It's Not a Bike Accident When a Car Hits a Rider

[Dexter Rutecki]

Looks like you just told him. Strong work.

Thanks, buddy!! And GTFO of the middle of the road!

[jono]

Nah. When I tried that the result was an ill-advised pass by an idiot in a Prius facing down oncoming traffic down a blind hill. Taking the dead center has been a stronger signal that there's traffic over the hill. It's a small sample but so far the results say using the middle of the road is the more reliable signal. Safe is polite.

[altasnob]

Also Amsterdam is a city of 900,000 people, not 9million or whatever NYC is up to.

Amsterdam is not NYC, but it's metro area is around 2.5 million, which puts it close to a top 20 metro area in the US. There are parts of Amsterdam that look a lot like US cities (see Amsterdam skyscrapers below). And while Amsterdam and Copenhagen are the gold standards in biking infrastructure, even in places like Paris have much higher bicycling commuting numbers than even the most bike friendly US cities.

Reason US doesn't bike like Amsterdam is all culture, not eminent domain laws. US lives in the biggest, most spread-out houses on earth. We hate each other, all want our own slice of heaven in the woods, and love driving our massive SUVs everywhere we go. This is never changing because we are assholes (see posters in this thread and US vaccination rates).

In Amsterdam, all types of people bike regardless of how shitty the weather is (and Amsterdam has some terrible weather). I remember seeing a dude on a bike in Vondelpark in street cloths, smoking a cigarette, texting, all while holding an umbrella (multi-tasking just like American car commuters). Soccer moms there pick up six kids via cargo bike, not a mini-van. I flew out of the Amsterdam airport and the bicycle parking for the park and ride to take the train to the airport is covered and massive. Even in pro-biking places like Seattle the bicycle parking at transit park and rides is pathetic. With the increase in E-biking, there is no reason American cities shouldn't put all their focus on bike commuting, regardless of weather and hills (but we won't because assholes).



Amsterdam sky scrapers

[Dexter Rutecki]

Reason US doesn't bike like Amsterdam is all culture, not eminent domain laws.

I don't think it's all culture, although that's clearly a pretty big part of it. Amsterdam is flat as Kid Rock's haircut--places like NYC and Boston have real hills, and I could be wrong but I do believe the climate there is much more temperate (again, NE U.S. has tons of sleet, rain, winter days that get below 20F and summer days with unbearable humidity even when not exercising).

Question: when a bike commuter in Amsterdam gets to the office after biking 5+ miles through skunky humidity and heat, sweaty as fuck and smelling like ass, what does he/she do? I've never worked somewhere where anyone biked regardless of weather, so this has always been a mystery to me. Some people reek anyway, so I'd hate to be in a room with them after a tough ride.

I believe it is also more difficult to make a place like NYC truly bike friendly with the existing infrastructure--even very simple road projects here can take decades. NYC has a population density that is about 7x what exists in Amsterdam (which is part of why road projects here are a nightmare--try inserting a lane into a road that already carries 6 lanes of traffic 24/7 that already has lanes narrower than anyplace else in the U.S. with no extra space to be found). I am going to guess that Boston proper also has much higher population density than a place like Amsterdam. Not saying you couldn't do some of what Amsterdam has managed (how long did it take them, BTW?), but I think it was a vastly easier lift over there.

US lives in the biggest, most spread-out houses on earth. We hate each other, all want our own slice of heaven in the woods, and love driving our massive SUVs everywhere we go. This is never changing because we are assholes (see posters in this thread and US vaccination rates).

Well, yeah, but...hmmm. Might have to just agree.

[Dexter Rutecki]

Nah. When I tried that the result was an ill-advised pass by an idiot in a Prius facing down oncoming traffic down a blind hill. Taking the dead center has been a stronger signal that there's traffic over the hill. It's a small sample but so far the results say using the middle of the road is the more reliable signal. Safe is polite.

Or, and I'm just throwing this out there, we could just ban Priuses?

[altasnob]

US has spent 100 years catering to cars instead of pedestrians and cyclist. Even if we try, it won't change quickly. Tokyo is one of the most bicycle friendly cities on earth and has a high population density. It has an advantage over NYC in that it was mostly built after WWII. Japanese are ok being crammed on top of one another and walking, biking, and taking transit everywhere. Americans, not so much.

[Falcon3]

Days of Precipitation:

NYC: 118
Amsterdam: 217

Lowest low average:
NYC: 27 F January
Amerstdam: 32F January

Existing infrastructure:

This is the intransigence I’m talking about. Close down every tenth block and make them greenways except for delivery traffic. Watch as walking and biking explodes because people feel safer and there’s less noise.

Plowing can be done with a quad rather than a giant truck.

Bikes and pedals don’t tear up roads like cars and trucks so very limited ongoing maintenance costs.

Save money on your existing roads because more people are walking and riding

Incentivize businesses to offer bike lockers and showers for commuters.

[highangle]

US has spent 100 years catering to cars instead of pedestrians and cyclist. Even if we try, it won't change quickly. Tokyo is one of the most bicycle friendly cities on earth and has a high population density. It has an advantage over NYC in that it was mostly built after WWII. Japanese are ok being crammed on top of one another and walking, biking, and taking transit everywhere. Americans, not so much.

Hey! Maybe we could skip the whole eminent domain bit and just firebomb the fuck out of our cities to make things more convenient for road bikers?

[altasnob]

That 1 F for Amsterdam has to be 1 C. It doesn't get that cold there. It is like London weather.

[old_newguy]

Ha, highangle thinks bike infrastructure in urban areas involves mass implementation of eminent domain against private property owners. There is plenty of room in the right of way of you reprioritize the space towards pedestrians and bicycles.

[frorider]

Was eminent domain used to construct any roads?


Asking for a friend.

