How's the bike infrastructure where you ride?

[Jeremy McCreary]

I have done the Danube "Cycle Path" - Passau - Vienna - Budapest = I prefer B&B's over the tiny cabins of a river cruise:

Boat and Bike tour Passau - Budapest | Boat Bike Tours

Along the Danube you will get to know charming European cities on relaxing bike tours and beautiful boat trips.

www.boatbiketours.com

Totally jealous! But the Viking river cruises do have their charms. Lots of things best seen from the water, and I love boats as much as bikes.

We did Budapest-Passau Danube and Rotterdam-Basel Rhine cruises with side-trips to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Gottingen, Prague, and Luzerne. While Kathy did the bus tours, I toured on my own on rented bikes. Budapest, Vienna, Cologne, Prague, Luzerne, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam were the cycling standouts.

As I recall, bike infrastructure varied, with Amsterdam and Copenhagen at the top. But compared to the US, cars and pedestrians were much more respectful of bike traffic everywhere — esp in Amsterdam, where bikes ruled! As they should.

The ubiquitous cobblestone streets were brain-rattling, but small price to pay for urban cycling at its best! In my list of dream places to live, Tahiti first, then Amsterdam.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

10! All flat paved residential streets!

Residential streets certainly have their charms, but the topic is dedicated bike infrastructure. How's that where you ride, and where?

 

[AvalancheRun]

Austin, TX: 5.4/10

We could be a top cycling town. The weather is very hot, but actually tolerable on a bike due to wind flow. We rarely get snow or ice that sticks.
e-bikes have really changed the dynamic for cycling as transportation. Hills are flattened, sweat is minimized.

The issues with biking in Austin boil down to two parts in my view. Dicey or non-existent connections between excellent networks of bike lanes, and zero traffic enforcement for cars. Starting with the latter, Texas drivers have always been egotistical, selfish, and distracted. They buy the largest vehicles and drive however they want to get there first, even if "there" is just the next light. Since covid, APD pretty much stopped enforcing traffic violations. Imagine if you could drive 15 mph on -any road- knowing full well that you will not be pulled over for speeding.

There is some excellent infrastructure, with more being added frequently. We need to prioritize "connecting the islands." Going from one network to another often requires uncomfortable travel on roads that leave cyclists and pedestrians vulnerable.

Txdot controls many roads in Texas, notably Lamar which is a major north/south artery. In fact, we don't even have a solid north/south connection for biking and instead have what is known as the "hippie highway," a cobbled-together connection weaving between some quieter neighborhoods. Not ideal as it can be tough just to get to.
For Lamar, imagine riding in a 2.5 feet unprotected bike lane full of glass, trash, and uneven pavement next to a 45 mph posted road (now imagine the actual speeds driven). You often see giant trucks and SUVs riding for long stretches in the bike lane. I wonder if they even know there is a bike lane? No wonder most cyclists wouldn't go near it! Oh, and we have some weird issue with road paint being difficult to see. Txdot has resisted meaningful updates to infrastructure on this road for years. Of course, they are gleefully widening I-35, which runs directly through the heart of Austin, creating excessive noise and pollution. After round-the-clock construction finishes in about 8-10 years, we'll be ready for another widening! It's almost as if car-centric thinking hasn't worked and we have accumulated decades of data to prove it.

Despite all of that -- when riding my bike through Austin I am always amazed at how enjoyable it is. In rush hour I get places much quicker. Within a 2-3 mile radius of downtown I get places quicker, often thanks to the excellent hike and bike trail that extends east to west on both sides of the Colorado River. Being outside of a metal box encourages human communication and reduces road-rage frustration.

The upside: excellent. Leadership in Austin seems to recognize the immense benefits of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. We even have a $600 ebike credit as of this year. If we keep building more protected lanes we could lead as a cycling city.

Oh, and let's legalize the Idaho Stop. It's safer for cyclists (NHTSA), and saves everybody time.

Can you spot the bike lanes? That photo might look tame, but this is the absolute mildest time of the day on South Lamar.

And on the flip side, we have some truly excellent infrastructure!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Austin, TX: 5.4/10

Despite all of that -- when riding my bike through Austin I am always amazed at how enjoyable it is. In rush hour I get places much quicker. Within a 2-3 mile radius of downtown I get places quicker, often thanks to the excellent hike and bike trail that extends east to west on both sides of the Colorado River. Being outside of a metal box encourages human communication and reduces road-rage frustration.
View attachment 161595
And on the flip side, we have some truly excellent infrastructure!

While K attended a healthcare conference in Austin ca. 2016, I spent 3 very enjoyable days exploring the river and surrounding areas on a rented non-electric bike. What views from that bridge!

