I see on the agenda, ripe banana topic 4 “Vehicular Cycling vs. Segregated Infrastructure”. I would prefer that to be “Vehicular Cycling AND Segregated Infrastructure”.
We’d all love to ride our bicycles without encountering any motor vehicles but until that day, if we’re going to 'bicycle safely and fearlessly anywhere, anytime for any reason', we’ll need to be able to ride in traffic sometimes. Mastering vehicular cycling can minimize our risk when we have to ride in traffic.
The fundamental principle of vehicular cycling is that cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles. When cyclist act as drivers of vehicles, i.e. obey traffic signals, signal turns, occupy the appropriate lane position for going straight through or making turns, motorists know what to expect from us and are more likely to treat us as drivers of vehicles.
Bicycling infrastructure is evolving and the Bicycle Board needs to develop and maintain expertise on it so we can lead in the City and maybe even the State at getting good infrastructure. We need to know how to use it safely as well. Even our beloved rail trail separated infrastructure has some very dangerous crossings with motor traffic. Two of the 18 crashes between bicyclists and motor vehicles reported by Morgantown Police between 2008 and 2015 were at such crossings: one where the rail trail crosses Carnegie St. and one where the rail trail crosses Green Bag Rd.
Rather than dividing into vehicular cycling vs. segregated infrastructure parties, I would like to see all of us master vehicular cycling and become experts on infrastructure. Perhaps at this week’s meeting, the board can plan how to do that.
Frank
On Sep 29, 2017, at 12:10 AM, Drew Gatlin via Bikeboard bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com wrote:
Hello All!
Please find our agenda attached. There are two items up for grabs if any of you want to take a shot at facilitating the discussion (I'm totally willing to chat about those items beforehand to get you caught up to speed if you're willing!).
Also, we're again in need of a volunteer for secretary (or did someone volunteer to do it this month at last month's meeting?).
Finally, is anyone willing to spearhead organizing and marketing the upcoming social ride? It's gonna be a spooky ride, Friday, October 13th. Our last was really quite excellent, let's make this month's a hoot!
Best, Drew
-- J.D. Gatlin Transportation Engineering Research Assistant Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering 653 Engineering Sciences Building West Virginia University, Dec. '17 Chair, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board Co-Chair, 2017 West Virginia Bicycle Summit Morgantown, WV 26505 <17-10-05_Agenda.docx>_______________________________________________ Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com http://wvcompletestreets.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard