US Transportation Secretary and Bikes
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Unless bike lanes are separated from main roads via a moat, preferably filled with sharks with laser beams strapped to their heads, people who feel that their tax dollars give them more right to the road than my tax dollars will still do that thing where they try and see what happens when a wing mirror hits a bicycle helmet. Lanes aren't needed. Sharks with friggin' laser beamsA different attitude is.
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
At the risk of having the hamsters set upon me, I find the converse is the problem. There is a heavily used cycle lane sharing paths with pedestrians the cyclist are totally reckless, I've almost been hit several times. Additionally they don't require mudguards, so they flick dirty puddle water at your with impunity, and I live in the UK, so the place is covered in puddles pretty much permanently. Driving next to them is almost as bad. At night, normally they don't have any lights (which is illegal) or they have flashing lights (also illegal) which totally distract you from everything else. For some reason the cyclists don't feel the need to obey the traffic lights and/or will cross half via the pedestrian crossings half via the road, change lanes with no warning and completely block the road at the 5mph they seem to be able to attain. Worse, I don't particularly want to see some lycra clad individual's a*se sticking into my face, with the possible exception of Natalie Portman or similar :-).
Dalek Dave: There are many words that some find offensive, Homosexuality, Alcoholism, Religion, Visual Basic, Manchester United, Butter. Pete o'Hanlon: If it wasn't insulting tools, I'd say you were dumber than a bag of spanners.
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I live in Sonoma County in California and it's a huge cycling area. The cities are finally starting to put in separate lanes for cyclists, as well as designating some streets as "bicycle-friendly" which means that motorists have to share the lane with cyclists and only pass when there is no on-coming traffic. But there are still plenty of back-road, 2-lane, twisty roadways where people ride and it's just crazy dangerous, IMO.
William Winner wrote:
motorists have to share the lane with cyclists and only pass when there is no on-coming traffic
That's the case anytime, anywhere: the standard rule for cyclists is that they have the same rights and responsibilities as a car. That means that drivers are supposed to treat them with the same respect, and grant them the same clearance, as another car or truck. All too often, unfortunately, drivers fail to grant them that clearance, and cyclists die.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Unless bike lanes are separated from main roads via a moat, preferably filled with sharks with laser beams strapped to their heads, people who feel that their tax dollars give them more right to the road than my tax dollars will still do that thing where they try and see what happens when a wing mirror hits a bicycle helmet. Lanes aren't needed. Sharks with friggin' laser beamsA different attitude is.
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
Chris Maunder wrote:
Lanes aren't needed. Sharks with friggin' laser beams A different attitude is.
Bikes that mount an anti-tank weapon with a recoil management system are what's needed.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
I'm sure the topic of bikes, transportation and assorted greens is complex, and since this is the federal government I also have no doubt that there's some sort of bureaucracy botch in there somewhere, but this is exactly the kind of step in a positive direction I was talking about the other day. I think people who ride bicycles (cyclists, folks, not bikers), whether for health or environmental reasons, are to be applauded. My main complaint is that for the most part, the current roadway systems were not built to accommodate cyclists and thus they are generally a hazard to safety on the roads for all concerned. In my mind, the solution is not to put more spandex on streets designed for motorized transport, but to start rethinking our roadways with this new reality in mind. Consequently, I found this article to be highly encouraging, even if it's only baby steps. I'd love to see a three stripe roadway system with separate, dedicated areas for cyclists, Corvettes, and then all those other, lesser vehicles. :-D Transportation Secretary Announces "Sea-Change" for American Transport: Bikes! [^]
Christopher Duncan
www.PracticalUSA.com
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes
Copywriting Services(crap, I wrote a really cool answer and hit reload instead of some other buttons and lost it) anyway, in short, the whole US urban landscape needs to be rethink to allow other mode of transportation on the single-usage roads in most cities; that implies not only a change of mentality of the car drivers, but also of the cyclists and walkers and more importantly politicians and urban planners. Have a look at those "socialist" approaches that are implemented in (mostly) Europe. http://www.salon.com/technology/feature/2004/05/20/traffic_design[^] Shared Spaces[^] Woonerf[^] M.
Watched code never compiles.
