August
2002

Bicyclist counts show little change



Thirteen Santa Barbara intersections were subject to bicyclist counts for all six years, but the totals shown here mask the great variability at given intersections from year to year.

• Each June since 1997, Bicycle Coalition volunteers have helped the City of Santa Barbara count bicyclists at given intersections. This past June, 16 volunteers spent 2 hours at each of 24 intersections counting 3146 bicyclists—more than one a minute on the average.
• In spite of the large numbers of bicyclists—15,431 of them over the six years—there appears to be too much variation from year to year at given intersections to draw generalizations. Numbers can be added up to produce graphs like the one here, but the underlying data includes dramatic year-to-year swings for given intersections. So even though the recent 2002 counts for the 13 intersections that were counted each of the six years show a total 1% above the prior five years average, we cannot claim that numbers are increasing. The best we can say, given the variability, is that the number of bicyclists in Santa Barbara is about the same.
• Comments can be made about a few things, however. Last year, it appeared that Westside Santa Barbara bicycling was declining while it was increasing elsewhere in the city. This year's data refutes that. Westside numbers were way up and the some of rest, down. The apparent decline didn't exist.
• Last year, the Ortega bicycle/pedestrian bridge was closed for construction, this year it was open. As expected, there were 31 more bicyclists entering Ortega at the Castillo intersection this year; 23 fewer bicyclists at the nearest alternative Carrillo Street; and 33 fewer at the other alternative, Montecito Street.
• One new count added this year was in the County, where the Atascadero Bikepath meets Maria Ygnacia Bikepath: the popular paths had 204 bicyclists. That made it the fifth busiest intersection after four on lower State Street.
• One final comment. Counts have been made for two years at the Milpas Street roundabout. This year there were 132 bicyclists compared to 115 last year. It seems like Eastside bicyclists are getting more used to circumnavigation, but again it could be simply chance variation. Future counts will let us know.
• Our thanks to those who helped with the counts: Ann Lawler, Owen Patmor, Doris Phinney, Ryan Kahn, Diane Krohn, Ralph Fertig, Gary Wissman, Dru van Hengel, Lorien Davy, Jim Marshall, Pierre Delong, Bob Cooper, Erika Lindemann, Eva Inbar, Mike Hecker, and Wilson Hubbell. Without their help, we wouldn't know what's happening at all.

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“Why I love to bike commute” contest winner



Bicycle Bob's manager Matt Scrima presents a gift certificate to our Bike Commute contest winner Judy Keim. Photo by Ralph Fertig.

• Why I love to bike commute by Judy Keim
• Have you seen that commercial for a credit card where they list all these things you can get with the card and what it costs? The last thing they mention is always something like "a baby's first smile" and they say "priceless."
• That's the way I feel about biking to work. The benefits are really priceless.
• P parking is free (no hassle)
• R reducing pollution (one less car)
• I independence from need for fossil fuels
• C caring for my health by exercising
• E enjoying the beauty of Santa Barbara
• L loving the convenience
• E energy from fresh air and sunshine
• S save time by avoiding traffic jams and waiting to park
• S save $ on gas and gym memberships
• Being able to bike to work fuels my body, mind and spirit and that is PRICELESS !!!!

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Rumble strips safe for cyclists
Word from the President, by Wilson Hubbell

• Caltrans just installed rumble strips along the shoulders of Highway 101 between Santa Maria and Gaviota. Rumble strips are those perpendicular indentations along the side of the road that alert drivers who drift on to the shoulder from the traffic lane. The indentations cause vibration and sound that can be felt and heard when wheels roll over them, and drivers can then react accordingly. The indentations can also cause really difficult vibration and handling problems for bicycles.
• This section of Highway 101 is open to bicyclists, so the condition of the shoulder and the location of the rumble strip are important to us. Also, Highway 101 may be the tip of the iceberg and many more State highways may have rumble strips in the future.
• Caltrans and their California Bicycle Advisory Committee have been looking at bicycle-friendly rumble strip designs. Basically, they found that rumble strips should only be used when there is a wide paved shoulder to begin with (at least seven feet) and very narrow rumble strips (one foot wide) should be placed immediately adjacent to the traffic lane so that a "clear" shoulder at least 5 feet wide remains between the rumble strip and the edge of the pavement for bicyclists. This is now the Caltrans standard.
• I have some strong feelings about rumble strips—good ones can be beneficial to cyclists but bad ones can be deadly. Two friends of mine were killed on the shoulder of I-15 in Utah when poorly designed rumble strips (across the entire shoulder) forced them to ride on the white line between the traffic lane and the rumble strip. They were riding single file when an inattentive motorist who was searching his glove compartment for a CD struck them from behind. He slammed in to the back of the cyclists before he ever made contact with the rumble strip.
• If the shoulder on this section of I-15 had a Caltrans standard rumble strip, my friends would have been riding in the five+ foot clear area between the rumble strip and the edge of the pavement. The motorist would have made contact with the rumble strip—and been alerted about drifting toward the shoulder and the cyclists—before a tragedy occurred. What was a death sentence could have been a lifesaver instead.
• So for me, the rumble strips on Highway 101 may be more of a blessing rather than a curse. I have some concerns regarding the quality control exhibited by the contractor who installed them (and these have been passed on to Caltrans), but well designed and well installed rumble strips can be beneficial to cyclists on major highways—and the Caltrans standard is a good one.

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Planning for Goleta



Alternative design E is one of 14 new Goleta plans being considered.

• Two public workshops were held by the City of Goleta on July 25 and 30 to consider redevelopment of the Old Town area. The purpose of the workshop was to narrow the field of 14 alternative designs for the area.
• Four given conditions are in each alternative:
• extend Fowler Road to Highway 217
• extend Ekwill Street to Highway 217
• improve the San Jose Creek flood channel
• put in a San Jose Creek bikeway.
• The plans mostly consider motorized traffic flow. The main differences were whether traffic generated by the new industrial development south of Hollister would be sent north onto Hollister, or somehow onto Highway 217. Several alternatives have roundabouts, typically used as an alternative to widening roads to store backed-up traffic at signals.
• Next will be narrowing down the list to the most feasible ones for the City Council to choose from for further study. There will be future chances to speak out.

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Cachuma trail planning

• The Bicycle Coalition has been pursuing expanded trails for biking in the Lake Cachuma area. This is the first time in 50 years that the US Department of Reclamation is inviting suggestions for a revised management plan. We have spoken at meetings, and submitted a letter, newspaper articles and a 216-person petition requesting that new trails be included.
• On July 23, Coalition vice president Ralph Fertig talked with Autumn McKee, a worker for URS Corporation, the consulting firm hired to study future lake management. Fertig stressed the desirability of a complete loop around the lake although there are considerations of crossing the river in winter, security near the dam, and continuity near private property on the north shore. He suggested that volunteer workers might help to create a trail.
• McKee expressed concern about conflicts with equestrians and endangered bald eagles. Fertig commented that Vie Obern, John Venable and Chuck Anderson might all offer advice in cooperative trail sharing. He further suggested the desirability of a primitive camp site for hikers and others making a 2-day trek. As for crossing the river, a concrete path similar to the one on the Ojai Valley Trail across the Ventura River might serve well.
• McKee asked whether the Bicycle Coalition could help them identify a desirable trail route. So our question is who is willing to scout the area, look at the existing trail segments, and propose a future trail?
• URS Corporation will be creating a draft management plan late this year and a trail for mountain bikers and others will probably be part of it. Who wants a trail badly enough to work for it?

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Andy Singer

Coalition asks Maldonado for help

• The Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Bill (SB 1555) is now in the State Assembly Appropriations Committee. The Bicycle Coalition sent a letter to committee member Abel Maldonado, on June 28 urging him to vote for the bill. A response from him on July 15 stated, "...you can be sure that I will keep your comments in mind when casting my vote on SB 1555."
• The bill would levy a $4 charge on motorists' fines in order to fund a program to promote safer walking and bicycling. Earlier, the bill passed the Senate by a vote of 22 to 10. We're very pleased that our Senator Jack O'Connell voted for SB 1555. We hope our letter to him helped influence his vote.
• You can follow SB 1555 and other Senate bills under "Legislation" at www.sen.ca.gov.

