Once a week, my wife, Pat, and her friend, Judy, drive up Highway 101 from San Diego to Oceanside. The compelling reason for using 101 rather than I-5 is the Pacific Ocean. When the sky is cloudless and blue, the ocean is blue and has white caps decorating the tips of the waves.

Pat and Judy like to stop at one of the mom-and-pop cafes or restaurants for breakfast and then continue to the shopping spots in the Carlsbad area. Parts of this wonderful ride and experience are being destroyed by the re-striping of Highway 101 to create bike lanes. This is a case of the tail wagging the dog and is a bad idea. How many cyclists per capita are there in the United States? Better yet, how many cyclists per capita are there in San Diego County? How many of these people will be in this new bike lane at given time? The auto traffic during the day may consist of L.A. residents down here for a getaway day, UPS, FedEx, electricians, plumbers, etc.  In some areas, one auto traffic lane will be lost due to obstacles-whether natural or manmade (such as a bike lane). This will cause some serious lumps in the flow. Also, some businesses may suffer and need to close as parking spots can be lost for bike lanes. How much will that cost the city in lost retail revenue?

This isn’t just a local problem. You may live near the beach, in the farmlands, or in the mountains. Bicycles, electric bicycles, and electric scooters may cause safety problems for pedestrians and the general public. I understand that designated bike lanes can be a good safety measure but shouldn’t be installed without due diligence regarding overall traffic volume and consideration of the impact on retail shops. The city budget must be considered as well. How much does the installation cost in addition to the possible loss of retail taxes?

I took bikes and electric bikes until I was 74 years old and have no axe to grind. I’m just not sure that the bike lanes on 101 were the best idea.

Dave Thomas

10/8/2026