tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post6746312441679681833..comments2024-01-05T11:00:30.673-06:00Comments on DFW Point-to-Point: Practice for the Bike Lanes to ComeSteve Ahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13650405341304401203noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-35551411273043182092009-09-12T13:10:55.550-05:002009-09-12T13:10:55.550-05:00The bike lane on North Tarrant Parkway has few suc...The bike lane on North Tarrant Parkway has few such hazards. It does, however, have debris that might present a hazard, and is used as an auxiliary passing lane by motorists. AS a bike lane, it makes things less safe for cyclists while giving them a false security blanket. I have only seen two cyclists ride this lane (besides myself), one was going the wrong way, which did not make me feel any better. There's also a bike-lane free alternate route on Shady Oak that avoids the question entirely. Shady Oak is used almost exclusively on the trip IN to work, and about half the time on the trip HOME from work.<br /><br />My own route depends on the temperature, shade, and my mood on any given day.Steve Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13650405341304401203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-48767353249126965562009-09-12T13:01:38.479-05:002009-09-12T13:01:38.479-05:00Naturally, I will merge left into the travel lane ...Naturally, I will merge left into the travel lane at every junction (Driveway) as well as every intersection. The close proximity of so many right hook hazards will oftentimes mean I never re-merge back into the designated bicycle ghetto.ChipSealhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07095195723481694050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-27589040587660003642009-09-07T22:30:03.951-05:002009-09-07T22:30:03.951-05:00What you describe is precisely what I do these day...What you describe is precisely what I do these days. I don't like the way bike lane paint makes drivers dislike me even more for taking the lane (after all, I was given a whole 3 feet of my own to use), but limited, inerstection-based behaviour like this at least has some hope of being understood.RANTWICKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15394479078513545568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-23827629773806472772009-09-07T11:26:01.372-05:002009-09-07T11:26:01.372-05:00"Keri Caffrey didn't move out of the lane..."Keri Caffrey didn't move out of the lane at intersections as I'm suggesting, but there were only minor intersections in the video. Still, she'd have been at risk had one of those passing vehicles decided to make a right."<br /><br />That would be true if I didn't have 2 other cyclists right in front of me. Only the stupidest of motorists will hook a group. I've seen it a few times, but not nearly as much as riding solo.Kerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-64696565280585406882009-09-07T10:31:23.446-05:002009-09-07T10:31:23.446-05:00Yes, that's very important. Cyclists need to b...Yes, that's very important. Cyclists need to be taught to outsmart bike lanes.<br /><br />It's very easy to get in the mindset that the lane offers a clear path. It doesn't... at least not in the city.<br /><br />Personally, I don't care for them anywhere. But on long stretches of suburban road, BLs don't create the same workload or conflicts. They simply gather debris and facilitate mindless driving by passing motorists.Kerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-92138892554532541152009-09-07T09:59:59.460-05:002009-09-07T09:59:59.460-05:00The extra merging IS a PIA, but we have better &qu...The extra merging IS a PIA, but we have better "permeability" than Orlando so most times bike lanes are easy to avoid except at choke points.<br /><br />NOTE: While it's clear I'm not a big fan of bike lanes, a cyclist should be able to deal with roads containing them, just as one deals with heat, potholes, railroad tracks, and roadkill.Steve Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13650405341304401203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-87281192615054780482009-09-07T09:32:11.909-05:002009-09-07T09:32:11.909-05:00Oh, forgot to add: On Rosalind, I have been harass...Oh, forgot to add: On Rosalind, I have been harassed for riding in the left lane prior to a left turn. I was also harassed for over-staying my welcome in the right travel lane — I had left to avoid a right-hook intersection, then spotted the meter cart in the BL ahead. Didn't want to move back to the right for 50 feet and get trapped by the line of cars behind. Because there is a BL, the driver behind didn't bother changing lanes like he would have on Orange. Instead he honked.Kerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-74092050384538742252009-09-07T08:58:24.162-05:002009-09-07T08:58:24.162-05:00I recognized it. I drew it for this post:
http://c...I recognized it. I drew it for this post:<br />http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2008/12/18/spot-the-hazards/<br /><br />The extra merging really is a pain in the ass. Downtown Orlando's main north south route is a one-way pair. The southbound — Orange Ave — is 3 lanes with no BL. The Northbound — Rosalind Ave — is three lanes with a BL. <br /><br />When I ride down Orange, I can use the right or left lane, depending on my destination. I ride in an assertive lane position that does not vary more than a foot (to go around a manhole cover here or there). It's very easy, very little workload. Zero attention to the rear required. I have never been harassed on that road.<br /><br />When I ride on Rosalind, I am not welcome in the left lane. So despite wanting to make a left at the far north end, I ride through downtown in the bike lane. There are no right turn lanes at major east-west junctions, so I have to leave merge out of the BL before those, the transit buses cut through the BL to deposit passengers on the curb, I have to merge to avoid those, Occasionally people double-park, I have to merge to avoid that, last time I rode up that lane, landscapers had dropped a huge palm frond in the middle of it, I had to merge to avoid that, inevitably you run across the meter patrol vehicle stopped in the BL, gotta merge to avoid that, Mighk even found a popcorn vendor cart parked there one day (with permission from the city). <br /><br />Which road sounds better to you? Wouldn't it just be easier to raise awareness of how easy it is to ride on an unadulterated downtown street... instead of actually making it harder in an effort to lure the uninformed with symbolic BS?<br /><br />Chandra, 1) we only assume nothing else works because nothing else has been tried with the same level of effort. 2) there are numerous other factors about the cities you mention that have less to do with the infrastructure than with culture and demographics.Kerihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14617647529657485483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-84501985272690206752009-09-07T08:35:57.679-05:002009-09-07T08:35:57.679-05:00Amsterdam does it with LOTS of signals and NO stop...Amsterdam does it with LOTS of signals and NO stop signs. Bikes always have their own signal if they are in their own lane. Also, the laws are very strict against anyone who hits a cyclist or pedestrian--so folks are very careful to watch at unsignaled intersections.Eliothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06020252220736122346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-24970912915099934962009-09-07T07:21:07.165-05:002009-09-07T07:21:07.165-05:00Like bike lanes or not, if you ride, you may need ...Like bike lanes or not, if you ride, you may need to deal with them. If Dallas does bike lanes, lots of "me too" cities will follow, mostly with less engineering behind them.<br /><br />As for the diagram, I started with one from CommuteOrlando which I modified pretty much beyond recognition.Steve Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13650405341304401203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2523357558654725888.post-62165439132068899792009-09-07T02:04:14.583-05:002009-09-07T02:04:14.583-05:00Steve,
How do you make these nice diagrams? Your e...Steve,<br />How do you make these nice diagrams? Your engineering background is clearly showing in this one. Great job!!<br /><br />I don't know / think the bike lanes will come to Irving anytime soon. If there is a way to do it, the motorists here might try to outlaw bikes from the roads :(<br /><br />While I am not completely sure which side I am on on the issue / topic of bike lanes, I see some of the problems with them and see some good things that can happen if they are around, assuming nothing else works.<br /><br />How the heck do they do it in Amsterdam? How do they do it in Portland, Madison WI, Minneapolis MN?<br /><br />I have to take a trip to Portland to see how they do it. I plan to do it sometime :)<br />Peace :)GreenComotionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11272116464292908327noreply@blogger.com