Biking thread

[benwedge]

Letter writing time!!

Hold up, you've got cars in a bike lane to complain about right now.

[mr x]

Man, that bike lane is going to be dangerous coming off Windsor onto Yonge heading towards Superstore....

[Tony L]

Hold up, you've got cars in a bike lane to complain about right now.

yup, time to outlaw bike lanes.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

yonge is set up like a continuation of the would-be bayers road highway. that intersection is dangerous for everyone, because everyone wants to bomb through it at 70. (not as bad as the cunard/agricola/north park intersection, but same issue)

[mr x]

IIRC, that bike lane there goes straight across the right hand exit for traffic turning right onto Yonge. Kinda sent a chill up my spine, lol...

[CorneliusAlphonse]

exactly - and the right hand exit is there so cars can take the corner at 70 and not have to worry about checking for pedestrians, waiting for cars, or slowing to take a sharp corner.

[mr x]

I go through there quite often, and you can always spot the pedestrians, but the bike lane is another issue. I just see trouble there. FWIW, i like to drive pretty fast, but I rarely go much over the speed limit there, nor do i see other people. Albeit, i don't go through there during peak hours...

[spears104]

Bike Lanes done correctly in Indianapolis...not on the road

[mr x]

Starting this to clean up the other thread and make a space for talk in general.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Indianapolis, well known for its strong cycling community (just a little joke). Segregated space is great, but comes with its own set of compromises. And you still have car/bike interaction at intersections (though possibly much less depending on if the cycling route has separate signalling)

[sleepyjamie]

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Some great biking in canmore


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[GAM]

No bike lanes needed there.

I do bike and the routs I take have little to no pedestrians on them. 1/2 the side walk could easily be used to allow for a bile lane on most cross town streets. Now what to do down town.

Sandy

[bluenose]

It's love-hate for me on rural routes... I'd like to see more access for cyclists, but man it sucks to come around a corner at 80/90 kph on a rural road and nearly cream a cyclist who's decided to bike in the middle of the lane

[benwedge]

It's love-hate for me on rural routes... I'd like to see more access for cyclists, but man it sucks to come around a corner at 80/90 kph on a rural road and nearly cream a cyclist who's decided to bike in the middle of the lane

When I do loops like Waverley or Peggy's Cove, if I'm approaching a corner I move to the middle or outside of the lane to increase my visibility. I pull back to the side once I'm confident the car can pass safely with no oncoming traffic. I've never had anyone honk at me or do anything negative when doing this.

[bluenose]

It's love-hate for me on rural routes... I'd like to see more access for cyclists, but man it sucks to come around a corner at 80/90 kph on a rural road and nearly cream a cyclist who's decided to bike in the middle of the lane

When I do loops like Waverley or Peggy's Cove, if I'm approaching a corner I move to the middle or outside of the lane to increase my visibility. I pull back to the side once I'm confident the car can pass safely with no oncoming traffic. I've never had anyone honk at me or do anything negative when doing this.

And are you able to maintain the posted speed limit whilst performing this manoeuvre?

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Speed limit is a limit, not a requirement... The bigger question is if he is able to remain visible for cars to slow down before hitting him. If he stayed on the white line, everyone would pass regardless of the safety of doing so. By moving out, people won't pull into the oncoming lane around a blind corner and will slow down instead.

So while it isn't the best option (have a well-paved and maintained (cleaned) shoulder/bike lane would be preferable from my point of view), it is the safest for all involved given the current layout of our roads.

Given something ben said to me at another time, some of these roads may see some paved shoulders when they are repaved starting in the 5-10 year timeframe.

[mr x]

Puttin' the tacks to them.

Halifax cyclists forced to dodge thumbtacks in new bike lane, group says

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Halifax cyclists are getting a rough ride.

Someone recently threw a bunch of thumbtacks along the municipality’s newest bike lane on Windsor Street, which could have caused an accident, let alone the damage to peoples’ bicycles, said Ben Wedge, co-chairman of the Halifax Cycling Coalition.

“It looks like there’s been some tacks right along the west side of Windsor Street between roughly Almon and Liverpool,” Wedge said in an interview Wednesday. “I’ve heard three people confirm for sure they’ve had flat tires as a result of this.”

The Windsor Street lane recently joined four others in the city — including Bell Road, South Park Street, Lower Water Street, and Brunswick Street — on Oct. 18. Cyclists just got through celebrating the latest addition on Monday.

But it’s disheartening to see someone take such a mean-spirited measure, which could have threatened cyclists’ and motorists’ safety, Wedge said.

“From our side, this is a pretty surprising thing,” he said. “I knew there was going to be a little bit of pushback, (but) to see that someone (is) doing a direct action that’s unsafe ... that’s pretty surprising.”

Wedge said he tried to check the section Tuesday evening but it was too dark to get a good look. He and some others from the coalition, which has 440 members, planned to check again Wednesday.

He said Halifax Regional Police have been very supportive in helping the public ease into this latest bike lane.

Police spokesman Const. Pierre Bourdages said Wednesday that no one had reported the vandalism to officers, but added cops on bikes have been patrolling that area for the past few days to ensure the transition goes well.

“Two days ago, on the 21st and 22nd, we had officers who were doing a proactive assignment (on Windsor Street).”

Anyone with information is asked to give police a call, he said.

