Rexlion
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Tulsa metro
An American rider visiting Europe, perhaps? (Everything about that photo looks wrong to me!)
Stuff That People Can't Figure Out
- Thread starter Handlebars
- Start date
Slaphappygamer
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Aptos
That’s a cyclist in New York. Arrows mean nothing to him. Or he just doesn’t care.An American rider visiting Europe, perhaps? (Everything about that photo looks wrong to me!)
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
It kinda makes sense to me...I want to see what's coming at me, and as well, when cars (not so often trucks - more experienced drivers) with under-experienced drivers are going the same direction as the cyclist, as they become more cautious of passing, they actually veer CLOSER to the cyclist because they are measuring space against their oncoming trucks and so become overly cautious to avoid the oncoming...and after they pass the cyclist ( me), they move back out about half a foot.
I think it would make the car traffic less conflicted as well, if they made the bike lanes ride counter to the car traffic. Not sure how that would work at intersections though. Hmmm.
Last edited:
Slaphappygamer
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Aptos
I understand that. It’s similar to walking down the street, but then what would you do when you encounter another bicycle? Do you move to the side to let them take the lane? You should, because you can see the traffic better.
This one rider came around the corner, in the wrong direction and we almost hit. I had to swerve out of the way because they couldn’t. They just jutted out from the side street. That was kind of my intersection experience.
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
I think bicycle lanes are a perfect fit for the thread...they have NOT been figured out yet.
On Toronto's busiest "small store"shopping street, Danforth Ave, it's a mess of bad thinking for bike lanes. It's now pretty much guaranteed that if you ride your ebike where you are legally forced to ( with motorized road traffic) cars will pass and the people are laying on the horn and screaming at you to get in the bike lane even as you're keeping up with traffic, and then veering into you to scare you. Two lanes each way have been reduced to one with the constant construction and parking, truck deliveries to the storefronts, taxis and passenger pickups, intoxicated patrons stepping out, the parking blocks sometimes sideways across the bike lanes, the lane marking poles broken and lying across the bike lanes, rough pavement, ice and snow in winter pushed into he bike lanes or not cleared...cars and trucks parked between bike lanes and the road traffic so the two cannot see what the other is doing...like turning right blocked from seeing to what is going on where they are headed to...and shoppers and bar patrons stepping off the sidewalk to their car, forgetting that there is a bike lane between them and the car, and when leaving the car forgetting that there is a bike lane on the right as they open the doors...and sometimes babies in strollers pushed ahead of moms as they pass between parked vehicles...
Slaphappygamer
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Aptos
Yes. Traffic can be dangerous, especially with delivery trucks stopped in the bike lane to make their delivery. I took the 20mph limit off my bike so I can merge with traffic to safely pass the truck. Otherwise, I might find a route to avoid that situation….as I type this, I realize it may be a specific day that the deliveries are made. Maybe I’ll drive on that day. Trying to keep my car exercised.
When I first got my bike, I was very excited to ride it to work. After the first day, I stopped. I realized that a bell and mirror were very necessary. They were a game changer.
I can see the advantage to riding against traffic. When riding along parked cars, you can see drivers better and they will see. Then they (hopefully) will NOT open their car door. Also, they will see you and NOT try to pull out of their parked position.
I guess my problem with it is, as a driver, I’d pull out of a driveway. I’d look right, left, then right again and I might see a bike zipping down from my right. It’s always a surprise. You never know when it’s going to happen. You anticipate it, but then the car behind you starts honking. I really don’t want to have a collision with a bicycle. I think about it all the time.
I know that each area have their own unique situations at different times of the day. The route I take to work is different than the route I come home on. This is because of traffic. When I come home, my morning route is horrible. So many vehicles all cutting across my work to avoid the freeway. The idiots don’t realize that there are stops and signals on those streets. The freeway doesn’t have traffic lights. (That’s another thing people can’t figure out, lol). Sure, my route home is a bit longer than my morning route, but I still get home earlier than if I had drove home.
Danforth Ave sounds like they don’t want bikes. I would avoid biking there, but maybe that’s the only route you can take at that time. Still, it seems like an interesting place to visit. I’d like to see if there is a pawn shop or used video game store. I’m sure they have good food there, by the bars. I don’t drink anymore, but bars can have really great food. I’d bike there to check it out, seems worth the trip.
When I first got my bike, I was very excited to ride it to work. After the first day, I stopped. I realized that a bell and mirror were very necessary. They were a game changer.
I can see the advantage to riding against traffic. When riding along parked cars, you can see drivers better and they will see. Then they (hopefully) will NOT open their car door. Also, they will see you and NOT try to pull out of their parked position.
