Advocacy & Safety - Bike Friendly States

Additionally, the League is announcing its inaugural round of Bicycle Friendly States. Four states have been awarded the coveted designation and two states received an honorable mention: Washington (Silver), Wisconsin (Silver), Arizona (Bronze), Minnesota (Bronze), Delaware (Honorable Mention) and Maryland (Honorable Mention).
http://bikesbelong.org/node/1982738

I thought I would open up discussions about this list. Fair, not fair? What's cool and not so cool about the states listed. Somebody not listed that should be?

Probably 90% of Philadelphia bike lanes are in the door zone (a Bronze city).

Delaware likes to push cyclists onto the shoulder even though the vehicle code has no laws making it legal for cyclists to travel on the shoulder Delaware Bicycle Policy (http://www.deldot.gov/information/community_programs_and_services/bike/biking_in_delaware/deldot_policy.shtml). Newark has some 2 foot wide bike lanes around the U of D campus. Paper Mill Road has some bike lanes between through lane and right turn lane that are about 2 feet wide. Route 141 has a few sections of sidepath that require riding the wrong direction through a merge lane to get access. Roads like Naamans Road are described as being "bicycle friendly" because of the shoulder even though there are several heavily used right turn only lanes that are overlayed on the shoulder. Some cops are blind to some of those lane lines as well :)

I think it can be more worthwhile if we discuss in the county/city/town level rather then the state.

Maybe someday we can have bike-mounted GPS coordinate transmitters, and cars with receivers and voice alerts, "bike on your left 50 feet, bike ahead of you 200 feet, bike behind you 30 feet...", and then "I didn't see him," will no longer be a negligent-driving defense.

I feel safer when I am in a bike lane, separated from traffic by that solid white line.. I've always thought Calif and oregon to be the most bike friendly because of the commonality of bike lanes.

Probably 90% of Philadelphia bike lanes are in the door zone (a Bronze city).

Delaware likes to push cyclists onto the shoulder even though the vehicle code has no laws making it legal for cyclists to travel on the shoulder Delaware Bicycle Policy (http://www.deldot.gov/information/community_programs_and_services/bike/biking_in_delaware/deldot_policy.shtml). Newark has some 2 foot wide bike lanes around the U of D campus. Paper Mill Road has some bike lanes between through lane and right turn lane that are about 2 feet wide. Route 141 has a few sections of sidepath that require riding the wrong direction through a merge lane to get access. Roads like Naamans Road are described as being "bicycle friendly" because of the shoulder even though there are several heavily used right turn only lanes that are overlayed on the shoulder. Some cops are blind to some of those lane lines as well :)

One of my thoughts is; do things get better for awards above Bronze or is it just more of the same?

Did you make it to the DE Bike Summit? What was your impression if you did?

Since I am in the other Honorable Mention State, my take on things here is sort of similar, there is some nice stuff happening and some WTF were they thinking. Which got me thinking that biking in the other states with no mention must be real heck.

I feel safer when I am in a bike lane, separated from traffic by that solid white line.. I've always thought Calif and oregon to be the most bike friendly because of the commonality of bike lanes.

So what's with California and Oregon not getting an award?

If the climate is not agreeable, I find riding less enjoyable.?. Our personal judgments are only based upon where we've ridden.

Probably 90% of Philadelphia bike lanes are in the door zone (a Bronze city).

Delaware likes to push cyclists onto the shoulder even though the vehicle code has no laws making it legal for cyclists to travel on the shoulder

I would agree with JJ. I think there are two very different versions of 'Bike Freindly'
to be considered. Philly is not friendly. Period. My opinion. Delaware has some beautiful
spots, but if you are in the northern areas, Wilmington, Claymont etc...not very 'freindly'
Vermont, New Hampshire and other many other states that dont put any money into their
bicycle infrastructure are very friendly. Vermont is a cyclists dream state but didnt make
the list. I saw another study that showed violence crazed Florida to be 'Friendly' because of
their total bike-ped policy, but tht doesnt mean a thing if the car people you are sharing those
areas arent on-board with that philosophy.

I feel safer when I am in a bike lane, separated from traffic by that solid white line.. I've always thought Calif and oregon to be the most bike friendly because of the commonality of bike lanes.
"Feel" is the operative word. That's what the "solid white line" is mostly about--making you feel better.

The LAB's award is little more than a measure of how much road paint the state's have used and have promised to use in the future.

I think one reason why Maryland made the list is our strategic trail plan, which is cool but on the other hand I would love some sort of survey with a question along the lines of:

If Lance Armstrong came to visit, could you recommend a safe bike route for him to get to your work place?

In other words, what is the common perception that bikes can be used as transportation.

"Feel" is the operative word. That's what the "solid white line" is mostly about--making you feel better.
.

Feel may be the operative word. But, from my experience, where I have that lane separating me from traffic, I usually find a far greater degree of cushioning space creating a greater distance between me and the traffic. Distance is not something one feels, but one definitely senses and is measurable.

