Cycling in Ottawa

[Ottawan]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

On the subject of cycling, I have a bit of a gripe...

Last night, I was driving down Slater and this woman on a bicycle was taking up half a bloody lane. I couldn't help but get mad at the fact that there's bike lanes one block to the south. I was really tempted to throw profanities at her.

I usually agree with what you write, but in this case I say "get over it". The purpose of the bike lanes is to encourage cycling and to make cycling safer. It is not to ghettoize cyclists.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by Ottawan

I usually agree with what you write, but in this case I say "get over it". The purpose of the bike lanes is to encourage cycling and to make cycling safer. It is not to ghettoize cyclists.

While i agree they should not be forced to use the bike lane's but they should have to go by the laws of the road.

[Cre47]

What do you think of this recently added on Somerset west of Bronson (Photo courtesy of Radio-Canada) - I guess as part of the recent re-construction of the street. The city apparently according to this article (French only) wants to paint bike symbols similar to the one on Somerset.
http://img.src.ca/2011/10/18/480x270...s-ottawa_8.jpg
http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/o...lle-nacu.shtml

Not sure if it would be possible on streets such as Queen Street. But yes, there are so many careless drivers opening their doors without looking in their mirror or behind to see if there is a bike. I almost got a similar situation to what happened on Queen Street last week on the very bike-unfriendly Bank Street in the Glebe a few years ago. At least giving some space for cyclists between parked cars and the lane. Like Wellington Street in Hintonburg. Delivery trucks are not better either.

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by reidjr

While i agree they should not be forced to use the bike lane's but they should have to go by the laws of the road.

And what laws are cyclists not obeying by taking up half a lane? Because of the recent fatal dooring incident, many cyclists have become paranoid of riding close to the curb and parked cars. Be a little sensitive!

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

On the subject of cycling, I have a bit of a gripe...

Last night, I was driving down Slater and this woman on a bicycle was taking up half a bloody lane. I couldn't help but get mad at the fact that there's bike lanes one block to the south. I was really tempted to throw profanities at her.

I hear you. Driving over the Cummings Bridge into Vanier can be frustrating sometimes. The lanes aren't big enough to fit both a car and a bicycle so on a few occasions I've ended up crawling along slowly behind a cyclist riding along ever so slowly. On a few occasions when I've walked home I've seen the same thing happen to a bus. I wouldn't say cyclists have no place on the road, I plan to buy a bike so I can start, but there has to be a better way for cyclists, motorists and buses to share the road.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I hear you. Driving over the Cummings Bridge into Vanier can be frustrating sometimes. The lanes aren't big enough to fit both a car and a bicycle so on a few occasions I've ended up crawling along slowly behind a cyclist riding along ever so slowly. On a few occasions when I've walked home I've seen the same thing happen to a bus. I wouldn't say cyclists have no place on the road, I plan to buy a bike so I can start, but there has to be a better way for cyclists, motorists and buses to share the road.

You could always change lanes...

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by bradnixon

You could always change lanes...

In that circumstance I couldn't. I was in the right lane and was going to turn right. If I changed lanes I'd miss my turn.

[Kitchissippi]

Oooh, and how many precious seconds out of your day did that take up? I'm sure you've wasted more time waiting for little kids to cross while the school bus blinkers are on, or do you feel like throwing profanities at them too?

[Admiral Nelson]

Treat cyclists as you would close family. You wouldn't be aggressive to them, would you?

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by Admiral Nelson

Treat cyclists as you would close family. You wouldn't be aggressive to them, would you?

No but if a family member was doing something wrong i would sure tell them.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

And what laws are cyclists not obeying by taking up half a lane? Because of the recent fatal dooring incident, many cyclists have become paranoid of riding close to the curb and parked cars. Be a little sensitive!

I am not talking about this case but over all there are a fair amount that don't go by the laws of the road.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I hear you. Driving over the Cummings Bridge into Vanier can be frustrating sometimes. The lanes aren't big enough to fit both a car and a bicycle so on a few occasions I've ended up crawling along slowly behind a cyclist riding along ever so slowly. On a few occasions when I've walked home I've seen the same thing happen to a bus. I wouldn't say cyclists have no place on the road, I plan to buy a bike so I can start, but there has to be a better way for cyclists, motorists and buses to share the road.

You're right that in an ideal world we would have much better infrastructure in place that would provide plenty of room for everyone. Cyclists have in fact been lobbying for this for years.

But in the meantime, we have to live in the real world. It's not cyclists' fault that there is no bike lane on the Cummings Bridge so why would you vent your anger at them?

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by reidjr

I am not talking about this case but over all there are a fair amount that don't go by the laws of the road.

Compared to what, nuns walking down a garden path? The majority of drivers break the speed limit DAILY, EVERYWHERE. Pedestrians jaywalk or cross red lights DAILY, EVERYWHERE. Suddenly you see one cyclist running a stop sign and it's "OMG, cyclists are such law-breakers!"

