tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31044017174737444992024-03-12T19:48:00.166-07:00K-W bicycle blogdino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-13191508668727570682012-05-23T05:50:00.002-07:002012-05-23T05:50:42.590-07:00tough time for cyclists in area - accidents. death.http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/728756--cyclists-face-tough-tour-de-waterloo
Barrie Conrod is gone. That won’t change.
And local cycling enthusiasts are marked forever.
“His death has left a scar,” said Malcolm Steven, the chair of next month’s Tour de Waterloo event. “How could it not have?”
Two Sundays ago, Conrod cycled with his wife in Wellesley Township when was hit from behind by a sport utility vehicle on Herrgott Road.
His body struck the pavement.
The Waterloo financial adviser was killed instantly.
“Any cycling death is bad,” Steven said. “But his, in particular. . . .”
Conrod, 52, was a road cyclist on a rural road. Just like Steven and other members of the Waterloo Cycling Club. Just like the avid cyclists — as many as 800 — who are expected to take part in the 3rd annual Tour de Waterloo along area roads on June 24.
“They’re rabid cyclists too,” Steven said of Tour participants. “They ride the rural roads where we generally feel safe.”
Conrod’s death leaves cyclists with an acute sense of unease.
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D - here is a plea from Conrod's widow for safer cycling infrastructure.
http://www.therecord.com/opinion/columns/article/727318--let-s-make-the-roads-safer-for-all
I think that expecting to separate bikes and vehicles is oversimplifying the issue, and not a viable solution for the short-term anyway. Cycling trailways are an excellent idea, but the infrastructure would take a great deal of time, money and government commitment to create. Bicycles are vehicles, in any event.
Bike lanes could be accommodated with the least amount of expense. That would be a start. Raised reflectors could be set into the white line between the bike lane and roadway. Rumble strips could alert drivers who cross over the line.
Warning signs on the roadways around Waterloo Region would alert motorists to be aware of cyclists. We could also lower the speed limits on the country roads in the area.
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D - I was very nearly in a serious accident on my cycle a coupla weeks ago.
I always travel to Heidelberg and back. The road edge is paved. I do have mountain bike tires on the 'bent bike, so can slow down and go onto gravel for big rig trucks (which I do). This is not an option with the hard narrow tires of a 'ten speed' style racing bike. I was on the return jaunt back Waterloo. A car rushed to as fast as possible to the very edge of the highway from a side street from the left. Visibility was great, there was no rush, there were good sight lines. None of this matters with the "bumper with your name on it"...
He rushed that road edge so fast that he
1) hauled on the brakes hard,
2) this rocked the car,
3) then clearly planned to use the car's rocking motion to leap forward.
He was literally moving as fast as he possibly could, while nominally stopping.
He stopped right at the edge of road.
I was coasting downhill on the return. But coasting amounts to c. 35kph for me on a 'bent bike (less air resistance, heavy frame moves quickly downhill- 70lbs of steel with all the accessories).
I have a mirror on my bike so knew there was no car behind me (though there was cars coming from the other side).
I had very little time to react, so I shift onto the road proper off the paved edge.
But the driver of the small, white boxy sedan with license plate BP?????? had already committed to go.
He pulled out INTO MY PATH. My bike briefly turned into a unicycle as I hauled on both brakes and tried desperately to pull right. No luck. Too sharp an angle, too fast. No time.
He accelerated just fast enough for me to slow down before striking his bumper.
He nearly killed me.
That was not a proper stop by a cop's standard.
The point of stopping was to look to see if road was clear.
His casual nonchalent 'Indy 500' disdain for sensible precautions nearly severely hurt me, at the very least.
I could easily have died.
There are far too many idiots like that driving.
And you know what they always - ALWAYS -say?
"I didn't SEE YOU - you came out of NOWHERE."
The van that hit me a few years ago, the driver said that.
Threw me a whole lane. Crumpled my bike. Again, I had right of way. There was no traffic. Sight lines were great.
He did not stop properly (slowed down enough to pull a high-G turn). He did not look. He did not yield to my right of way. He said that. I had an LED flashing light mounted on my helmet. It was flashing directly at him. But.
"He did not SEE me."
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Barrie's widow: "Herrgott Road was open, flat and the sun was not in our eyes. There was really no reason for the accident..."dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-82099988325507990592012-04-19T03:01:00.002-07:002012-04-19T03:01:40.660-07:00got info on future uptown i wanted. not goodhttp://rapidtransit.region.waterloo.on.ca/pdfs/LRTGRT_Alignment.pdf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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D - I went back to that Light Rail office. Knocked again. This time, somebody heard and opened the door.
There is nobody inside with an office near the front. The sign does say knock. It's a big, heavy door.
I did try the buzzer repeatedly. So either it is quiet too, or sticks. All in all, not ideal.
I spoke a gent in planning. He was very courteous and helpful. By day's end, he had sent me the zoomed in, detailed PDF scans I had requested.
Aside- today I walked around uptown with my digicam, documenting what a typical day of parking and driving looks like. On a weekday midafternoon, it was not that busy either. I'll post those pics next blog.
