Cross-posted from Consider Biking. Surprisingly, I got the exact opposite of what I was expecting for a response. Maybe people with knowledge of urban planning will be more sympathetic. I think all cyclists should have a basic knowledge of that since it greatly impacts cycling, but they don't.

 

Well, I found another situation where bike lanes are useless and do nothing to improve safety. Just heading southbound on 5th towards Broad as usual and since the light had turned green about five seconds ago I was speeding up to make my way across Broad and just as I approached the intersection a car whizzed by at 40 MPH or so westbound. If there had been a camera, that was the most disgust I have ever had on my face. I looked around carefully and swiftly to ensure that I was able to make a last minute turn to head west down Broad after this car, due to the rather high speed I had gained taking me past the halfway-point of the intersection. Rode up to the car to get the license plate which I said out loud to the driver who was at least very apologetic (and why did he have to have an Obama bumpersticker?), but I called that 4545 police number to report him anyway.

 

What would bike lanes have done in this situation? Diddly sh!t. Like Zach mentioned, the form of the road itself has a lot to do and I would go as far to say "dictate" the behavior of drivers. The guy was doing what the transportation division wanted him to do: speed through as many green lights as fast as possible. That's still this city's priority and I'm going to city council to recount this event. They spent...(how much?) on Alta Planning and slapping bike lanes on Broad is their solution?

 

We need a more wholistic approach (is that a pun?) and the entire street needs to be treated for it to be safe for cyclists and pedestrians. A change in the light patterns of streets like Broad would do a lot more to curb reckless driving and are certainly a minuscule fraction of the price of a bike lane. City council needs to decide what is more important and now: cars being able to speed down streets as fast as possible or human lives, including mine which might have ended had my legs not been somewhat worn out by the trek I made to Grandview today.

>We need a more wholistic approach (is that a pun?)

 

Well it's definitely misspelled. 

I don't understand what you are saying happened.  Did he run a red light?

Yes. I had a green light for several seconds just to see a car whizz across in front of me.

And so your point is that bike lanes aren't helpful because they won't protect you from someone running a red light?

There is really nothing that can be done to regulate against perfectly asinine activity. Riding on the sidewalk or even in a dedicated bike path would not have been safer than the bike lane.  Even changing the light pattern (since the the driver obviously missed the red light completely) would have made no difference.

 

I'm glad that I'm reading about this here than in the obits, Columbusite, but outside of having a bike network that is completely isolated from the street grid (complete with bridges and tunnels to avoid roads), cyclists (and pedestrians AND other drivers) are at the mercy of bad drivers.

Narrower lanes (if possible), slower speed limit, and stop-go traffic would minimize the chance of this happening and when it does the car would be going slower hence both parties would have time to react. A car coming at me at 25 MPH is totally different from one coming at me at 45 MPH. You could turn all north-south streets into bike boulevards, but then you 'd ending up having to deal with crossing an anti-bike street like Broad sooner or later. Notice that this incident did not occur in the slower stretch of High in the Short North, or Bexley's Main St or Grandview Ave, it happened on a ground level highway specifically designed for speeding.

Ah, so all we have to do is completely remake our entire road system to suit the needs of a small and politically impotent group.  No problem.

I wasn't sure if this was an appropriate forum in which to bring this up, but I needed to vent:

For three Saturdays in August (9th, 16th--today, and 23rd) New York City is conducting an experiment by closing off main arteries in Manhattan to vehicular traffic from 9am -1pm with the following tagline: “Play. Run. Walk. Bike. Breathe”. Good idea, right? Only one problem: The bicyclists evidently weren’t told that this event wasn’t just for them. Based on the short portion of street which I (attempted) to stroll—Fourth Avenue & 12th St. and then along Union Square East to Park Avenue South & 20th St—I spent nearly the entire time trying to dodge large packs of Lance Armstrong wannabes who thought it was the Tour de France. I would say this was a noble experiment that failed. If any other NYC resident or visitor reading this had a similar experience please register your complaint at: www.nyc.gov/summerstreets. Thank you.

