Salt Lake Transit News Thread - Page 110

urbanboy · #**2181** Posted **Feb 28, 2010, 11:03 PM**

House OKs bill to loosen rules for bicyclists

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Bicyclists could in some cases run red lights and stop signs under a bill passed by the Utah House.

Lawmakers voted 49-20 to approve House Bill 91 on Thursday.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, would let bicyclists roll through a stop sign after yielding to any traffic.

It would also allow bicyclists to glide through certain red lights after coming to a complete stop to make sure no cars are coming.

Those who voted against the bill said it could confuse drivers, causing injuries and maybe fatalities.

http://www.ksl.com/emedia/slc/1754/175404/17540480.jpg

Does anyone know where this picture was taken (somewhere near Main Street)?

jtrent77 · #**2182** Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 2:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanboy

House OKs bill to loosen rules for bicyclists

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Bicyclists could in some cases run red lights and stop signs under a bill passed by the Utah House.

Lawmakers voted 49-20 to approve House Bill 91 on Thursday.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, would let bicyclists roll through a stop sign after yielding to any traffic.

It would also allow bicyclists to glide through certain red lights after coming to a complete stop to make sure no cars are coming.

Those who voted against the bill said it could confuse drivers, causing injuries and maybe fatalities.

http://www.ksl.com/emedia/slc/1754/175404/17540480.jpg

Does anyone know where this picture was taken (somewhere near Main Street)?

I really don't think this is a good idea. If the police want to have a rule that they are not going to ticket people for these violations I am far more fine with that then to make it "legal" for some vehicles (in this case a bicycle) to follow some rules and some vehicles have another set of rules. I mean if a bicycle slows at a red light and doesn't see a car coming and gets whalloped it seems like it opens up a litigious problem. Make it clear and easy, you didn't stop and wait, completely your fault, no recourse to you.

WASDEN · #**2183** Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 6:35 AM**

I too am against it- as much as I support sustainable transportation- I don't think we need to add ammo to the spandexed cyclist's god complex.

cololi · #**2184** Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 2:53 PM**

I am all for it. IT sucks when you are riding to work in the morning, no traffic around and you have to stop and wait for a light because your bicycle is not strong enough to trip the magnet sensors. Or pedaling up a hill only to hit a stop sign and have to stop and then start again. God complex? kind of like the people who park their cars in the bike lanes, or drive in them or who open car doors without looking to see who is coming. The view of motorists from a bicycle seat is far different than the view from the drivers seat of a car. It is mind bogling to see so many people (in general, not talking about people posting here, mainly those motorists who have major stress causing issues with bicyclists) get upset over someone on a bicycle. There are far more important things to get worked up over.

There are absolutely no issues with this bill. If a bicyclists gets hit going through a light, they are still responsible for their actions under this bill. Many other places, including our friendly neighbors to the north, that have this type of law. According to articles I have read on this bill, a law like this has not increased the number of dead bicyclists or resulted in a driver being charged with a crime for hitting a bicyclist that did an improper lookout.

i-215 · #**2185** Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 3:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanboy

House OKs bill to loosen rules for bicyclists

I have really mixed feelings about this. In Portland I blew through (cough, I mean "rolled through") red lights all the time. But there the streets are only about 20 feet wide or less. Slow speed limits, etc.

I can't think of a single place along the Wasatch Front where it's safe to do that. Even downtown SLC has streets that are more like arterials. Too wide.

shakman · #**2186** Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 8:22 PM**

I think this a dumb idea. I like to bike, preferably walk, however when one "shares the road", everyone should play by the same rules. Might as well take down the "walk" and "do not walk" signals.

John Martin · #**2187** Posted **Mar 1, 2010, 11:07 PM**

I don't like it either. I see cyclists go through stop signs all the time, often times even causing problems because of it. I think you just have a totally different perspective being on a bike. It seems they already take the law into their own hands all to often. If they were given the right to go after yielding, my guess is they would have a much different interpretation of a "yield" than a driver does, and bad accidents could happen. If cyclists could prove they know how to follow the rules that are already in place, then I'd see no problem in giving them the right to exercise more judgement on the road.

urbanboy · #**2188** Posted **Mar 3, 2010, 9:25 PM**

Davis County streetcar proposal draws heat
Transportation » Majority of residents express concern about money, traffic.

By María Villaseñor
The Salt Lake Tribune

Centerville » During a crowded open house Tuesday night, an overwhelming majority of residents opposed a plan to use a streetcar to connect southeast Davis County with Salt Lake City.
The open house's location, Centerville Junior High School, perfectly highlighted the opposition to a streetcar, said many.
"My concerns are the school zones," said Becky Money, of Centerville, adding her children have to walk across Main Street to get to school.
Although they will likely be done with classes there before the streetcar would even be built, nothing short of a skybridge for students seems safe enough, Money said.
Money also worries about a tax increase to fund the streetcar.
The transit line could cost between $411 million and $472 million, said UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter.
A TRAX line, which was considered previously, would have cost up to $700 million. Carpenter said the next step would be to find funding for the line, which could be a mix of federal and local dollars.
The plan calls for rails to be built in the lanes that are shared with traffic along the narrow Main Street; where the road is wider, there would be a designated center streetcar lane.
Although buses might be cheaper, they don't draw as many riders, and creating a permanent rail line for a streetcar would help encourage economic development because builders can count on the route not changing, Carpenter said.
"The concept is to change the way people think about travel," he said, adding it can be used to go to Salt Lake City, or to move around within the nearby Davis cities.
It also serves a need not filled by FrontRunner, Carpenter added, which has two nearby stops, Farmington and 500 South in West Bountiful.
Folks wanting to move among cities could be more easily served by the 10 initial streetcar stops.
Bountiful resident Eric Fenton thinks streetcars would encourage more people to walk and shop at local businesses on Bountiful's Main Street.
"I think this is great option if you want to build up commerce," he said.
But Centerville resident and business owner Bruce Pitt said the subsequent construction, traffic and lack of street-side parking will hurt stores on his end of Main Street.
He's gathering a petition opposing the streetcars and other residents have formed centervilleagainstrail.blogspot.com/ .

