evandyk
Senior Member
That's how I feel too. If I'm walking nicely on the side of the path where I'm supposed to be, and someone rings their bell, my reaction is "WTF? Why are you honking at me?"
|
|
|
Cycling infrastructure (Separated bike lanes)
- Thread starter MetroMan
- Start date
That's how I feel too. If I'm walking nicely on the side of the path where I'm supposed to be, and someone rings their bell, my reaction is "WTF? Why are you honking at me?"
If you hear a bell, please don't move left. Move right. People pass on the left -- which is generally what I will say "Passing on your left".
Coolibop
Active Member
One rings a bike bell as a courtesy to avoid startling others. It lets them know that a bike is approaching quickly from behind. Not everyone has great hearing or awareness, and it is difficult to predict if someone will suddenly move into the path of travel. Ringing the bell is a courteous way to let others know that a bike is coming. I find it particularly useful for people with dogs, kids, and seniors.
A bell shouldn't upset you...
enter username
Active Member
It would be nice if the RT replacement bus lanes on Kennedy and Midland were shared use with bikes, but I'm assuming not due to the high bus frequency. No mention of bikes in the May 8 community update, just "legacy use potential" once the busway is open. I've emailed Arjun Sahota to confirm
afransen
Senior Member
I think the problem is interpreting a bell as a honk. Maybe repeated loud dinging is equivalent to a honk. I use that with clueless car drivers.
Natika33
Active Member
Sorry, I meant right!
Northern Light
Superstar
A look at one of the enhancements to the Dundas cycle tracks:
Dundas/Hiltz
Photo Credit: Becky Katz
Dundas/Hiltz
Photo Credit: Becky Katz
W. K. Lis
Superstar
W. K. Lis
Superstar
We all hear the comments that cyclist break rules. Not true, according to this article...
Cyclists Break Far Fewer Road Rules Than Motorists, Finds New Video Study
From link.evandyk
Senior Member
If they count speeding and rolling through stop signs, I’m pretty sure it’s100% in Ontario.
ssiguy2
Senior Member
The only problem I have with separated bike lanes along roadways is that the majority of them are so damn ugly.
Yes, you have some that are very pleasant where the lanes have nice grassing and flowers & trees separating the cars from bikes but these are VERY few and far between. The vast majority are just large concrete slabs with ugly poles sticking out of them. They remind me of these high rise construction sights where the sidewalks are covered with wood planks....................functional and even safer than regular sidewalks due to the poles supporting the overhead planks but incredibly ugly and a blight on the urban landscape. These concrete bike lanes make the street look like it is terminally under construction.
I often think of the Bloor Street West lanes. Yes, they provide a much needed infrastructure and get rid of car lanes but the street itself looks far less pleasant than it did before. They act as a barrier to crossing the street and the ugly grey concrete slabs with poles make for an ugly urban realm. They are great for bikes but I find them unattractive as a pedestrian and unappealing and I tend to avoid streets with them. Maybe it's just me but I think many feel the same way.
Yes, you have some that are very pleasant where the lanes have nice grassing and flowers & trees separating the cars from bikes but these are VERY few and far between. The vast majority are just large concrete slabs with ugly poles sticking out of them. They remind me of these high rise construction sights where the sidewalks are covered with wood planks....................functional and even safer than regular sidewalks due to the poles supporting the overhead planks but incredibly ugly and a blight on the urban landscape. These concrete bike lanes make the street look like it is terminally under construction.
I often think of the Bloor Street West lanes. Yes, they provide a much needed infrastructure and get rid of car lanes but the street itself looks far less pleasant than it did before. They act as a barrier to crossing the street and the ugly grey concrete slabs with poles make for an ugly urban realm. They are great for bikes but I find them unattractive as a pedestrian and unappealing and I tend to avoid streets with them. Maybe it's just me but I think many feel the same way.
Last edited:
Northern Light
Superstar
The use of the curb stops and flexi posts you describe above is temporary, its a quick way of creating some degree of separation without road reconstruction.
To put in landscaping between a bike lane and a vehicle lane has impacts on drainage that need to be addressed. They will be, when the road is reconstructed.
That said, staff are looking at the experiment at Danforth and Kelvin which creates that landscaping without reconstruction and working out details of how that could be used to implement improvements to existing cycle tracks far sooner than would otherwise be the case; and how to implement nicer cycle tracks from day one.
My photos of the Danforth/Kelvin site can be found in this post:
Road Safety & Vision Zero Plan
^Thanks for that. One would think that with all those years of use, there would be abundant indication of problems, or lack of same. It would be interesting to know if the measured average speed for these streets differs from streets with speed bumps, or nothing at all. And if there were...
afransen
Senior Member
I think the thing to keep in mind is that those bike lanes are interim solutions until the road is reconstructed with permanent lanes.
ssiguy2
Senior Member
Thanks for the reply and link Northern Light. Those are indeed far more attractive and add to the urban experience as iopposed to detracting from it. That should be the standard used city wide on roadways. Yonge & Bloor Streets would be a good place to start.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds these concrete barriers and poles unsightly.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds these concrete barriers and poles unsightly.
Northern Light
Superstar
You're welcome.
You'll see this treatment on Sheppard from Bayview to Leslie. Next year:
You'll also see this implemented on a portion of Gerrard Street East next year: (Sumach to Parliament)