I hate it when the last one decides they have to stop... maybe they feel bad that "no one else" stopped to let the poor cyclist through. I've given up on that particular crossing and detour onto Moore if it's busy.
On the other hand … if this is the only car around, and the driver wants to let the cyclist or pedestrian cross, is there really harm in that? Based on Canard's description, she really was courteous, not just "courteous", whether it was necessary or not.
It slows everyone down and ultimately it leaves the cyclists/pedestrian more vulnerable.
But if it was the only car, how does it slow anyone else down, or make the cyclist more vulnerable? I can understand in case there is other traffic and visibility issues, but in this scenario?
(05-24-2018, 10:13 AM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]But if it was the only car, how does it slow anyone else down, or make the cyclist more vulnerable? I can understand in case there is other traffic and visibility issues, but in this scenario?
Because if they just proceeded at the same speed, they'd clear the intersection faster, than for the person crossing to realize that they're stopping for them (I've seen drivers slowly meander through a crossing looking at their phone).
Worse, by the time they've stopped there is often traffic in the other direction. Very often, a driver will stop in one direction causing the space that I was going to proceed through, to disappear. It literally causes EVERYONE to get delayed.
As for danger, other road users get confused, seen cars turn out in front of the stopping vehicle who aren't even in sight of the crossing, because they thought the driver was stopping for them.
Yes, with multiple cars it's a different picture. But with a single car, she only delayed herself to allow a cyclist to cross first, and there was no safety risk. Maybe not necessary, but it's certainly still courteous.
(05-24-2018, 10:30 AM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]Yes, with multiple cars it's a different picture. But with a single car, she only delayed herself to allow a cyclist to cross first, and there was no safety risk. Maybe not necessary, but it's certainly still courteous.
Again, I'll say again, the driver will delay both themselves *and* the cyclist, because slowing to stop and then being clear about stopping is far longer than just proceeding through.
And just because there is no car one moment, doesn't mean there won't be another along in a few seconds (perhaps the few seconds that the driver delayed everyone by stopping).
Also, just because there are no more cars in one direction, doesn't mean that there aren't cars coming in another lane or other direction.
(05-24-2018, 10:30 AM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]Yes, with multiple cars it's a different picture. But with a single car, she only delayed herself to allow a cyclist to cross first, and there was no safety risk. Maybe not necessary, but it's certainly still courteous.
It’s
trying to be courteous, but not
actually courteous.
However, with a safety island, it would actually work for drivers to yield. Similar to a roundabout, safety islands on two-lane roads set up the environment so people can successfully co-operate.
(05-24-2018, 11:13 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: [ -> ] (05-24-2018, 10:30 AM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]Yes, with multiple cars it's a different picture. But with a single car, she only delayed herself to allow a cyclist to cross first, and there was no safety risk. Maybe not necessary, but it's certainly still courteous.
It’s trying to be courteous, but not actually courteous.
However, with a safety island, it would actually work for drivers to yield. Similar to a roundabout, safety islands on two-lane roads set up the environment so people can successfully co-operate.
The problem, even with a traffic island is that as a cyclist, I cannot anticipate driver behaviour. If drivers were required to yield, and almost always did, I could expect them to yield and proceed with caution, but because they are not required to stop (I am) and usually don't (even if it's "barely" usually in some cases) I have to stop and wait. Even if I wanted to proceed if they stopped, I'd still have to wait and see what they do.
It's far far far far better for safety and also better for convenience and time efficiency when people act in a reliable expectable way, regardless of who has to yield.
That was the thing that shocked me about biking in the Netherlands, not that I had the right of way, but that eventually, I could just assume that the drivers will yield.
The system we have is pretty much the worst possible case.
(05-24-2018, 10:33 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: [ -> ]Again, I'll say again, the driver will delay both themselves *and* the cyclist, because slowing to stop and then being clear about stopping is far longer than just proceeding through.
Thisthisthisthisthis.
If she'd maintained her speed she would have cleared faster, Tom. By slowing down and stopping... that took longer, then I have to confirm she actually is stopping, and only then can I go (if I wanted to).
If she'd just breezed through at the speed limit I would have gotten to go much faster.
It's inefficient.
Installed my 2nd
Cane Creek Thudbuster LT on my second bike last night. Just putting it out there - absolutely love these and swear by them. If you're looking for the best Suspension Seatpost you can get, this is it.
(05-24-2018, 12:10 PM)Canard Wrote: [ -> ]Installed my 2nd Cane Creek Thudbuster LT on my second bike last night. Just putting it out there - absolutely love these and swear by them. If you're looking for the best Suspension Seatpost you can get, this is it.
That's really the only way to go for that sort of thing IMO. The cheap spring ones usually end up seizing, squeak a lot, and aren't any lighter than a thudbuster.
The trick is in the geometry - bumps at the rear wheel hit the parallelogram at the proper angle so it soaks them up. On a typical suspension seatpost, they're hitting it perpendicular to it, so they do nothing.
This article contains an interesting item:
https://www.therecord.com/news-story/862...forcement/
“They've put about 27,000 kilometres on the specially outfitted SUV and have issued 2,630 tickets since May 2017.”
Wait, they issue less than 10 tickets per day? What is going on here? They could issue 50 tickets every day just on King St. in Uptown. What are they doing all day? One person can only eat so many doughnuts!