And we can do the same on University Boulevard, see…
This video is from the UCF Bike Bus during morning rush hour. We had a perfect ride, just like this, the whole way.
The traffic was thick enough that we pulled up behind the same cars at two consecutive traffic lights. Yet with a little cooperation from drivers in the center lane, every car behind us was able to pass within a few seconds (less time than they waited at the red lights).
Human-powered travel on University Blvd. should be like this every day at all hours. Unfortunately, it isn’t so civil in the afternoons. We will change that.
People driving motor vehicles are perfectly capable of operating in a safe and courteous manner. There is no excuse for motorists to behave any differently than they are in the above video. Getting along is easy and free. It makes the community better for everyone.
If people who lived along University and worked or went to school at UCF felt comfortable to use a bicycle on this corridor, perhaps University Blvd. wouldn’t look like this:
Still image by Nic Christie
Count the single-occupant motor vehicles. This is the primary source of delay on University Blvd. Four bicyclists use the physical space of a car or SUV. You could put lots more bicycles in the operating space of a single motor vehicle.
Unfortunately, some of us predate Sesame Street. Otherwise, great post. I think motorists are a bit like that experiment with rats. The initially nice rats got nasty when they got overcrowded and stressed out. Maybe comparing motorists to rats isn’t the best analogy but the tendency is real.
That was a super post with a cool tune. I don’t remember that bit, but I will now! Simple message, light tone… perfect.