Comments on: Pasadena Thinking of Taking a Car-Lane for Bikes and Peds. at Rose Bowl http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/07/27/pasadena-thinking-of-taking-a-car-lane-for-bikes-and-pedestrians-at-rose-bowl/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:36:52 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: ubrayj02 http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/07/27/pasadena-thinking-of-taking-a-car-lane-for-bikes-and-pedestrians-at-rose-bowl/comment-page-1/#comment-16651 ubrayj02 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:01:40 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=5101#comment-16651 http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/youre-full-spokker.php http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/youre-full-spokker.php

]]> By: Spokker http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/07/27/pasadena-thinking-of-taking-a-car-lane-for-bikes-and-pedestrians-at-rose-bowl/comment-page-1/#comment-16321 Spokker Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:32:19 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=5101#comment-16321 God I love bikes. It's great when everybody comes together as one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXvqwva-ChQ When they blocked the intersection I really felt like LA was coming together to embrace cycling as a serious commuting option. I really wish the city just did away with signals altogether. Clearly they are not needed in LA Biking Utopia! Silly transportation planners. God I love bikes. It's great when everybody comes together as one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXvqwva-ChQ

When they blocked the intersection I really felt like LA was coming together to embrace cycling as a serious commuting option. I really wish the city just did away with signals altogether. Clearly they are not needed in LA Biking Utopia! Silly transportation planners.

]]> By: Umberto Brayj http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/07/27/pasadena-thinking-of-taking-a-car-lane-for-bikes-and-pedestrians-at-rose-bowl/comment-page-1/#comment-16301 Umberto Brayj Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:32:27 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=5101#comment-16301 I think that the upgrades suggested by city staff address your concerns Paulie. I think that the upgrades suggested by city staff address your concerns Paulie.

]]> By: Spokker http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/07/27/pasadena-thinking-of-taking-a-car-lane-for-bikes-and-pedestrians-at-rose-bowl/comment-page-1/#comment-16281 Spokker Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:40:53 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=5101#comment-16281 Bikes rule!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hemN2KfJLw&feature=channel_page Bikes rule!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hemN2KfJLw&feature=channel_page

]]> By: Paulie http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/07/27/pasadena-thinking-of-taking-a-car-lane-for-bikes-and-pedestrians-at-rose-bowl/comment-page-1/#comment-16161 Paulie Wed, 29 Jul 2009 01:41:47 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=5101#comment-16161 As I recall the problem with bicycles cited by the council was collisions with pedestrians and not a conflict with automobiles. I ride and run the loop frequently and have never noticed a real problem with cars (except maybe when they try to park in the middle of the pedestrian zone). The real problem is that many of the pedestrians will walk right in front of bicycles or cars because they are not looking where they are going and they are not aware of their surroundings because they are using iPods. The so called "buffer zone" has just made this worse because many pedestrians just feel this is an extension of the pedestrian zone and many cyclists think it is a bike lane. None of the proposed solutions addresses this critical issue. If pedestrians are going to be allowed to walk in the same direction as vehicular traffic then there should be some sort of physical barrier between the pedestrians and vehicles so that pedestrians don't walk out in front of bikes or cars. Simple "flexible delineator posts" won't stop a walker with a stroller moving out into traffic to pass someone. Another possible solution is to paint a stripe down the center of the pedestrian zone and add indicators showing that the outside lane goes against vehicular traffic. People can then go with traffic if they want to but it would be on the inside lane away from bikes and cars. I have my doubts that people would follow this since people prefer the flatter asphalt on the outside, but it would be worth a try. As I recall the problem with bicycles cited by the council was collisions with pedestrians and not a conflict with automobiles. I ride and run the loop frequently and have never noticed a real problem with cars (except maybe when they try to park in the middle of the pedestrian zone). The real problem is that many of the pedestrians will walk right in front of bicycles or cars because they are not looking where they are going and they are not aware of their surroundings because they are using iPods. The so called "buffer zone" has just made this worse because many pedestrians just feel this is an extension of the pedestrian zone and many cyclists think it is a bike lane. None of the proposed solutions addresses this critical issue.

If pedestrians are going to be allowed to walk in the same direction as vehicular traffic then there should be some sort of physical barrier between the pedestrians and vehicles so that pedestrians don't walk out in front of bikes or cars. Simple "flexible delineator posts" won't stop a walker with a stroller moving out into traffic to pass someone.

Another possible solution is to paint a stripe down the center of the pedestrian zone and add indicators showing that the outside lane goes against vehicular traffic. People can then go with traffic if they want to but it would be on the inside lane away from bikes and cars. I have my doubts that people would follow this since people prefer the flatter asphalt on the outside, but it would be worth a try.

]]> By: angle http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/07/27/pasadena-thinking-of-taking-a-car-lane-for-bikes-and-pedestrians-at-rose-bowl/comment-page-1/#comment-15971 angle Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:37:40 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=5101#comment-15971 I'm not actually familiar with the loop in question, but I'm wondering why motor vehicles would need two lanes in opposing directions, since even when traveling at a fairly low speed it would only take them a few minutes to "commute" around the entire loop. I'm not actually familiar with the loop in question, but I'm wondering why motor vehicles would need two lanes in opposing directions, since even when traveling at a fairly low speed it would only take them a few minutes to "commute" around the entire loop.

]]> By: Umberto Brayj http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/07/27/pasadena-thinking-of-taking-a-car-lane-for-bikes-and-pedestrians-at-rose-bowl/comment-page-1/#comment-15821 Umberto Brayj Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:01:58 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=5101#comment-15821 Wow - I remember going to those hearings in Pasadena City Hall. In fact, I've still got city council footage sitting on my hard drive of those meetings. There were a lot of pissed off bike riders, and it's good to see that something productive is peeking its head out of what was initially a very one-sided and poorly thought out plan to prohibit cyclists from riding 'round the Rose Bowl. Hats off to those who worked hard to get things to this point. I like the widened pedestrian walkway and the removal of two-way car traffic. The real hazard at the Rose Bowl is the multi-ton vehicles blazing through the area - not people riding bikes and certainly not normal folks out for a healthy evening stroll. Wow - I remember going to those hearings in Pasadena City Hall. In fact, I've still got city council footage sitting on my hard drive of those meetings. There were a lot of pissed off bike riders, and it's good to see that something productive is peeking its head out of what was initially a very one-sided and poorly thought out plan to prohibit cyclists from riding 'round the Rose Bowl.

Hats off to those who worked hard to get things to this point. I like the widened pedestrian walkway and the removal of two-way car traffic. The real hazard at the Rose Bowl is the multi-ton vehicles blazing through the area - not people riding bikes and certainly not normal folks out for a healthy evening stroll.

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