Is Pershing Drive Bike Safe?

Pershing Drive has the potential to be one of the most popular bike routes in San Diego. The road is well groomed, travels through idyllic scenery and connects North Park to Downtown. Yet, cyclists often avoid traveling on Pershing Drive, because the road has a reputation for bicycle injuries. After the intersection with Florida Drive, Pershing essentially becomes an entrance ramp for the freeway. As such, motorists begin speeding up in preparation for the freeway, increasing the possibility of fatal collisions with cyclists.

If cyclists want to exit Pershing to ride to Downtown, there are two dedicated crosswalks; however, these crosswalks are located past the Florida intersection and near turns in the road. Consequently, motorists driving at freeway speeds are unlikely to see a cyclist crossing the street until it is much too late. Changes in signage, adding interior bike lanes, merge transition zones and/or a separate bike signal on the stoplight could go a long way towards protecting cyclists on Pershing without requiring extensive construction. In fact, most of the proposed interventions can be accomplished with road paint.

According to San Diego Free Press, a cyclist was hit on the section of Pershing Drive that leads up to Interstate 5. The 18-year-old cyclist was struck by a Nissan and suffered a broken leg on February 11. The next day another San Diego resident was nearly hit twice in one day while attempting to use the designated bicycle crosswalks. The resident reported that the motorists responsible for the near collisions shouted obscenities, indicating that they presumed that the near-victim was responsible for the altercation.

The attitude of many San Diego motorists, that cyclists need to stay off the road, engenders an aggressive inability to share the road safely. Motorists need to get with the times, because San Diego has approved an immense expansion of bicycle infrastructure. For everyone’s safety, it is best that motorists treat cyclists like other automobiles.

San Diego Lawyers That Handle Bicycle Accident Cases

If you or a loved one has been injured in a bicycle accident caused by a negligent motorist, the Bonnici Law Group, APC can help. Attorney Joshua Bonnici is an experienced cyclist, so you can rest assured that we are sensitive to bicycle safety. For more information, contact us. To schedule a free consultation with one of our bicycle accident lawyers, call our firm today at (858) 261-5454.

[Did You Know: In 97 percent of US bicycle accidents, there was no available bike lane, according to a national University of Texas study.]

Bonnici Law Group, APC—San Diego bicycle accident lawyer

Source: http://sandiegofreepress.org/2014/02/cyclist-seriously-injured-on-pershing-drive/#.UxY2puNdWsc, http://sandiegofreepress.org/2013/04/pershing-drive-bicycling-lets-make-it-safe/#.UxY8wONdWsc, http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/grandjury/reports/2012-2013/San_Diego_Bicycle_Friendly_City.pdf