Cycle friendly streets ?

[Art Deco]

I live in a very rural area so no experience with biking in the city, but I spent a few semesters living in London, riding the tube and w/o a car. Bike lanes in central London were busy and fast enough that I did not ride them.
Yeah, chicken s..t, I know. But since the virus hit, I keep reading about cities installing temporary bike lanes to keep folks off public transit.

Links

How We Get Around Determines What We Build, and Also Determines Much of Our Carbon Footprint

Transportation has a much bigger impact on urban design than we think.

www.treehugger.com

United States

The United States is the source of many car-oriented policies that have influenced cities around the world. Today, even as many US cities are demonstrating that change is possible, many systemic challenges persist. US cities have a long history of economic, social, and racial segregation in...

www.itdp.org

For you who are city dwellers, is this a thing now? And can it continue once the crisis passes? Should it?

Comments very much appreciated, I really want to know.

 

[Jaxx]

The good news for cycling in the UK? Bike shops are rammed out with work. Repairing and selling. The one I have used since the 60's now closes for 3 hours over lunch, to concentrate on repairs and PDI of new bikes. Sales are now by appointment. Hoping I still get my preferential treatment, with hand delivered Xmas card.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Art, I understand you discuss the American perspective. In Europe, the UK is quite a specific country and technically outside the EU soon. The Netherlands and Denmark have been bike friendly for many many years. Germany inspired the EU to promote cycling, and many bike activist groups throughout Europe had their share. Poland is still a young member of the Union yet the number of new dedicated bike paths and MUPs is beyond belief.

The bike activists in Polish cities actually used to terrorise downtowns as the "Bike Mass" rallies. They have won.

I'll be very interested to read about North American experiences.

 

[Solom01]

It would be interesting to see replies from the US, Canada and Australia. I doubt that the European experience is very applicable to those countries where, unlike Europe, distances are vast and most of the cities and suburbs were built to be autocentric. There are a few exceptions in the large city centers such as NY, Vancouver, Melbourne but for the most part every time there is an attempt to prioritize bike lanes and take away any car lanes there is immediate complaining from car users who wield a lot of power. While in Australia I saw unprotected bike lanes on the highways...but not many people at all using them, which I understand since the distances between towns was huge. Here in Florida ever since the pandemic started although there is a lot less car traffic the average speed of the cars seems to have gone through the roof, since I guess the lack of traffic and enforcement makes them think it's OK to speed.

 

[6zfshdb]

I live in a very rural area so no experience with biking in the city, but I spent a few semesters living in London, riding the tube and w/o a car. Bike lanes in central London were busy and fast enough that I did not ride them.
Yeah, chicken s..t, I know. But since the virus hit, I keep reading about cities installing temporary bike lanes to keep folks off public transit.

Links

How We Get Around Determines What We Build, and Also Determines Much of Our Carbon Footprint

Transportation has a much bigger impact on urban design than we think.

www.treehugger.com

United States

The United States is the source of many car-oriented policies that have influenced cities around the world. Today, even as many US cities are demonstrating that change is possible, many systemic challenges persist. US cities have a long history of economic, social, and racial segregation in...

www.itdp.org

For you who are city dwellers, is this a thing now? And can it continue once the crisis passes? Should it?

Comments very much appreciated, I really want to know.

Is riding a bike lane, trail or city street in the "slipstream" of the rider in front of you any safer than riding public transportation?

Exercise and Coronavirus: ‘Slipstream' of Droplets Possible Around Runners, Study Suggests

A new 12-page study out of the Netherlands found six feet may not be enough of a bubble when exercising. as a “slipstream” of droplets can form behind them for much further.

www.nbcsandiego.com

 

[Art Deco]

Is riding a bike lane, trail or city street in the "slipstream" of the rider in front of you any safer than riding public transportation?

Exercise and Coronavirus: ‘Slipstream' of Droplets Possible Around Runners, Study Suggests

A new 12-page study out of the Netherlands found six feet may not be enough of a bubble when exercising. as a “slipstream” of droplets can form behind them for much further.

www.nbcsandiego.com

Good point, but still better than public transit where distance is a few inches apart. Perhaps if we could run busses with 8 to 10 passengers only !?

 

[ruffruff]

Minneapolis is very bike friendly with a lot of permanent bike lanes and paths.
But of course it's a fight! Every time a lane goes in, it hits the news with how upset drivers are that they lost a lane of traffic.
It's still a very contentious fight here.

