Cycling advocates protest a new bike lane in Boston

[fiamme red]

https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2019/07/10/human-bike-lane-fenway-protest

They're protesting the bike lane because it's painted, not "protected" by a row of parked cars between it and the traffic lane. The worthlessness of painted bike lanes is now dogma among cycling advocates. They seem to believe that bicycles and cars should never share the road.

How would a segregated lane have protected the librarian who was killed there? According to the article, she "was hit and killed by a cement truck while biking to work through the five-way intersection where Park Drive and Brookline Avenue meet."

[unterhausen]

the problem with bike lanes, no matter if they are protected or not, is intersections.

[fiamme red]

the problem with bike lanes, no matter if they are protected or not, is intersections.Some of the "protected" lanes here in NYC are extremely dangerous at intersections, because turning drivers can't see a cyclist behind the row of parked cars until they're in the intersection already. Advocates of segregation refuse to acknowledge this.

[fmradio516]

There is one stretch of road on my way home that has the separate bike lane and I still choose to ride in the traffic. Its better to be seen and get honked at, than to not be seen...

[kingpin75s]

To the OP and others linking protected lanes to meaning protected by parked cars, why is that link being made? Did not see pictures indicating that is possible or a solve for the Fens area.

There are more and far better ways to protect bike lanes. A bunch of parked cars, is as pointed out, generally a bad idea.

I lived in the Fens for 5 years and I would want to see some form of physical curbs or even plastic uprights in the buffer between the cars and bikes. Maintaining visibility as has been pointed out is important.

[OtayBW]

The worthlessness of painted bike lanes is now dogma among cycling advocates.Not all cycling advocates...

[unterhausen]

the lane they are protesting doesn't look that bad to me. They can stand in the painted zone and cyclists still have full use of the bike lane. As opposed to the lane closest to my house, where it's not actually legal under PA law to pass a cyclist without going out of the lane to the left. There are a number of those here. I made a public comment, but they ignore those.

[Bruce K]

I think (MY opinion) that in cities like Boston, where parking is a premium, curbs would cut out valuable spaces. Depending on the spacing, the plastic posts might do the same.

No easy answers for older cities trying to make themselves more cycling friendly.

BK

[charliedid]

Cycling Advocates are so weird.

[gdw]

Cycling Advocates are so weird.

+1, a lot are. Boston has a population of over 660,000 and an estimated 100 folks showed up for the protest, that's not very impressive and shows how small the vocal cycling community actually is.

[Black Dog]

+1, a lot are. Boston has a population of over 660,000 and an estimated 100 folks showed up for the protest, that's not very impressive and shows how small the vocal cycling community actually is.

Sure as long as you assume that the 100 is everyone that holds similar views and not a fraction.

[kingpin75s]

I think (MY opinion) that in cities like Boston, where parking is a premium, curbs would cut out valuable spaces. Depending on the spacing, the plastic posts might do the same.

No easy answers for older cities trying to make themselves more cycling friendly.

BK

Per the photos, the curbs or posts would go where the protestors are standing so no more real estate taken than already has been for the buffer space of the bike lane.

[Bruce K]

Maybe I’m confused....

If they put a curb or a row of pylons on the outer edge of the bike lane, where do the cars park?

BK

[charliedid]

Maybe I’m confused....

If they put a curb or a row of pylons on the outer edge of the bike lane, where do the cars park?

BK

Like this.

https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/mayor/news/images/Example-Parking-Protected-Bike-Lane.jpg

[schwa86]

This is right outside my office, and indeed the cyclist who died was basically right outside my window. I did not read the story you posted, but I have been involved in Improving cycling and walking infrastructure in the area. It is a horrible intersection. The immediately perpendicular road was recently repaved, with a separated lane and bollards/pylons (may be the one in the picture) - it is MUCH better than a painted lane, so far the pylons have remained in place, and as someone who as cycled it, it's awesome.

They are protesting on a very wide roadway, also recently repaved. It is, I believe, controlled by the state not the city. They should redo it the same way, it can be easily accommodated. It is not actually weird advocates IMO, it's a really good example of community organizing, with a lot of involvement by people im the health/public health professions as this abuts our major medical area.

Also to be clear no cars park on the roadway in question.

[Bruce K]

Got it

BK

[flydhest]

Joe Biden could work with bike lane advocates ...

[tctyres]

Joe Biden could work with bike lane advocates ...

Joe Biden was there when the bike was invented.

[hartmmike]

I remember back in the 80's there was an opinion piece in Bicycling against bike lanes of any sort. Basically it said that giving specified places for bikes marked us as other and did not have the right to use public roads and driver education would be more productive.

[martl]

https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2019/07/10/human-bike-lane-fenway-protest

They're protesting the bike lane because it's painted, not "protected" by a row of parked cars between it and the traffic lane. The worthlessness of painted bike lanes is now dogma among cycling advocates. They seem to believe that bicycles and cars should never share the road.

How would a segregated lane have protected the librarian who was killed there? According to the article, she "was hit and killed by a cement truck while biking to work through the five-way intersection where Park Drive and Brookline Avenue meet."

Thank the copenhagenizer for that. He kinda discovered that kind of bollocks as a unique selling point for promoting his "consulting services" and found a huge followership. He also is really good at vilifying anone who has been in advocacy long enough to have learned that "protected infra" isn't really solving much if much more complex, but also more abstract, more complicated and harder to sell, preconditions aren't met; Those people are evil middle aged white men in lycra who should be burnt on a stake, obviously.

Side effect is that this kind of lobbying goes along with telling people it wasn't safe dor ride a bike unless there was protection. And yes, it's the same people that slam helmet advocates for creating a "culture of fear" in order to sell their religion.

It seems that some people count success in number of bollards instad of number of people cycling....

[OtayBW]

Joe Biden could work with bike lane advocates ...I believe the argument is that Joe Biden USED to work with bike lane advocates....

[Climb01742]

No, it's that Joe and Barack once biked together so that qualifies Joe for everything else. No, really. That's how it works.;):)

(Sorry for thread drift into political humor.)

[Gummee]

I remember back in the 80's there was an opinion piece in Bicycling against bike lanes of any sort. Basically it said that giving specified places for bikes marked us as other and did not have the right to use public roads and driver education would be more productive.

I'd much rather be seen as just another road user and not some kind of special thing that needs 'separate but equal' infrastructure

M

[smontanaro]

+1, a lot are. Boston has a population of over 660,000 and an estimated 100 folks showed up for the protest, that's not very impressive and shows how small the vocal cycling community actually is.

At 8am, I imagine many of their fellow sympathizers were just grabbing a coffee before their first meeting of the day. I don't think you can judge support by the size of the protest.