Advocacy Thread... What Have YOU Done Today???
 

So, here's the idea: You ride a bike, you see something that needs attention (ie: tree branches too low, storm drain grates that could eat your tire, glass in the path, etc. etc. etc.). Then you take some pictures, then take steps to fix it. (ie: pull out a broom or pruning shears, make some phone calls, or send emails, volunteer, etc. etc. etc.). Then you post your pictures, tell your story, and inspire others.

Imagine, if every day, each person did one thing to improve their local cycling community, how long would it take before things would really improve for all of us?

So, here's an example:

I found a storm drain near some lightrail tracks (Portland's MAX train), that was in a place that made it unsafe for cyclists and wheelchairists. I found someone in a wheelchair (turns out she was the National Director for the Paralyzed Veterans of America) willing to assist me in getting this fixed.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3104/...2a95bc5fd8.jpg
Here she is with the drain...

Then with the photos, emails and phone calls, I managed to get the city to replace it with one that won't trap a wheel.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3242/...ee0715ee_o.jpg
Same drain, different wheelchairist

So, What Have YOU Done Today?
K'Tesh

Yesterday I determined that road crews finishing a major arterial resurfacing project were in the process of striping it with narrow outside lanes instead of the wide outside lanes called for in the bicycle element of the city transportation plan. Got the city bike planner talking to the project engineer. They will now stripe the rest of the project with WOLs and are considering methods for removing the incorrect striping to fix it.

argued with the vehicular cyclists on BikeForums.net

;)

Good Catch!
 

I've had that kind of problem before... Check out these pics:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3079/...1d0781211d.jpg
Before

This was a problem because the paint crew did what they thought it should be, and not what the plans called for...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3638/...769700aa49.jpg
After

I had a lot of trouble getting this fixed, but it happened.

Keep it up!
K'Tesh

I hate the way they grind those stripes off, now the pavement in the middle of that bike lane sucks to ride on!

True,

but now that particular bike lane is twice as wide as it was. You can ride near the edge of the grind, and not have to worry about having a car passing so close you see your life flash before your eyes.

I report non-responsive traffic signal loop detectors. The City of Carlsbad is very good about getting them adjusted to sense properly placed bicycle rims, and the City of Encinitas is pretty good about it.

K'Tesh: Forgive my cynicism but unless you move that granite curb in two feet to the right and up against the railroad crossing ding-ding thing, you have not increased any room for a rider. A stripe on the ground means nothing. Any driver who will not make way for an obvious cyclist is not going to be paying attention to lines on the road. I do not notice any respect or acknowledgement of bike lanes painted on streets down here in Florida. Maybe up your way, but not down here. I wonder what other riders think about this. Bravo for the good thoughts. I just wonder if it makes any difference.

Especially when there is a much better way of doing it, simply grind off the entire width of the bike lane, and resurface. Another option is to paint over the white line with a dark grey line:rolleyes:.

You didn't see The Bigger Picture...
 

Perhaps that "after" photo doesn't show what really happened clearly enough... So, here's a couple more.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3512/...f046431aa8.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/...d2e6e026_b.jpg
(the original image is MUCH larger)

Each image links to my set on flickr with the original (massive) images. If you follow the links, you can see them in more detail.

What the original paint crew did was they followed the curve of the sidewalk. This, and the intended speed of the cars resulted in a need for wider travel lanes. The SB bike lane, being on the outside of the curve, lost out when they used it to gain the extra needed width.

The original plans called for the center line to be straighter, and this would have allowed them to fit the two bike lanes (full width) in the space provided.

So, after much cajoling, badgering, and an internal review, they found the error. They ground out the center line, and straightened out the curve.

Motorists now don't need so much room to make the curve, and the SB cyclists get the space they needed. NB cyclists did lose some space, but they gain on their return trip.

Personally, had I been in the region when the plans were drawn up, I would have pushed for a wider road, and given us six feet on either side. Well I'm here now, and I'm actively involved in advisory committees, and attend meetings. (Even got Tigard to relent and form one).

Get Involved!
K'Tesh

K'Tesh: You did not widen the road. You moved some lines around. Didn't you read my post? The only way to make more room is to widen the road and make more real room. I do not think lines mean anything.

now you can argue with the vehicular cyclists too, K'Tesh!

I've emailed multiple issues and had them all fixed:
A parallel 6' long 2" wide crack fixed (was between sidewalk pavers). Requured multiple followup over 3mo.
A full road width sharp and high bump of asphalt where it pushed up against the transition to concrete roadway. These are often shaved off in other location, but this one lingered.
Home construction debris in outside lane, lots of it and built up/dumped right after the sweeping the city responded with so in further follow up the construction company was 'talked to'
A deep long sharp pothole, filled.
A mistake in lane striping where BL was extended to narrow outside lane after repaving (leaving a 6' adjacent lane, ha ha)
A half dozen or so inductive sensors fixed to work for aluminum rims.
Other stuff I don't recall right now.
But nothing I'd want to bother with taking before/after photos of.

I didn't do a goddamn thing today. There, I said it.

you got out of bed, didntcha?

Barely. I also didn't run after any cyclists with the axe I was using to chop wood. Sweet! That's a twofer for today!

Reasons why
 

UnsageAlpine in my boy.

I don't rail against these efforts to make things better to irritate cyclists like the fellow who started this thread. What worries me if the high profile such efforts will afford bicyclist everywhere. This is NOT a good. The very last thing we want is the local goverment agencies knowing we exist at all. You start demanding bike paths and bike lanes, drains fixed to better blind or stupid cyclists, posts to lock bikes to, this curb moved for more bike room and on and on and it's just a matter of time before the town or city authorities say, "Hey, these bike guys are large in number and pretty damn demanding." All that infrastructure crap you want? It cost real money. Up till now we've had it easy, the autos have paid for all of it. That will not last for long. We will be targeted and we SHOULD be targeted if we want concrete change in the infrastructure. I do not want to pay for a bike license or a registration or some damn excise tax like many car owners do in many states. Beware of what you wish for.

I rode my bike today. If that doesn't rate me a do-gooder award, shucky darn, I'm devastated.

After weatherizing the west side of the house today, I sanded down my nephew's bike frame pieces in prep for laying down new paint next week. <He wants flames>

I raked leaves.

Speedo

You ARE a Sheldon Brown wannabe! :)

Speedo

bosh, infrastructure investments supporting active transportation have quite the factorable, favorable green quotient across the board.

bekologist try that again in English. I'm not that bright.

That's just plain BS, 'autos' have NOT paid for it all, far from it, every bit of infrastructure for motorists has been subsidized in one way or another by people who don't drive, or drive less than average.

My point remains the same: I don't want to be seen by authorities who have the power to tax me for something I've done free all my life.