Cycling in the National Capital Region

[Acajack]

Like this, as I posted above:

https://www.uline.ca/Product/Detail/H-25...u5vnThwMVYzYIBR2xmzlKEAQYASABEgI8lfD_BwE

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Like this, as I posted above:

https://www.uline.ca/Product/Detail/H-25...u5vnThwMVYzYIBR2xmzlKEAQYASABEgI8lfD_BwE

Yeah I hate this design. Hard to lock to it with a U-lock unless you parallel-park.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Also, pardon the pun but we are heading for a collision course on the recreational paths with the explosion of motor-powered contraptions on there.

A lot of them are quite fast and bulky which makes it dangerous for other users. I am not suggesting banning e-bikes from the paths at all.

But I'd argue that unless you are a person with a disability, if you're not using your body to propel yourself to some degree, you have no business being on a path.

I cross paths with these types of things every time I am out on a long-ish bike ride:

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/2024-Hot-Sale-2000W-Power-Brushless_1600763038503.html

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Those should absolutely not be on bike paths. I thought you meant the somewhat wider electrical "Assist" bikes that also wizz along. Those are trickier. I guess if you can't pedal at all you shouldn't be on the paths would be a good rule.

That's what I thought too, the power assist electric bikes. This is a scooter, like a teenager, need your license scooter. Agreed, these should not be allowed on bike/MUP pathways or even bike racks.

[J.OT13]

In early July, a van took out two of the bike parking structures at Blair Station.




https://x.com/OCT_Fan/status/18107666930...n-east-west-line-1-line-3.37778%2Fpage-3

And here's yesterday, bike racks fixed, but not the shelters. Whole area is fenced off. Bike racks still available on the other side.

[ponyboycurtis]

What on earth was the vehicle doing? It looks like it mounted the sidewalk at the far end and tried to drive down the sidewalk between the shelter and signs?

Driving straight forward over the curb and into the shelter is almost understandable and a mistake. This looks like willful negligence.

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Yeah I hate this design. Hard to lock to it with a U-lock unless you parallel-park.

Very much agreed. The height of these racks seems to only accommodate old-school mtn. bikes (26" wheels) and smaller. My large frame 700C hybrid bike never fits, so I have to lock to either end.

(And yeah this is also likely why people lock their bike across the rack...)

[skyscraperaccount]

Originally Posted by YOWetal

Those should absolutely not be on bike paths. I thought you meant the somewhat wider electrical "Assist" bikes that also wizz along. Those are trickier. I guess if you can't pedal at all you shouldn't be on the paths would be a good rule.

That's already the "rule". There is zero enforcement.

Daily I have some 🞵🞵🞵🞵 🞵🞵🞵 on an electric one wheel in full madmax regalia passing at at least 40km/h. Guy is a freaking menace.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by ponyboycurtis

What on earth was the vehicle doing? It looks like it mounted the sidewalk at the far end and tried to drive down the sidewalk between the shelter and signs?

Driving straight forward over the curb and into the shelter is almost understandable and a mistake. This looks like willful negligence.

I don't understand how this could have happened without taking out a light post, tree or another car. I hope this person loses their licenses and is forced to pay for the damages.

[YukonLlama]

Has anyone else noticed a few e-cars zipping along bike paths across the city? I've spotted a few over the past couple of months. It's almost a cute addition seeing these little guys zipping by, but I did not think these were even available in Canada just yet.

[J.OT13]

Never seen these. What's the idea behind them?

[Kitchissippi]

Those should definitely not be allowed on the bike paths. They should be on the roads and only on streets signed 40kph or less. They’re like golf carts.

[Uhuniau]

I've seen them on the streets, but not on MUPs and the like.

[harls]

I've seen grandpas tearing up the MUP along Allumettières in bigger things than this.

A while ago, some dunderhead was driving his car on the bike path near destination V in Aylmer.

[urbanforest]

The city has planned a redesign of the section of Laurier St from the canal bridge to just west of Elgin Street. Modifications will be made to the QE Drive on/off ramps, and the west-bound cycle track. The Elgin and Laurier intersection will be redesigned as a protected intersection.

Final feedback on the details of the design are requested by August 29th. The design can be viewed here: https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/CP643_proposed_design_en.pdf


And the project page here: https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-en...ion-10945f89-6172-4949-bf87-ea89bfc57a6c

[OTownandDown]

I'm ok with everything except for all the small raised curbs at Laurier. These little islands are a risk for Cyclists, are hard to clear snow around without hitting, are a bane for drivers who run into them all the time, and don't seem to have a super long service life.

Can't we just do like significantly raised cycle tracks, with sloped concrete aprons and rumble-strips for drivers, similar to the westbound entrance ramp chicane from the parkway?

