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+-- Forum: Waterloo Region Works (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=14)
+--- Forum: Transportation and Infrastructure (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=25)
+--- Thread: Cycling in Waterloo Region (/showthread.php?tid=186)
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RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Square - 07-15-2016
Does the intersection of Guelph @ Weber have loops in the ground? Or is it not controlled by this new camera for vehicle detection? Here it is on top of the traffic pole : https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.4612623,-80.4996307,3a,15y,253.79h,99.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s1HPdwID0yshDSExHqL7gLg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - MidTowner - 07-15-2016
I can't see the loops (I mean the grooves where I normally think the loops are), but I didn't think they were necessarily always readily visible. If it uses a camera, what's the best way to try to trigger those?
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Canard - 07-15-2016
Wave your arms? Try to contort your body into the shape of a car?
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - MidTowner - 07-15-2016
I should have just searched on the internet. And, yes, some of the suggestions I find using a quick search include standing up straight, and waving your arms... I guess it's worth a try?
From this page:
Quote:To maximize your probability of detection, stop your bike in the center [sic] of the travel lane where other vehicles ordinarily stop when waiting for the signal. Turn your body toward the camera to appear as large as possible. Video camera technology potentially allows a wider variety of vehicles to be detected than with inductive loop sensors, but the camera must be properly installed and adjusted for this to work. If such a system does not detect you, report the defective signal to your local traffic engineering department.I'm blaming myself for not approaching this thing correctly, until I at least give it a concerted effort to try to get it to notice me. But I never would have thought about this if it weren't for this forum: at this intersection (on a designated cycling route), others ride onto the sidewalk because they don't know about the detection technology, or it's not sensitive for someone on a bike to be detected (at least not without effort, it's not).
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 07-15-2016
(07-15-2016, 09:37 AM)MidTowner Wrote: I'm blaming myself for not approaching this thing correctly, until I at least give it a concerted effort to try to get it to notice me. But I never would have thought about this if it weren't for this forum: at this intersection (on a designated cycling route), others ride onto the sidewalk because they don't know about the detection technology, or it's not sensitive for someone on a bike to be detected (at least not without effort, it's not).
I don't think anyone should blame themselves for infrastructure which doesn't work for them.
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - MidTowner - 07-15-2016
(07-15-2016, 10:36 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: I don't think anyone should blame themselves for infrastructure which doesn't work for them.
Thanks. I'll rephrase that to say that I was unknowledgeable about the infrastructure, and thanks to the education here (thank you, Square, for pointing out that I shouldn't be expecting loops at all, since there's a camera) maybe I can make the infrastructure work better for me in the future.
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 07-15-2016
(07-15-2016, 11:07 AM)MidTowner Wrote:(07-15-2016, 10:36 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: I don't think anyone should blame themselves for infrastructure which doesn't work for them.
Thanks. I'll rephrase that to say that I was unknowledgeable about the infrastructure, and thanks to the education here (thank you, Square, for pointing out that I shouldn't be expecting loops at all, since there's a camera) maybe I can make the infrastructure work better for me in the future.
Sorry, I should say I was making a more general comment about the infrastructure not being well designed for cyclists, and that not being cyclists fault. And that well designed infrastructure shouldn't need education, since education is by no means easy or universal.
Obviously, in a practical and now sense, I'm glad this helps you move about the region.
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - panamaniac - 07-15-2016
Saw a good one a few minutes ago - turning left from Victoria onto Park, I saw an adult male on a bicycle riding on the sidewalk and approaching the crosswalk. I proceeded with my turn but noticed in my rearview that the cyclist rode straight into the crosswalk obliging the car behind me to yield. Why mention it? Well, the cyclist was looking at his phone while riding through the crosswalk. I can only assume it's some sort of death wish.....
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Canard - 07-15-2016
Just like banning texting while driving, it'll take enforcement and a couple of years for people like these to get their heads on right about following the rules. A couple of stiff fines and they'll stop doing it...
