The latest bike lane research

[Matt O'Toole]

From the Bikeleague newsletter today:

"By studying the interactions of drivers and bicyclists on Texas roads,
transportation engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have
discovered that having painted bike lanes on streets and roads helps both
commuters stay in safer, more central positions in their respective lanes.
The results are posted here:"

http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5157_1.pdf

Anyone care to engage in a little peer review?

Matt O.

 

[Wayne Pein]

Matt O'Toole wrote:

> From the Bikeleague newsletter today:
>
> "By studying the interactions of drivers and bicyclists on Texas roads,
> transportation engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have
> discovered that having painted bike lanes on streets and roads helps both
> commuters stay in safer, more central positions in their respective lanes.
> The results are posted here:"
>
> http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5157_1.pdf
>
> Anyone care to engage in a little peer review?
>
> Matt O.

I'm currently working on a critique. The study is garbage.

Wayne

 

[Michael Warner]

On Mon, 25 Sep 2006 20:46:06 -0400, Matt O'Toole wrote:

> "By studying the interactions of drivers and bicyclists on Texas roads,
> transportation engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have
> discovered that having painted bike lanes on streets and roads helps both
> commuters stay in safer, more central positions in their respective lanes.
> The results are posted here:"

What I like about bike lane lines is that I can practise my balance by
riding along them without coming off. It probably reduces rolling
resistance and tyre wear a bit, too

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

 

[Earl Bollinger]

"Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> From the Bikeleague newsletter today:
>
> "By studying the interactions of drivers and bicyclists on Texas roads,
> transportation engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have
> discovered that having painted bike lanes on streets and roads helps both
> commuters stay in safer, more central positions in their respective lanes.
> The results are posted here:"
>
> http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5157_1.pdf
>
> Anyone care to engage in a little peer review?
>
> Matt O.

My impression is it is a way for the goverment to save money and make it
appear they are doing something positive.
Thus they get a study supported their side, and they get off cheap with it
only costing them paint and painting crews to go implement it.
It doesn't really do anything, as painted bike lanes quickly become useless
in a urban environment where all the motorists park on them, forcing a
cyclist out into the roadway anyway. Plus they are totally useless with the
typical inattentive motorist (think using a cell phone, and or eating at the
same time they are driving).

 

[qui si parla Campagnolo]

Earl Bollinger wrote:
> "Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news[email protected]...
> > From the Bikeleague newsletter today:
> >
> > "By studying the interactions of drivers and bicyclists on Texas roads,
> > transportation engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have
> > discovered that having painted bike lanes on streets and roads helps both
> > commuters stay in safer, more central positions in their respective lanes.
> > The results are posted here:"
> >
> > http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5157_1.pdf
> >
> > Anyone care to engage in a little peer review?
> >
> > Matt O.
>
> My impression is it is a way for the goverment to save money and make it
> appear they are doing something positive.
> Thus they get a study supported their side, and they get off cheap with it
> only costing them paint and painting crews to go implement it.
> It doesn't really do anything, as painted bike lanes quickly become useless
> in a urban environment where all the motorists park on them, forcing a
> cyclist out into the roadway anyway. Plus they are totally useless with the
> typical inattentive motorist (think using a cell phone, and or eating at the
> same time they are driving).

$3 + per gallon didn't do it, perhaps scarce fuel will...take people
out of their 10 mpg SUVs and into smaller, fewer autos...plus a POTUS
that is concerned would be nice.

 

[Mark Hickey]

"Earl Bollinger" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news[email protected]...
>> From the Bikeleague newsletter today:
>>
>> "By studying the interactions of drivers and bicyclists on Texas roads,
>> transportation engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have
>> discovered that having painted bike lanes on streets and roads helps both
>> commuters stay in safer, more central positions in their respective lanes.
>> The results are posted here:"
>>
>> http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5157_1.pdf
>>
>> Anyone care to engage in a little peer review?
>
>My impression is it is a way for the goverment to save money and make it
>appear they are doing something positive.
>Thus they get a study supported their side, and they get off cheap with it
>only costing them paint and painting crews to go implement it.
>It doesn't really do anything, as painted bike lanes quickly become useless
>in a urban environment where all the motorists park on them, forcing a
>cyclist out into the roadway anyway. Plus they are totally useless with the
>typical inattentive motorist (think using a cell phone, and or eating at the
>same time they are driving).

