On April 8th, around noon, cyclist Christopher Evan Rock was killed at the intersection of Mission and Bay Streets in Santa Cruz. That is two deaths and one major injury at that intersection within the last year, due to a street design and a culture of driving that does not allow for the existence of cyclists. Less than 10 years ago, Caltrans widened Mission Street to four lanes and refused to put in bike lanes.

In a memorial bike ride the next day, approximately 100 people dressed in black rode up Mission St. from the clocktower to the intersection of Bay and Mission. After John Myslin's death last summer, People Power worked with the City Council to put up signs on Mission St. that advise cyclists and drivers that cyclists are encouraged to use the full right lane. This is perfectly legal according to California Vehicle Code (which states that bicyclists can use the full right-hand lane when a lane is too narrow for "a bicycle and vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane") and was approved by the City Council. Read More

PeaceTalks: Micah Posner Of People Power On Death of Bicyclist On Mission St. and Protest