So my daughter was almost killed on a bike this morning. We're in probably the most bike-friendly place in CA - Carpinteria. There are bike lanes on all the major streets, it's a bike culture and drivers go slow because the kids all bike.

But the bike lanes aren't protected, which we know isn't safe.

There was a dad with a little kid on a bike-- stopped in the bike lane.

My daughter (who is 20, ie, not a child) was trying to give him a wide birth, and then a huge pick-up truck came along behind her and she heard the loud engine and she tried to split the difference, swerved and flew off the bike in front of the truck, who Thank God saw her and…

…slammed on his brakes -- stopping a few feet from her. I was biking behind her watching this entire thing -- it was the longest and worst 30 seconds of my life.

I am not even sure how to process this other than anger. Biking should be safe.

Bike lanes should be protected -- because none of this would have happened with safe infrastructure -- because the dad wouldn't have stopped and blocked a protected bike lane (or it would be so odd my daughter would have stopped long before).

There's room on the major arterials in Carpinteria for a protected bike lane (I measured) + there's an endless amount of state funding that goes unspent-- because bike lanes are politically impossible, "Bike lanes are a great way to lose an election."

Wow, I wouldn't want you to lose an election.

We know we need bike lanes for climate. Just read @CostaSamaras

We know we need fewer cars because the pollution and Tire Dust is saturating the air and literally killing us and giving us Alzheimers.

Pollution disproportionately affects low income communities and Communities of Color, and cars create so much inequity and danger for those who can't afford a car or can't drive due to a disability, or need a bike for work -- like Deliveristas in NYC -- saviors during Covid.

If we all biked, we would cut out national health care costs by 20%, and cut our risk of cancer and heart disease in half. We know slower streets are exponentially safer, nicer, better for businesses.

On top of all this, we know that all this driving is supporting the biggest Villains in the world -- and we are playing right into their hands -- Koch Industries, Exxon and Big Oil, MBS, Russia, the burn baby burn climate denial wing of the GOP.

Where are the progressive leaders? Why is this so hard? Most streets you don't even need to lose a lane of traffic to fit a protected bike lane because the lanes are so wide and there's a huge center turn lane. What could possibly be NYC's excuse?

Biking is so joyful and calming and wonderful. Why do we hold it in so much contempt that we literally put children in danger rather than share a few feet of road space?