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In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

motherboard.vice.com

11–20 of 90 posts

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#11

I enjoyed the article, but I'm very hesitant to believe any news sponsored by or affiliated with Vice. On top of questionable reporting practices, companies can pay to influence the content of articles and the type of coverage. Examples: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/04/08/130408fa_fact_...

companies can pay to influence the content of articles and the type of coverage.

Like every other publication in the USA?

http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#12
I think this is still an excellent idea for a lot of areas, especially Los Angeles where the traffic is horrendous all the time. It wouldn't take much to build this alongside major freeways so that you won't have to claim eminent domain and go through private properties. This would take up a max of an extra 10-15 feet on the side of freeways. Now, in LA a lot of freeways are built out so much that there's not even 10-15 ft without hitting a building or house, but there are a lot of areas this could work. Sometimes it takes 3 hours to go 10 miles in LA during rush hour, and this could make everything better.

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#13
post #11

I enjoyed the article, but I'm very hesitant to believe any news sponsored by or affiliated with Vice. On top of questionable reporting practices, companies can pay to influence the content of articles and the type of coverage. Examples: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/04/08/130408fa_fact_...

companies can pay to influence the content of articles and the type of coverage. Like every other publication in the USA? http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html

There's a significant difference between Vice and the publications (like the NY Times) that PG refers to in his article:

Vice has a POLICY of taking money from companies in exchange for allowing editorial control. As in, they encourage and have acknowledged this practice. They represent a strange, blurry hybrid between an ad agency and a news outlet.

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#14

I enjoyed the article, but I'm very hesitant to believe any news sponsored by or affiliated with Vice. On top of questionable reporting practices, companies can pay to influence the content of articles and the type of coverage. Examples: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/04/08/130408fa_fact_...

Careful here. I recommend you watch an episode of Vice on HBO. I had my doubts as well, but the reporting on that show is great and my only criticism is that its too short. The article you posted is just an opinion of that person and she doesn't provide specific examples or lay it out objectively. I just recommend checking it out and then judge it for yourself.

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#15
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

companies can pay to influence the content of articles and the type of coverage. Like every other publication in the USA? http://www.paulgraham.com/submarine.html

There's a significant difference between Vice and the publications (like the NY Times) that PG refers to in his article: Vice has a POLICY of taking money from companies in exchange for allowing editorial control. As in, they encourage and have acknowledged this practice. They represent a strange, blurry hybrid between an ad agency and a news outlet.

Check out the real estate section of your local newspaper. It has a long and glorious tradition.

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#16

I enjoyed the article, but I'm very hesitant to believe any news sponsored by or affiliated with Vice. On top of questionable reporting practices, companies can pay to influence the content of articles and the type of coverage. Examples: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/04/08/130408fa_fact_...

Careful here. I recommend you watch an episode of Vice on HBO. I had my doubts as well, but the reporting on that show is great and my only criticism is that its too short. The article you posted is just an opinion of that person and she doesn't provide specific examples or lay it out objectively. I just recommend checking it out and then judge it for yourself.

[deleted]

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#17

I think this is still an excellent idea for a lot of areas, especially Los Angeles where the traffic is horrendous all the time. It wouldn't take much to build this alongside major freeways so that you won't have to claim eminent domain and go through private properties. This would take up a max of an extra 10-15 feet on the side of freeways. Now, in LA a lot of freeways are built out so much that there's not even 10…

As an LA motorcyclist, I can tell you that almost no one would want to bike 10-15 ft. from the edge of the freeway. It's extremely loud and unpleasant, and there's a significant amount of debris that would need frequent removal.

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#18

I think this is still an excellent idea for a lot of areas, especially Los Angeles where the traffic is horrendous all the time. It wouldn't take much to build this alongside major freeways so that you won't have to claim eminent domain and go through private properties. This would take up a max of an extra 10-15 feet on the side of freeways. Now, in LA a lot of freeways are built out so much that there's not even 10…

3 hours to go 10 miles. It's amazing that people could let it get so bad. I remember watching shows as a kid in the 1970's about how you couldn't get Californians out of their cars. They're not the kind of people who believe in mass transit. They just thought you should make the roads wider.

I guess it still needs to get a little worse.

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#19

I think this is still an excellent idea for a lot of areas, especially Los Angeles where the traffic is horrendous all the time. It wouldn't take much to build this alongside major freeways so that you won't have to claim eminent domain and go through private properties. This would take up a max of an extra 10-15 feet on the side of freeways. Now, in LA a lot of freeways are built out so much that there's not even 10…

As an LA motorcyclist, I can tell you that almost no one would want to bike 10-15 ft. from the edge of the freeway. It's extremely loud and unpleasant, and there's a significant amount of debris that would need frequent removal.

Such a bike lane would be loud and unpleasant, but if separated from the road it would be similar in loudness and unpleasantness to the Williamsburg, Queensboro and Manhattan bridge bike lanes, which are widely used.

That said, it would likely not work because the distances are much further in LA, and following the path of the freeway is not going to be the most direct route on a bicycle.

Re: In 1897, a Bicycle Superhighway Was the Future of California Transit

#20
post #18

I think this is still an excellent idea for a lot of areas, especially Los Angeles where the traffic is horrendous all the time. It wouldn't take much to build this alongside major freeways so that you won't have to claim eminent domain and go through private properties. This would take up a max of an extra 10-15 feet on the side of freeways. Now, in LA a lot of freeways are built out so much that there's not even 10…

3 hours to go 10 miles. It's amazing that people could let it get so bad. I remember watching shows as a kid in the 1970's about how you couldn't get Californians out of their cars. They're not the kind of people who believe in mass transit. They just thought you should make the roads wider. I guess it still needs to get a little worse.

LA is slowly improving its transit situation from what it used to be, though unevenly. A light-rail line from downtown to Pasadena was opened in 2003, and the subway system is finally being extended, it seems, through some of the more densely populated area of the westside: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Line_Extension

The Metrolink commuter-rail system also runs 500 miles of track, and is now a reasonable option if you commute during typical rush-hours. However, it has very little service outside traditional commute hours, and its overall ridership is not very impressive, especially given the size (it gets less daily ridership than the much smaller subway does).

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