Jam thousands of people onto an overcrowded sidewalk and everyone gets frustrated with everyone else. Imagine that! These comments couldn't be more predictable. Instead of ranting at the displaced cyclists or the camera-toting pedestrians, what I'd like to know is who's the genius who decided that the height of the tourist season was the right time to do this non-emergency work?

Let's put these bridge administrators in charge of the cable TV company so they can decide to upgrade our cable box software during the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl.

I am a "tourist" and came to enjoy the great city of San Francisco and of course to walk the Golden Gate Bridge. What a miserable experience. I expected the temperature and the fog and that was fine. But the rental bikes and the regular bikers made what should have been an exciting experience into a hassle. What with almost getting run over by bikes even when walking on the very edge and trying to stay away from them, I will not be doing it again in the near future, if ever. They could have at least painted a bike lane so the bikers could ride single file instead of the people having to walk single file and the bikers ride wherever they wanted. Bad city planning!

I commute over the bridge several days a week. Mornings are a non-issue. Afternoons are crowded. So what, deal with it. It's temporary. Cyclists can figure out how to go around pedestrians and may have to hop off at times. It's not like people are being hurt by cyclists every day. The real problem is caused by the thousands of tourists on rental bikes not paying attention or taking pictures while riding.

For all of those that complain about the cyclists on the bridge, do you really want to force all those people into cars to create even more traffic?

After Labor Day it will be a non-issue when most of the tourists go home anyway.

From my experience with the SF Bike Coalition, they want nothing more than for drivers and bicyclists to coexist on roads in a mature, safe manner.

As a former LA driver, and now an SF cyclist i understand that roads are shared and tensions can easily be heightened by anything that seems to be in the way, i.e., other cars, bikes, old ladies, dogs.

I'd love nothing more than to see a road shared safely by cars and bikes.

From my experience with the SF Bike Coalition, they want nothing more than for drivers and bicyclists to coexist on roads in a mature, safe manner.

As a former LA driver, and now an SF cyclist i understand that roads are shared and tensions can easily be heightened by anything that seems to be in the way, i.e., other cars, bikes, old ladies, dogs.

I'd love nothing more than to see a road shared safely by cars and bikes.

simple solution require all bike to be walked across the bridge.

expensive solution, the bridge district supply a shuttle for the bikes $5.00 round trip same as cars, since most bikers in S.F. demand the same rights as vehicles.

oldfart

The real issue here isn't bikes vs people or cars--it's overcrowding. How about instead of complaints, we use this space to come up with some feasible solutions to the overcrowding. Ideas?

If you don't live in SF, don't comment.

The picture is of the bike lane on the bridge. The tool complaining about bikes not sharing the road needs to go back to commenting on the best potato chips or mouth-breathing technique.

From my experience with the SF Bike Coalition, they want nothing more than for drivers and bicyclists to coexist on roads in a mature, safe manner.

As a former LA driver, and now an SF cyclist i understand that roads are shared and tensions can easily be heightened by anything that seems to be in the way, i.e., other cars, bikes, old ladies, dogs.

I'd love nothing more than to see a road shared safely by cars and bikes.

jjlase is super retarded. There is NO WAY we could give a entire car lane to bikers. There is already heavy traffic on the bridge due to the fact that is was built in the thirties. I agree that it might be mismanaged and yes it is expensive but look at the bay brige. In my opinion having cal trans would be 10 times worse. It would still be just as expensive but the money would not go to fixing the bridge, the bridge would start to fall apart and need to be closed to be fixed in an emergency.
That would be a lot worse than some bikers complaining that they don have their own lane. Do bikers really need a bike lane to cross a bridge as a hobby? You guys should be happy that you can even ride across the bridge. Why dont you just start riding across the richmond bridge? There are no tourists on that bridge you freekin RETARDS!

the shuttle seems like a great idea! I've always known the SFBC to be first and foremost concerned with awareness and safety, and i'm glad they'll be helping the GGB to find a resolution that will be safe for drivers and pedestrians as well.The GGB is such an amzing resource/landmark; we should all slow down to enjoy it a little more

What I notice in this article is the picture of the cyclists "sharing" the road. What a great photo! Six bozos in TDF gear riding side by side, taking up the whole road. I am sure they are mad that nobody shares well. Either do they. And that is my general impression of organized biking - when they say share they mean get out of the way. When I am walking, or driving bikes are the biggest hazard on the road. The SF Bike Coaltion should help to educate their members about etiquette, manners and the true meaning of sharing.

