Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss
Never be so dumb to follow a bike lane
2 views
Skip to first unread message
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
May 19, 2012, 3:25:20 PM5/19/12
to
We've got dozens of them, but none are connected. You may think it
would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
their own.
We got three types of bike facilities around here:
1- bike lanes that don't connect,
2- share the lane with the idiotic drivers,
3- ride on sidewalks and bump into pedestrians.
They launched a full blown bike sharing program without proper
facilities. That's evil idiocy.
But that's only my humble opinion.
------------------------------------------------------------
http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION
would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
their own.
We got three types of bike facilities around here:
1- bike lanes that don't connect,
2- share the lane with the idiotic drivers,
3- ride on sidewalks and bump into pedestrians.
They launched a full blown bike sharing program without proper
facilities. That's evil idiocy.
But that's only my humble opinion.
------------------------------------------------------------
http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION
Max
May 19, 2012, 5:57:52 PM5/19/12
to
On May 19, 3:25 pm, "His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser
No use bucking a trade wind. Just know where you can ride and do that.
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
May 19, 2012, 6:06:15 PM5/19/12
to
usually lead somewhere.
Bike lanes are a mind teaser.
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
May 19, 2012, 6:06:14 PM5/19/12
to
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
May 20, 2012, 1:43:55 PM5/20/12
to
On May 20, 12:49 pm, "Ian Field" <gangprobing.al...@ntlworld.com>
wrote:
Once you are within inches of pedestrians anything can happen. Some
sidewalks are really narrow, others have a higher likelihood of a car
bumping you.
My route here --I'm sitting at a burger joint eating ice cream--
involves either riding on a wide sidewalk with plenty of cars coming
in and out of driveways OR the narrow sidewalk across the street where
you must squeeze with pedestrians. Most of the time they just step out
to the grass to let you through. Pedestrians are not aggressive like
drivers for the most part.
By the way the ice cream is my reward for riding a bike. My motto "Out
of the cage no matter what" is put into practice.
wrote:
> "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher" <comandante.ban...@yahoo.com>
> wrote in messagenews:f025e747-2d61-4485...@j10g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
>
> > We've got dozens of them, but none are connected. You may think it
> > would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
> > particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
> > the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
> > driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
> > system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
> > their own.
>
> > We got three types of bike facilities around here:
>
> > 1- bike lanes that don't connect,
>
> > 2- share the lane with the idiotic drivers,
>
> > 3- ride on sidewalks and bump into pedestrians.
>
> You have to go on the sidewalk to bump into pedestrians?!
> > We've got dozens of them, but none are connected. You may think it
> > would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
> > particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
> > the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
> > driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
> > system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
> > their own.
>
> > We got three types of bike facilities around here:
>
> > 1- bike lanes that don't connect,
>
> > 2- share the lane with the idiotic drivers,
>
> > 3- ride on sidewalks and bump into pedestrians.
>
Once you are within inches of pedestrians anything can happen. Some
sidewalks are really narrow, others have a higher likelihood of a car
bumping you.
My route here --I'm sitting at a burger joint eating ice cream--
involves either riding on a wide sidewalk with plenty of cars coming
in and out of driveways OR the narrow sidewalk across the street where
you must squeeze with pedestrians. Most of the time they just step out
to the grass to let you through. Pedestrians are not aggressive like
drivers for the most part.
By the way the ice cream is my reward for riding a bike. My motto "Out
of the cage no matter what" is put into practice.
His Highness the TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
May 20, 2012, 2:04:38 PM5/20/12
to
On May 20, 1:00 pm, Sir Ridesalot <i_am_cycle_pat...@yahoo.ca> wrote:
> On May 19, 3:21 pm, "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher"
> have one here in town that has jut-outs in it at some of the
> intersections. If you ride to the right of the jut-out drivers think
> you're going to turn right and if you ride to the left of the jut-out
> you have to ride inthe traffic lane. Then further along the bike lane
> goes downhill and it's remarkably easy to hit 40 kms/hr (@25 mph) even
> if you just coast *BUT* the bike land suddenly ends at a parking lot
> entrance! Where do they expect the bicyclist to go? If you're not
> aware that the bike lane is about to end youcan be caught in a very
> bad situation if there is much traffic to your left. This is a route
> where it's far better to ignore the so called bike lane and stay in a
> traffic lane.
