[BCM] Bike lanes, actually

Sun Oct 30 18:13:02 EST 2005

If the bike community is divided on bike lanes I would
imagine there are some reasons why people fall on
either side of the battle.  I would venture to guess
that all the anti-bike lane folks are experienced
riders and claim to know what's better for
inexperienced riders, I guess we all are experienced
on here.  But I think our numbers on the road would
increase if bike lanes were there to give people
security (whether they are or aren't safer seems like
a design issue to me, not so black and white.). 
Anytime we get more bikers on the road it's a better
thing. THis division may be pretty illusory too, I
would imagine that there are huge numbers of folks who
would support them, and only a fringe that would go
against.  

THis idea that we all have to agree on something in
order to go after it is bunk.  It is definitely
painful when you try and do something for the
community and others claiming to have similar cause
attack you, it makes everyone look foolish. But maybe
that is how we will have to go forward.  Because
otherwise, it seems very much like we are just
standing still.  

Why not organize pro bike lane forces and prop up the
cause with case studies of why they work from all over
the world? If someone else headed it up I'd definitely
lend a pen.  

-Pete

--- Lee Peters <lfpeters at gis.net> wrote:

> I really agree Moz.  Some of us have ridden in a
> similar bike nirvana, we 
> just need to show the guys in charge what it looks
> like.
> 
> Boston's newest roads, down at Fan Pier and the
> Seaport district are 
> repulsive.  I invite members of the list to ride
> there without a 100 other 
> bikes, let us know how vulnerable you feel/are.  Try
> to ride on Huntington 
> too, let us know how to retrofit the street to make
> a better experience for 
> the new rider.
> So the new roads, which we will be stuck with for
> oh, say 30 years, is the 
> direction the Boston landscape is going.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Moz" <list at moz.geek.nz>
> To: "Boston Critical Mass"
> <list at bostoncriticalmass.org>
> Sent: Sunday, October 30, 2005 3:31 AM
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Bike lanes, actually
> 
> 
> > Tom Landers said:
> >> Part of what makes traffic engineering work is
> consistent
> >> expectations
> >
> > So the trick is to build the facility so that it's
> obvious what it
> > does. I've seen various things around the world,
> but NZ is where I
> > have photos of.
> >
> > Here's a shared path where it's quite obvious
> which bit you walk on,
> > and which you ride on. They added the
> pedestrian/bike lane under a
> > bridge after community feedback :)
> >
>
www.moz.net.nz/photo/2001/05-nz-tour/010-manakau-br-cycleway.php
> > And here it's also hopefully obvious:
> >
>
www.moz.net.nz/photo/2002/03-chch-cycling/cycling-chch-nz-07-moz.php
> > The boardwalk is necessary for about 100m so they
> don't kill those
> > trees.
> >
> > In Christchurch there's a lot of bike stuff on the
> road, including
> > some bits where they've done wierd stuff to get
> bikes through the
> > direct way. Here's a footpath-cycleway crossing a
> road (NZ ride on the
> > left side of the road)
> >
>
www.moz.net.nz/photo/2002/03-chch-cycling/cycling-chch-nz-13-moz.php
> > The white diamonds are the bike sensor for the
> traffic light:
> >
>
www.web/moz.net.nz/photo/2002/03-chch-cycling/cycling-chch-nz-15-moz.php
> >
> >
> > I think it can be done, it just takes a little
> imagination and a
> > willingness to use good ideas from elsewhere.
> >
> > Moz
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> > list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> > http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> > 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Boston Critical Mass mailing list
> list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> http://bostoncriticalmass.org/list
> 

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