I hope the bridge's bike lane being closed is a good educational experience for all of you creeps.

Sounds like the SFBC is offering some great suggestions to the District, especially the shuttle.

Only one of either two solutions seem feasible: stop the pedestrians from crossing the bridge or have the cyclists use one lane of roadway. Nonetheless, here is what I would like to see first and foremost: the entire GG Bridge District dissolved and the management of the bridge turned over to CalTrans. Which should have been done years ago. This creation from the Thirties has been mismanaged for years, is riddled with cronyism and corruption and is way too expensive (besides offering the best views for a suicide). Do you know that the board and the managers are still talking about lane separation on the roadway and fencing/netting to avoid suicides? The counties of Marin and Sonoma could pick up the management of the bus and ferry system. Which they might already do since I think there is an agreement between the parties.

Charge bikers full toll and make them use the roadway.

First off, SFBC is a non-profit membership organization that advocates cycling in the city - it doesn't set policies (more info here: www.sfbike.org). Second, the GG Bridge was built with two lanes for alternative ways to cross the Bay, so NO it wasn't made just for cars. Third, think about it - more bicycles mean less cars on GG Bridge. A win-win for all. As a cyclist, I agree with the sentiments about cyclists needing to be more considerate of pedestrians. As much as I like looking at the very well-toned men in spandex pass me by, I don't like watching the near-misses b/c they are treating it like a race. Until there is an alternative, I encourage those spandex-toting cyclists (and other speedsters) to consider that lane of the GG Bridge the "school zone" of your route and slow down. 16,000 people crossing a very narrow part of the bridge is just a recipe for disaster and we need a safer alternative, albeit buses or closing a lane of traffic, to ensure a safe journey across the bridge for EVERYONE.

While I agree that some cyclists need to slow down ,the real issue is that it's unsafe to have that many people on one side of the bridge. Even walking bikes, it'll be too crowded. I think a shuttle is a great option, even if you have to use your Clipper card to take it. As a cyclist, I'd be willing to pay to avoid the dangerous mess.

The folks on the bikes should pay a toll just like cars - they expect the same rights as the cars, they should pay the fee.

The write makes it sound as if the world is doomed because bicycle enthusiasts will be inconvenienced:

* "...offered no alternative to squeezing in with the pedestrians."
* "...we’re in for a tough summer of riding."
* "...it’s now even tougher."

This one is the best!

* "...riders struggled to weave through throngs of camera-clicking tourist and participants of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer,..."

Yep, if you ride a bike, it's your GOD given right to shove others aside...I prefer to watch your tears.

I remembered looking forward towards my first bike ride across the Golden Gate Bridge during a mid September ride. It was a perfect sunny late morning by the Embarcadero Center which is rare. I was riding a mountain bike and looking forward to a leisurely ride to Sausalito for lunch. The minute I got on the GG Bridge three things struck me was how windy it was, how cold it was because of the wind and how noisy it was due to the cars. I was the fastest rider on the bridge passing rode bikes doing 20 mph and wanted to get off the bridge as soon as possible to be in on a quiet wind free ride. Fortunately it wasn't packed with people and was safe to do so.

