tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post6535041979952893167..comments2024-02-23T02:03:23.020-07:00Comments on The Eco Cat Lady Speaks: A Bike Lane Pipe DreamEcoCatLadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-83809962480948656812014-05-13T14:35:24.729-06:002014-05-13T14:35:24.729-06:00OMG... those pictures are wonderful! Thanks so muc...OMG... those pictures are wonderful! Thanks so much for thinking of me.EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-12713287085580631302014-05-09T16:14:14.401-06:002014-05-09T16:14:14.401-06:00so this has absolutely nothing to do with bike lan...so this has absolutely nothing to do with bike lanes but I thought you would enjoy it. http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/best-cat-picturesAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03828440573673170480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-405451989567408862014-05-06T12:32:55.306-06:002014-05-06T12:32:55.306-06:00We've got some topographical issues here too -...We've got some topographical issues here too - especially on the west side of town. Denver is right at the foot of the rocky mountains, so all along the west side of town there are creeks and streams that run east from the mountains every few miles, creating a never-ending series of deep gullies and steep hills when you're traveling north or south. It's not insurmountable, but the combination of the topography and the fact that you're stuck riding on busy streets makes it pretty darned unpleasant!<br /><br />And lack of care for the bike lanes is another one of my pet peeves. Our streets get swept once a month here in the warm part of the year, but often the street sweepers just push all of the debris (like broken glass etc.) out of the auto lanes and into the bike lanes! Grrrrrr! EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-23950303754983564842014-05-06T12:27:59.585-06:002014-05-06T12:27:59.585-06:00That trail looks very much like the ones we have h...That trail looks very much like the ones we have here. They're really great - I just wish there were more of them! Though as CatMan often reminds me, it's a vast improvement over what it was 20-30 years ago. I think the more demand there is for this sort of thing, the more our governments will come to realize that it really is in their best interest to invest in this sort of infrastructure. I mean, if you figure that every person on a bike is one less in a car, the cost of bike infrastructure is a real bargain!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-75879099667648209972014-05-06T10:55:46.347-06:002014-05-06T10:55:46.347-06:00I love your idea! I want to ride my bike here, but...I love your idea! I want to ride my bike here, but I won't do it with my kids, because <br />a)motorists don't look for cyclists here, even with bike lanes, but they do in some neighboring communities<br />b)the door issue<br />c)bike lanes tend not to get repaved as well as the rest of the street, or may not get repaved at all, resulting in a very unpleasant ride.<br />On the other hand, our downtown could accomodate bike streets pretty easily. Once you get out of downtown, topographical constraints would be a proble, as there's usuallly only one street every mile or two going through sloughs, forests and a large gulch that cuts through town.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18013851169213776026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-39717204630498212922014-05-06T06:26:39.073-06:002014-05-06T06:26:39.073-06:00The dooring issue is so scary...I've seen lots...The dooring issue is so scary...I've seen lots of YouTube 'near misses' but never heard of a fatality. So sad.<br /><br />I love your idea of converting smaller streets as bike thoroughfares. If they can create pedestrian malls then for walkers then why not for bikes? It would work very well in the CBD where I live (Melbourne, Australia) because we have a geometric grid pattern and lots of one-way lanes. It would be easy to designate some for bikes.<br /><br />The only recent novelty in our city for bikes was that they built a gigantic new freeway system about 5 years ago. Somebody thought to accommodate bikes, so the full length of the freeway has dedicated bike trails (out of traffic.) It's actually a great network for bikes because it goes A to B fast, following the auto route. But once you get off the trail...same old, same old with dense inner-city traffic.<br /><br />You can see the trail map here, if interested:<br /> http://www.eastlink.com.au/page.aspx?cid=106Fionahttp://www.declutterer.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-69791592181466921742014-05-05T00:37:43.959-06:002014-05-05T00:37:43.959-06:00I think the theory is that cars are just supposed ...I think the theory is that cars are just supposed to treat you like a very slow vehicle - my fear is always that they won't do what they're supposed to do, and instead will just mow me down. Perhaps it's a trust issue? :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-61357677557853609602014-05-05T00:36:33.368-06:002014-05-05T00:36:33.368-06:00Wow! Riding in downtown Denver sounds scary! I don...Wow! Riding in downtown Denver sounds scary! I don't think I'd be brave enough to do it. I agree that a protected bike lane is better than an unprotected one... I just wish there were a better way altogether - but it will be interesting to see what happens with it. Golden strikes me as a challenging place to ride, with all those funky and narrow streets... good luck figuring out a safe route!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-79382161529117098282014-05-04T23:00:49.998-06:002014-05-04T23:00:49.998-06:00Ha! I've always said that I could never run fo...Ha! I've always said that I could never run for public office because, like Bill Clinton, I did inhale. But I guess that might no longer be an issue here in Colorado! <br /><br />Anyhow, I totally agree that the biggest problem with bike safety is that there is no universal agreement as to where the bikes are supposed to be! Seriously, in most municipalities around here bikes are prohibited from being in the crosswalk, except for the ones that require you to be there! And when I was a kid I was taught that the proper place to ride was at the side of the street facing oncoming traffic! And most drivers have NO idea that not only is it legal for a cyclist to "take the lane" and ride among traffic... but that this is actually the law in places!