Once again, first-hand experience proves that the streets of Laguna Niguel are clearly not as safe as the city wants us to believe. Despite hiding behind traffic statistics about how safe the streets are here, real-life shows us that things are not as safe here as touted in the official binder of statistical data that the city uses to CYA. Any of us good drivers have to be inordinately defensive on the roads here in order to avoid accidents.
Today I was hit on my bike by a car turning right, as I entered a crosswalk at Niguel Road and Marina Hills Drive. I had a walk-signal on the crosswalk, but the driver and his wife did not stop at their red light. It was only a tire bump on my bike, so I wasn't hurt, but got back onto the sidewalk, pressed the crosswalk button again, waited for my "walk" signal, crossed the street again, and then got hit by a car turning left on the light, the driver zoomed across the crosswalk while I had the right-away on the crosswalk signal. Again, a tire bump, but he, like the other driver, looked at me and just sped away.
The city manager, staff, and council members need to get out of their offices, where they sit around defending any accusations that the roads here are not pleasant and safe. I suggest they get on their bikes or walk the streets (or simply drive the speed limit) and see what life on the speedways is really like here. It's a too-wide, too-many-lanes, senseless network of outdated 1970s and 80s-style traffic planning made for speed, with plenty of self-obsessed drivers who are inconsiderate of each other, running lights and stop signs, holding their phones to their ears, who have no common respect for the law or their neighbors. C'mon, Laguna Niguel, it's time you start enforcing the existing noise and traffic laws.
And because I was hit by cars twice today in three minutes, I've finally started this blog with a consortium of fellow residents throughout the city. The important issues that are addressed in this blog have been part of our discussions for years, around the dinner table, at local events, and at neighborhood gatherings. We should have brought this to the forefront much sooner. But we think it's about time that the concerned residents of this city document the ongoing problems that the city staff and politicians are not adequately addressing through proactive management, enforcement, and positive planning and traffic changes that could make this city friendlier, safer, more convenient–and quieter–for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and residents.
As always, a ridiculous, but inspiring, day on the roads here. And I have the bruises to prove it. And we all have this blog to make change happen.
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