genec

The local shopkeeper goes out and cleans in front of their place of business and there ARE street cleaning crews that go around and sweep and clean and empty trash cans on a regular basis. Somehow the cities find that it IS cost effective... Of course bear in mind that the area of a city there tends to be smaller then the areas of a city here, where we believe in mega sprawl and the suburban mall.

Early mornings finds the shopkeeper hosing down the sidewalk and street in front of the shops.

Plus there is generally a stronger respect for recycling then is typically found here. It is ingrained in the culture, as well as at the marketing level... even computers must be "recycled." So one is not as likely to find broken glass strewn about.

Not to say it doesn't happen... I did find evidence of typical youth activity which included broken glass and small fires in areas at some old well worn trails near abandoned water front areas that had been closed to regular tourism due to general decay of the park.

But then look at the flip side of the equation... it is not as everyone in Europe has or expects to have an auto the moment they turn 16. They have a strong public transit system in most cities there, along with the fact that scooters are widely used. Scooters give one more of a connection to the road than the auto... a bike with a motor if you will.

MarkS

This is a very human trait. Cars, for instance, create more problems than they solve, yet there's no stopping them. Wars create more problems than they solve, but we keep having them. Babies create more problems than they solve ... but I digress.

sbhikes

You've probably seen that picture of the bicycle with a push lawnmower front end. Just replace the blades with a brush.

Even though I live where there's no snow, I've often pictured a snow-plough bike when people on these forums start complaining about winter.

2manybikes

It's all been done before, over and over again. Not enough power from a person to do the job. Not even close. The bike mounted snow plows work a little, but it's easier to ride through the snow. I don't want my bike trail plowed, I want to ride in the snow, it's more fun anyway.

If there is glass in the bike lane ride in the road, it's legal and safe in most places.
Then there is no problem with trash etc.

Complain to the town about street sweeping?

bobbentbike

Before you start on the prototype, a little calculating of the rolling resistance of the brushes
might be in order. I bet you could work up quite a sweat propelling a rotary brush that is
pressed against the pavement.

Helmet Head

Amusing. I won't disagree that humans tend to create bigger problems when trying to solve problems, but won't go as far as to say that the tendency is as dominant as you make it seem.

In particular, if babies caused more problems than they solved (eventually), our species would be extinct.
I think some wars solve more problems than they cause (WW II, or the U.S. choice to enter WWII in Europe, is an example of that).

Now, whether cars create more problems than they solve is very subjective. How do you measure the value of a car? How do you measure it's cost.

At any rate... the problem solved by cars is easy to state: getting from A to B easily, quickly and economically (ignoring the issue of external costs, which are of course also subjective in nature).

What is the problem solved by bike lanes?

noisebeam

The problem is bikes in the main travel lanes getting in the way.

Al

genec

They gave cycling advocates something to debate about...

Otherwise it would be the same old 'bent verses diamond frame arguments...

Hawkear

And then it would get boring when they both decided that Soft Rides were ugly.

Helmet Head

I'm responding to this in the bike lane sticky thread.

noisebeam

Don't get too excited. I was only being funny, putting my car driver hat on and giving the view of BL from the motorized drivers seat.

Al

webist

Some mention weekly and even daily sweeping. I think I'd be ecstatic were they to consider changing out the rocks, glass and car parts on a monthly basis on roads around here.

2manybikes

That's an understatement if I ever heard one.

noisebeam

It was also the idea! Should be do able at a significanlty reduce rate of travel. Say a rider who normally rides 25mph is geared to push a rotary broom at 5-10mph
Al

Daily Commute

Lack of a sense of humor.

2manybikes

Ladies and Gentlemen...........we have a winner !!!! ding ding ding...