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14501854

Future Mayor · #**2189** Posted **Mar 3, 2010, 9:47 PM**

Stenar · #**2190** Posted **Mar 3, 2010, 10:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cololi

I am all for it. IT sucks when you are riding to work in the morning, no traffic around and you have to stop and wait for a light because your bicycle is not strong enough to trip the magnet sensors. Or pedaling up a hill only to hit a stop sign and have to stop and then start again. God complex? kind of like the people who park their cars in the bike lanes, or drive in them or who open car doors without looking to see who is coming. The view of motorists from a bicycle seat is far different than the view from the drivers seat of a car. It is mind bogling to see so many people (in general, not talking about people posting here, mainly those motorists who have major stress causing issues with bicyclists) get upset over someone on a bicycle. There are far more important things to get worked up over.

There are absolutely no issues with this bill. If a bicyclists gets hit going through a light, they are still responsible for their actions under this bill. Many other places, including our friendly neighbors to the north, that have this type of law. According to articles I have read on this bill, a law like this has not increased the number of dead bicyclists or resulted in a driver being charged with a crime for hitting a bicyclist that did an improper lookout.

I'm all in favor of this bill, too.

T-Mac · #**2191** Posted **Mar 3, 2010, 11:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

I have to agree with you Future Mayor and I live in Bountiful. I think that the streetcar idea is awesome and would be a huge benefit to south Davis county in both the short and long-term.

Future Mayor · #**2192** Posted **Mar 3, 2010, 11:17 PM**

People are so near sighted. Here's a scenario, one vehicle carrying 50 people with one driver/operator, who's job it is to drive; or 40 vehicles carrying 50 people (I gave a few the benefit of the doubt that they would be driving together) with 40 drivers.

Which one actually seems safer for the kids? hmmmm.

T-Mac · #**2193** Posted **Mar 3, 2010, 11:52 PM**

Maybe I should start a petition and blog called southdavisforrail.blogspot.com? What do you think?

Future Mayor · #**2194** Posted **Mar 4, 2010, 12:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Mac

Maybe I should start a petition and blog called southdavisforrail.blogspot.com? What do you think?

I say do it. While I'm not a davis county resident I'll sign up and/or comment on it.

scottharding · #**2195** Posted **Mar 4, 2010, 12:30 AM**

Morons. Isn't this exactly the same things that people said about Trax here in the valley when it was proposed. It was met with a lot of opposition. Now every neighborhood in Salt Lake County wants to be connected to the system. People just get riled up over change, regardless of the fact that 9 times out of 10, change is good. That's especially true in this case.

Stenar · #**2196** Posted **Mar 4, 2010, 12:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Mac

Maybe I should start a petition and blog called southdavisforrail.blogspot.com? What do you think?

DO IT!

TonyAnderson · #**2197** Posted **Mar 4, 2010, 12:42 AM**

It would also have implications for Salt Lake City as it would go through the Marmalade neighborhood.

shakman · #**2198** Posted **Mar 4, 2010, 1:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

I cannot believe what I just read about the Street Car proposal.

Excellent economic opportunities if this line is built. A small investment for a larger gain. Even so, the creation of jobs. Besides, I thought we are suppose to teach our children to look both ways before crossing?

T-Mac -
DO IT!!! Since I am 2000 miles away, I will mail you my signature for your petition.

arkhitektor · #**2199** Posted **Mar 4, 2010, 2:47 AM**

Their concerns are even more baseless than what you usually hear in terms of anti-transit rhetoric.

Their concerns:
-The children?
-Waste of tax money.
-Will kill Main St. businesses.

I can't fathom what businesses they are so concerned about losing. I can think of a Maverik, a Taco Time and a Blockbuster Video on Main St. in Centerville. There's almost nothing on Main St. to negatively impact.

Though technically in Bountiful, Village on Main is in the area and would benefit greatly from a streetcar at their doorstep:

xseven · #**2200** Posted **Mar 4, 2010, 7:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottharding

Morons. Isn't this exactly the same things that people said about Trax here in the valley when it was proposed. It was met with a lot of opposition. Now every neighborhood in Salt Lake County wants to be connected to the system. People just get riled up over change, regardless of the fact that 9 times out of 10, change is good. That's especially true in this case.

X2.

I remember back in the late 80's when TRAX was originally proposed and NO ONE wanted it. I was one of the original passengers on my way up to the U when it opened on the Sandy line... And there were protesters!!

Fast forward 10 years, and now major cities in the valley are basking in the glory of slitting throats over TRAX stations.

I'll agree with the majority here, I never expected this kind of ridiculous reaction of streetcars from Davis County residents.