You make some assumptions that don't hold water everywhere. For
example, here in the Phoenix, Arizona east valley, the specs for bike
lanes on roads calls for 6' / 2m wide lanes that are NOT for parking.
They're also on roads that aren't particularly narrow, so it's not
like the space is coming out of driving lane. In a word, it works,
and makes for a more pleasant cycling experience (I've ridden in urban
environments all over the world, and this is a LOT better).

But the thing I don't understand is the very common argument that cars
can drift across the bike lane's marking anyway and run over us. Does
that get BETTER if there's no lane stripe for them to drift over, and
we're riding to the left (in the US) of the one line they use as a
boundary (instead of to the right of it)? Never figured out that
argument, never will apparently.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

 

[[email protected]]

> > http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5157_1.pdf
> >
> > Anyone care to engage in a little peer review?
> >

I never bothered reading the report (yet), but I have lived in cities
with and without bike lanes. As a beginning cyclist, a dedicated lane
made me more comfortable being on the road. Now that I have more
experience, I would definitely do without the lanes. Not only do I see
some serious safety issues, but bike lanes can send the wrong message
to the public....that cyclists should only be on the road if a bike
lane exists.

Generally, I prefer slightly wider lanes to a dedicated bike lane
(narrow lanes tend to encourage motorists to do particularly
stupid/unsafe manouvers).

I will qualify that, however. I live in a small city that has no bike
lanes, and the population isn't well-educated w.r.t. cyclists. This is
compounded by the fact that a large chunk of the 'cyclists' around here
use the sidewalk, travel without lights at night, and often act in
unpredictable manner. The addition of a few bike lanes would (1) help
get more cyclists on the road and (2) improve public awareness that
cyclists actually belong on the roads.

Now to read the report....

 

[qui si parla Campagnolo]

Earl Bollinger wrote:
> "Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news[email protected]...
> > From the Bikeleague newsletter today:
> >
> > "By studying the interactions of drivers and bicyclists on Texas roads,
> > transportation engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have
> > discovered that having painted bike lanes on streets and roads helps both
> > commuters stay in safer, more central positions in their respective lanes.
> > The results are posted here:"
> >
> > http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5157_1.pdf
> >
> > Anyone care to engage in a little peer review?
> >
> > Matt O.
>
> My impression is it is a way for the goverment to save money and make it
> appear they are doing something positive.
> Thus they get a study supported their side, and they get off cheap with it
> only costing them paint and painting crews to go implement it.
> It doesn't really do anything, as painted bike lanes quickly become useless
> in a urban environment where all the motorists park on them

Depends, cannot park in the bike lane here in the 'republic'...anything
is better than going toe to toe with a car in a shared lane.

, forcing a
> cyclist out into the roadway anyway. Plus they are totally useless with the
> typical inattentive motorist (think using a cell phone, and or eating at the
> same time they are driving).

 

[di]

"qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Earl Bollinger wrote:
>> "Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news[email protected]...
>> > From the Bikeleague newsletter today:
>
> $3 + per gallon didn't do it, perhaps scarce fuel will...take people
> out of their 10 mpg SUVs and into smaller, fewer autos...plus a POTUS
> that is concerned would be nice.
>

Again, the evil SUV is the problem!

 

[AustinMN]

qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:

> $3 + per gallon didn't do it, perhaps scarce fuel will...take people
> out of their 10 mpg SUVs and into smaller, fewer autos...plus a POTUS
> that is concerned would be nice.

I'd settle for a POTUS that could stay upright on a bike.

