Quote:
Originally Posted by floobie
This happens really often on Edgemont Blvd. in the NW. There's a bike path running the entire length of it, but I still see cyclists riding on the road for some reason. There's absolutely no reason not to use the path, as far as I can tell. It's usually empty of any traffic, be it pedestrian or cyclist. It follows the road exactly, and is in much better condition than the road itself. It's also on a rather long, challenging hill. So, cyclists going up the hill are usually going a LOT slower than traffic, making the bike path a still safer choice.
I have nothing against cyclists riding on the road... if there isn't a better place for them to be. It just seems like a waste of the infrastructure we're lucky to have.
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I don't cycle in that area, but I thought this link describes maybe why you are seeing the so-called 40 year old spandex bike-roadist using the road instead:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=s_...jYP-tQIYKskUEzPHg&cbp=12,191.54,,0,30.48
A cyclist that is using that path would have to come to a near complete stop due to the sharp corners, also he or she would also have to identify that oncoming vehichles are yielding before proceeding. If he stays on Edgemont Blvd one has both right of way, as well as no sharp turns.
I don't think cyclists do this because they 'enjoy being obstacles' so much as that they are choosing the speediest and most time-efficient route.
Cycling infrastructure should be targeted in terms of cost-efficiency, (where cycling traffic is heaviest or has the potential to be heaviest), and where it has the biggest chance of reducing time spent travelling relative to dollars spent. Calgarians are usually very pragmatic, so I would hate to see wasted cycling infrastructure as well. Also, it should not be zero sum for productivity. i.e.: Don't try to build a system that improves cyclist travel time at a the expense of bigger losses in vehicular travel time.
Hopefully, as City of Calgary develops a cycling plan, it's looking at how it can add cycling infrastructure in a cost-effective manner (time savings relative to dollars spent) and addressing mobility issues where there is the need as well.
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