren’t pedestrians and fewer cyclists.”
Salsa guy, you are absolutely wrong about the origins of what is now called the beachway. It was indeed designed and constructed as a bike path, and was clearly labeled as such with markers imprinted into the pavement itself. It was only after the emergence of the surreys and then the almighty turista pedestrians that conflicts arose between these usurpers and the cyclists. The city, for all their stalwart wisdom, caved and rebranded the erstwhile bike path into something called a beachway. So yeah, despite the near-adjacent sidewalk with three times the width (or whatever it is), people still think they have to walk on what is the only safe path designated for cycling in that area.
As an alternative to the harsh marine air horn or stankful cheap perfume squirt gun, I use a wooden choo-choo whistle. Always gets their attention and maybe even a chuckle, especially with the real train tracks so close by.
Seems they should switch the bike path and sidewalk on Cabrillo. The cyclists shouldn’t be the only ones able to be right along the ice plant with unfettered views. That is why so many tourists use it, knowingly or unknowingly. The side walk gives great views….. of drum circles and homeless drama. I know everyone is going to hate that idea, but just a thought. No one wants to stroll along one of the most beautiful stretches of our city on that sidewalk with cars on one side, miscellaneous weirdness and sometimes drunken brawls on the other. Bikes already have 2 paths, maybe give the nice one to the people slowly enjoying the view? Or…. add a 3rd lane just for pedestrians? Pushing our cash cows and those who pay out the nose to live here to the nasty sidewalk just isn’t super cool.
Sorry, Zero, I have a feeling I’m about to get honked at or sprayed lol!
LETMEGO – Yeah, I think a 3rd lane, dedicated to pedestrians/joggers, would be a good solution. Perhaps even have a low curb separating it from the bike lane to keep the different users out of each others’ lanes?
This has been a contentious issue my whole life here (since birth in the 70s). I remember seeing a jogger and a cyclist get in a full on brawl as a kid after the cyclists kept bumping his front wheel into the jogger trying to push him out of the way. That dude on the bike went down, hard lol! Sorry, I digress, but still…. there has to be a solution. Everyone wants to use that path. It’s a beautiful thing and sharing it shouldn’t be such an issue. I’ve yelled at pedestrians as I biked along it as a punk kid, and then yelled at cyclists when I walked along it with elderly grandparents who wanted to marvel at the view. People need to stop being such jerks on that path, BOTH types of users.
Cyclists – if you want to get from A to B as fast as possible, use the path in the street. The ocean side path is not a velodrome or racetrack.
Pedestrians – if you want a leisurely stroll along our beautiful coastline, don’t be oblivious to the others around you.
City of SB – Give it a 3rd lane so everyone can be happy.
Honestly, the multi-use path has enough space to even add a lane, much like they’ve done out by Channel drive – one lane for walking and two lanes for bikes.
I do like the idea of a 3rd lane, it seems to mostly work out pretty well up behind Ty’s place. Of course, it would be only a matter of time before it got clogged with parklets 😀
OMG you all just need something to argue about! The bike path down there has always been a commingled mess! What serious bike rider rides n that? None. That’s what the bike lane is for! I have lived here since my beginning and it has been like that from the start. If you’re a serious rider, you ride in the bike lane and worry about car doors, not the peds.
“OMG you all just need something to argue about! ”
Hypocrite much?
The “multi-use path” was originally designed as a bike path and was for bikes only. There are all sorts of people on bicycles and many of them aren’t “serious” in the sense that you are using it.
We need better bike infrastructure. It’s so clear.
We’ve got more and more paralyzing traffic, with SUVs pumping out fossil fuels at red lights, and 80% of the trips could/should be bike or electric assisted bike if the infrastructure were safe and smart (with reasonable bike traffic laws we haven’t yet grown into).
We CAN save the environment. We CAN address the housing crisis and support higher density without it being an environmental and quality of life fiasco. We CAN Evolve and Be Beautiful and Keep LA 100 Miles Away. Biking is a big PART of the needed solution… not all of it, but a quality part.