Top-notch urban cycling in the parts of Austin I rode, but not surprised to hear that other parts aren't so great.

 

[Art Deco]

This just showed up in my feed, the town is 20 miles from me and has my closest (only) multiuse trail ... note that they are only talking about the streets ... and very little traffic ... only locals.

Mifflinburg tops ranking for bicycling in Pa.

Sep. 23—MIFFLINBURG — The borough of Mifflinburg is considered the No 1. small city for bicycling in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic Region, according to the nonprofit agency People For Bikes.

www.dailyitem.com

 

[Prairie Dog]

Here's an example of a typical bike lane in Tokyo.

You’ll often see vehicles blocking the lanes so it’s wise to be vigilant when negotiating the roadways. We saw mainly folders, compacts and Mamacharis (Mom’s bikes) plying the streets here and many were riding on the sidewalks which is usually acceptable. There are many well-defined routes to cycle within the city on a single journey which is great if you want to see the sights without having to worry about traffic. The main arterials outside of the city are more bike friendly and can be quite extensive.

 

[mschwett]

Austin, TX: 5.4/10

We could be a top cycling town. The weather is very hot, but actually tolerable on a bike due to wind flow. We rarely get snow or ice that sticks.
e-bikes have really changed the dynamic for cycling as transportation. Hills are flattened, sweat is minimized.

The issues with biking in Austin boil down to two parts in my view. Dicey or non-existent connections between excellent networks of bike lanes, and zero traffic enforcement for cars. Starting with the latter, Texas drivers have always been egotistical, selfish, and distracted. They buy the largest vehicles and drive however they want to get there first, even if "there" is just the next light. Since covid, APD pretty much stopped enforcing traffic violations. Imagine if you could drive 15 mph on -any road- knowing full well that you will not be pulled over for speeding.

There is some excellent infrastructure, with more being added frequently. We need to prioritize "connecting the islands." Going from one network to another often requires uncomfortable travel on roads that leave cyclists and pedestrians vulnerable.

Txdot controls many roads in Texas, notably Lamar which is a major north/south artery. In fact, we don't even have a solid north/south connection for biking and instead have what is known as the "hippie highway," a cobbled-together connection weaving between some quieter neighborhoods. Not ideal as it can be tough just to get to.
For Lamar, imagine riding in a 2.5 feet unprotected bike lane full of glass, trash, and uneven pavement next to a 45 mph posted road (now imagine the actual speeds driven). You often see giant trucks and SUVs riding for long stretches in the bike lane. I wonder if they even know there is a bike lane? No wonder most cyclists wouldn't go near it! Oh, and we have some weird issue with road paint being difficult to see. Txdot has resisted meaningful updates to infrastructure on this road for years. Of course, they are gleefully widening I-35, which runs directly through the heart of Austin, creating excessive noise and pollution. After round-the-clock construction finishes in about 8-10 years, we'll be ready for another widening! It's almost as if car-centric thinking hasn't worked and we have accumulated decades of data to prove it.

Despite all of that -- when riding my bike through Austin I am always amazed at how enjoyable it is. In rush hour I get places much quicker. Within a 2-3 mile radius of downtown I get places quicker, often thanks to the excellent hike and bike trail that extends east to west on both sides of the Colorado River. Being outside of a metal box encourages human communication and reduces road-rage frustration.

The upside: excellent. Leadership in Austin seems to recognize the immense benefits of cycling and pedestrian infrastructure. We even have a $600 ebike credit as of this year. If we keep building more protected lanes we could lead as a cycling city.

Oh, and let's legalize the Idaho Stop. It's safer for cyclists (NHTSA), and saves everybody time.

View attachment 161592
Can you spot the bike lanes? That photo might look tame, but this is the absolute mildest time of the day on South Lamar.

View attachment 161593View attachment 161594View attachment 161595
And on the flip side, we have some truly excellent infrastructure!

i spent some time in austin not long ago; some really great progress in bike lane construction over the last few years... but i found the behavior of drivers absolutely terrifying, and i'm a pretty experienced urban/suburban road cyclist. the kind of things that austin drivers in their trucks did regularly would probably get them in serious trouble out here after a few days! it also seemed that the bike lanes were more geared towards tourism and recreation than actually getting places, but i may have missed a lot of the key routes due to unfamiliarity!

 

[Art Deco]

Here's an example of a typical bike lane in Tokyo.

View attachment 167560

You’ll often see vehicles blocking the lanes so it’s wise to be vigilant when negotiating the roadways. We saw mainly folders, compacts and Mamacharis (Mom’s bikes) plying the streets here and many were riding on the sidewalks which is usually acceptable. There are many well-defined routes to cycle within the city on a single journey which is great if you want to see the sights without having to worry about traffic. The main arterials outside of the city are more bike friendly and can be quite extensive.

