Metro Vancouver Bike/Pedestrian Discussion

[WBC]

Isn't this all easy to solve? And the solution is called the next election.

[WBC]

Stats for the Burrard Bridge use before/after the bike lane was introduced have been published by the city

http://vancouver.ca/projects/burrard/statistics.htm

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by WBC

Isn't this all easy to solve? And the solution is called the next election.

I don't know, is the city so well off that the decisive issue in an election will be renegade cyclists...

[WBC]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

I don't know, is the city so well off that the decisive issue in an election will be renegade cyclists...

It seems to be. Unless we get bankrupt by the Olympics of course - but we will know that this time next year...

[racc]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Hello! If it wasn't such a big problem we wouldn't be talking about it. Why don't you just admit it's a terrible event that needs to change dramatically or end.

Again, cut the drama. I get it that you don't like it. If you get your opinion about it from the media hysteria, you are not very informed either. If you want to find out why people go on mass, just go down and ask them. Until then, don't pretend to know their intentions.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by racc

Again, cut the drama. I get it that you don't like it. If you get your opinion about it from the media hysteria, you are not very informed either. If you want to find out why people go on mass, just go down and ask them. Until then, don't pretend to know their intentions.

LOL. I don't give a shit why people do it, I have a problem with it, because I'm a cyclist and it makes cyclists look bad. I don't know what "media hysteria" you're talking about. Time to admit the 3000 people participating are a sad minority in a region of 2.5 million.

[racc]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

LOL. I don't give a shit why people do it, I have a problem with it, because I'm a cyclist and it makes cyclists look bad. I don't know what "media hysteria" you're talking about. Time to admit the 3000 people participating are a sad minority in a region of 2.5 million.

If the intent doesn't matter and all you care about is congestion or what ever, then lets cancel the fireworks, the Olympics, sporting events and morning rush hour. These all cause worse congestion than Critical Mass.

Only the "Critical Mess" article in the Province and all the hate filled talk show on the radio. The article was so bad that it provoked threats of violence in the comments section and they had to turn off the comments section. Critical Mass has been happening for years with little problems. It is only the overreaction of the media that has created the problem to sell papers and get clicks.

3000 people are a majority on the streets of Downtown last night. 99.9% of the 2.5 million in the Lower Mainland where unaffected by Critical Mass.

If you are worried about it "making cyclists look bad", then challenge people that think like that. It is fundamentally wrong to judge people by the actions of other people. This is the basis of prejudice and must not be tolerated.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by racc

..If you are worried about it "making cyclists look bad", then challenge people that think like that. It is fundamentally wrong to judge people by the actions of other people. This is the basis of prejudice and must not be tolerated.

How about we judge the Mess by the "responsible" bike users filmed drinking and using drugs before the event? Seems pretty fair to me.

As pointed out upthread, these cyclists could care less whether they delay transit users or pedestrians, let alone cars. Its selfish and self-indulgent.

Perhaps next month some car owners will take it into their head to block the Mess' route out of downtown. Wouldn't have been hard to do just parking 5-6 cars across the mouth of the Cambie Bridge would have done it this time.

[Millennium2002]

was there any coverage of bikers doing drugs and such? No.

If you really want to be confrontational you can block their routes but you'll only make more people mad (bikers, drivers, and police included). Unless you want riots that is...

- Allan Kuan

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by allan_kuan

was there any coverage of bikers doing drugs and such? No.

Yes there was. Global or CTV had footage of drinking and reporter described the overpowering smell of pot.

Originally Posted by allan_kuan

If you really want to be confrontational you can block their routes but you'll only make more people mad (bikers, drivers, and police included). Unless you want riots that is...

- Allan Kuan

Right, and the Critical Mess people aren't confrontational.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by racc

If the intent doesn't matter and all you care about is congestion or what ever, then lets cancel the fireworks, the Olympics, sporting events and morning rush hour.

If the Olympics and fireworks didn't announce their planned event locations, and had nobody claim responsibility as leaders and organizers, I don't think they'd be happening.

