Jenny, Thanks for the feedback on the Maine event. I just came back from a membership development conference in San Francisco, where bikes outnumber cars (nearly). In the conference we were getting support from mfgrs and local government. It felt good, and it seemed right. I love it when that happens.
Please don't get me wrong on the subject of bike lanes. Here's my recommendation:
Ride your bike in the traffic lane when conditions permit, move to the right and let traffic pass when you are going substantially slower AND it is safe to do so. Make curb lanes wide enough and eliminate obstructions SO it is safe to do so.
Just leave out the paint strip and "Bike Lane" declaration. It confuses people. Every public road is ALREADY a bike lane, no need to declare one.
---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Jennifer Selin jselin@hotmail.com Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:19:00 -0400
To Nick and all:
I know that bike lanes are dangerous, I have seen the "car turn-in to the bike rider" myself. However, if you really want more riders in Morgantown, we need a variety of ways that people can ride. This does not deny the bicycle its just use of the road, at least in my mind. I think we want to bring people along to the idea of bicycling one step at a time....
Separate trails along natural corridors such as the river or highways (many places have a separated trail many yards from the road to get to the local Mall or the next town) are a big boost to those riders who are not yet as adventuresome on the road with cars. These riders, sometimes this applies to me, over time may become more adventuresome on the road, particularly as car drivers get used to sharing the road.
Also the connections between neighborhoods, trails, and roads require careful navigation and the more timid riders become used to dealing with traffic when in these transition zones. Many people will enjoy the bike routes you are developing because they may not yet be thinking of the best way to use the roads to get somewhere by bicycle.
The more careful (wider) spacing of lanes, even the shoulders-that-are-paved-and-should-not-be-used-by-vehicles-such-as-bikes, give cars and bikes more room to work with speed differentials. There are ways to make it easier to bike by road design as you all have mentioned. Sometimes it is by slowing all traffic or limiting the access or turning options of car traffic.
I just attended the Common Ground festival in Unity Maine where they had a huge bike parking area and encouraged people to bicycle in from the nearby town. Each rider was greeted at an bike-tire framed arch by a small cheering committee. They also had a train commute option to enter the grounds.
Jenny
Jenny Selin 1224 Fairlawns Morgantown, WV 26505 USA
Phone:(304-598-9650) jselin@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 08:49:18 -0400 From: director@positivespin.org To: bikeboard@cheat.org Subject: [Bikeboard] Parade magazine article, Bike Friendly Cities
Good morning, This article was in Today's Parade magazine today. Good stuff, except for over-selling bike lanes and separated paths (IMHO). I'm going to take it to our mayor.
http://www.parade.com/news/2009/09/27-a-free-wheeling-city.html
Have a good riding day (splish, splash) Nick
-- Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 2567 Univ Ave Ste 6000L Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --
Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@cheat.org http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
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-- Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 2567 Univ Ave Ste 6000L Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --
I'm all for getting more and more Morgantown to enjoy bicycling safely and fearlessly anywhere, anytime, for any reason. However in all respect to what Jenny thinks, when it comes to bike lanes and bike paths the pesky WV and Morgantown laws deny cyclists their right to ride on the road when bike lanes and bike paths are present.
*Bike Lanes * Since a bike lane is a part of the roadway and WV Code requires cyclists to ride as far to the right as practicable, cyclists must ride in the bike lane and cannot ride on the roadway. Following are the relevant governing documents.
WV Code 17C-1-5-(a) "Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway *shall ride* *as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable*, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction." (Morgantown code 373.05-(a) says the same.)
2003 MUTCD 1A.13-7. "Bicycle Lane---a *portion of a roadway *that has been designated by signs and pavement markings for preferential or exclusive use by bicyclists."
*Bike Paths * WV Code 17C-1-5 (c) "Whenever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway." (Morgantown code 373.05-(a) says the same.)
As a City councilor, Jenny is in a position to change the Morgantown code but since WV code trumps Morgantown code, the State code would have to be changed first if cyclists are not to be denied their right to the road in the presence of bike lanes and bike paths.
*Bike lanes and bike paths increase crashes at crossings* When most people think of riding on bike lanes and bike paths, they imagine themselves safely riding along separated from traffic whizzing by but they don't think much about what happens when they inevitably cross with that traffic.