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Web site visits double in two years

• Maybe it's because more people are using the web, but more likely the access increase to our web site involves links from others. Like our ad in 88 Magazine a month ago, or the Santa Barbara Car Free site that encourages visitors to bike and use other non-car transportation.
• What is clear is that access to our home page is accelerating this year. We have three 22-week periods now since 2000, the 9th-30th weeks of each year. The 2001 period was 36% greater than the 2000 one; and so far, year 2002 is 41% ahead of 2001.
• Note that our counter shows individual visitors to our home page. As people go directly to other parts of our site, our home-page counter doesn't catch them.
• 
• This BicycleWire.com news item for our bike commute contest started with a quote from winner Talin Lindsay.
• We got a boost when webmaster Ralph Fertig sent a suggestion to BicycleWire.com, a bike news site, that they list our new "Why I love to bike commute" contest winners as worthy news. And the BicycleWire manager Mark Roland in New York agreed! Although the link sent viewers directly to the contest entries, we know from our site hosting service that access to the contest page increased by six time that week.
• As online access increases, resources like our site will become increasingly important in spreading our message to the world.

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Hazardous rumble strips on 101

• In the past month or so, a private contractor for Caltrans has been grinding in rumble strips on Highway 101 between Santa Maria and Gaviota. The Bicycle Coalition believes that they violate Caltrans' own standards for rumble strips that were recently established after years of study and tests by bicyclists.
• On July 23, the Bicycle Coalition complained about the new 101 strips to Gregg Albright, director of our Caltrans regional District 5. It stated, "The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition has provided input to the Caltrans Bicycle Facilities Unit and the California Bicycle Advisory Committee for the development of the Caltrans 'bicycle-friendly' rumble strip standard." That standard provides a large, clear shoulder area for safe bicycling.
• The new Highway 101 has a variable offset into the shoulder area, reducing the space available for cyclists and forcing them to ride on the outermost edge of pavement where road debris is most likely to collect.
• Our letter ends, "We understand the value of rumble strips on State Highways and have not opposed their installation on Highway 101. We only ask that rumble strips be installed in accordance with the design standards established by Caltrans which recognize the presence of bicyclists on the shoulders."
• If any cyclists feel compromised by the new conditions, contact us. We'll be watching to see what reaction Caltrans has.

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Coalition helps with transportation forum

• This fall, the Bicycle Coalition, Community Environmental Council (CEC), Santa Barbara City College's Continuing Education program, and others will sponsor three evening forums on South Coast transportation. Details about content, time and place are still being formulated, but you can mark your calendars for October 21, 28 and November 4.
• Bud Laurent, director of the CEC, has proposed a framework that includes a history of what happened before us, what options lie ahead, what an ideal South Coast would look like, and what we might do to move toward a better future. He comments, "I hope the forum will help people—all of us—understand how the current decision system works, and how it might work."
• The Bicycle Coalition is actively working with local groups to increase recognition of bicyclists and the benefits we bring to everybody in our community. Watch for upcoming developments this fall.

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July meeting topics

• Here's a brief agenda report about what was discussed at our July 2002 general meeting:
• Elections for officers and board members were held.
• We will be holding a beach barbeque on August 11.
• A letter was sent to Abel Maldonado urging him to vote for SB 1555.
• Gary Wissman announced upcoming workshops for the City of Goleta.
• We might create a new Coalition advisory group of government staff.
• Alternate meeting times and places were considered to involve more members.
• Ralph Fertig reported the results of our annual bicyclist counts.
• Wilson Hubbell reported that there was orderly discussion at the Montecito Association meeting about upcoming N Jameson bikelanes and Ortega Hill bikepath.
• Ralph Fertig reported that the 2000 Census has yet to release separate numbers for bike commuters in SB County.
• Erika Lindemann described possible bikepaths along the railroad. Our best bet might be to get Prop 40 funding for short segments in Goleta and Carpinteria first.

