Cyclists being fined on Pathways

[Aegis]

It's hard to go 10 km/h without wondering why the hell you're biking and not walking. It's painfully slow.

Oh well, everyone needs to share the path.

[gantenbein]

Yeah, I'm not exactly a fast runner, but I average 12km/h over a run. Guess I'll be staying away from there!

[mr.steevo]

Hi,

I neglected to mention there are separate walking and bicycle paths along that route.

I'm not a commuter nor do I cycle for fun on a regular basis. I think in the past 5 years I have been on a bike less than 5 times. Still, I'm puzzled as to what the message is in regards to alternative transportation. If it is made difficult and inconvenient to use then people will go back to using the car. This directly impacts me simply because there are more cars on the road increasing congestion and reducing parking availability.

s.

[Radley77]

Originally Posted by mr.steevo

Hi,

I neglected to mention there are separate walking and bicycle paths along that route.

I'm not a commuter nor do I cycle for fun on a regular basis. I think in the past 5 years I have been on a bike less than 5 times. Still, I'm puzzled as to what the message is in regards to alternative transportation. If it is made difficult and inconvenient to use then people will go back to using the car. This directly impacts me simply because there are more cars on the road increasing congestion and reducing parking availability.

s.

What is the location and time where this was happening? I am curious if it was somewhere where there is already signs posted at 10 kmphr, an intersection where cyclists should be yielding (unmarked pathway intersection) or where pedestrian\cyclist traffic volumes are high enough that more caution is due?

[mr.steevo]

Hi,

Close to Memorial Dr. and 29 St. NW.

s.

[DavidKuitunen]

I started biking to work and if I want to be there in 40 mins or less I have to ride at least 30km/h. I honestly don't care if I get tickets. I'm saving $400 plus a month by not owning a car. Probably wouldn't be a hard ticket to fight.

[mr.steevo]

Hi,

I checked that area and you are correct in your thinking Radley. That is where the pedestrian and cyclist lanes merge together which is why, I suppose, it drops to 10. Otherwise it is 20 km/h.

s.

[b31den]

If you commuting to work you're probably in good enough shape to just disregard the police/bylaw and keep going without stopping. They don't really care that much to be willing to chase and tackle you.

[jeffwhit]

xpost from Alternative Transportation...

City Centre Blog is looking for commuter bike lane ideas. This site is full of people who are very good at drawing lines on maps, have at er


http://www.centrecitytalk.com/my_web...ike-bikes.html

[Mazrim]

Originally Posted by mr.steevo

Hi,

I went past the area where police were stopping cyclists the other day. There is a sign on a post that said "10". I'm assuming that means km/h. I'm not certain but I would expect that is a slow jogging speed.

s.

So do they pull over joggers for running over the limit?

[kw5150]

Biking is way faster than walking so I dont feel the need to speed.... I always slow down in heavily congeted areas as well. I dont think I will be getting a ticket any time soon.

And, they should ticket joggers for hogging the entire pathway..... in Vancouver you get yelled at if you are being inconsiderate on the pathways.

[rkannegi]

At this rate, there won't be any "public spaces" left. We'll be left with nothing but two types of space: private space (your own home) and police space (every square metre of land that is not private property). This seems to be an excuse to allow the police to keep treating the general public like it's second class to them and bilk out money as much as possible.

Talk about Canada being the land of extremes, where you can say anything you want without fear of repercussion as long you don't threaten to maim or kill anyone (usually, except in cases like the G20 incident), yet get ticketed on a clear open bike path that is not even attached to the automobile road system, for riding along at jogging pace! I haven't even heard of the People's Republic of China wasting its police resources on this! I can safely say that the City of Calgary is a Police State. I already know that Vancouver is very close to being like Calgary. Thank God Halifax and Thunder Bay have not gotten this stupid yet, although they do have stop signs on some of the path entries to roadways now (YIELD would be more appropriate).

I understand obeying speed limits on rights of way shared by automobiles, but on bike paths, common sense courtesy is good enough. I guess "common sense" is illegal now.

Out of protest against this, If I lived in Calgary, I would drive EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME.

[DizzyEdge]

^^^ interesting.

