Cyclists soon to get safer routes (Seattle)

Cyclists soon to get safer routes
10-year plan calls for more than 200 miles of designated lanes
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transp...ebikers28.html

By COLIN McDONALD
P-I REPORTER

On her purple Huffy, 9-year-old Page Robinson isn't intimidated by the other bicyclists rushing by with handlebars as high as her pink helmet -- or the rumbling cars and trucks that have her ears ringing.

"I want her to feel like she can do this," said Brian Robinson, directing his daughter through a five-way intersection at the south end of the Fremont Bridge. They were checking out her new two-wheeled commute to after-school gymnastics lessons.

Making bicyclists of all ages feel more secure in city traffic is a top goal of the city of Seattle, which will soon release the final draft of its Bicycle Master Plan for public comment.
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There are signs of progress. Mayor Greg Nickels proposed regulations Tuesday that would require the city to consider how to accommodate bicyclists when designing or rebuilding roads. And the Cascade Bicycle Club is gearing up to start a $50,000 ad campaign aimed at teaching motorists how to safely share the road. The club also intends to post bike-etiquette rules at every trailhead and path.

"It's a hodgepodge," said Chris Cameron, Cascade's commuting specialist, of Seattle's existing bike paths and lanes. "It's a free-for-all, and that is where people get hurt."

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TRAIL ETIQUETTE

Suggested trail rules from Chris Cameron, Cascade Bicycle Club's commuting specialist:

Pedestrians:

# Walk on the far right, no more than two abreast.

Dog walkers:

# Curb your dogs to the grass. They must be on a leash.

Bicyclists:

# Wear a helmet (it's the law in Seattle, and violators face an $81 fine).

# Announce in a loud voice "On your left!" or ring your bell before passing other cyclists or pedestrians.

# Keep your speed under 15 mph in crowded areas.

# Stop at all intersections, especially at crosswalks.

# Don't race or engage in time trials on trails.

# Form a single file when approaching oncoming pedestrians or cyclists.

# Wear reflective clothing and blinking lights in low-light conditions.

# Be courteous to all trail users. Smile and say hello.

It's just too much like common courtesy, isn't it?

East Hill

Quote:

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Originally Posted by East Hill

It's just too much like common courtesy, isn't it?

East Hill

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One would think. I would love to put some of those ideas in play here on Long Island.

Good to see there's a plan going into place.

It never hurts to have etiquette guidelines spelled out, either. It seems obvious that those are common courtesy, but I think a lot of people are just carefree on trails and they don't realize there really are hazards and dangers and that safety considerations aren't just needed for car traffic.

The safety education campaign sounds like a good idea, too. Only a few states are working on "share the road" programs so far, but more are gradually jumping on the bandwagon. Hope it keeps up.

Deb

I read the article then made the mistake of looking at the comments. People truly scare me sometimes....I think education would be good though because many times drivers base their opinions on a very select few irresponsible people. That and I heard a theory that a lot of drivers don't like cyclists because it reminds them they are sitting on their backsides and not exercising...don't know how much truth there is in that.

On the upside of it all, trail etiquette would be a good thing. We rode the Burke-Gilman to the Sammamish River Trail on sunday and noticed cyclists and other people (walkers, people pushing strollers, etc) riding/walking 2 and 3 abreast. One group of riders going in the other direction nearly hit us because they took up the whole trail! There are some pretty scary situations on the trails sometimes.

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Originally Posted by teigyr

That and I heard a theory that a lot of drivers don't like cyclists because it reminds them they are sitting on their backsides and not exercising...don't know how much truth there is in that.

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wow, that is profound!!!

i never really put that one together!

yeah. My friends are most profound. I will say that I think people react negatively when something reminds them of their own failures but I'm not so sure THIS pertains. Then again, you never know! This theory came from the same person who said that men can't be subtle because the male body isn't built that way.

I can't make this stuff up.