Quote:
Originally Posted by Fuzz
OK, if that's how we are playing...you know what Europe has? Lots of off highway long distance bike paths that are not 2 feet of gravel covered shoulder on sketchy highways with human feces driving oversized pickup trucks murdering them every few years, because their ego is offended by someone out trying to enjoy the world.
So you know what we need? More separate cycling infrastructure. My point stands. Good effort, though.
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You’re still going to have loads of shared infrastructure, just like they have in Europe. Places like the Bow River Pathway, the Glenmore reservoir, Fish Creek, etc. There just isn’t the space to build dedicated and totally separate paths for cyclists and pedestrians everywhere. And even where you do, you’re going to have some people toddling along on bikes at 10km/hr and others doing 40k. So riders need to A) chill the #### out and be okay with slowing down and yielding frequently, and B) hand signal and use their bells whenever they overtake or change lanes.
I’ve been cycling in this city for over 40 years, and for all the complaints of cyclists about not being treated fairly, I’ve seen zero improvement by most cyclists themselves when it comes to courtesy and following the rules of the road (yes, cycling is governed by rules just like driving is).
I’d actually say the behaviour has regressed. It used to be routine to call out “on your left” when you overtake someone. Now I get it maybe 10 per cent of the time, and another 20 per cent of the time somebody rings a bell. The other 70 per cent of the time no signal of any kind - just someone huffing by with zero communication or consideration. I bet if you tracked every cyclist using Calgary roads and pathways this week, most would use their bell zero times and hand signal zero times. No wonder collisions and near-collisions are routine on the pathways.
Build all the wide shoulders and dedicated cycle paths you like. Until cyclists themselves get onboard with the notion that their behaviour should be governed by rules the same as when they’re driving cars, they’ll continue to have a bad reputation with pedestrians and motorists.