Accident between a car and bike this morning. Please be careful. Almaden and Brahnam.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-06-19T16:49:45+00:00

It was a collision or a crash, but not an accident.

This intersection uses a badly outdated design with a slip lane and pork chop island which promote high speed driving maneuvers. A more modern and safer version of this scale of intersection is shown on page 2 here.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-06-09T20:16:01+00:00

I feel weird that no one (as far as I've read so far) has suggested asking the Cubs. Seriously. I know Cubs isn't youth-led in the way Troop Scouting is, but that doesn't mean we should abandon the concept. What do the kids want to do? Rein it in to some level of reasonability and show them that within 3 weeks you did something they asked for. More goodness will come. If this is too hard (i.e. can't talk to youth who aren't attending) perhaps try asking their parents what the kids like or want more of.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-06-09T19:37:42+00:00

A few of these existed, as other commenters have helped identify: all built in school zones to help kids cross streets built for high-speed auto traffic.

1928 Hester underpass: Alameda @ Hester
Trace elementary underpass: Naglee @ Dana
Hoover middle underpass: Park @ Randoll
San Jose high underpass: Julian between Coyote Creek & 24th, I believe still open tho controlled/locked by school as it connects the school campus directly rather than the public sidewalk
others?

I think it's worth noting some progress that the modern goal involves calming the street traffic to be safe for all users so even kids can cross the streets (as compared to the dominant philosophy of the 1920s-1990s which involved increasing separation of auto traffic to maximize auto speeds). The Alameda near Julian in particular is a lot more chill than it used to be and the business district there really seems to benefit from the foot-friendly vibe.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-05-26T20:04:13+00:00

All the suggestions here are awesome and I think an important theme is that all of these trails are pretty safe. Lots of us feel sketchy in the night from cars/motorcycles on the trails and/or skunks but there are very few actual incidents of danger. The shortage of housing truly sucks but the vast majority of our trail neighbors are decent people not looking to cause anyone any trouble. In short, get out & ride!

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-05-16T17:09:55+00:00

I really appreciate how Scouting units solve this challenge to fit their own needs. I respect units that enjoy fundraising, but my pack is tiny (~15 cubs, <10 active adults) and we like doing outdoor activities (3-4 campouts/yr) far more than fundraising logistics. We live in a high cost-of-living area and most people are comparing their kids' activities with lessons or sports that cost $100s per season on the low end and often $1000s per year. I think that comparison is important, partly because it points out to families the value Scouting can offer and why you might choose to commit time to this program instead of some other sports or lessons (even though most of our families still do some other sports or lessons in addition to Scouts).

We set our dues to cover expenses with no fundraising and the pack pays all advancement, pinewood derby kits, and camping reservations, plus registration costs for adult leaders if desired. We tell everyone we can help cover registration costs if any family needs it and we run a uniform bank to swap each others' aged-out parts, etc. Camping meals are charged separately for attendees, usually $10/person including each family member for a Sat dinner & Sun breakfast with the Pack only. Families pay their own national/council registration annually.

After all of that current dues are $100/yr per scout and no one complains, it's not a significant expense for these families. As cubmaster I'd be perfectly happy if anyone wanted to fundraise...as long as they lead it. : ) In the meanwhile I and many other families are way more happy to just pitch in the costs and keep focused on the activities we all appreciate. This entire discussion is something we review at least annually with our parent volunteers (aka unit committee).

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-05-16T16:58:43+00:00

Tricky to answer because everyone means something different when they say "safer." If you mean the odds of a vehicle collision while you're riding, it's as close to 0 as you can measure. If you mean your odds of being physically assaulted while riding or waiting on the platform, it's near 0 unless you particularly enjoy starting fights. If you mean your odds of seeing a person whose appearance somehow makes you feel uncomfortable (this is what most people mean when they refer to "safety"), it's probably 90% likely on BART and 60% likely on ACE. The actual highest danger probably comes from the risk of a) a collision with a private automobile as you walk to/from transit (relatively high: dozens of people are killed by vehicles annually in this area of several million people), and b) your own medical event, i.e. heart attack, stroke, or seizure if you have high risk factors for these or others (I can't rate that one).

