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#11
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don't get complacent
On Jun 14, 4:19 pm, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Jun 14, 11:52 am, Jeff wrote: catzz66 wrote: This morning I almost got backed into by a car pulling out of a slot in a strip center. If she'd gotten me, it would have totally been my own fault. I was riding too close to the backs of the cars, didn't even have my hands on the brakes, was clipping along pretty fast. All I could do was yell and try to get the heck out of the way in time, which luckily I did. I have avoided many accidents by just being alert, but this reminded me that I need to be alert all the time, try not to do anything stupid, and by all means try not to let my mistakes come in a cluster. I'll second the reminder. I was cycling home from the gym this morning and a left-side rear-seat passenger opened a car door. Had I been within a meter of the car, I would have been doored. Fortunately, I'm a little paranoid about being doored, so I generally keep a meter between me and parked cars. I wasn't hit, but it was close enough to catch my attention. Good thing there was no mandatory bike lane keeping you within reach of that door! - Frank Krygowski I've never actually seen a 'door zone bike lane' that didn't have at least some portion of it outside the door zone, meaning that it's possible to ride outside the door zone but still inside the bike lane. That's no excuse for putting bike lanes even partially in door zones, however. |
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#12
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don't get complacent
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#13
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don't get complacent
wrote:
I've never actually seen a 'door zone bike lane' that didn't have at least some portion of it outside the door zone, meaning that it's possible to ride outside the door zone but still inside the bike lane. That's no excuse for putting bike lanes even partially in door zones, however. Frank posted a link to some pictures of particularly problemmatic bike lanes -- including at least one with a door open all the way across it. There are some bad designs out there. There was a fatality earlier in the month in which a cyclist was doored and thrown into the traffic lane -- then hit by a moving vehicle. According to the spring, 2008 bike map there's no bike lane on this street. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...,1344357.story Around here (Chicago) you have to ride on the inner side of the bike lane. In fact, the city bike map specifically warns against riding on the outside of the bike lane (near the parked cars). But in many cases you can't put the lane farther out, because then the traffic lane would be so narrow cars would just completely ignore the bike lane. Eliminating parking can be done in spots, but aldermen do this as their electoral peril. Politics is the art of compromise. I personally favor the chevoned signage for sharing -- basically bike lane signage without the white stripes. Cyclists don't get into the feeling they are in some sort of protective cocoon. I'd be all in favor of protective cocoons if they worked, but bike lanes don't work that way and we all know you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times. |
#14
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don't get complacent
On Jun 15, 2:56 pm, "Bill Sornson" wrote:
On Jun 14, 4:19 pm, Frank Krygowski wrote: Good thing there was no mandatory bike lane keeping you within reach of that door! First of all, ask Frank about his mythical "mandatory" bike lane. (Hint: there aren't any.) Bill, you offer us daily doses of your ignorance. Here's the applicable section of Oregon law: " 814.420: Failure to use bicycle lane or path; exceptions; penalty. " (1) Except as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a person commits the offense of failure to use a bicycle lane or path if the person operates a bicycle on any portion of a roadway that is not a bicycle lane or bicycle path when a bicycle lane or bicycle path is adjacent to or near the roadway." There are other states with such laws. (IIRC, North Dakota is one, and some of it's mandatory facilities that I rode on were truly garbage.) Secondly, as you correctly point out, any smart cyclist knows to avoid door zones, with or without bike lanes. "Any smart cyclist"? The problem is there are _many_ who consider themselves "smart" but don't realize the danger. There are many cyclists who become "bicycle advocates" and actually promote the installation of door zone bike lanes, confident that they are smart in doing so. How would a novice know that using a professionally advocated, professionally installed bike facility is more dangerous than specifically avoiding it? BTW, Oregon allows some exceptions to that section of law I quoted. A further quote from their law: "A person is not in violation of the offense under this section if the person is able to safely move out of the bicycle lane or path for the purpose of: (a) Overtaking and passing another bicycle, a vehicle or a pedestrian that is in the bicycle lane or path and passage cannot safely be made in the lane or path. (b) Preparing to execute a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway. (c) Avoiding debris or other hazardous conditions. (d) Preparing to execute a right turn where a right turn is authorized." The problem is, many cyclists do NOT know to treat doors that may pop open as "other hazardous conditions." And since many cops are similarly ignorant, a cyclist might end up having to justify his action in court. I have ridden in several places with obviously dangerous bike lanes. Some were mandatory, some were not. But why on earth should we accept a special "bike facility" that actually puts cyclists in danger? Why would someone be so blasted stupid as to defend such a facility? - Frank Krygowski |
#15
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don't get complacent
On Jun 14, 6:11*am, catzz66 wrote:
Bob wrote: I think one of us is misinterpreting catzz' "riding too close to the backs of cars". I interpreted that to mean that she was too close to the rear of the *parked* cars when one of those cars started to back out of their parking space. If that's the case, she's right in accepting the responsibility. I was zipping along too close to the backs of the cars for any of the drivers to see me. *It was one of those strip centers with right angle parking spaces. *I realize I got lucky this time. *As much as anything, I am writing it down to remind myself not to do anything that dumb again. =] I'm a grandfather. *My screen name relates to a school mascot from decades ago. My apologies for the incorrect pronoun. Regards, Bob Hunt |
#16
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don't get complacent
Bob wrote:
On Jun 14, 6:11 am, catzz66 wrote: Bob wrote: I think one of us is misinterpreting catzz' "riding too close to the backs of cars". I interpreted that to mean that she was too close to the rear of the *parked* cars when one of those cars started to back out of their parking space. If that's the case, she's right in accepting the responsibility. I was zipping along too close to the backs of the cars for any of the drivers to see me. It was one of those strip centers with right angle parking spaces. I realize I got lucky this time. As much as anything, I am writing it down to remind myself not to do anything that dumb again. =] I'm a grandfather. My screen name relates to a school mascot from decades ago. My apologies for the incorrect pronoun. = No problem. It is easy to do with screen names. |
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