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I'm sure the topic of bikes, transportation and assorted greens is complex, and since this is the federal government I also have no doubt that there's some sort of bureaucracy botch in there somewhere, but this is exactly the kind of step in a positive direction I was talking about the other day. I think people who ride bicycles (cyclists, folks, not bikers), whether for health or environmental reasons, are to be applauded. My main complaint is that for the most part, the current roadway systems were not built to accommodate cyclists and thus they are generally a hazard to safety on the roads for all concerned. In my mind, the solution is not to put more spandex on streets designed for motorized transport, but to start rethinking our roadways with this new reality in mind. Consequently, I found this article to be highly encouraging, even if it's only baby steps. I'd love to see a three stripe roadway system with separate, dedicated areas for cyclists, Corvettes, and then all those other, lesser vehicles. :-D Transportation Secretary Announces "Sea-Change" for American Transport: Bikes! [^]
Christopher Duncan
www.PracticalUSA.com
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes
Copywriting Services -
William Winner wrote:
motorists have to share the lane with cyclists and only pass when there is no on-coming traffic
That's the case anytime, anywhere: the standard rule for cyclists is that they have the same rights and responsibilities as a car. That means that drivers are supposed to treat them with the same respect, and grant them the same clearance, as another car or truck. All too often, unfortunately, drivers fail to grant them that clearance, and cyclists die.
Software Zen:
delete this;They just passed a "3 foot" passing law where I live after the governor vetoed the state version. Of course there is zero enforcement, and it should have been considered reckless driving to start with.
I can imagine the sinking feeling one would have after ordering my book, only to find a laughably ridiculous theory with demented logic once the book arrives - Mark McCutcheon
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They just passed a "3 foot" passing law where I live after the governor vetoed the state version. Of course there is zero enforcement, and it should have been considered reckless driving to start with.
I can imagine the sinking feeling one would have after ordering my book, only to find a laughably ridiculous theory with demented logic once the book arrives - Mark McCutcheon
I've only had a couple cases where I felt seriously endangered by a driver. The worst was a woman on the phone driving a van, who passed so close her backwash tossed me into the ditch. She came within a few inches of taking my left arm off. I guessed she was doing 50mph, even though the limit was 35mph. I actually get more harassment when I'm running than when I'm on the bike. When I run, I'm on the shoulder running against the flow of traffic. Twice in the last 15 years I've had drivers deliberately move over onto the shoulder, forcing me to jump off the road. Both times it was followed by cat-calls as they pulled away.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
I've only had a couple cases where I felt seriously endangered by a driver. The worst was a woman on the phone driving a van, who passed so close her backwash tossed me into the ditch. She came within a few inches of taking my left arm off. I guessed she was doing 50mph, even though the limit was 35mph. I actually get more harassment when I'm running than when I'm on the bike. When I run, I'm on the shoulder running against the flow of traffic. Twice in the last 15 years I've had drivers deliberately move over onto the shoulder, forcing me to jump off the road. Both times it was followed by cat-calls as they pulled away.
Software Zen:
delete this;Wow, it's not like they are driving a few thousand pound machine, most people have no comprehension of the damage that they can do. I've been cut off by a driver to where my front wheel bumped their back fender. They didn't see me and just took a right turn in front of me. There are also quite a few ghost bikes up around town.
I can imagine the sinking feeling one would have after ordering my book, only to find a laughably ridiculous theory with demented logic once the book arrives - Mark McCutcheon
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Wow, it's not like they are driving a few thousand pound machine, most people have no comprehension of the damage that they can do. I've been cut off by a driver to where my front wheel bumped their back fender. They didn't see me and just took a right turn in front of me. There are also quite a few ghost bikes up around town.
I can imagine the sinking feeling one would have after ordering my book, only to find a laughably ridiculous theory with demented logic once the book arrives - Mark McCutcheon
One of the tech writers on my product was hit by a driver about 10 years ago who was passing improperly. Tom was in the hospital for weeks, and has an amazing set of scars. It took him a long time to be able and willing to ride a bike again, and he is still extremely shy of riding streets.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
At the risk of having the hamsters set upon me, I find the converse is the problem. There is a heavily used cycle lane sharing paths with pedestrians the cyclist are totally reckless, I've almost been hit several times. Additionally they don't require mudguards, so they flick dirty puddle water at your with impunity, and I live in the UK, so the place is covered in puddles pretty much permanently. Driving next to them is almost as bad. At night, normally they don't have any lights (which is illegal) or they have flashing lights (also illegal) which totally distract you from everything else. For some reason the cyclists don't feel the need to obey the traffic lights and/or will cross half via the pedestrian crossings half via the road, change lanes with no warning and completely block the road at the 5mph they seem to be able to attain. Worse, I don't particularly want to see some lycra clad individual's a*se sticking into my face, with the possible exception of Natalie Portman or similar :-).
Dalek Dave: There are many words that some find offensive, Homosexuality, Alcoholism, Religion, Visual Basic, Manchester United, Butter. Pete o'Hanlon: If it wasn't insulting tools, I'd say you were dumber than a bag of spanners.
