The Goleta Police Department is encouraging everyone to be alert to keep bicyclists safe. With the arrival of warmer weather, more people are biking for commuting, exercise or recreation, making it essential for all people to look out for one another and save lives.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 1,105 people killed while riding a bike in 2022, and an estimated 46,195 bicyclists were injured.
To help keep people biking or walking safe, the Goleta Police Department will conduct a traffic safety operations throughout the month focused on driver behaviors that put bicyclists and pedestrians at risk, such as speeding, making illegal turns, failure to yield right of way and stop sign/red light running.
The following safety tips for bicyclists and drivers:
Drivers
- Slow down and follow the speed limit. Be careful traveling through intersections.
- Look carefully for bicyclists and pedestrians before making a turn or opening a car door near streets or bike paths.
- Be patient when traveling behind a bicyclist and give them space when passing. California law requires drivers to change a lane, when possible, to pass bicyclists and always pass with at least 3 feet of space.
- Never drive distracted or impaired.
Bike Riders
- Use lights at night.
- Although not required for riders 18 and older, always wear a properly secured helmet. Helmets significantly reduce the chance of a head injury in the event of a crash.
- Bicyclists must travel in the same direction of traffic and have the same requirements as any slow-moving vehicle.
Yield to pedestrians, just as a driver would. Pedestrians have the right-of-way within marked or unmarked crosswalks at intersections
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office provides police services for the City of Goleta.
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Want to “share the road?” Then follow the rules. Stop at all stop signs and lights. Don’t ride side by side in the bike lanes. Stop demanding cars cater to you while you’re blowing through stop signs, pushing cars out over the center line because you want to ride next to your buddies and chat, and playing “bike racer” around schools, expecting kids to jump out of your way when you blast through crosswalks…
sharing the road, Sac? these are designated, painted, sectioned, bicycle safety lanes. Your car has no place in that lane. Your post is a little unhinged, coming from me, that’s saying a lot. You sound frustrated. Maybe some exercise would do you good, go for a bike ride. Its fun. Sounds like you don’t do it much and maybe should. Actually sounds like you have forgotten how fun it is to bike around…..i’ve been biking in SB and SB county since the early 80’s. I love it. Also, living downtown with limited parking and tiny narrow streets, driving downtown is awful. Most of us that live down here ride bikes, skateboards, scooters.
Sounds like you didn’t understand at all. Riding 2 or 3 abreast in a 4 foot wide lane prohibits cars from being able to give you a 3 foot buffer without pushing over our centerline AND it violates the law that requires cyclists to ride as far to the right as possible, which is IMPOSSIBLE if you’re riding next to your pal.
I love riding my bike, but running through red lights is not “fun,” it’ effing stupid and gets you guys injured a lot. Not to mention injuring pedestrians.
You’re the only one unhinged here, as always, when it comes to cyclists having to follow the rules of the road as they demand cars do.
….stay out of the bike path if you are a pedestrian. that alone, creates a much safer environment. Don’t push your stroller in the bike lane either, chose the sidewalks or other pedestrian areas for it. the bike safety lane is not where you should be walking your dog or kids. i see too much of this in santa barbara and it is just confusing how anyone can think that is a safe place for your dog or child.
Eh, in general – yes. But also – be flexible with this. I run in the bike lanes sometimes for a few reasons: the sidewalks are not level, people park their cars in their driveways that block the sidewalks, I have to pass people on the sidewalk, I am walking my dog and temporarily avoiding another dog…
Shoreline is particularly bad up near the elementary school – the sidewalk is narrow, and I often have to pop out into the bike lane to run past some walkers. Then some cyclists get pissed for the 10 seconds I’m in the bike lane. Take a chill pill.
that is totally fine man, i’ve never had any issues with runners….they are moving fast and in one straight direction. not like a wandering clueless pedestrian. the guys on bikes you may be referring to as well as Sac, are the ‘roadies’. The guys with bikes that cost more than my truck, fancy licra pants and all of that. They are brazen, rude, don’t follow any traffic laws, and they will use a gang mentality when they ride in a pack, side by side, and out into the car lanes. My kid and I run up from SBCC through the mesa, and we too run in the lane up around shoreline. The main focal point for people in bike lanes is downtown, the beaches, and the bike ‘boulevards’ on Bath and Castillo. Those guys are jerx of the highest order. As for your dog in the bike lane? Sorry, i do not see any legit reason to put your dog in the bike lane if there are bikes around or in it. That is creating a safety issue for the dog and rider. I’m a dog guy…have four belgians, i get it, but i also get safety and common sense.
Unfortunately, there are no “bike paths.” They are called “multi-use” paths, so anyone can use them, for dog walking, stroller pushing, running, etc. It makes sense, and provides a safe, level place for these activities – but it only discourages bikes from using them. (Drive up Las Positas sometime and count the number of cyclists on the road vs. those on the nice, new path.) The inevitable conflict is seemingly by design.
PLEASE ride single file on the 101.