We have bike lanes in Brisbane too, often, sensibly, between the parking lane and the traffic lanes. But, far too many cyclists are complete idiots when it comes to sensible use of the roads: my street is one way, with a footpath next to the road, and a two metre wide bike path beyond that: yet I still see a number of cyclists riding the wrong way up the street in the traffic lane. This is particularly dangerous as there is a blind corner just metres from where I live, and most drivers are concentrating too hard on not being hit by traffic coming down the road to spare more than quick glance in case there should be anything coming the wrong way. In the city too, I see bike couriers particularly ignoring one-ways, running red lights, riding across pedestrian islands, weaving through the oncoming traffic which has the green -that's just asking to get hurt, never mind a ticket. Not that drivers are at all blameless or even sensible: red-light running and speeding seem to be on the increase here. Just yesterday a driver did a U-turn in our driveway and blithely went back up the road the wrong way. Another had been waiting a minute or so at a red light and decided that it was too long, so just turned anyway. He was fortunate that he got away with it, as that particular junction is not an easy one for visibility. I may be getting to be a grumpy old man, but when I see some supposedly mature adult cyclist riding his bike through the crowds in a shopping mall, I'm compelled to tell him to get off!
John Coyle Brisbane, Australia -----Original Message----- From: pdml-boun...@pdml.net [mailto:pdml-boun...@pdml.net] On Behalf Of Ann Sanfedele Sent: Sunday, 12 June 2011 2:01 AM To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List Subject: Re: OT: Cycling in New York Daniel J. Matyola wrote: >If they aren't required to use the bike lanes in New York, they should >be. The traffic, especially in Manhattan, is buy and hazardous, and >the conflict between bikes, pedestrians, cars, taxis, buses and trucks >can be severe. > >Dan > > >>Great video here about a guy's response to being ticketed for not >>cycling in the bike lane: >><http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzE-IMaegzQ> >> >>Ironically he shouldn't have been ticketed, because it's not a legal >>requirement to use them. >> It is or will soon be... if there is a bike lane and it isn't blocked.. The guy that did the video likes the bike lanes he was just pointing out that the bike lanes were often blocked by trucks unloading, people standing in them, etc. (I heard him interviewed on local news station a couple of times) The bike lanes have helped on major streets but not all streets have them so, of course, if there is no lane a bike can still ride on it - but must obey the one way directions, stop signs, speed limit - etc that cars do. That isn't happening all the time. The other day a father with is toddler on the bike with him was going the wrong way on my street and when I was crossing , having looked in the dirction the traffic comes from legally, he shouted "watch out" I called back "you're going the wrong way" and he TURNS and shouts back "but I called "watch out" (!) Every time I go out I see bikers going the wrong way in a bike lane, riding on the sidewalk, not riding in the lanes when they are clear, speeding, not stopping at lights... and they aren't getting ticketed for that often enough. Mostly it has been a great help to pedestrian safety, tho. .. especially the parked cars not being right on the curb ann -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
