Register now !    Login  
Main Menu
Who's Online
98 user(s) are online (89 user(s) are browsing Message Forum)

Members: 0
Guests: 98

more...




Browsing this Thread:   1 Anonymous Users




« 1 2 3 4 (5) 6 7 8 ... 10 »


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2004/2/6 23:13
Last Login :
2021/7/30 1:08
From Jersey City
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1225
Offline
the planning has been done. there is a plan in place, it just needs to be fully implemented. there are plenty of people bicycling on our streets now.

to answer your question - "Would I let my kids cycle on this street?" - the answer is yes. and they do, with caution

the NYC Bike Map 2013 already indicates the planned Jersey City bike lanes on it. now we need to do it.

"AN UNOFFICIAL HANDBOOK TO THE CIRCULATION ELEMENT OF THE MASTER PLAN" has what you're are looking for.

most of the bike initiative including education and safety are on the city website albeit not so easy to find.


Posted on: 2013/8/6 13:46
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2010/8/17 1:45
Last Login :
2020/8/26 13:40
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 3141
Offline
A city blueprint for cycling isn't just about alternate means of commuting. It's about addressing multiple issues such as:

- Encouraging and promoting cycle use.
- Making our streets safer.
- Showcasing the city.
- Managing the cost of implementing and maintenance.

Rather than taking a "build it and they will come" approach, I'd rather see a safety-first strategy created and implemented. And I think that starts with traffic calming in residential areas. Our residential streets need to be safe enough for cyclists and pedestrians without need for bike lanes. We should be asking questions like "Would I let my kids cycle on this street?".

Then we should be looking at created safe and robust bike routes between city facilities. Not just transport hubs, but also parks, schools, malls and waterfront, with safe and monitored bike racks. The city should also be looking at ways to engage the private sector to help sponsor and pay for these facilities.

Bottom line though. We need a plan.

Posted on: 2013/8/5 8:31
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Newbie
Newbie


Hide User information
Joined:
2013/8/4 3:10
Last Login :
2013/10/4 2:04
From Jersey City, NJ
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 15
Offline
What do you all think of the concept of installing larger elevators at the PA bus terminal? I've read that the reason they do not allow bikes on PA-bound buses is that bottlenecks occur at the elevators to exit the building. Maybe you've already discussed this. I haven't had the time or patience to read through the whole thread.

I'd like to see more bike lanes. With greater usage comes more awareness of bikers and thus safer conditions. The "critical mass" concept. When it becomes safer, more will view it as an acceptable commuting alternative, removing even more cars from the road, creating ever safer conditions overall, for pedestrians as well.

The problem of deficient crossings of the Hudson has been coming up here and on other forums. Would secure, weather-proof bike storage on both sides of the river be a viable option? Weighed against the cost of taking a car through one of the tunnels daily, I think it could be. In Europe, most transit stations have valet-style bike storage facilities. Could that work here?

Posted on: 2013/8/4 18:02
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2013/7/1 16:39
Last Login :
2014/12/15 23:01
Group:
Banned
Posts: 1072
Offline
I'm all for bike lanes. Bring it up at your next neighborhood association meeting!

Posted on: 2013/7/11 18:05
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2010/11/17 1:11
Last Login :
1/7 4:19
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1241
Offline
Quote:

SilveryJessica wrote:
Quote:

RiverRat wrote:
Yes! It is time for JC (and Hoboken) to follow the experiment that has been going on in NYC for the past few years, and make a region wide bike lane system as part of a "complete streets" makeover that improves safety for all users of our streets.

I would also like to see the bike share program that will start next summer in NYC expand to this side of the Hudson eventually.