The scans confirmed:
1) 1 street lane each way
2) a whole lotta new parallel parking spots on the non-rail side.
OK, so right now,
1) people cannot parallel park (particularly with no guide lines!),
2) bus must straddle 2 lanes to not hit parked vehicles,
3) bikes get sandwiched in there, but at least cars can hope to a second lane each way now,
4) traffic in the right lane slows to a crawl when busy, since that lane is occupied by parkers.
The plans call for a much expanded unending line (1 lil' gap in middle) of parallel parkings. Yup, it's WORSE.
I dare say, as bad as I could have imagine it.
Here's a thought - there is no foliage along that sad lonely stretch to speak of. There is - wait for it- ONE bike stand. One. For a block on one side. You see, they get in the way of either
a) pedestrians walking (Particularly with portable store signs put out),
b) or car doors opening while parked.
I am not perfectly sure, but suspect the existing trees on 'sunny side' (the rail side) might not survive the reboot.
There will be no greenery along that whole stretch. Nowhere to shelter from the sun.
(Note: I've been a regular at a cafe along there for forever, and that afternooon sun can get intense. The patio will NOT be attractive without shade.)
The plan results in an uptown worse for everybody
1) cars could use the parking- if only they could reach it faster than a snail's pace!
2) bikes - forget it
3) bus? They don't fit in the lane for all the reasons I cited.
So just WHO is the future uptown for?
I have no idea. I personally think the rail as shown will thoroughly gut it.
On the bright side, most city councillors own properties near the future light rail, and will see their values increase at a rate 2x as high as if we stuck to a bus-only system.
So the region will have light rail... and still not have a viable network of bike lanes/ trails!!!
I reiterate my suggestion for uptown:
1) there are already THREE parking garages planned- there is not lack of parking!
2) parallel parking was a quaint small-town affection we can no longer reconcile with the soon-to-be reality
3) replace the long stretch of parallel parking with pick-up/ drop-off zones
4) I'm not even asking for a bike lane! Just no door prize, please!
5) Put up some small trees and multi-bike-stands to break up the parked cars (with driver idling and present)
6) replace every 1 1/2 car widths with 1 car width and an angled exit/entry -drive sans parallel parking
7) YEARS later, finally indicate distance from curb with paint lines!
Grr.dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-40014427798493185882012-04-17T12:43:00.002-07:002012-04-17T12:48:52.992-07:00rapid transit. bureaucratic obstruction.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3qIx3sbfyu4/T43H9wlMwnI/AAAAAAAAAao/fysyvwN_Mfw/s1600/rapidtransit.region.waterloo.on.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3qIx3sbfyu4/T43H9wlMwnI/AAAAAAAAAao/fysyvwN_Mfw/s320/rapidtransit.region.waterloo.on.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732457764539384434" /></a><br /><br />D - Yesterday, I visited the Waterloo Regina 'n (behind uptown) government office. I asked where to find information on the future light rail rapid transit plan for uptown. The nice young woman behind the counter directed me to 150 Frederick in Kitchener, where the design & development department resides. <br />Today I went there. They said the demand for info by the public for details about the rapid transit project was so high in volume that they set up a new location. I do wish Veronica at reception the day before (when I called) had known that information.<br />I sent to the new location, on the 8th floor of tower at Weber 'n Queen in Kitchener. Once I arrived, I found a locked door that said knock. So I did. And did some more. Then I buzzed. And so on. There was no additional contact information posted.<br /><br />We call that a 'brick wall'. <br />I need to know the zoomed-in details of plans for uptown before I can meaningfully discuss it with my councillor, or the mayor.<br /><br />This is proving ridiculously difficult to do.<br /><br />Driving downtown Kitchener today, I noticed they make do just fine with 1 lane each way. I wonder why Waterloo is so fixated on 2?dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-74187159765030255812012-04-16T07:06:00.002-07:002012-04-16T07:24:37.496-07:00cost of bike stands<a href="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_la3k0pItIk1qzh8qao1_400.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_la3k0pItIk1qzh8qao1_400.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.cat-bus.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/car-cycle-rack.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 600px; height: 413px;" src="http://www.cat-bus.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/car-cycle-rack.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />From roomie on campus:<br /><br /> The latest Uline catalog arrived at work. Uline supplies the things you need to keep a store going, like tape, garbage cans, trolleys and bike racks. Prices quoted are for three or more.<br /><br />Grid racks single sided: small $310<br /><br /> large $520<br /><br />Grid racks double sided: small $355<br /><br /> large $580<br /><br />Wave racks 3 loop $370<br /><br /> 5 loop $$475<br /><br />It seems that bike racks are not bank breakers, but they are non-trivial.<br /><br />------<br /><br />D - still a deal compared to parking lots for CARS:<br /><br />http://postcarboncities.net/node/190 (2007)<br /><br />Seamons said with the cost of putting in a parking lot jumping from around $1.10 per square foot (in late 2005) to around $2 today.<br /><br />D - I noticed there are wayyyy more on-street parking lots uptown than there are bike stands. Why? The 'car is king' - it is the mantra of our city (and highway and zoning) design. The 2-lane-each-way layout for cars, needed for on-street parallel parking, marginalizes both pedestrians and bicycles. (Once stores put out street signs - necessary in part due to trees blocking their store signs, they say) things, can get positively cramped. Those very on-street parallel-parking spots in turn would compete with where bike stands get placed. Here is an idea: during the light rail rebot -<br /><br />1) lose the single bike stands crammed between pedestrian and sidewalk (now that I think about it, those were not shown on the future uptown conceptual art...)