Feel may be the operative word. But, from my experience, where I have that lane separating me from traffic, I usually find a far greater degree of cushioning space creating a greater distance between me and the traffic. Distance is not something one feels, but one definitely senses and is measurable.

:thumb:

American drivers need visuals.
The 'feel' is there for a reason, because you are
getting more cushioning. Gimme lines ! :thumb:

Lem. As much as a bike fanatic as I am. Should I not sense some distance between me and the heat of an on coming car; I doubt I'd be out there with fast moving traffic.. Fast moving Metal against flesh just does not feel good.

Lem. As much as a bike fanatic as I am. Should I not sense some distance between me and the heat of an on coming car; I doubt I'd be out there with fast moving traffic.. Fast moving Metal against flesh just does not feel good.


Or have to fight wind suck every time a bus goes by ??
Im all for lanes. Its proven they work in the non-internet, real world
for more people. Here, as Im sure you know, another constant problem is
boat trailer sway. For whatever reasons, a lot boat of trailers sway wildly
back 'n forth even going straight. Even if the truck misses you, the trailer
can come within inches. I want boaters to have some sort of visual.
VC is out of the question here in S. FL. "This is yours, this is mine"
is what comes closest to working.

Give an example of why I demand some space between me and the car lane. A friend went on a bike tour of Chile/Argentina.. A friend of his went along too.. The roads of Chile are narrow. No space to separate the bikes from on coming traffic.. My friends , friend was hit by the mirror of a large passing truck.. He was wearing a helmet.. The impact of the mirror was so fast , he was knocked down..
He was put into a nursing home from brain damage.. After several months, this person died of brain damage.. A wider road might have given enough space that this accident would not have happened.

My state is not on the list, but I’ll throw my two cents in anyway. Here in the Rocky Mountains of Idaho we have four distinct seasons, and terrain varying between heavily forested mountains that will take your breath away and immense desert valleys sprinkled with irrigation farming/ranching. Towns are few and far between. Most sizable urban centers are located along the arid Snake River plain in the southern part of the state, the largest of which is Boise in the southwest.

Boise, the state capitol and home of the Boise State University Broncos, is a rapidly growing city and the only metro with any significant sprawl. We have made the same mistakes in our road pattern as many other newer cities in North America, with denser cycling-friendly pre-WWII grids near downtown, and a more auto-centric arterial/cul-de-sac pattern in the suburbs and exurbs. Bike lanes, with the usual array of design and usability issues, seem to be sprouting up everywhere. We also have the Boise Greenbelt trail system, 25 miles of mostly paved pathways along the Boise River. For me, this is a fantastic recreational resource, but does not really meet my needs as a cycling transportation corridor. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being best), in comparison with the other states in which I have lived - California (4), Minnesota (8), and Alaska (1), I would rate the drivers here as a solid 7, with significantly fewer beer bottle-tossing/pickup truck driving redneck imbeciles than when we first moved here 30 years ago. I enjoy relying on my bicycle as my primary means of transportation 12 months a year and find the summer heat, despite the low humidity, more challenging than the winter snow and ice. My biggest complaint about winter cycling is all the bloody sand they throw around, so the motorists from the west coast will not have to acquire any winter driving skills.

The Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance, our local advocacy and education organization, effectively represents all cyclists in the area, from the skinny tire/costume-wearing brigade to commuters to newbies puttering around on beach cruisers, and has been extremely successful in partnering with government, the public, and law enforcement to make this region a better place to be a cyclist. The Idaho Transportation Department has a very active Bicycle Advisory Committee, lead by a dedicated Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator, who is absolutely committed to improving human-powered transportation across the spectrum, from hardcore VC pukes like myself to children just learning to ride.

Boise also has a very active road racing scene and, with an abundance of trails in the foothills at our doorstep, has been consistently ranked in the top 5 U.S. cities for mountain biking. Downtown Boise is also home of the Twilight Criterium every July, where Olympic caliber athletes such as Marty Nothstein and Kristen Armstrong (who lives in Boise) put on a spectacular show.

Idaho’s cycling statues are very similar to others I have read, with one exception: the Idaho cycling stop law allows cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign, as long as the cyclist does not violate another vehicle’s right-of-way; and a red light as a stop sign, again as long as the cyclist does not violate another vehicle’s right of way. Depending on one’s traffic cycling ideology, this may or may not be a good thing. Suffice it to say that I follow this law with a bit of discretion, depending on how much traffic is about, since most motorists here know nothing about it.

Like Texans, we tend to think that our state is superior to the other 49. But unlike them, we keep it to ourselves, so nobody else will discover what a great place it is and be tempted to move here. Unfortunately, the word seems to have gotten out, despite our best efforts.

Lem. As much as a bike fanatic as I am. Should I not sense some distance between me and the heat of an on coming car; I doubt I'd be out there with fast moving traffic.. Fast moving Metal against flesh just does not feel good.
The University of Texas did a study a couple years ago. It concluded that when bike lanes were striped, motorists passed cyclists more closely than when there were no lane stripes. If you want more space between your bike and cars, lane stripes are not the way to go.