I must echo what seems to be the opinion held by cyclists who ride across the bridge: Slow Down, You Idiots!!!! This isn't the TDF and you cannot possibly derive any importance by narrowly missing a bunch of tourists who are simply taking the photo of a lifetime....Yes, the tourists seem stupid and unaware as they look right at you and then step in front of you....What can we do? I am able to whistle extremely loud and have had a whole peleton behind me at times as the crowd was startled and parted before me....BUT: I wasn't riding like it was a time trial, either....I had to slow down no matter what....Cyclists really need to learn how to ride..."On your left" and a few other courtesies would be appreciated....And, leave your iPod home...of course you are very cool...you are also very hearing-compromised, as I have all too often found as some moron in an HTC kit failed to hear me on his left..I had to bump him hard (I wasn't going down...HE was...) because he was surprised I was there....Cyclists: yeah, even you Cat 2 characters that ride like your team car is behind you....Learn some courtesy; slow down on the bridge and ride single file. I too am on the road-on my bike- and you give me and the others a bad rap......Take it easy!

Walk your bike across? People actually take the time to write such an ignorant comment? What's also missing from the debate, aside from brains, is that a significant portion of the bikers are now tourists who have rented bikes, not inconsiderate locals. Do the math, 16,000 people sharing sidewalk on the weekends just doesn't work, period.

Slow down, everyone needs to enjoy the view, bikers need to be aware of their surroundings, keep it safe people, with only on path on the bridge for bikes and pedestrians, how does anyone expect to stay to the right, if your going north or south figure it out. Slow down, for safety, why not walk your bike like everyone else on the bridge walkway is doing

I'm an avid recreational cyclist and all for bike lanes and bike access on the bridge. However, I've been on the bridge many times as a pedestrian and am always appauled at the speed and recklessness of so many cyclist. I find the tourist riders to ride so much slower and cautious. There are times when I think the cyclist should have to walk their bikes across.

Belligerent selfish cyclists expect Golden Gate Bridge to give them a car traffic lane so that traffic backs up to Mill Valley and downtown San Francisco?

Belligerent selfish cyclists expect Golden Gate Bridge to give them a car traffic lane so that traffic backs up to Mill Valley and downtown San Francisco?

Slow down and learn to track stand!!!

I am an avid cyclist and understand mixing it up with pedestrians. I was out there a couple weekends back walking on the bridge and was paying attention and trying to stay out of the way of cyclists, but jeez, can you try and slow down a bit?, I thought there was a race going on. I got clipped at least 3 times before my blood was starting to boil. As a cyclist I hate when Peds walk in a line and take up the whole pathway, but a bell would be good to let peds know you are coming. It's not a race, enjoy the scenery.

Come on people. Share - remember that concept? So if they don't fix the bridge on the biker side and a situation happens they the bikers are going to complain or sue the SFBC.

Budget cuts and the government in the financial hole that they are - you really think the city should foot the bill for shuttles for the bikers. Really? What am I missing here.

Talk about selfish, greedy, inconsiderate, self absorbed. I mean geez - take a break - walk across with your bike and pick riding up on the other side of the bridge!

I don't mind bikers. Biking is a great sport - but with an attitude like this it is not hard to understand why people don't like bikers. The roads were originally constructed for MOTOR vehicles - remember. WE are sharing with you - don't take advantage of our kindness!!!

If you cross the GGB before 9 am it is not a problem.

While the bridge and surrounding beauty most often distracts the tourists it is our job to ride safely and yell heads up on your left or right.

This is also a mixed blessing, hopefully some of the inconsiderate idiots that race across the bridge at 20+mph will be forced to slow down. The bike cops have told me there about 3 accidents a day on the bridge, almost always caused by cyclists going too fast.

I ride over the bridge all the time. As a general comment, when bikes are sharing the same sidewalk as pedestrians, the bikers need to realize that most walkers on the bridge are tourists probably on the bridge for the first time and only time in their lives, and their focus isn't going to be on bike traffic. So slow down, relax, and don't be greedy; you'll have plenty more opportunities to fly over the bridge on your bike.

I can't believe they're closing the whole bike side! It's already hard enough to navigate the tourists on the bike side, let alone bikers and walkers on the same side. Writing the SFBC now.

Westbound? really?

The signs on the bridge say that pedestrians and bicyclists should keep to the right. Let oncoming traffic pass on your left. Unfortunately, no one enforces those signs and everyone spreads out across the path causing havoc for oncoming traffic. Some courtesy and enforcement of KEEP RIGHT will go a long way to improving safety.