<br />2) convert most existing parallel on-street parking with pick-up/ drop-off zones only (change the angle on the plant patches to indicate a non-parallel drive-in solution. Ditto for pulling out.)<br />3) now we only need to convert a few of those old parking spots to bike racks to ensure as many bike spots as for cars. Voila!dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-24632186974361241292012-04-07T15:18:00.007-07:002012-04-07T18:06:44.350-07:00new uptown waterloo plans. door prize.<a href="http://media.mmgdailies.topscms.com/images/e8/5e/d89bd7cf4180ba759ec295f65113.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 399px; height: 300px;" src="http://media.mmgdailies.topscms.com/images/e8/5e/d89bd7cf4180ba759ec295f65113.jpeg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Uptown_Waterloo_Ontario.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 2979px; height: 2072px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Uptown_Waterloo_Ontario.JPG" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/door-prize-lady-charged-to-the-full-extent-of-the-law.html<br /><br />Ghost Bike for Un-named victim, Toronto<br /><br />We were appalled when, after yet another door prize death, a policeman discussed charging the woman who did it and said "If she didn't look, would that be negligence? It's very hard to label that as negligent." In our survey, 75% of the respondents agreed that " The driver broke the law and killed someone and should be charged to the full extent of the law."<br /><br />Well it turns out, she has been charged, with "Open Vehicle Door Improperly", which carries a maximum punishment, if convicted, of demerit points and an approximate $110 fine.<br /><br />-------------<br /><br />D - see my other transit blog for pic.<br />Right now, uptown Waterloo, a cyclist is left in an unenviable position:<br />1) the law says stay right in lane if safe to do so<br />2) NOT safe to do so - or you get driver side 'door prize' from row of cars<br />3) besides, cars have no guide line to get them within a foot of the curb. Really.<br />D - if you assert your legal right to occupy a whole lane width if riding flush right is not safe, expect to be harrassed by honking cars for the temerity! They'll lay on the horn for a block as they ride up you butt.<br /><br />D - but the new light rail transit will solve all that? Right? ...<br />Wrong. It looks to be WORSE. If that is possible.<br />The mighty King Car cult has grudgingly ceded a 2-way lane for cars in 1 direction to the competing Prince Train sect.<br />The result? Still no bike lane. BUT NOW...<br />you don't even have the option, as a cyclist, to use the right-most of 2 lanes each way to be safe.<br />But King Car could not be expected to cede their sovereign privilege to have on-street parking, right? Watch uptown sometime on a busy day. The lane is clogged due to cars stopped to pull in and out. You cannot make this work with just 1 lane.<br />Right now, bus drivers, knowing the cars don't park flush with the curb and hang out into the driving lane proper, straddle the centre to occupy 2 lanes at the same time.<br />They won't be able to in the future. Meaning they'll straddle the CENTRE lane. Sharing a lane with... oncoming traffic.<br />And still no bike lane. King Car cult should have one lane each way. There is PLENTY of room for bike lanes BOTH WAYS. <br />Convert on-street parking into drop-off/pick-up zones that don't require parallel parking. Paint a line on the area to show the driver when they are out of the driving lane.<br /><br />Rant: we have painted lines when they are UNSAFE to cyclists (the narrow faux 'bike lane' on Westmount - within a BLOCK of where a cyclist was killed a year ago). <br />We DON'T have painted lines where they would make cyclists MORE safe.<br />I'm curious if the city worker in charge of painted lines is part of an affirmative action hiring program...<br /><br /><br />http://k-w-bike-walk-bus.blogspot.ca/2012/04/light-rail-uptown-waterloo-still-no.html<br /><br />(Fun pic of child playing at edge of road...)<br /><br />D - right now, uptown waterloo,dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-47120829404011689062012-03-20T07:44:00.000-07:002012-03-20T07:45:11.065-07:00steal a bike in plain site of viewershttp://www.thestar.com/news/article/1148884--bike-theft-revealed-star-hits-the-streets-to-test-how-easy-it-is-to-steal-a-locked-up-bike<br /><br />“We never want to say go in there and intervene and make a citizen’s arrest,” says Const. Wendy Drummond, who advises witnesses to call in immediately with a description of the perpetrator.<br /><br />An alternative, she says, might be heightened vigilance for suspicious body language and criminal intent. But really, aren’t our lives busy enough without an Orwellian modus operandi?<br /><br />And anyway, a 911 call might fall by the wayside.<br /><br />“Bike thefts are lower priority than life-threatening calls,” Drummond notes.<br /><br />I got a sense of this outside Robarts, not from police but rather two gun-clad guards collecting ATM money into a purple G4S armoured van. In addition to the students chewing hotdogs and lazing on the grass, I committed my pseudo-crime, which took 11 seconds, in plain view of men with the firepower to stop me.<br /><br />Glen Whyte, a University of Toronto organizational behaviour professor, calls the failure-to-act phenomenon “diffusion of responsibility.” The onus to kibosh illegal activity is spread thin amongst the “group” — in this case all witnesses.<br /><br />“(People) seem to operate...dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-37198228819747702952012-02-18T04:58:00.001-08:002012-02-18T05:00:18.016-08:00frail bike stands<a href="http://i.thestar.com/images/4c/f4/a5cb3ab941e2ac8ce760db0110b5.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 404px; height: 268px;" src="http://i.thestar.com/images/4c/f4/a5cb3ab941e2ac8ce760db0110b5.jpeg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />D - much like the ones in uptown Waterloo, but ours have a ring made of cast iron. Hmm, ought to look closer to see what kind of nut they use too.<br />Why would I lock my bike to something that can be easily broken?<br />This makes me stick to poles instead.dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-80080852242704478602012-02-10T12:50:00.000-08:002012-02-10T13:03:17.724-08:00blog #100! paris bikers can treat red light as YIELD<a href="http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/55/bd1648b4cdec0568140091ab22bdfda0/l.