declining bike facilities
08-19-10, 03:19 PM
#1
GATC
Thread Starter
declining bike facilities
My post is not about ChipSeal so I am putting it here...
Traffic circles have been springing up in our county, with bike-lane exits to the sidewalk. When I approach the circles, I move into the car lane, I can go through the circle at traffic speed much easier than I can ramp to the sidewalk and navigate the circle using crosswalks.
I am wondering if the 'bicycle exit' sign where the bike-lane ramps up to the sidewalk is a requirement or a suggestion.
For me it only comes up every month or 2, but a new traffic circle is sprouting near my house and it will soon become a twice-daily encounter.
ps-> maybe this is for A&S, in which case, nevermind.
I do tend to use facilities where they are unless unsafe like doorzone setups.
I am wondering if the 'bicycle exit' sign where the bike-lane ramps up to the sidewalk is a requirement or a suggestion.
For me it only comes up every month or 2, but a new traffic circle is sprouting near my house and it will soon become a twice-daily encounter.
ps-> maybe this is for A&S, in which case, nevermind.
I do tend to use facilities where they are unless unsafe like doorzone setups.
08-19-10, 07:48 PM
#2
In the right lane
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Des Moines
Posts: 9,565
Bikes: 1974 Huffy 3 speed
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 43 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
5 Posts
Phone your city and ask them what's up. This sounds like another ad-hoc bike facility though.
08-19-10, 09:16 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 790
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Down here in OR, I do just what you do: stay on the roadway. Our vehicle code specifies that we may use sidewalks (and shoulders) but are not required to, thus we cannot be forced to leave the road to take the slower and more dangerous pedestrian route. My city has been putting these things in with the same signage, but my city is pretty anti-bike. Also, reread your vehicle code regarding bike lanes in door zones. Ours allows bikes to leave the bike lane for hazards; door zones are specifically mentioned as a hazard to be avoided in the FRAP section. Somehow that doesn't stop our local traffic engineers from putting the bike lanes in the door zones.
08-20-10, 02:37 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Leeds UK
Posts: 2,085
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 38 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
Traffic circles have been springing up in our county, with bike-lane exits to the sidewalk. When I approach the circles, I move into the car lane, I can go through the circle at traffic speed much easier than I can ramp to the sidewalk and navigate the circle using crosswalks.
I am wondering if the 'bicycle exit' sign where the bike-lane ramps up to the sidewalk is a requirement or a suggestion.
For me it only comes up every month or 2, but a new traffic circle is sprouting near my house and it will soon become a twice-daily encounter.
ps-> maybe this is for A&S, in which case, nevermind.
I do tend to use facilities where they are unless unsafe like doorzone setups.
I am wondering if the 'bicycle exit' sign where the bike-lane ramps up to the sidewalk is a requirement or a suggestion.
For me it only comes up every month or 2, but a new traffic circle is sprouting near my house and it will soon become a twice-daily encounter.
ps-> maybe this is for A&S, in which case, nevermind.
I do tend to use facilities where they are unless unsafe like doorzone setups.
If it's a busy one, gaps in the traffic leaving the circle will likely be small. It might well then lead to cyclists/peds taking risks to get across.
As others have said, take the traffic lane as you would in a car
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
ksisler
Advocacy & Safety
1
12-03-12 02:17 PM
1nterceptor
Advocacy & Safety
1
08-28-11 03:11 PM
julesray
Road Cycling
10
09-27-10 08:45 PM
