Cycling Thread 2

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

If it is dangerous and people get injured they should make it safer. Handing out tickets for a few days a year does nothing for safety. Fix the infrastructure.

The best solution for the area is actually enforcement and education for the tour de France wannabes who rip through the area. Unless you feel like the city should invest in some traffic calming measures for the pathway in that area in order to get people to slow down. Maybe a bunch of speed bumps or those chicane style gates.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

If it is dangerous and people get injured they should make it safer. Handing out tickets for a few days a year does nothing for safety. Fix the infrastructure.

They were handing out warnings, not tickets

I won't disagree about better infrastructure one bit, but when you have cyclists plowing into strollers you take action in the short term as well

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

The best solution for the area is actually enforcement and education for the tour de France wannabes who rip through the area. Unless you feel like the city should invest in some traffic calming measures for the pathway in that area in order to get people to slow down. Maybe a bunch of speed bumps or those chicane style gates.

No, it's just way too busy. I've been through there on weekends, and you get families, with kids weaving all over, and people trying to get through in both directions. Close calls all the time. It's too narrow to pass and stay on your side of the pathway. Make it wider. This isn't hard. But oh no, we wouldn't want to spend some money on pathways! Heaven forbid.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

No, it's just way too busy. I've been through there on weekends, and you get families, with kids weaving all over, and people trying to get through in both directions. Close calls all the time. It's too narrow to pass and stay on your side of the pathway. Make it wider. This isn't hard. But oh no, we wouldn't want to spend some money on pathways! Heaven forbid.

I ride through the area all the time as well. It is about 100m of pathway that is trouble spot where Angel's is. Cyclists can slow down and relax for that short section and ride with the expectation that anything could happen and they should be extra vigilant.

[Fuzz]

I don't have an issue going slow there, and perhaps some calming would work, but it's still too narrow for the amount of traffic in the area. Like this whole intersection should be a big paved area like the river walk, so users aren't forced to stay on a very narrow path should someone stop for no reason. Having space to get out of the way is important, particularity if a kid does something unexpected.

https://goo.gl/maps/GCZTFvXxLPf9EaJt9

The fact is if 911 is called often to the location, putting someone there a few times a year for warnings isn't going to make it safer.

[btimbit]

Sorry this is a bit of a side note, but reading over that reddit thread again I have to lol. I just don't get the outrage. CPS used to do radar along the Elbow River pathways all the time, going back over a decade ago. The biggest complaint then was "What a waste of police resources" so now it's not even the police doing it, and the biggest complaint is still "What a waste of police resources"

God people are dumb

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

I don't have an issue going slow there, and perhaps some calming would work, but it's still too narrow for the amount of traffic in the area. Like this whole intersection should be a big paved area like the river walk, so users aren't forced to stay on a very narrow path should someone stop for no reason. Having space to get out of the way is important, particularity if a kid does something unexpected.

https://goo.gl/maps/GCZTFvXxLPf9EaJt9

The fact is if 911 is called often to the location, putting someone there a few times a year for warnings isn't going to make it safer.

I don't necessarily agree that making the pathways wider or opening up the space makes it any safer because I see it as just more space for people to meander around in and get in the way. It comes down to user attitude and people just have to be more mindful and aware of their surroundings in these types of areas. This is just one such area with this type of problem and others include the parking area for Shouldice Athletic, the area around the Shouldice playground, Peace Bridge area, Harvie Passage area, Stanley Park beach, etc.

[Icantwhisper]

As someone who may be described as a "tour de france wannabe" I ride through fish creek everyday on my commute but stay away from the congested parts of path (Carburn Park). I ride the Angels section from time to time but often I'll just ride memorial instead, way to busy and too much hassle to ride through there.
Cyclists can be idiots but so can the pedestrians that are completely oblivious to their surroundings. Dogs with leashes across entire path, kids (3-4 year olds) using it as a playground, generally not even looking in front of them selves for 100 plus meters, ring bell but they have headphones in and then get mad at me.
In general if I'm riding from Bowness to downtown or vise versa on a weekend I'll take the road and feel 100x's better about it.

[Flames0910]

As someone who may be described as a "tour de france wannabe" I ride through fish creek everyday on my commute but stay away from the congested parts of path (Carburn Park). I ride the Angels section from time to time but often I'll just ride memorial instead, way to busy and too much hassle to ride through there.

Cyclists riding on Memorial is definitely not a solution anyone wants here (also, as a side note, can we drop the MAMIL and pathlete bull#### -- we don't put down runners as "boston marathon wannabes" -- people like to be active in different ways and that's OK.

This is a popular and congested area with infrastructure that hasn't been updated in decades. The use has changed, the city needs to update the infrastructure but they won't because it only costs $2M and needs to be approved by every stakeholder compared to $20M for a highway overpass that sails through committee.

That's on my list. Did you do it as a day trip? Any advice?

BTW more details on Going to the Sun -- it was still closed to cars (opens June 15, similar to Highwood)... would be a tight squeeze with cars, would not recommend lol.

Tips:
- we stayed in Whitefish which was a little far but livelier for post-ride, I'd probably aim to stay closer next time.
- we parked just before the avalanche trailhead. there was construction and the road was super potholed before that, otherwise you could easily park further away for a longer ride.
- they introduced a parking permit system this year... you need a visitor pass ($35, good for a week), and also a parking permit ($2, limited quantities, purchased seperately). parking permits were sold out by the time we looked and you can't buy them at the gate. workaround was to "rent" a kayak and not pick it up though haha.
- regional bikeways around whitefish looked great -- will have to explore those another time!