Having just returned to JC from first the Village and then Park Slope, Brooklyn, in my experience the bike lane experiment in NYC is a miserable failure. I am not anti-bike, and I appreciate those people who want to do what they can for traffic, health and environment and intrepidly bike around town. However, the bike lanes in NYC and especially Brooklyn wreak havoc even more than the pedestrians do. I do not hold all bikers responsible for the actions of some, but in my experience and the experience of a lot of my friends, MANY bicyclists either get complacent or develop some kind of myopic view, and do NOT pay attention to traffic signals, use common sense, and worst of all, do not watch for cars or pedestrians when on side streets. When you create a bike lane, you obviously lose more room on the streets for cars to pass by, and it creates very dangerous bottlenecks on many corners where I have seen horrific close calls created by NOT the drivers but the bikers deciding that making a light was worth risking multiple lives.

I cannot emphasize enough that I am not opposed to bikes in general nor the reasons of those wishing to bike more, and I am not even considering the loss of parking when I weigh in here, even though I own a car. I have been knocked over by bikers twice, seen two of them hit by car doors opening and lost one acquaintance who hit a car--he wasn't hit BY a car, but he hit one because he wasn't paying attention to traffic and he died. Since I was a witness to both car door accidents, I stayed to see if I could help, and in one case, the cyclist had been talking on his phone. !!!! While many folks who ride bicycles are careful and responsible, just like car drivers, MANY are not. When you consider that you can't lose a license to bicycle as you can if you're an automobile offender, there is little incentive for people to adhere to rules. Tons of people ride bikes on the sidewalks in Brooklyn and Manhattan, even though there are now multiple bike lanes and it's against the law. I notice many riders doing so here, and since there are no bike lanes and I don't know the local laws, I have tried to be understanding. Will that change here? I doubt it.

I don't argue that in certain areas with less vehicular traffic a bike lane would be a blessing for the cyclist and not much of an imposition on the driver or pedestrian, but overall, in lower Manhattan and Chelsea and especially in Brooklyn, I have seen a lot of reckless disregard for their surroundings by cyclists and in my opinion, they create more problems than they solve. I don't have a solution. I wish I had one. I think the bike share program is a wonderful idea, but in the last months I lived in NYC, I can't tell you how many hapless riders I have seen who have jeopardized their own safety and that of others because they simply don't know what they are doing.

Anyhow, just my two cents. I wish I could support bike lanes, but given my experience with them, I don't believe I can.
This is complete bunk. Do you really think that things would be better without bike lanes? At least with bike lanes you have designated areas that pedestrians, bikes, and cars can clearly see. Without bike lanes, you have everything that you just mentioned, but a lot worse, because there's no clear guide, and you never know when or where to expect one. People will flaunt the rules no matter what. Nobody is running lights or stop signs or making dangerous turns because they have a bike lane. They would have done that anyway.

Really just a completely ignorant comment. It seems like you just have a problem with bikes in general, and it's got nothing to do with bike lanes.

Posted on: 2013/7/10 17:51
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2010/11/17 1:11
Last Login :
1/7 4:19
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1241
Offline
Quote:

PBW wrote:
If cyclists have to follow the rules of the road don't they have to stop for pedestrians (at corners)? Even if they are in a bike lane and regardless if the pedestrian is paying attention? I know if doored the cyclist is not at fault but would they be if they hit a pedestrian?
Sure if you hit someone that's just standing in front of you it's your fault, but there's a big problem with pedestrians walking into bike lanes without looking, and it's hard to stop for someone when they walk out right in front of you.

There are also plenty of peds that will just stand or walk around in bike lanes. There are some neighborhoods in NYC where people use bike lanes as an extension of the sidewalk, and then have the nerve to yell at you when you tell them to get out of the way.

And in general, I don't think any cyclist wants to hit anyone, cyclists are going to try their damn hardest to avoid people. Last thing I want is to clip someone and go flying off my bike.

Posted on: 2013/7/10 17:45
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2008/8/12 18:31
Last Login :
2020/4/26 22:05
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 3932
Offline
Quote:

If cyclists have to follow the rules of the road don't they have to stop for pedestrians (at corners)? Even if they are in a bike lane and regardless if the pedestrian is paying attention? I know if doored the cyclist is not at fault but would they be if they hit a pedestrian?