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/55/bd1648b4cdec0568140091ab22bdfda0/l.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />http://inhabitat.com/french-cyclists-win-the-right-to-run-red-traffic-lights/<br /><br />(see Treehugger)<br /><br />Following a nationwide pro-cycling campaign, French lawmakers recently issued a decree allowing cyclists in some cities to disregard red lights at certain intersections, not merely because such regulations work against cycling physics, but because it actually makes roads safer for everyone.<br /><br />The newly relaxed rules of the road for cyclists is now being tested across 15 intersections in Paris, though with it bike-commuters aren't given full liberty to blow through crossing points unreasonably. Law will continue to require that cyclists yield to pedestrians and opposing traffic, though that's quite likely consistant with the standards of etiquette and personal safety most cyclists abide to anyways.<br /><br />------------------<br /><br />D - most of us do that anyway. Cuz it IS safer, and we're lazy. Being lazy is much more tempting when it is YOUR muscle power and not gasoline that powers you.<br /><br />A red-as-yield for cyclists lets them clear those killer intersections faster.<br /><br />Besides, while most cars are moving at c. 60kph approaching intersections, cyclists are more like 15-30kph. By coasting to 15kph, assuming decent sight lines, that intersection is perfectly safe to coast through. Even more so on an incline.<br /><br />There are times when the law should sensibly be ignored.<br /><br />http://inhabitat.com/nyc/nyc-cyclist-ticketed-for-not-using-bike-lane-highlights-the-perils-of-always-using-bike-lanes/<br /><br />Funny vid. <br />The other thing that renders a bike lane dangerous is straight lines of road followed by sudden angular changes. A car will 'round out' this angle - and cut off the cyclist in the bike lane at the pitch point.<br />There are also all manner of (particularly in Cambridge, and on Caroline in Waterloo) easy-to-miss painted guidelines in which the bike line is not flush right with the curb. This results in a cyclist apparently suddenly swerving to cut off the car behind them to the left. In other words, it is suicidal.dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-86657571698623567032012-02-06T06:13:00.000-08:002012-02-06T06:15:29.104-08:00bike and happiness linkhttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/relationships/news-and-views/sarah-hampson/why-cycling-can-make-you-a-happier-person/article2326191/<br /><br />Denmark routinely tops the list of the happiest countries in the world. In Copenhagen, one in three people cycles to work or school.<br /><br />In this country, a survey of more than 6,000 people found that 66 per cent of those who walk or bike to work say they’re very happy with their commute. That compares to only 25 per cent of public transit users and 32 per cent of drivers, according the Statistics Canada report.<br /><br />I just wish it didn’t feel so suicidal. Cyclist fatalities may be relatively low in Toronto – averaging three per year – but there are 1,200 collisions, the highest percentage by population among major Canadian cities.<br /><br />D - do keep in mind that before the rise of the automobile that bicycles caused dismay about where they should fit into traffic. If cyclists are too small to qualify as 'schoolyard bullies', they could be numerous enough to be problematic in swarms.dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-30638637031664630902011-12-13T16:38:00.001-08:002011-12-13T16:39:04.984-08:00bike good. car bad. infographic.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vOrfiaKiHVI/TufwIfeHPyI/AAAAAAAAAXs/x4yncYBZiLc/s1600/biking-and-health.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 66px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vOrfiaKiHVI/TufwIfeHPyI/AAAAAAAAAXs/x4yncYBZiLc/s400/biking-and-health.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5685777083255963426" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/13/bike-to-work-infographic-benefits-health_n_1145815.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/13/bike-to-work-infographic-benefits-health_n_1145815.html</a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-655530630255410912011-11-16T20:54:00.000-08:002011-11-16T20:55:49.241-08:00K-W consider finishing trail in 3yrs for 3mil<a href="http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/626310--waterloo-considers-complete-network-of-trails">http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/626310--waterloo-considers-complete-network-of-trails</a><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The first priority is to finish the Laurel Trail and the Trans-Canada Trail that run up Caroline Street, through Waterloo Park and the University of Waterloo. Large segments of this trail are heavily used now by students and recreational cyclists heading for St. Jacobs.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The second priority is what d’Ailly calls the Interior Loop Trail. This would form a large circle with City Hall on Regina Street at the bottom and the Manulife Financial office at King Street North and the Conestoga Parkway at the top.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">D’Ailly says the trail is largely complete, but desperately needs good signs showing cyclists and pedestrians which way to go, on-road-bike lanes to close some gaps and safe ways to cross a few busy roads.</p></div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-80545259167645785472011-11-11T05:10:00.000-08:002011-11-11T05:11:08.570-08:00local cycling feedback<a href="http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/622769--cyclists-want-drivers-to-share-the-road">http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/622769--cyclists-want-drivers-to-share-the-road</a><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Verlegh and Shehata were among more than 80 people attending the public input session for Walk Cycle Waterloo Region. Planners want feedback on how the region can better support pedestrians and cyclists as they prepared a new master plan that combines separate ones.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The next public meeting is scheduled for Nov. 17 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 54 Queen St. North in Kitchener.