>
> Or how about the bike lanes that have you go part way onto the traffic
> lane that is the on-ramp lane to a 400 series highway and then expects
> the bicyclist to stop and walk their bicycle across the lane? The so
> called bicycle crossing is located just about where a car going to the
> 400 series highway would be accelerating to be at highway speed.
> That's another bike lane I refuse to ride in as it's the extreme right
> lane and you have to cross the right hand on-line lane to continue to
> ride straight ahead. I use the left lane through-traffic lane next to
> it.
>
> Lousy designs on both of those bicycle lanes and in my opinion bothe
> are very dangerous. I shudder to think of what it must be like for
> newbie or inexperienced bicyclists to get caught in either of those
> lanes at rush hour.
>
> Cheers
They make it to appeal to the casual observer --the idiot-- who think
they are doing a lot for cyclists. I was just having a conversation
with someone who says they are making bike lanes in some particular
part of town but doesn't know if they connect or not. She never
thought that was important. They never ride a bike or if they do they
are happy with a few blocks of bike lane. I could be using probably
the fanciest mixed path in the world, but 12 blocks is not what I
consider worth cycling. And we are mixing with dogs and people, not
exactly safe. At night it's just a blinding nightmare having excessive
lighting.
On the other hand, it takes me some 30 blocks to get to the place I'm
sitting at and I consider it the minimal workout. Yes, it's winding
and grinding but "a man gotta do what a man gotta do." My girlfriend's
place is just 1 mile away and sometimes I hesitate to go. Well, she
lives with me, no logistic nightmare. ;)
> On May 19, 3:21 pm, "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher"
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <comandante.ban...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > We've got dozens of them, but none are connected. You may think it
> > would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
> > particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
> > the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
> > driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
> > system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
> > their own.
>
> > We got three types of bike facilities around here:
>
> > 1- bike lanes that don't connect,
>
> > 2- share the lane with the idiotic drivers,
>
> > 3- ride on sidewalks and bump into pedestrians.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <comandante.ban...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > We've got dozens of them, but none are connected. You may think it
> > would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
> > particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
> > the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
> > driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
> > system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
> > their own.
>
> > We got three types of bike facilities around here:
>
> > 1- bike lanes that don't connect,
>
> > 2- share the lane with the idiotic drivers,
>
> > 3- ride on sidewalks and bump into pedestrians.
>
> > They launched a full blown bike sharing program without proper
> > facilities. That's evil idiocy.
>
> > But that's only my humble opinion.
>
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION
>
> I wonder about some ofthe people who design so called bike lanes. We
> > facilities. That's evil idiocy.
>
> > But that's only my humble opinion.
>
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION
>
> have one here in town that has jut-outs in it at some of the
> intersections. If you ride to the right of the jut-out drivers think
> you're going to turn right and if you ride to the left of the jut-out
> you have to ride inthe traffic lane. Then further along the bike lane
> goes downhill and it's remarkably easy to hit 40 kms/hr (@25 mph) even
> if you just coast *BUT* the bike land suddenly ends at a parking lot
> entrance! Where do they expect the bicyclist to go? If you're not
> aware that the bike lane is about to end youcan be caught in a very
> bad situation if there is much traffic to your left. This is a route
> where it's far better to ignore the so called bike lane and stay in a
> traffic lane.
>
> Or how about the bike lanes that have you go part way onto the traffic
> lane that is the on-ramp lane to a 400 series highway and then expects
> the bicyclist to stop and walk their bicycle across the lane? The so
> called bicycle crossing is located just about where a car going to the
> 400 series highway would be accelerating to be at highway speed.
> That's another bike lane I refuse to ride in as it's the extreme right
> lane and you have to cross the right hand on-line lane to continue to
> ride straight ahead. I use the left lane through-traffic lane next to
> it.
>
> Lousy designs on both of those bicycle lanes and in my opinion bothe
> are very dangerous. I shudder to think of what it must be like for
> newbie or inexperienced bicyclists to get caught in either of those
> lanes at rush hour.
