Re: Cycle lanes on all roads?

[Resound]

"Peter Signorini" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Ben Thomas" wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Yesterday I was driving down Princes Hwy in Dandenong and I noticed for
>> only a few metres at a time some cycle lane markings. The left-most lane
>> is not wide enough for a traditional cycle lanes in some places.
>>
>> It occurred to me many drivers don't know how much room to give cyclists.
>>
>> To help them, why not paint a dashed line suitably far from the gutter on
>> left lanes of all roads that indicates how much room cyclists need?
>
> These markings are intended to indicate that the road has a wide kerbside
> lane - wide enough for a car and motor vehicles to share the lane safely.
> Have a look at: http://www.ite.org/annualmeeting/SamplePaper.pdf
>
> A very informative report on the range of treatments by Vicroads to
> provide for cyclists *on the road*, and some interesting data to study
> their effectiveness.
>
> "In one case the inside front wheel of the car overtaking a cyclist was
> just one metre from the kerb face!"
> "Drivers did not appear to significantly increase their clearnce to
> cyclists when driving in higher speed zones"
> "Typically 9% of cyclists arriving when the signal was red rode straight
> through. This did not change after the advanced stop lines were
> introduced"
>
>
I wonder how much difference dedicated stoplights (as well as green lights)
for bikes would make. Possibly with a little sign that reads "This is the
one that applies to YOU."

 

[davel]

Resound wrote:
> "Peter Signorini" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> A very informative report on the range of treatments by Vicroads to
>> provide for cyclists *on the road*, and some interesting data to study
>> their effectiveness.
>>
>> "In one case the inside front wheel of the car overtaking a cyclist was
>> just one metre from the kerb face!"
>> "Drivers did not appear to significantly increase their clearnce to
>> cyclists when driving in higher speed zones"
>> "Typically 9% of cyclists arriving when the signal was red rode straight
>> through. This did not change after the advanced stop lines were
>> introduced"
>>
>>
> I wonder how much difference dedicated stoplights (as well as green lights)
> for bikes would make. Possibly with a little sign that reads "This is the
> one that applies to YOU."

We've got them around Melbourne I think, certainly in the city. The
dedicated bike lights run like the tram lights - in tandem with the main
lights generally, and allow bikes to go in advance of cars, helping with
the old "turn left over the bike lane when the lights go green" thing.

Not sure they really help with the problem of people stopping though. I
think the problem isn't so much some riders not *knowing* they are
supposed to stop, but rather some riders thinking they don't have to.

--
davel

 

[sinus]

Resound wrote:
> "Peter Signorini" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> A very informative report on the range of treatments by Vicroads to
>> provide for cyclists *on the road*, and some interesting data to study
>> their effectiveness.
>>
>> "In one case the inside front wheel of the car overtaking a cyclist was
>> just one metre from the kerb face!"
>> "Drivers did not appear to significantly increase their clearnce to
>> cyclists when driving in higher speed zones"
>> "Typically 9% of cyclists arriving when the signal was red rode straight
>> through. This did not change after the advanced stop lines were
>> introduced"
>>
>>
> I wonder how much difference dedicated stoplights (as well as green lights)
> for bikes would make. Possibly with a little sign that reads "This is the
> one that applies to YOU."

We've got them around Melbourne I think, certainly in the city. The
dedicated bike lights run like the tram lights - in tandem with the main
lights generally, and allow bikes to go in advance of cars, helping with
the old "turn left over the bike lane when the lights go green" thing.

Not sure they really help with the problem of people stopping though. I
think the problem isn't so much some riders not *knowing* they are
supposed to stop, but rather some riders thinking they don't have to.

--
davel

But if there were red cyclist lights as well...

It would be interesting to see if they would have an impact. Sounds like a bright idea.

As far as I know the dedicated green cyclist lights are at intersections where it is less likely for cyclists to run reds - e.g. Swanston and Flinders.

 

[davel]

sinus wrote:
> davel Wrote:
>> Resound wrote:
>> > "Peter Signorini" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> > news:[email protected]...
>> >> A very informative report on the range of treatments by Vicroads to
>> >> provide for cyclists *on the road*, and some interesting data to
>> study
>> >> their effectiveness.
>> >>
>> >> "In one case the inside front wheel of the car overtaking a cyclist
>> was
>> >> just one metre from the kerb face!"
>> >> "Drivers did not appear to significantly increase their clearnce to
>> >> cyclists when driving in higher speed zones"
>> >> "Typically 9% of cyclists arriving when the signal was red rode
>> straight
>> >> through. This did not change after the advanced stop lines were
>> >> introduced"
>> >>
>> >>
>> > I wonder how much difference dedicated stoplights (as well as green
>> lights)
>> > for bikes would make. Possibly with a little sign that reads "This is
>> the
>> > one that applies to YOU."
>>
>> We've got them around Melbourne I think, certainly in the city. The
>> dedicated bike lights run like the tram lights - in tandem with the
>> main
>> lights generally, and allow bikes to go in advance of cars, helping
>> with
>> the old "turn left over the bike lane when the lights go green" thing.
>>
>> Not sure they really help with the problem of people stopping though. I
>> think the problem isn't so much some riders not *knowing* they are
>> supposed to stop, but rather some riders thinking they don't have to.
>>
>> --
>> davel
>
> But if there were red cyclist lights as well...

I guess I'm just not convinced that people who don't stop for ordinary
red lights will stop for a dedicated bike red either. As per the
"Southbank speed limit" thread, people will still tend to do what they
judge safe/appropriate if they think the rule is unreasonable or
shouldn't apply to them.

> It would be interesting to see if they would have an impact. Sounds
> like a bright idea.

Gah! Pun!

> As far as I know the dedicated green cyclist lights are at
> intersections where it is less likely for cyclists to run reds - e.g.
> Swanston and Flinders.

True.

Speaking of cycle lanes, I was on the tram on Swanston Street yesterday
staring longingly at the bikes as commuters rode by and noticed a guy
riding happily in the bike lane - on the wrong side of the road.
I mean good grief.

--
davel