High Gas Prices Got You Down? Some Tips for Newbie L.A. Cyclists

From LA.Streetsblog.org

With gas prices on the rise, Streetsblog is hearing stories of people trying bicycling for the first time. If you’re considering bicycle transportation in L.A., and you haven’t done it much, below are a handful of tips to help get you started.

Pick Your Route

Yes, much of L.A. is pretty awful for bicycling… but it does make a big difference what streets and paths you choose. Though most streets don’t have bike lanes, in much of L.A. there are quite a few quieter streets which cyclists tend to use.

The fastest, most convenient bike directions are available on Google Maps [website or app]. Like driving or transit, Google Maps generally give you a pretty good cycling route, including how long it will take, and the overall distance. Google Maps also has a layer that shows bikeways – bike lanes, paths, and (near meaningless) bike routes (i.e. streets open to drivers marked by occasional little signs that say “Bike Route”). The bikeway mapping is really useful for the most part, but in some places (including the city of Burbank), Google shows bikeways almost everywhere, including on streets that are not all that comfortable for bicycling.

For more advanced directions, ask a bicyclist. There are lots of little-known neighborhood cut-throughs that Google doesn’t always find but that people who bike here know and use. One resource for asking directions from experienced bicyclists is the BikeLA subreddit. Post your question there, and you will get more advice than you ever wanted.

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