jim10040

Or is it just my perspective? I do ride around town, mostly on the MTB trails (Thanks DORBA) but also on the road...I just get sick of the ignoring of bicycling-to-get-around needs. Minimal bike paths (none where people could actually USE them to COMMUTE) and maybe (maybe not-I haven't seen them) bike racks on the buses. There is a map/book of "bike paths" to get seriously around town, printed on Tyvek, but the signs are often not stolen and not replaced. So is Dallas (the town that spent years (I'm not kidding) to be called "an international city") really that clueless?

supcom

The new Katy trail provides excellent access to downtown for commuters. You can take a bike on the light rail trains at any time of day (not just off-peak hours). you can take a bike on almost any bus, space permitting. You can even take a bike on the Trinity Express train to get between Dallas and Ft. Worth. I believe DART has plans to install bike racks on buses, but I have not seen them yet.

The bike route map is actually quite extensive for most cities. Unfortunately, it hasn't been updated in many years so there are some spots that don't work anymore, but that's pretty minor. I have found the routes to be reasonably signed, though it doesn't hurt to take the book and familiarize yourself with routes new to you.

I have ridden extensively in Dallas - not necessarily on bike routes, Plano, Richardson, and cities east, and I have little problem with motorists except in transition regions between (sub)urban and rural areas.

Dallas has plans to further extend their bike path network, though these things always take more time than seems necessary.

I'd say that for a city that is so automobile oriented, Dallas is actually doing a pretty good job.

kf5nd

If you care about making DFW better for bikes, get involved with this crowd:

https://www.bikeDFW.org/

Gee3

Having lived in Dallas the last five years before moving back home to San Francisco, I can tell you that Dallas is very FAR behind as being a bike friendly city/area. There are lots of cyclists like myself that ride but frankly, DFW is not big on public/mass transportation. Cars rule the roads, pedestrians don't have the right of way!

Quick funny TX story: A friend was walking to the store one time and a guy pulled over and asked him if he was okay and if he was out of gas or had car problems...

Anyway... little to no bike paths on streets. No bike racks on buses. Lack of basic municipal transportation options. Something San Francisco has tons of. The bike culture is certainly different out here. Maybe because people are more vocal out here and are willing to put their vote where their mouth is.

I lived in the 'burbs up in Allen/Plano and they are more concerned with keeping the area "pretty" to be bothered with things like bike paths, safety reflectors on center islands in low lit areas or painted curbs.

The DFW mentality is car-driven. But that's because everything is so spread out and municipal transportation sucks. You can take a bus and/or train anywhere in the SF Bay Area. Not in DFW.

Hopefully one day a bike-friendly city official will change that. Until then, ride your bike defensively and be careful.

timmhaan

i have relatives in dallas and was just there after a 12 year absence. traffic seems to have become really dense. i saw only a handful of riders and they seemed so meak out there on these huge 6 lane roads. although i'm sure some backroads are a little better.