Bicyclists SHOULD yield to pedestrians, when practical and possible, and if conditions allow it, or when required (red lights, stop signs, etc). Now, having said that, why should cyclists have to yield, or stop, for pedestrians blissfully walking in a clearly designated bike lane? I am not saying we should mow down pedestrians, but I usually swerve around them and, more often than not, fling a few choice words their way. Too often, they step into them unaware of, or without looking for, incoming bike traffic. It can make for dangerous collisions.

Just like pedestrians shouldn't walk in the middle of a road, they shouldn't walk on a bike lane. Simply put, people need to pay attention to their surroundings.

As for the person claiming there being little incentive for people to follow the rules, I disagree. What more incentive that preserving your own life?? People who dangerously flaunt rules, driving aggressively in congested areas, or crossing through busy traffic intersections when not advisable, are nuts, but are not representative of all cyclists. For most folks, protecting their own lives is important. Not everyone on two wheels is a kamikaze looking to make an impact. Also, the easier fix, and which has had markedly good effect at times, is sensible enforcement of rules. The police doesn't have to act like douches (like when they decided to enforce a speed limit against cyclists riding in Central Park when it was closed to vehicular traffic) but they should enforce the basic rules (sidewalk riding, salmoning, etc.)

Posted on: 2013/7/10 17:23
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2004/11/6 21:13
Last Login :
2023/7/17 17:42
From Hamilton Park
Group:
Banned
Posts: 5775
Offline
Quote:

hero69 wrote:
Bike lane in Hoboken is not useless. Equip bikes with bells and have police tell pedestrians not to stand in bike lane


Mayor Zimmer told me she has given up on that, it seems people are hopeless when it comes to giving anyone courtesy anywhere.

It's amazing how this has been exacerbated by cellphones, and not just by drivers or cyclists. I was behind someone in line at an ATM yesterday and I couldn't understand what was taking her so long....she was texting between prompts! I said "ARE YOU DONE?", and she just glared at me, like I had a problem.

Posted on: 2013/7/10 15:56
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2004/11/14 2:38
Last Login :
2023/1/30 21:43
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 3792
Offline
Bike lane in Hoboken is not useless. Equip bikes with bells and have police tell pedestrians not to stand in bike lane

Posted on: 2013/7/10 14:02
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Just can't stay away
Just can't stay away


Hide User information
Joined:
2013/7/4 20:02
Last Login :
2015/8/5 0:12
From Downtown JC/Harsimus Cove
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 130
Offline
Quote:

RiverRat wrote:
Yes! It is time for JC (and Hoboken) to follow the experiment that has been going on in NYC for the past few years, and make a region wide bike lane system as part of a "complete streets" makeover that improves safety for all users of our streets.

I would also like to see the bike share program that will start next summer in NYC expand to this side of the Hudson eventually.


Having just returned to JC from first the Village and then Park Slope, Brooklyn, in my experience the bike lane experiment in NYC is a miserable failure. I am not anti-bike, and I appreciate those people who want to do what they can for traffic, health and environment and intrepidly bike around town. However, the bike lanes in NYC and especially Brooklyn wreak havoc even more than the pedestrians do. I do not hold all bikers responsible for the actions of some, but in my experience and the experience of a lot of my friends, MANY bicyclists either get complacent or develop some kind of myopic view, and do NOT pay attention to traffic signals, use common sense, and worst of all, do not watch for cars or pedestrians when on side streets. When you create a bike lane, you obviously lose more room on the streets for cars to pass by, and it creates very dangerous bottlenecks on many corners where I have seen horrific close calls created by NOT the drivers but the bikers deciding that making a light was worth risking multiple lives.

