SMH: Aussie cyclists may get 'head start'

[suzyj]

Aussie cyclists may get 'head start'

October 3, 2006 - 1:29PM

Cyclists might soon get a head start at traffic lights across Australia.

European research has shown providing cyclists with a designated box slightly in front of motorists at major intersections greatly increases road safety.

And now the National Transport Commission (NTC), the joint state and federal body charged with improving transport, has proposed bicycle boxes be used in Australia.

Senior NTC policy analyst Greg Deimos says the boxes increase visibility for cyclists, therefore increasing their safety.

"Bicycle boxes protect cyclists who might otherwise be squeezed by vehicles when traffic lights turn to green," Mr Deimos said.

"They give cyclists a head start to clear the intersection more safely, without delaying other vehicles."

 

[Shabby]

Aussie cyclists may get 'head start'

October 3, 2006 - 1:29PM

Cyclists might soon get a head start at traffic lights across Australia.

European research has shown providing cyclists with a designated box slightly in front of motorists at major intersections greatly increases road safety.

And now the National Transport Commission (NTC), the joint state and federal body charged with improving transport, has proposed bicycle boxes be used in Australia.

Senior NTC policy analyst Greg Deimos says the boxes increase visibility for cyclists, therefore increasing their safety.

"Bicycle boxes protect cyclists who might otherwise be squeezed by vehicles when traffic lights turn to green," Mr Deimos said.

"They give cyclists a head start to clear the intersection more safely, without delaying other vehicles."

We've already got them here......

 

[Michael Warner]

On Tue, 3 Oct 2006 13:40:56 +1000, suzyj wrote:

> European research has shown providing cyclists with a designated box
> slightly in front of motorists at major intersections greatly increases
> road safety.

Unless they're talking about modifying the lights and cycles to let
cyclists go first, like buses do at a few here, that's what most cyclists
do informally (and probably strictly illegally) already.

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

 

[DaveB]

suzyj wrote:
> Aussie cyclists may get 'head start'
>
> October 3, 2006 - 1:29PM
>
> Cyclists might soon get a head start at traffic lights across
> Australia.
>


Confused. Don't we already have those boxes on a lot of intersections??

DaveB

 

[PiledHigher]

DaveB wrote:
> suzyj wrote:
> > Aussie cyclists may get 'head start'
> >
> > October 3, 2006 - 1:29PM
> >
> > Cyclists might soon get a head start at traffic lights across
> > Australia.
> >
>
>
> Confused. Don't we already have those boxes on a lot of intersections??
>
> DaveB

Maybe not in Sydeney!

 

[suzyj]

DaveB wrote:

> Confused. Don't we already have those boxes on a lot of intersections??

Melbournites probably do. We're a tad slow up here in Sydney.

Cheers,

Suzy

 

[davel]

DaveB wrote:
> suzyj wrote:
>> Aussie cyclists may get 'head start'
>>
>> October 3, 2006 - 1:29PM
>>
>> Cyclists might soon get a head start at traffic lights across
>> Australia.
>>
>
>
> Confused. Don't we already have those boxes on a lot of intersections??

You mean those boxes at intersections that some drivers abuse you for
filtering up to?
Yup, they're all over the place

--
davel

 

[warrwych]

DaveB wrote:
> suzyj wrote:
>> Aussie cyclists may get 'head start'
>>
>> October 3, 2006 - 1:29PM
>>
>> Cyclists might soon get a head start at traffic lights across
>> Australia.
>>
>
>
> Confused. Don't we already have those boxes on a lot of intersections??

You mean those boxes at intersections that some drivers abuse you for
filtering up to?
Yup, they're all over the place

--
davel

didnt an aber note a while back that a police officer in a car told him off for making use of the box at Flinders St station (I think it was there! memory could be wrong)? So if the police don't know..... Perhaps the boxes need to be coloured?

 

[Marx SS]

From what I’ve seen it’s there for small city cars turning left………

 

[cfsmtb]

We've already got them here......

Here's two new ones on Queens Parade, we'd like a green lane treatment across to Heidelberg Rd too, but we're working on that.

Before:
http://static.flickr.com/24/41398362_563dc74dfe_o.jpg

After:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16115722@N00/216703899/

 

[rooman]

Here's two new ones on Queens Parade, we'd like a green lane treatment across to Heidelberg Rd too, but we're working on that.

Before:
http://static.flickr.com/24/41398362_563dc74dfe_o.jpg

After:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16115722@N00/216703899/

reckon green lane treatment across all intersections to continue bike lanes , shows drivers riders are legitimate traffic and entitled to the roadway AT the intersection as well as not just in the lanes....

darn traffic engineers have a lot to answer for about that crazy design feature of disaapearing bike lanes on all marked bike laned roads (with but a few exceptions....)

 

[warrwych]

reckon green lane treatment across all intersections to continue bike lanes , shows drivers riders are legitimate traffic and entitled to the roadway AT the intersection as well as not just in the lanes....

darn traffic engineers have a lot to answer for about that crazy design feature of disaapearing bike lanes on all marked bike laned roads (with but a few exceptions....)

Totally agree Rooman. I'd use Blackburn Rd for commuting (and would commute more often) if not for the bad case of "where did that bike lane go?" syndrome (well that's my excuse for now!).

 

[cfsmtb]

darn traffic engineers have a lot to answer for about that crazy design feature of disaapearing bike lanes on all marked bike laned roads (with but a few exceptions....)

Or they should install signage like; "Please use teleporter here..."