<br /><br />I keep thinking that the most effective thing that could be done would be a massive public education campaign, and I keep urging the local TV stations to do a story on this topic, but to no avail. I think I'd even support requiring cyclists to pass a road test and get licenses if it also meant that in order to get a driver's license you had to know the rules as they apply to bikes as well as cars!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-40449480856335530422014-05-04T12:53:56.847-06:002014-05-04T12:53:56.847-06:00I used to ride my bike to work in downtown Denver ...I used to ride my bike to work in downtown Denver - it was actually faster than driving, because I didn't have to hassle with parking garages. I used only designated bike lanes, but no one else seemed to be aware they were there. I had close calls at least once a week.The protected bike lanes have to be an improvement. I'll be curious as to how they work out. I work in Golden now, & plan on bicycling to work occasionally if I can figure out a safe street route - unfortunately no greenway routes. Car traffic scares me when I'm bicycling.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02984294046297993017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-67188701164997950782014-05-04T12:00:19.791-06:002014-05-04T12:00:19.791-06:00That sounds like a cool idea. Here in Buffalo, a ...That sounds like a cool idea. Here in Buffalo, a huge segment of the population bikes as their main method of transportation. A lot of low income people rely on bikes. One big problem is they have no concept of road rules. Many ride on sidewalks. It would work much better here if we had clearly designated bike lanes like the cool one you posted. And parking like you suggested makes sense in busy city neighborhoods. Time to run for the city council!Alex Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15562233895276078957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-36384670706434938852014-05-03T21:18:08.726-06:002014-05-03T21:18:08.726-06:00Yeah, all the bike safety folks around here say it...Yeah, all the bike safety folks around here say it's safest to ride in a car lane. Those people do not know how heavy my cousin of Bertha is, or how whimpy I am on a bike--they can almost keep up with traffic.<br /><br />Me, I prefer the sidewalk, supposedly the most dangerous place to ride of all. On the other hand, I also ride with the assumption that I'm invisible, so I stop a lot more than normal bicyclists.Debbie Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-88506728988483333182014-05-03T12:26:53.330-06:002014-05-03T12:26:53.330-06:00I dunno... if the driveway issue can be dealt with...I dunno... if the driveway issue can be dealt with, I tend to think that I'd much rather live on a parking/biking street than one with thru traffic. It would be sorta like creating cul-du-sacs right in the middle of the city! But maybe I'm being overly optimistic about what people would think.EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-44763292374863060262014-05-03T11:16:33.928-06:002014-05-03T11:16:33.928-06:00I'm not a regular bike rider, but I am scared ...I'm not a regular bike rider, but I am scared for other riders that I see. The idea of side streets being set aside for car parking and bike lanes is an interesting one except for the people that live there. You've already mentioned some potential problems with that solution. Good luck and have some safe fun.Live and Learnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13493777474885053903noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-58267706699153527712014-05-03T00:24:50.852-06:002014-05-03T00:24:50.852-06:00Ha! Totally with you on having separate spaces for...Ha! Totally with you on having separate spaces for bikes and pedestrians. I can't count the number of times I've nearly been killed by a "distracted walker"... my hatred of smartphones and earbuds grows just thinking about it! And you're totally right about the "startle factor". On the bike path here you're supposed to "call your pass" meaning that you're supposed to shout "on your left" before you pass someone. But my experience is that most people freak when you do that and jump right in front of you. I have much better luck just slowing down until they realize I'm there and then going around them.<br /><br />I'm also not entirely convinced that adding the bike lanes like you describe actually does make it better for cyclists - though most riders seem to think it does. I mean, I totally get the psychology of it - it's scary being out in traffic - but seriously... bike lanes are death traps at intersections. And those suicide lanes scare the pants off of me... Can you say "head-on collision?"<br /><br />The track thing you describe sounds interesting... though I'd probably be a danger to myself and others on roller skates!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-42919836463305303492014-05-02T22:55:52.596-06:002014-05-02T22:55:52.596-06:00Wow! Those look great! It's still the intersec...Wow! Those look great! It's still the intersections that scare me though. In my dreams they would build bridges and tunnels for the bikes... but that's probably not gonna happen. Sigh.EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-75479245617029750302014-05-02T18:23:16.796-06:002014-05-02T18:23:16.796-06:00One-way driving? What are you, crazy? Telling pe...One-way driving? What are you, crazy? Telling people in cars what they are allowed to do? Actually, I think it sounds good, so long as bikers and pedestrians get separate lanes, i.e., sidewalks for pedestrians. As a pedestrian, I am just as afraid of bicyclists as of drivers--they are less likely to kill me if they hit me, but I think they're more likely to hit me, even if it's mostly because I freak out and stop acting predictably when I see one. They like to cut it so close!