Biking thread

[bluenose]

Who wants to go for a bike ride?

[mr x]

Bike lanes no bed of roses
Windsor Street florist: Businesses suffering due to city’s decision

Charles Pilcher isn’t offering up any bouquets to the decision-makers who approved bicycle lanes on Halifax’s Windsor Street.

“You can’t force this on people,” the owner of Pilcher’s Flowers at 2778 Windsor St., said in an interview Monday.

Pilcher, whose family business has been located on Windsor Street for 64 years, is furious at the city’s decision to install bike lanes on both sides of the street between Young Street and Quinpool Road.

“The street is a hostage,” he said.

Pilcher said the bike lanes, which opened in October, have hurt businesses on the street by taking away parking spaces.

Pilcher said local side streets don’t have enough spaces to make up for the loss of parking on Windsor resulting from the bike lanes.

Municipal staff recommended installing bike lanes connecting north- and south-end Halifax after the Halifax Cycling Coalition launched a petition that drew 1,400 signatures.

Pilcher said he rides a bike and isn’t opposed to bike lanes. But he said he only sees about 30 bikes a day on Windsor Street.

“There’s a need to be practical,” he said.

Pilcher suggested the street could support a single bike lane and said he’d be happy to have it on his side of Windsor.

“I don’t want the street decimated,” he said.

There will be a meeting on the issue at the Halifax Forum on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Pilcher said Halifax North Coun. Jennifer Watts, who told him recently that the bike lanes are permanent, will attend the meeting.

“I don’t think we’ll get anything,” he said, suggesting that Watts represents the cycling coalition more than she does local businesses.

Watts said the bike lanes are part of a strategy dating back to 2006 to make cycling a safer and more attractive transportation alternative.

“Both staff and I have spoken to businesses on the street who are supportive and excited about the bike lane,” she said.

Watts said parking spaces lost to the Windsor Street bike lanes were being made up “almost totally” by parking on side streets.

She said other options, including reducing parking time limits or utilizing Halifax Forum parking space, could help compensate for the loss of Windsor Street parking.

Emily Macdonald, the cycling coalition`s co-chair, said she wasn’t surprised by the criticism.

“It’s not an unexpected reaction.”

Macdonald said some businesses recognize the benefits of bike lanes.

“Free parking is hard to give up. But in the broader picture, it’s not something inherently good. It promotes car culture.”

Days after the Windsor Street lanes opened, there were reports that thumbtacks thrown on the street between Almon and Liverpool streets caused three flat bike tires.

Police on bicycles patrolled the area after the lanes opened to ensure a smooth transition.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Some controversy on the other side of that story - they don't seem interested in talking to the businesses who support the bike lane (eg the Brooklyn warehouse across the street). Also his flower shop looks like it has off-street parking as part of the property? How busy does he get?

[mr x]

I don't think he gets that busy to tell you the truth. And his hours are pretty limited IIRC.

But I'm still not convinced that running bike lanes through those intersections at North and Almon will be a good idea.

And what happens come winter? Are bike lanes seasonal?

[NASH]

It promotes car culture

[CorneliusAlphonse]

I don't think he gets that busy to tell you the truth. And his hours are pretty limited IIRC.

But I'm still not convinced that running bike lanes through those intersections at North and Almon will be a good idea.

And what happens come winter? Are bike lanes seasonal?

i bike year round

but yeah, theyre seasonal - because they dont plow them properly, and they get too icy to bike in

[mr x]

I mean legally, does the status change?

On another note, I find it bizarre that helmets are mandated for safety reasons, yet driving bicycles in the winter is considered ok...

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Biking in the winter can be safe, you just need to exercise caution - same as if you drive your convertible with summer tires on you will have a bad time, if you ride a bike with slicks on ice you will fall down. Or if you run on ice you might fall down. Or if you walk on ice you might fall down. Only one of these accidents will harm others...

Legally, there is no change - a bike lane is for bikes, and cars can use it to maneuver around an obstruction in their lane of travel, such as a left turning car - equally, cyclists can use the car lane to maneuver around obstructions in their lane of travel, such as illegally parked business owners. Both drivers and cyclists have to use caution when moving into the others lane, as the other may not be expecting the company.

Edit: sorry for possibly hostile attitude in this and other posts in this thread - articles like the one above from the CH (and the one in Frank last week) bother me.

[LeafMan66_67]

Alright - I held my tongue long enough. I respect the fact that there are bike lanes. No problem with that at all. I have an issue with the bikers themselves - not all bikers, but some of them. Unfortunately there are a number of bikers who don't think the rules of the road apply to them.