I guess my problem with it is, as a driver, I’d pull out of a driveway. I’d look right, left, then right again and I might see a bike zipping down from my right. It’s always a surprise. You never know when it’s going to happen. You anticipate it, but then the car behind you starts honking. I really don’t want to have a collision with a bicycle. I think about it all the time.
I know that each area have their own unique situations at different times of the day. The route I take to work is different than the route I come home on. This is because of traffic. When I come home, my morning route is horrible. So many vehicles all cutting across my work to avoid the freeway. The idiots don’t realize that there are stops and signals on those streets. The freeway doesn’t have traffic lights. (That’s another thing people can’t figure out, lol). Sure, my route home is a bit longer than my morning route, but I still get home earlier than if I had drove home.
Danforth Ave sounds like they don’t want bikes. I would avoid biking there, but maybe that’s the only route you can take at that time. Still, it seems like an interesting place to visit. I’d like to see if there is a pawn shop or used video game store. I’m sure they have good food there, by the bars. I don’t drink anymore, but bars can have really great food. I’d bike there to check it out, seems worth the trip.
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
I think it might be like a Chinese Finger Trap puzzle - easy to get in, but the more you struggle to get out the more stuck you get.
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
Both steel and plastic cable ties can be released at the lock for re-use.
kevinmccune
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I see through the illusion.
kevinmccune
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Of course their PhD trumps your experience, occasionally a real" Nova" will appear that has the benefit of both( plus some CS)
J.R.
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Piedmont Highlands
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
I rode Danforth bike lane today. As far along as I paid attention, every single bicyclist was flagrantly breaking laws - including me, because I won't tangle with angry car drivers screaming and swerving to get an ebike into the structured bike lane, which is illegal to be in. Others were all riding through red lights (the small side streets didn't have traffic) including a dad with young child.
BlackHand
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Western WA
Strange. I guess your bike has a throttle or is over 40kg?
Electric Scooters & Electric Bicycles
Electric scooters (e-scooters) are unsafe and illegal to ride in Toronto. Choose kick scooters and bicycles that are not battery operated, and ensure children and youth wear a helmet when they ride. E-scooters are illegal and unsafe, especially for youth under the age of 16.
www.toronto.ca
That type of protected lane would be considered 'within or adjacent to the highway' here and would be accessible to all bikes+ebikes.
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
No, my bike is all legal, the problem is that any motorized bike is not allowed in bike lanes with physical structure (poles or parking blocks,etc.). The drivers get really angry because their lanes are already reduced for the bike lane and then constant construction as well. In some spots there is only painted zones , in others there is structure. Allover the place there are bulges out where there are large decorative planters on the lane roadway with tall grasses that obstruct the view ahead...where the restaurant patios have big umbrellas with points sticking into the bike lane at face level...Strange. I guess your bike has a throttle or is over 40kg?
Electric Scooters & Electric Bicycles
Electric scooters (e-scooters) are unsafe and illegal to ride in Toronto. Choose kick scooters and bicycles that are not battery operated, and ensure children and youth wear a helmet when they ride. E-scooters are illegal and unsafe, especially for youth under the age of 16.
That type of protected lane would be considered 'within or adjacent to the highway' here and would be accessible to all bikes+ebikes.
This is the premier bike lane that is the toast of the green idealists. I go slower than many of the pedal bikes because it's just that dangerous. I'm totally focused on what is coming next and watching for potholes and downed poles and parking blocks and strollers and car doors and people stepping out.
Hey, I just checked that link and it seems to indicate that motorized bikes CAN ride in what they now call"separated"
Last time I checked it was illegal where there was physical structures, only legal in painted-only lanes. Thanks!
I wouldn't be surprised though if both rules are extant though conflicting. I'll do a search for the other ruling
Last edited:
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
There's the evidence of it on google but I haven't found it on the site yet...it specified we can't ride where there are structures. Maybe they changed that. Maybe both rules exist. I might have been the only non-scofflaw out there today if they changed the law.
They have a nonsense rule. You are right, it's about the throttle now. Throttles don't make the bike able to go to a higher speed. In fact, I can accelerate quicker than solely by throttle if I pedal at a high assist level. It's still limited to 32km/hr 500W motor. Sheesh.
Last edited:
BlackHand
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Western WA
Ok, I was just going by the Toronto's info at that link which certainly seems to say that pedelecs are allowed on separated bike lanes....
I looked on Google streetview and there certainly is a lot going on there for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians to contend with. Looks like they tried to do too much.
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
Yeah, I added to my post...it's now about the throttle.
Handlebars
Well-Known Member
- Region
- Canada
lots of obstructed view..and if you look around you can see some of the marker poles are bent. Weekend nights cars and trucks are backing into them to get out of the squeeze and end up laying them across the path
www.google.com
Google Maps
Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
www.google.com
Similar threads
