Comments on: Chicago’s Bike to Work Week http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/ Bike Your Drive! Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:39:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: meligrosa http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-24200 meligrosa Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:05:49 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-24200 bikes+hearts+ blogs our love for bicyccles and a better future is universal go chicago!! fun post, thanks for sharing :D bikes+hearts+ blogs
our love for bicyccles and a better future is universal
go chicago!! fun post, thanks for sharing :D

]]> By: bridget http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-23969 bridget Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:37:13 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-23969 I love my hour commute from Rogers Park to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Having biked to work in D.C. and London, North Chicago is the most bike friendly metropolitan area so far. I do avoid bike lanes & take back alleys & residential streets with stop signs instead. The drivers I've encountered over the two months since I've moved here are very curtious - it is quite refreshing. I love my hour commute from Rogers Park to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Having biked to work in D.C. and London, North Chicago is the most bike friendly metropolitan area so far. I do avoid bike lanes & take back alleys & residential streets with stop signs instead. The drivers I’ve encountered over the two months since I’ve moved here are very curtious – it is quite refreshing.

]]> By: MikeOnBike http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-23916 MikeOnBike Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:47:20 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-23916 Dottie and Rebecca, if the only usable part of the bike lane is the outer 1/3 or outer stripe, then they should be painted that way. Of course, that's only about a foot or two of usable space, if you don't mind barely missing the door zone while passing cars barely miss you. Here's why the door zone is a problem: http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2010/06/10/the-freak-accident-that-is-becoming-common/ Better yet, if we want to do something symbolic and empowering for cyclists, put sharrows entirely outside the door zone. On a road like that, the sharrows should be centered in the travel lane, indicating that cyclists have equal right to the entire lane. Faster traffic must change lanes to pass. Here's a fancy example: http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2010/06/10/a-lane-i-can-support/ Or remove the parking. Accepting door-zone bike lanes for their symbolism means that we accept third-class status on that road, with free flowing cars being #1 and free parking being #2. That doesn't help the cycling movement, it marginalizes and trivializes it. It's time for cyclists to be pickier about facilities. We should no longer accept being shoved into a tiny sliver of the roadway for the benefit of motorists. Dottie and Rebecca, if the only usable part of the bike lane is the outer 1/3 or outer stripe, then they should be painted that way. Of course, that’s only about a foot or two of usable space, if you don’t mind barely missing the door zone while passing cars barely miss you.

Here’s why the door zone is a problem:
http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2010/06/10/the-freak-accident-that-is-becoming-common/

Better yet, if we want to do something symbolic and empowering for cyclists, put sharrows entirely outside the door zone. On a road like that, the sharrows should be centered in the travel lane, indicating that cyclists have equal right to the entire lane. Faster traffic must change lanes to pass.

Here’s a fancy example:
http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/2010/06/10/a-lane-i-can-support/

Or remove the parking.

Accepting door-zone bike lanes for their symbolism means that we accept third-class status on that road, with free flowing cars being #1 and free parking being #2. That doesn’t help the cycling movement, it marginalizes and trivializes it.

It’s time for cyclists to be pickier about facilities. We should no longer accept being shoved into a tiny sliver of the roadway for the benefit of motorists.

]]> By: kate http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-23915 kate Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:35:29 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-23915 elizabeth--totally unrelated to this post but i was trying to write you for a feature i'm working on for competitor magazine and wasn't sure if my email went to the right place. if you check this and could email me at katebongiovanni@gmail.com, i'd really appreciate it. thanks! kate :) elizabeth–totally unrelated to this post but i was trying to write you for a feature i’m working on for competitor magazine and wasn’t sure if my email went to the right place. if you check this and could email me at katebongiovanni@gmail.com, i’d really appreciate it. thanks!

kate :)

]]> By: Rebecca http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-23911 Rebecca Tue, 15 Jun 2010 11:00:22 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-23911 Oh and one more thing..... @Adrian: If there is ever a reason that you are not safe in a bike lane, broken glass, pothole, a car, pedestrian, door, etc. please know that you have the legal right to take the lane just like a car would. This is because bicycles are INTENDED USERS of the road. Know your rights and be proud! Oh and one more thing….. @Adrian: If there is ever a reason that you are not safe in a bike lane, broken glass, pothole, a car, pedestrian, door, etc. please know that you have the legal right to take the lane just like a car would. This is because bicycles are INTENDED USERS of the road. Know your rights and be proud!

