I SURVIVED THE CARDIFF CYCLE TRAP! |
Bike and traffic lanes are a free-for-all near the entrance to Cardiff Reef. I found a safe moment to take a selfie. Click image on the right to enlarge. |
Last week, I strapped on my helmet and pedaled to Highway 101 in Cardiff to investigate the 1-mile-long mish-mash of curbing, striping, bollards, and green paint that’s supposed to keep cyclists safe.
I returned home without incident, but nearly two-dozen riders have not been so lucky since last spring, when our city installed the Cardiff Cycle Track, which detractors call the “Cycle Trap”. One of the accidents involved an experienced cyclist who suffered a compound fracture to his collar bone. Another caused a serious head injury that required several days in the hospital.
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Firemen on scene at a bike accident on April 29, 2020 |
Why can’t my opponent admit to the folly of this experiment? How many more riders have to be injured?
During my ride, I saw cyclists weaving in and out of the dedicated bike lane and any number of walkers and joggers cluttering the bike-only lane. One electric bike rider towed a toddler in a carrier while a second child straddled the crossbar! (top right photo)
Reckless behavior might not be the city’s fault. But City Hall and the incumbent mayor are to blame for installing an obstacle course on a busy highway and refusing to fix it. Even before design work and construction started, the process of public engagement was underwhelming at best.
The Encinitas mayor should conduct city business in the open. And the outcome of that business should not send cyclists to the hospital.
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S. Highway 101, before the changes were made. There was plenty of space for cyclists and pedestrians. Bike accidents were infrequent. |
What once was a beautiful, serene stretch of highway is now cluttered with curbs, striping, reflectors, green bollards, and signs. The $900,000 price tag does not include fees and settlements from pending personal injury lawsuits. |
THE MOTHER’S MILK OF POLITICS |
If money is the mother’s milk of politics, the incumbents have hitched themselves to a dairy. Records show a well-funded PAC is bankrolling my challenger and the two incumbent city council members running for reelection. PAC’s can provide campaigns with milk trucks full of money. The committees are a classic end-run around campaign contribution limits.
That’s why I need your help. In Encinitas, $250 is the maximum donation allowed per person. If you have donated already, THANK YOU! If you, your family, or friends are able to contribute, every dollar given will help keep Encinitas a beach town, not a big town.
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Click to request a sign and we’ll plant one in your yard ASAP! |
I would love to meet and talk about the issues that matter to you. Click below to schedule a safe, outdoor meeting or a Zoom call. |
“Encinitas can once again be a place where
citizens feel respected and heard,
where politics is less divisive and more transparent,
and where growth is attained in thoughtful, measured ways.” |
If you have questions or would like to meet, simply reply to this email. I look forward to a conversation with you and the opportunity to hear your ideas and concerns.
Sincerely,
Julie Thunder
Candidate for Mayor of Encinitas |
Thirty-five years ago, my husband and I chose Encinitas as our forever home. We made sacrifices to live here and raise our four daughters here. But it’s worth it to us because Encinitas is a special place filled with amazing people. |
My husband isn’t the only boy in the house!
Ranger (left) and Bill (right) help him keep the balance. |
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© 2020 PAID FOR BY JULIE THUNDER FOR MAYOR 2020 FPPC ID# 1425331 |
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