Compared with cycling in mixed traffic, bike lanes and bike paths increase motor vehicle/bicycle crashes at crossings. Bike lanes have not been shown to appreciably change the rate of same direction motor vehicle/bicycle crashes or left-turning motor vehicle into bike crashes but increase motor vehicle right-turn into bicyclist crashes 73%. Bike paths have been shown to reduce same direction motor vehicle/bicycle crashes by 63% but to increase motor vehicle right-turn into bicyclist crashes 127% and left-turning crashes 48%. (Source: http://www.trafitec.dk/pub/Road%20safety%20and%20percieved%20risk%20of%20cyc...)
In order to achieve the Bicycle Board's vision that "All Morgantown residents can enjoy bicycling safely and fearlessly anywhere, anytime, for any reason" we must make intelligent choices where to put our very limited energies in Education, Enforcement, Engineering, Encouragement and Evaluation. IMHO, we can accomplish more and do less harm by working on education, enforcement and encouragement including providing positive recognition for riding a bike, bicycle route maps, bicycle parking and places to clean up.
Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
/On 9/28/2009 1:29 PM, director wrote:
Jenny, Thanks for the feedback on the Maine event. I just came back from a membership development conference in San Francisco, where bikes outnumber cars (nearly). In the conference we were getting support from mfgrs and local government. It felt good, and it seemed right. I love it when that happens.
Please don't get me wrong on the subject of bike lanes. Here's my recommendation:
Ride your bike in the traffic lane when conditions permit, move to the right and let traffic pass when you are going substantially slower AND it is safe to do so. Make curb lanes wide enough and eliminate obstructions SO it is safe to do so.
Just leave out the paint strip and "Bike Lane" declaration. It confuses people. Every public road is ALREADY a bike lane, no need to declare one.
---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Jennifer Selin jselin@hotmail.com Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:19:00 -0400
To Nick and all:
I know that bike lanes are dangerous, I have seen the "car turn-in to the bike rider" myself. However, if you really want more riders in Morgantown, we need a variety of ways that people can ride. This does not deny the bicycle its just use of the road, at least in my mind. I think we want to bring people along to the idea of bicycling one step at a time....
Separate trails along natural corridors such as the river or highways (many places have a separated trail many yards from the road to get to the local Mall or the next town) are a big boost to those riders who are not yet as adventuresome on the road with cars. These riders, sometimes this applies to me, over time may become more adventuresome on the road, particularly as car drivers get used to sharing the road.
Also the connections between neighborhoods, trails, and roads require careful navigation and the more timid riders become used to dealing with traffic when in these transition zones. Many people will enjoy the bike routes you are developing because they may not yet be thinking of the best way to use the roads to get somewhere by bicycle.
The more careful (wider) spacing of lanes, even the shoulders-that-are-paved-and-should-not-be-used-by-vehicles-such-as-bikes, give cars and bikes more room to work with speed differentials. There are ways to make it easier to bike by road design as you all have mentioned. Sometimes it is by slowing all traffic or limiting the access or turning options of car traffic.
I just attended the Common Ground festival in Unity Maine where they had a huge bike parking area and encouraged people to bicycle in from the nearby town. Each rider was greeted at an bike-tire framed arch by a small cheering committee. They also had a train commute option to enter the grounds.
Jenny
Jenny Selin 1224 Fairlawns Morgantown, WV 26505 USA
Phone:(304-598-9650) jselin@hotmail.com
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 08:49:18 -0400 From: director@positivespin.org To: bikeboard@cheat.org Subject: [Bikeboard] Parade magazine article, Bike Friendly Cities
Good morning, This article was in Today's Parade magazine today. Good stuff, except for over-selling bike lanes and separated paths (IMHO). I'm going to take it to our mayor.
http://www.parade.com/news/2009/09/27-a-free-wheeling-city.html
Have a good riding day (splish, splash) Nick
-- Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 2567 Univ Ave Ste 6000L Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --
Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@cheat.org http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
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-- Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 2567 Univ Ave Ste 6000L Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --
Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@cheat.org http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard
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director -
Frank Gmeindl