Ah, so all we have to do is completely remake our entire road system to suit the needs of a small and politically impotent group.  No problem.

 

Sounds like an excellent idea. In the early days of the horseless carriage, some cities had ordinances requiring a flagman to walk ahead of each motor car, warning bicyclists, pedestrains and equestrians of its approach. That certainly would keep motorists' speeds down to a manageable level.

 

 

:wink:

You've been watching too many pedestrian education videos.

Ah, so all we have to do is completely remake our entire road system to suit the needs of a small and politically impotent group. No problem.

 

I thought developers had plenty of clout. They're the reason Gay street was converted to two-way with traffic calming and the same goes for a stretch of Front St, both Downtown. Broad St can be tamed without making it resemble a residential side street.

cute!

 

Updated 08/19/2008 07:34 PM

 

Queens Bicycle Shop Still Popular After 90 Years

 

By: Roger Clark

 

It was August 1918 when Sicilian immigrant Salvatore "Sam" Bellitte decided to open a bicycle shop in Jamaica, Queens on what was once Fulton Street, now Jamaica Avenue.

 

Full story: http://www.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/Default.aspx

This just in....bicycling is bad for the environment. Sell off that Schwinn and get another Hummer!

 

San Francisco Ponders: Could Bike Lanes Cause Pollution?

City Backpedals on a Cycling Plan After Mr. Anderson Goes to Court

By PHRED DVORAK

August 20, 2008; Page A1

 

SAN FRANCISCO -- New York is wooing cyclists with chartreuse bike lanes. Chicago is spending nearly $1 million for double-decker bicycle parking.

 

San Francisco can't even install new bike racks.

 

Blame Rob Anderson. At a time when most other cities are encouraging biking as green transport, the 65-year-old local gadfly has stymied cycling-support efforts here by arguing that urban bicycle boosting could actually be bad for the environment. That's put the brakes on everything from new bike lanes to bike racks while the city works on an environmental-impact report.

 

 

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121919354756955249.html?mod=mostpop

What a joke.

I am like. Speechless.

 

"Regardless of the obvious dangers, some people will ride bikes in San Francisco for the same reason Islamic fanatics will engage in suicide bombings -- because they are politically motivated to do so." -- Mr. Anderson

 

Oh my god.

ODOT on Cyclists: "Control things at an intersection, but don't let that control over the situation go overboard," and "Ride near the right side of the road as protection,"

 

They should check out http://bicyclesafe.com/. I don't even know what the first quote means.

i hate to even mention these because the city got "byrned" by these dorkishly dumb bike racks, but:

 

 

And, Now, David Byrne Bike Racks Including 'The Hipster'

 

Wednesday, August 20, 2008, by Robert

 

The Hipster: Brooklyn, Bedford Ave., west side, near N. Sixth St.

 

 

Is it a public art project or a transportation thing? Eh, it's probably both. These are new bike racks designed by David Byrne that have been placed around the city and given cute names. The one near the Lincoln Tunnel, for instance, is "The Jersey." The Wall Street is a dollar sign. And, of course, the Williamsburg one is "The Hipster." Don't blame us. Take it up with Mr. Byrne and the Department of Transportation.

 

· Bike racks with a fresh flavor [Metro]

· DOT Installs David Byrne-designed Bike Racks [nyc.gov]

· A Bicycle Built for Shoe [NYP]

 

more pics here on curbed.com:

http://curbed.com/archives/2008/08/20/and_now_david_byrne_bike_racks_including_the_hipster.php

 

Photos of bicycle parking taken at train stations around the world:

http://www.energybulletin.net/node/46298

The very political correctness that Rob Anderson denounces is all that protects wingnuts like him from being summarily ejected from public hearings and denounced by public officials as raving lunatics.

New bike commuters hit the classroom, then the road

The rush of new cyclists, created by high gas prices, is driving up demand for bike safety classes.

By Ben Arnoldy | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the August 25, 2008 edition

 

San Francisco - Like many Americans, Tara Collins hadn't bicycled much since middle school. That changed this year when she started paying $50 to fill up her gas tank.

 

Find this article at:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0825/p01s01-usec.html 

 

Commentary

Bicyclist's death is a call for awareness

Friday,  August 29, 2008 3:14 AM

By Ann Fisher

 

Tracey Corbin couldn't afford to maintain the car he needed to commute to work, let alone buy the gasoline. So he bought a bike and outfitted himself as if he were the poster child for the pedal-to-work movement.

 

Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/08/29/ann29_ART_08-29-08_B1_V4B5TEG.html?sid=101

Some bicyclists think it's cool to dodge through traffic jams, run red lights and block motorists just because they can.

 

It is legal to weave through stopped traffic.  I have not met any cyclists who block motorists "just because they can".

 

Sad article, though.  I hope his mother can get by now.

"It is legal to weave through stopped traffic."

 

Absolutely. It's not always the safest approach and I've seen quite a few cyclists be a little *too* cavalier about it.

 

"I have not met any cyclists who block motorists "just because they can"."

 

Whether they're on four wheels, two wheels or their feet, there's always going to be @ssholes and idiots - no one is beyond reproach.

Unfortunately, cyclists often pay with their lives for cycling with traffic, whereas motorists rarely leave with any damage to a vehicle.

 

A cyclist was killed last year while crossing the Clark Memorial Bridge between Kentucky and Indiana. No charges were filed against the driver, who "did not notice" the cyclist in the right lane -- despite the fact that there are very lengthy sight distances and that it was a clear day.

 

Lock em' up, take away the vehicle, and send them to a drivers education course. Like what we should have done decades ago -- properly training our drivers for the real world, like Germany.

You Oppose Bike Paths????

(AAA position--ISTEA Legislation-1991)

 

The bicycle community considers AAA (American Automobile Association/Ohio Motorists)  to be anti-bicycle. Rails to Trails was astonished to find AAA opposing the conversion of certain rail right-of-ways to bicycle paths in the early 90s. But astonishment is too soft a word for the feelings of many bicycle advocates: "AAA has a vested interest (or so they think) in continuing the "cars first" transportation policies that has guided our country for the past 50 years… Please write so AAA knows that there are members who want a balanced, environmentally-friendly, community-friendly transportation system." is the comment of one of many cyclists on just one bicycle mail serve website.

 

http://www.betterworldclub.com/competition/aaa.htm#watch

The League of American Bicyclists just released it's ranking of states and bicycle-friendly cities....  Ohio ranks 32 out of 50 and has no cities on the list.

 

More at:

 

http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/index.php

The League of American Bicyclists just released it's ranking of states and bicycle-friendly cities....  Ohio ranks 32 out of 50 and has no cities on the list.

 

More at:

 

http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/index.php

 

Like most lists, this one seems subjective. It includes Carmel, Indiana but doesn't mention Indianapolis.

 

Carmel's beautiful Monon Trail is an extension to Indianapolis' heavily-used, extensive, and still-growing Indy Greenways system, and by itself it would be a local recreational facility without much relevance as real transportation.

 

There's no mention of Pittsburgh on the list. From what I've seen and read, Pittsburgh's trail system is large and well utilized, and work is well along to connect Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. via Cumberland and the C&O Canal towpath. There's an interesting video on the reconstruction of the former Western Maryland Railroad's Big Savage Tunnel as part of that effort:

 

http://www.wqed.org/ondemand/onq.php?cat=6&id=18

^^ Cities or regions must apply in order to be placed on the LAB's Bicycle Friendly Cities list.  So, Carmel IN is on the list because the city submitted an application and they have sufficient facilities, programs, staff, and systems that support bicyclists.  It is possible that Pittsburgh and Indianapolis have applied but only received "honorable mention" designation, like Cleveland did in its application last year.

 

Also, more than trails or bike lanes are needed. The LAB looks at how communities provide a wide range of support, referred to by the LAB as the "Five Es": Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation/Planning.

