Comment 10012

By Frank (registered) | Posted July 31, 2007 at 09:38:11

Hey Jay, HTA governs the roads, it doesn't tell you how to build the road. The Canadian Geometric Standards for Roadway Design were amended a while ago to include things like cyclists. That being said, I have no problems with the suggestions listed above provided there are specific bike lanes in the area. I don't want to have to drive around being worried that a cyclist is going to blast past me on the shoulder. That's is one MAJOR complaint that I have. I don't mind sharing the road and at times I am the cyclist myself however, when I'm biking, I obey the same rules as the cars I'm sharing the road with. If there's no bike lane, don't use the shoulder to get to the front of the line of cars. All that does is make a whole line of drivers angry because they have to wait to pass you. Not to mention the safety concerns associated with that sort of activity. Also, roads are designed for cars i.e. sight lines etc and can be changed to ACCOMODATE cycling. Multiuse paths are designed for cyclists. Anyone who has an argument with that is welcome to borrow and read my roadway design manual. it's kind of boring though.
I've said this before, I live 8 minutes from my work by car, 20 mins by bike. I have biked several times, but the lack of bike lanes along sections of Barton makes it incredibly dangerous. I think that the first step to getting more people to use their bikes is to make the experience as a whole more safe. And a little education would be good to. There's nothing more surprising than having someone show up at an intersection going the wrong direction in a bike lane. Adding bike lanes would, at least in my opinion, eliminate the need to change the rules of the road. If there's a bike lane, I check for cyclists...so should you.

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