 

[ruffruff]

Good point, but still better than public transit where distance is a few inches apart. Perhaps if we could run busses with 8 to 10 passengers only !?

Can't happen, the whole idea is to pack them full to make it cost worthy.

 

[indianajo]

More carless city center streets is strictly a European phenomenon. Bbcnews.com has been writing about it.
Here in Indiana people are honoring Covid 19 by running all stop signs at 25 mph or higher. They were already turning right on red at 25 mph while looking left to make sure their precious left fender doesn't get hit by another car. Now people go straight through a red light at 25 mph. I've seen turn left on red, but after a pause.
Was hit & run by car turning right on red at 25 mph Labor Day 2019. He crossed 3 lanes of the cross street since he was safe from other cars. I was crossing street in a marked walk with 13 sec left on the walk sign. There is more of that in all US biker's future.

 

[Art Deco]

More carless city center streets is strictly a European phenomenon. Bbcnews.com has been writing about it.
Here in Indiana people are honoring Covid 19 by running all stop signs at 25 mph or higher. They were already turning right on red at 25 mph while looking left to make sure their precious left fender doesn't get hit by another car. Now people go straight through a red light at 25 mph. I've seen turn left on red, but after a pause.
Was hit & run by car turning right on red at 25 mph Labor Day 2019. He crossed 3 lanes of the cross street since he was safe from other cars. I was crossing street in a marked walk with 13 sec left on the walk sign. There is more of that in all US biker's future.

Ouch. I was afraid that I would hear something like that when I started this thread. Stephen mentioned that it was a struggle to get bike infrastructure built up and drivers aware, but somehow they did it. Maybe.

the European cities had

 

[AHicks]

I think that in general, the US is too spread out for bikes. Exceptions being college towns. They have bent over backwards to keep those bike friendly.

 

[Art Deco]

Minneapolis is very bike friendly with a lot of permanent bike lanes and paths.
But of course it's a fight! Every time a lane goes in, it hits the news with how upset drivers are that they lost a lane of traffic.
It's still a very contentious fight here.

How long has Minneapolis been working on bike infrastructure.

 

[Art Deco]

I think that in general, the US is too spread out for bikes. Exceptions being college towns. They have bent over backwards to keep those bike friendly.

Yeah. In west coast or southern cities it can easily be a 20 or 30 mile comute to the cities from the burbs. A lot to ask of a bike.

 

[Sierratim]

Yeah. In west coast or southern cities it can easily be a 20 or 30 mile comute to the cities from the burbs. A lot to ask of a bike.

Certainly true. Some western US cities have built light rail systems to get commuters from the burbs into the cities. San Francisco's BART system is an early example that has been extended several times to serve even more out lying areas. Sacramento, California's capital city of 500,000, has a newer system that is proving popular as well. Unfortunately, these trains are not very bicycle friendly so commuters are forced to Uber into work from the train station causing more congestion and delays.

If you do manage to make it into the City with your bike you're faced with limited bike friendly infrastructure. Bike routes are the most common affordable approach where existing lower traffic streets are painted with bike logos to let cars know they're sharing the street. Next is the striped bike lane on busier streets which aren't popular with drivers and can blocked with delivery trucks, open car doors, etc. Some cities have some dedicated bike trails that are used by commuters as highways to get across town and onto bike lanes.

Once you make it to your destination there's a notable lack of facilities to secure tour bike. Very few businesses I frequent have bike racks. Sometimes I can but my bike in a corner of a lobby. Most often it's outside.

Enough rambling on. In short, there's lots of room for improvements to bike commuting more attractive in the Western US. Better bike friendly streets are a part of the issue, but won't be a 100% solution.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Good point, but still better than public transit where distance is a few inches apart. Perhaps if we could run busses with 8 to 10 passengers only !?

One of anti-covid measures in Poland was to severely limit the number of passengers on all type of public transportation vehicles. I'm not saying that helped but at least some measures were applied.

 

[Jaxx]

Certainly true. Some western US cities have built light rail systems to get commuters from the burbs into the cities. San Francisco's BART system is an early example that has been extended several times to serve even more out lying areas. Sacramento, California's capital city of 500,000, has a newer system that is proving popular as well. Unfortunately, these trains are not very bicycle friendly so commuters are forced to Uber into work from the train station causing more congestion and delays.

If you do manage to make it into the City with your bike you're faced with limited bike friendly infrastructure. Bike routes are the most common affordable approach where existing lower traffic streets are painted with bike logos to let cars know they're sharing the street. Next is the striped bike lane on busier streets which aren't popular with drivers and can blocked with delivery trucks, open car doors, etc. Some cities have some dedicated bike trails that are used by commuters as highways to get across town and onto bike lanes.