[bossy22]

When we owned in Whitefish we did a lot of road riding around. It's a good place to ride. People were always respectful of cyclists and never seemed to mind.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Flames0910

Cyclists riding on Memorial is definitely not a solution anyone wants here (also, as a side note, can we drop the MAMIL and pathlete bull#### -- we don't put down runners as "boston marathon wannabes" -- people like to be active in different ways and that's OK.

This is a popular and congested area with infrastructure that hasn't been updated in decades. The use has changed, the city needs to update the infrastructure but they won't because it only costs $2M and needs to be approved by every stakeholder compared to $20M for a highway overpass that sails through committee.

This is bang on. I'll often use Memorial between the Peace Bridge and Centre St when that pathway is packed, but I worry that riding beside bike 'infrastructure' will make me a target of some petrosexual moron, so I haul ass to keep the pace with traffic. Those sections of Memorial (also near Crowchild) really don't need 2 EB lanes.


And on the MAMIL stuff, lycra hate is just so funny to me. Anyone who tries padded bike shorts for a 15+ minute ride will never, ever, EVER want to wear anything else. And then jerseys have these amazing pockets in the back to hold your ####, and it doesn’t flop around at all when the jersey is on the snug side.

For a lot of people it has nothing to do with style or aero. It’s pure function and comfort

[Bigtime]

I'm in awe of you guys riding on Memorial.

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by bossy22

When we owned in Whitefish we did a lot of road riding around. It's a good place to ride. People were always respectful of cyclists and never seemed to mind.

I think you're right and that was the sense I got too.

But also I drive a Prius and someone rolled coal on me on my first day in town.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

I was lucky enough to spend a day riding in Moab. Nothing crazy, we hit the Moab Brand Trails area for a day so my wife could tag along. Riding on the rocks is crazy how grippy it is on the tires. Really makes me want to go back one day and hit some of the more challenging/famous stuff. Wish we had another day on our travels!

I was thinking about this thread a bit during the day and the idea of “if you build it they will come”. Cycling infrastructure is badly needed in Canada/Alberta. People will come. The guys at the bike shop knew all about riding in BC and Alberta, let’s give them a real reason to come spend their money up here

[Fuzz]

I think I just spoke to the dumbest Enmax employee in Calgary. At least I hope there are no dumber out there. They have yet another detour for the cycle track on 7th, and once again, an Enmax truck is parked in the detoured lane. He has his window down, so I ask him why he is parked there.

"We have some fresh concrete we just poured" and he points to a small spot where the cycle track crosses 7th ave.

"Uhkm, Ok, but why are you parked here?"

"Because we jut poured it."

"Sure, but now you are blocking the detoured bike lane that goes around the fresh concrete."

"I didn't make the detour, it was like that when I got here."

"Yes, but don't you see the problem with you blocking the detour, the cycle track is closed, and there is no risk of hitting the fresh concrete? Why don't you park in the bike lane that is closed"?

"I didn't make the detour".

Oh #### me, ok, gotta go.

[Ironhorse]

Stereotypical union guy response: “Shrug. Not my job”.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Stereotypical union guy response: “Shrug. Not my job”.

And paid $50 an hour to park there blocking traffic just doing his job.

[surferguy]

Originally Posted by fuzz

i think i just spoke to the dumbest enmax employee in calgary. At least i hope there are no dumber out there. They have yet another detour for the cycle track on 7th, and once again, an enmax truck is parked in the detoured lane. He has his window down, so i ask him why he is parked there.

"we have some fresh concrete we just poured" and he points to a small spot where the cycle track crosses 7th ave.

"uhkm, ok, but why are you parked here?"

"because we jut poured it."

"sure, but now you are blocking the detoured bike lane that goes around the fresh concrete."

"i didn't make the detour, it was like that when i got here."

"yes, but don't you see the problem with you blocking the detour, the cycle track is closed, and there is no risk of hitting the fresh concrete? Why don't you park in the bike lane that is closed"?

"i didn't make the detour".

Oh #### me, ok, gotta go.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1668662139249360897

[Fuzz]

Yup, that's the dumbass.

[RichieRich]

Originally Posted by Icantwhisper

As someone who may be described as a "tour de france wannabe" I ride through fish creek everyday on my commute but stay away from the congested parts of path (Carburn Park). I ride the Angels section from time to time but often I'll just ride memorial instead, way to busy and too much hassle to ride through there.
Cyclists can be idiots but so can the pedestrians that are completely oblivious to their surroundings. Dogs with leashes across entire path, kids (3-4 year olds) using it as a playground, generally not even looking in front of them selves for 100 plus meters, ring bell but they have headphones in and then get mad at me.
In general if I'm riding from Bowness to downtown or vise versa on a weekend I'll take the road and feel 100x's better about it.

Doing "speed control" anytime 630-830'am'ish only catches the commuters, which includes the pathletic crowd. I can see some point in doing it also 4-6pm when it's a mix of commuters and social-riders/kids/etc.... Nobody else has (yet) mentioned or ranted about the bylaw hours of operation.
Perhaps bylaw should consider what the photo radar folks are doing now... putting up a blatant warning sign and/or wear super bright clothing in congested/high traffic/high incident areas.
As for weekend rides... yeah there's just no point in trying to go fast on some areas.

The problem is that 20km/h with a strong westerly is easily exceeded with a single pedal stroke. I got pulled over a few years back for exactly this. ONE pedal stroke... "SIR YOU ARE SPEEDING!!" (meanwhile a roller blader zips by me with a dog on 4m long leash)