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Freedom to travel

• "Freedom of movement is the very essence of our free society...once the right to travel is curtailed, all other rights suffer."
• — Justice William Douglas, US Supreme Court

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Online email lists

• There is a wealth of information offered on web sites, but perhaps as important to bicyclists are the Internet email groups that serve as interactive forums for vast numbers of special interests. The Santa Barbara has its own forum that's been around since April 1998, but there are others that you might wish to subscribe to. The following are all free and you can cancel your subscription any time:
• Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition. Covers news, ideas, opportunities and problems that are of interest to the bicycling community of Santa Barbara County.
  118 subscribers / 2 messages a day.
  To subscribe, send email to: sbbike-subscribe@topica.com
• SBBC Bike Week. Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition Bike Week list for those who want to participate in putting on Bike Week events.
  17 subscribers / 1 message a week.
  To subscribe, send email to: sbbike-bw-subscribe@topica.com
• SB County Livable Streets Coalition. We look at policy issues related to streets: speed limits, traffic calming, enforcement, sidewalks, crosswalks, traffic signals, safe routes to schools. We want streets that will accommodate all users.
  31 subscribers / 4 messages a week.
  To subscribe, send email to: lsc-subscribe@topica.com
• Transportation infrastructure affecting cycling. Covers issues such as safety, facilities design, public/corporate policies affecting bicycles, strategies for educating and informing policymakers, sharing information.
  161 subscribers / 1 message a day.
  To subscribe, send email to: facilities-n-planning-subscribe@topica.com
• Bicycle commuting logistics. Bicycle transportation issues such as equipment discussion and reviews, accident reports which illustrate valuable lessons, safe behaviors, how to pack clothes and other practical suggestions.
  353 subscribers / 3 messages a day.
  To subscribe, send email to: commute-logistics-subscribe@topica.com
• California Association of Bicycling Organizations. Issues of importance to California Bicyclists.
  119 subscribers / 4 messages a week.
  To subscribe, send email to: caboforum-subscribe@topica.com
• League of American Bicyclists. Exchange information of interest to members of League.
  255 subscribers / 1 message a day.
  To subscribe, send email to: labmembers-subscribe@topica.com

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State Street resurfacing

• SB City's Derek Rapp says that much-needed resurfacing of the 700-900 blocks of State Street will be done this Fall, then striped with wider bikelanes. The 900 block is seen here.

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Member Barbeque

• In order to provide an informal occasion for Bicycle Coalition members to meet one another outside our monthly meetings, we're having a Member Appreciation Barbeque on August 11. Members will be receiving an invitation to an afternoon at Goleta Beach County Park. Bring the family and bicycling friends with you, just RSVP as noted on the invitation. This is called the First Annual gathering and we want casual gatherings like this to continue. Please join us for the fun and food.

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Active members

• Please thank and support the following businesses that are Bicycle Coalition members:
• MarBorg Industries, Santa Barbara
• Oasis Design, Santa Barbara
• Santa Barbara Infrared, Santa Barbara
• Rincon Cycles, Carpinteria
• Lightning Cycle Dynamics, Lompoc
• We're pleased to welcome new Bicycle Coalition member Jeff Lindgren of Santa Barbara. And we're grateful to the following who renewed their memberships: Glenn Reinhart, Stuart Sato, Ellen Wall, Dennis Thompson, David Madajian, Al Leydecker, Connie Styrwoll, and Jean Anderson.

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Lee Carter, accomplished human
by Sandra Wintermoss



Lee Carter, smiling as usual, stands by entry gates to the Santa Barbara Courthouse where he works.

