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[Bicycles] Bike lanes and cycling infrastructure in Victoria and the south Island


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#8581 Danma

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 06:54 AM

Yup, that’s Facebook for ya.

And you should see the private messages we get.


Nah, I’m good. I’ve had enough negativity to last me a while!

#8582 GaryOak

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 07:17 AM

I've found Reddit to be a far calmer place that Facebook r/victoriabc
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#8583 Danma

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 07:44 AM

Yep. Reddit is a nice place. I mean it’s fine to disagree with your politicians but these are just civic politics, no need to get nasty

#8584 Redd42

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 08:01 AM

I've found Reddit to be a far calmer place that Facebook r/victoriabc

 

I find it interesting that on sites where folks are anonymous, VV and Reddit, folks are nicer to each other but on Facebook where you are identified, folks can get so nasty. 


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#8585 shoeflack

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 08:22 AM

I find it interesting that on sites where folks are anonymous, VV and Reddit, folks are nicer to each other but on Facebook where you are identified, folks can get so nasty. 

 

Moderation, rules, and a sense of community/camaraderie. Those don't really exist on Facebook, whereas they do here and reddit.


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#8586 Mike K.

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 10:23 AM

Indeed. There’s also the sense of being welcomed to a community, and not wanting to be unwelcomed by that community.
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#8587 aastra

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 10:36 AM

 

Seems like this would have been a good location to try out another one of those pop-up parks...

 

I had a similar reaction looking at Nparker's pic. I'm not a fan of street closures for the sake of street closures, but methinks a spiffy little public space might actually have worked in that spot.



#8588 Nparker

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 11:08 AM

... methinks a spiffy little public space might actually have worked in that spot.

And this space as currently designed isn't all that "spiffy", IMHO.



#8589 aastra

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 11:37 AM

As is it's just a ping pong table on the street. It's lame.



#8590 Danma

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Posted 16 August 2019 - 12:35 PM

At lunch here I left my office and rode to Vic West to get my TdV package. I decided to try out the new bike lane to see how it is during busy hours by riding to the food truck corral behind the Museum and back to my office near Chinatown. Here's my observations:

 

1. It's very nice to be able to ride along Wharf mostly unimpeded. It's historically pretty stressful to ride.

2. You're having to stop quite often since there's about 2 crosswalks for every 100 meters. Not a high speed stretch by any means.

3. Additionally, cyclists still have to be vigilant for pedestrians vehicles getting in or out of the parking lots, and other cyclists.

4. The scramble intersection is pretty interesting.. much like at the corner of Wharf and Pandora/Johnson it's complicated. But just wait for your light and it's generally fine.

5. There were, at least today, an extremely large number of cycling-minded tourists out there, based on listening to their conversations at lights... Providing a downtown-centered loop that cyclists can enjoy safely is definitely good for cycle tourism to Victoria.

 

Overall: A significant improvement, and does a good job of reducing car/bike interaction which is beneficial for both. When it's busy like today where there's a lot of cars, pedestrians and cyclists, it isn't fast... but much safer. I'd feel way more comfortable bringing my kids to ride through downtown to James Bay or Beacon Hill Park with the new setup.


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#8591 aastra

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Posted 21 August 2019 - 11:48 AM

Apparently the effort to introduce European-style organized chaos into the busiest areas of North American cities is resulting in European-style organized chaos in the busiest areas of North American cities.
Times-Colonist: Lanes on Wharf Street put cyclists at risk (a commentary by a regular cyclist on Wharf Street)

 

 

That is one example of a general problem: ambiguity....

 

 

Another significant problem is that the new system is so foreign to the established way of doing business. It is not merely non-intuitive; it is counter-intuitive...

 

We fetishized traffic in European cities for many years, but now that we're finally living the dream we're realizing how hectic and stressful it can be to fly by the seat of your pants? As if we didn't know that North Americans had long been trained to expect and prefer simple, formalized, and predictable traffic patterns and interactions? As if we didn't know that North Americans have generally never been very comfortable with the black arts and improvisations that characterize getting around in busy European cities? All of those movies, books, TV shows, etc. that make fun of this sort of thing... we've just forgotten that they exist?

