Dear Emily,

Elmer Glasser, our former P-2B Police Officer in Alamo and last year's Alamo citizen of the year, had proposed changes to the 680 ramp crossing in Alamo and specifically at Stone Valley Road. This route is used by Stone Valley Middle School students to get to and from the Iron Horse Trail as their bike route home.

Alamo region neighborhoods have already proposed that P-2B should investigate the status of the work Elmer started with Caltrans and CCC Public Works. Further, AIA Transportation Committee Chair, Michael Gibson, will be alerted now and at the AIA Board Meeting, July 15, 2010, with request to support P-2B with CCC-PW and Caltrans. It would be further encouraged that Michael present this issue at CCC-MAC Alamo Meeting, July 6, 2010, for support through their staff relationship with Mary Piepho, CCC District III Supervisor. We should assume that this very important hazard would receive attention and CCC-PW could report results at CCC-MAC Alamo meeting July 20, 2010.

I would suggest that you contact Lt. Gwen Brady, commander of the Alamo Sheriff's sub-station Alamo, for any immediate plans to better protect bicyclists and pedestrians crossing the 680 ramps.

As a CDSI community courtesy,

Hal Bailey

This type of incident is a parent's nightmare. My children ride their bikes to Stone Valley Middle School and cross that exact dangerous spot every school day. Although they get off their bikes to walk across the freeway entrance, I am concerned about drivers that may not be so conscientious. I hope that the bicyclist is o.k. It's time for change to occur in that location!

This type of incident is a parent's nightmare. My children ride their bikes to Stone Valley Middle School and cross that exact dangerous spot every school day. Although they get off their bikes to walk across the freeway entrance, I am concerned about drivers that may not be so conscientious. I hope that the bicyclist is o.k. It's time for change to occur in that location!

Kids on bikes is one thing. But I've recently noticed, as have others, that adult bikers are getting bolder on the streets & roads. Just this week, I saw a couple of adult bikers put their hands up and blast right through a red light on Camino Tassajara as if to say to us drivers"we'recoming through."
Ridiculous& dangerous!

There is plenty of blame to go around, but these off-ramp crosswalks are a deadly idea. When you have a full four leaf clover set of ramps I'm not sure what can be done to move the crosswalks elsewhere short of building small, expensive pedestrian bridges. For sure drivers gibbering on their cell phones have put everyone in more jeopardy than ever before.

I came across this unfortunate incident yesterday morning and stopped to help (along with several others). This incident happened about 6:45 AM Thursday. The collision was between a west bound cylcist and a car traveling east on Stone Valley making a left turn on to the northbound onramp of 680 freeway. I believe the morning light may have been a contributing cause. The cylcist was wearing a helmet and is recovering thankfully. The bike was destroyed.

As far as I can tell there has never been a child struck by a vehicle here....the bold bikers are a problem....subject to a later post, I don't think they live around here and they think riding through Danville is a hoot....hate to say it but as someone who drives along Diablo Road towards Blackhawk the bikers are so reckless. I wish the Danville police were positioned in front of Pascual's (a mere 3 blocks from the station) and write these spandex clad scofflaws a ticket......I have sooo many stories about their running stop signs in front of Lunardi's....

Dear Emily,

Please maintain the focus of this exchange on the overall safety of pedestrian crosswalks and bike lanes at the 680 ramps in Alamo. If you watch drivers approaching the on-ramps, they start to accelerate into the turn onto the ramp to reach freeway speeds.

In the situation of making a left turn to an on ramp, drivers are focused on oncoming automobiles and often accelerate through gaps in traffic without recognizing the crosswalks and bike lanes need their attention.

In review of the situation, several proposals have been made for flashing warning lights or traffic lights. Such proposals for safety in the ramp crosswalks and bike lanes are invited from your readers. More importantly, focus on school children biking to and from school should be a specific consideration in planning the safety of such ramp crosswalks and bike lanes.

Hal/CDSI community courtesy

Gary,
Cyclists can be arrogant in the same exact way drivers are arrogant. How many times have you "rolled" through a stop sign or barely got that yellow light driving your car. Have you ever gone beyond the speed limit? Have you ever received a ticket?