Austin

 

[Bill Sornson]

AustinMN wrote:
> qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
>
>> $3 + per gallon didn't do it, perhaps scarce fuel will...take people
>> out of their 10 mpg SUVs and into smaller, fewer autos...plus a POTUS
>> that is concerned would be nice.
>
> I'd settle for a POTUS that could stay upright on a bike.

Yeah, no one ever crashes on a mountain bike ride.

 

[[email protected]]

Bill Sornson wrote:
> AustinMN wrote:
> > qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
> >
> >> $3 + per gallon didn't do it, perhaps scarce fuel will...take people
> >> out of their 10 mpg SUVs and into smaller, fewer autos...plus a POTUS
> >> that is concerned would be nice.
> >
> > I'd settle for a POTUS that could stay upright on a bike.
>
> Yeah, no one ever crashes on a mountain bike ride.

On pavement. Into a Scottish policeman.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/06/bush.bike/

I mean, haven't we all done that? ;-)

- Frank Krygowski

 

[Bill Sornson]

[email protected] wrote:
> Bill Sornson wrote:
>> AustinMN wrote:
>>> qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
>>>
>>>> $3 + per gallon didn't do it, perhaps scarce fuel will...take
>>>> people out of their 10 mpg SUVs and into smaller, fewer
>>>> autos...plus a POTUS that is concerned would be nice.
>>>
>>> I'd settle for a POTUS that could stay upright on a bike.
>>
>> Yeah, no one ever crashes on a mountain bike ride.
>
> On pavement. Into a Scottish policeman.
> http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/06/bush.bike/
>
> I mean, haven't we all done that? ;-)

Weren't you the person who fell over in a parking lot (your "only bike
accident") or something?

When I was acclimating to clipless pedals, I fell over a good number of
times just trying to stop. It happens.

 

[Zoot Katz]

On 26 Sep 2006 10:42:25 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>
>Bill Sornson wrote:
>> AustinMN wrote:
>> > qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
>> >
>> >> $3 + per gallon didn't do it, perhaps scarce fuel will...take people
>> >> out of their 10 mpg SUVs and into smaller, fewer autos...plus a POTUS
>> >> that is concerned would be nice.
>> >
>> > I'd settle for a POTUS that could stay upright on a bike.
>>
>> Yeah, no one ever crashes on a mountain bike ride.
>
>On pavement. Into a Scottish policeman.
>http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/06/bush.bike/
>
>I mean, haven't we all done that? ;-)
>
He also managed to fall off a Segway.
--
zk

 

[Mike Jacoubowsky]

> $3 + per gallon didn't do it, perhaps scarce fuel will...take people
> out of their 10 mpg SUVs and into smaller, fewer autos...plus a POTUS
> that is concerned would be nice.

You can make a difference at the DC Bike Summit. Details here-
http://www.bikeleague.org/conferences/summit07/summit_schedule.php

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA


"qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Earl Bollinger wrote:
>> "Matt O'Toole" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news[email protected]...
>> > From the Bikeleague newsletter today:
>> >
>> > "By studying the interactions of drivers and bicyclists on Texas roads,
>> > transportation engineers at The University of Texas at Austin have
>> > discovered that having painted bike lanes on streets and roads helps
>> > both
>> > commuters stay in safer, more central positions in their respective
>> > lanes.
>> > The results are posted here:"
>> >
>> > http://www.utexas.edu/research/ctr/pdf_reports/0_5157_1.pdf
>> >
>> > Anyone care to engage in a little peer review?
>> >
>> > Matt O.
>>
>> My impression is it is a way for the goverment to save money and make it
>> appear they are doing something positive.
>> Thus they get a study supported their side, and they get off cheap with
>> it
>> only costing them paint and painting crews to go implement it.
>> It doesn't really do anything, as painted bike lanes quickly become
>> useless
>> in a urban environment where all the motorists park on them, forcing a
>> cyclist out into the roadway anyway. Plus they are totally useless with
>> the
>> typical inattentive motorist (think using a cell phone, and or eating at
>> the
>> same time they are driving).
>
> $3 + per gallon didn't do it, perhaps scarce fuel will...take people
> out of their 10 mpg SUVs and into smaller, fewer autos...plus a POTUS
> that is concerned would be nice.
>
>

 

[Paul Hobson]

[email protected] wrote:
> Generally, I prefer slightly wider lanes to a dedicated bike lane
> (narrow lanes tend to encourage motorists to do particularly
> stupid/unsafe manouvers).

