Metro Vancouver Bike & Pedestrian Discussion

[officedweller]

Cool.

Here's a re-sized version.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Alas, the NIMBYs got there before the City did.

[NetMapel]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

The 17k+ passengers on the 5, 6 and 23 will likely take exception to that.

I think that can be easily remedied by removing a parking lane. Would you support that?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by NetMapel

I think that can be easily remedied by removing a parking lane. Would you support that?

You want bus lanes instead of bike lanes? Go for it.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by mcj

Or we could be rational and just build bike lanes on arterials. If there isn't room, turn it into a one way.

Could easily have Beach and Davie as opposite one way streets.

Why? So they can be empty 85% of the day like Richards? Even Hornby you could shoot a cannon down and not hit a bike most of the time.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Why? So they can be empty 85% of the day like Richards? Even Hornby you could shoot a cannon down and not hit a bike most of the time.

Just wait one day they will be filled with streams of bikes and then you will be proven wrong.

[idunno]

Do you folks even live downtown? I'm on these streets every day and there are always people riding along. I didn't think people even gave a second thought to the downtown bike lane network anymore because it's so obviously been a success (as with every other city that is putting in this kind of infrastructure)

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by idunno

Do you folks even live downtown? I'm on these streets every day and there are always people riding along. I didn't think people even gave a second thought to the downtown bike lane network anymore because it's so obviously been a success (as with every other city that is putting in this kind of infrastructure)

Yeah the downtown lanes in particular are no brainers and well used.

whatnext is a west side NIMBY who is scared of change. You'll never convince him of anything.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by idunno

Do you folks even live downtown? I'm on these streets every day and there are always people riding along. I didn't think people even gave a second thought to the downtown bike lane network anymore because it's so obviously been a success (as with every other city that is putting in this kind of infrastructure)

Yes I am downtown frequently. Maybe you’re there just during rush hour when they’re busy. The volume on Richards is laughable most of the time. On weekends it’s pretty much just food delivery drivers (taking a break from using sidewalks I guess).

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yes I am downtown frequently. Maybe you’re there just during rush hour when they’re busy. The volume on Richards is laughable most of the time. On weekends it’s pretty much just food delivery drivers (taking a break from using sidewalks I guess).

So you complain about them on sidewalks then complain that bike lanes exist? Grow the fuck up.

[CanSpice]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yes I am downtown frequently. Maybe you’re there just during rush hour when they’re busy. The volume on Richards is laughable most of the time. On weekends it’s pretty much just food delivery drivers (taking a break from using sidewalks I guess).

So bike lanes are busy during rush hour and on weekends? That sounds like most transportation infrastructure, it sounds like they're being used as they should.

[BaddieB]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Why? So they can be empty 85% of the day like Richards? Even Hornby you could shoot a cannon down and not hit a bike most of the time.

You're exhibiting the phenomenon where people think more people drive because they take up more space. A bike line moves more people than a parking lane in any weather.

[GMD]

Originally Posted by idunno

Do you folks even live downtown? I'm on these streets every day and there are always people riding along. I didn't think people even gave a second thought to the downtown bike lane network anymore because it's so obviously been a success (as with every other city that is putting in this kind of infrastructure)

Yeah, exactly. It happened I ended up walking almost the full length of Richards earlier today, and it was a steady flow of bikes, e-bikes, scooters, the odd wheelchair, a group of over a dozen bikes on some kind of tour or group ride at one point and so on.

Interesting question, how long would the bike lanes have to be there before the hate-all-change folks like Whatnext reclassify them in their minds from 'hated change to their city' to 'beloved character of their city that nobody should ever change'. Or is it just set at a certain age for the change-haters, and they just always want everything to be the way it was when they were, say, 20 or so, and then they spend the rest of their lives fighting an increasingly angry rearguard action of nostalgia?

As a side note, Richards is a really nice street, and the bike lane just enhances it all the more. One of the few on the east side of downtown that can compare favourably to the West End streets, in my opinion.

I wonder what the deal is with the giant surface parking lot on Richards just South of Robson - some property owner that hates money even more than Morguard does? I guess it has probably been discussed here before, but I don't recall.

[BaddieB]

I've had the exact same thought today. How many bike lanes would you need for them to become cherished integral parts of our city? Like the sea wall or Skytrain. I imagine that would happen once protected bike lanes were everywhere (not just downtown) and actually connected the city together, rather than a disconnected mess like it is now. I imagine once you get to about 15% ridership it would explode in popularity.

[NetMapel]

Another excellent video from this YouTube channel that talks about Doug Ford’s plan from a few pages back. It just doesn’t make any sense in terms of helping to achieve the goals of “reducing traffic”. There are some mentions of Vancouver in the video too so I thought I’d share it here.

• Video Link

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by BaddieB

You're exhibiting the phenomenon where people think more people drive because they take up more space. A bike line moves more people than a parking lane in any weather.

I’ve literally sat at the Kafka’s in Rainbow Park for an hour and watched the non-flood of bikes trickle by.

This morning I watched a more substantial number move by Science World but more than half were lycrabros cosplaying Tour de France in matching spandex outfits. Not commuters or “taking cars off roads” etc etc.

[s211]

Originally Posted by whatnext

This morning I watched a more substantial number move by Science World but more than half were lycrabros cosplaying Tour de France in matching spandex outfits.

Lycrabros!

Somebody told me that the Australian version is MAMIL: Middle-Aged Men In Lycra.

[Lexus]

I rode 10th Ave. for four years between UBC and Burnaby, and I’d say it’s a much more pleasant experience than if a bike pathway went to go along Broadway. I support Ford’s vision.

[seamusmcduff]

Originally Posted by whatnext

.
This morning I watched a more substantial number move by Science World but more than half were lycrabros cosplaying Tour de France in matching spandex outfits. Not commuters or “taking cars off roads” etc etc.

You didn't see any commuters on a Saturday? That's not particularly surprising

[BaddieB]

Originally Posted by Lexus

I rode 10th Ave. for four years between UBC and Burnaby, and I’d say it’s a much more pleasant experience than if a bike pathway went to go along Broadway. I support Ford’s vision.

Toronto's 'side streets' are hardly parallel to Vancouver's. Take for example Queen Street. Richmond St W interrupts everywhere and to the north the street's go the other way. Then the side streets are interrupted by the Don River to the east, where the sample problem continues on the other side. There's some like Bathurst that are better but most are like Queen where the side streets are hardly a cohesive straight parallel line.