Traffic Calming vs Bicycles

[Zoot Katz]

Wed, 18 Jun 2003 03:09:35 -0700, <[email protected]>, Bernie <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>
>Zoot Katz wrote:
>>
>> The safest bet when dark and wet was to ride the crossplanked sidewalk. Otherwise, pick one 12'
>> wide plank, keep on it and don't blink.
>> --
>> zk
>
>The whole Cambie St Bridge was like this? When did this end? Sounds like a little plank bridge on
>steroids. Bernie

No, only the middle swing span portion had a planked deck. The sidewalk was wood planked the entire
1,247 metre length of the bridge.
--
zk

 

[Matt O'Toole]

"Zoot Katz" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> Wed, 18 Jun 2003 01:19:33 GMT, <[email protected]>, "Robin
> Hubert" <[email protected]> wrote:

> >"Ryan Cousineau" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >news:[email protected]...

> >> You know, the most prestigious race in Vancouver is the Tour de Gastown (formerly the more
> >> appropriate "Gastown Grand Prix"; it's a criterium). half the course, including one or two
> >> tight corners, is brick.

> >Isn't there a steam powered clock there?

> Yep, first one in the world. 'Steamworks" was a local brewery promoting the race.

> Here's the QuickTime movie of the clock http://www.vanvr.com/vanvr/qt/steamclock.html and here's
> the .wav sound. http://www.vanmag.com/sounds/wavs/steamclock.WAV

How did they manage to take that movie without a tourbus blocking the clock? It's uncanny -- every
time the clock is about to do its thing, a tourbus pulls up and blocks it. Tourists with cameras
line the sidewalks every 15 minutes or whatever, only to have another damn bus pull up and block
their view. Some of the Japanese are really patient and persistent, returning 4 or 5 times, hoping
they'll get a good shot *this* time. Doh! I've watched this little comedy from the restaurant across
the street from the clock. Very good restaurant, BTW, despite being at tourist ground-zero. Might be
a good place to watch the race from.

> The streets in Gastown are brick though sometimes tourist hype says "cobblestones". IIRC, the
> cobblestones are only at the crosswalks and curbs.
>
> The course is uphill on brick and downhill on asphalt. The corners at Water street are brick.
> http://www.tourdegastown.com/images/maprev800.jpg

There's a very good chance I'll be in town that weekend. In that case I'll try to get over there.
Thanks for the tip!

Matt O.

 

[Bernie]

archer wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
> ...
>
> > That'd be true. Vancouver is like any city. A mix of old and new. The steam clock is pretty neat
> > and maybe not a real antique (I don't know), but the steam power is old technology that still
> > powers many buildings in the area. Locally it is called "City Steam", and is generated by the
> > city steam plant that sells steam to the old downtown core.
>
> A lot of cities have that, but in most of them it's only used for heating, and not for producing
> any mechanical work.
>
> --
> David Kerber An optimist says "Good morning, Lord." While a pessimist says "Good Lord, it's
> morning".
>
> Remove the ns_ from the address before e-mailing.

It's the same situation in Vancouver, AFAIK. Steam for heat and a little pressure left over to run
the clock. Bernie

 

[Zoot Katz]

Wed, 18 Jun 2003 17:44:18 GMT, <[email protected]>, "Matt O'Toole"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"Zoot Katz" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
\snip
>
>> Here's the QuickTime movie of the clock http://www.vanvr.com/vanvr/qt/steamclock.html
>
>How did they manage to take that movie without a tourbus blocking the clock? It's uncanny -- every
>time the clock is about to do its thing, a tourbus pulls up and blocks it. Tourists with cameras
>line the sidewalks every 15 minutes or whatever, only to have another damn bus pull up and block
>their view. Some of the Japanese are really patient and persistent, returning 4 or 5 times, hoping
>they'll get a good shot *this* time. Doh! I've watched this little comedy from the restaurant
>across the street from the clock.

That does have potential for a comedy sketch.

I didn't watch the video but the time on the clock plus the colour and angle of lighting might give
a clue why there's no tourists around. A clear cold morning would make the steam appear more
dramatic. Not many tourists around at eight am on those 3 days in February or November when it
doesn't rain.

>Very good restaurant, BTW, despite being at tourist ground-zero. Might be a good place to watch the
>race from.

Crowds on the sidewalk could be blocking your view from the restaurant. Last year it was it was
packed shoulder to shoulder, at least three deep, along both sides of Water and Carrall Streets.
>>
\snip
>> The course is uphill on brick and downhill on asphalt. The corners at Water street are brick.
>> http://www.tourdegastown.com/images/maprev800.jpg
>
>There's a very good chance I'll be in town that weekend. In that case I'll try to get over there.
>Thanks for the tip!
>
>Matt O.

The race is Wednesday evening, July 23rd. Maybe we'll see you there. There was a suggestion for an
r.b.m. gathering at last year's race.
--
zk

 

[Matt O'Toole]

"Zoot Katz" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...

> Crowds on the sidewalk could be blocking your view from the restaurant. Last year it was it was
> packed shoulder to shoulder, at least three deep, along both sides of Water and Carrall Streets.

They do have seating upstairs. IIRC, the windows are still pretty big.

Another interesting vantage point could be the roof of the parking garage down the street.

> The race is Wednesday evening, July 23rd. Maybe we'll see you there. There was a suggestion for an
> r.b.m. gathering at last year's race.

Lemme know! I'll have email at least once a week all summer.

Matt O.

 

[Jasper Janssen]

On Wed, 18 Jun 2003 21:54:38 -0700 (PDT), [email protected] (Steve McDonald) wrote:

>the turns. It couldn't have been more dangerous if they'd tried deliberately to make it so. Despite
>all the accidents and protests, the agency that built this hazard refuses to sacrifice any of the
>design features for safety. They are an independent public utility and local government claims they
>can't force them to do anything. Why they

A bit of nightly work with an angle grinder fitted with a silencer should suffice to mar the surface
enough to be less slick.

Jasper