#1 Re: Justice Issues / Collisions » IDIOT scooter operator almost ruined my day. » 2018-09-18 16:04:50

Some positive effects of the scooter craze, with more people using cycling infrastructure, whether that be bike lanes, boardwalk, bike bridges, bike parking, the more people demanding better cycling/scooter facilities the better. I see an overall positive outcome with the scooters, but over the long term. And wow, they sure are fun!

Here's a story from today's Texas Standard regarding scooters and bike lanes.

http://www.texasstandard.org/stories/ar … n-antonio/

#2 Bike Lanes / Facilities » Bicycle Boulevard Improvement » 2017-03-08 10:11:56

cycling74
Replies: 0

So the Bicycle Boulevard has had its issues, (built on wrong street, impenetrable double white line turning out to be penetrable, boulevard ended up being parking for cars & delivery trucks, etc), well...  here's an actual improvement.

CONCRETE BARRIER GOING IN TODAY, at least on this stretch. I expect this will extend all the way up to 24th. By the way, the 24th - 29th wastewater project is nearing completion so expect to see the Boulevard finally extend from 24th to 29th soon as it was originally planned. 


JyhCbZV.jpg

#3 Bike Lanes / Facilities » New bike lane on Comal » 2017-02-17 18:13:10

cycling74
Replies: 1

This has been a couple years in the making, but wanted to post this here today. The city striped this today, No Parking signs went up as well. The first photo is Comal between 5th & 6th looking north. The second photo is Comal north of East 7th st looking north. This bike lane has been much needed for many years. It's a long hill and cyclists need the space to climb. Southbound on Comal will continue to allow parking, but will add Sharrow markings. It's downhill, so that makes sense. This was a compromise between the neighborhood, business owners, and the city. Pretty happy with the results.

SD6SHev.jpg
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#4 Re: Organizations » Should I accept the award from Bike Texas? » 2016-09-21 20:03:28

Yes, I think you should accept it, you deserve it. Way back when I started bike commuting I was influenced to do it by your site, your posts, and the comments of others. While I don't bike commute anymore, I did it for 10 years. You were a big part of why I did it as far as I'm concerned.

This is the second year of no bike commuting and it's because of this, I started running. Also because I have 3 kids in 3 different schools and I bring them and pick them up every single day, so I had to cut back. Running 30 min/day is far more of a workout for me. I still pack up the bikes for camping trips and we do occasional family rides here and there.

The long term impact on bike commuting on me is I'm very careful driver, a pro at defensive driving (bike commuting will do that to you), and did I mention a very careful driver?

Anyway, thanks Michael for all you've done. You deserve some recognition!

#5 Re: Traffic Laws » Ora Houston on bicycle riding » 2015-04-24 09:27:42

Ms Houston is meeting with our neighborhood assoc in July, I'll be bringing up this and other issues. By then she'll have some time on the council to learn more about bicycle commuting but I just want to confirm she understands there are thousands of bicycle commuters in her district.

#6 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » Bicycle Boulevard Progress » 2015-04-22 15:00:02

No, I see wrong way one way all the time, drivers not seeing stop signs and blowing through them, wrong way down alleys (again not seeing any stop sign because they're going the wrong way). West Campus. Be careful if you walk or ride here.

#7 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » Bicycle Boulevard Progress » 2015-04-22 11:19:18

Just an update on the Rio Grande Bicycle Boulevard that runs from MLK to 24th St. I use it daily, as do many cyclists, and we don't see this every day but I thought I'd post it anyway. Usually the only issues we have are trucks and deliveries parked in the lane but every once in awhile a driver will mistake the boulevard for a southbound car lane.

in this case the driver drove down the block to drop his friend off here, then pulls around us waiting cyclists to turn west on MLK. Probably a mistake but still something to watch out for.

Bicycle Boulevard

#8 Re: Justice Issues / Collisions » Car kills cyclist Tom Wilkinson, 53, in Lost Creek, 4/1/15 » 2015-04-09 09:40:27

BRADHOUSTON wrote:

The second issue is the fact that motor vehicle don't look for bicycles.  My personal safety campaign is to get all cyclists to use a white strobe light on their bikes in the DAYLIGHT hours.

You've convinced me. If daytime running lights are mandatory for motorcycles and standard on more and more new cars and trucks then why not use them on a bicycle?

I'm going to start running my front strobe during the day starting today and see if I can notice a difference. Too many times a driver does not see me and will almost turn left in front of me and sometimes actually do it.

#9 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » The Austin B-Cycle thread » 2014-11-18 12:29:28

Looks like bad reviews are from people who are not familiar with how the B-Cycle rentals work. It's the same in every city, but for a new user who sees only the words 24 hours and $8, it's confusing.

The first time I checked one out I did it wrong and was charged $8 even though I had a year membership. One call and it was refunded.

I use B-Cycle almost daily and it's great. I use car2go in combination and while both services had their startup issues, they are continuing to make improvements. For example, now B-Cycle sends a confirmation email when checking in a bike. Car2Go now AUTOMATICALLY ends your rental 15 second after you insert the key back into the "check in" slot and exit the vehicle.

Looks like I need to leave this review on Yelp sometime to help balance out the reviews.

#10 Re: Justice Issues / Collisions » Texting / handheld device ban » 2014-08-29 09:54:49

As a bicycle commuter I say thank god this passed and i hope it's enforced. I see too many drivers out there looking down at their phones while driving. I've been almost hit by too many drivers talking on their phone while driving. That behavior has got to stop.