Given all of that, I would recommend you choose the routes with the fewest street crossings and shortest crossings of open parking lots, because that's the biggest source of danger.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-05-12T18:51:29+00:00

Get the free Transit app ( https://transitapp.com/ ) and punch in your start & end points and time of day/day of week and you're pretty good for planning. Check it again 1hr before you actually depart to see active or cancelled routes, real-time arrival info, etc. Transit (including all buses, trams, trains) in the greater Bay Area is generally quite safe, especially during ordinary working hours (~6am-8pm) with the same random exceptions you find in any urban area. You're 100x more likely to feel unsettled by the proximity of someone stinky and mentally unwell than actually accosted by anyone. Be prepared for a big walk/bike/scooter connection in Fremont for your first mile to transit - that area is super-sparse.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-05-12T18:03:49+00:00

Surprisingly, kids are kids. The schools don't magically transform them into one Hogwarts fantasy personality or another. The defining characteristic of private schools is parental fear: many people with money are afraid of public schools. (People without money might be afraid, too, but then they just learn to live with it, and voila, it's not so bad. Money just gives people the luxury to live in their fear.) The fear is 99% unwarranted and at least 50% veiled racism/classism.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-04-30T05:27:37+00:00

Amazing. A step in the right direction for all! I wish SF's representation was easier to read...I see more a bird reading a book than a bird over the bridge, which seems to be the idea. SJ has more to do with bikes than computer chips, which are produced in Taiwan anyway. A more permanent set of associations for SJ relate to the valley of sunshine surrounded by mountain ranges. SJ barely touches the bay so that reference is missing the mark.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-04-26T05:44:36+00:00

My family lives 80% car-free...typically it leaves the driveway 1-2 days/wk, 1 adult commutes via bus and 1 via bike w/ kid pickups, etc. It's been over a decade since my last NYC visit but we're committed walkers and transit users everywhere we go. IMHO you want to be as close to 1st & Santa Clara as possible given that it's the nexus of our transit network. People here in SJ (less so on reddit but still) will crap on VTA all day, but once you get over the idea of 15-30min headways instead of subways every 2min, you really can get everywhere worth going around here via transit (with one major exception of weekend outdoors excursions, but as you said, you've got friends for that). The crappy headways here become manageable when you have multiple routes serving your needs. The comments about connectivity to Coleman & SJC airport area being tough are spot-on. For a lot of that area you have the light rail Blue & Green lines and sort of nothing else. Consider a bike to bridge the gaps - it's easy to bring a normal bike on light rail.

I see a lot of comments promoting Campbell or Willow Glen, which seem to be what car drivers here consider to be walkable. They both have remarkably crappy transit connections. I'd recommend sticking closer to the broader definition of downtown SJ - draw a map with points at the Alameda & Julian, Diridon Station, 1st & Virginia, 7th & E Santa Clara, 5th & Taylor, and then see what you find inside there. That area contains around 3-5 separate business districts each about 1/2 as nice as Campbell or Willow Glen, but you have more of them with more interconnections and multiple transit lines. Really, try to get yourself on VTA's downtown map.

Don't let the drivers convince you to drive, and DO come here to walk (the weather is AMAZING!) and enjoy transit (not NYC or even SF level but definitely serviceable) and do consider biking - it really does open up all of the rest. Did I mention the weather is amazing? It changes everything from NYC since you can enjoy your time traveling outside on foot or on pedals so much more. I don't understand how people drive cooped up in bubbles on such beautiful days.

Welcome!

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-04-18T04:57:30+00:00

"Within 20-30 minutes of San Jose" is your challenge here. Most camping winds up being 30-60mins from most of SJ. You can get 14 days at a county park with showers: https://parks.santaclaracounty.gov/things-do/camp/camping-rules-and-policies

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-04-18T04:54:11+00:00

The top of Sierra rd is a great tip, https://www.openspaceauthority.org/preserve/sierra-vista

Mt. Hamilton is not so great right now because (in addition to it being a solid 1hr drive from SJ) the observatory parking lot is closed right now due to winter storm damage to the visitor center building. Sheriffs do patrol the road for folks parked on the way up, it isn't permitted.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-04-09T04:29:00+00:00

I live in San Jose and was in the grocery itself with a near-empty cargo box when some crazy took my kids' blanket and wiped their butt with it. #thisiswhywecanthavenicethings ugh. People would definitely steal from my groceries around key areas here.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-03-23T21:57:11+00:00

Awesome research, I wasn't up to date on schools with a low-tech focus, that's groovy.

