I don't see a problem with allowing bikes. I've never seen someone not be able to get on a train because too many bikes were in the way. (Well, once during some bike race last year when there were up to 50 bikes per car...) But as long as they don't enforce the "Allow other passengers to exit and enter the train before boarding" rule, bikes and other riders seem to be able to coexist.

Besides on the line that I'm most familiar with, the blue line, most of Saturday is just as crowded as rush hour. Standing room only between 7th/metro and Imperial. In that respect the rush hour rule is somewhat arbitrary based on the passenger loads.

How can cyclists think this is totally ok? Do they live in a bubble? Yeah it's not like they do enfore the ban on rushhour bikes, but they should and they should have the power to do so and the idea that certain people would talk about removing seats, what's up with that? That's simply insane and selfish.

Browne

There are short term fixes to get more people riding bikes (in lieu of transit) that are relatively cheap.

The 1996 (and re-authorized in 2002) L.A. Bike Plan estimated that, if the citywide bike network proposed in that plan were installed, 5% of commuter traffic could be shifted to bicycles. The total cost of that plan was $60 million - and the entire network (if fully funded) would take less than two years to build.

This inexpensive solution could help relieve the burden on our soon-to-be-strained transit services by shifting users onto another mode. Additionally, since a citywide bike network would reduce auto use in favor of bicycles, bus travel times might likely improve - as there would be fewer cars on the road blocking a fully loaded bus.

Scarcity means a rarity regardless of the price. High prices are going to be the least of our worries.

The biggest problem: Nature lacks a replacement substance to petroleum that is both abundant and affordable. Until we discover it, our standards of living will regress. No one knows for sure how we will respond to the decline.

Keep in mind, there are alternatives to petroleum. They are all inferior replacements, since they all offer worse ERoEI.

The truth is, we're really unprepared for an energy scarce Los Angeles. The public is going to have to learn as it goes, and it is going to be an ugly couple of months when gas hits $5.00/gallon some day soon.

If the MTA had this sort of crisis in its sights 10 years ago (Hah! What public agency would have prepared for this!) space on trains and buses could have been designed into rail cars and buses they acquired.

It is a shame that this is the situation we're left with.

did you hear about Councilman Garcetti's motions just days ago:

a. lifting the ban on bicycles at those times
b. painting more sharrows on the road

!!!

http://lacityorgcd13.blogspot.com/2008/06/introducing-bike-friendly-initiatives.html