New guy to forum with his point of view after reading a lot of this section
11-29-11 | 01:11 AM
#376
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 0
From: Copenhagen
Bikes: A load of ancient, old and semi-vintage bikes of divers sorts
Note that I wrote that grade separation is impractical for general urban use. The Rt 56 bike path has grade separation only because it runs alongside a freeway. I don't know what proportion of intersections in SD County are suitable for this treatment, but I am pretty sure that it is very small.
As for bicycle responsive traffic signals, they are simply doing what traffic signals are supposed to do, respond to the presence of traffic. Nothing special about that.
As for bicycle responsive traffic signals, they are simply doing what traffic signals are supposed to do, respond to the presence of traffic. Nothing special about that.
All of this of course applies to car traffic that moves at more than 35-40 mph. Whereever possible and practical, it should be slowed down to 20 mph. The reasons and the ways to do it are laid out in the above link, as well as in the David Hembrow blog, https://hembrow.blogspot.com/ .
11-29-11 | 04:21 PM
#377
genec
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 27,072
Likes: 4,533
From: West Coast
Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2
The Hembrow blog listed a number of items which I saw implemented in Oulu...
Perhaps the biggest blockages to cycling in America is that the automobile is always given first priority... "Provide bikes with more direct routes than cars." I have rarely seen this practice in the US, except for "shortcuts" that existed naturally. In other locations such as Oulu (and no doubt Denmark) such a policy is regularly followed... after all bikes are human powered and there is little effort for the motor vehicle driver to go a slightly longer distance.
On the other hand, what makes cycling attractive in Dutch cities, including here in Assen, could be replicated in British cities if only the will existed to ask for it. What has been done is very simple. Long term planning is key - the same policies have been followed for many years. They've followed the principles of sustainable safety and have created conditions which:
Keep cyclists away from cars absolutely as much as possible.
Make all residential streets no-go areas for through traffic (preserving segregation of modes without cyclepaths).
Provide bikes with more direct routes than cars.
Remove cars from minor rural roads.
Produce a high degree of subjective and social safety everywhere.
Keep cyclists away from cars absolutely as much as possible.
Make all residential streets no-go areas for through traffic (preserving segregation of modes without cyclepaths).
Provide bikes with more direct routes than cars.
Remove cars from minor rural roads.
Produce a high degree of subjective and social safety everywhere.
11-30-11 | 06:55 AM
#378
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,832
Likes: 0
From: Copenhagen
Bikes: A load of ancient, old and semi-vintage bikes of divers sorts
The Hembrow blog listed a number of items which I saw implemented in Oulu...
Perhaps the biggest blockages to cycling in America is that the automobile is always given first priority... "Provide bikes with more direct routes than cars." I have rarely seen this practice in the US, except for "shortcuts" that existed naturally. In other locations such as Oulu (and no doubt Denmark) such a policy is regularly followed... after all bikes are human powered and there is little effort for the motor vehicle driver to go a slightly longer distance.
Perhaps the biggest blockages to cycling in America is that the automobile is always given first priority... "Provide bikes with more direct routes than cars." I have rarely seen this practice in the US, except for "shortcuts" that existed naturally. In other locations such as Oulu (and no doubt Denmark) such a policy is regularly followed... after all bikes are human powered and there is little effort for the motor vehicle driver to go a slightly longer distance.
11-30-11 | 10:58 AM
#379
genec
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 27,072
Likes: 4,533
From: West Coast
Bikes: custom built, sannino, beachbike, giant trance x2
I think the difference between the Netherlands and Denmark is that here, the car lobby is stronger than there, and the conception of streets less holistic, so to say. We've got a lot of infrastructure, and a lot of cyclists, but the underlying assumption for most people is almost always that cars are more important than bikes - and that's not the impression I get of Dutch traffic planning, neither from statistics nor from discussions. For an example, take a look at the lastest installment at copenhagenize.com.
That thinking that cars are more important than bikes leads to the issues we have in the US. The bottom line is whether it is a car or bike or a person on foot, it is all about transporting PEOPLE. Just because one person chooses to use a multi-ton noisy, smelly method of transportation is no reason to grant them priority over another person.
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