Traffic delays up to 20% alongside downtown cycle lanes, city predicts

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Kavvy

Is this really a "Thanks NDP" for a civic issue introduced prior to them being elected to our provincial government?

LOL, nobody said that with any kind of seriousness.

Though they are "solving" the problem perhaps. No one needs to drive or cycle to a job they no longer have.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by chemgear

LOL, nobody said that with any kind of seriousness.

Though they are "solving" the problem perhaps. No one needs to drive or cycle to a job they no longer have.

I just think it is interesting to see the anger from people seep into threads which have nothing to do with the NDP.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

Looking at the following image, one of these transportation modes is significantly cheaper to provide than all the rest, and among the most space efficient. Financially, you should do everything you can to encourage it.

You realize that image is elitist garbage, right?

Why don't you run a cost comparison of how much it costs - both in time and money - to get from various points of Calgary to downtown via car, bus, bike, c-train? Cycling within downtown might be cheaper and more space efficient. But the majority are a significant distance away from the core, and like it or not, infrastructure to bring the majority in will always have to take priority.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

You realize that image is elitist garbage, right?

Why don't you run a cost comparison of how much it costs - both in time and money - to get from various points of Calgary to downtown via car, bus, bike, c-train? Cycling within downtown might be cheaper and more space efficient. But the majority are a significant distance away from the core, and like it or not, infrastructure to bring the majority in will always have to take priority.

Especially to people who believe there is a war against cars, I think that is exactly what the picture displays. Public and active modes of transportation are significantly more efficient and effective and will be the focus for any economically sustainable transportation strategy.

[Coach]

What is elitist about that image? If anything, it's elitist to think you should be allowed to take up more space, exert more pollution, and that infrastructure should be completely and only tailored to your type of traffic. I know plenty of people that work downtown who are well within their ability to not only take the train to work but cut down their time (and cost, hello downtown parking) for getting here, but just can't stomach the train, for whatever reason.

Are you going to include pollution in your cost analysis?

This thread is so chock full of "this doesn't help me, it must suck!"

[chemgear]

^ Wouldn't the best and cheapest by far be forcing every single person to walk into downtown? It would take up the smallest space in that image, make the least CO2, force everybody to a better BMI. It's like a Win! Win! Win!

Something like this:



I drove down that way again this morning. Lights are still pretty poorly timed. Saw 3 people using the lane for the time I was beside it and 3 others not bothering but still going down 12th on the roadway with the cars. One of those guys was one that cut across the 2 cars and forced them to slam their brakes so they could try to turn left to go north.

[Coach]

No the best and cheapest way would be a better and more wide-spread public transit system. Like a subway.

Not sure what point you're trying to make with that image. It's from a traffic black out in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Where people have access to pretty much any type of transportation they want anywhere in the city. And yes, that includes walking. Getting around by foot in Manhattan is remarkably easy. If they turned all roads into public transit/taxis only, it would probably be a fantastic system. But people want their cars, even in Manhattan, where driving seems like the worst thing in the world.

[peter12]

Automated street cars already exist. Excellent, and low cost alternative to practically everything else.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Ahhh maybe that is why some people voted NDP. Your image is just missing a snapshot of a completely empty street with no people at all.

"Here are 200 people who no longer have a job. Problem solved."

I proudly call the one provincial Liberal riding my home.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Not sure what point you're trying to make with that image.

Figured the green text was clear enough. I guess I could try to tint the image green as well.

[Coach]

Ahh. I thought the sarcasm was going the other way, as to cut down what I said. My bad.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

You realize that image is elitist garbage, right?

Why don't you run a cost comparison of how much it costs - both in time and money - to get from various points of Calgary to downtown via car, bus, bike, c-train? Cycling within downtown might be cheaper and more space efficient. But the majority are a significant distance away from the core, and like it or not, infrastructure to bring the majority in will always have to take priority.

Well the truth is that for about half the year people could ride scooters/motorcycles and we could have the best of both worlds. Less congestion and no more space required than those images as well as speed of transport from the suburbs.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

You realize that image is elitist garbage, right?

Why don't you run a cost comparison of how much it costs - both in time and money - to get from various points of Calgary to downtown via car, bus, bike, c-train? Cycling within downtown might be cheaper and more space efficient. But the majority are a significant distance away from the core, and like it or not, infrastructure to bring the majority in will always have to take priority.

I'm 6 km from the core and I can get to work faster on my bike than driving or bus. Also much cheaper. It's great to have a protected bike lane to take me the last few blocks to my office, as I have almost been hit a few times before it existed by drivers not paying attention tot he world around them. It's far less stressful, so to me, it's totally worth it.

There are plenty of people who live within 6km of downtown who could ride, and I'm sure more do now they have safer options. I know I see far more people on the cycle track than I ever saw on the open road.

What is elitist is thinking a car is somehow top of the transportation hill, meant to have all whims catered to, with no accommodation for other methods of transport. Bike commuting to work has nothing to do with elitism.

[Fuzz]

A quick check, there are 291 000 people living in communities within 5km of downtown. That's a lot of opportunity for bike trips. And yes, I know not all those people can ride a bike.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

You realize that image is elitist garbage, right?

Why don't you run a cost comparison of how much it costs - both in time and money - to get from various points of Calgary to downtown via car, bus, bike, c-train? Cycling within downtown might be cheaper and more space efficient. But the majority are a significant distance away from the core, and like it or not, infrastructure to bring the majority in will always have to take priority.

How is it elitist? It showed a train being far and away the most space efficient. It is quite a bit more expensive per commuter compared to cycling though, usually stated about 4x the cost for LRT vs cyclist for an equal distance.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

What is elitist is thinking a car is somehow top of the transportation hill, meant to have all whims catered to, with no accommodation for other methods of transport. Bike commuting to work has nothing to do with elitism.

Except for the fact that everything you describe in this paragraph is how many cyclists behave themselves.

Pot, meet kettle.

[peter12]

I like cycling to work, but I never really invested in the opinion that I was more virtuous, special or law-abiding than your average driver. I run red lights, ride through crosswalks instead of dismounting, hope curbs. All in the name of convenience, although I do try my best never to hinder traffic.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Except for the fact that everything you describe in this paragraph is how many cyclists behave themselves.

Pot, meet kettle.

So carving out a very small percentage of roadway for a safe space is wanting all whims of cyclists catered to? I'd think drivers would be happy with separate bike lanes, they are always yelling to get bikes of the f'n road! No pleasing some people.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Except for the fact that everything you describe in this paragraph is how many cyclists behave themselves.

Pot, meet kettle.

So as a subsection of cyclists act like a bunch of pricks, it is okay to forgo an alternative transportation strategy that would see the aforementioned subsection become an even smaller subsection? That's rather spiteful...

[squiggs96]

I often hear drivers complain about the volume of traffic. With an increasing population, and people that need to get downtown, wouldn't it make more sense to find ways to get people downtown that don't involve cars? Instead of discouraging cyclists, you should be encouraging them. The more cyclists on the road, the less cars there will be.