Tag Archives: vehicle

Truck side skirts: reliable way to prevent cyclist fatalities?

No, not reliable, though some are better than others. Some are also supposed to confer an aerodynamic advantage. Some have a smooth surface which can deflect a cyclist. That is still no guarantee that the cyclist will escape serious injury … Continue reading

Posted in Bicycling, Bike lanes, Crashes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Cycle track mania on the slippery slope in Somerville, Massachusetts

My attention recently was drawn to a proposed project for Beacon Street in Somerville Massachusetts, a couple of towns away from where I live.. A presentation from a public meeting is online here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1Y_jIpLYtpycEZNOUVTNUYxQVU/edit (I was unfortunately not able to … Continue reading

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Some observations about bike-share bikes

I recently spent several hours riding in Montreal with a companion who was using the Bixi bike-share bicycles. These are similar if not identical to others being deployed in North American cities. I have some experience riding a Hubway bicycle … Continue reading

Posted in Bicycling, gearing | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

A Cyclist Signs Up for Advanced Driver Training

What was an avid cyclist doing in a place like this? Advanced Driver Training, September 25, 2011 from John Allen on Vimeo. I like to ride my bicycle but sometimes I have to drive. Over 40 years ago on dirt … Continue reading

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Scaling up and scaling down

New York bicycling advocate Steve Faust has stated that some ways of accommodating bicycling do not “scale up” — that is, they work with small numbers of cyclists, but less well with larger numbers. His central complaint is that use … Continue reading

Posted in Bicycle facilities, Bicycling, Bike box, Bike lanes, New York City, Traffic Signals | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Confusion at crosswalks on multi-use paths

The crosswalk on a multi-use path has a mixed identity, unless the crossing is signalized. Motorists must yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk, but on the other hand, a stop sign facing the path normally means that cyclists yield to … Continue reading

Posted in Bicycle facilities, Bicycling | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Traffic theory: improving traffic signals to reduce pointless delay

In theory, there’s no difference between theory and practice, but it practice, there is. attributed to: Yogi Berra Jan L. A. van de Snepscheut Albert Einstein An optimal traffic-signal system would never present anyone with a red light or a … Continue reading

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Street Traffic Regulations: classic book online

My friend Bob Shanteau writes: Another reason scofflaws give [to justify their behavior] is that traffic laws are intended only for motorists, reflecting a total ignorance of the origins of those laws. Google has made the 1909 book “Street Traffic … Continue reading

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Davis Planners and Advocates Opine on Sidepaths

This post supplements my previous post linking to documents about Davis bicycle facilities. Please bear in mind that Davis was the first community to introduce bike lanes in the USA, and that its bicycle program strongly favors conventional bike lanes, … Continue reading

Posted in Bicycling, Bike lanes, Crashes, Cycle tracks, Sidepaths | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

I approve of this?

UPDATE: This post gives background information on the intersection. I have now ridden through it, and my opinion of it has changed. I have another post about it, and a video. Please check them out. The image below shows a … Continue reading

Posted in Bicycle facilities, Bicycling, Bike box, contraflow | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments