11042 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Ok thanks!

 

And "by May and October" I meant to say "for May and October."

[DustMagnet]

 

Also, now that I am back I really need to go try out the Wharf St. bike lanes to see how much of a disaster it is first-hand.  The comment I saw above about how it's not very fast because of all the crossings/wandering pedestrians is kind of par for the course - these aren't express lanes by any stretch of the imagination.  When I ride on the Pandora or Fort lanes it's leisurely as you keep your speed low and eyes open for all sorts of interactions, not unlike driving downtown.

 

Ok, I got the chance to use the Wharf St. lanes on Saturday.  First up was the slip lane transition from the bike lane coming in over the JSB.  We got in line behind the last car (which was blocking the bike lane continuing up Johnson anyway - oops) and waited for the light.  Meanwhile another cyclist toddled on past on the right of the line of cars up to the stop line - tsk, tsk.  Once we were in the protected lanes proper it was smooth sailing, but there is a narrow jog that the pedicabs can't navigate without crossing into the oncoming lanes.  Pedestrians stuck to the marked crossings, so there were no surprises in that regard.  We turned up Fort using the split lane turn (after waiting a while for the light) and continued to our destination on Government.  We took the same route back to the JSB - there was no traffic coming straight on the bridge to test the yield, so no conflict.

My take: Overall it's better than the old Wharf St. for cycling.  Would like to see a bike lane on the slip lane.  Would ride again.

[Mike K.]

The mayor is headed that way soon. She can look into what NYC is doing about the accident rate between cyclists and pedestrians, and I mean that with sincerity.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has aggressively pushed a bike-friendly agenda, adding about 100 miles of dedicated lanes for cyclists amid a spike in rider collisions, but he’s done little to address the danger that bikers themselves pose.

Since 2011, bicyclists have injured more than 2,250 pedestrians — including at least seven who died — according to stats from the city Department of Transportation and published reports.

Injuries are up 12 percent this year, rising to 127 through June 30 from 113 over the same period in 2018, the NYPD says.

Most of the injured last year were in Manhattan, where 134 pedestrians got hurt, nearly half the citywide total of 270.

- https://nypost.com/2...y-wont-stop-it/

[mbjj]

I was down by Humboldt and Government for the first time yesterday. I think the pedestrian crosswalks need stripes to show they are crosswalks as many tourists were using the green painted crossing and walking in it. Few, if any, crossed diagonally, probably because those random lines on the road mean nothing to an out-of-town tourist.

[Brantastic]

I was down by Humboldt and Government for the first time yesterday. I think the pedestrian crosswalks need stripes to show they are crosswalks as many tourists were using the green painted crossing and walking in it. Few, if any, crossed diagonally, probably because those random lines on the road mean nothing to an out-of-town tourist.

Either that or clear bike markings on the green bike crossings. I've noticed the same problem.

[mbjj]

I also noted that cars headed northwest from Humboldt onto Wharf, only two made it through on the light. Also cars were still turning right from Government onto Humboldt even though that may be disallowed now? There were so many signs I couldn't take it all in...and I was on foot, lol.

 

Last week on The Life-Sized City it was Montreal and whilst Mikael Colville-Andersen was cycling in a two-way bike lane he said "these are not best practice". He should know as he's been in bike lanes everywhere.

[Jackerbie]

I also noted that cars headed northwest from Humboldt onto Wharf, only two made it through on the light. Also cars were still turning right from Government onto Humboldt even though that may be disallowed now? There were so many signs I couldn't take it all in...and I was on foot, lol.

 

Last week on The Life-Sized City it was Montreal and whilst Mikael Colville-Andersen was cycling in a two-way bike lane he said "these are not best practice". He should know as he's been in bike lanes everywhere.

 

I wouldn't invoke Mikael's idea of "best practice" unless you want a Copenhagenize solution! Their design pyramid places cyclists as top priority, pedestrians second, then transit, and cars as lowest priority. The "best practice" would be to widen the sidewalk, have protected bike lanes on both sides of the street wide enough for two people to ride abreast, and eliminate on street parking where street width is a constraint.

[Mike K.]

On the ultra rare occasion that I take transit into the city, I watched this cat and mouse game today with multiple buses and cyclists.

 

Buses were having a heck of a time dealing with cyclists as they were waiting for breaks in traffic to pass them, then cutting them off to stop 250 meters away, then being passed by the cyclist, then passing them again. It was absolutely bonkers. I honestly don't know how bus drivers can keep it together with everything that's going on on our roadways today.