View attachment 167558View attachment 167559

The truck in the bike lane by an empty sidewalk makes me wonder if you can safely go around it on the left ? The space does not look wide enough to get by.

 

[leehop71]

i spent some time in austin not long ago; some really great progress in bike lane construction over the last few years... but i found the behavior of drivers absolutely terrifying, and i'm a pretty experienced urban/suburban road cyclist. the kind of things that austin drivers in their trucks did regularly would probably get them in serious trouble out here after a few days! it also seemed that the bike lanes were more geared towards tourism and recreation than actually getting places, but i may have missed a lot of the key routes due to unfamiliarity!

I agree completely with driver entitlement road rage attitudes on the roads today!

I’m 70 and was primarily a truck driver my whole life. I’m now an electric bike enthusiast!

I have have seen more horrific entitlement driving in the last 5 years than EVER BEFORE!

I rarely travel to an intersection today where I don’t see blatant red light violations!!

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

i spent some time in austin not long ago; some really great progress in bike lane construction over the last few years... but i found the behavior of drivers absolutely terrifying, and i'm a pretty experienced urban/suburban road cyclist. the kind of things that austin drivers in their trucks did regularly would probably get them in serious trouble out here after a few days! it also seemed that the bike lanes were more geared towards tourism and recreation than actually getting places, but i may have missed a lot of the key routes due to unfamiliarity!

I'm lucky in that my local drivers are generally pretty good about bikes.

If I had to single out one group as the worst by vehicle type, it would be the pickup truck set. Some like to drive with one wheel in their lane and the other on the striped buffer between their lane and mine. Could be a power or control thing, laziness, distracted driving, lack of skill, fantasy of driving a truck too big for a car lane, who knows?

 

[leehop71]

I agree completely with driver entitlement road rage attitudes on the roads today!

I’m 70 and was primarily a truck driver my whole life. I’m now an electric bike enthusiast!

I have have seen more horrific entitlement driving in the last 5 years than EVER BEFORE!

I rarely travel to an intersection today where I don’t see blatant red light violations!!

Some intersections have cameras and take pictures of red light violators and send them a ticket!

They need to have them at every intersection!

 

[AvalancheRun]

i spent some time in austin not long ago; some really great progress in bike lane construction over the last few years... but i found the behavior of drivers absolutely terrifying, and i'm a pretty experienced urban/suburban road cyclist. the kind of things that austin drivers in their trucks did regularly would probably get them in serious trouble out here after a few days! it also seemed that the bike lanes were more geared towards tourism and recreation than actually getting places, but i may have missed a lot of the key routes due to unfamiliarity!

Oh boy, this is timely. I almost got hit tonight by a driver who crossed into a bike lane.

The driver was a young kid with a car full of friends. Despite the fact that there were many cyclists out, and that we passed each other several times on a half mile stretch, and the three flashing lights on my rig & helmet, he still turned into the bike lane without even looking first.

Texas drivers? Yeah, they are abysmal. Zero respect or thought for anyone outside of a car. They also just lack basic skill and spacial awareness that drivers elsewhere seem to have at a minimum. I've lived and biked in many states and nothing scares me as much as Texas, where massively oversized vehicles meets maximum Carbrain.

One major positive in Austin is the one billion dollar "urban trails" infrastructure plan. Urban Trails are protected hike and bike trails that will serve as recreational and commuter connections.

 

[mschwett]

I'm lucky in that my local drivers are generally pretty good about bikes.

If I had to single out obe group as the worst by vehicle type, it would be the pickup truck set. Some like to drive with one wheel in their lane and the other on the striped buffer between their lane and mine. Could be a power or control thing, laziness, distracted driving, lack of skill, fantasy of driving a truck too big for a car lane, who knows?

agree, drivers in the bay area - and particularly SF and Marin County, are generally very, very aware of cyclists, especially on popular routes. the vast majority give you space and even yield sometimes when they aren't required to at intersections. there's a tiny minority who aren't aware and respectful, and unfortunately that sometimes has tragic consequences.

the absolute absolute worst at the moment, as a group, are rivian drivers, closely followed by any large, lifted, tricked out pickup truck. entitlement plus testosterone plus poor visibility from a vehicle with awful dynamics. steer clear!!

 

[leehop71]

Oh boy, this is timely. I almost got hit tonight by a driver who crossed into a bike lane.

The driver was a young kid with a car full of friends. Despite the fact that there were many cyclists out, and that we passed each other several times on a half mile stretch, and the three flashing lights on my rig & helmet, he still turned into the bike lane without even looking first.

