Berlin's Plan to Become a City for Cyclists • Hacker News Board

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

#191

Post by urlwolf » Fri, Dec 22, 2017, 8:16 AM UTC

_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…

I had to stop biking to work (40 min each way) because I realized that I will have an accident if I continue, and I cannot afford the downtime.

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

#192

Post by jopsen » Fri, Dec 22, 2017, 9:16 AM UTC

justinator wrote: post #188

jopsen wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That makes no sense... US cities are super lucky to have such wide streets. If they WANTED to they could easily make dedicated bus and bike lanes that are safe. It easy they have so much space. European cities have to almost ban cars, to make room for bikes... This is a political issue, where Americans choose not to do something.

> That makes no sense... US cities are super lucky to have such wide streets. Unless you're a pedestrian that wants to cross those wide streets. My stays in Salt Lake City are sometimes harrowing.

Giving cars preferential treatment is a political choice.

You can choose to use your streets differently. I see wide streets in SF that could have been closed and turned into pedestrian only streets.

Union comes to mind, there are shops and restaurants on both sides, close it to traffic and you have nice shopping street.

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

#193

Post by ben_w » Fri, Dec 22, 2017, 10:20 AM UTC

crummy wrote: post #114

ben_w wrote: post #3

While it would be great to see Berlin copy the UK cycling capital — Cambridge is brilliant in that regard — Berlin isn’t particularly bad. I’m looking for work in Berlin at the moment, and Berlin is less busy per square meter than any UK city I’ve been to (other than Ely, which shouldn’t count as a city). Berlin traffic isn’t perfect, but on the other hand it is also more lawful than UK traffic, and less intimidating…

(Off topic but we're hiring in Berlin at Sauce Labs - email me if you want to know more!)

Thanks for letting me know, however I just checked your website and I’m not a fit for any of your openings. (I’m looking for iOS… and asking myself if I should change track again to find work).

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

#194

Post by Improvotter » Fri, Dec 22, 2017, 12:57 PM UTC

roymurdock wrote: post #151

Improvotter wrote: post #96

I'm from around Ghent in Belgium and study in Ghent and last year the city introduced a plan where no cars except for taxis and some public transport is allowed inside of the city centre. It's absolutely awesome because Ghent is a student city and you can get anywhere in Ghent using the bike but you can also get anywhere by car by parking nearby in an underground parking lot and walking the rest of the way. But it ha…

How does Ghent's supply chain/delivery system function? In the US we have huge vans or semis to deliver inventory. I was in Zermatt this Summer (no combustion-engine cars allowed) and everything /everyone is transported around in little electric golf cart type vehicles to reduce smog, which could block the town's view of the Matterhorn. Is it similar in Ghent?

Delivery by bike mostly when a car can't get to them. BubblePost is an example.