[Nudrock]

Serious injuries on Calgary pathway with speed believed to be a factor (June 2009) (I think these two are regarding the same incident)
http://www.bikecalgary.org/?q=node/1314
http://calgary.ctv.ca/servlet/an/loc...ub=CalgaryHome

Person killed in July 2010 in collision with inline skater on pathway
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/sto...ty-review.html

Interesting. I found only the above two articles on pathway collisions for Calgary.

Vancouver death involving fast cyclist.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1809538/

Lawyers
http://www.vancouver-personal-injury...rian-accident/

BTW - If I or a family member were to be injured or killed on a pathway by a reckless individual (including speeding), I would consider suing them. I would think that other people would do the same.

I would suggest if people want to go faster than 20 km/h, then just use the roads and highways. There are a lot less obstacles and surprises on roads compared to pathways.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by rkannegi

At this rate, there won't be any "public spaces" left. We'll be left with nothing but two types of space: private space (your own home) and police space (every square metre of land that is not private property). This seems to be an excuse to allow the police to keep treating the general public like it's second class to them and bilk out money as much as possible.

Talk about Canada being the land of extremes, where you can say anything you want without fear of repercussion as long you don't threaten to maim or kill anyone (usually, except in cases like the G20 incident), yet get ticketed on a clear open bike path that is not even attached to the automobile road system, for riding along at jogging pace! I haven't even heard of the People's Republic of China wasting its police resources on this! I can safely say that the City of Calgary is a Police State. I already know that Vancouver is very close to being like Calgary. Thank God Halifax and Thunder Bay have not gotten this stupid yet, although they do have stop signs on some of the path entries to roadways now (YIELD would be more appropriate).

I understand obeying speed limits on rights of way shared by automobiles, but on bike paths, common sense courtesy is good enough. I guess "common sense" is illegal now.

Out of protest against this, If I lived in Calgary, I would drive EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME.

Its lame......but some cyclists think the bike paths are their own tour de france......whizzing around blind corners.....have some respect I say. I always go REALLY slow around corners and usually in the more urban areas like eau claire for example. Others should do the same. I would be so pissed of if I got hit by one of those over-agressive tour de france dudes.....I think the police are attempting to tame some of these idiots.

Funny, I have went by quite a few cyclist radars and I have never been speeding.......its called courtesy. They set up the speed traps in areas that maybe people shouldn't be speeding in anyway. 20km per hour is actually kind of a quick pace anyway/

[DizzyEdge]

If there wasn't really a speed limit posted or enforced, except in areas where accidents tend to happen there is say a 10-15km/hr limit, and then radar traps were set up there, I'd have no issues.

[kw5150]

Originally Posted by DizzyEdge

If there wasn't really a speed limit posted or enforced, except in areas where accidents tend to happen there is say a 10-15km/hr limit, and then radar traps were set up there, I'd have no issues.

I totally agree with that. That is really what I was getting at. There are also places to go 5 km/hour around the zoo......

[UofC.engineer]

Once again it's the classic case of a few reckless individuals that have to ruin everything for everyone else. USE COMMON SENSE ON THE PATHWAY!

It's hard to average 10-20km/h on a bike especially if you have a fast bike(road bike or an old ten speed). Most avid riders hit 20-30km/h. A lot of triathaletes can hit 30-40km/h on the straightaways.

Follow these simple rules when riding a bike on a pathway:

1. Wear a helmet!(99.99% you won't die wearing one of these)

2. When passing a pedestrian/biker ring your bell in advance and take it easy

3. Slow down when going around a blind curve

4. Always be aware of your surroundings


I have a 1970's peugeot and that bad boy is as light as a feather. I take it out fast on the pathways and havn't had a single incident/accident. Do you know why??? because I use common sense.

[hulkrogan]

I wonder if they use Ka radar for pathways... how hilarious would it be to have your Valentine 1 going off on the pathways...

[Aegis]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...y-tickets.html

The pathway detour to which this article refers is brutal. For one thing, it's way too long (probably about 2x as long as necessary for the construction site), and its easily wide enough to accommodate both cyclists and pedestrians.

Just finish the damn Peace Bridge already!!!