>
> Cheers
They make it to appeal to the casual observer --the idiot-- who think
they are doing a lot for cyclists. I was just having a conversation
with someone who says they are making bike lanes in some particular
part of town but doesn't know if they connect or not. She never
thought that was important. They never ride a bike or if they do they
are happy with a few blocks of bike lane. I could be using probably
the fanciest mixed path in the world, but 12 blocks is not what I
consider worth cycling. And we are mixing with dogs and people, not
exactly safe. At night it's just a blinding nightmare having excessive
lighting.
On the other hand, it takes me some 30 blocks to get to the place I'm
sitting at and I consider it the minimal workout. Yes, it's winding
and grinding but "a man gotta do what a man gotta do." My girlfriend's
place is just 1 mile away and sometimes I hesitate to go. Well, she
lives with me, no logistic nightmare. ;)
TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
May 22, 2012, 11:43:33 AM5/22/12
to
On May 20, 3:12 pm, Lou Holtman <lou.holt...@gmail.com> wrote:
> The problem is they try to squeeze in a bikelane in an existing infrastructure. That is always a bad idea. If you account them in from the beginning of the design you get beter and consisting solutions.
>
> Lou
And our SUVs have been getting wider, so the situation has been
getting worse. Notice European SUVs never come close to maximum width.
The original Land Rovers were very narrow, but I think we can
accommodated one way or another.
> The problem is they try to squeeze in a bikelane in an existing infrastructure. That is always a bad idea. If you account them in from the beginning of the design you get beter and consisting solutions.
>
> Lou
And our SUVs have been getting wider, so the situation has been
getting worse. Notice European SUVs never come close to maximum width.
The original Land Rovers were very narrow, but I think we can
accommodated one way or another.
TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
May 22, 2012, 12:00:31 PM5/22/12
to
On May 20, 3:27 pm, Phil W Lee <p...@lee-family.me.uk> wrote:
> "Ian Field" <gangprobing.al...@ntlworld.com> considered Sat, 19 May
> >news:f025e747-2d61-4485...@j10g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
>
> >Workers painting road markings couldn't get to the kerb because of parked
> >cars - so they painted the cycle lane markings just inside the line down the
> >middle of the road.
>
> Repeating it doesn't make the ill-informed "journalism" right.
> Those were sharrows, and were never intended to be by the kerb.
> An ignoramus who believed all farcilities should be in the gutter
> "broke" the "story" and the paper were too stupid to realise how
> idiotic it proved them to be by publishing it.
> Of course, "tabloid journo is moron" isn't news, so selling that rag
> as a newspaper may well have been a breach of the trade descriptions
> act.
Sharrows can also be evil or smart. We find them here after a long
winding and grinding causeway --which you better do on sidewalks-- and
then "appear" on a blind curve. Again it "disappears" in half a mile.
What engineer could have pitched such a curve?
CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY WORD.
Now, what happens where there are no sharrows. Don't cyclists belong
anyway?
Oh, another causeway does something similar. Is the Devil loose around
here?
> "Ian Field" <gangprobing.al...@ntlworld.com> considered Sat, 19 May
> 2012 20:59:59 +0100 the perfect time to write:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >"TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher" <comandante.ban...@yahoo.com>
> >wrote in message
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >"TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher" <comandante.ban...@yahoo.com>
> >news:f025e747-2d61-4485...@j10g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
> >> We've got dozens of them, but none are connected. You may think it
> >> would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
> >> particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
> >> the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
> >> driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
> >> system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
> >> their own.
>
> >A recent story in UK newspapers:
> >> would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
> >> particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
> >> the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
> >> driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
> >> system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
> >> their own.
>
>
> >Workers painting road markings couldn't get to the kerb because of parked
> >cars - so they painted the cycle lane markings just inside the line down the
> >middle of the road.
>
> Repeating it doesn't make the ill-informed "journalism" right.
> Those were sharrows, and were never intended to be by the kerb.
> An ignoramus who believed all farcilities should be in the gutter
> "broke" the "story" and the paper were too stupid to realise how
> idiotic it proved them to be by publishing it.