Maybe , my impression is that Calif. bike lanes are wider than those of most states.?. seems we had significant width to be well out to the way of traffic.

My state is not on the list, but I’ll throw my two cents in anyway. Here in the Rocky Mountains of Idaho we have four distinct seasons, and terrain varying between heavily forested mountains that will take your breath away and immense desert valleys sprinkled with irrigation farming/ranching. Towns are few and far between. Most sizable urban centers are located along the arid Snake River plain in the southern part of the state, the largest of which is Boise in the southwest......

I second all of the above. The only thing I wish that we had is a three foot law.

Maybe someday we can have bike-mounted GPS coordinate transmitters, and cars with receivers and voice alerts, "bike on your left 50 feet, bike ahead of you 200 feet, bike behind you 30 feet...", and then "I didn't see him," will no longer be a negligent-driving defense.

Or maybe we can just make killing a cyclist with a motor vehicle automatically punishable by five years in prison. It's much simpler and far more effective.

Probably 90% of Philadelphia bike lanes are in the door zone (a Bronze city).
Take a guess, Joe: Where would 99+% of Philadelphia cyclists ride if there was no bike lane paint on those same busy streets? My guess is where they have always ridden in dense traffic, i.e. in the same door zone, or the sidewalk.

The University of Texas did a study a couple years ago. It concluded that when bike lanes were striped, motorists passed cyclists more closely than when there were no lane stripes. If you want more space between your bike and cars, lane stripes are not the way to go.

It's really sad how few meaningful bike studies there are. They did not document unsafe passing events only the average change in distance. I forget what the average was but still well within a safe distance.

Or maybe we can just make killing a cyclist with a motor vehicle automatically punishable by five years in prison. It's much simpler and far more effective.

Prison is very costly to society and IMHO too easy to get out of if you did not do a "serious" crime. I would go for an automatic state possession of the preps vehicle as well as any vehicle the prep drives 5 years after convection as well as additional monetary fines. This gives the state incentive for holding these guys accountable.

I will note that while I agree that killing people with cars is a serious crime and should be cracked down on, too many others think it is just an accident unless alcohol or drugs are involved.

Prison is very costly to society and IMHO too easy to get out of if you did not do a "serious" crime. I would go for an automatic state possession of the preps vehicle as well as any vehicle the prep drives 5 years after convection as well as additional monetary fines. This gives the state incentive for holding these guys accountable.

I will note that while I agree that killing people with cars is a serious crime and should be cracked down on, too many others think it is just an accident unless alcohol or drugs are involved.

Good points. Repossessing the vehicle would reduce the number of vehicles on the road (at least those piloted by cyclist-killers) and, if tied to state funding, would increase incentive for enforcement.

Also it's punishment fit the crime, driving is a privilege and people are not road kill. People need to treat it as such.

Take a guess, Joe: Where would 99+% of Philadelphia cyclists ride if there was no bike lane paint on those same busy streets? My guess is where they have always ridden in dense traffic, i.e. in the same door zone, or the sidewalk.

My point in posting what I did was simply to point out the lip-service paid to cyclists that win these cities and states awards. Most of Philly's bike lanes don't meet the minimum requirements per the AASHTO guidelines and Delaware's policies are completely flawed due to the lack of a law allowing what they are encouraging, yet no one seems to care.

Sometimes I think we need AASHTO police, some of the stuff I see here in Baltimore and in DC drives me nuts.

Maybe someday we can have bike-mounted GPS coordinate transmitters, and cars with receivers and voice alerts, "bike on your left 50 feet, bike ahead of you 200 feet, bike behind you 30 feet...", and then "I didn't see him," will no longer be a negligent-driving defense.

I can't help but imagine what would happen during critical mass.

It's really sad how few meaningful bike studies there are. They did not document unsafe passing events only the average change in distance. I forget what the average was but still well within a safe distance.

I agree with this. We need studies about what works and what doesn't. Portland made many, many changes relating to cycling, but some attribute accident reductions to lane stripes alone. Personally, I think it's the fact that Portland police seem to actually write tickets to cyclists for things like running red lights and stop signs. But I have as much evidence for that hypothesis as the lane stripe worshipers.

The Texas study was interesting. It found that lane stripes made the passing difference smaller, but then asserted that the smaller passing margin was a sign that the lane stripe made the road safer. Again, no real link between safety and the lane stripe.

But, back to the topic. "Bike Friendly States" is a bike industry sponsored measure of road paint. It tells us almost nothing about whether people who bother to learn how to ride in traffic can safely and efficiently get from Point A to Point B.

Feel may be the operative word. But, from my experience, where I have that lane separating me from traffic, I usually find a far greater degree of cushioning space creating a greater distance between me and the traffic. Distance is not something one feels, but one definitely senses and is measurable.


:thumb: