Paul, In theory I agree, but when I think about it I end up coming up with:
a) You can't see lane markings v. well in this kind of weather, so widening a particular lane amounts to just widening the street in general- and we can refer back to recent posts to debate what the impact of this will be. b) We can't be choosy about where plowed snow ends up (at least AS it's being plowed). The plows are a certain width and push the snow off to the sides- and that's where it ends up. If plows are required to make multiple passes on roads, then the cost of plowing in Madison would balloon even higher than it already is. So I end up back with what Robbie said. Ride in the lane if the bike lane is impassable. Cars "should be" driving more slowly right now, and also are required by law to respect our need to take a lane when it's necessary. During the winter I think that car drivers and bike riders need to be even more careful and respectful of each other. When I'm on my bike in the cruddy weather I do have empathy for the folks trying to get around town in their autos in the muck. I don't expect them to be able to see as well, stop as well, etc. I try to be an assertive (taking the lane, making my maneuvers predictable and visible) as well as extremely defensive cyclist. If I meet a driver who is unwilling to respect my safe zone I may mutter under my breath, but I don't take any unnecessary chances just to prove to them that they are in the wrong. My years of biking year round have reinforced my belief that many drivers are very courteous, if not as attentive as they ought to be, and the ones who aren't aren't going to change on my behalf. -India On 12/13/10, "Paul T. O'Leary" <[email protected]> wrote: > So for a bike lane to be a true all-season bike lane, the road also needs > some width for > the "snowy crud", separate from the bike lane. Is that ever taken into > consideration in > road design? > > From: Robbie Webber <[email protected]> > > > Just a reminder to those using roads with bike lanes: You are not required > > to use the "bike lane" if the conditions are not safe. If the right portion > > of the roadway is unsuitable for riding, move left, even if this means not > > using the "bike lane." You are not restricted to that lane; you are simply > > permitted to use it. > > > > Another option would be to ask the city to plow all the way to the curb, > > using the Report a Problem link on the front page of the city's web site. > > > > However, it is unlikely that the far right portion of any road will ever be > > as clear of snow, ice, slush, salt, debris, and sundry stuff as the middle > > portion. When cars drive over a street, the gunk that falls off of them acts > > like salt, both making the melting point of the resulting mixture lower, and > > also making the whole mess darker in color, so absorbing more sunlight, and > > melting. Friction from the cars' wheels also heat up the pavement and lead > > to faster melting. > > > > Cars also throw snow, slush, salt, dirt, etc to the sides as they pass, and > > that stuff then ends up on the right of the roadway, and refreezes, or > > creates a pile of loose dirt/salt, which can be hazardous in and of itself. > > Much of the non-frozen stuff remains until spring, or a mid-winter rain > > storm, when rain washes it all down into the storm sewers and our lakes. > > > > Sweeping would help, but it's pretty hard to predict when the streets will > > be snow-covered vs. dry vs. wet, but above freezing, so the city only sweeps > > April/May(?)-Nov. I'm assuming the sweeping equipment is simply put away for > > the winter, and staff assigned other tasks, even if we have a particularly > > warm year. > > > > Most of us intuitively know all this, but every year someone asks, "How come > > the bike lanes are never clear?" So I thought I'd post that answer in > > advance. > > --------------------- > Paul T. O'Leary > Desktop Insurgent > Madison WI USA > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org -- India Viola Stretton Lab 115 Zoology Research 1117 W. Johnson St. Madison, WI 53706 608.262.3336 "How can we learn from our mistakes if we don't first acknowledge them?" -Anonymous Corporations are not citizens. Money is not speech. _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