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Regional planners use the input and other research to produce preliminary action plans.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Another round of public meetings will be held in the spring for feedback on those proposed plans covering roadway design, a cycling/walking network, infilling gaps, local projects of regional importance, a winter network, strategic signage and education programs.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Julia Canning, who rides a bicycle every day from her home in Kitchener to university classes in Waterloo, has scars on her body from when she was hit by a vehicle.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Canning was walking her bicycle in a crosswalk. She had the green light. The driver was turning right on a red and didn’t see her. The driver fled the scene.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">“It is terrifying,” Canning said of the collision. “It is an incredibly frightening experience.”</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Right turns on red lights should be banned, as they are in many American jurisdictions and in Quebec, she said.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">“Drivers will look for other cars, but they don’t look for pedestrians,” Canning said.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">George Roth said the off-road trails need better connections and better signs.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">“It’s fine to have trails, but if you don’t have them connected they don’t work very well,” Roth said.</p></div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-50652387019583190092011-11-10T09:10:00.000-08:002011-11-10T09:13:55.114-08:00transit expert confirms my opinions on bike lanes<a href="http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1081938--cycling-safely-toward-a-better-city">http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1081938--cycling-safely-toward-a-better-city</a><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 21px; color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Given this high fatality rate, Ontario’s chief coroner last month launched the first ever province-wide review of cycling deaths. The investigation will probe bike-related fatalities from 2006 to 2010, attempting to identify common denominators and recommend measures to prevent such tragedies in future.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 21px; color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">One person passionately concerned about bike safety, both in Toronto and around the world, is Gil Penalosa, a strategic consultant for the Danish firm Gehl Architects and a world-renowned expert on sustainable transportation. I spoke with him last week about cycling deaths in Toronto.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 21px; color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Calling our current unseparated bike lines “kamikaze lanes,” Penalosa, the former commissioner of parks, sports and recreation in Bogota, Colombia, says there is one main question to ask before building a bike lane: Is it safe enough for my 8-year-old child and my 80-year-old grandparent? If not, then the general public will not embrace it.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 21px; color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">...</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 21px; color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "></p><div class="ts-content_left" style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 20px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: left; width: 615px; display: inline; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; "><div id="dataTabarticle" class="ts-article" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">For Penalosa, a critical factor in promoting cycling safety involves lowering the speed in neighbourhoods to 30 kilometres per hour or less. According to numerous studies, the probability of a cyclist dying when hit by a car going 30 km/h is 5 per cent; that jumps to 80 per cent when a car is travelling 50 km/h. That is why the World Health Organization recommends 30 km/h speed limits in urban neighbourhoods, as does the European Union.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">A second crucial factor is the construction of protected bike lanes, separating sidewalks, bike lanes, and then parked cars, sometimes on different levels, arranging them so that the parked cars serve to protect the cyclists.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">“In Toronto,” he quips, “we have it the other way around. We have the cyclists protecting the parked cars.”</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">But Toronto doesn’t need bike lanes, it needs a bike grid, Penalosa argues. Unless there is a network of connectivity, a united matrix of bike lanes, then bike use will be severely constrained.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">“Toronto is an ideal place for such a bike grid,” Penalosa observes. We are relatively flat, and have an urban rectangle of about 20 kilometres by 40 kilometres.”</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">For Penalosa, however, bike lanes are not an end in themselves, but a means to sustainable, vibrant cities. He observes that since protected bike lanes were installed in Copenhagen, the “rock star” of the bike lane world, 40 per cent of the population uses bikes as a principal means of transportation. In Toronto, by contrast, it is 2 per cent.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">This results not only in less air pollution, fewer traffic jams and safer streets — it also leads to a more intimate, concentrated, livable and less alienating city centre.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">------------------</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">D - I have lamented about 'bike lane islands' being of no use. </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Sad that K-W will spend huge money on light rail, but a decent network of bike trails - with the health care savings that come with that- seem to elude them.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">What we have is a failure of imagination. And leadership...