> Of course, "tabloid journo is moron" isn't news, so selling that rag
> as a newspaper may well have been a breach of the trade descriptions
> act.
Sharrows can also be evil or smart. We find them here after a long
winding and grinding causeway --which you better do on sidewalks-- and
then "appear" on a blind curve. Again it "disappears" in half a mile.
What engineer could have pitched such a curve?
CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY WORD.
Now, what happens where there are no sharrows. Don't cyclists belong
anyway?
Oh, another causeway does something similar. Is the Devil loose around
here?
TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher
May 23, 2012, 1:10:24 PM5/23/12
to
On May 23, 11:35 am, "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher"
<nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On May 22, 12:52 pm, "i2i" <boo...@netzero.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher" <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com>
> > wrote in messagenews:a512fba7-d423-4a2a...@a1g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
> > On May 22, 12:33 pm, "i2i" <boo...@netzero.net> wrote:
>
> > > "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher" <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com>
> > > wrote in
> > > messagenews:9abb9335-690a-4591...@v9g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
> > > On May 20, 6:56 pm, liaM <cud...@mindless.com> wrote:
>
> > > > Le 5/20/2012 8:18 PM, TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher a
> > > > écrit
> > > > :
> > > > alive and responding to events as they occur, like that of riding a bike
> > > > in Paris where all the above applies. And not just biking; in life
> > > > too :)
>
> > > "Welcome to the jungle." It's a deadly game though. Something like
> > > Russian roulette. I saw the movie 'El Topo' the other day where they
> > > play this game in church --to prove "miracles"-- until one kid shoots
> > > himself. Yes, kids can ride bikes in traffic too and die because they
> > > got no place. So the metaphor is perfect.
>
> > > Europeans are less inclined to road rage too. At least their traffic
> > > is more organized and have cameras everywhere. Different game.
>
> > > ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > > you could try riding your
> > > bike on the autobahn
> > >Wait, I'm certified to walk and ride a bike in America. That's an
> > >international permit, right?
>
> > you need a permit to walk
> > in america now ? damn, i just
> > can't keep up anymore.
>
> You need to be a member of AARP --seniors make up 90% of pedestrians--
> and the rest is just homeless and idiots.
>
> Well, you don't find pedestrians in America so this is a moot point.
Sorry, I don't want to put anyone down that doesn't deserve it.
I used to be one of those idiots walking on American sidewalks. Half
the time the sidewalks weren't even there, but I walked miles and
miles just for the hell of it --to keep it balanced. Some ancestral
reason told me that humans are made to move not to drive. It was the
roots of my now legendary Wisdom of the Jungle.
But I was stupid, even more so than those drivers who take a car to
the grocery store. The difference is that I was a harmless idiot while
they were harmful idiots. Then the MIGHTY BICYCLE enlightened my path.
It's not an easy path but certainly not idiotic. The bicycle means a
beast of burden as well as a comfortable ride through the mean streets
of America. Then I started struggling with it and the Wisdom of the
Jungle dawned on me. The lion hardly gives you space to breathe and
you must be looking over your shoulder all the time, but you must be
OUT OF THE CAGE no matter what. It's a philosophy that today makes me
take out my chihuahua --Tequila-- with me. He makes himself
comfortable in a basket but he's not missing out the action. Anyway he
likes it better than walking.
A new era is dawning where the stupidity of the car and walking is
left behind. The cargo bike is here...
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_uTrSARmyvI/T5Whxk6edVI/AAAAAAAAADQ/9sd4IhcY3ZM/s1600/halsted.jpg
Communities are revived and SUVs are junked.
<nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On May 22, 12:52 pm, "i2i" <boo...@netzero.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher" <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com>
> > wrote in messagenews:a512fba7-d423-4a2a...@a1g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
> > On May 22, 12:33 pm, "i2i" <boo...@netzero.net> wrote:
>
> > > "TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher" <nolionnoprob...@yahoo.com>
> > > wrote in
> > > messagenews:9abb9335-690a-4591...@v9g2000yqm.googlegroups.com...
