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A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

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Re: A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

#81

Post by CalRobert »

wil421 wrote: post #77
nightfly wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For years I commuted by train/bus to school/work until I could afford (the extra $200ish per month) to switch to driving to claw-back an hour of time I spent commuting each day. If traffic devolved to the point that I wouldn't be able to drive to work anymore I /would/ adjust, but I'd be generally less happy for it.

I’ve since moved houses and jobs. Both are impossible by train or bus. They are putting bike lanes on about 40% of my commute but 12 miles each way is a bit of a stretch.

With the right infrastructure, 12 miles is about a 45-50 minute ride, for what it's worth. When I commuted from Santa Monica to El Segundo it was 13 miles and the bike averaged ~5 minutes slower than car (I was in the best shape of my life and loved starting the day that way, to boot.)

Re: A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

#82

Post by halbritt »

rkangel wrote: post #78
soheil wrote: post #75

This introduces an element of temporariness into the fight between cars vs bikes parking. I think the issue needs to be dealt with at a fundamental level, do we as a country/city decide to use more bikes or cars? As far as I'm aware there has been a decisive victory by the cars in the US over the past 50 years mainly due to oil companies pushing for it and lobbying against public transportation. Using cars also pushe…

There is a chicken and egg situation with cycling and cycling infrastructure (as there is with any mode of transport). Any method that allows for incremental advances has got to be an improvement to the chances of increasing cycle usage.

I read a study a while back that suggested that there is a maximum of approximately 6% of any given population will use cycling as a means of transportation without cycling infrastructure isolated from automobile traffic similar to Copenhagen.

I'm hoping that the growth of things like electric scooters will drive more demand for such things.

Re: A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

#84

Post by Johnny555 »

frankus wrote: post #35

Local governments (at least in the US) seem to systematically underinvest in experiments like this. Things like traffic congestion have a ton of weird, largely unpredictable positive and negative feedback loops. Seattle removed its waterfront viaduct from service for a couple of weeks before changing over to the new $3.3B tunnel and traffic was mostly fine, despite apocalyptic predictions of gridlock. It's not entire…

I don't think something like this would be that successful in the USA - it's not lack of parking that keeps most people from riding, it's lack of protected bike lanes (or other "safe" routes), and lack of cultural acceptance of biking.

Plus, open, street parking isn't that safe in a lot of cities, if I could ask for some specific parking infrastructure, I'd ask for lockable bike lockers... though I'd rather see bike lanes and other infrastructure that helps me get to work safely.

Re: A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

#85

Post by glaurung_ »

tonymet wrote: post #55

quick survey : how many readers actually ride to work?

Unfortunately there's an unavoidable stretch of two lane highway with no sidewalk or bike lane between me any my workplace. If I lived somewhere where I could make the trip reasonably safely I absolutely would!

Re: A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

#86

Post by g_sch »

This concept would make a fun (thought) experiment for a street in the US.

Imagine a car parked curbside in a city street somewhere in the US. No one complains, because this is how everyone expects street space to be used - as storage for private cars.

Maybe there's a flatbed trailer attached to this car. Now add bike racks to the flatbed trailer. Next, add a stairway or a ramp. Then, gradually lower the trailer a little bit each day until it becomes a platform on the ground. Finally, take away the car.

Measure at which point homeowners start complaining.

Re: A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

#87

Post by vonmoltke »

saikit wrote: post #64
frankus wrote: post #35

Local governments (at least in the US) seem to systematically underinvest in experiments like this. Things like traffic congestion have a ton of weird, largely unpredictable positive and negative feedback loops. Seattle removed its waterfront viaduct from service for a couple of weeks before changing over to the new $3.3B tunnel and traffic was mostly fine, despite apocalyptic predictions of gridlock. It's not entire…

The locals in the US are militant against anything that reduces street parking in their neighborhoods. See 14th street bus lanes in NYC. https://www.amny.com/transit/14th-street-busway-lawsuit-1.33...

I don't see any evidence of that in the article you posted, other than the opinion of one of the plan's supporters.

Re: A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

#88

Post by cerebellum42 »

nightfly wrote: post #70
wil421 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Atlanta we had one of our main highways collapse, I85. It was the exit after my place. Everyone adjusted and it actually forced people to ride the train. The train stations had to borrow parking spaces from businesses and schools. Everyone will adjust. On the first day it will be a disaster if it’s unexpected.

For years I commuted by train/bus to school/work until I could afford (the extra $200ish per month) to switch to driving to claw-back an hour of time I spent commuting each day. If traffic devolved to the point that I wouldn't be able to drive to work anymore I /would/ adjust, but I'd be generally less happy for it.

Fair point, but arguably that's a bit short term thinking. What if at the same time(driven by increased ridership) public transport improved to the point where it's not an extra hour, but instead about the same time or only slightly longer than driving?

I don't think most US cities would ever get to a point where public transport and bicycles are much faster for a lot of regular routes (like in some European cities), but the gap can be closed if there is political and financial support to improve the infrastructure.

Re: A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

#89

Post by punnerud »

A lot of similar “bike platforms” in Oslo/Norway. Guide from the municipality: https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&...

Google Maps of all the bike routes, parking and “bike-self-service-points”: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1oO7FZepl8zXxKmx22y...

Re: A “bike platform” that temporarily swaps one car parking space for ten bicycles

#90

Post by Steltek »

wil421 wrote: post #77
nightfly wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For years I commuted by train/bus to school/work until I could afford (the extra $200ish per month) to switch to driving to claw-back an hour of time I spent commuting each day. If traffic devolved to the point that I wouldn't be able to drive to work anymore I /would/ adjust, but I'd be generally less happy for it.

I’ve since moved houses and jobs. Both are impossible by train or bus. They are putting bike lanes on about 40% of my commute but 12 miles each way is a bit of a stretch.

Have you considered an e-bike? Don't listen to the bike snobs, they're really quite good at extending the commute range.
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