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Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists

citylab.com

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Re: Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists

#141

Post by _Codemonkeyism »

Fnoord wrote: post #132
_Codemonkeyism wrote: post #72

Berlin is a very bad place for cyclists right now. The governing SPD is a car maker party, always was and always will be. Working in Wedding near my work where the SPD governed since forever there is a bicycle lane on the pavement but unmarked for a decade with countless run ins with pedestrians. After doing nothing for 50 years there was a referendum and the SPD did a 180 and painted themselves as a cyclist party. S…

The public transport in Berlin (I've been in Mitte only though) is amazing compared to Amsterdam. Far easier to get around to the locations, clean communication (simple German), and you don't need a stupid RFID/NFC card. Only thing I disliked was the heroin junkies at some places. And, well the traffic lights for pedestrians go from green to red like poof while in The Netherlands they will blink green before going to…

I agree with the green lights, or we should use a countdown as some countries do.

My biggest gripe with pedestrian green lights is how short they show green here in Berlin. Might be ok for younger folks, definitely a huge pain for older people.

Re: Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists

#143

Post by ekianjo »

pg314 wrote: post #83
ekianjo wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Go to any city thats not flat and you will soon find bikes to be unpractical for about everything.

I live in a city that is not flat. If you have a bicycle with gears that is no problem.

When you have to carry several kgs of shopping bags as well as your kid in the back seat, no matter what gears you have you will soon reach your limits.

Re: Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists

#144

Post by mamon »

akvadrako wrote: post #131
lagadu wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who lives in Copenhagen: that's because the cycling lanes system in Berlin is pretty terrible and is set up opposite to how it's set up here, in regards to where the cycling lanes are. Having seen it I'd never try to use it myself whenever I go to Berlin. No offense, but the way people cycle there is also scary: here I can count 100% on the cyclists (myself included when cycling) to follow the rules and be…

Cyclists in Netherlands are skilled, but they don't follow any of the rules. Red lights just indicate the one moment when cars going cross-ways have priority. However, it's still predictable - the biker will always go first and take any space left on the sides and will often go the wrong way or on the sidewalk.

>> the biker will always go first and take any space left on the sides and will often go the wrong way or on the sidewalk.

Shouldn't they get fined for such behaviour? Why is this tolerated?

Re: Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists

#145

Post by piva00 »

rconti wrote: post #71
aaron-lebo wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

7 miles isn't much on a bike, but anyone riding 14 miles 5 days a week should be in great shape. 14 mph is a decent clip, whereas 20 mph is constant exertion. I'd hate my commute to be a hour long both ways and at 14 miles, that's what the average person is going to hit.

Damn, 12 weeks into bike commuting 12mi r/t and I gained close to 10lbs!

Do you mean 10lbs of fat? If that's the case, watch your diet, 10lbs in 12 weeks you are eating something averaging 370kcal above your needs per day, with biking (and assuming you are a man and don't do any other kind of workout) it means you are eating between 3300-3800kcal/day, that's a lot if you don't do hours of sports or heavy weightlifting.

Re: Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists

#146

Post by phicoh »

kqr wrote: post #82
kazinator wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the cycling commute is flat, it has to be long to get decent exercise, because you have to apply a flat-out effort and you cover a lot of ground. If my bike commute were flat, I'd prefer to be some 14 miles from work rather than the current 7. Or else I would have to run it (more often). To me, what would make an area ideal for cycling (if it has good roads and such) is: dry climate. No rain, no snow.

People often seem to miss this. In many ways, cycling is a terrible form of exercise precisely because it is such an efficient mode of transport.

I'd say that cycling is an ideal way of burning fat. With a bit of training you can easily spend a whole day on a bike without risk of overuse injuries.

Most people exercise at a relatively high intensity which mostly burns carbs. Great if you want a cardio workout. Not good if you need to burn fat.

Re: Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists

#148

Post by sevensor »

thomasfortes wrote: post #16
sevensor wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why on earth? An aunt who used to live there tells me the air pollution is quite bad -- one would think reducing emissions by encouraging cycling would be a priority.

The previous mayor was from PT, a kinda left-wing party that a good part of the middle class loves to hate (there are a few good reasons, but the hate at this point is insane), so the actual mayor won with promises to revert the policies. Combine that with the fact that São Paulo is a city where people seems to love cars more than their relatives and have an upper class that oppose bike lanes in front of their houses…

Interesting -- much as I have a chip on my shoulder about spandex cyclists who look down on bike commuters like me, maybe they have a valuable role to play. If you can't sell rich people on cycling as an exclusive, upscale activity, they're going to fight against it and win. The next time some twit blows through a stop sign and cuts me off while clipped into his $6500 bike, I'll have to remind myself of this conversation. I'd rather have rich jerks on bicycles than rich jerks in hummers.

Re: Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists

#149

Post by uoaei »

paride5745 wrote: post #97

Cyclists need to be trained as well. I live in Berlin and too many times cyclists almost run me over and didn't even acknowledged the fact, just flipped the bird at me. I have never been in a dangerous situation with cars, just with cyclists.

Cyclists are trained ... in the art of dodging hapless pedestrians who aren't aware what the red bricks and white lines (and funny little symbol of triangles and circles!) on the ground are supposed to signify.

At least for me, I got good enough at dodging pedestrians to just do it all the time. It's easier for everyone. I'm out of your way in a quarter of a second, and you're out of mine. Situational awareness is of course key here.

Only accident I got in during my two years in Germany was when a car pulled into the bike path to turn left right in front of me and sat there mugging me while I plowed into their front fender sideways.

Re: Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists

#150

Post by Fnoord »

_Codemonkeyism wrote: post #141
Fnoord wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The public transport in Berlin (I've been in Mitte only though) is amazing compared to Amsterdam. Far easier to get around to the locations, clean communication (simple German), and you don't need a stupid RFID/NFC card. Only thing I disliked was the heroin junkies at some places. And, well the traffic lights for pedestrians go from green to red like poof while in The Netherlands they will blink green before going to…

I agree with the green lights, or we should use a countdown as some countries do. My biggest gripe with pedestrian green lights is how short they show green here in Berlin. Might be ok for younger folks, definitely a huge pain for older people.

Yep, we got those in Amsterdam as well in some locations (not everywhere), but one problem is that people start walking early. So they made them hide the number at 5. I also like it cause it gives the pedestrian info on how much they're going to lag behind on their walk, or allows them to take an alternative route.

In Amsterdam though, the pedestrian isn't king; its the cyclist. And they ignore all kind of traffic rules such as zebras. Absolutely horrible. I see people here and there cheer about how Amsterdam is cyclist friendly, but the pedestrians are a victim of their popularity and rude behavior.

Zebras are just one example. Another is people apping on their bicycle (youth especially), and cyclists driving on the wrong side of the road because else they need to use two traffic lights instead of one. Heck, I admit I even do it myself at times...

I saw a very nice traffic light in Amersfoort the other day: the pedestrian was a girl. I like diversity like that.

As for Berlin, did also notice the green traffic lights weren't on long, and my partner's 7 months in so did cause some trouble sometimes. So not only a disadvantage for the elder. Also for young kids, the disabled, and various other minority groups such as pregnancy.

To end on a positive note, I like how in Germany the traffic light becomes red + orange before it becomes green. Maybe adds to complexity but it wakes people up as well.

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