America Has An E-Bike Problem That Can’t Be Solved With More E-Bikes

[PedalUma]

What is the difference between Strava and Strata? I wouldn't post data on either, because it is true, no one cares!

 

[RJB58]

We need to make changes locally and incrementally with scalability. Once kids can safely ride to school, that takes SUVs off the roads, so it becomes safer for kids in a virtuous cycle. My town just took a four lane road that had cars doing fifty mph, and parked at the curb down to this. This says Proposed, but it happened. Nothing is perfect but we need to be bold enough to go from where we are at. Watch the last few minutes of this video on another recent bike friendly car diet in my town.


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In Washington DC some of the major roads are configured like the top part of the picture, with the bike lane adjacent to the sidewalk and then parking spaces for cars. When I would pull my car out of the parking garage I found it terrifying. First you have to make sure there are no pedestrians or scooters on the sidewalk. Then check for bikes. Then inch past the parked cars and pray there are no cars whizzing by at speed , as you can’t see them over the parked SUVs and trucks. You could eliminate on-street parking (like in the bottom part of the picture) to Improve exiting visibility, but I assume that would be a non starter for those who drive around town all day making several short stops as part of their job duties. I’m sure smarter folks than I are working on a solution but I don’t envy their challenge.

 

[scottsdalecommuter]

@tomjasz,
This is how I was able to give Putin, Texas, and the Saudi Princes the finger in January of 2018. I sold my car and took eBikes everywhere and commuted on the train with bikes for the last mile on each end. The freeway commuters would arrive with damp armpits from the stress of white knuckling it in bumper to bumper. I would arrive relaxed and refreshed. It can happen in your town. A good first step is to make one safe route to one grade school that is close to a junior high. Other towns can ask my town how.
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I’ve got a quarter mile stretch between a grade school and middle school that my kids walk and bike and is pretty rough, what is the name of the contact in Petaluma? I’d be curious to hear more and work with my city.

 

[PedalUma]

I’ve got a quarter mile stretch between a grade school and middle school that my kids walk and bike and is pretty rough, what is the name of the contact in Petaluma? I’d be curious to hear more and work with my city.

https://petaluma.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=31&event_id=1449

You can view the next meeting on 10/05/22 at 6:30 PST. Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/95528189518
That 1/4 mile is an ideal place to start. Then branch to other nearby grade schools.

 

[Nutella]

SAFE STREETS DESIGN! Very cool! It was defeated and became a political hot potato here.
Road diet was approved and then a new council, with successful candidates that campaigned against the improvements, stopped it and lost all funding for repaving. A speedway through the center of a small city. And yearly pedestrian fatalities. NO ONE ever bikes the street.

Same. The city tried the same thing and people LOST THEIR MINDS over it. It was astonishing. The city caved and rolled it back so the cagers could keep driving at high speeds.

 

[PedalUma]

We have a large street with four lanes that heads to the coast. We are thinking of taking it down to two. There are other ways to get to the coast that do not go through the heart of a large town. Inlanders will race in jammed traffic from one red light to the next. RVers will not stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. Motorcycles with straight pipes will rev as loudly as they can and try to weave around the RVs. We want our town to be a peaceful destination. It is ours and we want it back. That road is currently imposable to ride a bike on.

 

[kevinmccune]

I think the bigger issue is our transportation infrasture is centered around the automobile and not pedestrians and other users. Cities were designed around people before 1940s, Suburbs are designed around the automobile. The US has forgotten how to build cities.

it is called"stroads" 29 north in charlottesville,va is a prime example.
'

 

[kevinmccune]

In Washington DC some of the major roads are configured like the top part of the picture, with the bike lane adjacent to the sidewalk and then parking spaces for cars. When I would pull my car out of the parking garage I found it terrifying. First you have to make sure there are no pedestrians or scooters on the sidewalk. Then check for bikes. Then inch past the parked cars and pray there are no cars whizzing by at speed , as you can’t see them over the parked SUVs and trucks. You could eliminate on-street parking (like in the bottom part of the picture) to Improve exiting visibility, but I assume that would be a non starter for those who drive around town all day making several short stops as part of their job duties. I’m sure smarter folks than I are working on a solution but I don’t envy their challenge.

you can place little 'jut outs" or islands next to the exits( also needs to be done at fire hydrants(of course this would decrease justified vandalism and city revenue. america has a "me" problem.

 

[Kayakguy]

The train is nice. Great views, interesting conversations if you wish, or you can read a book. The exercise you do get simulates, and produces endorphins. You do not get that with a scooter. The idea of moving street parking out from the curb creates a barrier between moving cars and bikes along the curb. We are trying that here.

Bellingham is trying it too. I had read that the city was planning to move car parking away from the curb, protecting the bike lane from traffic (my one concern is auto passengers opening their doors in your path. Bikers will need to stay alert). Anyhow, I was surprised yesterday to find that Holly St. (main drag through town) has already implemented this for about 5 or 6 blocks. Unfortunately, there are still a number of routes that provide very little accommodation for bicycles. We still have along way to go to arrive at decent infrastructure for bikes.

 

[BlackHand]

Bellingham is trying it too. I had read that the city was planning to move car parking away from the curb, protecting the bike lane from traffic (my one concern is auto passengers opening their doors in your path. Bikers will need to stay alert). Anyhow, I was surprised yesterday to find that Holly St. (main drag through town) has already implemented this for about 5 or 6 blocks. Unfortunately, there are still a number of routes that provide very little accommodation for bicycles. We still have along way to go to arrive at decent infrastructure for bikes.

Watch out for right hooks.

The most dangerous part of my commute are the 10 blocks where the MUP is a 2 way protected lane between parking and the sidewalk. Subject to both left hooks and right hooks. The city restriped it this summer and removed several parking spaces back from each intersection which has mostly eliminated the right hooks.

 

[Chargeride]

Right wing channel in UK, Piers Morgan mouthpiece, discussing e scooters

 

[Bill G]

We need to make changes locally and incrementally with scalability. Once kids can safely ride to school, that takes SUVs off the roads, so it becomes safer for kids in a virtuous cycle. My town just took a four lane road that had cars doing fifty mph, and parked at the curb down to this. This says Proposed, but it happened. Nothing is perfect but we need to be bold enough to go from where we are at. Watch the last few minutes of this video on another recent bike friendly car diet in my town.


View attachment 136093

That 5' buffer between the bike and parking lanes is critical. A few years ago I was in NYC and was not used to the infrastructure. I went to get out of the car and almost clocked a biker. My bad, but wouldn't have been an issue with a 5' buffer.

 

[kevinmccune]

Right wing channel in UK, Piers Morgan mouthpiece, discussing e scooters

uabashed right wing hypocrisy as usual a right wing denier trying to obscurate the truth.

 

[Chargeride]

I'll have to say a lot of these fire videos are showing the batteries going up like bombs, I presume the explosive gas is igniting inside the case.
It makes me think about having mine in a backpack, the first thing I might notice is my back on fire!!