11042 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

In fact, jumping the queue likely put the cyclist in a safer position.

It actually ended up putting the cyclist in a nearly deadly position, in relation to his interaction with that vehicle.

The only facts here are: the cyclist ran a red light (illegal) and was clipped by a vehicle that had to pass him (fact) which would not have had to pass him had he not run the red light (fact).

I’m on the cyclist’s side here. The driver of that little sedan is a motorist who has poor spatial awareness and did not (appear to) make any effort to avoid the cyclist. He or she assumed there was enough room to pass, but there clearly wasn’t. He or she also fled the scene of a collision. Two extremely poor traits for a driver were exhibited here, but the onus now is on police to prove who was behind the wheel.

VicPD update: the force has made contact with the cyclist.

[Danma]

Interesting. None of my business but I'm curious about what the outcome of it all is...

[DustMagnet]

Interesting. None of my business but I'm curious about what the outcome of it all is...

 

Well that about sums up this forum the internet all of humanity pretty much.

After all this investment talking about it, I kinda want to know too.

[Mike K.]

The Wharf bike lane is expected to open next week.

[Gary H]

From the JSB to Fort St.

[Mike K.]

U-Bike has discontinued their phone service for customer support. You can only message the organization now.

[Rob Randall]

An effective way of reducing pesky customer service phone calls is to eliminate customer service phone calls.

[Midnightly]

i guess they got tired of complaints about bikes abandoned and broken in bushes, blocking sidewalks, in the water....

[DustMagnet]

Just got an email from the Greater Victoria Bike To Work Society:
 

Wharf Street Protected Bike Lanes Open Tomorrow!
Phase one of the Wharf-Humboldt corridor opens tomorrow (August 1st). This includes the Wharf street protected lane from Pandora to Fort.

Edited by DustMagnet, 31 July 2019 - 07:42 PM.

[DustMagnet]

Also TC article, including the new Scrambled Pedestrians feature: https://www.timescol...reet-1.23902326

 

The protected cycle lane from the Johnson Street Bridge to Fort Street will be opened for use, while the section along Wharf Street to Government Street is set to open Aug. 8, and the section from Government to Douglas Street on Aug. 15.

 

Also opening today will be the new pedestrian scramble crosswalk adjacent to the Victoria Visitor Centre at the new squared-off Wharf Street and Government Street intersection. The scramble intersection has traffic lights that stop all vehicles, allowing pedestrians to cross in all directions at the same time.

 

 

Bicycles too?  I wonder... 

[Brantastic]

The scramble crosswalk has been open for weeks now and I've used it many times. There are three phases, as I highlighted in the road conditions/development thread:

1) Pedestrian scramble, all vehicle traffic stopped
2) Green arrows for right turn off Wharf onto Government, and green arrow for left turn off Government onto Wharf and straight north on Government Street. No pedestrians crossing. 
3) Green arrows for straight through Wharf --> Humboldt and Humboldt --> Wharf. I assume this is when bicycle traffic will pass through. No pedestrians crossing. 

No right turns on red. No left turns except when the green allows it off Government onto Wharf.

I thought it moved both car and foot traffic quite smoothly as pedestrians and cars are never moving simultaneously. It gives me an extra sense of safety when I cross, and vehicle traffic was seamless as turning vehicles didn't need to inch out to wait for pedestrians to cross, meaning no one is held up. 

[lanforod]

Is there a marked crosswalk kitty corner? Can you cross that way?

[Gary H]

Um, the new dedicated bike lanes opened today.  I guess the big bicycle symbols in the lanes in front of the joggers did not provide sufficient guidance.  

 

Edited by Gary H, 01 August 2019 - 09:02 PM.

[Gary H]

As part of opening the new Wharf St. bike lanes the City added new pedestrian crossing and traffic lights at the off-ramp from the JSB to Wharf St.  No more rolling merges as there is now a traffic light for cars, and pedestrians can no longer cross the off-ramp to the island at will.  City staff were on hand throughout the day to educate everyone on the new configuration.  That ped-cab thought they could roll through the red light but were told they should have stopped at the first line.

 

Edited by Gary H, 01 August 2019 - 09:28 PM.

[FogPub]

More traffic lights...just what everyone needs...sigh.

[DustMagnet]

Um, the new dedicated bike lanes opened today.  I guess the big bicycle symbols in the lanes in front of the joggers did not provide sufficient guidance.  

 

Typical pedestrians eh?  Ambulatory Anarchists, the lot. 

[tedward]

Is there a marked crosswalk kitty corner? Can you cross that way?

 

Yes

[Coreyburger]

As part of opening the new Wharf St. bike lanes the City added new pedestrian crossing and traffic lights at the off-ramp from the JSB to Wharf St.  No more rolling merges as there is now a traffic light for cars, and pedestrians can no longer cross the off-ramp to the island at will.  City staff were on hand throughout the day to educate everyone on the new configuration.  That ped-cab thought they could roll through the red light but were told they should have stopped at the first line.

 

 

Happy to see this light here. For context, the timeline of why this is a light is as follows

1. City releases a few design ideas, including removing the slip lane

2. City decides to keep slip lane because to "balance motor vehicle movement with cyclist safety" (that's almost a direct quote from staff)

3. In final design, city added the light to the slip lane

 

So glad to see the slip lane light, but the city really should have rebuilt this intersection to remove that slip lane (which the GVCC pushed for, pointing out that MoTI had removed two nearly identical slip lanes at Tillicum & McKenzie on the Goose). Hopefully in the nearish future they will go back in and look at the design of this whole area, because it is very auto-centric right now

Edited by Coreyburger, 02 August 2019 - 07:38 AM.

[spanky123]

The scramble crosswalk has been open for weeks now and I've used it many times. There are three phases, as I highlighted in the road conditions/development thread:

1) Pedestrian scramble, all vehicle traffic stopped
2) Green arrows for right turn off Wharf onto Government, and green arrow for left turn off Government onto Wharf and straight north on Government Street. No pedestrians crossing. 
3) Green arrows for straight through Wharf --> Humboldt and Humboldt --> Wharf. I assume this is when bicycle traffic will pass through. No pedestrians crossing. 

No right turns on red. No left turns except when the green allows it off Government onto Wharf.

I thought it moved both car and foot traffic quite smoothly as pedestrians and cars are never moving simultaneously. It gives me an extra sense of safety when I cross, and vehicle traffic was seamless as turning vehicles didn't need to inch out to wait for pedestrians to cross, meaning no one is held up. 

 

True although both pedestrians and cars need to wait longer to cross creating more greenhouse gases and a higher likelihood that some impatient pedestrian will cross against a light and be injured.

[laconic]

Walking west from the Sally-Anne across to the bridge this setup is just odd.

 

Pedestrians wait for the light to cross Wharf. When they get to to the very small island they are expected to gather and wait about ten seconds before the pedestrian light changes to allow them to cross the bridge right turn lane. Most pedestrians (like yesterday's walking partner) would assume they have the right to cross completely across the street.

 

If you have to have an 'ambassador' stationed at that point to educate pedestrians, it isn't a good design.

 

It does seem to be a car-centric attempt to keep the right turn bridge traffic moving.