]]> By: Rebecca http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-23910 Rebecca Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:56:58 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-23910 @MikeonBike and @Adrian: Bike lanes create more of a presence and awareness for bikes and until Chicago is able to engineer separated bike lanes, it's the best option. According to basic bike safety tips, if you ride in the outer 1/3 of the lane, then you will be out of the door zone and even more visible to drivers. ALSO, I've read studies that say that putting a bike lane on a street naturally calms the traffic and drivers instinctively will give a few feet between the bike lane stripe and their car, unlike a sharrow that is more undefined. All cyclists should support bike lanes and all drivers should support cyclists. We're all in this together and I believe bike lanes are definitely imperative to the movement. @MikeonBike and @Adrian: Bike lanes create more of a presence and awareness for bikes and until Chicago is able to engineer separated bike lanes, it’s the best option. According to basic bike safety tips, if you ride in the outer 1/3 of the lane, then you will be out of the door zone and even more visible to drivers.

ALSO, I’ve read studies that say that putting a bike lane on a street naturally calms the traffic and drivers instinctively will give a few feet between the bike lane stripe and their car, unlike a sharrow that is more undefined.

All cyclists should support bike lanes and all drivers should support cyclists. We’re all in this together and I believe bike lanes are definitely imperative to the movement.

]]> By: Adrian http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-23906 Adrian Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:49:03 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-23906 Those bike lanes are a disgrace - worse than nothing at all because to ride the street safely you now have to ride outside them, thus engendering motorist complaints that you should be in the bike lane. The only way to make those bike lanes safe would be to relocate the bike stencil from the right of the line to the left of the line. Those bike lanes are a disgrace – worse than nothing at all because to ride the street safely you now have to ride outside them, thus engendering motorist complaints that you should be in the bike lane.

The only way to make those bike lanes safe would be to relocate the bike stencil from the right of the line to the left of the line.

]]> By: Ghost Rider http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-23905 Ghost Rider Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:12:49 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-23905 I hug the outer edge of the bike lane (where available -- none in the door zone on my route) because I can...and also to force the hand of Florida's 3-foot rule. Even if I'm in my lane, cars are required to give me those 3 feet, and that extra space is luxurious! Almost like I have an entire travel lane to myself! If only people followed the 3-foot rule... The above is just a pipe dream. I hug the outer edge of the bike lane (where available — none in the door zone on my route) because I can…and also to force the hand of Florida’s 3-foot rule. Even if I’m in my lane, cars are required to give me those 3 feet, and that extra space is luxurious! Almost like I have an entire travel lane to myself!

If only people followed the 3-foot rule… The above is just a pipe dream.

]]> By: Steve A http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-23903 Steve A Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:28:41 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-23903 The obvious solution is to stop using public throughfares and taxes to subsidize car storage (parking). Make that road four lanes with the right lane as a sharrow, and not only are the cyclist death traps gone, but motorized throughput is greater as well. Is there some reason people should not pay the costs of storing their vehicles instead of expecting Dottie to do it? The obvious solution is to stop using public throughfares and taxes to subsidize car storage (parking). Make that road four lanes with the right lane as a sharrow, and not only are the cyclist death traps gone, but motorized throughput is greater as well. Is there some reason people should not pay the costs of storing their vehicles instead of expecting Dottie to do it?

]]> By: Dottie http://www.bikecommuters.com/2010/06/14/chicagos-bike-to-work-week/#comment-23902 Dottie Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:24:41 +0000 http://www.bikecommuters.com/?p=3867#comment-23902 @MikeOnBike - I understand your view and agree with the concepts behind it, but in practice the best places to ride in Chicago are roads with bike lanes. I get more respect and some breathing room, though I ride on the outer strip of the lane to avoid doors. @MikeOnBike – I understand your view and agree with the concepts behind it, but in practice the best places to ride in Chicago are roads with bike lanes. I get more respect and some breathing room, though I ride on the outer strip of the lane to avoid doors.

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