[highangle]

Ha, highangle thinks bike infrastructure in urban areas involves mass implementation of eminent domain against private property owners. There is plenty of room in the right of way of you reprioritize the space towards pedestrians and bicycles.

Oh sure there is. If you don't know what you're talking about.

[54-46]

SLC Advocacy Links:

https://slco.org/bicycle/advocacy/

Also:

https://www.greenbikeutah.org/what-we-do

About GREENbike

GREENbike, Utah’s only nonprofit bike share, connects our community with employment centers, high-density residential units, transit stops, and popular entertainment destinations.

The bike-share program serves as a mechanism to improve community health, air quality, and increase the use of existing transit infrastructure.

GREENbike is a non-profit, public/private partnership between SelectHealth, Salt Lake City, UTA, and other private sponsors.

The local non-profit bike share system is dedicated to offering the community an affordable, convenient, and sustainable transportation option.

Since GREENbikes hit the ground in 2013, GREENbikers have:

Offset more than 5.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the air.

Prevented more than 6.4 million vehicle miles from impacting local roads.

Burned more than 79.1 million calories.

[old goat]

Seeing the bike parking in Amsterdam with thousands of identical black commuter bikes all I could think was how do you find your bike.
The cyclists in Amsterdam don't seem to break a sweat--they cruise along easily, looking at their phones, with umbrella in the other hand as someone said.
We only saw the old center of Amsterdam; I don't know what it's like in the business part.
Re the temp, the woman who owned our hotel told us the canals haven't frozen since the 60's.
If you have a chance, go to Amsterdam for Kings Day (4/27) for a great party. Just don't plan to arrive, leave, or see any tourist sites that day.

[highangle]

Was eminent domain used to construct any roads?


Asking for a friend.

It's so simple. All you have to do is come up with a good form letter to send to the 15,697 owners of your proposed bike path route, telling them you're going to take their lands and put them to a better use: new bike paths to give road bikers something else to sneer at as they ride on the roads.

[::: :::]

@dex, in PDX, people shower, get coffee & then sit down to work
Even cycling folks don’t like smelling other cyclists at work

In cities with cycling expectations, buildings are being developed with showering facilities

Old buildings obviously are missing those sorts of public facilities

[highangle]

@dex, in PDX, people shower, get coffee & then sit down to work
Even cycling folks don’t like smelling other cyclists at work

In cities with cycling expectations, buildings are being developed with showering facilities

Old buildings obviously are missing those sorts of public facilities

"Public showers" lol like that shit's free and self-cleaning and wouldn't attract homeless ppl and everyone can just have showers at work as part of their compensation because their bosses don't have to pay for it anyway...It's like the climbing gym, potted plants, and security staff - just comes with the building at no cost to anyone!

[::: :::]

"Public showers" lol like that shit's free and self-cleaning and wouldn't attract homeless ppl and everyone can just have showers at work as part of their compensation because their bosses don't have to pay for it anyway...It's like the climbing gym, potted plants, and security staff - just comes with the building at no cost to anyone!

keep digging

it's already a thing, despite your ignorance

[dunfree]

Wait. CuntyFossilgonewild thinks you’d need to take property for bike infrastructure? Fool, they take up less room.

[jono]

Wait. CuntyFossilgonewild thinks you’d need to take property for bike infrastructure? Fool, they take up less room.

That's what he's afraid of.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Days of Precipitation:

NYC: 118
Amsterdam: 217

Lowest low average:
NYC: 27 F January
Amerstdam: 1 F January

Existing infrastructure:

This is the intransigence I’m talking about. Close down every tenth block and make them greenways except for delivery traffic. Watch as walking and biking explodes because people feel safer and there’s less noise.

Plowing can be done with a quad rather than a giant truck.

Bikes and pedals don’t tear up roads like cars and trucks so very limited ongoing maintenance costs.

Save money on your existing roads because more people are walking and riding

Incentivize businesses to offer bike lockers and showers for commuters.

Don’t argue with Dexter! He’s a New Yorker, that’s akin to being a demigod!


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[ex-powderbroker]

Days of Precipitation:

NYC: 118
Amsterdam: 217

Lowest low average:
NYC: 27 F January
Amerstdam: 1 F January

Existing infrastructure:

This is the intransigence I’m talking about. Close down every tenth block and make them greenways except for delivery traffic. Watch as walking and biking explodes because people feel safer and there’s less noise.

Plowing can be done with a quad rather than a giant truck.

Bikes and pedals don’t tear up roads like cars and trucks so very limited ongoing maintenance costs.

Save money on your existing roads because more people are walking and riding

Incentivize businesses to offer bike lockers and showers for commuters.

I agree with almost everything you said and would add that cars kill well over 100 people every year in nyc. Bikes kill a person once a decade. Amsterdam is way warmer in the winter though, and with less snow. I don't know where you pull 1F from as a low, it's never that cold. 1C as an average low on a cold year, maybe.

[Falcon3]

That 1 F for Amsterdam has to be 1 C. It doesn't get that cold there. It is like London weather.

You are correct. I fixed it

[MagnificentUnicorn]

"Public showers" lol like that shit's free and self-cleaning and wouldn't attract homeless ppl and everyone can just have showers at work as part of their compensation because their bosses don't have to pay for it anyway...It's like the climbing gym, potted plants, and security staff - just comes with the building at no cost to anyone!

Don’t you live in the most subsidized state in the country? I’m paying for your sorry ass to pretend to be a frontiersman. What a joke

Edit- sorry you’re number two. This is pathetic given your posting here.
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[dan_pdx]

The BO thing is a red herring. Have you ever waited in a subway station in Manhattan in the summer? That's sweatier than I would get biking in to work in Portland, and I never heard that people thought it was necessary to grab a shower once you get off the subway train.