</p></div></div><p></p></div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-63014532048099505502011-11-10T09:01:00.002-08:002011-11-10T09:07:56.189-08:00more 'faux bike lane' traps in townI was driving behind King near GR Hospital.<div><br /></div><div>The road, like Westmount Road, had a paint line like the ones used for bike lanes. There could not have been more than a foot of asphalt left of the line. Even better, the cement in the curb was sharply raised at least an inch above the asphalt. Cyclists are very wary of such features- it is a good way to suddenly wipe out when it catches the front tire. A non-recumbent bike must also consider the risk of the right pedal clipping the curb also causing an accident.</div><div>So the cyclist on such a road must ride left of the line - or right on it - be cycle safely. </div><div>Meanwhile, car drivers assume the painted line indicates a bike lane, and automatically centre their cars in 'their' lane based on that assumption.</div><div>The result is that a car centred in their lane may very well still hit a cyclist who is hugging the side of the road as best they can.</div><div><br /></div><div>The city designers are an embarrassment to their profession. By simply removing the painted line, the cyclists and car drivers automatically will centre and space themselves properly. (I've cited those studies before.) So by painting that line on the road, the designers have actually paid MORE in order to make LESS safe roads.</div><div>Just unbelievable.</div><div>I'm ashamed for them.</div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-81023237328974995102011-11-10T09:01:00.001-08:002011-11-10T09:06:16.760-08:00more 'faux bike lane' traps in townI was driving behind King near GR Hospital.<div><br /></div><div>The road, like Westmount Road, had a paint line like the ones used for bike lanes. There could not have been more than a foot of asphalt left of the line. Even better, the cement in the curb was sharply raised at least an inch above the asphalt. Cyclists are very wary of such features- it is a good way to suddenly wipe out when it catches the front tire. A non-recumbent bike must also consider the risk of the right pedal clipping the curb also causing an accident.</div><div>So the cyclist on such a road must right left of the line - or right on it - be cycle safely. </div><div>Meanwhiler, car drivers assume the painted line indicates a bike lane, and automatically centre their cars in 'their' lane based on that assumption.</div><div>The result is that a car centred in their lane may very well still hit a cyclist who is hugging the side of the road as best they can.</div><div><br /></div><div>The city designers are an embarrassment to their profession. By simply removing the painted line, the cyclists and car drivers automatically will centre and space themselves properly. (I've cited those studies before.) So by painted that line on the road, the designers have actually paid MORE in order to make LESS safe roads.</div><div>Just unbelievable.</div><div>I'm ashamed for them.</div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-26924987452336446112011-11-07T09:06:00.000-08:002011-11-07T09:10:56.846-08:00bike for short trips worth billions- USA study<a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102082804.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" >http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111102082804.htm</span></a><div><br /></div><div><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The biggest health benefit was due to replacing half of the short trips with bicycle trips during the warmest six months of the year, saving about $3.8 billion per year from avoided mortality and reduced health care costs for conditions like obesity and heart disease.</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The report calculated that these measures would save an estimated $7 billion, including 1,100 lives each year from improved air quality and increased physical fitness.</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">--------------------</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">So Waterloo can find money for an ambitious 'light rail' plan.</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Toronto still wants to expand the subway.</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">But nobody can seem to manage a decent bike lane/ multi-use trail system that can get you from one end of town to the other - that 5mile sweet spot for 1/2 to 3/4 of the year - for bicycles.</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">This is a failure of the will and imagination - not of funding.</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">D - I am quite intrigued by elevated bike paths.</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">It somewhat resembled Chinese plans for extra-wide commuter light rail over roads.</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">I saw something like that in Detroit.</p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></p><p style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 15px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></p></div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-64865591787107585412011-11-04T10:07:00.000-07:002011-11-04T10:09:37.679-07:00placing bike lanes by sidewalk, not outside of parking<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WfGz-o7qSjk/TrQb3WMY1OI/AAAAAAAAAXA/fUpub6mgY80/s1600/new20york20bike20lane.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 335px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WfGz-o7qSjk/TrQb3WMY1OI/AAAAAAAAAXA/fUpub6mgY80/s400/new20york20bike20lane.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671188468430591202" /></a>No fun at all, being uptown Waterloo. Endless car-dooring chances. Traffic.<div>The sidewalks are choked with signage, if not pedestrians.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bikes- the unwanted bastard child of walker and driver.</div><div>Not really though- they were the car version 1. Caused quite a stir in their day. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't consider cycling practical- not without supporting infrastructure.</div><div><br /></div><div>Aside- studies say women prefer trails and other bike venues away from traffic.