 

 

Attitude Adjustment

Driving in Europe tends to be more aggressive than in the US, and some Europeans, particularly Italians and Greeks, seem to make up their own rules of the road. In Rome, for instance, red lights are considered discretionary. On one trip, my cabbie went through three red lights. White-knuckled, I asked, "Scusi, do you see red lights?" He said, "When I come to light, I look. If no cars come, red light stupido, I go through. If policeman sees no cars — no problema. He agree — red light stupido."

Once you're behind the wheel, you may curse the traffic jams, narrow roads, and macho habits, but it's all part of the experience. Driving at home is mundane; driving in Europe is memorable.

https://www.rickstev...ing-europe-tips

 

Don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying that it's bad or that it can't work (obviously it works in Europe). I'm merely pointing out that nobody should be surprised. What North American cities are getting is exactly what they asked for.

 

In Victoria's specific case I will say that this seems to be yet another example of how some people want the visible trappings of a very densely populated place but without the dense population.


Edited by aastra, 21 August 2019 - 11:49 AM.

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#8592 Mike K.

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Posted 21 August 2019 - 12:11 PM

In Victoria's specific case I will say that this seems to be yet another example of how some people want the visible trappings of a very densely populated place but without the dense population.

 

Visible trappings, i.e. the "look at us, we matter" syndrome.


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#8593 VIResident

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Posted 21 August 2019 - 04:54 PM

Comment: Lanes on Wharf Street put cyclists at risk

".....I propose that the mess on Wharf Street become known as Lisa’s Folly. Not original, I confess, but right on the money.

And I suggest that the citizens of Vancouver Street start thinking about some form of resistance to the newly approved conversion of their neighbourhood into a replica of the Folly. Malign forces are gathering around your community.

Do not go gentle. "

https://www.timescol...risk-1.23921609


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#8594 Coreyburger

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Posted 22 August 2019 - 08:14 AM

Comment: Lanes on Wharf Street put cyclists at risk

".....I propose that the mess on Wharf Street become known as Lisa’s Folly. Not original, I confess, but right on the money.

 

And I suggest that the citizens of Vancouver Street start thinking about some form of resistance to the newly approved conversion of their neighbourhood into a replica of the Folly. Malign forces are gathering around your community.

Do not go gentle. "

https://www.timescol...risk-1.23921609

 

 

Note this the second time the same author has had a published comment about the downtown bike lanes. As for the rest, a mismash of personal attacks and other writing, well, ya. He has an opinion, one that isn't widely shared.


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#8595 Mike K.

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Posted 22 August 2019 - 08:53 AM

10 bikes reported stolen in one day, say VicPD in a release issued this morning. That’s reported. Who knows how many are stolen which are never reported.

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#8596 VIResident

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Posted 22 August 2019 - 11:34 AM

Note this the second time the same author has had a published comment about the downtown bike lanes. As for the rest, a mismash of personal attacks and other writing, well, ya. He has an opinion, one that isn't widely shared.

Writer claims to have ridden that route for 15 years and with the advent of new bike lanes feels less safe.  

Well written and credible, good enough for me and many others.



#8597 zoomer

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Posted 22 August 2019 - 02:12 PM

I was walking along Wharf a couple of hours ago - went to cross and a cyclist in cycling gear with a racing bike decides to step on the peddles so to speak to beat the pedestrians.. I had to stop in my tracks or I would have been mowed down. I said out loudly “really?!” cause I’m a badass..but instant karma (fortunately no one was injured) as a vehicle cut right in front of her as they were turning left to go down to the large parking lot below Wharf. The cyclist had to come to a sudden stop and banged (mainly for effect I think) into the side of the vehicle who stopped blocking the bike lane. Vehicle rolled down the window to see if the cyclist was ok, cyclist yelled a few words, then both moved on.

I like the bike lanes, but Wharf Street has a lot of blind or obstructed turns, and all modes are not paying enough attention and in too much of a hurry.

#8598 Mike K.

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Posted 22 August 2019 - 02:16 PM

It’s big city-like to bang on the car and say a few things after you break the rules of the road and put yourself in a precarious situation after nearly colliding with a pedestrian.

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#8599 Nparker

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Posted 22 August 2019 - 02:18 PM

Are the above scenarios the sort of "messiness" Her Worseship likes?



#8600 VIResident

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Posted 22 August 2019 - 02:43 PM

Before Bike Lanes and After Bike Lanes on Wharf the stories are stacking up and its not good.



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