Zac Howarth, who works at Jack Nauss Bicycles on Agricola Street, said he’s already fixed one bicycle tire that was stuck with a thumbtack. The cyclist wasn’t sure where she’d run into it, Howarth said.

“I just had one come in today with a flat tire that had a thumbtack,” he said. “It’s unusual to see thumbtacks unless they’re deliberately placed.

“I have never seen a thumbtack in a wheel. ... It happened in the Tour de France ... a couple of years ago.”

Howarth said he was recently on Windsor Street and saw a number of cars parked near the forum directly in the bike lane. Tow trucks did show up later to take them away.

Other reports of cyclists running over the thumbtacks were on Twitter and other social media this week.

Wedge said if members of the public have a problem with bike lanes, they should call the police or their local councillor instead of resorting to such vandalism.

“They’re doing something that’s really unsafe for everyone on the road. You (cyclists) might swerve and enter the traffic lane,” to avoid the hazards, he said.

[sleepyjamie]

Halifax is so backwards and stuck in the past. Cat bylaws and complaining about bike lanes is retarded.

In Calgary, pedestrians, bikers and traffic all share the city infrastructure. It's a way of life.


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[benwedge]

I know that guy!

[bluenose]

Speed limit is a limit, not a requirement... The bigger question is if he is able to remain visible for cars to slow down before hitting him. If he stayed on the white line, everyone would pass regardless of the safety of doing so. By moving out, people won't pull into the oncoming lane around a blind corner and will slow down instead.

So while it isn't the best option (have a well-paved and maintained (cleaned) shoulder/bike lane would be preferable from my point of view), it is the safest for all involved given the current layout of our roads.

Given something ben said to me at another time, some of these roads may see some paved shoulders when they are repaved starting in the 5-10 year timeframe.

So when you drive your car/truck, do you tend to drive significantly less than the speed limit?

True the speed limit is a limit, but there's also the issue of one cyclist impeding the flow of traffic. If we're talking about a city/town area where the limit is 50 and a cyclist is doing 35, then no worries, but doing 35 kph on a rural road where the limit is 80 kph, and vehicles tend to drive 80/90 kph is another story... Otherwise, you're impeding traffic... I ride a motorcycle so I know about trying to make myself visible to cages, but I don't impede the flow of traffic while doing so.

Otherwise, I agree with everything else you say... the shoulders on all public roads should be wide enough for cyclists.

[benwedge]

Speed limit is a limit, not a requirement... The bigger question is if he is able to remain visible for cars to slow down before hitting him. If he stayed on the white line, everyone would pass regardless of the safety of doing so. By moving out, people won't pull into the oncoming lane around a blind corner and will slow down instead.

So while it isn't the best option (have a well-paved and maintained (cleaned) shoulder/bike lane would be preferable from my point of view), it is the safest for all involved given the current layout of our roads.

Given something ben said to me at another time, some of these roads may see some paved shoulders when they are repaved starting in the 5-10 year timeframe.

So when you drive your car/truck, do you tend to drive significantly less than the speed limit?

True the speed limit is a limit, but there's also the issue of one cyclist impeding the flow of traffic. If we're talking about a city/town area where the limit is 50 and a cyclist is doing 35, then no worries, but doing 35 kph on a rural road where the limit is 80 kph, and vehicles tend to drive 80/90 kph is another story... Otherwise, you're impeding traffic... I ride a motorcycle so I know about trying to make myself visible to cages, but I don't impede the flow of traffic while doing so.

Otherwise, I agree with everything else you say... the shoulders on all public roads should be wide enough for cyclists.

It's no different than encountering a tractor moving between two parts of the farm. The Motor Vehicle Act does not define a minimum speed for traffic, only a maximum. I will not take any safety risks when out riding my bike, traffic be damned.

[bluenose]

Please Note: I never said cyclists shouldn't be on the road

It's no different than encountering a tractor moving between two parts of the farm.

Tractors, or even excavators, use the roads as part of making their living, therefore it's not exactly the same as you out on your bike leisurely "doing loops". I believe there's actually regulations for these slow moving work vehicles.

The Motor Vehicle Act does not define a minimum speed for traffic, only a maximum.

Surely you wouldn't conclude that just because something isn't illegal that it's right.

I will not take any safety risks when out riding my bike, traffic be damned.

And that's the attitude that causes my frustration per my original post in this thread.

[mr x]

It's no different than encountering a tractor moving between two parts of the farm. The Motor Vehicle Act does not define a minimum speed for traffic, only a maximum. I will not take any safety risks when out riding my bike, traffic be damned.

FYI, there are conditions where you must use emergency signals if you cannot maintain speed, but they are locally posted IIRC. I can't remember if there is more to that or not.

[sleepyjamie]

In Calgary there are lots of cyclists who use their bike for a living such as traveling to and from work. Also in rural areas there are lots of people who walk on the road and side since there are no side walks. I don't see the big deal in slowing down for these people either.

Often times I find people sweat the small stuff and this is one example.


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[benwedge]

It's no different than encountering a tractor moving between two parts of the farm. The Motor Vehicle Act does not define a minimum speed for traffic, only a maximum. I will not take any safety risks when out riding my bike, traffic be damned.

FYI, there are conditions where you must use emergency signals if you cannot maintain speed, but they are locally posted IIRC. I can't remember if there is more to that or not.

That's the only part I'm aware of dealing with low speed. You see those signs on the 100-series highways.