I cannot emphasize enough that I am not opposed to bikes in general nor the reasons of those wishing to bike more, and I am not even considering the loss of parking when I weigh in here, even though I own a car. I have been knocked over by bikers twice, seen two of them hit by car doors opening and lost one acquaintance who hit a car--he wasn't hit BY a car, but he hit one because he wasn't paying attention to traffic and he died. Since I was a witness to both car door accidents, I stayed to see if I could help, and in one case, the cyclist had been talking on his phone. !!!! While many folks who ride bicycles are careful and responsible, just like car drivers, MANY are not. When you consider that you can't lose a license to bicycle as you can if you're an automobile offender, there is little incentive for people to adhere to rules. Tons of people ride bikes on the sidewalks in Brooklyn and Manhattan, even though there are now multiple bike lanes and it's against the law. I notice many riders doing so here, and since there are no bike lanes and I don't know the local laws, I have tried to be understanding. Will that change here? I doubt it.

I don't argue that in certain areas with less vehicular traffic a bike lane would be a blessing for the cyclist and not much of an imposition on the driver or pedestrian, but overall, in lower Manhattan and Chelsea and especially in Brooklyn, I have seen a lot of reckless disregard for their surroundings by cyclists and in my opinion, they create more problems than they solve. I don't have a solution. I wish I had one. I think the bike share program is a wonderful idea, but in the last months I lived in NYC, I can't tell you how many hapless riders I have seen who have jeopardized their own safety and that of others because they simply don't know what they are doing.

Anyhow, just my two cents. I wish I could support bike lanes, but given my experience with them, I don't believe I can.

Posted on: 2013/7/10 13:54
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2006/7/14 19:34
Last Login :
2013/11/1 17:27
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 552
Offline
If cyclists have to follow the rules of the road don't they have to stop for pedestrians (at corners)? Even if they are in a bike lane and regardless if the pedestrian is paying attention? I know if doored the cyclist is not at fault but would they be if they hit a pedestrian?

Just like the handful of dog owners that make the group as a whole look bad, I always find it funny when people complain about bikers rights meanwhile they ride on the sidewalk, blow thru stop signs and red lights, ride against traffic, etc......

Oh, and yes I would like to see more bike lanes.


Quote:

bodhipooh wrote:
Bicyclists are only a hazard to pedestrians if one, or the other, is doing something wrong. I have ZERO sympathy for the hapless pedestrians that get yelled at, bumped, or plain ran over, by cyclists who are following all the rules (within bike lane, not salmoning and paying attention). Too many clueless idiots texting while walking, talking into their cell phones without paying attention, or simply completely unaware of their surroundings. This is especially true of tourists on the Brooklyn Bridge (mentioned below) and harried commuters during rush hour. Regardless, watch where you are going. It's that simple.

To the inconsiderate cyclists that go against traffic, or ride on sidewalks, well, they are equally clueless and deserve to be hassled by cops and despised by pedestrians.

Posted on: 2013/7/10 13:28
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2010/11/17 1:11
Last Login :
1/7 4:19
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1241
Offline
Quote:

hero69 wrote:
I think riding on sidewalks should be discouraged (sometimes it is necessary) such as when bike lanes are closed and the only other alternative is the HIGHWAY.

I sometimes ried against traffic but I am cautious. The bike lines are wide enuff for 2-way traffic


Quote:

bodhipooh wrote:
If a bike lane is closed, the rider should dismount and walk his bicycle until it is possible to jump back on the bike lane. There really is no excuse to ride on sidewalks. It is dangerous to pedestrians, and oneself. I do wish police would be more vigilant about keeping people and vehicles from blocking bike lanes. The bike lanes along Grove are ridiculously abused by delivery trucks, people running into restaurants to pick up takeout orders, and double parking douches waiting for something/someone.


I often hop onto the sidewalk for roads that are dangerous for bikes, and I think so long as you're courteous and careful and there aren't many people, it's not really an issue. Just bike slower, give people a wide berth, ring your bell to warn someone if you're passing, don't try to pass in a narrow space, and get off and walk it if there are too many people.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 20:13
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2010/11/17 1:11
Last Login :
1/7 4:19
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1241
Offline
Quote:

bodhipooh wrote:
Actually, protected lanes have their own issues. And, depending on whose view, or study, you follow, or believe, they could be as dangerous, or more so.