In California, cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as drivers. With that said, those cyclists who ran the red light would have and should have received a ticket. Running a red light on a bike is just stupid and is frowned upon by other serious cyclists. Unfortunately, many drivers think cyclists don't belong on the same roads as cars and if they encounter a cyclist, they forget right of way laws and assume the biker will stop or get out of the way. Cyclists must ride defensively the same as drivers.

Several years ago, on a Sat. morning at the Farmers Mkt., my wife & I asked the Mayor (who is still on the council) - Why don't the police give tickets to bikers who run stop signs tickets? Just then a whole pack of riders (easily 20 or so) rode paat - the Maryor's answer - "As you can see, there are too many of them and most don't carry drivers licenses anyway."

Cyclist should not ride on 680 and this type of thing would not happen. Some of them desirve this. They ride on the white line and act like they own the road. I do not feel sorry for any arogant cyclists out there. They should have to pay a road use tax if you ask me! They ride in packs and try to act like the Hells Angles with their little sisst outfits!

Greg- that is a nasty, mean comment...People do not deserve to die simply because you do not like them. Additionally, if you had read the article, the cyclist who was hurt was simply riding in the bike lane on Danville Blvd trying to use the bike lane that crosses the freeway onramp. Now, ideally, it would be great to be able to get down that street without crossing the onramp, however, that is where the bikelane was put. The earlier discussion was whether it be would be possible to move the bikelane, via bridge to avoid this problem. Would you be so nasty if a child walking to school in the crosswalk was hit by a car because the driver did not see him/her? Legally, pedestrians in a crosswalk does have the right away, no matter how they are dressed.

Well Becky.........why would you put a bridge there for cyclist? You could put a STOP SIGN there..........but think about that for a minute......when was the last time you saw a cyclist obey a traffic sign or even a signal???????? They do as they please and we have to share the road with them?????? They need to earn respect!!!!!!!!!

Beckster.......the cyclist did not die! He was hit by a car because he was not paying attention to traffic. Sounds like he was crossing while people were trying to get onto the freeway. It was not on Danville Blvd. Maybe cyclists should obey traffic and traffic signs a bit more and people would feel sorry for them!

Greg,
1) He was not riding on the freeway. Have you ever seen a cyclist on 680? )
2) Would the turning car cut off another car turning right on to the on ramp? Answer...No. Therefore, they should have not cut of the cyclist. More than likely, this driver was at fault and feels terrible about the incident.
3) Unfortunately, more than likely you'll end up killing or seriously injuring a cyclist, mother pushing her baby or any other person you dont think should be on the roads or crossing the street. Your attitude will end up putting you in jail, being convicted of a felony hit and run, etc. I'm 99.99% sure of this.
4) A cyclist is protected by the same laws as cars. They dont need to "earn respect" from drivers. Geez, please read the DMV handbook or something. Your lack of education on this subject is embarrassing.

TO ALL - PLEASE SHARE THE ROAD!

i am a cyclist and racer and know a lot of serious cyclists.

to all the cyclists...share the road and don't act like an idiot.
to all the drivers...share the road and don't act like an idiot.

this is not a gang, therefore respect is something that is automatically given, not earned. it's a basic part of being a human, we have compassion/concern for others lives and well-being.

drivers in alamo and danville please be aware of your surroundings and DO NOT EVER rush to make that turn in front of a bike, whether the bike is on your side of the road and you are turning right in front of it, or the bike is on the other side of the road and you are turning left across the road and bike. i have had so many close calls and 1 trip to the er because of people hurrying to make a turn while i was riding in the bike lane and under the speed limit.

cyclists, be very aware of your surroundings, use the bike lane, and ride defensively. oh, and stop at the freakin' stop signs and lights please. the rest of us don't need people hating us because a few of us don't stop at the signs and lights.

one last thing, as a note to drivers who don't understand the cyclist's world: there may be times when it is necessary for a bike to take the lane. please understand that we don't enjoy doing this and all we want is to get out of your way. we do this only because of our own safety. usually it has to do with cars being parked along the side of the road and/or not having enough room for you to pass us at the same time. remember, we don't want a confrontation with a 2 ton car, the bike loses every time.