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Cycling in Waterloo Region
In this case, it's a regular delivery, which means that the police should have grounds to go into the CIBC and say "hey, we notice you have a regular visitor that you schedule and direct, and you have been directing them to park illegally. Stop this. Explain to us where they should park, tell them, and we will verify it." Same goes for Gilt loading up their catering and unloading their food deliveries multiple times every weekday. Random people are harder to ticket, but if you know who is causing a repeated illegal behaviour, then there is a different onus on police.
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(07-27-2018, 01:10 PM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: In this case, it's a regular delivery, which means that the police should have grounds to go into the CIBC and say "hey, we notice you have a regular visitor that you schedule and direct, and you have been directing them to park illegally. Stop this. Explain to us where they should park, tell them, and we will verify it." Same goes for Gilt loading up their catering and unloading their food deliveries multiple times every weekday. Random people are harder to ticket, but if you know who is causing a repeated illegal behaviour, then there is a different onus on police.

This assumes that there is any motivation to do any of these things, which it is abundantly clear that there isn't.
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(07-26-2018, 04:52 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: If we cannot accept we made a mistake here, then we're going to repeat it.

It's already being repeated on Columbia Street. Once that bike lane is completed, of course.
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(07-27-2018, 03:42 PM)timc Wrote:
(07-26-2018, 04:52 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: If we cannot accept we made a mistake here, then we're going to repeat it.

It's already being repeated on Columbia Street. Once that bike lane is completed, of course.

Well, that was more simultaneous.

But moving forward, we can and must fix it.  There are still bike lanes on King planned, if they have roll curbs, those who made the decision to use roll curbs with the current knowledge, should not be excused for that.
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Will we see Uptown cyclists continuing to use the King St traffic lanes rather than unsafe cycle lanes? That would send a message to City Hall.
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(07-27-2018, 05:04 PM)panamaniac Wrote: Will we see Uptown cyclists continuing to use the King St traffic lanes rather than unsafe cycle lanes?  That would send a message to City Hall.

I like the way you think. Smile Although I have to say that the bike lanes we have are still better than regular “paint only” bike lanes or no bike lanes.

Another thought occurred to me the other day: Kitchener has tons of bollards along King St. in downtown. If bollards are OK for Kitchener I challenge any Waterloo planner or designer to explain how they aren’t OK for Waterloo in a very similar situation.
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(07-27-2018, 05:04 PM)panamaniac Wrote: Will we see Uptown cyclists continuing to use the King St traffic lanes rather than unsafe cycle lanes?  That would send a message to City Hall.

I just avoid biking along King Street.
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(07-27-2018, 06:11 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:
(07-27-2018, 05:04 PM)panamaniac Wrote: Will we see Uptown cyclists continuing to use the King St traffic lanes rather than unsafe cycle lanes?  That would send a message to City Hall.

I like the way you think.  Smile  Although I have to say that the bike lanes we have are still better than regular “paint only” bike lanes or no bike lanes.

Another thought occurred to me the other day: Kitchener has tons of bollards along King St. in downtown. If bollards are OK for Kitchener I challenge any Waterloo planner or designer to explain how they aren’t OK for Waterloo in a very similar situation.

I don't know that I agree they're better than painted bike lanes.  At this point, drivers treat them no differently than they would an area of pavement coloured differently.
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(07-27-2018, 10:15 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I don't know that I agree they're better than painted bike lanes.  At this point, drivers treat them no differently than they would an area of pavement coloured differently.

Some drivers do, not all drivers do. I'm a driver, and I do not.

It's like saying "all cyclists blow stop signs" - no, some do, and some do not. I do not.

It is no different than racism or homophobic comments when you paint everyone with the same brush like that. Sorry, but you're doing it all over twitter lately too and it's really starting to drive me nuts, as much as I generally agree with your comments.
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(07-27-2018, 10:15 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I don't know that I agree they're better than painted bike lanes.  At this point, drivers treat them no differently than they would an area of pavement coloured differently.

They are definitely better than painted lanes.

Most drivers I'm sure are not driving in the separated lanes. The curb means they won't accidentally drift in while not paying attention.

The problem is they just look too much like parking, and are too convenient for the entitled and impatient.

Quote:If bollards are OK for Kitchener I challenge any Waterloo planner or designer to explain how they aren’t OK for Waterloo in a very similar situation.