Protected bike lanes can exacerbate one particular dangerous situation: the crossing of intersections and cross streets. When a cyclist approaches a cross street, or intersection, a car turning into the cyclist will not see him until he is at the point of impact, because the cyclist is likely "hidden" by cars.

Additionally, protected bike lanes lull riders into a false sense of security, which leads to riders being less alert. Several studies back this one up: more women, seniors and children take up bike riding when protected bike lanes are present. The problem is that while riders will be "safer" from moving traffic, they are not necessarily safer from either of the following: inattentive drivers (or, passengers) who are parked and may open a door onto the cyclist's path, or from pedestrians who decide to jump onto the bike lane without first making sure a bike is not traveling on said lane. These last two are particularly bad when there is no "road sharing culture" or "bike awareness". I think we can all agree that neither is prevalent here in JC, or even regionally.

I have been "doored" on several occasions in Manhattan, with MANY near misses, and have had a TON of close encounters with pedestrians who are SO oblivious to their surroundings that they have actually walked into my path as I am about to reach them.

I don't have an answer. I do think that protected lanes have some benefits, but I don't think they are the panacea that some wish or advertise.
never really considered that, but now that you mention it, there are some problems I hadn't considered. The turning cars problem and unaware pedestrians would be big problems with protected lanes. Dooring is less of a problem I think, but still an issue. NYC's lanes that have an extra buffer zone, painted lanes, and a turning car "merge" into the bike lane are decent ways around that, but I guess most streets here can't accommodate that.

But without protected lanes, we have people parking in lanes, forcing bikers into the roads, which is dangerous for everyone as well, not to mention the proximity to drivers. Quite a predicament, and now I'm not sure what to think.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 20:09
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2008/8/12 18:31
Last Login :
2020/4/26 22:05
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 3932
Offline
If a bike lane is closed, the rider should dismount and walk his bicycle until it is possible to jump back on the bike lane. There really is no excuse to ride on sidewalks. It is dangerous to pedestrians, and oneself. I do wish police would be more vigilant about keeping people and vehicles from blocking bike lanes. The bike lanes along Grove are ridiculously abused by delivery trucks, people running into restaurants to pick up takeout orders, and double parking douches waiting for something/someone.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 19:43
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2004/11/6 21:13
Last Login :
2023/7/17 17:42
From Hamilton Park
Group:
Banned
Posts: 5775
Offline
If you bike the Hoboken waterfront, you realize the bike lane battle is hopeless. Even with a wide pedestrian walk, large numbers insist on walking, or even just standing talking, in the bike lane. If a bike lane can't get respected when there's absolutely no reason not to, painting a stripe down the side of a narrow road is simply political theater. And as pointed out upthread, possibly even more dangerous by lulling people into thinking they're safer than they are.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 19:38
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2005/9/20 14:11
Last Login :
2022/9/29 17:41
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 957
Offline
So you're saying women are akin to seniors and children?

Just kidding. I see chicks on oversized mountain bikes zig-zaging down the Grove St sidewalk like a 5 year old all the time. It's endearing.

Quote:

bodhipooh wrote:
Actually, protected lanes have their own issues. And, depending on whose view, or study, you follow, or believe, they could be as dangerous, or more so.

Protected bike lanes can exacerbate one particular dangerous situation: the crossing of intersections and cross streets. When a cyclist approaches a cross street, or intersection, a car turning into the cyclist will not see him until he is at the point of impact, because the cyclist is likely "hidden" by cars.

Additionally, protected bike lanes lull riders into a false sense of security, which leads to riders being less alert. Several studies back this one up: more women, seniors and children take up bike riding when protected bike lanes are present. The problem is that while riders will be "safer" from moving traffic, they are not necessarily safer from either of the following: inattentive drivers (or, passengers) who are parked and may open a door onto the cyclist's path, or from pedestrians who decide to jump onto the bike lane without first making sure a bike is not traveling on said lane. These last two are particularly bad when there is no "road sharing culture" or "bike awareness". I think we can all agree that neither is prevalent here in JC, or even regionally.

