Right on! One of the things I take from the robust discussion on the bikies email list is that we as a community may need to rethink what it means to "share the road". With more bikers and pedestrians every day, our old habits and training may no longer serve us.
Best, Jay On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 7:39 AM, Olson, Chris <[email protected]>wrote: > What I was trying to say is all modes of travel need to share the road > together.**** > > ** ** > > *Chris Olson* > > *Metro transit* > > *General Operations Supervisor* > > *608-267-8762* > > *colson@cityof madison.com*** > > ** ** > > *From:* Jay Ferm [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Monday, August 08, 2011 7:40 PM > *To:* Olson, Chris > > *Subject:* Re: [Bikies] Buzzed by Metro bus**** > > ** ** > > Chris,**** > > ** ** > > You stated " That being said wouldn’t that make it illegal for a bike to > occupy a bus lane."**** > > ** ** > > Where are there bus only lanes in Madison?**** > > ** ** > > Jay**** > > ** ** > > On Mon, Aug 8, 2011 at 1:19 PM, Eric Sundquist <[email protected]> > wrote:**** > > *340.01(5e) *"Bicycle lane" means that portion of a roadway set aside by > the governing body of any city, town, village, or county *for the > exclusive use of bicycles,* electric personal assistive mobility devices, > or other modes of travel where permitted under s. 349.23 (2) > (a)<http://nxt.legis.state.wi.us/nxt/gateway.dll?f=xhitlist$xhitlist_x=Advanced$xhitlist_vpc=first$xhitlist_xsl=querylink.xsl$xhitlist_sel=title;path;content-type;home-title$xhitlist_d=%7Bstats%7D%24xhitlist_q%3D%5Bfield%20folio-destination-name:'349.23(2)(a)'%5d$xhitlist_md=target-id=0-0-0-270567>, > and so designated by appropriate signs and markings.**** > > ** ** > > *From:* "Olson, Chris" <[email protected]> > *To:* 'Eric Sundquist' <[email protected]>**** > > *Sent:* Monday, August 8, 2011 12:57 PM**** > > > *Subject:* RE: [Bikies] Buzzed by Metro bus**** > > ** ** > > Eric,**** > > **** > > I checked the Wisconsin Motor Vehicle laws and couldn’t find a law making > it Illegal for buses to occupy a bike lane. That being said wouldn’t that > make it illegal for a bike to occupy a bus lane. What really needs to happen > is all vehicles need to share the road and we will continue to have our > drivers protect their right side. It’s all about safety I’ve seen too many > bad things happen when a driver doesn’t follow this safe driving habit. I > know we’ve different opinions on this issue but my main concern is if anyone > has a problem with one of our drivers that they contact us at our Customer > Service Center at 266-4466 and we’ll investigate and take the appreciate > action . **** > > **** > > *Chris Olson***** > > *Metro transit***** > > *General Operations Supervisor***** > > *608-267-8762***** > > *colson@cityof madison.com***** > > **** > > *From:* Eric Sundquist [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Monday, August 08, 2011 12:21 PM > *To:* Olson, Chris > *Cc:* [email protected]**** > > > *Subject:* Re: [Bikies] Buzzed by Metro bus**** > > **** > > Thanks, Chris. It's a good point that bikes sometimes cause hazards, as do > car drivers (such as the woman on the cell phone who blew a red this > morning, nearly hitting both bikes and other cars, at Monroe and Regent). In > my opinion, traffic laws should be better enforced on all > vehicles, including bikes, particularly when some violation, like speeding > or running a light, puts others at risk. **** > > **** > > But the guidance you are giving drivers on Charter is probably illegal, at > least during times when the traffic is heavy. The bike lane is a travel lane > like any others, and buses shouldn't block it when they are idling at a > place where there is no stop. When traffic is backed up there is plenty of > time for drivers to make a right signal at the stop, let any bikes clear out > of the blind spot and then pull over. (Some drivers do do this, and it's > appreciated.) Same goes for right-turning on University Avenue. When buses > and cars waiting to turn right all hug the curb, the bike lane ends up being > an illegal right turn lane.**** > > **** > > When traffic is not backed up, hugging the curb before making the stop > might make sense, as the buses are moving and not blocking bike traffic in > that lane.**** > > **** > > Eric**** > > **** > > *From:* "Olson, Chris" <[email protected]> > *To:* 'Eric Sundquist' <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Monday, August 8, 2011 11:53 AM > *Subject:* RE: [Bikies] Buzzed by Metro bus**** > > Eric,**** > > **** > > Drivers are trained to protect their right side of the bus that’s why > they’re in the bike lane on Charter. This keeps bikes, mopes and pedestrians > from getting in between bus and the curb. Buses either go straight on > Charter or turn right onto University by hugging the curb they keep other > vehicles out of their blind spots on the right side. Eric you must ride your > bike a lot and after having a Madison Police Officer review the video from > the incident on Fair Oaks Ave. She stated bikes are consider a vehicle and > are to adhere to the same traffic laws as any other vehicle. This is a issue > that Metro drivers and Road Supervisors bring up to me and after being a > road supervisor for several years it ‘s a valid one. Before we had video > customer complaints were the customers word against the drivers word which > made it hard to discipline drivers. Since all buses have video now we can > look at each situation and validate the concerns of both parties. We take a > proactive stance with regards to all safety issues with our drivers when a > customer, pedestrian, biker or citizen makes a complaint, this can be from > retraining to disciplinarian action by Metro. The question I get from > drivers is what is being done to bicyclists who don’t follow the same > traffic laws as any other vehicle on the streets of Madison.