The Ongoing Sean Chu Transgressions Thread

[Wormius]

Might as well start this thread now.

http://beaconnews.ca/blog/2014/01/calgary-councillor-sean-chu-ignites-debate-climate-change-tweet/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...llor-1.2463664

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...llor-1.2463664

Ward 4 Coun. Sean Chu, who has referred to the First Street cycle track plan as madness, took to Twitter on Tuesday to disagree with Bracic, and dispute her numbers.
“This is nothing but BULL SH*T. 7St increased to 1160 cyclists per day? What was she on? The Emperor continuously getting new clothes.Winter?” he tweeted.
Chu has argued that the city needs better data on how many cyclists are commuting downtown, especially during the winter.
Dale Calkins, a cycling advocate with Bike Calgary, said he’s not worried that a decision on First Street has been postponed.
"The way I view this is, we now have the opportunity to discuss the cycle track network as a whole. We get to see how they all fit together and what the benefits will be on a whole basis," he said.

[troutman]

I read the other day that Portland (and Vancouver) are going to greatly reduce cycling budgets, as there has been no increase in cyclists commuting, despite huge expenditures.

Looking for that story . . . here is an older report:

http://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/...cycle_tra.html

I think ridership plateaued at 6% (still 10X the national average):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling...rtland,_Oregon

[Wormius]

I think the problem with cycling here is except for designated pathways, everything else is unpredictable. How can you plan a bike route.

[Barbecue]

I'm confused with the title...

isnt this discussion more about the Cycle track plan than Sean Chu?

[Hockeyguy15]

Not a fan of Chu, not a fan that he is representing my ward. I am glad I did not vote for him.

[Wormius]

No, it's just that the cycle track Tweet was his latest guffaw.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by troutman

I read the other day that Portland (and Vancouver) are going to greatly reduce cycling budgets, as there has been no increase in cyclists commuting, despite huge expenditures.

Looking for that story . . . here is an older report:

http://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/...cycle_tra.html

I think ridership plateaued at 6% (still 10X the national average):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling...rtland,_Oregon

I have an issue with using Vancouver and Portland as evidence. The major difference between both those cities and Calgary.. rain.

Ever tried riding in the rain? It's terrible. I refuse to ride in the rain. But -25? Sure, no problem, I'm cold for a bit, but warm up as I ride.

We have a problem in this city with the mentality of drivers, as evidenced by the vitriol towards cyclists, and the reckless abandon by which they KEEP HITTING PEDESTRIANS so far this year.

As far as cycling infrastructure, there are main routes into downtown, so the volume of traffic is pretty low unless your on those routes (bow river, elbow, nose creek, etc) but once you get to downtown there is zero support aside from the bow river path in Eau Claire and the 7th street bicycle track. You need to be able to get around/through downtown. Personally, I'd like to see tracks on the edges and a split down the middle both N-S and E-W (8th Ave/5th ST type of thing).

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by troutman

I read the other day that Portland (and Vancouver) are going to greatly reduce cycling budgets, as there has been no increase in cyclists commuting, despite huge expenditures.

Looking for that story . . . here is an older report:

http://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/...cycle_tra.html

I think ridership plateaued at 6% (still 10X the national average):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling...rtland,_Oregon

Not to mention that their climate is hugely superior than ours is for biking. I can't understand how closing a lane of a major traffic artery seems like a good idea. Is there really no better location for a bike route... what about increasing the size of the existing paths?

[nik-]

I don't know anything about Sean Chu really, but I will say that I feel this cycletrack thing seemed to be moving pretty fast. Seemingly faster than most projects affecting a major route would.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

Not to mention that their climate is hugely superior than ours is for biking. I can't understand how closing a lane of a major traffic artery seems like a good idea. Is there really no better location for a bike route... what about increasing the size of the existing paths?

It's not about getting into downtown, that's fine. It's about getting around in downtown. There aren't really any other viable N-S routes on the east side of downtown. The next closest existing (safe) N-S route is the Elbow river path, over by the Saddledome and Inglewood.

[Muta]

I think ridership would increase if the city wasn't so sprawled out, but I digress.

[nik-]

I really like Copenhagen's solution for this. Bike lanes on the road, but the cars park on the outside of them to provide a barrier between cyclists and cars.

I'm assuming this is impossible in Calgary though.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by nik-

I really like Copenhagen's solution for this. Bike lanes on the road, but the cars park on the outside of them to provide a barrier between cyclists and cars.

I'm assuming this is impossible in Calgary though.

Not impossible at all. In fact, I think we'll see several cycle tracks/lanes with that kind of orientation here.

7th Street already has some sections with off-peak parking abutting the lane:

[nik-]

I think that would lead to an explosion in bike commuters. That way if a driver wants to hit a cyclist, they'll really have to earn it.

[Hockeyguy15]

Bike couriers will still find ways to be idiots.

[Bigtime]

Sean Chu and Ward Sutherland have been the only two members of city council that I have actually stopped following on twitter (I've always made a point of following all city council members regardless of my politics). I just couldn't take the idiocy anymore.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by Hockeyguy15

Bike couriers will still find ways to be idiots.

The bike couriers could care less about bike lanes. It's the terrible morning/afternoon commuters into downtown, most of whom have no business or the skill to ride downtown in the first place.

Screw bike lanes, I can think of other ways to waste tax money that would have more impact.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Sean Chu and Ward Sutherland have been the only two members of city council that I have actually stopped following on twitter (I've always made a point of following all city council members regardless of my politics). I just couldn't take the idiocy anymore.

Magliocca is grinding my gears by saying that he wants the whole bike thing scrapped entirely and the budget put towards transit and parking. Failing to recognize that cycling is the alternative used when transit and driving are painfully bad experiences (myself in Inglewood back in the day).

[crazy_eoj]

Originally Posted by kermitology

It's not about getting into downtown, that's fine. It's about getting around in downtown. There aren't really any other viable N-S routes on the east side of downtown. The next closest existing (safe) N-S route is the Elbow river path, over by the Saddledome and Inglewood.

That still doesn't mean they should close a lane of Macloed trail. What about 4th St SE?

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by crazy_eoj

That still doesn't mean they should close a lane of Macloed trail. What about 4th St SE?

It is part of the cycle track plan but doesn't connect to anything south of 12th avenue due to the Stampede grounds. I asked the same question on twitter a few weeks back.