How's the bike infrastructure where you ride?

[Jeremy McCreary]

Jeremy, thank you for starting this thread. With all due respect, however, as a resident of San Diego since 1975 I have to disagree with your optimistic assessment of our bicycle infrastructure. I would give it no higher than 5/10. Yes, there are separated bike paths along the San Diego River and around both San Diego Bay and Mission Bay. And there are more and more bike lanes on city streets. But there are large swaths of the city which are hostile to bikes. It is difficult to cross Mission Valley, for example, and you are constantly among car traffic. Similarly, in the Clairemont and Miramar areas, and in the eastern neighborhoods. Most of my friends don't bike because they feel unsafe. Separate bike paths are not totally continuous, forcing bicyclists into vehicular traffic for several blocks. I ride between Encinitas and Hillcrest, and between Hillcrest and the border, and it involves several miles where there is no bicycle infrastructure. We have a long way to go.

Thanks for that correction. Sounds like I should have narrowed the scope of my 8/10 to coastal North County (Del Mar to Oceanside). I have little experience riding farther south, which is the area you're describing.

Granted, most of the bikeways up here are just paint, but they're well marked and comfortably wide in most cases, and I can usually find a reasonably direct route that feels reasonably safe.

 

[Marcela]

This place runs out of gas there is gonna be a lot of bike lanes

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I guess it's all relative. Just this morning, @ChezCheese:) posted Bicyclist collides with a bear!

Love the final quote from the recovering victim:

The reason I rode in the … forest is just to get away from the traffic, right?” he said. “But after hitting the bear, I mean, it’s probably safer just riding with cars.

 

[Tbill]

I am in a city called Windsor, Ontario. It's on the Canadian side of the border across the river from Detroit.
I'm surprised at the walking/cycling paths that have been built. Nice asphalt.
I won't say the bike lanes on city streets are great but if you want to go for a nice scenic bike ride, it's actually surprisingly good.

 

[AHicks]

By the same logic, you shouldn't commit to a healthy lifestyle because it isn't going to make any difference tomorrow. Even long journeys begin with one step.

Ref: necessary versus sufficient conditions.

Sorry, I disagree. With no huge changes in the way cars are used today (all we are doing, for the purposes of this argument, is agreeing to no further development, right?), with the infrastructure in use the way we know it, bike transportation WILL continue to be a dangerous, if not impossible, for most of us here in the states....

You're talking rethinking, then rebuilding most existing automotive infrastructure. Not very likely going to happen to make riding a bike safer/easier to use as primary transportation.

I am NOT saying I wouldn't welcome a new bike path....

 

[mata2maui]

This place runs out of gas there is gonna be a lot of bike lanes

And folks that would shoot you for an energy bar cuz right now no gas = no groceries (or anything else dependent on interstate trucking).

 

[mata2maui]

bike transportation WILL continue to be a dangerous

Perhaps one of the reasons eMTB sales lead other types in the USA?

 

[Ben J]

Seattle just instituted a policy that every time SDOT has a project that changes signals or virtually anything else in an intersection then it will default to 'no turn on red' unless they can document a specific need for turns on red.

This might explain why Bellevue has changed the light timings in several intersections to let pedestrians go first. It's actually a big hazard to pedestrians, because right-turn-on-red cars are looking at traffic, they see the lull just before the light changes, and try to go. But the pedestrians already entered the crosswalk a few seconds earlier so the cars roll a few feet and (hopefully) slam on the brakes when they see the people. The timing would make way more sense in conjunction with "no turn on red".

 

[Djangodog]

It’s hard to rate what doesn’t exist. The nearest bike lane is 25 miles away.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

It’s hard to rate what doesn’t exist. The nearest bike lane is 25 miles away.

Sounds like a 0/10. Where is this?

 

[Djangodog]

Claremont, “Live Free or Die” New Hampshire.

 

[BEC111]

Claremont, “Live Free or Die” New Hampshire.

Emphasis on the die, perhaps?

tongue slightly in cheek (added)

 

[Djangodog]

Emphasis on the die, perhaps?

tongue slightly in cheek (added)

New Hampshire tends to be a state where you are on your own in pretty much every way. I love the countryside, mountains and lakes, but in my opinion, the New Hampshire attitude could use a little adjustment toward kindness. Vermont tends to be much kinder and more progressive.

That said, this is a rural area. It’s mostly two lanes or dirt. Most of our narrow roads are already as wide as they reasonably can be. We also have a fairly small cycling community and no shortage pick-em-up trucks.

I have been a cyclist for most of my 67 years. Cyclists around here tend to accept the risks and the hostility from rednecks. The cycling community tends to be friendly and inclusive. It’s not ebikes vs roadies vs mountain bikes. It’s more cyclists vs rednecks.

 

[Marcela]

And folks that would shoot you for an energy bar cuz right now no gas = no groceries (or anything else dependent on interstate trucking).

People are already doing that for a lot less.

 

[AHicks]

People are already doing that for a lot less.

Really....
We recently had a "brainiac" gas station attendant lock the front door/only way out of a gas station because somebody was stealing 3 dollars worth of "stuff". The thief threatens to start shooting if the door wasn't unlocked. The brainiac wouldn't unlock it. So the thief kills 1 of the 3 customers in the store, and wounds 2 more.

Yes, the brainaic now up on manslaughter charges..... Sometimes you just can't make stuff like this up!!

 

[mata2maui]

Maui man dies in e-bike collision on Lahaina Bypass

This bypass is one of the more recent road projects completed on Maui and it lacks even painted bike lanes. There are a disproportionate amount of vehicle v. cyclist 'accidents on this island. It most likely was not a safe place to cross the road but you sometimes find yourself in unsafe situations due to the lack of infrastructure here. RIP.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Maui man dies in e-bike collision on Lahaina BypassView attachment 155456View attachment 155457​

This bypass is one of the more recent road projects completed on Maui and it lacks even painted bike lanes. There are a disproportionate amount of vehicle v. cyclist 'accidents on this island. RIP. View attachment 155459

So the old guy ran into the truck. At least he died on the counteroffensive.

 

[mata2maui]

So the old guy hit the truck. At least he died on the counteroffensive.

Hmm, ok.

 

[Rexlion]

So the old guy ran into the truck. At least he died on the counteroffensive.

Now you know how to 'go out with a bang,' eh?

 

[mata2maui]

Jeremy McCreary​

So the old guy ran into the truck. At least he died on the counteroffensive.

Rexlion​

Now you know how to 'go out with a bang,' eh?

I don't know, maybe you two should show a little respect (or even some class) the man just got killed and you find this funny?