I'm pretty sure the lack of bollards (and the roll curb) is a feature of Waterloo's design, so that the road is wide enough for the excessive standards of emergency services. Cars can pull out of the way of an ambulance; fire trucks can turn around.
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(07-27-2018, 10:42 PM)Markster Wrote: I'm pretty sure the lack of bollards (and the roll curb) is a feature of Waterloo's design, so that the road is wide enough for the excessive standards of emergency services. Cars can pull out of the way of an ambulance; fire trucks can turn around.

Yeah, I remember hearing that... but that reason doesn't hold up for the sections where it goes Road -> Parking -> Bike Lane; no room to pull over if people are parked.
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(07-27-2018, 10:19 PM)Canard Wrote:
(07-27-2018, 10:15 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I don't know that I agree they're better than painted bike lanes.  At this point, drivers treat them no differently than they would an area of pavement coloured differently.

Some drivers do, not all drivers do.  I'm a driver, and I do not.

It's like saying "all cyclists blow stop signs" - no, some do, and some do not.  I do not.

It is no different than racism or homophobic comments when you paint everyone with the same brush like that.  Sorry, but you're doing it all over twitter lately too and it's really starting to drive me nuts, as much as I generally agree with your comments.

You're right, I shouldn't generalize, and maybe some drivers are less likely to park in the uptown lanes, I don't know for sure, but I don't think it's because of the curb.

I'm actually guessing that you do treat them the same--because you probably wouldn't park in either the King St. bike lanes OR painted bike lanes.

My comment was not about all drivers having the same behaviour, but about the fact that a nearly flat piece of pavement that is a different colour will not change behaviour beyond that of a painted line. Drivers who treat bike lanes with respect, and won't park in them, wouldn't park in either, drivers who don't care, and will park in a bike lane, I don't think they will rethink that because of a slight curb.
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(07-27-2018, 10:42 PM)Markster Wrote:
(07-27-2018, 10:15 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I don't know that I agree they're better than painted bike lanes.  At this point, drivers treat them no differently than they would an area of pavement coloured differently.

They are definitely better than painted lanes.

Most drivers I'm sure are not driving in the separated lanes. The curb means they won't accidentally drift in while not paying attention.

The problem is they just look too much like parking, and are too convenient for the entitled and impatient.

Are they though? You're right, I don't generally see drivers drift into them all that much.  But they're probably about the same as a bike lane with a half meter buffer in that regard.  Also, keep in mind, the bike lanes currently have far more protection than they will when they're done, because there is a two inch lip separating the first layer of pavement from the curb, (which poses no obstacle to cars, but it does to cyclists, who have to go around parked cars, meaning it's difficult to get back into the lane safely).

In any case, even if you're right about this, I think I'm right when it comes to parking, I don't think the curb makes a lick of difference when it comes to vehicles parking illegally in the bike lane.

For me, it's a waste of money.  And I definitely will not be supporting another bike lane in the city without barrier curbs.

Quote:
Quote:If bollards are OK for Kitchener I challenge any Waterloo planner or designer to explain how they aren’t OK for Waterloo in a very similar situation.

I'm pretty sure the lack of bollards (and the roll curb) is a feature of Waterloo's design, so that the road is wide enough for the excessive standards of emergency services. Cars can pull out of the way of an ambulance; fire trucks can turn around.

I don't believe this is true, the region has many two lane roads, many rebuilt very recently, which are the same width as the pavement of King St., but have barrier curbs.  Mill St. and Strange St. come to mind immediately, but there are others as well. Both are only ~5 meters wide total width, with barrier curbs both sides, King St. at it's narrowest is about the same, and most is wider due to turn lanes and parking.
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What about if they just installed these little pucks?  I saw them in Dallas and Houston (I think) all along their Light Rail lines.  Emergency vehicles can pop over them if they have to, but regular cars won't.

   

(I get curbs would be better, but at this point now we need a bolt-on option)
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(07-28-2018, 08:24 AM)Canard Wrote: What about if they just installed these little pucks?  I saw them in Dallas and Houston (I think) all along their Light Rail lines.  Emergency vehicles can pop over them if they have to, but regular cars won't.



(I get curbs would be better, but at this point now we need a bolt-on option)

Those might help, definitely worth trying.  They look pretty unpleasant to drive on--kind of like armadillos.  They had them in Austin too, for the on road section of their....I really don't know what kind of train it was.  Maybe they're a Texas thing.

Ironically, they'll probably pose a bigger obstacle to snow clearing than a barrier curb would have.

We do need a way to correct the problems with the current section, but I am also concerned, and want to ensure, that the next section built, is done right.  Right now, it seems the engineers (and some politicans) are willing to ignore these problems and keep building a broken design.
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