[sustran] Re: Cycling in cities

mobility mobility at igc.org
Tue May 14 00:05:58 JST 2002


i think its a good idea, Ramon.  Several friends have told me they would ride
their bikes if they could figure out how to cycle in traffic.  Any idea how to
develop a curriculum?   you don't agree with dutch cycling design that a.
basically ends the cycle lanes before they reach the intersection, and b) puts
the cyclists in a box at the front of the traffic to allow them to clear the
intersection first?  Seems to me to work petty well.  Also working well is a
walk-bike sign that turns green before the motor traffic light.

Would love to have more info on the Marakina bike plans.   Dont doubt there are
problems.

best
walter

Ramon wrote:

> >bottom line is the answers are not simple, are fairly >location specific,
> and we're not likely to get any quick >victories in cities that dont have
> long arterials with wide >medians that can be used for bike lanes.
>
> Only if we count the number (mileage) of bike lanes (or other
> infrastructure) built. We just got back from our training in Marikina and I
> was surprised that city bike planners and engineers did not have a clue
> about the dangers that their design of bike paths (physically separated but
> along roadways except for a few by creeks and the river that are more
> appropriate for leisure use, not for serious transportation) created for
> cyclists, pedestrians and even MV drivers. The "pilot" cycle path built with
> GEF funds dumps cyclists perpendicularly into the path of MV traffic at a
> busy intersection. The design itself is pedestrian walkway - cycle path -
> car parking -- copied from some convoluted European design is my guess.
> Anyway, the real problem is not the design per se but is inherent in the
> idea of a roadside cycle path because it is difficult to see how
> intersections can be made safer without building flyover ramps just to
> connect the paths (none of the compensating "designs" proposed by
> Europeans -- set backs, lanes narrowed at intersections in order to raise
> driver awareness, etc.) really seem to help. Or we can educate cyclists how
> to deal with traffic safely, that is, "drive" their bicycles correctly in
> traffic, fix road surfaces, fix gratings, improve enforcement of traffic
> laws (in Manila, enforce loading and unloading regulations for public
> transport and getting MV drivers to obey traffic regulations at
> intersections), get bicycles to users, improve status and public acceptance
> of cyclists and cycling, that is, spend scarce funds more effectively.
>
> As for Manhattan't streets -- well, I learned to commute in NYC and consider
> its streets to be as "cyclist-friendly" as any other big city's, that is,
> they're great for cycling transportation as long as you know how to behave
> properly on the road, which seems like common sense. The west side bikeway
> would have been nice for recreational weekend cycling or slow, leisure
> cycling, but it wouldn't have been useful to me for commuting.
>
> I am wondering how many in this list or our sustran network is into training
> how to cycle in traffic -- I think it's one area that has not been given due
> attention.
>
> Ramón



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