Cycling in Waterloo Region

[Pheidippides]

The work from the Ion tracks to Erb was actually removed from the Ion project; so both should have had the same set of plans (although now that I think about it I think the extension of the separated bike lanes to the Laurel Trail came after the work was removed).

I was at least hoping they would take the opportunity to fix the clutter on the sidewalk near the pizza place:
   

I am still wondering why sand was used to finish the work (out of time?, too cold?).

[danbrotherston]

The work from the Ion tracks to Erb was actually removed from the Ion project; so both should have had the same set of plans (although now that I think about it I think the extension of the separated bike lanes to the Laurel Trail came after the work was removed).

I was at least hoping they would take the opportunity to fix the clutter on the sidewalk near the pizza place:


I am still wondering why sand was used to finish the work (out of time?, too cold?).

Oh, those boxes are even worse than I'd hoped before.  Frankly, it's not acceptable on any sidewalk (and there are many where Grandlink has done this) but in uptown, it's especially egregious.

[Canard]

I am still wondering why sand was used to finish the work (out of time?, too cold?).

Official response:

Also, sections of the coloured concrete bike lanes could not be completed this year due to the type of finish and temperatures required for curing. This work will be completed in the spring along with the decorative paving stones / street trees.

[Viewfromthe42]

So for the entire winter, drivers will be taught to use the segregated bike lanes as parking?

...I can't express my rage.

This might make the city/region have to stick their hands up and put full-on green paint over the entire thing, much to the objection of UpTown store owners and nearby neighbourhood associations, complaining that it ruins the character of UpTown. But this is beyond unacceptable.

Do I think we should be stopping in the middle of the street, or going up and down King St. at 10kph? No. But I won't deny I thought for a moment, what would police do if I drove my bike into every parked car and dented their bumpers. Would they do anything to anyone other than me?

[panamaniac]

So for the entire winter, drivers will be taught to use the segregated bike lanes as parking?

...I can't express my rage.

This might make the city/region have to stick their hands up and put full-on green paint over the entire thing, much to the objection of UpTown store owners and nearby neighbourhood associations, complaining that it ruins the character of UpTown. But this is beyond unacceptable.

Do I think we should be stopping in the middle of the street, or going up and down King St. at 10kph? No. But I won't deny I thought for a moment, what would police do if I drove my bike into every parked car and dented their bumpers. Would they do anything to anyone other than me?

???  A previous post indicated that the no-parking signs were to be installed next week.

[Canard]

Yeah, let’s see how that works. I’m following this like a hawk...

[ijmorlan]

So for the entire winter, drivers will be taught to use the segregated bike lanes as parking?

...I can't express my rage.

This might make the city/region have to stick their hands up and put full-on green paint over the entire thing, much to the objection of UpTown store owners and nearby neighbourhood associations, complaining that it ruins the character of UpTown. But this is beyond unacceptable.

Do I think we should be stopping in the middle of the street, or going up and down King St. at 10kph? No. But I won't deny I thought for a moment, what would police do if I drove my bike into every parked car and dented their bumpers. Would they do anything to anyone other than me?

Well, let’s see what happens once the signage is in place. But if it does come down to vigilante action, I think extremely sticky, difficult-to-remove, “no parking — bike lane” stickers affixed to their windshields would be the thing. It’s not really damaging but it would get the point across and can be done quickly to a whole row of cars.

Of course what should really happen is that as soon as the signs go up (which should have happened before opening, but whatever) is that the City should tow every car immediately. They should just have an officer and as many tow trucks as needed go up and down the street until there are no more cars parked in traffic lanes (do the LRT curb lane segment too), then go on break for 20 minutes and come back and do another patrol all day. What would they do if somebody parked in a general traffic lane? Anything less done to cars in bike lanes represents yet another example of the double standard.

[Section ThirtyOne]

And we wonder why people often think cyclists have bad attitudes...

(and this is coming from a avid cyclist)

[danbrotherston]

And we wonder why people often think cyclists have bad attitudes...

(and this is coming from a avid cyclist)

The thing is, they don't wonder, they take the "bad attitude" (as well as any other perceived slights) as intrinsic without trying to understand why or what the actual experience cycling on our roads is, while assuming they do because one of a) they bike on the weekends on trails they drive too b) They drive on the roads, so biking is the same, c) they occasionally see bike lanes so have why wouldn't cyclists bike there all the time.  It's the fundamental attribution error combined with the Dunning Kruger effect.

Of course, that's only average drivers.  There are some who are actually quite antagonistic towards cyclists, for what reasons, I have no idea--but those are the minority, thankfully.

[ijmorlan]

And we wonder why people often think cyclists have bad attitudes...

(and this is coming from a avid cyclist)

Not sure what you’re responding to, but if you’re suggesting that my proposed enforcement regime is inappropriate then you’re not making any sense at all.

[danbrotherston]

And we wonder why people often think cyclists have bad attitudes...

(and this is coming from a avid cyclist)

Not sure what you’re responding to, but if you’re suggesting that my proposed enforcement regime is inappropriate then you’re not making any sense at all.

I assumed he was suggesting cyclists have a bad attitude (i.e., are upset about things/don't follow the rules) because they have to deal with things like this.  I literally argued with a bike lane parker, told him, he was endangering my life, said he didn't care, so I decided to call the police, and he moved off, a $25 ticket holds more sway than my safety = bad attitude.

That's what I took his response to be, and that's how I framed my response...but I could be wrong too.

[Section ThirtyOne]

I was speaking mostly of the call for vigilante justice, ie. stickers, harassment of people parking in the lanes, etc.

The fact of the matter is that the lanes are not properly signed, marked or even completed! As a result, people are going to take the opportunity to park there not knowing any better. It's not for you (or me!) to educate them. Your gripe is with the city, not the individuals parked there.

[Coke6pk]

dan, while I get your passion, I fully side with s.31.

If there is a double wide parking space, why can't I park in it? I don't know the city plans on coming next week and installing a Disabled Persons sign and painting the spot blue. Would it be fair for someone to vandalize my car for that reason?

Two wrongs don't make a right....

[Viewfromthe42]

I also imagine that if we needed to re-sod the front 3.5m of everyone's homes on some suburban street, and suddenly people started using front lawns as parking spaces, those to whom the land was actually intended for wouldn't just sit back and say "Let's wait until spring to worry about this."

[timc]

I can see why there may be some confusion, because the parking that people are doing Uptown is exactly what they are supposed to do on King Street in DTK. How is one supposed to know that there is a bike lane there?