Metro Vancouver Bike/Pedestrian Discussion

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by tybuilding

Speaking of road diets Richmond has many of the typical type of roads mentioned in the paper. Richmond may want to consider road diets to improve its cycling network.

Richmond did this with the full length of Williams Road about 15 years ago. I would say that it was a successful experiment, but you would want to be careful as to which roads you put on the diet. Any such roads should have parallel 4-lane alternative routes available.

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by Zassk

Richmond did this with the full length of Williams Road about 15 years ago. I would say that it was a successful experiment, but you would want to be careful as to which roads you put on the diet. Any such roads should have parallel 4-lane alternative routes available.

I think Gilbert (Granville to Steveston) could be done and the bike lanes on No. 3 should be extended to Granville. Right now it is a dead ends (from the north) at Brighouse Station.

http://www.translink.ca/~/media/docu...sawwassen.ashx

[b5baxter]

Originally Posted by tybuilding

1 m rule being floated in Ontario, which I think is a good rule. But it is more a rule of thumb to be placed in drivers/cyclist manual ....

It is already in the ICBC driver's manual. But not many people seem to know that it is.

[racc]

Originally Posted by b5baxter

It is already in the ICBC driver's manual. But not many people seem to know that it is.

I think the main advantage of a 1 metre law is that it generates publicity so that everyone knows they should give cyclists at least a metre when passing. There are 20 states that have passed such laws. A lot of them are ones not known for cycling. Even a website with t-shirts!

http://www.3footrule.com/

[tybuilding]

Hi everyone,

I just went to northern Europe and thought I would share some of my pictures of the infrastructure in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweeden, Finland and Norway.

Amsterdam

Tough to find something to lock our bikes to here


Amsterdam train station bike parking garage!




2 Sidewalks, 2 - one way bike lanes, boulevard services, 2 driving lanes, platform and tram line in 27.5m right of way
Google Street View:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll...66.63,,0,13.25

[Zassk]

I feel like this exposes the demographics of Europe a fair bit - i.e. lots of adults and very few of whom are supporting younger children. Europe has uniquely few children to integrate into its transportation systems, compared to almost anywhere else in the world.

I have a hard time imagining any family with a child under 10 using bicycles as their main mode of transportation... and perhaps many years beyond that. While in theory children could be compatible with things like that bike garage, in reality I just don't see it happening.

And the family "problem" is not a temporary one: even at zero population growth as predicted for 2100, the birth rate in most cities would be much higher than currently seen in Europe. I wonder what the rest of you think about this.

[Metro-One]

I was recently in Amsterdam, and while their bike use is impressive, it is also very chaotic on their streets.

Honestly, it is very stressful being a pedestrian along any of the main streets in Amsterdam, not a pleasant day to day living condition IMO.

The bikes rule the road there like cars do in an average American city. Many of the bikers there are very arrogant and unforgiving when it comes to pedestrians.

I support more bike use and bike lanes (when implemented properly) but i would hate for Vancouver to become Amsterdam. I would hope that we would develop a more civil approach / attitude when it comes to sharing the road.

Again, just my anecdotal personal experience.

[tybuilding]

More Pictures:

Amsterdam



- Good for kid hauling. I also saw 2 kids being carried on a regular bike, 1 little one on the frame and 1 on the back.

Island of Texel, Netherlands




Typical bike path between towns in the mainland countryside, I really love these. There is great signage with directions and distances as well.


Copenhaggen

bike parking


Typical bike for kids/cargo

Bike share bike, free, use it like a shopping cart




Stockholm

Stair climbing, pedestrians right, cyclists walk bikes up on left


Raised bike lane


With tram line

Helsinki

My bike tour, mostly off road paths and regular bike lanes in Helsinki

Latvia

Artsy bike rack


Oslo, Norway

Waterfront trail, Oslo, Norway (beside freeway)
- Note no shoulders on this highway, substitute 16' of shoulder for SFPR with no shoulders and a nice path? That is what I want

I didn't get a picture but countryside Norway towns are getting bike paths installed inside the town limits.

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by Zassk

I feel like this exposes the demographics of Europe a fair bit - i.e. lots of adults and very few of whom are supporting younger children. Europe has uniquely few children to integrate into its transportation systems, compared to almost anywhere else in the world.

I have a hard time imagining any family with a child under 10 using bicycles as their main mode of transportation... and perhaps many years beyond that. While in theory children could be compatible with things like that bike garage, in reality I just don't see it happening.

And the family "problem" is not a temporary one: even at zero population growth as predicted for 2100, the birth rate in most cities would be much higher than currently seen in Europe. I wonder what the rest of you think about this.

There are people that choose to cycle with kids and even live without cars. I have read stories in the Momemteum magazine about families that do, it won't be me without a car but at least I have no problem riding with young kids on the infrastructure outside of the centre of Amsterdam. For instance riding on this road was quite pleasant. Riding in the busier parts of the centre of town was not easy though for sure.


I would like to see this type of arrangement for King George LRT or the 104th Ave LRT if it ever comes.

All speed limits on shared streets when I saw them were 30km/hr too so that made those streets pretty easy as well.

[paradigm4]

Originally Posted by tybuilding

I would like to see this type of arrangement for King George LRT or the 104th Ave LRT if it ever comes.