Texas drivers? Yeah, they are abysmal. Zero respect or thought for anyone outside of a car. They also just lack basic skill and spacial awareness that drivers elsewhere seem to have. I've lived and biked in many states and nothing scares me as much as Texas where massively oversized vehicles and maximum Carbrain meet.

One major positive in Austin is the one billion dollar "urban trails" infrastructure plan. Urban Trails are protected hike and bike trails that will serve as recreational and commuter connections.

I took the wife on the back of the XP last night looking at Christmas lights. Fortunately there’s not much traffic in our neighborhood. I upgraded to the Premium headlight and it works great!

 

[mschwett]

Oh boy, this is timely. I almost got hit tonight by a driver who crossed into a bike lane.

The driver was a young kid with a car full of friends. Despite the fact that there were many cyclists out, and that we passed each other several times on a half mile stretch, and the three flashing lights on my rig & helmet, he still turned into the bike lane without even looking first.

Texas drivers? Yeah, they are abysmal. Zero respect or thought for anyone outside of a car. They also just lack basic skill and spacial awareness that drivers elsewhere seem to have at a minimum. I've lived and biked in many states and nothing scares me as much as Texas, where massively oversized vehicles meets maximum Carbrain.

One major positive in Austin is the one billion dollar "urban trails" infrastructure plan. Urban Trails are protected hike and bike trails that will serve as recreational and commuter connections.

we had a tragic case here recently of a drunk driver who crossed the center line, went into the opposing lane, all the way into a bike lane (no physical separation) and killed a national cycling champion. not much that anyone can do to avoid it when something egregious like that happens - i'm guessing even a curb might not have done it, the mountable pylons that most new separated bike lanes feature, certainly not.

unfortunately the third part of making cycling safe (after infrastructure and driver behavior) is enforcement. many, many months after the incident, the suspect here was finally indicted.

 

[AvalancheRun]

we had a tragic case here recently of a drunk driver who crossed the center line, went into the opposing lane, all the way into a bike lane (no physical separation) and killed a national cycling champion. not much that anyone can do to avoid it when something egregious like that happens - i'm guessing even a curb might not have done it, the mountable pylons that most new separated bike lanes feature, certainly not.

unfortunately the third part of making cycling safe (after infrastructure and driver behavior) is enforcement. many, many months after the incident, the suspect here was finally indicted.

View attachment 167566

That's just about the same scenario that resulted in the death of Boryana Straubel (wife of Tesla founder J.B. Straubel).

We need to push our representatives for better traffic enforcement and vehicle calming measures. Chat GPT is an excellent secretary for drafting emails.

 

[Prairie Dog]

The truck in the bike lane by an empty sidewalk makes me wonder if you can safely go around it on the left ? The space does not look wide enough to get by.

There likely wouldn’t be enough space to get by that delivery van so one would have no choice but to ride around it or on the sidewalk. In reality, bike infrastructure in Tokyo is severely lacking and with the high number of its people who ride on a daily basis one might think there would be plenty of incidents but that appears to be just the opposite. Everyone just gets along and in Japanese culture there is a high level of tolerance/patience often referred to as ‘Gaman’. With so many people riding bikes, people become more sensitive to the needs of riders. It all seems to work in a coordinated fashion. Also, one is not allowed to bring a bike onto a train without first disassembling it and placing it in a bike bag. It’s difficult enough bringing your luggage on board during rush hour.

 

[Art Deco]

There likely wouldn’t be enough space to get by that delivery van so one would have no choice but to ride around it or on the sidewalk. In reality, bike infrastructure in Tokyo is severely lacking and with the high number of its people who ride on a daily basis one might think there would be plenty of incidents but that appears to be just the opposite. Everyone just gets along and in Japanese culture there is a high level of tolerance/patience often referred to as ‘Gaman’. With so many people riding bikes, people become more sensitive to the needs of riders. It all seems to work in a coordinated fashion. Also, one is not allowed to bring a bike onto a train without first disassembling it and placing it in a bike bag. It’s difficult enough bringing your luggage on board during rush hour.

The train makes sense really, even carrying a backpack onto public transit is bad at rush hour most places. I think I would politely walk the bike around it the first time or two. Until I got pissed off enough to forget...

 

[Kayakguy]

Some intersections have cameras and take pictures of red light violators and send them a ticket!

They need to have them at every intersection!

Our town tried the red light cameras a few years ago, and had to pull them out due to bad drivers protesting them. I see red light runners all the time.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Our town tried the red light cameras a few years ago, and had to pull them out due to bad drivers protesting them. I see red light runners all the time.

Just think that a dozen years ago I was convicted by an administrative court for driving through red lights, and it was only a quarter of a second! I could only have received a ticket but fell victim to the reorganization of the traffic enforcement system at that time

Not funny to see a cop at your front door...