Keith, you realize our wives are connected on facebook? :)
If the post was helpful, please vote, eh! Current activities: Book: Devils by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Project: Hospital Automation, final stage Learning: Image analysis, LINQ Now and forever, defiant to the end. What is Multiple Sclerosis[^]?
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Unless bike lanes are separated from main roads via a moat, preferably filled with sharks with laser beams strapped to their heads, people who feel that their tax dollars give them more right to the road than my tax dollars will still do that thing where they try and see what happens when a wing mirror hits a bicycle helmet. Lanes aren't needed. Sharks with friggin' laser beamsA different attitude is.
cheers, Chris Maunder The Code Project | Co-founder Microsoft C++ MVP
Chris Maunder wrote:
who feel that their tax dollars give them more right to the road than my tax dollars
Not to stick my head in the lion's mouth (or laser guided sharks, if you prefer), but I've never been able to accept this justifation. Like many intellectual exercises, the math may work out okay on paper but it doesn't always mesh well with reality. There are countless nature trails dedicated to hikers and cyclists. If a group of bikers wanted to take their souped up, 1 gazillion horsepower, no muffler trail bikes and tear up and down the nature paths, they could well argue that their tax dollars give them just as much right to the road as anyone else. Nonetheless, I would see that as a gross violation of the purpose for which the trails were built and find the bikers' actions offensive and out of place. Once upon a time, roads were used by horses. Eventually, when automobiles came along, construction and maintenance of roads changed to support motorized transport. Since roads were once the domain of horses and the like, Farmer Jones could drive his 20 mule team down the middle of 2nd Avenue in New York and claim with much righteous indignation that he had just as much right to the road as anyone else. And tax dollar for tax dollar, the man's got a point. But his 20 mule team interferes with the other 99.99999% of people who use the roads for motorized transport. It's not just unrealistic. It's inconsiderate and an example of an attitude which dictates that the needs of the many must bow to the needs of the few. Modern roadways are meant for motorized transport, and from both a productivity and safety point of view it's simply not realistic to insist on bicycles and cars being treated as equals. However, until a better solution presents itself (I'm sure the shark and laser manufacturers are gearing up their lobbyists even as we speak), I thought that an attempt to redesign roadways so that they are more conducive to supporting both types of traffic was a step in the right direction.
Chris Maunder wrote:
see what happens when a wing mirror hits a bicycle helmet. ... Lanes aren't needed. Sharks with friggin' laser beams A different attitude is.
Now you're talking about a completely different topic. If you can find a way to rid the human race of assholes with bad attitudes (without the plan involving putting Nazis in charge), sign me up. If you think that cyclists are the o
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Chris Maunder wrote:
Lanes aren't needed. Sharks with friggin' laser beams A different attitude is.
Bikes that mount an anti-tank weapon with a recoil management system are what's needed.
Software Zen:
delete this;Trust me, there are days I'd like to mount one of these on my Vette as well, and certainly not for the cyclists.
Christopher Duncan
www.PracticalUSA.com
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes
Copywriting Services -
Trust me, there are days I'd like to mount one of these on my Vette as well, and certainly not for the cyclists.
Christopher Duncan
www.PracticalUSA.com
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes
Copywriting ServicesI understand; I'd like one for my Civic, as well as the bike. With the Civic I could carry additional ammo, in case I needed to reload.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
I understand; I'd like one for my Civic, as well as the bike. With the Civic I could carry additional ammo, in case I needed to reload.
Software Zen:
delete this;A friend of mine is into model rocketry, and some of his are 6 or 7 feet long. So, he & the family are headed to a launch one day with several strapped, nose pointing forward, to the top of his Honda Pilot. As his wife was getting in the car she took in the visual and said, "You know we're going to get pulled over, right?"
Christopher Duncan
www.PracticalUSA.com
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes
Copywriting Services -
One of the tech writers on my product was hit by a driver about 10 years ago who was passing improperly. Tom was in the hospital for weeks, and has an amazing set of scars. It took him a long time to be able and willing to ride a bike again, and he is still extremely shy of riding streets.
Software Zen:
delete this;I was riding to work at Bell Labs in Andover about 25 years ago or so, going down a hill in Haverhill, when an 86 year old guy, half blinded with cataracts, passed me and then made a right turn into a driveway directly in front of me. I had nowhere to go, t-boned the side of the car, and, as the bike flipped into the air, I was literally screwed under the car frame, with my legs still tangled in the bike. The guy stopped, looked around and didn't see anything (I was under the car), and started to drive off, dragging me under the vehicle. I was sliding backwards towards the rear wheels, with my head about to go under one, when I managed to get the fingers of one hand into the window sill on the rear door and pivot my body away from the wheels. It was still touch and go when someone ran in front of the car, screaming 'Stop your car, you f#$%ing old fool!' I'm laying on the ground, watching under the car, as a pair of geriatric support shoes emerge and hit the pavement, and a quavery old voice says 'What I hit, anyway?' :suss:
L u n a t i c F r i n g e
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A friend of mine is into model rocketry, and some of his are 6 or 7 feet long. So, he & the family are headed to a launch one day with several strapped, nose pointing forward, to the top of his Honda Pilot. As his wife was getting in the car she took in the visual and said, "You know we're going to get pulled over, right?"