Today, I just began a combined bus/bike work commute from Clifton to Hamilton, OH, using bus route 17 (Seven Hills).  I chose to take US-127, based on its relative safety over north-south routes like OH-4 and US-27.  Then I take the bike trail from Joyce Park up to High Street.

 

First day:  not too bad.

 

I've got relatives and friends afraid for me though.  Drivers were very responsive, and I didn't get any strife from them.  I'm not expecting it to always be this way, but I'm going to continue my commute in this way based on the success of my first run.  However, yesterday I rode home in a borrowed car, and I was driving almost 50 mph just keeping pace with the rest of traffic.  That worried me for my journey the following morning.

I advocate for roads that keep cars going at a slower pace so that both cars and bikes occupy a lane, but never side-by-side. Bold emphasis mine.

 

Class makes bike rider less shaky on streets

 

Tuesday,  September 30, 2008 3:09 AM

By JOE BLUNDO

 

I wrote a column on July 22 declaring that, although I ride a bike, I avoid the streets. Too dangerous, I said. I stick to bike paths...This prompted Gordon Renkes, a veteran rider from Clintonville, to offer me a lesson on riding in traffic. He's a certified instructor with the League of American Bicyclists (send him e-mail at [email protected] or visit bikeleague.org).

 

Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/09/30/1A_BLUN30_--_for_sept._30.ART_ART_09-30-08_D3_UIBFCGG.html?sid=101

 

 

... Don't hug the curb. It might seem safer, but it makes me less visible to drivers and more vulnerable to getting clobbered by an opening door. ...

 

I'm a veteran of the opening-door experience.  I had no time to react, and found myself sitting on the bricks with my back against the car door and a bike with a crumpled frame and mangled wheel in my lap. 

 

On one-way streets I prefer to ride on the left to minimize the chances of reliving that experience. I still maintain a high level of vigilance for opening doors.

 

Another parked-car danger to watch out for is dogs left in cars with windows open. I narrowly escaped being bitten by a German Shepherd that probably outweighed me. When I realized what had almost happend, I 'bout peed myself.

Most of my commute is on US 127, so there really isn't an issue with parked cars.  I find it much safer to ride on or near the curb.  If I'm ascending a steep hill that I know will slow me down considerably AND there isn't a sufficient curb, I will ride on the sidewalk.  I'm mainly referring to the evening commute in the previous statement.

I find Blundo's column a bit amusing, because I had no idea until recently that people were afraid of biking in the street.  I've been biking on main streets since I was 8 or 9.  I've still never been hit or even come close to being hit.

 

Blue Line, if you're looking for some sublime riding in Cincinnati, ride down the Colerain, Hamilton, or Winton hills at about 1 or 2 in the morning.  You actually feel the temperature change and if you ride fast enough your ears can pop.  And actually biking any of those big suburban streets at night when the traffic clears is actually a lot of fun since they tend to be better paved than city streets. 

I find Blundo's column a bit amusing, because I had no idea until recently that people were afraid of biking in the street. I've been biking on main streets since I was 8 or 9. I've still never been hit or even come close to being hit.

 

Blue Line, if you're looking for some sublime riding in Cincinnati, ride down the Colerain, Hamilton, or Winton hills at about 1 or 2 in the morning. You actually feel the temperature change and if you ride fast enough your ears can pop. And actually biking any of those big suburban streets at night when the traffic clears is actually a lot of fun since they tend to be better paved than city streets.

 

Oh yeah.  I'm not sure when I'll be over in Mt. Healthy at 2am any time soon, but Hamilton Ave is a blast in the middle of the night.  It was definitely a highlight of riding during summer nights.  I still get some of that sensation riding to Knowlton's Corner in the morning.

MUST. NOT. KICK.

MUST. NOT. KICK. 

 

 

I think they're reading your mind, Musky. They don't look very trusting of you!

'Bike boxes' aim to keep cyclists safe

Saturday,  October 11, 2008 3:27 AM

By Tim Doulin

 

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

Part of one of the most popular Columbus routes for bicyclists is being upgraded to include pavement markings at a key intersection that will help bikes avoid collisions with turning vehicles.