Once you make it to your destination there's a notable lack of facilities to secure tour bike. Very few businesses I frequent have bike racks. Sometimes I can but my bike in a corner of a lobby. Most often it's outside.

Enough rambling on. In short, there's lots of room for improvements to bike commuting more attractive in the Western US. Better bike friendly streets are a part of the issue, but won't be a 100% solution.

Here in the UK, we have had now for some years 'Bike To Work' scheme. A government initiative. Anyone in work, can approach HR, and ask to participate. It was a £1000 (believe more now) loan for bike purchase. The loan is repaid over 1-3 years. The clincher? It comes of your top line. So tax free. Tax is then paid on the figure after the monthly repayments is taken. Until the loan is repaid in full, the bike remains company property. There's no limit to the number of times a person can use this facility. Also the loan can be applied to a much more expensive bike. I also hear from my friends in government, there is going to be a big announcement (initiative) to get folks and workers to take up ebikes.

 

[Art Deco]

Here in the UK, we have had now for some years 'Bike To Work' scheme. A government initiative. Anyone in work, can approach HR, and ask to participate. It was a £1000 (believe more now) loan for bike purchase. The loan is repaid over 1-3 years. The clincher? It comes of your top line. So tax free. Tax is then paid on the figure after the monthly repayments is taken. Until the loan is repaid in full, the bike remains company property. There's no limit to the number of times a person can use this facility. Also the loan can be applied to a much more expensive bike. I also hear from my friends in government, there is going to be a big announcement (initiative) to get folks and workers to take up ebikes.

Very very nice. Did that happen when Boris Johnson was pushing the Boris Bikes as mayor of London ,or totally separate ? Wish we could use something like that here in the USA rather than throwing stimulus money at a wall and hoping it sticks.

 

[Jaxx]

No, nothing Boris can claim credit for. This scheme has been in place now for around 15 years. I know of many people who have taken advantage of it, including company directors and owners. It was noticeable within the first few months of starting here in Hull. The city itself is very flat (some below sea level) Three miles north of Hull is a village Cottingham, based on the edge is the largest caravan, motor home manufacturers, in Europe Swift Caravans. The majority of workers there, have to pass my home to get there. I guess it started with a couple of guys applying for the scheme? Over the next few months many more staff started travelling to work by bike. Mainly new mountain bikes at the time. That's changed a little over the years, a good number now ride in on road bikes. They employ at this unit over a 1000 folks. It looks like a mass start road race when the afternoon shift leaves.

 

[6zfshdb]

As AHicks mentioned, commuting by bike here in the US is problematic due to the distances involved, lack of infrastructure and poor weather in many parts of the country. Buses and light rail are popular in may cities but the "last mile" continues to be a problem.

Carpooling is also quite popular with many cities creating HOV lanes on major arteries. Back in the 1980's, I worked for a company that encouraged carpooling. The company bought a fleet of 15 passenger vans and leased them to groups who wished to carpool. The cost was split between the riders. The rider who lived the farthest out would take the vehicle home. He would then pick up the others in the morning and drop them off at night. He would pay for fuel and deduct it from his share of the lease. The company would replace the vans every 5 years.

It was a very popular plan. The trick was to fill the van to keep the cost per person low. This wasn't always easy due to employee turnover, relocation etc. I'm retired now so I don't know if the practice is still in operation.

 

[Jaxx]

As AHicks mentioned, commuting by bike here in the US is problematic due to the distances involved, lack of infrastructure and poor weather in many parts of the country. Buses and light rail are popular in may cities but the "last mile" continues to be a problem.

Carpooling is also quite popular with many cities creating HOV lanes on major arteries. Back in the 1980's, I worked for a company that encouraged carpooling. The company bought a fleet of 15 passenger vans and leased them to groups who wished to carpool. The cost was split between the riders. The rider who lived the farthest out would take the vehicle home. He would then pick up the others in the morning and drop them off at night. He would pay for fuel and deduct it from his share of the lease. The company would replace the vans every 5 years.

It was a very popular plan. The trick was to fill the van to keep the cost per person low. This wasn't always easy due to employee turnover, relocation etc. I'm retired now so I don't know if the practice is still in operation.

I would have thought that kind of scheme, ups appeal to the likes of Google etc. Today utilising electric vehicles.