| Author |
Message |
chainstretcher
Yellow Jersey
Joined: 25 Jun 2005
Posts: 520
Location: Decatur
|
 Posted:
Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:57 pm |
 
|
I found this website dedicated to documenting bike lane "usage" in various cities including Atlanta.
Some members interested in making bike lanes useful for cyclists might like to contribute content.
http://atlanta.mybikelane.com/
get the picture ? |
|
|
 
|
|
TimH
Sr. Member
Joined: 18 Feb 2007
Posts: 351
|
| Posted:
Fri Jun 13, 2008 8:22 pm |
|
CS, I posted in the Chicago Bike Week thread re bike lanes in particular and cycling facilites in general and how poorly they are designed.
http://www.bikesbl.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=3962
It is worth stating again here, especially for those new to cycling, that there is no legal requirement in the Atlanta area (that I am aware of) which requires cyclists to only use bike lanes nor prevents cyclists from riding outside of a bike lane when one is provided.
Insofar as cyclists are permitted to move outside the bike lanes pictured at mybikelane.com, the motorists pictured blocking the bike lanes are not really interfering with cycling as much as they are interfering with motorist's ability to easily pass cyclists. Unfortunatley, most motorists waiting to pass a cyclists wont see it that way but the illegal parkers are doing more harm to motoring than cycling
The belief that a cyclist must have an overriding concern for motorist convenience is often a trap that new cyclists fall into and quite frankly, it puts them at great risk. Convenience to motorists must often take a back seat (no pun intended) to a cyclists safety and if a bike lane is unsafe, poorly designed or blocked by an illegally parked cop car then don't use it... abandon it and ride where it is safest.
-Tim- |
|
|
|
|
|
ratherBbiking
Yellow Jersey
Joined: 03 May 2006
Posts: 511
Location: Sharpsburg, GA
|
| Posted:
Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:35 am |
|
The bike line on West Peachtree is useful only a as a free pass to the front of the line when traffic stacks up at 10th street. Otherwise, way to many parked cars, side streets and parking lots, debris, and other hazards make it dangerous when going 25 mph in traffic. The most brilliant part about the bike lane is the way it magically disappears about 200 yards past 10th street. |
|
|
|
|
|
chainstretcher
Yellow Jersey
Joined: 25 Jun 2005
Posts: 520
Location: Decatur
|
| Posted:
Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:27 am |
|
hmmm.
Why should the city bother? Not too many tourists wander past 10th street to see what the infrastructure is really like. Oh, was that sarcastic? sorry.
Personally I think bike paths as implemented in the U.S. are much more dangerous than if they just made the roads wide enough and gave us a fog line to herd the cars over. The growing right hook situation in Portland is a great example of how creating bike lanes can increase danger. |
|
|
|
|
|
dcepar
Sr. Member
Joined: 29 Sep 2005
Posts: 232
Location: Smyrna, GA
|
| Posted:
Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:54 pm |
|
| chainstretcher wrote: |
hmmm.
Why should the city bother? Not too many tourists wander past 10th street to see what the infrastructure is really like. Oh, was that sarcastic? sorry.
Personally I think bike paths as implemented in the U.S. are much more dangerous than if they just made the roads wide enough and gave us a fog line to herd the cars over. The growing right hook situation in Portland is a great example of how creating bike lanes can increase danger. |
In fact - why even bother with wider roads. Narrow roads are only interfering with motorists' ability to easily pass cyclists and shouldn't bother cyclists one bit. The situation in Atlanta is indeed perfect and I don't see why anyone would want to change anything at all. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Home
|
Ride Calendar
|
Shop
|
Contact Us
|
myBikeSBL
|
FAQs
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