 

Full story: http://dispatch.com/live/content/index.html

I think they're reading your mind, Musky. They don't look very trusting of you!

 

Looks to me like they're just itchin' for an excuse to kick a**! I wouldn't try anything; some of those guys fight dirty.

Some very interesting news in the Wall Street bailout package:

 

Bailout gives tax break to bicycle commuters

Rachel Gordon, Chronicle Staff Writer

 

Thursday, October 9, 2008

 

(10-08) 19:16 PDT -- The $700 billion bailout bill intended to stop the tailspin of the nation's financial sector did something else: It includes federal tax benefits for people who commute by bike.

 

Full story: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/09/BA1D13DRO7.DTL

 

 

It's too bad that that bicycle commuting reimbursement doesn't start until January.  I could definitely use that $20/month now for my bike.

Cleveland's City Planning web site has been updated to include a comprehensive presentation of bikeway planning accomplishments and related bicycling information:

 

http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/bike/index.php

 

and cross-posted from the HealthLine thread:

 

Press Release from City Hall:

 

Grand Opening of the Euclid Corridor Bike Lanes

 

Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson joins the Ohio City Bicycle Co-op, Cleveland Bikes and the Regional Transit Authority in inviting Clevelanders to cut the ribbon and open the Euclid Corridor bike lanes on Saturday, October 25th at 11:00 a.m. on Euclid Avenue at East 24th Street.

 

Cyclists will ride the City’s first commuter bike lanes along the new Euclid Avenue from Downtown to University Circle and back.  “For the first time in Cleveland’s history, residents have a safe route to bicycle between our two largest centers of employment and education,” stated Mayor Jackson. 

 

The Euclid Corridor “Health Line” project has transformed Cleveland’s historic “main street” into a world-class “Complete Street” for bicyclists, pedestrians, motorists and transit riders. 

 

The new bike lanes are the latest addition to Cleveland’s growing network of bike trails and routes, connecting residents to the lakefront and to schools, jobs, shopping and recreation destinations.  The Euclid Corridor bike lanes connect directly to the Harrison Dillard bike trail through the Cultural Gardens along the route north to Lake Erie and eventually south to the Shaker Lakes.

 

Making Cleveland a “Bicycle Friendly Community” is part of a larger initiative to promote active living and to improve the health of Clevelanders, while creating a more sustainable environment for future generations.  “Burn calories, not carbon” is a guiding principle of the active living initiative, which aims to help Cleveland realize the goal of becoming a “Green City on a Blue Lake.”

Editorial: Inside the box

Bike-safety measure could make intersections safer for bikes, cars

Thursday,  October 16, 2008 3:06 AM

Columbus Dispatch

 

With plans for "bike boxes" at one of the city's busiest intersections for bicyclists, Columbus moves to the leading edge nationally in efforts to help cars and bicycles coexist safely.

 

Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/editorials/stories/2008/10/16/bikebox.ART_ART_10-16-08_A8_4SBK2CD.html?sid=101

Bike tour will fund cancer research

OSU, NetJets making big plans for a new annual charity event

Saturday,  October 25, 2008 3:29 AM

By Jeffrey Sheban

 

The Columbus Dispatch

 

Ambitious cancer-research goals at Ohio State University are riding on a major charity bicycle tour to be introduced next year in Columbus.

 

Full story: http://dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/10/25/0_CHARITY_CYCLING_EVENT.ART_ART_10-25-08_A1_8SBMQCD.html?sid=101

Mysterious white symbol is puzzling Akron drivers

Bicycle with arrows means to share lanes

By Bob Dyer, Beacon Journal, October 28, 2008

 

I have worked in Akron for a quarter of a century. Never have I heard a more consistent reaction to something new. I've heard it from readers. I've heard it from colleagues. I've heard it in my own head. ... ''What the hell are those?''

 

Full story: http://www.ohio.com/news/dyer/33428284.html

:D

 

Comon... can't they ask the cyclist to RIDE IN THE ROAD to demonstrate the whole sharrow deal?