There is a reason why many no-turn/no-enter signs have "bicycles excepted" — because certain rules of the road do not make sense for cyclists. Most of the regulations are because cars can be dangerous (speeding, collisions) or a nuisance (excess traffic, parking).

I realize some drivers picture their vehicles as a fantasy appendage or third testicle that requires cyclists to cower and move aside, and resent when anything non-motorized gets anywhere before they do.

[reidjr]

Originally Posted by Kitchissippi

Compared to what, nuns walking down a garden path? The majority of drivers break the speed limit DAILY, EVERYWHERE. Pedestrians jaywalk or cross red lights DAILY, EVERYWHERE. Suddenly you see one cyclist running a stop sign and it's "OMG, cyclists are such law-breakers!"

There is a reason why many no-turn/no-enter signs have "bicycles excepted" — because certain rules of the road do not make sense for cyclists. Most of the regulations are because cars can be dangerous (speeding, collisions) or a nuisance (excess traffic, parking).

I realize some drivers picture their vehicles as a fantasy appendage or third testicle that requires cyclists to cower and move aside, and resent when anything non-motorized gets anywhere before they do.

I don't drive and i do bike a fair mount as well as walk and yes i agree some laws should not apply but some should such as stoping at red light not talking on a cell and driving etc.By the way yse drivers are a very big issue just as some who drive there bike yet some are willing to turn a blind eye to those who bike that break laws.Don't get me wrong i think more needs to be done for people who bike and drivers need to be more careful maybe even if stricter laws but some blame has to go to those who bike as well.

[Cre47]

Regarding the East-West pathway that Watson mentionned in his budget speech

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/travel/...793/story.html

[RTWAP]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

On the subject of cycling, I have a bit of a gripe...

Last night, I was driving down Slater and this woman on a bicycle was taking up half a bloody lane. I couldn't help but get mad at the fact that there's bike lanes one block to the south. I was really tempted to throw profanities at her.

Last night, I was biking down Slater and this guy in a car was taking up a whole bloody lane. I couldn't help but get mad at the fact that there are parallel roads north and south of there. I was really tempted to throw profanities at him.

[Ottawan]

I'm lucky to be alive.

Yesterday around 3pm at the corner of Parkdale and Spencer, I was very nearly killed while cycling and making a left turn from Parkdale onto Spencer.

My turn was signalled (arm), but due to the heavy southbound traffic, it was hard to see into the far distance for northbound traffic. That said, I could tell there were no cars at least up to the nearest traffic light (at Armstrong).

A car (no doubt just off the Queensway) going at least 80kph but possibly faster, nearly hit me. I'm fortunate that the both the driver and I had quick reflexes, as the car stopped no more than a foot away from me. As I'm biking off into the distance (was in too much shock to stop and argue) I hear his passenger throwing profanities at me. Fortunately there were some witnesses on a porch on Spencer who agreed with me that it was those people who were crazy, or I could have been more shaken in my cycling confidence.

I can't overly blame the driver, undoubtedly he didn't see me, and his reflexes were good. The car was going far too fast, but sometimes everyone gets caught up in that when just off the highway and the road looks open. I do take issue with them swearing at me as though it was my fault - would they have felt the same way had things gone differently and I was killed?

If ever I am killed while cycling (you'll know by the spontaneous ending of my posting on the forum occurring simultaneously with news reports of the death of a mid-20s male cyclist wearing a helmet (I always do - close calls like this make me do so)) please use my death as a rallying cry for better urban cycling infrastructure.

If you've read through this lengthy post, thank you for indulging me. I needed to get this off my chest to get past yesterday's scary experience.

[Jamaican-Phoenix]

Originally Posted by RTWAP

Last night, I was biking down Slater and this guy in a car was taking up a whole bloody lane. I couldn't help but get mad at the fact that there are parallel roads north and south of there. I was really tempted to throw profanities at him.

Completely different since roads are made for cars, and bike lanes made for bikes. If there were no bike lanes in the immediate area, I might've been more sympathetic, but there were lanes one block to the bloody south.

[rodionx]

Originally Posted by Jamaican-Phoenix

Completely different since roads are made for cars, and bike lanes made for bikes. If there were no bike lanes in the immediate area, I might've been more sympathetic, but there were lanes one block to the bloody south.

Downtown Ottawa roads were never made for cars. They were made for carts, trams, and... yes, bicycles. People were biking on downtown roads long before cars drove them off. Check out some historical photos. The big car explosion only took place after WWII.

As cars took over, the city awkwardly tried to adapt its downtown roads to suit private motorized vehicles by digging up tram lines and widening roads like Bronson, Kent, and O'Connor. It accomplished the widening mainly by appropriating and paving over people's front yards. Take a slow, weaving drive down Bronson to see how well that worked.

I like the bike lane, and would have gone one lane south myself, but your comment neatly illustrates why its creation was basically an admission of defeat. A designated lane for private motorized vehicles would have been more just.

[adam-machiavelli]

JP,

The man was almost killed due to wreckless DRIVING. If you have no sympathy, you are a horrible person.