> > > On May 20, 6:56 pm, liaM <cud...@mindless.com> wrote:
>
> > > > Le 5/20/2012 8:18 PM, TibetanMonkey, the Beach Cruiser Philosopher a
> > > > écrit
> > > > :
>
> > > > > We've got dozens of them, but none are connected. You may think it
> > > > > would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
> > > > > particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
> > > > > the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
> > > > > driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
> > > > > system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
> > > > > their own.
>
> > > > > We've got dozens of them, but none are connected. You may think it
> > > > > would get you through and find out that you are stuck with no
> > > > > particular place to go, a sidewalk perhaps if you are lucky. They are
> > > > > the product of "evil idiocy," to quote someone who was describing
> > > > > driver behavior. This type of idiocy though is the design of the
> > > > > system --the engineers to be exact-- not the idiots having a mind of
> > > > > their own.
>
> > > > > We got three types of bike facilities around here:
>
> > > > > 1- bike lanes that don't connect,
>
> > > > > 2- share the lane with the idiotic drivers,
>
> > > > > 3- ride on sidewalks and bump into pedestrians.
>
> > > > > They launched a full blown bike sharing program without proper
> > > > > facilities. That's evil idiocy.
>
> > > > > But that's only my humble opinion.
>
> > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > >http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION
>
> > > > personally I prefer environments that keep people on their toes,
>
> > > > > 1- bike lanes that don't connect,
>
> > > > > 2- share the lane with the idiotic drivers,
>
> > > > > 3- ride on sidewalks and bump into pedestrians.
>
> > > > > They launched a full blown bike sharing program without proper
> > > > > facilities. That's evil idiocy.
>
> > > > > But that's only my humble opinion.
>
> > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > > > >http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION
>
> > > > alive and responding to events as they occur, like that of riding a bike
> > > > in Paris where all the above applies. And not just biking; in life
> > > > too :)
>
> > > "Welcome to the jungle." It's a deadly game though. Something like
> > > Russian roulette. I saw the movie 'El Topo' the other day where they
> > > play this game in church --to prove "miracles"-- until one kid shoots
> > > himself. Yes, kids can ride bikes in traffic too and die because they
> > > got no place. So the metaphor is perfect.
>
> > > Europeans are less inclined to road rage too. At least their traffic
> > > is more organized and have cameras everywhere. Different game.
>
> > > ----------------------------------------------------
>
> > > you could try riding your
> > > bike on the autobahn
> > >Wait, I'm certified to walk and ride a bike in America. That's an
> > >international permit, right?
>
> > you need a permit to walk
> > in america now ? damn, i just
> > can't keep up anymore.
>
> You need to be a member of AARP --seniors make up 90% of pedestrians--
> and the rest is just homeless and idiots.
>
> Well, you don't find pedestrians in America so this is a moot point.
Sorry, I don't want to put anyone down that doesn't deserve it.
I used to be one of those idiots walking on American sidewalks. Half
the time the sidewalks weren't even there, but I walked miles and
miles just for the hell of it --to keep it balanced. Some ancestral
reason told me that humans are made to move not to drive. It was the
roots of my now legendary Wisdom of the Jungle.
But I was stupid, even more so than those drivers who take a car to
the grocery store. The difference is that I was a harmless idiot while
they were harmful idiots. Then the MIGHTY BICYCLE enlightened my path.
It's not an easy path but certainly not idiotic. The bicycle means a
beast of burden as well as a comfortable ride through the mean streets
of America. Then I started struggling with it and the Wisdom of the
Jungle dawned on me. The lion hardly gives you space to breathe and
you must be looking over your shoulder all the time, but you must be
OUT OF THE CAGE no matter what. It's a philosophy that today makes me
take out my chihuahua --Tequila-- with me. He makes himself
comfortable in a basket but he's not missing out the action. Anyway he
likes it better than walking.
A new era is dawning where the stupidity of the car and walking is
left behind. The cargo bike is here...
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_uTrSARmyvI/T5Whxk6edVI/AAAAAAAAADQ/9sd4IhcY3ZM/s1600/halsted.jpg
Communities are revived and SUVs are junked.
0 new messages