• When I told Lee Carter that I had volunteered to write a biography of him for the Quick Release, he responded that there had to be someone more interesting to write about. Knowing better however, I called on our long years of friendship, and he agreed to meet me for lunch to be "interviewed."
• Lee's self-deprecation masks a string of accomplishments, both personal and athletic, one quarter of which any one of us would be proud to call our own. But I had to elicit them from him during two hours of a wide-ranging conversation filled with riotous laughter.
• Let me enumerate: he has two B.A.s (one in Environmental Studies, one in Business Econ,) a law degree, and an M.A. in Tax Accounting.
• He promoted the first half-triathlon in Santa Barbara in 1979, while he was a student at UCSB. (Eight guys showed up to Goleta Beach the first year.) He later promoted many other local bicycle races, including the Santa Barbara Stage Race in 1990-91.
• In 1977 he hiked the entire 2500 miles of the Pacific Coast Trail, beginning in Mexico and ending in Canada. He has climbed Mt. Whitney, Mt. Hood, Mt. Shasta and Denali. ("That was neat!")
• He rode his first bike race in Eureka in 1987 and was in the lead group of three. They were chased for 10 miles by a rider who eventually blew past them and went on to win the race. That was Mike Pigg.
• He rode his first triathlon on a team in 1987—and managed to crash his bike. But he finished. When he saw the Hawaii Ironman in person in 1993, he was impressed by the people who finished after dark¡"the ones who had to dig into their very souls to finish." He knew he had to do it. He did the Maui Triathlon in 1994 and finally gained entry into the Ironman by lottery in 1997, finishing squarely in the middle. In 2001 he qualified for the Ironman and significantly bettered his placing—despite 40 mph crosswinds.
• In 1995 he married Anita Chamberlain at the Santa Barbara Triathlon. Anita is a city cop¡that is how they first met, while he was married to his first wife. They later rediscovered each other at the ski club and they race triathlons together. They've even done some cycling tandem racing and won Don Flanigan's Time Trial series.
• In 1987, when he moved back to Santa Barbara, he gravitated to Coastline Cycles, was recruited by Al Wanta and rode for Project W for five years. Then he was recruited by Rick Gill to ride for Diamondback. When he told Rick that he wasn't that good, Rick explained that he hadn't picked the team for their talent (although they had a lot of it), but to be good for their sponsors. They "were the happiest, nicest guys out there!"
• He was a UCSF official for years, often volunteering his services for local bike races. And he is always willing to run interference with the city police for race promoters.
• He's been a Deputy District Attorney since 1987; in addition to which he finds time to teach mock trial at Dos Pueblos High School, teach Juvenile Law at the Santa Barbara Law School and teaches for the California District Attorney's Association.
• He has drawn-up the non-profit paperwork (and usually does the tax prep) for several bike clubs and other non-profits.
• He co-owned Bikesmith's for five years—"until [he] couldn't afford to lose any more money."
• He was a founding member of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition.
• When we were having lunch—which he didn't eat, but nevertheless insisted on for paying for mine, because, he said, "you're interviewing me"—Anita called his cell about some business (they are remodeling their house). She asked him why I was interviewing him, and when he told her, she said, "couldn't they find anyone more interesting?"
• Do you believe these people? Lee Carter is one of the truly nicest men I have ever known! In fact, he's bailed me out of numerous jams. He is a man who should have a house full of kids, Æcos you know they'd turn out so great! He is a man you could trust with your life. He is a man you trust to do the right thing. As a D.A. he is out to get the bad guys. For us. But he maintains, as Anita said during a meaningless bust with a partner, "Perspective."
• I asked him how he had gotten into cycling. He said that during his first year of law school, he was taking a class in Extreme Skiing and sprained his ankle so badly that it took a year to heal. Naturally he couldn't remain inactive that long, so he bought his first bike—a Univega 10 speed road bike. He rode six miles on a bike path along the American River and thought it was great! He laughs telling the story. So he bought bike shorts and shoes and a Bell V1-Pro helmet and began commuting seven miles to school.
• When he moved to Santa Barbara in '86 and began his brief career as a tax attorney, he "tried to ride up Old San Marcos Road—and only had to get off and walk twice!" This from a man whose favorite race was the Mammoth Stage Race: five days of racing that began with the climb from Bishop (4200 ft. elev.) to the Mammoth Mountain Inn (9000 feet) with some arduous mountain passes in between.
• And I learned something I had not known, but which clearly illuminates Lee's personality: when he returned to Santa Barbara (for good this time) with no job, he went to work at Hendrickson's Bike Shop as a mechanic. How many attorneys do you know who would have made that choice?
• I asked him who was the most interesting cyclist he's ever met. That choice (after some thought) makes perfect sense: Andy Hampsten. Andy is the only American to win the Giro d'Italia and the first to win the stage up l'Alpe d'Huez in Le Tour de France. And, as Lee said, "he's a really nice guy!" Andy lives in Tuscany, Italy now and runs cycling tours. Lee wants to take Anita. I can see the two of them riding around the Tuscan Hills with a former pro cyclist, as happy as two clams. Because, as Lee explained, when I asked what cycling has done for his life, he told me cycling has made him smile. "It has gotten me out of the tin can with four wheels and allowed me to see the beautiful place where we live—and it's FUN!"