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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

#211

Post by WrtCdEvrydy »

rizzin wrote: post #208
dancek wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is the problem with open parking stealing bikes, stealing parts or breaking bikes? The obvious safety strategy is to have a bike of lesser value with better locks than what's available nearby. But I also ponder what it would be like to own a really valuable bike. Do people steal handlebars or something, because that would make sense to me? Or is vandalism the bigger issue?

>Is the problem with open parking stealing bikes, stealing parts or breaking bikes? I'd like to add an often overlooked problem with open parking: bikes that are left there forever to rust and rot.

Really? Bikes are expensive in the US.

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

#212

Post by Rapzid »

CapricornNoble wrote: post #207
Johnny555 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

In Japan the cyclists ride on the sidewalk, and use little bells that the entire pedestrian population is conditioned to understand means "move over please, I'm coming through". I've found bike usage surprisingly high in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto compared to my experience living in/near numerous US cities (Philadelphia, Miami, St. Louis, to name a few). Why the emphasis on bike lanes in US cities? Putting unarmored peo…

My sense was that bike transpo culture was much more robust in Osaka and Kyoto compared to Tokyo. If memory serves, there was TONS of sidewalk parking so no issues there(the subject of this post just seems inflammatory TBH) but also the sidewalks were quite a bit wider than what I'm used to in cities I've been to in the USA(like SF). Also, you don't really worry about your bike getting stolen on Osaka.

EDIT: Tokyo is ginormous though and I haven't really been on the ground in more than like 5 or so of the special wards :|

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

#213

Post by abdulmuhaimin »

CapricornNoble wrote: post #207
Johnny555 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

In Japan the cyclists ride on the sidewalk, and use little bells that the entire pedestrian population is conditioned to understand means "move over please, I'm coming through". I've found bike usage surprisingly high in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto compared to my experience living in/near numerous US cities (Philadelphia, Miami, St. Louis, to name a few). Why the emphasis on bike lanes in US cities? Putting unarmored peo…

I notice this, in general, American way of life are more centered around power and freedom. Rarely I see a problem solved by the Americans as elegant. Though nothing wrong with not being elegant. Just my observation,

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

#214

Post by BurningFrog »

CapricornNoble wrote: post #207
Johnny555 wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

In Japan the cyclists ride on the sidewalk, and use little bells that the entire pedestrian population is conditioned to understand means "move over please, I'm coming through". I've found bike usage surprisingly high in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto compared to my experience living in/near numerous US cities (Philadelphia, Miami, St. Louis, to name a few). Why the emphasis on bike lanes in US cities? Putting unarmored peo…

The Vietnamese traffic you describe sounds like a Darwinian system where only the most skilled have survived and dare travel.

I'm sure it works, but probably at a cost of a lot of lives, and probably a lot of people who just stay out of it.

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

#215

Post by ripvanwinkle »

I expect that among many of the bike friendly policies mentioned in this thread one technological advancement specifically the cyclist / pedestrian avoidance systems that new cars have started coming with will greatly improve the safety for cyclists and ultimately increase the number of cyclists that feel safe sharing the road with cars. I dream that it might actually lead to a tipping point in areas where cycling make more sense than cars

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

#216

Post by steelframe »

lacampbell wrote: post #181
Johnny555 wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Temporarily repurposing street parking is a great tactic to get people to realize how much public space is given to 1 person which could serve many I think all it would do is enrage drivers that their parking space is being taken up by cyclists. To think that they'd finally recognize how much space is taken up by cars assumes that drivers are looking at this rationally. http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130212-why-yo…

My pet armchair theory is because driving a car is the one time a lot of human beings feel powerful. Where I live (provincial New Zealand) car traffic is slowed down just as much by tractors moving from farm to farm as it is by cyclists. Yet I never hear people tell me their elaborate fantasies about murdering tractor drivers. Why? Because it's not a realistic fantasy - the tractors are bigger than them. If you work…

> I'm a long time cycle commuter relucantly turned auto-commuter.

I just made that transition last month after getting hit by someone driving a truck while I was on my way to the bike trail. In the report the police lied and said I changed lanes by crossing a broken white line. The motorist and I were in the same lane, and there isn't even a broken white line on the road. If I can't safely make it just half mile to the trail and if the cops are going to blame me after someone plows into me from behind, I guess I'd better put myself in a huge metal cage with crumple zones and airbags.

On the plus side, I'm finding that I kind of like jogging for exercise.

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

#217

Post by Karrot_Kream »

CapricornNoble wrote: post #209
Karrot_Kream wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why wouldn't you? I have a daily 10 mi. commute. In the spring and summer, I almost never drive my car. I haven't driven my car in 2 months, come to think of it.

"Why wouldn't you?" The spring/summer weather hovers between 25-33 Celsius with 80%+ humidity. I like arriving at my destinations not covered in sweat. When it's not brutally hot and sunny....it's raining (this island gets twice as much rainfall as Seattle ). And we are regularly hit by typhoons. You can drive a car in a weak typhoon. Good luck riding a bike during one. The terrain is very hilly here, with many roads…

> Finally....I'm a speed freak and a gearhead, and the experience of operating a powerful car, daily, is its own reward. I wouldn't be caught dead on a bicycle, but I also wouldn't be caught dead driving a low-powered commuter vehicle shitbox.

Why you would actively choose to contribute more to climate change for what are essentially aesthetic/identity choices is beyond me, but many people do, so I'm obviously missing something.

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

#218

Post by jakecopp »

vonmoltke wrote: post #167
runarberg wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are buses, trains, etc. That can take you most of the way. It is super handy to be able to bike to a well served direct bus route, take the bike on the bus, and bike to the destination without having to have to change from/to an underserved indirect lane.

> take the bike on the bus You make that sound so simple. There's no way I could bring a bike on the bus or train I use to get to work.

Or just buy a $50 bike second hand and park it at the end of the bus route!

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

#219

Post by 75dvtwin »

While bicycles are popular, it is hard to imagine that human-pedaled versions will become a norm.

It is impossible to imagine them used in a heat of Miami, or Atlanta (Georgia), or in Moscow.

There well populated and mild-weathered megalopolis (London, most southern CA, north east China) -- but the speed, distance and volume of participants -- just do not make bicycles practical.

I think the long solution is really de-urbanization of these megacities that act like a country-within-a-country.

On a separate note, I find the use of word 'platform' (even in quotes) is unfortunate.

Platforms, I though, mean something that provides composeable building blocks + principles for a variety of yet-to-be-anticipated needs.

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

#220

Post by rory096 »

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…

Here in central Virginia our city traffic department has been running a number of bike/ped experiments with plastic bollards. The NIMBY backlash has been severe and at least one has been rolled back.

'Experiments' only work if they're testing something measurable. Otherwise they're just an undo button.

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