Christopher Duncan
www.PracticalUSA.com
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes
Copywriting ServicesThat is just too awesome for words :laugh:.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
I was riding to work at Bell Labs in Andover about 25 years ago or so, going down a hill in Haverhill, when an 86 year old guy, half blinded with cataracts, passed me and then made a right turn into a driveway directly in front of me. I had nowhere to go, t-boned the side of the car, and, as the bike flipped into the air, I was literally screwed under the car frame, with my legs still tangled in the bike. The guy stopped, looked around and didn't see anything (I was under the car), and started to drive off, dragging me under the vehicle. I was sliding backwards towards the rear wheels, with my head about to go under one, when I managed to get the fingers of one hand into the window sill on the rear door and pivot my body away from the wheels. It was still touch and go when someone ran in front of the car, screaming 'Stop your car, you f#$%ing old fool!' I'm laying on the ground, watching under the car, as a pair of geriatric support shoes emerge and hit the pavement, and a quavery old voice says 'What I hit, anyway?' :suss:
L u n a t i c F r i n g e
Good lord.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Chris Maunder wrote:
who feel that their tax dollars give them more right to the road than my tax dollars
Not to stick my head in the lion's mouth (or laser guided sharks, if you prefer), but I've never been able to accept this justifation. Like many intellectual exercises, the math may work out okay on paper but it doesn't always mesh well with reality. There are countless nature trails dedicated to hikers and cyclists. If a group of bikers wanted to take their souped up, 1 gazillion horsepower, no muffler trail bikes and tear up and down the nature paths, they could well argue that their tax dollars give them just as much right to the road as anyone else. Nonetheless, I would see that as a gross violation of the purpose for which the trails were built and find the bikers' actions offensive and out of place. Once upon a time, roads were used by horses. Eventually, when automobiles came along, construction and maintenance of roads changed to support motorized transport. Since roads were once the domain of horses and the like, Farmer Jones could drive his 20 mule team down the middle of 2nd Avenue in New York and claim with much righteous indignation that he had just as much right to the road as anyone else. And tax dollar for tax dollar, the man's got a point. But his 20 mule team interferes with the other 99.99999% of people who use the roads for motorized transport. It's not just unrealistic. It's inconsiderate and an example of an attitude which dictates that the needs of the many must bow to the needs of the few. Modern roadways are meant for motorized transport, and from both a productivity and safety point of view it's simply not realistic to insist on bicycles and cars being treated as equals. However, until a better solution presents itself (I'm sure the shark and laser manufacturers are gearing up their lobbyists even as we speak), I thought that an attempt to redesign roadways so that they are more conducive to supporting both types of traffic was a step in the right direction.
Chris Maunder wrote:
see what happens when a wing mirror hits a bicycle helmet. ... Lanes aren't needed. Sharks with friggin' laser beams A different attitude is.
Now you're talking about a completely different topic. If you can find a way to rid the human race of assholes with bad attitudes (without the plan involving putting Nazis in charge), sign me up. If you think that cyclists are the o
Christopher Duncan wrote:
I'm sure the shark and laser manufacturers
Wow. I wan't to work in Georgia where sharks are made! :-D Silliness indulged. You can go back to your regular postings...
If the post was helpful, please vote, eh! Current activities: Book: Devils by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Project: Hospital Automation, final stage Learning: Image analysis, LINQ Now and forever, defiant to the end. What is Multiple Sclerosis[^]?
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Good lord.
Software Zen:
delete this; -
Christopher Duncan wrote:
I'm sure the shark and laser manufacturers
Wow. I wan't to work in Georgia where sharks are made! :-D Silliness indulged. You can go back to your regular postings...
If the post was helpful, please vote, eh! Current activities: Book: Devils by Fyodor Dostoyevsky Project: Hospital Automation, final stage Learning: Image analysis, LINQ Now and forever, defiant to the end. What is Multiple Sclerosis[^]?
Actually, they're made in Florida[^]. We just import them. :-D
Christopher Duncan
www.PracticalUSA.com
Author of The Career Programmer and Unite the Tribes
Copywriting Services