I'm with you on that. Athens, GA (I'm in ATL) has "sharrows" on several
major streets where there would normally be a bike lane. I find this to
be the sweet spot in the car/bicycle traffic dynamic.
\\paul

 

[[email protected]]

Bill Sornson wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Bill Sornson wrote, about the current POTUS:
> >>
> >> Yeah, no one ever crashes on a mountain bike ride.
> >
> > On pavement. Into a Scottish policeman.
> > http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/06/bush.bike/
> >
> > I mean, haven't we all done that? ;-)
>
> Weren't you the person who fell over in a parking lot (your "only bike
> accident") or something?

Well, let's see: I recall falling while riding my mountain bike - it's
part of the game. Never once on pavement, though. And certainly,
never into a Scottish bobby or other policeman.

Do you actually mean you have too? Amazing!


>
> When I was acclimating to clipless pedals, I fell over a good number of
> times just trying to stop. It happens.

Hmm. Is _that_ what Bush was doing at the time? See, I'd have
practiced out of sight of reporters - and where there weren't any
bobbies to run into. ;-)

- Frank Krygowski

 

[Bill Sornson]

[email protected] wrote:
> Bill Sornson wrote:
>> [email protected] wrote:
>>> Bill Sornson wrote, about the current POTUS:
>>>>
>>>> Yeah, no one ever crashes on a mountain bike ride.
>>>
>>> On pavement. Into a Scottish policeman.
>>> http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/06/bush.bike/
>>>
>>> I mean, haven't we all done that? ;-)
>>
>> Weren't you the person who fell over in a parking lot (your "only
>> bike accident") or something?
>
> Well, let's see: I recall falling while riding my mountain bike -
> it's part of the game. Never once on pavement, though. And
> certainly, never into a Scottish bobby or other policeman.

Hmm. I thought your "only road bike crash" (or accident) was a
losing-your-balance kind of thing. Maybe I confused you with another
pomp---- err, jolly fellow.

 

[Victor Kan]

Zoot Katz wrote:

> He also managed to fall off a Segway.

If I recall the photo correctly, he didn't just fall off it, he did an
endo off a Segway!

--
I do not accept unsolicited commercial e-mail. Remove NO_UCE for
legitimate replies.

 

[[email protected]]

Bill Sornson wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Bill Sornson wrote:
> >> [email protected] wrote:
> >>> Bill Sornson wrote, about the current POTUS:
> >>>>
> >>>> Yeah, no one ever crashes on a mountain bike ride.
> >>>
> >>> On pavement. Into a Scottish policeman.
> >>> http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/06/bush.bike/
> >>>
> >>> I mean, haven't we all done that? ;-)
> >>
> >> Weren't you the person who fell over in a parking lot (your "only
> >> bike accident") or something?
> >
> > Well, let's see: I recall falling while riding my mountain bike -
> > it's part of the game. Never once on pavement, though. And
> > certainly, never into a Scottish bobby or other policeman.
>
> Hmm. I thought your "only road bike crash" (or accident) was a
> losing-your-balance kind of thing. Maybe I confused you with another
> pomp---- err, jolly fellow.

Really, Bush is the _only_ person I recall who ran into a bobby -
whether losing one's balance, playing with new pedals, or just running
the bloke down. You must have confused me with him.

And it's hard not to take _that_ as an insult! But I've noticed your
tendency to confusion, so all is forgiven. ;-)

- Frank Krygowski