<br /><br />My city stinks. Except they recently re-did one very short stretch of road near campus to be like your "protected bike lane" picture, only the bike lane is bright green. Reminds me of The Netherlands!<br /><br />We used to have bike lanes (2 car lanes, 2 bike lanes) on a lot of streets; then we turned most of them into 4-car-lane streets. With very narrow lanes that some drivers find it difficult to stay inside.<br /><br />Now we're turning a bunch of 4-car-lane streets into streets with 2 bike lanes, 2 car lanes, and one suicide lane, by which I mean a center turning lane which can be used in either direction. This is much better for bicyclists--I see more of them. It's worse for drivers--the traffic does back up further (I was hoping it wouldn't, but my bus stop is on one of these streets, so I get a very good look). It is also harder to cross these streets without a light because there are fewer breaks in car traffic. (And it's 1.25 minutes between green lights at the intersection I use, so I notice.)<br /><br />One cool thing is they've stuck 2-bike racks on the front of the buses. They look very easy to use, too. Sometimes someone wants to use it when it's full, but I still like the idea.<br /><br />We also have a track at the edge of town which is just for people on wheels--I see bicyclists, roller bladers, and roller skaters. No pedestrians. It's extremely wide, so it's not scary at all if you're the super-slow roller skater everyone else has to pass (why yes, I am talking about myself). Except for that big hill which I used to be able to go down, but now I'm too chicken, even though it was my friend (not me) who once went down it human-tumbleweed style. That's for recreation, though, not transportation.Debbie Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-44331543951480731822014-05-02T17:23:23.652-06:002014-05-02T17:23:23.652-06:00I'm not a big fan of riding my bike anywhere b...I'm not a big fan of riding my bike anywhere but my neighborhood - the speed and carelessness of some drivers really frightens me. A lane completely separated from cars would make me feel a little better, but I still don't think I'd use it on roads where cars are traveling more than about 30-35 mph.<br /><br />I thought you might like these before and after pictures of NYC. Not sure where I first saw them, but they highlight a move toward more bike- and pedestrian-friendly streets. :)<br /><br />http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2014/01/30/see_how_nyc_streets_got_more_pedestrianfriendly_in_25_years.phpAmandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05307066665335899370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-66742736131122453572014-05-02T13:59:36.230-06:002014-05-02T13:59:36.230-06:00Well, when I was searching for images to illustrat...Well, when I was searching for images to illustrate this post I came upon a whole pile of diagrams done by urban planners, so people are definitely thinking about it. Whether they've come up with a good solution or not is a different story!EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-79691232250969020902014-05-02T13:38:02.287-06:002014-05-02T13:38:02.287-06:00I did some more reading about these protected bike...I did some more reading about these protected bike lanes and apparently they have some sort of deal where at major intersections there is a green box in front of traffic specifically for bikes. So the bikes essentially get to go first when the light changes and have control of all lanes. But you couldn't possibly do that at EVERY intersection, and it only works in red light situations. I dunno. I mean I'm glad they're trying, but it seems like they haven't quite come up with a system that works yet. <br /><br />I also did some more thinking about my crazy design and I think there is one flaw - driveways. Most of the neighborhoods I was thinking about are urban residential neighborhoods where most homes don't have a driveway or garage, and if they do the access is from the alley, but it's not universally true, so that could be an issue.<br /><br />Maybe I just need to stop watching the news. There was another bike v car hit and run last night. The cyclist survived this time, but it still gives me an uneasy feeling every time I see a mangled bike in the street. EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-72874462538771397202014-05-02T13:31:58.067-06:002014-05-02T13:31:58.067-06:00That's because it came out of my own crazy lit...That's because it came out of my own crazy little head. :-)EcoCatLadyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15704811319510740473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-48495863705441975852014-05-02T10:12:24.213-06:002014-05-02T10:12:24.213-06:00I live in suburbia and my particular residential a...I live in suburbia and my particular residential area has nothing for bike riders, so my kids and I stay on the side roads, as it's terrifying to me to ride on the main roads. I don't have enough experience to comment on whether your idea will work or not, but I do like it that someone, somewhere, is putting thought into this. Krisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-22967265024556161292014-05-02T07:11:57.296-06:002014-05-02T07:11:57.296-06:00You are spot on with the dangers of most bike lane...You are spot on with the dangers of most bike lane designs. The "protected" or buffered bike lane removes the door zone danger, but does nothing to mitigate the intersection dangers (in some ways, it may make them worse -- imagine being a cyclist trying to make a left turn across traffic going in BOTH directions!).<br /><br />Your design proposal is intriguing. I think I need to look at it a little more in terms of potential intersection conflicts, confusion about who goes where and when, etc. I think I saw some similar (but not identical) designs in Portland (bike boulevards or neighborhood greenways).Melissa @ HerGreenLifehttp://hergreenlife.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7685979597473858413.post-84467956344361039292014-05-02T05:19:54.632-06:002014-05-02T05:19:54.632-06:00I love your idea. I haven't heard of that opti...I love your idea. I haven't heard of that option before.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com