By Mark Powell / Times of San Diego / July27, 2026 For years, many of us have been saying the same thing: San Diego is not a bike-friendly city. In five or ten years, I believe many of today’s decision-makers will look back and realize the concerns raised by residents and business owners were not resistance to change; they were grounded in reality. Unlike many European cities, San Diego was designed around the automobile. European cities evolved over hundreds of years, often between 500 and 1,000 years ago, with compact neighborhoods, narrow streets, and destinations within walking or biking distance. San Diego developed very differently. Our communities are spread out, our roads are wider, our destinations are farther apart, and our terrain includes countless steep hills. For many people, riding a bicycle is simply not a practical way to get to work, school or run errands. Supporters of expanded bike lanes often point to ambitious goals for increasing bicycle commuting. There’s nothing wrong with encouraging cycling, but public policy should reflect how people actually choose to travel. Most San Diegans rely on their cars because they need to. Families juggle work, school, sports, shopping and appointments that often require driving across several neighborhoods in a single day. That reality is unlikely to change simply because more bike lanes are painted on our streets.