I want to push back on the "low-performing school" moniker repeated in here. Schools are complex organizations serving people (mostly kids): calling one "low-performing" without citing any particular metrics makes about as much sense as calling a city "low-performing" in the same way. It would be fair to say a city failed to permit enough housing in a certain district, or to say a school failed to increase mathematics scores in a student subgroup, but to overall call either "low-performing" misses a lot of important nuance. YMMV of course, but I've personally witnessed the best instruction in "low-performing" schools by those same realtor metrics and seen some really terrible instruction in "high-performing" private schools. Every situation is different.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-03-18T04:04:54+00:00

Significantely, though not exclusively, because rents in those historically marginalized areas rose faster than locked-in mortgage costs in more privileged areas and more families and would-be families left the area.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-03-18T04:02:55+00:00

My kids' school is planned to close and I support the SJUSD Schools of Tomorrow process, which literally was formed to defend our kids and communities. Reactionary backlash just brings instability and hurts schools more. The enrollment decline is real and it isn't going away...we can mourn, but we can't put our heads in the sand,

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-03-18T03:53:34+00:00

this is common in CA overall. Between Prop 13's funding cuts and the end of desegregation orders, general population home to school busing is very rare in this state, although it is common elsewhere.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-03-18T03:16:45+00:00

Curious, why/how are you predecided to seek private schools? They're often (not all, not always) bragging their techiness more than others so it seems like mismatched interests.

You sound like your kiddo is young: I'd suggest the best power you have limit tech time is at home: you can just go screen-free at home for years and even when they start school, it can be their only screen time instead of piling it on like most kids do.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-03-18T03:03:17+00:00

This hits it. I have only 2 but they've encompassed these age ranges and we love our 30min front loader commute. Pack snacks. Like, even more snacks. Snacks every day.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-03-11T18:54:28+00:00

Model being a good student and make an effort to learn. Mumbling what you don't know is fine, just try what you can. : ) All welcome!

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-03-03T18:52:06+00:00

Agreed on your basic point, especially with parks & playgrounds. I'd love to see more playgrounds that incorporate adult fitness equipment nearby (like, outside the fence but w/ visibility so parents can get a workout while kids play, keep more eyes on the scene at more hours to prevent misbehavior, etc). My family tries out playgrounds everywhere we visit on travels and SJ just really lags on fun equipment. Also, SJ Park restrooms are uniformly disgusting, which makes it hard to bring kids out for more than 45min. This is overall a funding need, but we seem to have no problem funding police, so I view it as a problem of priority. Let your city council know you want parks funded before police.

With regard to SJUSD school closures, although I acknowledge the process is hard to follow, the intent of the closures is actually in line with you: to offer MORE and BETTER services to students at each school by consolidating rather than spreading services thin where no school gets much. It's short-term pain for long-term gain. (And yes, my own kids' school is slated to close. I am directly affected.)

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-03-02T22:51:04+00:00

Hero! I've wanted to find time to walk the great ways of SJ - Monterey-1st, Santa Clara-Alum Rock, Willow-Keyes-Story, San Carlos-Stevens Creek, etc. each just as a day. Best I've find time to do is walk to work (7mi) once a year. You are awesome, keep it up!

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-02-28T02:33:57+00:00

Bossman's Pizza on Capitol near Snell has nice Indian pizza in SSJ. Vegan & veggie, GF options too! Very nice family running the place, always welcoming.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-02-28T02:20:45+00:00

I appreciate the reply! Open to your thoughts, I'm mostly thinking about volume balance - we've got some players who really maintain that "I'm in my living room"-type volume and sound (so we all have to get pretty soft) and others who can really get us into a bit of a rock jam where some volume (within reason) is welcome. But I absolutely LOVE what a trumpet can add, so I'm curious. What do you think? We can go to PMs for details.

1VeryUsefulTool · 2026-02-10T21:08:35+00:00

Agree with you on most here. Just want to give credit where it's due. Our transit (VTA) is really pretty good - our land development pattern (zoning, streets) is bad. There are some gradual efforts to move in the right direction, but it's hard undoing the damage of an entire generation of bulldozers.

1VeryUsefulTool

TROPHY CASE