Advocacy & Safety - A Virtuous Cycle: Bicycling in DC

A worthy cycling video.. How many stars will you give it.?.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw6Z6k9Xmos&eurl=http://7.gmodules.com/ig/ifr?view=home&url=http://www.google.com/ig/modules/youtube_igoogle/v2/youtube.xml&nocache

Not too bad, but there are some things I don't agree with. We don't need more bike lanes. We need better cyclist and more attentive drivers. In the video a woman says "It makes drivers a little tense and a little anxious to have to be not only watching other cars other cars, but be watching for people on bikes." The general public doesn't navigate their cars properly, and I am guilty of this as well. We need to refine our licensing system, not our roadways.

It started off on the wrong foot with "Virtuous"... :rolleyes: That's all we need -- more smugness. I shouldn't be surprised, though, since DC is full of it anyway.

BikeShareDC is somewhere else, but nowhere in my neighborhood, at least not yet. I kept seeing Paris's shared bike racks just by walking around, yet the only one I've seen in DC was the one in the vid -- and that was only because I went there for Live Car Free Day. The ten stations that do exist are also surrounded by Metro stops and constant cab traffic, which I'd guess would make shared bikes harder to justify using (although a quick check shows that around half are being used now, which is good).

When I drive here, cyclists aren't much of a problem because of how briefly they (we) are near each car. But, I have to say that making room while passing cyclists puts me in a potentially hazardous position around other traffic -- and that traffic, not the cyclist, is what I usually can't trust.

To be honest, I'm not a good person to ask about biking in DC. I'm a little nuts; not stupid (you won't see me trying to bike down 295), but I had fun riding through traffic down Constitution Ave. on a busy day. My parents, and most people I know, would lose their minds if they tried the same thing.

You want more cyclists, you make it more appetizing for the non-lunatics. When he last visited, my dad really appreciated having bike lanes all the way from my place to the hardware store.

I really don't like biking described as "unsafe," "uncomfortable" I can understand but the stats do not support unsafe IMHO. I also don't like all the stress on Bike Lanes, bike lanes do not cure crazy drivers and you still have them with and without bike lanes. If you had courteous drivers cycling would feel safer and more comfortable but as it is now most don't feel safe on the road without a huge SUV protecting them. We need to make the roads feel safe without huge amounts of armor platting, for everyone, maybe then we can get more cyclists and possibly more fuel efficient cars on the road.

"It makes drivers a little tense and a little anxious to have to be not only watching other cars, but be watching for people on bikes."

Anyone that thinks this shouldn't be on the road at all.

I also don't like all the stress on Bike Lanes, bike lanes do not cure crazy drivers and you still have them with and without bike lanes.

Counterpoint:

On every street I've ridden with a bike lane, I have about 5 feet of space from every car that's gone past me (so far.. knock on wood). On every street without a bike lane, I may not have space at all if the traffic is busy enough.

Just sayin.... ;)

Counterpoint:

On every street I've ridden with a bike lane, I have about 5 feet of space from every car that's gone past me (so far.. knock on wood). On every street without a bike lane, I may not have space at all if the traffic is busy enough.

Just sayin.... ;)

I hear ya, but for me there are two major problems with over stressing bike lanes. 1) is the assumption that bike lanes improve safety over education and enforcement of traffic laws. 2) Is the attempt to squeeze in bike lanes when there is not a good fit.

So while I like good bike lanes, I would like driver eduction/enforcement the same or better... its not just about bike lanes.

^^^ Oh, of course it's not only about bike lanes.

I bring up Germany fairly often because they appear to have the most rigorous nationwide driver education program out there. I've only read about the in-car instruction (and I'm jealous, actually; they do it at night and in bad weather, too), but I've seen the testing materials, and they put our tests to shame.

However, they still put bike lanes everywhere, whether on the street or part of the sidewalk. It's not as bike-heavy as Amsterdam, but it's really close. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians stay where they're supposed to be, too.

It's just not nearly as competitive over there. There's less sense of "me, me me" and more of an awareness that everyone's traveling together. They'll still honk if you snooze at a green light for more than a half-second, sure, but they don't rush to pass only to hit the next red light.

In Germany and most of Europe they have laws that favor bicycling and they have education and training on bike safety for everyone. Yet when (most) Americans try to bring what they see in Europe to the States all they see is sidepaths and bike lanes. In Maryland they put a lot of stress on trails and sidepaths but when we try to get some (more) bicycle and pedestrian safety questions on the drivers test it's "We can't do that. We already have 20 questions and we can't put any more on the test." WTF? It's not about an effective test but making sure the test is not too hard??? When did they pass the "no driver left behind" law?

In Germany and most of Europe they have laws that favor bicycling and they have education and training on bike safety for everyone. Yet when (most) Americans try to bring what they see in Europe to the States all they see is sidepaths and bike lanes. In Maryland they put a lot of stress on trails and sidepaths but when we try to get some (more) bicycle and pedestrian safety questions on the drivers test it's "We can't do that. We already have 20 questions and we can't put any more on the test." WTF? It's not about an effective test but making sure the test is not too hard??? When did they pass the "no driver left behind" law?

Bike lanes only work with safe drivers who share the road. Video sucked they didn't even explain any laws.

Rather sad to see a population so misinformed/or with intent that they threaten people who exercise their rights.

WTF? It's not about an effective test but making sure the test is not too hard??? When did they pass the "no driver left behind" law?

Yep ... that is what I want to do ... share the road with the D-.

A video, made by motorists, trying hard to be pro-cyclist.

-Kurt