I have been "doored" on several occasions in Manhattan, with MANY near misses, and have had a TON of close encounters with pedestrians who are SO oblivious to their surroundings that they have actually walked into my path as I am about to reach them.

I don't have an answer. I do think that protected lanes have some benefits, but I don't think they are the panacea that some wish or advertise.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 19:15
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2004/11/14 2:38
Last Login :
2023/1/30 21:43
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 3792
Offline
I think riding on sidewalks should be discouraged (sometimes it is necessary) such as when bike lanes are closed and the only other alternative is the HIGHWAY.

I sometimes ried against traffic but I am cautious. The bike lines are wide enuff for 2-way traffic

Posted on: 2013/7/9 19:04
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2008/8/12 18:31
Last Login :
2020/4/26 22:05
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 3932
Offline
Bicyclists are only a hazard to pedestrians if one, or the other, is doing something wrong. I have ZERO sympathy for the hapless pedestrians that get yelled at, bumped, or plain ran over, by cyclists who are following all the rules (within bike lane, not salmoning and paying attention). Too many clueless idiots texting while walking, talking into their cell phones without paying attention, or simply completely unaware of their surroundings. This is especially true of tourists on the Brooklyn Bridge (mentioned below) and harried commuters during rush hour. Regardless, watch where you are going. It's that simple.

To the inconsiderate cyclists that go against traffic, or ride on sidewalks, well, they are equally clueless and deserve to be hassled by cops and despised by pedestrians.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 18:24
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2005/7/13 15:03
Last Login :
2023/6/11 23:48
From Western Slope
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 4638
Offline
Quote:

hero69 wrote:
I see both sides of the argument. maybe put speed bumps are the answer. i know that when i am bicycling it is hard to slow down for pedestrians and when i am walking i realize that bicyclists can be a hazard

Sounds as if you bike the Brooklyn Bridge a lot.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 14:50
Get on your bikes and ride !
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2004/11/14 2:38
Last Login :
2023/1/30 21:43
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 3792
Offline
I see both sides of the argument. maybe put speed bumps are the answer. i know that when i am bicycling it is hard to slow down for pedestrians and when i am walking i realize that bicyclists can be a hazard

Posted on: 2013/7/9 14:01
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2005/7/13 15:03
Last Login :
2023/6/11 23:48
From Western Slope
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 4638
Offline
It would have to be pretty wide and quiet streets to accommodate these protected lanes. I am leery of the lanes placed between the curb and parked vehicles due to pedestrians crossing the streets and not looking both ways like mother taught them. The protected lane on Columbus Ave. on the Upper Westside in Manhattan is a problem for people crossing the street with cyclists whizzing by like a bike messenger in Premium Rush.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 12:50
Get on your bikes and ride !
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2008/8/12 18:31
Last Login :
2020/4/26 22:05
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 3932
Offline
Actually, protected lanes have their own issues. And, depending on whose view, or study, you follow, or believe, they could be as dangerous, or more so.

Protected bike lanes can exacerbate one particular dangerous situation: the crossing of intersections and cross streets. When a cyclist approaches a cross street, or intersection, a car turning into the cyclist will not see him until he is at the point of impact, because the cyclist is likely "hidden" by cars.

Additionally, protected bike lanes lull riders into a false sense of security, which leads to riders being less alert. Several studies back this one up: more women, seniors and children take up bike riding when protected bike lanes are present. The problem is that while riders will be "safer" from moving traffic, they are not necessarily safer from either of the following: inattentive drivers (or, passengers) who are parked and may open a door onto the cyclist's path, or from pedestrians who decide to jump onto the bike lane without first making sure a bike is not traveling on said lane. These last two are particularly bad when there is no "road sharing culture" or "bike awareness". I think we can all agree that neither is prevalent here in JC, or even regionally.

