I also tend to ride more on bike/ped paths in the winter, in part because of the reasons below. Also, * bike paths are usually smoother, while all-traffic streets have ruts created by cars * bike paths are mostly flat horizontally, while the concave slope of streets makes it tricky when slippery.
That said, I don't support a complete alternate set of bike-only roads. Quoting John Martin <[email protected]>:
While I'm a fan of the idea of cars and bikes co-existing like lions and lambs (friendly ones) in the same roadway, the winter offers many compelling (to me) reasons for segregation (by more than a painted line or curb). - snowy salty crud cast off by motorized traffic ? it fills bike lanes, and bikes just don't have the where-with-all to splash it back. - plows and plowed snow filling the bike lanes with snow (University contra-flow lane, I'm looking at you). - parked cars parking farther and farther from the curb, into the bike lanes, forcing us into traffic. - snow- ice-, and fog- covered windows making me invisible to drivers. - cars driving too fast for conditions and potentially sliding into me - me riding too fast for conditions and potentially sliding into cars - darkness comes too soon and my lights don't make me shiny enough - snowflakes come too thick and block my lights I've been really really happy with how quickly and thoroughly (for the most part) the bike paths are maintained and plowed in the winter. I love them and love the unsung heroes who plow them for me. In my dream city, bike lanes would be far away from vehicles whenever possible, and separated from traffic by concrete barriers and from sidewalks by curbs when they need to abut major streets. I know that this kind of thinking isn't going to change the hearts and minds of drivers who need to just get used to bikes on the streets, but I'd rather address the problem of providing more cyclists with safe cycling conditions. When segregated bike paths are over-flowing, we'll have enough impatient young folks spilling into the other lanes and staking a claim there, and it won't be a few "fringe crazies" who bike, so the drivers will have to concede a bit more space in the political arena as well. Does this make sense? (as a utopian vision) Or am I missing a lot? .02, John
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