**** > > **** > > *Chris Olson***** > > *Metro transit***** > > *General Operations Supervisor***** > > *608-267-8762***** > > *colson@cityof madison.com***** > > **** > > *From:* Eric Sundquist [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Monday, August 08, 2011 10:26 AM > *To:* Jay Ferm; [email protected] > *Cc:* Olson, Chris > *Subject:* Re: [Bikies] Buzzed by Metro bus**** > > **** > > Mostly I find Metro drivers to be courteous. The one place I run into > routine disrespect for bikes is on southbound Charter Street between Linden > and University. There's a midblock stop on Charter, which means the buses > have to pull into the bike lane. Frequently, rather than pulling over at the > stop, buses turning from Linden will travel much of the block along the > curb in the bike lane. At times when traffic backs up at University, this > means they are blocking the bike lane through several light cycles.**** > > **** > > This bike lane idling is unnecessary for the buses and holds up bike > traffic, some of which diverts to the crowded sidewalk or to the left side > of the bus, creating a bit of a hazard. The issue is less the danger, > though, than holding up people traveling by bike for no good reason.**** > > **** > > Eric Sundquist**** > > **** > > **** > > *From:* Jay Ferm <[email protected]> > *To:* [email protected] > *Cc:* "Olson, Chris" <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Sunday, August 7, 2011 9:37 PM > *Subject:* [Bikies] Buzzed by Metro bus**** > > Hi folks,**** > > **** > > I figured I'd share my report of a Metro bus buzzing incident and Metro's > response. Aside from contaminating my name, I am satisfied enough with the > response, such as it is. But the incident got me wondering...**** > > **** > > What is the view among bicyclists of how Metro bus drivers interact with > bicyclists in general? I would like to hear from the list if you feel there > are issues regarding how Metro drivers interact with bicyclists.**** > > **** > > Have any LCIs, transportation or family cyclists from the bicycling > community reviewed Metro's training protocol regarding bicyclists? It might > be interesting to assess their training against best practices.**** > > **** > > (I have cc:ed Chris Olson, a Metro General Operations Supervisor. If you > have anything to report, please cc: him, too.)**** > > **** > > Thanks,**** > > Jay Ferm**** > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: *Olson, Chris* <[email protected]> > Date: Wed, Aug 3, 2011 at 10:13 AM > Subject: Your Feedback Received on 8/2/2011 - #31933 > To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > > Mr. Germ > > I reviewed the video from bus 947 to investigate your safety concern. It > showed you making a left turn and the bus moving over to the right to go > around you and your children. The video recorded the bus going the posted > speed limited. I did talk to the driver and felt he should've slowed his bus > when approaching bicyclist from behind. I truly believe you and your > children were not in danger from the driver's maneuver to pass you. I > apologize if this incident made you feel threatened by our bus. We do take > safety very seriously at Metro and continue to train our driver's with > refresher training every year. We also use the video as a tool to show > drivers how to handle situations on the road and change driving habits. If > you've any questions please feel free to contact me. > > Chris Olson > Metro transit > General Operations Supervisor > 608-267-8762 > colson@cityof madison.com > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Your Feedback: > Dear Metro, > > I write to tell you of a dangerous driving on Sunday, July 31 involving a > Metro bus. My family were riding our bikes on the eastside. I was pulling a > bike trailer with our two toddlers. We had turned right from Ivy St. onto S. > Fair Oaks Ave. northbound. Preparing to turn left onto Thorp St. we > positioned ourselves in the left lane and signaled our turn. As we waited > for southbound traffic to pass I noted a Metro bus approaching us from the > south. As the bus approached it did not slow down to a safe passing speed. > With oncoming traffic and the load of the trailer and kids I could not get > out of the bus' way. It passed us going much too fast and much too close. I > sensed, but cannot confirm (since my attention was split between front and > back), that the driver swerved the bus around us. It was not clear to me > that we were safe and that the driver was aware of our presence prior to > passing. > > I am very angry about what happened. The driver put me and my children at > risk. > > The number on the bus was 947 and it occurred at about 5:38pm. > > I would like to...request the incident be investigated. > > Best,**** > > Jay Ferm**** > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org**** > > **** > > ** ** > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org**** > > ** ** >
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