 

 

City marks off bicyclists' share of road

By Jimmy Nesbitt, Evansville Courier Press, November 5, 2008

 

The West Side-crosstown bikeway is finished, and a bikeway that will connect the East Side to Downtown is expected to be completed by next spring.

 

Full story: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/nov/05/city-marks-off-bicyclists-share-of-road

Contrasting with the trailer cyclist posted by Musky above:  I found on a message board a very minimalist cyclist named Adrian Stingaciu who transited the continent in 23 days!

 

The link below is to pictures that were taken on the

23rd and last day of my solo Bike Across America. Out of the 22 nights

I spent on the tour, 15 of them I camped out, 5 I stayed in motels, and

2 in kind people's houses. My bike tour was from Tybee Island, GA to

Laguna Beach, CA, covering 2681 miles in 21 days, 23 hours and 15

minutes.

http://summitch.smugmug.com/gallery/1651943/1/80781601

 

Most of my gear was carried in 5 small stuff sacks, 3 in the jersey

pockets and 2 behind the seat in water bottle cages. The sleeping pad

was strapped to the frame with velcro straps, and the camera bag with

zip ties.

Unfortunately, I cannot get his photos at Smugmug to download. 

Morgantown has plans to emphasize bicycle safety

City to spend $30,000 to apply shared-lane markings next spring

By Chris Jackson, Daily Mail, November 19, 2008

 

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Rounding a turn at 20 mph down Falling Run Road toward University Avenue, Steven Nutt cautiously keeps his hands on his bicycle brakes. He rounds a bend and swerves to avoid colliding with a car.

 

Full story: http://www.charlestondailymail.com/News/statenews/200811190222

Back Roads and Beaches Cycling Route Wins National Award

Lynne Lisner, Marketing and Communications Manager, Lorain County Visitors Bureau

 

 

 

November 24, 2008 -- The Adventure Cycling Association, headquartered in Missoula, Montana, has awarded its 2008 Pacesetter Award to Lorain County Heritage, the non-profit arm of the Lorain County Visitors Bureau (Website | Profile). The award recognizes that, in forming the "Back Roads and Beaches Bike and Multi-Sport Tour of Lorain County (http://www.backroadsandbeachesohio.com/)", Lorain County Heritage has placed cycling at the forefront of their mission, and works aggressively to expand the message that cycling is important to the health, environment, and tourism of the state of Ohio.

Lorain County Heritage has created 100-plus miles of low-traffic, scenic cycling routes through the heart of Underground Railroad history. The route includes options for riders of all levels and ages and LCH provides information on bike rentals, dining, parking, sample itineraries and local history and culture to make the trip enjoyable.

 

LCH also works hard on cycling advocacy, traveling around North Central Ohio to meet with government officials, community leaders, business owners, and residents about the importance of cycling for tourism and the local economy. Executive director, Barb Bickel said, "Lorain County gets many traveling and cross-country cyclists that visit each year…Lorain County Heritage works tirelessly to ensure these cyclists have a rich experience."

 

According to the Adventure Cycling website, this national award recognizes individuals, groups, businesses, and organizations which have consistently demonstrated extraordinary commitment, dedication, and service to the advancement of Adventure Cycling’s mission of inspiring others to travel by bicycle.

 

The Award is named in honor of Charlie Pace from Columbus, Ohio, who has devoted over 40 years to creating and supporting bicycle travel opportunities. He was a key promoter and supporter for both the Tour of Scioto River Valley (TOSRV) and Adventure Cycling Association. He has devoted his life to creating opportunities for people to get on their bikes and have fun.

 

Adventure Cycling is a 44,500 member nonprofit organizations whose mission is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle for fitness, fun and self-discovery. Adventure Cycling Route Network has one of the largest route networks in the world with more than 38,158 miles. Two Adventure Cycling Routes travel through Lorain County, the Underground Railroad Route and the Northern Tier.

 

To view available high resolution photos of Back Roads and Beaches visit Lorain County Visitors Bureau’s Flickr page at www.flickr.com/photos/loraincounty.