While riding my bike home from school, I was hit by a car driven by a woman as she was pulled out of the West Covina Christian Church driveway on the corner of Cameron and Pacific. She was on her phone. I was on the sidewalk. Thankfully, I was okay, but since then, I ride my bike scared that I won’t be so lucky next time because there is a blatant disregard for bike riders and motorcyclists. 

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, “most fatal and serious injury bicyclist crashes occur at non-intersection locations.” 

There was a blind spot behind a nearby bush on the passenger side, but there’s a mirror on the tree on the driver’s side that would have helped her to see there was a bike about to cross in front of her. If there was a bike lane, I would have had more time to react because I would have been farther away from her car. 

As someone who’s an avid bike commuter, West Covina needs to follow surrounding cities such as La Puente and Baldwin Park and add more bike lanes. 

The Federal Highway Administration also states that “providing bicycle facilities can mitigate or prevent interactions, conflicts, and crashes between bicyclists and motor vehicles, and create a network of safer roadways for bicycling.”

Another reason bike lanes are needed in the community is because homelessness and littering are growing in the area, and trash on the ground continues to pile up including needles, broken glass, and other sharp objects. People risk popping their tires when riding on sidewalks, and are forced to ride on streets that have no bike lanes. 

More bike lanes are necessary in West Covina to keep bicyclists safe. If you have a similar story, please email [email protected] or DM us @wchsinsight.