 

[RFS]

Yep, IMO the bike lobby lost all credibility as fair and reasonable when they failed to see the bikes in the Douglas st bus lanes as a terrible idea for everyone

[rjag]

I wouldn't invoke Mikael's idea of "best practice" unless you want a Copenhagenize solution! Their design pyramid places cyclists as top priority, pedestrians second, then transit, and cars as lowest priority. The "best practice" would be to widen the sidewalk, have protected bike lanes on both sides of the street wide enough for two people to ride abreast, and eliminate on street parking where street width is a constraint.

 

I was driving down Vancouver St the other day from Southgate to Caledonia. There is zero reason to close this section of road to through traffic.

 

There is so much room to have a bike lane on the grass verge on both sides of the street  https://www.google.c...!7i13312!8i6656 and they could run it like this all the way to View St. 

 

As usual they are over-complicating things while flipping the bird at cars and it looks like its sour grapes because of the uproar on Cook St

[Coreyburger]

Yep, IMO the bike lobby lost all credibility as fair and reasonable when they failed to see the bikes in the Douglas st bus lanes as a terrible idea for everyone

 

The Douglas Bus/Bike lanes are a mediocre compromise. The GVCC didn't oppose them because speeding up buses is important and we remain focused on the long-term goal on Douglas: protected bike lanes separated from dedicated transit (rail or bus) lanes.

[Brantastic]

I was driving down Vancouver St the other day from Southgate to Caledonia. There is zero reason to close this section of road to through traffic.

 

There is so much room to have a bike lane on the grass verge on both sides of the street  https://www.google.c...!7i13312!8i6656 and they could run it like this all the way to View St. 

 

As usual they are over-complicating things while flipping the bird at cars and it looks like its sour grapes because of the uproar on Cook St

I think the reason for this is the cost. It is significantly cheaper to put in a few road closures to reduce traffic to a comfortable level for cyclists than to construct protected bike lanes all the way from Park Boulevard to Bay Street. 

[Nparker]

It would be even cheaper to simply repave Vancouver Street to a decent smooth surface and otherwise leave things as they are.

Edited by Nparker, 03 September 2019 - 11:03 AM.

[rmpeers]

It would be even cheaper to simply repave Vancouver Street to a decent smooth surface and otherwise leave things as they are.

Paving roads? Outrageous. We have to cover the priority items first, like the Mayor's endless vacations/junkets/job interviews. You think all those airfares pay for themselves?

[Nparker]

...You think all those airfares pay for themselves?

The "carbon offsets" apparently do.

[DustMagnet]

Comment: Wharf Street bike lanes are a design failure

https://www.timescol...lure-1.23933643

 

I think everyone agrees that that these lanes are at best imperfect, but IMO this level of hand-wringing, pearl-clutching and panty-twisting is frankly ridiculous.

 

P.S. If I'm ever blocking an emergency vehicle I will make whatever otherwise illegal move I need to clear the path for it, and not lose sleep.

[Nparker]

I think everyone agrees that that these lanes are at best imperfect, but IMO this level of hand-wringing, pearl-clutching and panty-twisting is frankly ridiculous...

Except perhaps that the CoV intends to proceed with the Vancouver Street lanes without learning any lessons from their past mistakes - again.

[DustMagnet]

Except perhaps that the CoV intends to proceed with the Vancouver Street lanes without learning any lessons from their past mistakes - again.

 

Did you read the piece?  Even if the CoV totally bungles Vancouver St. (sorry gentlemen, betting is now closed) the hyperbole has caused - to quote a recent poster - a complete loss of credibility for Mr. Smith.  I would be wary of engaging King Bros. Limited for my customs broker or ship's agent needs based on this.  If I had those needs.  Should I have those needs in the future I shall wary, to be sure.  Warier even than Mr. Smith of the Wharf St. bike lanes, if such a thing is possible.

[rmpeers]

Comment: Wharf Street bike lanes are a design failure
https://www.timescol...lure-1.23933643

I think everyone agrees that that these lanes are at best imperfect, but IMO this level of hand-wringing, pearl-clutching and panty-twisting is frankly ridiculous.

P.S. If I'm ever blocking an emergency vehicle I will make whatever otherwise illegal move I need to clear the path for it, and not lose sleep.

Pont is though, what if you couldn't get out of the way? And why oh why would they design roads in such a way as to impede first responders? I mean, wasn't that one of the concerns that forced them to abandon the Cook st Biketoria plans?

I'm just basing this on the writers experiences as described but, if accurate it's ridiculous.

[Victoria Watcher]

the emergency vehicle is such a huge red herring time and time again.