#11 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » Austin ISD opens new pedestrian bridge in NE Austin » 2014-05-20 09:50:31

dougmc wrote:

Was this the bridge that the locals were opposing because they thought it would bring crime to their previously crime-free neighborhood?


Indeed this is the bridge. I spoke with a friend who lives in that neighborhood and they said not only did they oppose it because of the possible increase in crime, but people on the other side of the bridge opposed it because they preferred their kids get bussed to school instead of walk.

I predict it'll all work out, the crime won't increase and kids will enjoy walking to school. Time will tell.

#12 Re: Other » Pull the plug on BicycleAustin.info? » 2014-04-21 18:04:35

^^^


Okay whoever figures that out is the next Zuckerberg or Jobs or whatever.

#13 Re: Justice Issues / Collisions » Reflections on my biking after a near head-on collision » 2014-04-12 17:07:39

Nice camera. I find that confrontation doesn't work unless you say "I got you doing that on camera" and they totally know they are guilty when evidence like that exists. Keeps them feeling guilty for a little while at least, like the cops are going to come knocking.

So in this scenario, she was running the left turn light and in this town red light runners are the norm. I expect people to run the red and not the other way around. Once you expect that, maybe close calls like this can be avoided. (Just be sure to still yell at them as they do it)

#15 Re: Commuting/Routes » Does Ben Wear own a bicycle? » 2014-01-09 21:20:09

No, but he's entertaining enough we still keep him around.

#16 Re: Other » Bicycle Quotes.......Keep Adding Them If You Choose » 2014-01-06 16:11:17

Here's one from today. Jerry Seinfeld was doing an AMA on reddit and was asked the question, "What, above all other things, is the neatest most fascinating and cool thing you get to do on a daily basis?" Here's his answer:

"WOW. First of all, GREAT question.
That I get to do on a daily basis? Probably walk to work. I think that's about the coolest thing that there is. Or take my bike. If you can walk to work or take your bike on a daily basis, I think that's just about the coolest thing that there is. Every morning I listen to the traffic on the radio, and they talk about how they are jammed and I just laugh. I love traffic. I love traffic reports because I'm not in any of them."

-Jerry Seinfeld
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1 … er/ceitm0j

#17 Re: Justice Issues / Collisions » The Bluejays will buy a car and give up bicycling » 2013-11-03 18:00:54

MB has done so much for commuter cycling in Austin, and this is the furthest thing from defeat. May I suggest an electric car? GM won't be able to kill them off so easily this time around.

#18 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » Changing Lanes: Austin’s Cycle Tracks » 2013-11-01 13:10:34

m1ek wrote:

but what are the high-ability folks supposed to do now?

I take the lane as I always have. Traffic is never that fast on the drag, I can keep pace. I will admit, that method is not for the faint of heart, but maybe that cycle track is. It is definitely for slower moving cyclists.

I don't use it, mostly due to the pedestrians. I would not feel safe riding on it through an intersection where cars are allowed to make right turns like 22nd St for example.

#19 Re: Traffic Laws » Bikers running the intersection » 2013-11-01 10:48:31

btrettel wrote:

Time to resurrect this thread...

Has anyone actually made any progress talking to jerk cyclists? You all have any tips?


Do any drivers (outside New Jersey) do this to other drivers? I'd imagine it would not go so well.

#20 Re: Traffic Laws » Filing complaints at municipal court » 2013-10-11 10:40:52

If there's one thing I've learned bicycle commuting, it's that green does not mean go. Now I look both ways when the light turns green both while riding and while driving. Too many people get T-Boned because they didn't look.

PS - nice video

#21 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » Shoal Creek Trail Closed from 3rd to Cesar Chavez » 2013-09-29 15:05:16

Just rode through this detour in the rain. It looks like the city did a fine job accommodating eastbound bikes with concrete barriers and proper signage to boot. Just my opinion, this detour is A-OK with me.

#22 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » Shoal Creek Trail Closed from 3rd to Cesar Chavez » 2013-08-23 10:58:59

damicoaustin wrote:

I haven't even been down there in a long time. What do you do if you're going eastbound on the LAB when you get to San Antonio?


I cross Cesar Chavez and enter the hike & bike to continue East. I guess you can go the wrong way up San Antonio and continue east on 4th too.

#23 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » Shoal Creek Trail Closed from 3rd to Cesar Chavez » 2013-08-23 09:16:54

Honestly, I thought that stretch of Shoal Creek trail had been closed awhile ago. I switched to the San Antonio detour a year ago and haven't thought much about it since.

#24 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » Red alert on the Drag » 2013-08-14 09:33:06

Heck, even the City of Waco has green painted bike boxes & lanes. It's high time we get with the program here in Austin.

#25 Re: Bike Lanes / Facilities » Red alert on the Drag » 2013-08-13 10:08:50

Looks like this was part of the plan for a protected bike lane on southbound Guadalupe from 24th to MLK. "At this time, southbound bicycle lanes with green skid-resistant paint will be installed to clearly convey that on-street parking is to park away from the curb. Pedestrian areas and planters will also be installed at this time." Be sure to view the PDF to see where the PAINTED GREEN bike lane will look like. Read Phase III.
http://austintexas.gov/article/guadalup … nt-project

Link directly to PDF:
http://austintexas.gov/sites/default/fi … 3__Web.pdf

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