</div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-63721806764788502902011-11-04T09:47:00.001-07:002011-11-04T09:49:23.208-07:00waterloo to put cycling on equal footing<a href="http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/531511--waterloo-adopts-groundbreaking-transportation-plan">http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/531511--waterloo-adopts-groundbreaking-transportation-plan</a><div><br /></div><div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">When city councillors adopted the new plan they enshrined the doctrine of “Complete Streets” as official-municipal policy.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">“Plan, design, operate and maintain streets to enable all users of all ages and abilities — pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists — to safely move along and across city streets,” the Transportation Master Plan, says</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">------------------</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">D - winter is nearly here. Hey I've done my share of winter cycling.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">But maybe bike lanes are an easier pitch when portrayed as somewhere to put all that snow.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Otherwise, without proper clearance, it ends up thrown onto the sidewalk. </p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 17px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></p></div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-2224702241848774232011-11-04T09:44:00.001-07:002011-11-04T09:45:52.378-07:00new traffic idea 'bike boxes'<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XG7_UUvt46E/TrQWklDs6ZI/AAAAAAAAAW0/A_JfByglOu4/s1600/bikebox-drawing.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 221px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XG7_UUvt46E/TrQWklDs6ZI/AAAAAAAAAW0/A_JfByglOu4/s400/bikebox-drawing.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671182648445036946" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/bike-boxes-come-to-toronto-in-last-gasp-of-bike-infrastructure-investment.html">http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/bike-boxes-come-to-toronto-in-last-gasp-of-bike-infrastructure-investment.html</a><div><br /><div> From Toronto. And yep, they're still going on about the only (freakish) bike-on-pedestrian accident resulting in death in the last 3 years...</div><div><br /></div></div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-11169047790514911202011-10-26T04:24:00.000-07:002011-10-26T04:28:29.191-07:00100 buck fine for dooring cyclist to death<a href="http://therecord.blogs.com/take_the_lane/2011/10/driver-in-fatal-dooring-will-likely-pay-110.html">http://therecord.blogs.com/take_the_lane/2011/10/driver-in-fatal-dooring-will-likely-pay-110.html</a><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.montrealgazette.com/Driver+faces+fine+after+cyclist+dies/5606689/story.html">http://www.montrealgazette.com/Driver+faces+fine+after+cyclist+dies/5606689/story.html</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, verdana, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><p>The crash happened on Oct. 11 just before 9 a.m. Nacu had been cycling when she was struck by a door being opened by the driver of a parked car as she passed. Nacu was thrown off her bike into oncoming traffic and struck by a Volkswagen.</p><p>Nacu was pronounced dead at the scene.</p><span><br /><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, verdana, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 11px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">So that is why cyclists dislike on-street parking so much.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">But uptown Waterloo, if you try to occupy a whole lane to stay a yard away from an endless row of car doors, well expect honking despite the presence of a pass lane.</span></span></div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-89279959659558056672011-10-25T06:58:00.000-07:002011-10-25T07:39:39.271-07:00coroner to study bicycle deaths<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GbBdaKEwKU0/TqbKJEFh7pI/AAAAAAAAAV8/067gwvW6Lio/s1600/k-w%2Bcarerb%2Bmap.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 388px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GbBdaKEwKU0/TqbKJEFh7pI/AAAAAAAAAV8/067gwvW6Lio/s400/k-w%2Bcarerb%2Bmap.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667439438156918418" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1075267--coroner-to-review-ontario-cycling-deaths">http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1075267--coroner-to-review-ontario-cycling-deaths</a><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">The first ever province-wide review of cycling deaths will examine fatalities from 2006 to 2010, try to identify common factors and make recommendations to prevent future deaths. <a href="http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/DeathInvestigations/DI_intro.html" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 102, 164); cursor: pointer; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; ">Coroner’s inquests</a> do not assign blame or make any judicial findings.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">D - the pic is of a "ghost bike".</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Recycle cycles made on for that fellow on University Ave. last year. But</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">1) they assumed everybody knows what a ghost bike is, and</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">2) they locked it to a sign. The bike was simply lifted over the top of the sign, and ended up by a dumpster on the residential property I live at.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">D - a large laminated "what is a ghost bike" would have actually increased awareness, as opposed to just eliciting curiosity and puzzlement from the public.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">------------------------------</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(52, 52, 52); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><a href="http://www.maplandia.com/canada/ontario/waterloo-regional-municipality/kitchener/">http://www.maplandia.com/canada/ontario/waterloo-regional-municipality/kitchener/</a></span></div><div>Grr, Bulent is not saving the file pic.</div><div>Ok, look up Caroline and Erb in Waterloo.</div><div>I've seen so many cyclists blow through the pedestrian cross walks once the walk sign has expired. And nearly get splattered.</div><div>On Thanksgiving weekend, I saw a truck pulling a ?! plane with no wings on a trailer.