11207 replies to this topic

[Ismo07]

I just assume long weekends are busy everywhere.

 

Well parking transaction-wise it was busier than the previous week and the August 11th Sunday.  I can't speak for the two locations the pictures were taken of.  Should've popped down too the Local, it was a hoot.

[Mike K.]

There was a dude so drunk on Douglas at View, standing in front of the McDonald’s, that he didn’t realize he put a full, open beer into his jacket pocket, sideways. It started pouring out, dripping like a faucet from his jacket pocket and down his pants.

He was so loaded, he was holding an unopened can in his hand, looking at it, and in bewilderment wondering how it was possible beer was still spilling out from somewhere even though he was holding a full, unopened can in his hand. I guess he miscalculated how many he already drank.

That was at about 3:15PM.

Also, Churchill now offers a hot dog and a beer for $10, early in the day every day, I think the sign said.

[Victoria Watcher]

Business owners unhappy with the route for Esquimalt’s proposed east-west protected bike lanes are suggesting their own alternatives with less impact on parking for their customers.

 

Mark Eraut of Panago Pizza in Esquimalt Town Centre said one of the options Esquimalt is considering — a quick-build protected bike line on a section of Esquimalt Road that would take away all street-side parking between Lampson Road and Canteen Road — is a “huge issue” for area businesses and residents.

 

Eraut has been raising concerns at council meetings about the township’s proposed bike lanes on behalf of a group of 29 businesses on Esquimalt Road. The group is planning to unveil alternative east-west bike routes next week.

 

“We are not opposed to bike lanes. What we are opposed to is bike lanes that don’t make sense for the entire community,” said Eraut.

 

At this week’s council meeting, a number of business owners — including the operators of a hair salon, a herbal medicine shop and a mountain bike shop — said losing parking to the bike lanes could hurt their businesses.

 

Marty Clough of Marty’s Mountain Cycling told council he’d be foolish to oppose bike lanes as a person in the bicycle business, but his store needs customer vehicle parking.

 

Plans for protected bike lanes stretching the length of the municipal portion of Esquimalt Road have been formalized in Esquimalt’s active transportation plan since 2022.

 

However, Eraut proposed an alternative route that would loop below Esquimalt Road and run past Bullen Park and the Archie Browning Sports Centre instead of alongside the township’s primary east-west vehicle thoroughfare.

 

Eraut said he tried to work with the township’s engineering department earlier during the bike-lane-planning process but that “hasn’t been well received.”

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...parking-9851649

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 November 2024 - 10:00 AM.

[dkuitu]

Some curb adjustments on Blanchard. Looks like View is the only one getting a bulb-out. Shame.

[mbjj]

Those things are a menace. Is the right turn being eliminated? How do you get to the View St. parkade if so? 

Edited by mbjj, 14 December 2024 - 03:32 PM.

[Mike K.]

Holy pylons.

[Barrister]

And then they will wonder why some of us prefer Oak Bay and why we wont go downtown. On the other hand if they build enough mini apartment without parking you do have a captive cliental. 

[FogPub]

Some curb adjustments on Blanchard. Looks like View is the only one getting a bulb-out. Shame.

Shame?  Those things are just stupid.  The lights are already set to give pedestrians loads of time to cross on the 'walk' sign.

[Blair M.]

The push-outs on the curb are a huge mistake when it comes to delivering goods into downtown stores. Trucks from a cube van or 5-ton on up have an extremely difficult time negotiating those push-outs, and pedestrians always walk out right to the edge. 

 

And that's exactly how pedestrians get hit by turning trucks - by design.

The designers are literally designing sidewalks that put pedestrians out into actively moving traffic.

[Barrister]

The designers just are finding things to do in order to justify their jobs. They dont care if they are making things worse or spending tons of money for nothing.

[Benezet]

Most of the push-outs at Blanshard/View and Blanshard/Yates have been there for a long time. From what I can tell, all that’s happening is re-doing of the kerb radii, and adding two push-outs on View St only.

[Victoria Watcher]

The designers just are finding things to do in order to justify their jobs. They dont care if they are making things worse or spending tons of money for nothing.

 

Some of this is certainly true.

[Blair M.]

Most of the push-outs at Blanshard/View and Blanshard/Yates have been there for a long time. From what I can tell, all that’s happening is re-doing of the kerb radii, and adding two push-outs on View St only.

Some are brand new, some are being made slightly larger:

 

https://www.google.c...KXMDSoASAFQAw==

 

https://www.google.c...KXMDSoASAFQAw==

 

I believe (but don't know for sure) that the effort has something to do with providing two wheel chair type access ramp cuts at 90 degree angles, as opposed to the single cut now in place almost everywhere - which forces the presumably wheelchair bound person to move slightly out into the intersection in order to access the current single, somewhat centred ramp.

 

But push-outs in general are a singular piece of bad design, as the issues they're designed to mitigate are a much lesser problem than the dangerous issues they create for large vehicles (including busses) attempting to do their work in the downtown core. 

[aastra]

Nobody mentions Kerb Radii opening for Tinto Rocks at the upcoming holiday show? You people have lost your touch.

[Tony]

Lots of opinions about the problems it creates for commercial drivers.  I do not know how many are from actual commercial truck and bus drivers. Commercial truck drivers are better than non commercial drivers in paying attention to pedestrians because of the training required.. Some package delivery drivers may be the exception.

 

There is also the other side of the issue. As a pedestrian I appreciate  them. I can see on coming traffic and I am more visible to drivers.

Despite research challenges of these types of road modifications (some may even call such research studies  make work projects) there is support for increased pedestrian safety.

[Mike K.]

Lots of opinions about the problems it creates for commercial drivers. I do not know how many are from actual commercial truck and bus drivers. Commercial truck drivers are better than non commercial drivers in paying attention to pedestrians because of the training required.. Some package delivery drivers may be the exception.

Haven’t there been more pedestrians killed by commercial drivers in the downtown core? At least two while trucks were turning at a street corner. And one death was by a turning coach.

None by package delivery drivers, I don’t think.

[Tony]

March 1 2024 on Hillside pedestrian killed by a driver of a Ram pickup.

 

My comment on delivery drivers vs other commercial drivers was just a personal  opinion based on observed behaviour comparing them especially at this time of year. Stats on observed behaviour of pedestrian crossing indicate that commercial drivers are more aware and attentive to pedestrians than non commercial drivers. They also have far more blind spots to consider when compared to most non commercial drivers. 

 

My main point was where is the pedestrian perspective  considered in assessing the value and effectiveness of curb extensions.

[Mike K.]

On March 1st, the pedestrian ran out into the path of a vehicle, and was not in a crosswalk.

All of the examples I cited were pedestrians killed on pedestrian infrastructure, by commercial drivers.

[GaryOak]

Hate on the bike Lanes and other improvements as much as you want, but at least they're also installing left turn lanes on Blanshard

[Tony]

My main point was where is the pedestrian perspective  considered in assessing the value and effectiveness of curb extensions.