I have been "doored" on several occasions in Manhattan, with MANY near misses, and have had a TON of close encounters with pedestrians who are SO oblivious to their surroundings that they have actually walked into my path as I am about to reach them.

I don't have an answer. I do think that protected lanes have some benefits, but I don't think they are the panacea that some wish or advertise.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 12:28
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2004/11/14 2:38
Last Login :
2023/1/30 21:43
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 3792
Offline
h-2-the yes

Posted on: 2013/7/9 3:26
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2010/11/17 1:11
Last Login :
1/7 4:19
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1241
Offline
Does anyone know if any of the bike lanes will be protected lanes? Protected lanes make a lot of sense. Not much more effort to implement, and they're way safer for all bikes and cars involved.

Posted on: 2013/7/9 2:31
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2007/1/11 21:47
Last Login :
2022/7/25 21:48
From Van Vorst Park area
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 175
Offline
Quote:

T-Bird wrote:
When I hear "We're obviously not going to put them in high-density traffic areas," I want to scream - THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE WE NEED THEM MOST!! Bike lanes calm traffic.


Completely agree. For instance on Columbus Drive -- a high-density traffic area but with plenty of room for bike lanes.

Posted on: 2012/12/10 22:52
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2008/10/19 1:18
Last Login :
2020/9/25 20:40
From somewhere else
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1609
Offline
Not claiming to "represent the breadth and diversity of our cycling community." Not even sure what that statement has to do with anything germaine to this conversation. I'm just asking that common sense be applied. By all means - enact an easing that allows children 12 and under to ride on the sidewalk. As for "riding at the rate of pedestrians" - think about what you said. What is the difference between that and having people get off their bike and walk it? Nothing - other than laziness on the part of the rider.

Who decides what a "low-traffic area" is? What if there are no pedestrians moving in the same direction as the bike - only people walking in the opposite direction? How do you determine what "the rate of the pedestrian is"? And who is going to enforce this? We can't get the police to write tickets to cars that regularly (and by "regularly" I mean every morning and every evening for hours at a time, every day) travel 20 or more mph over the speed limit on many of the city's streets - and somehow a fleet of sidewalk cyclist enforcement is going to appear?

I don't know your experience but I've been hit by a bike on the sidewalk in an area that would probably qualify as "low-density" in your scenario - it wasn't in a "business district." I've had at least a dozen very near misses. Adults on bikes - male or female - don't belong on the sidewalk. I can tell you that by the number of people I see daily riding on the sidewalks downtown, many (most?) adults will not "happily take the road." Pretending that a slowly phased-in bike lane program will provide enough street coverage in the near-term to make this work is fantasy.

It is clear from the mayor's actions and recent words that he doesn't understand the issue. I'm worried now that the people advising him might not see the bigger picture either.

Posted on: 2012/12/10 19:31
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Newbie
Newbie


Hide User information
Joined:
2009/2/11 18:37
Last Login :
2018/10/19 23:22
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 19
Offline
"(easing restrictions on riding on sidewalks??? Please vote no on that, city council!)"
The easing means that cyclists can ride at the rate of pedestrians in low-traffic areas; in business districts with many pedestrians, there are/will be signs restricting bicycles. Far from contradicting the effort to make streets safer, this aspect strengthens safety for riders of all ages. Sidewalk-riding in low-density areas--much of Jersey City--is a good option for children and parents with children on those streets without bike lanes. While most adult cyclists will happily take the road, for kids trying to get to school, squeezing in beside a delivery truck can be pretty intimidating. I hope this, along with the rest of the ordinance, gets a yes vote on Dec. 19. Many of the comments in this thread are perceptive and helpful. But while adult male cyclists may be the most vocal cyclists, they do not necessarily represent the breadth and diversity of our cycling community.

Posted on: 2012/12/10 19:03
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2008/10/19 1:18
Last Login :
2020/9/25 20:40
From somewhere else
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1609
Offline
81905 - agree entirely with all you said. My point in picking out the past decade was that, while most cities in the U.S. were slow to implement bike lanes compared to Europe and selected other parts of the world, there was a lot of progress around the country during the '00s - and most of that period coincided with the Healy administration.

