You’ve probably read articles about the dangers of biking on L.A.’s streets. They’re right: many streets are treacherous multi-lane highways with fast-moving traffic and no bike lanes.

My simple suggestion: don’t ride on those streets.

For example, here’s an excellent 360° video by Matthew Fleischer of the L.A. Times highlighting the dangers a cyclist goes through. The going gets most perilous on Glendale Blvd., where it narrows and passes Echo Park without a bike lane.

So why wouldn’t he simply take a left at that point, and go around the other side of the park?

Now Fleischer is an experienced, knowledgeable cyclist, and there may be circumstances that make that alternate route unviable. But this illustrates a good point: many cyclists put themselves in harm’s way, when a bit of advanced planning would save a lot of jeopardy.

Furthermore, and some may disagree, the sidewalk is sometimes a safer option when an alternate route isn’t feasible. It’s legal to ride on sidewalks in the City of L.A. as long as you don’t endanger pedestrians, and I say there’s no shame in it. (BTW, other jurisdictions differ.)

In case you didn’t know, Google Maps has a Bicycle overlay which shows solid lines where there are bike lanes and trails. It shows dotted lines where AI has determined that street is reasonably safe, with I’d say about 70% accuracy. But also there are many “side streets” which are perfectly safe but Google’s AI doesn’t highlight them at all.

There’s a misconception that “true” cyclists are out in the busy traffic lanes, forcing drivers to adjust. But what does that gain, besides risk? Ten minutes? You know how people drive here — fast and distracted. If those minutes are so crucial you must put your life on the line, take a damn Uber.