Signs on trails could help with safety

My wife and I were enjoying our normal daily dog walk when we were almost hit from behind by a middle-aged woman cyclist on a bike. It is so nice to see people enjoying the trail that I don’t usually even comment about out-of-control kids. But this seemed so close a call that I yelled “announce before passing.” The women got irate and turned on us, spitting out venom.

Despite my regrets of upsetting her and my wife, I remembered the recent article in the Review about the City Council recently banning electric bikes. Excellent comments to the article followed including that mandates could not be enforced and that regular bikes can be as dangerous as electric bikes, which awakened a prior project that I had given up on. We need standardized signage for bike highways/trails reminding folks to:

1. Share the highway/trail, stay to the right;

2. Speed limit 15 mph, 5 mph when passing;

3. Pass on the left … sound a warning … and slow down;

4. Obey stop signs at intersections;

5. Single file always when other bikes can be seen; and

6. Use extreme care when youngsters are approaching (even when supervised by parents).

These signs could be posted at key and high-density locations and definitely at intersections. They might even be sponsored by businesses. Many more bikes are being electrified and some are not obvious (batteries in frame, etc). I’ve seen signs regarding the class of electric bikes but most do not know the classes. They permit the elderly and others with mobility issues to enjoy the trail. Consideration should be given to limit them by weight, power, speed and tire size. Motorized skateboards are especially worrisome since they don’t have brakes.

How do our neighbors and City Council feel about putting up safe biking signage?

Vic Froelicher

Half Moon Bay