Waterloo Region Connected

I'm not sure, but given how bad it is for driving, I think it would be pretty scary on a bike.

I avoid riding Ira Needles or Erb street in that neck of the woods unless it's in the middle of night or on a holiday.

It came up on twitter, so I figured I'd also mention it here. Here's how I approach shallow angles with LRT tracks on my bike.

Definitely the advised method - place your wheels as perpendicular as possible to the tracks to avoid catching the groove.

I thought you were supposed to cross tracks diagonally?

(11-13-2016, 05:24 PM)DHLawrence Wrote: [ -> ]I thought you were supposed to cross tracks diagonally?

Perpendicular means at 90 degrees.  I believe this is what you mean by diagonally.  

As for the video, in this instance, the tracks are nearly parallel to your direction of travel, it is very difficult to cross diagonally.  I believe Canard is explaining his technique for doing so.  Personally, I would simply take the lane more aggressively, and make a 'S' to cross the tracks, but that's just me.

No, I literally mean diagonally. A bike safety manual I have from ages ago said not to cross at 90 degrees.

(11-13-2016, 07:14 PM)DHLawrence Wrote: [ -> ]No, I literally mean diagonally. A bike safety manual I have from ages ago said not to cross at 90 degrees.

That is unusual, I cannot imagine why.  I would think 90 degrees should be fine, but so should 45, the important thing is to not cross nearly parallel.

Yes, when I said 'as perpendicular as possible' I meant 'as far from parallel as possible'.

That's ideal, yeah - but impossible to do, really, at Charles/Benton.  What I'm trying to show in the video is what I think is the best way to get across, there - how to get as sharp an angle as possible, while also mostly traveling straight, so the intentions are obvious to everyone else around.  You have to watch for oncoming traffic (Northbound Charles) turning left - making it obvious "Hey, I'm not turning right, even though I'm now turning slightly right - I'm actually going straight through" - and you also have to catch the eye of drivers coming down the hill on Benton, turning Right (Southbound) onto Charles - because if you stay too far to the left, they might turn and trap you on the left side of the road... even though you want to be down the centre (Taking the lane) or maneuvering over to the right side.  It's all about communication - being as clear as possible, while also being safe.

Note that I am, in fact, "taking the lane".

Tricky intersection... I guess there isn't room for full bike lanes but it'd be nice to see an ideal path painted for riders going through that intersection.

We might yet see that, once the final pavement goes down.

Bait bikes!
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6978...kitchener/

(11-22-2016, 05:00 PM)tomh009 Wrote: [ -> ]Bait bikes!
http://www.therecord.com/news-story/6978...kitchener/

8 arrests in 3 days?! Holy criminey!

Bike theft is pretty endemic. It's a damn shame it's so common. If your bike is your primary way of getting around, it's a real blow.