[racc]

Originally Posted by whatnext

Yes there was. Global or CTV had footage of drinking and reporter described the overpowering smell of pot.

Welcome to Vancouver. There are a few partyers in every crowd. Most people were not smoking or drinking

Right, and the Critical Mess people aren't confrontational.

Read the media afterwards. The cover of the Sun says that both the cyclists and motorists were respectful.

To be honest, it is tiresome for all of you to be judging an event without bothering to go there and actually see what it is like. In case you haven't noticed, the media typically focuses on the few people that aren't on their best behaviour while ignoring the large majority of people who are being respectful.

Last of all, even the Province seems to be kind of admitting it was provoking violence as witnessed by their cartoon today.

This is the best chuckle I've had this week.

[b5baxter]

The bike and pedestrian bridge is opening a few days ahead of the train service:

TransLink welcome’s you to join us at the opening of the Canada Line Pedestrian Bicycle Bridge, Friday August 14th at 1PM. The event will involve a ribbon cutting and cyclists are invited to come from the Vancouver or Richmond sides. From Vancouver access the bridge via the south end of Ash Street at Kent Avenue. From Richmond via Van Horne Way at River Road. This 1 km long bridge is the longest traffic separated bridge ever built to serve pedestrians and cyclists in Metro Vancouver.

[Jared]

Anyone (racc, I'm looking at you) know of any plans to continue the Kent bike route from Ontario to Arthur Laing? Right now the nearest full E-W bike route is at 37th Ave, which is basically half way to False Creek. I dont have a need to bike very much South of Ridgeway, so I don't know how the streets are down there for biking (i.e. Kent is in an industrial area, are there issues with trucks barreling along and running you off the road?), but it does seem like it would be sensible to provide some more connectivity to the NAB.

Also, anyone tried the No. 3 road bike lane yet? How is it?

[b5baxter]

Originally Posted by Jared

Also, anyone tried the No. 3 road bike lane yet? How is it?

Stephen Rees has:
http://stephenrees.wordpress.com/200...riment-begins/

[deasine]

Originally Posted by b5baxter

Stephen Rees has:
http://stephenrees.wordpress.com/200...riment-begins/

As much as I disagree with his usual posts about transit, I have to agree that their bike lane isn't exactly useful. The fact that there is no southbound bike lane is just completely absurd. Yes, I know there is a need for development first before that happens but it doesn't make No. 3 Rd. an actual biking route. His points about the bike lane not being smooth is also valid. The bus stops are also not smart. Really, bus stops should be "bus stop islands", where the bike lane is on the right of the bus stop so that it avoids buses merging onto the bike lane. This is a common European model now.

[racc]

Originally Posted by Jared

Anyone (racc, I'm looking at you) know of any plans to continue the Kent bike route from Ontario to Arthur Laing? Right now the nearest full E-W bike route is at 37th Ave, which is basically half way to False Creek. I dont have a need to bike very much South of Ridgeway, so I don't know how the streets are down there for biking (i.e. Kent is in an industrial area, are there issues with trucks barreling along and running you off the road?), but it does seem like it would be sensible to provide some more connectivity to the NAB.

Kent does have trucks but it is the speeding commuters that are the worst. It is OK on weekends but during the week it can be busy.

This is on the city's radar but they needs to acquire land either from CP, which they don't have the best of relationships with or from the other landholders. Unfortunately, unlike with road or transit projects, they don't expropriate lane for bike paths. They really need to start taking cycling serious and expropriate the land and finish the Kent Bikeway.

Never hurts to send a letter to Mayor Robertson, [email protected]

[SpongeG]

i was hanging out with two pro biclycle people and they avoided the critical mass and seemed to be against it saying it probably hurt the cause more than help but wondered why the media jumped all over it all of a sudden?

[twoNeurons]

I thought it was strange for them to jump on it too. Diversionary tactic? Slow News day? Editor get his car scratched by a bike? Province head honcho's son came home and admitted he was a closet cyclist?

[David]

LOL well wasn't it the first time the VPD chose to announce that people should avoid the downtown core because of Critical Mass? Giving the media something to pounce upon...