Comments on: “Preferential Use”… oh wait, nevermind

By: Laura M

Laura M — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 02:39:09 +0000

Again, context is everything. There are 10′ wide sidwalks in Orlando’s CBD that are not excessively signed with stop signs or other traffic control devices. And cyclists have no business riding on them, in fact it’s against City code to do so.

Wide sidewalks are very desirable along main streets and urban cores. Funny thing, when the number of peds increases, motorist behavior improves making conditions better for pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Now, if you want to talk about side-paths or multi-use trails, that’s a whole other ball of wax. And yes, the City was wrong to put up all those superfluous signs along the Cady Way Trail extension as has already been pointed out.

By: Columbusite

Columbusite — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:36:06 +0000

Very insightful and original as usual.

Personally, sidewalk cyclists don’t bother me as long as they’re traveling at pedestrian speeds and act like pedestrians on wheels. They’re much safer when acting like that as are the pedestrians around them. It’s the ones blazing down the sidewalk that should without a doubt get on the street.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 16:20:25 +0000

Laura,
“Wide sidewalks aren’t for the benefit of bikes by the way and are quite appropriate in most areas. But we should probably define ‘wide’.”

Unless the City of Orlando says they are appropriate. Then they make cyclists stop 5 times in 1/3 of a mile and ignoring this statement in the Florida Greenbook:

“As noted in the Department’s Bicycle
Facilities Planning and Design Handbook, excessively wide sidewalks may
not necessarily add to pedestrian and bicycle safety. Wide sidewalks may
encourage higher speed bicycle use and can increase the potential for
conflict with motor vehicles at intersections and driveways, as well as with
pedestrians and fixed objects.”

By: Keri

Keri — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:33:16 +0000

In the sense of giving that space to pedestrians, yes. A substandard bike lane squeezed next to a narrow general travel lane is wasted asphalt. The section of Primrose with the bike lane is only 1/2 mile long and it is interrupted half way to make room for a left turn lane at Central. Primrose south of Anderson is narrow 2-lane and very easy to ride on. North of Robinson it is 4-lane with 10ft lanes, absolutely ideal for controlling the right lane.

By: Frank

Frank — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:12:32 +0000

Marty never said you had to ride on the sidewalk, he just said it would be better to use the right of way on sidewalk (so bikes could take the lane). Which is it bike lane or take the lane?

By: Laura M

Laura M — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:23:06 +0000

Peds deal with vehicles all the time – how can they not? driveways, intersections, etc. There is no way to eliminate any and all conflicts – for bikes, for peds, for cars. Wide sidewalks aren’t for the benefit of bikes by the way and are quite appropriate in most areas. But we should probably define ‘wide’.

By: Fred Oswald

Fred Oswald — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 02:51:26 +0000

Keri,

As usual, spot on.

With Bicycle Friendly Communities, who needs enemies?
D:\Cycling\LABReform\BFC.html
Fred

By: Jayeson

Jayeson — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 01:11:25 +0000

John, Keri’s example isn’t so bad. If you are bored there are some more snippets of crappy Central Florida bike lane in this video I took during bike to work week: http://www.vimeo.com/11965677 . You don’t want to let someone on a mountain bike lead you down those lanes. Don’t ask me how I know this.

In places the bike markings have lifted off the road. I wonder how much of the bike logo is required for it to be “marked for bicycle travel”. Does one wheel lying half in the car lane count? There are also half mile sections terribly maintained, unmarked shoulders that meet up with marked bike lanes. I probably don’t want to know which parts are legally considered bike lanes. I’m not sure I even want to request any of this to be fixed since some of the existing repair work is worse than the pot holes.

By: Eric

Eric — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:24:33 +0000

Since you love nice wide side walk/bicycle paths, I don’t doubt that you would ask that question.

Here is the answer: NO!

Pedestrians are killed by bicycles on sidewalks, just as they are killed by motor vehicles in the streets. Do you doubt this? Can’t you google?

Pedestrians shouldn’t have to deal with vehicles of any type when they are walking on a sidewalk. A bicycle is a vehicle.Cyclists are not pedestrians on wheels.

By: Marty Cohen

Marty Cohen — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:35:30 +0000

I guess the question is, why is there a bike lane there anyway? Wouldn’t the community be better served with a nice wide sidewalk instead?