Toronto City Council actually passed a motion yesterday to request that the Province make it illegal to use a mobile device while walking. From the standpoint of a cyclist while using the MUT's in the region: This would be awesome. From the standpoint of a Pedestrian who's done this many times: Not so awesome. From the standpoint of a motorist who's had people actually walk into his car while stopped (hybrid - no noise while not moving): Excellent, although I'll miss the hilarity of their surprise when they look up and realize there's a car there.
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Canard - 07-15-2016
Here we go again...
http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/19-year-old-cyclist-struck-by-mustang-in-waterloo-1.2988228
19 year old woman with minor injuries - hit by car at low speed. She was riding through a crosswalk. Report says "no charges will be laid", which I'm shocked by, because she should totally get nailed with the $110 fine for riding through a crosswalk!
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - plam - 07-15-2016
(07-15-2016, 04:11 PM)Canard Wrote: Here we go again...
http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/19-year-old-cyclist-struck-by-mustang-in-waterloo-1.2988228
19 year old woman with minor injuries - hit by car at low speed. She was riding through a crosswalk. Report says "no charges will be laid", which I'm shocked by, because she should totally get nailed with the $110 fine for riding through a crosswalk!
From the picture it doesn't look like a marked crosswalk, so just really an intersection, and the crosswalk is not really that different from where one would normally cross if riding through. But it also looks like she was going the wrong way on the street: both streets are 2-way and the bicycle seems to be coming from the driver's right. Always a bad place to be, because the driver looks left.
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 07-15-2016
(07-15-2016, 04:11 PM)Canard Wrote: Here we go again...
http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/19-year-old-cyclist-struck-by-mustang-in-waterloo-1.2988228
19 year old woman with minor injuries - hit by car at low speed. She was riding through a crosswalk. Report says "no charges will be laid", which I'm shocked by, because she should totally get nailed with the $110 fine for riding through a crosswalk!
Read the context of what happened based on the image shown, fly out of the crosswalk and hit the car. Her bike ended up directly in front and under the vehicle. She couldn't have been moving fast, and if I had to guess, the driver simply wasn't paying any attention. Police have discretion of when to lay fines, the context seems to make clear their failure to lay fines is explainable.
Also, I have zero blame and complete sympathy for any cyclist who rides on Weber St. I decided today to take a ride up Weber St. The results were not pretty: https://youtu.be/2cxiZxRyZF8
It is definitely the worst experience I've had riding on the road in this city.
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Canard - 07-15-2016
The driver simply wasn't paying attention?
Are you for real?
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 07-15-2016
(07-15-2016, 04:46 PM)plam Wrote:(07-15-2016, 04:11 PM)Canard Wrote: Here we go again...
http://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/19-year-old-cyclist-struck-by-mustang-in-waterloo-1.2988228
19 year old woman with minor injuries - hit by car at low speed. She was riding through a crosswalk. Report says "no charges will be laid", which I'm shocked by, because she should totally get nailed with the $110 fine for riding through a crosswalk!
From the picture it doesn't look like a marked crosswalk, so just really an intersection, and the crosswalk is not really that different from where one would normally cross if riding through. But it also looks like she was going the wrong way on the street: both streets are 2-way and the bicycle seems to be coming from the driver's right. Always a bad place to be, because the driver looks left.
Driver needs to look right for pedestrians.....most don't though.
And there's only a sidewalk on one side at this point. Not that I think it really matters.
Also, unmarked crosswalk, I believe, under the HTA is still a crosswalk, as defined as the connection between the curb cuts on what would be a continuous sidewalk.
RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - timc - 07-15-2016
Without a doubt, Weber is the worst street in the city for bikes. As we have some streets that are designated as "bicycle routes", I feel that Weber is unofficially designated as a "no bicycle route". I'm a confident cyclist, but the things that happen there are enough to make me avoid it if possible.
In this case, I tend to agree with plam that it's quite possible that the driver was looking left while making a right turn. I see it all the time. As a pedestrian, I try to walk on the right side of the road to avoid this exact situation. It's also what makes roundabouts as dangerous as they are. In this case, though, there is only a sidewalk on one side of Weber Street.
Also, the crossing at Blythwood is marked as a crosswalk.