Look - I expect the big wave of street resurfacing that will get done over the next five months and heavily touted come the last six weeks of the election. I expect the budget manipulation that will get done in order to create the wispy illusion of "stable taxes" (the recent bonding to pay out unused sick and vacation days to current year retirees, for example.) What blows my mind is the guy whose cornerstone traffic management strategy is moving people to the tunnel as quickly as possible now pretends to understand - even care about - bicyclists. Please.

Posted on: 2012/12/10 18:51
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2005/12/7 2:49
Last Login :
2015/11/10 19:14
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 358
Offline
T-Bird, bike lanes have been around and popular for a lot longer than 10 years. They may be gaining more traction around the US but the facts are facts and for the last 8 years Jerry and his planning board could have enacted all sorts of bike friendly requirements for developers but did nothing of the sorts. They have been totally oblivious and in the dark ages. I place a lot of the blame on Bob Cotter, Jerry's Planning Director. These guys actually view having bike racks enstalled as a huge accomplishment when it should just be the norm.

Christopher Columbus Drive is a perfect example of what could have been. Clearly wide enough for bike lanes, even down the center, yet they didn't have the foresite to include any sort of biking component. Fail.

The list goes on and on. How about the now defunct wooden bridge entrance to one of our nations most treasured parks that we have had to deal with with? Hardly lit at night, prone to flooding after a regular heavy rain and certainly not the type of entrance this park or the JC tax payer deserves. 8 years and not a whisper from Jerry on improving that bridge or area other than stregthening the horrible sway it had. Of course now it is totally useless. Hindsite can be a real bitch.


Posted on: 2012/12/10 18:09

Edited by 81905 on 2012/12/10 18:34:05
Edited by 81905 on 2012/12/10 18:34:49
Edited by 81905 on 2012/12/10 18:35:51
Edited by 81905 on 2012/12/10 18:38:45
 Top 


Re: should Jersey City create and implement on-street bicycle lanes?
Home away from home
Home away from home


Hide User information
Joined:
2008/10/19 1:18
Last Login :
2020/9/25 20:40
From somewhere else
Group:
Registered Users
Posts: 1609
Offline
Quote:

81905 wrote:
Not to place all the blame on Jerry. Every sitting mayor before him did nothing as well.


But let's face it - bike lanes have exploded over the past decade and Healy has been in office for eight and a half of those years. Major cities with far, far greater logistical challenges and heavier traffic such as New York, Chicago and Toronto each doubled the amount of bike lanes they had from 2000 to 2010 - doubling them off of significant existing bases.* To date, Healy has installed the laughable four blocks to nowhere bike lanes on Grove Street. Laughable because the biggest achievement of these lanes was to establish formal lanes for double parking.

When I hear "We're obviously not going to put them in high-density traffic areas," I want to scream - THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE WE NEED THEM MOST!! Bike lanes calm traffic. I am a cyclist who has begged for bike lanes and an increased focus on bike safety as long as I've lived here. But when someone who so clearly doesn't understand the need or the solution (easing restrictions on riding on sidewalks??? Please vote no on that, city council!) I wish he wouldn't bother. Let's wait the six months until after he's gone - otherwise it's just going to be one more disaster that needs to be undone and ultimately require more time and resources than if he'd just continued on doing nothing.

I can wait 155 more days for it to be done right.

* http://policy.rutgers.edu/faculty/pucher/TRA960_01April2011.pdf

Posted on: 2012/12/10 16:43
 Top 




« 1 2 3 4 (5) 6 7 8 ... 10 »




[Advanced Search]





Login
Username:

Password:

Remember me



Lost Password?

Register now!



LicenseInformation | AboutUs | PrivacyPolicy | Faq | Contact


JERSEY CITY LIST - News & Reviews - Jersey City, NJ - Copyright 2004 - 2017