More on Green lanes:
http://www.abc.dotars.gov.au/Publications_Resources/green_bicycle_lanes.aspx

 

[flyingdutch]

reckon green lane treatment across all intersections to continue bike lanes , shows drivers riders are legitimate traffic and entitled to the roadway AT the intersection as well as not just in the lanes....

darn traffic engineers have a lot to answer for about that crazy design feature of disaapearing bike lanes on all marked bike laned roads (with but a few exceptions....)

ask and you shall recieve. the first ones were done a little while ago
(StK junction), with Chandler Hwy not long after.
Flemington Rd is about to get em (including thru a roundabout!)
With Euro stats showing that they have reduced fatalities by 37% and collisions by 70+% thru intersections, finally Austroads standards should catchup with it's current review...

 

[warrwych]

ask and you shall recieve. the first ones were done a little while ago
(StK junction), with Chandler Hwy not long after.
Flemington Rd is about to get em (including thru a roundabout!)
With Euro stats showing that they have reduced fatalities by 37% and collisions by 70+% thru intersections, finally Austroads standards should catchup with it's current review...

Dear Santa er BV

I would like one all the way along Maroondah Highway, and Springvale Rds please!

I have been pretty good this year (almost!)

WW.

 

[Euan]

warrwych wrote:
> davel Wrote:
>> DaveB wrote:
>>> suzyj wrote:
>>>> Aussie cyclists may get 'head start'
>>>>
>>>> October 3, 2006 - 1:29PM
>>>>
>>>> Cyclists might soon get a head start at traffic lights across
>>>> Australia.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Confused. Don't we already have those boxes on a lot of
>> intersections??
>>
>> You mean those boxes at intersections that some drivers abuse you for
>> filtering up to?
>> Yup, they're all over the place
>>
>> --
>> davel
>
>
> didnt an aber note a while back that a police officer in a car told him
> off for making use of the box at Flinders St station (I think it was
> there! memory could be wrong)? So if the police don't know..... Perhaps
> the boxes need to be coloured?

That was me, or more accurately a lady who happened to be riding in the
same vicinity as me at the time.

I'd pulled up to the lights in the storage box, cop car pulled up behind
me, lady filtered through, propped next to me in storage box.

When we took off passenger leaned out of window and yelled something at
the lady, Doppler did its job so I had no idea what he said. Cop car
stopped in traffic just before Flinder's Street station and the lady
politely enquired what he'd said to her. He gave some guff about being
careful not to get run over, shouldn't filter through traffic etc. It
was at that point that I rounded on him and enlightened him as to the
purpose of bicycle storage boxes and the he really should take the time
to learn more about them. Lady also commented that she got enough
people thinking it was ok to yell at her out of the window without the
police encouraging such behaviour.
--
Cheers
Euan

 

[vintage]

"Marx SS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> From what I've seen it's there for small city cars turning left...
>
>
> --
> Marx SS
>

Anyone else get abused by peds when using the green bike light at the fed
square crossing by the tram stop and then the green bike light for the
Flinders st intersection? Seems some seem to think even if they have a red
man for the walking signal they have the right to cross even if we are
coming thru on a green bike like. They simply assume that if traffic can't
go we are in the wrong.

I get cards beeping occasionally and cars follow me thru as well LOL

 

[warrwych]

warrwych wrote:
> davel Wrote:
>> DaveB wrote:
>>> suzyj wrote:
>>>> Aussie cyclists may get 'head start'
>>>>
>>>> October 3, 2006 - 1:29PM
>>>>
>>>> Cyclists might soon get a head start at traffic lights across
>>>> Australia.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Confused. Don't we already have those boxes on a lot of
>> intersections??
>>
>> You mean those boxes at intersections that some drivers abuse you for
>> filtering up to?
>> Yup, they're all over the place
>>
>> --
>> davel
>
>
> didnt an aber note a while back that a police officer in a car told him
> off for making use of the box at Flinders St station (I think it was
> there! memory could be wrong)? So if the police don't know..... Perhaps
> the boxes need to be coloured?

That was me, or more accurately a lady who happened to be riding in the
same vicinity as me at the time.

I'd pulled up to the lights in the storage box, cop car pulled up behind
me, lady filtered through, propped next to me in storage box.

When we took off passenger leaned out of window and yelled something at
the lady, Doppler did its job so I had no idea what he said. Cop car
stopped in traffic just before Flinder's Street station and the lady
politely enquired what he'd said to her. He gave some guff about being
careful not to get run over, shouldn't filter through traffic etc. It
was at that point that I rounded on him and enlightened him as to the
purpose of bicycle storage boxes and the he really should take the time
to learn more about them. Lady also commented that she got enough
people thinking it was ok to yell at her out of the window without the
police encouraging such behaviour.
--
Cheers
Euan

thanks Euan

 

[cfsmtb]

I get cards beeping occasionally and cars follow me thru as well LOL

Ditto with the contra flow bicycle access on Lennox St, Richmond. Twice I've had motorists try to follow me, first one was via doing a right turn into Lennox from Elizabeth St. Second one was a obviously blind twept who tried to follow bike & I up Lennox through the intersection at Highett St, when there is clear signage (for cars) denoting it is one way, with contra access for bikes. Ehhhhhh! Braaaain hurts!

 

[Dave Hughes]

On Tue, 03 Oct 2006 14:34:25 +1000, suzyj wrote:

> Melbournites probably do. We're a tad slow up here in Sydney.

We're just so quick we don't need a head start </fighting words>


--
Dave Hughes | [email protected]
"Hey, watch the 'fro" - Danny Glaze