Also, the HUGE pain in the 🞵🞵🞵 for cyclists having to zig-zag through this goddam intersection at Laurier is going to 🞵🞵🞵🞵. What a f*cking pain the 🞵🞵🞵. Can we not just allow cyclists to TRAVEL IN A STRAIGHT GODDAM LINE!?!? Why do cars get to travel straight but cyclists have to loop-de-loop at every f*cking intersection. Travelling westbound DOWNHILL from the canal, cyclists will then have to slow down, stand up, and weave around these things.

Similar to the older 'safe cycling' intersection at Bay and Laurier, which is just a jump ramp for cyclists, who are NEVER GOING TO TRAVEL IN A DOUBLE-NINETY DEGREE TURN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/BmyUmMd9QqX8vL7w8

Does nobody understand that conservation of momentum is the #1 most important element of cycling? Nobody? Just us cyclists?

What's going to happen at Laurier and Elgin is that 90% of faster cyclists are going to have to weave outward, into traffic, through the small raised island gauntlet amongst pedestrians, in an effort to conserve momentum and travel in a straight line. The other 10% will choose the cycle path, and appear to be turning right, and a right-hand turning car will then try to turn, and conflict with the cyclist...

Is this what we do in other parts of the world? Is this the latest and greatest in road design? Seems like something we repeat because we're afraid to develop anything else. It wouldn't be very hard to revise the islands and straighten out the cycle path, even with the current dimensional constraint.

Rant over.

Edit, ironically here's a 'Protected Intersection in Ottawa' photo from a video. With straightened cycle lanes. Why have we moved away from this???

Originally Posted by urbanforest

The city has planned a redesign of the section of Laurier St from the canal bridge to just west of Elgin Street. Modifications will be made to the QE Drive on/off ramps, and the west-bound cycle track. The Elgin and Laurier intersection will be redesigned as a protected intersection.

Final feedback on the details of the design are requested by August 29th. The design can be viewed here: https://documents.ottawa.ca/sites/documents/files/CP643_proposed_design_en.pdf


And the project page here: https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/public-en...ion-10945f89-6172-4949-bf87-ea89bfc57a6c

[LRTeverywhere]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

Is this what we do in other parts of the world? Is this the latest and greatest in road design? Seems like something we repeat because we're afraid to develop anything else. It wouldn't be very hard to revise the islands and straighten out the cycle path, even with the current dimensional constraint.

The answer to this essentially boils down to traffic requirements and trucks, because stupidly almost every road downtown is a truck route, so we need to accommodate massive turning radii and we minimize removal of lanes and create non protected turning cycles (because it would slow down turning cars more), in this case straight going cyclists will proceed at the same time right turning drivers are going (green thermoplastic typically means potential conflict between cars and bikes), so to avoid right hooks you have to move the cycle crossing further out of the turn for better visibility. Creating a phased cycle where bikes and cars are not in conflict means you could just have it be straight (good example is Bay southbound cycle track vs northbound, southbound is straight the whole way since there is never a conflict)

Overall I'm happy with the design, do I think it is perfect, far from it. But it is a massive safety improvement that will ultimately encourage more people to bike which will continue the trend in the right direction and lead to better opportunities for improvements in the future.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by OTownandDown

Is this what we do in other parts of the world? Is this the latest and greatest in road design? Seems like something we repeat because we're afraid to develop anything else. It wouldn't be very hard to revise the islands and straighten out the cycle path, even with the current dimensional constraint.

Yes it is actually, and Ottawa is one of the North American leaders in protected intersections like this.

These intersections designed is based on the standard design used in the Netherlands, which is the world leader in cycling safety.

I refer you to these videos:

• Video Link

• Video Link

[Catenary]

Originally Posted by TransitZilla

Yes it is actually, and Ottawa is one of the North American leaders in protected intersections like this.

These intersections designed is based on the standard design used in the Netherlands, which is the world leader in cycling safety.

I refer you to these videos:

• Video Link

• Video Link

Ottawa is certainly a leader on these, but I find they are often very windy and poorly built, with frequent bumps and swerves. Bay, noted above, is terrible for this as it was crammed into the street.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by Catenary

Ottawa is certainly a leader on these, but I find they are often very windy and poorly built, with frequent bumps and swerves. Bay, noted above, is terrible for this as it was crammed into the street.

Funny, I go through Bay-Laurier pretty much daily and I’ve noted the jog but have never really been bothered by it. I wonder if part of the reason for the jog is pedestrian safety. It does slow you down a bit and make you conscious of people walking. Since Elgin-Laurier is a much busier pedestrian intersection, there would be more reason to slow bikes down there.

[zzptichka]

Originally Posted by phil235

Funny, I go through Bay-Laurier pretty much daily and I’ve noted the jog but have never really been bothered by it. I wonder if part of the reason for the jog is pedestrian safety. It does slow you down a bit and make you conscious of people walking. Since Elgin-Laurier is a much busier pedestrian intersection, there would be more reason to slow bikes down there.

I think the idea is that it moves the cyclist out of the blind spot of the driver looking to turn right. It could've been more gradual, but I guess the issue is that there is not much room to take away from the sidewalk.