I was going to say, sounds an awful lot like the proposal for 104th LRT in Surrey.

[SFUVancouver]

Dear Burnaby,

This Sunday, while riding the Central Valley Greenway, I discovered that you have painted a bicycle lane that is so narrow even the standard North American bicycle stencil will not fit. Thanks for adding it but please try harder.

Sincerely,

David from Vancouver


Taken by SFUVancouver, August 14th 2011.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by Zassk

I have a hard time imagining any family with a child under 10 using bicycles as their main mode of transportation... and perhaps many years beyond that.

I'm not a parent, but I've seen plenty of parents cycling with their children. The youngest are in a trailer or a special seat, older children are often on a "third wheel" attached to the back of a bike, and beyond that they ride their own bikes.

There are still a lot of places in Vancouver where parents would doubtless be reticent to take their children, but as lane separation proceeds I don't really see any fundamental reason why age should be a barrier. If you're willing to let your kids accompany you on downtown sidewalks, for example, then why wouldn't you feel safe with them in a separated bike lane? It doesn't seem to me that they're any more likely to dart into traffic from a bike lane than from a sidewalk.

[tybuilding]

Suburban planners struggle to boost cycling

FRANCES BULA
VANCOUVER— From Wednesday's Globe and Mail
Published Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011 9:01PM EDT
Last updated Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011 9:05PM EDT

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...8/?from=sec431

John Burgess has had insults and rocks hurled at him from car windows in his years of commuting by bicycle in Surrey.

The bike lanes he uses sometimes put him inches away from fast-moving trucks.

Mr. Burgess persists, however, in commuting by bike, even to his information-systems job in Vancouver General Hospital from his house near the Surrey King George SkyTrain station.

Though bikes are prohibited on SkyTrain during rush hour and physically difficult to get on board at other times, Mr. Burgess is undeterred. He locks his bike at the King George station, rides the train, and then hops on another bike that he keeps at the Vancouver end of the train trip so he can continue his bike commute in the city.

More

"Last month, Surrey announced the opening of two new bike bridges, worth $10.5-million, across the freeways that cut through its sprawling territory. (Some of that was covered by provincial and federal infrastructure grants.) It is also spending $2-million a year of its own money on cycling improvements."

Our area cycling advocacy groups are also helping to improve cycling in various cities. Join a group, if one does not exist in your municipality start a group: http://www.vacc.bc.ca/advocacy/advocacy.php?pageID=17

[racc]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

I'm not a parent, but I've seen plenty of parents cycling with their children. The youngest are in a trailer or a special seat, older children are often on a "third wheel" attached to the back of a bike, and beyond that they ride their own bikes.

There are still a lot of places in Vancouver where parents would doubtless be reticent to take their children, but as lane separation proceeds I don't really see any fundamental reason why age should be a barrier. If you're willing to let your kids accompany you on downtown sidewalks, for example, then why wouldn't you feel safe with them in a separated bike lane? It doesn't seem to me that they're any more likely to dart into traffic from a bike lane than from a sidewalk.

Today, I saw a child around 5 or so cycling on Hornby and there was a woman carrying two young children on her bicycle on Hornby. Routes around Vancouver including Ontario have lots of people cycling with children. Even more reason to create separated bike lanes and improve traffic calming.

[bardak]

Originally Posted by tybuilding

Mr. Burgess persists, however, in commuting by bike, even to his information-systems job in Vancouver General Hospital from his house near the Surrey King George SkyTrain station.

Though bikes are prohibited on SkyTrain during rush hour and physically difficult to get on board at other times, Mr. Burgess is undeterred. He locks his bike at the King George station, rides the train, and then hops on another bike that he keeps at the Vancouver end of the train trip so he can continue his bike commute in the city.

I'm all for biking but using two bikes for less than 25% of your commute is a bit over the top. On the other hand does get to avoid 99 B-line.

[racc]

Originally Posted by bardak

I'm all for biking but using two bikes for less than 25% of your commute is a bit over the top. On the other hand does get to avoid 99 B-line.

People do this all the time in Europe. They have a bike at each train station. That is one of the reasons why the stations are surrounded by thousands of bicycles.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by bardak

I'm all for biking but using two bikes for less than 25% of your commute is a bit over the top.

As much of a cyclist as I am, I don't really see the logic in this either. This reminds me of what I always wonder when I see bikes on the Seabus: "You've already paid the fare, why bother with the bike?". I'd be interested to hear the reasoning behind it.

[s211]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

As much of a cyclist as I am, I don't really see the logic in this either. This reminds me of what I always wonder when I see bikes on the Seabus: "You've already paid the fare, why bother with the bike?". I'd be interested to hear the reasoning behind it.

Because cycling has become an affectation in this city?

[LeftCoaster]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

As much of a cyclist as I am, I don't really see the logic in this either. This reminds me of what I always wonder when I see bikes on the Seabus: "You've already paid the fare, why bother with the bike?". I'd be interested to hear the reasoning behind it.

Well some people like to get exercise...

Walking from the seabus to the bus doesn't really cut it for a lot of people.

I owned a car in Vancouver but i still biked to work when I could... sure the car was faster but the bike is much more pleasant.

[dreambrother808]

Cycling is also FUN.

Remember being a kid and going for a bike ride? You get that same feeling as an adult.