</div><div>A cyclist cut in front of him as he tried to turn right onto Erb from the one way.</div><div>He hauled on the brakes and got within a meter of the cyclist.</div><div>I've been cut off in my car by a cyclist heading off the trail to Caroline as I turned left onto Erb. </div><div>I'm not sure what about this corner makes cyclists so nonchalant, but they are their own worst enemies. </div><div>I dismount and walk my bike across when I use the pedestrian crosswalk.</div><div>Playing chicken on a bike against a ton of steel is not a wise career choice.</div><div><br /></div>dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-69557055662487718562011-09-10T08:28:00.000-07:002011-09-10T10:45:45.720-07:00rental bikes. cities of the world.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hsY2loC6qeg/TmuCWoG4ruI/AAAAAAAAAR4/TbTMFBnzJI8/s1600/131551356112162846934_1%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 212px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hsY2loC6qeg/TmuCWoG4ruI/AAAAAAAAAR4/TbTMFBnzJI8/s400/131551356112162846934_1%255B1%255D.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650753482701450978" border="0" /></a><br />http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20110909-travelwise-bike-sharing-around-the-world<br /><br />D - locally, this is the chicken before the egg.<br />The egg being a working network of bike lanes, and a trail between Guelph and Kitchener.<br />Build it and they will come.<br />But build it in the right order.<br /><br /><br />http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-police-considering-charges-for-cyclist-who-fatally-struck-pedestrian/article2158467/<br /><br />D - I detect a double standard. Last year, a car hit a bike in a bike lane and killed the cyclist. There were no angry editorials.<br />But if a cyclist- also in the wrong lane ( a sidewalk), and for considerably better reasons, hits a pedestrian? Off with his head!<br />This is BS.<br />It's the war on the cyclist.<br />Ford is full of it - there is no war on the car.<br />There IS a war on the unquestioned supremacy of the car.<br />The car basically has a Monroe Doctrine and no other means of transportation is allowed to questions its empire-like status.<br /><br />http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/531368--is-paid-parking-coming-to-uptown-waterloo<br />Biz is abuzz about this. A car occupies an area of about 7x15'. It is public land. Not everybody has cars. What is wrong with charging a fee? Plus this actually INCREASES business for them. Folks will show up, buy and go. Instead of parking all day, or move the car every 2 hours.<br />Ddino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-51368355135250040962011-08-26T07:35:00.000-07:002011-08-26T07:38:19.129-07:00region bike lanes, now and to-be then<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7KQsQ3PzRv0/TlevpF11mpI/AAAAAAAAARs/R96voM4ntEA/s1600/waterloo%2Bbike%2Blanez.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 280px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7KQsQ3PzRv0/TlevpF11mpI/AAAAAAAAARs/R96voM4ntEA/s400/waterloo%2Bbike%2Blanez.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645173778409691794" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4YqyH23VKK0/Tlevhlw85VI/AAAAAAAAARk/Avxuv1j3MsY/s1600/zoom%2Bwabiklan.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 293px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4YqyH23VKK0/Tlevhlw85VI/AAAAAAAAARk/Avxuv1j3MsY/s400/zoom%2Bwabiklan.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5645173649540179282" border="0" /></a>
<br />so... right now, we still have bike lane 'islands'.
<br />Disconnected stretches that don't interlink.
<br />In other words, build it and they will come.
<br />
<br />At 40, I just suddenly stopped wanting to compete with traffic anymore.
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-29294938808712636932011-08-24T12:07:00.000-07:002011-08-24T13:34:37.705-07:00to kill a cyclist - new westmount design<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Och-4llOqY/TlVM1_m8yJI/AAAAAAAAARM/d1QjgjQqI6Q/s1600/westmount%2Bnarrow.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Och-4llOqY/TlVM1_m8yJI/AAAAAAAAARM/d1QjgjQqI6Q/s400/westmount%2Bnarrow.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644502198470363282" border="0" /></a>Well, I hope you appreciate this.
<br />I just spent an hour locating the salient passage in Vanderbilt's "Traffic" book.
<br />
<br />Page 198.
<br />This follows a passage on the virtues of unmarked pedestrian crosswalks.
<br />"What white lines do is enable drivers to drive faster and, intentionally or not, closer together. Similarly, several studies in different countries in different countries have found that drivers tend to give cyclists more space as they pass when they are on a street WITHOUT a bike lane. The white marking seems to work as a subliminal signal to drivers that they need to act less cautiously - that it's the edge of the lane, and not the cyclist, they need to worry about. THIS SUGGESTS THAT NO BIKE LANES ARE BETTER FOR CYCLISTS THAN INSUFFICIENTLY WIDE BIKE LANES."
<br />
<br />'D - the obvious counter is that this thin right-side strip is not really a bike lane.
<br />Do you suppose that drivers, looking at car-specific driving cues realize this? Consciously or unconsciously? Really? Really!?
<br />
<br />Just a year after a cyclist was killed no more than 2 blocks from here- with a whole winter to ponder this- road designers made this stretch.
<br />If the designer harboured a secret hatred of cyclists, then it would make sense.
<br />But this is not intentional. Worse, in some ways - it is simple negligence.
<br />So what are the qualifications of the road designer for Waterloo city?
<br />And what are they worth? Cuz this 'professional' - and I use the term loosely - just designed a .... kill zone for cyclists.
<br />Incredible.
<br />I don't have the words.
<br />
<br />
<br />dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3104401717473744499.post-77150443737690093032011-07-11T04:45:00.000-07:002011-07-11T04:48:27.429-07:00toronto gets separated bike laneshttp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2011/07/10/laurier-bike-lane-opens.html<br /><br />Notice in the pic that the driver cannot use the bike lane to park in.dino sniderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17506884722828854644noreply@blogger.com0