I drive to work using Agricola. I respect the fact that to pass a cyclist I need to leave 1M clearance when passing a cyclist. No problem. One of the issues I have is when cyclists overtake you from behind while sitting in traffic. I've been hit twice by cyclists as they attempt to squeeze between either the curb or parked cars and my STATIONARY vehicle. Once it was the mirror. No damage. Once the guy lost his balance, and handlebars hit the side of the car leaving a small dent and scratch. Both took off as fast as they could.

The other issue I have is right hand turns. Vehicles have their signal lights on waiting to turn right. Why do cyclists think they can pass that car on the right? I've seen many near misses with the same cyclist! She drives Agricola every day and appears oblivious to traffic around her. I've seen cyclists kick the shit out of cars they think have cut them off as they try to pass the right turning vehicle and then take off through red lights. Cyclists are not above the law.

On the other side of the coin, there are cyclists out there who do follow the rules - hand signals, Lane changes, and respect for the people around them. Unfortunately, they appear to be outnumbered by the cyclists without respect.

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Bike lanes would fix the squeezing-between-cars issue (but not the asshole biker issue).

[bluenose]

I would like to note that New Glasgow now has bike lanes for those of you who like bike lanes... if you don't like bike lanes, then I doubt you'd give a shit since they're in New Glasgow

carry on

[LeafMan66_67]

Bike lanes would fix the squeezing-between-cars issue (but not the asshole biker issue).

[dexter]

[quote="CorneliusAlphonse"]Bike lanes would fix the squeezing-between-cars issue (but not the asshole biker issue).[/quote]


What about the fact that some ns drivers don t give half a sweet shit about lines on the road. They've worn the paint of places like Larry utteck, st marg bayroad and some parts of bedford? Literally they've painted the two lanes on. The round a outs on LU twice in 4 years and they're already erased again due to cars leaving their lanes illegally


And it's not all cyclists that suck But the ones that do are enough to make yup detest the group. The ones that pass on the inside or use the cross walk to get somewhere faster or the douches that act like plain old douches

[CorneliusAlphonse]

I use the crosswalk occasionally(but I get off my bike and walk it). I pass on the inside sometimes (when at a long line of cars at a stop light - I figure its trade off for them passing me between lights - but I only go as far as I feel is safe for all parties, won't pass cars with their blinker on, and won't stop in the blind spot of any car, in case they turn without a blinker. In short, I do some of the behaviors that annoy people about cyclists, but do them in the most respectable, safe way I know how - haven't had any issues yet).

The lanes coming off the road could also be a result of plows. The markings will get worn away,and they should be repainted for sure.

[bluenose]

but the people in their cars don't know that you're a nice guy and will mutter "arsehole" at you under their breath as you pass them at a stoplight

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Just drove the length of Agricola, passed 8 cyclists, no issues,but a pedestrian did walk in front of me when I had a green light - issue is people, not cyclists

[LeafMan66_67]

Just drove the length of Agricola, passed 8 cyclists, no issues,but a pedestrian did walk in front of me when I had a green light - issue is people, not cyclists

I've got another whole rant on pedestrians that I'll save for another day! But you're right - I've been going through a green and got concerned I ran a red because someone walked out in front of me against the light without a care in the world!

[dexter]

Just drove the length of Agricola, passed 8 cyclists, no issues,but a pedestrian did walk in front of me when I had a green light - issue is people, not cyclists

sadly stupidity cant be cured...

[chicanuck]

Just drove the length of Agricola, passed 8 cyclists, no issues,but a pedestrian did walk in front of me when I had a green light - issue is people, not cyclists

sadly stupidity cant be cured...

It can be cured when they get smoked by a car.

[bluenose]

sadly stupidity cant be cured...

I think some people bottle it and redistribute it wherever they go

[CorneliusAlphonse]

Just drove the length of Agricola, passed 8 cyclists, no issues,but a pedestrian did walk in front of me when I had a green light - issue is people, not cyclists

sadly stupidity cant be cured...

It can be cured when they get smoked by a car.

Some of the issue is people driving the cars

[dexter]

You think drivers aren't stupid I followed a lady for three k on the bedford highway with her signal on and a foot on each pedal brake lights while accelerated in her Beat to shit Toyota highlander. Then watched as she had to try and maneuver her car to fuel up. It was the highlight if my day so far.

[bluenose]

This is pretty cool:
http://www.hovding.com/en/

[GAM]

Some should wear that walking.

Sandy

[benwedge]

Some should wear that walking.

Sandy