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Cycling in Waterloo Region - Printable Version

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RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - tomh009 - 11-24-2018

(11-24-2018, 09:12 AM)danbrotherston Wrote:
(11-23-2018, 09:36 PM)tomh009 Wrote: The city's survey is also asking whether the uptown lane separation is sufficient:
https://www.waterloo.ca/en/living/uptownstreetscapeimprovement.asp

I only see a link from the city's page to the region's survey.  Is there another survey that I'm missing?

Apparently I was not paying sufficient attention! Sorry … Sad


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Spokes - 11-25-2018

(11-24-2018, 03:56 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(11-24-2018, 08:30 AM)Spokes Wrote: If the city really cared about enforcing this, they'd pass a bylaw stating that fines for parking violations in bike lanes are tripled.

You could easily do this for parking on LRT tracks too.

Effective enforcement of current bylaws would make a bigger difference than larger fines (that are not enforced), methinks.

True. Higher fines do nothing of they're enforced like they currently are


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - ijmorlan - 11-25-2018

Also they should be towing, and promptly. How long would they leave a car sitting in the motor vehicle lanes before towing it?


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 11-25-2018

(11-25-2018, 10:44 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: Also they should be towing, and promptly. How long would they leave a car sitting in the motor vehicle lanes before towing it?

To be honest, probably a very long time, the fact is, for delivery timeline (1-30 minutes) you can basically park anywhere in the city at all, with no repercussions at all... and I do mean anywhere, with the possible exception of through lanes on the expressway, any shoulder, through lane, turn lane, driveway, sidewalk, LRT track, bike lane, trail.

Longer and you might risk a ticket, but I still think it's going to be a very very high bar for towing...

Given that a parking ticket is only like 25-40 dollars, you can basically park almost anywhere you want all day for 40 bucks or less.

Pretty cheap.

We put very effort in preventing illegal parking through enforcement, and largely rely on people choosing to not be problematic and instead using the plentiful free parking...which we hear so many complaints about.


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - ijmorlan - 11-25-2018

(11-25-2018, 10:59 AM)danbrotherston Wrote:
(11-25-2018, 10:44 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: Also they should be towing, and promptly. How long would they leave a car sitting in the motor vehicle lanes before towing it?

To be honest, probably a very long time, the fact is, for delivery timeline (1-30 minutes) you can basically park anywhere in the city at all, with no repercussions at all... and I do mean anywhere, with the possible exception of through lanes on the expressway, any shoulder, through lane, turn lane, driveway, sidewalk, LRT track, bike lane, trail.

Really? I find that a bit hard to believe. I drive my car down King St. in front of the hospital, stop at the red light, get out, and lock it. It’s still there an hour later?


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 11-25-2018

(11-25-2018, 01:44 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:
(11-25-2018, 10:59 AM)danbrotherston Wrote: To be honest, probably a very long time, the fact is, for delivery timeline (1-30 minutes) you can basically park anywhere in the city at all, with no repercussions at all... and I do mean anywhere, with the possible exception of through lanes on the expressway, any shoulder, through lane, turn lane, driveway, sidewalk, LRT track, bike lane, trail.

Really? I find that a bit hard to believe. I drive my car down King St. in front of the hospital, stop at the red light, get out, and lock it. It’s still there an hour later?

I really do suspect you'd still find your car there an hour later.  But your exception really proves the rule, single lane segments might be the exception, like I said, it's a very very high bar for getting towed, you if completely block a road, any two lane section where cars still get past are fine, unless you park traverse and again block the road entirely.  I don't for a moment think you're getting towed quickly otherwise.  For that matter, I've seen plenty of vehicle partially blocking King parked but where cars can squeeze past, with no apparent bylaw response.


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - ijmorlan - 11-25-2018

(11-25-2018, 02:29 PM)danbrotherston Wrote:
(11-25-2018, 01:44 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: Really? I find that a bit hard to believe. I drive my car down King St. in front of the hospital, stop at the red light, get out, and lock it. It’s still there an hour later?

I really do suspect you'd still find your car there an hour later.  But your exception really proves the rule, single lane segments might be the exception, like I said, it's a very very high bar for getting towed, you if completely block a road, any two lane section where cars still get past are fine, unless you park traverse and again block the road entirely.  I don't for a moment think you're getting towed quickly otherwise.  For that matter, I've seen plenty of vehicle partially blocking King parked but where cars can squeeze past, with no apparent bylaw response.

You may well be right. That makes me think though, and realize that my suggestion is so outrageous because nobody would ever do that. But blocking a bike lane is perfectly normal. And that in turn is why segregation needs to mean real segregation — a barrier which cars will not cross, certainly at minimum a real curb, and probably at least some bollards.


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - plam - 11-25-2018

(11-25-2018, 07:41 PM)ijmorlan Wrote:
(11-25-2018, 02:29 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: I really do suspect you'd still find your car there an hour later.  But your exception really proves the rule, single lane segments might be the exception, like I said, it's a very very high bar for getting towed, you if completely block a road, any two lane section where cars still get past are fine, unless you park traverse and again block the road entirely.  I don't for a moment think you're getting towed quickly otherwise.  For that matter, I've seen plenty of vehicle partially blocking King parked but where cars can squeeze past, with no apparent bylaw response.

You may well be right. That makes me think though, and realize that my suggestion is so outrageous because nobody would ever do that. But blocking a bike lane is perfectly normal. And that in turn is why segregation needs to mean real segregation — a barrier which cars will not cross, certainly at minimum a real curb, and probably at least some bollards.

That is my talking point when I encounter people parked in the bike lane. "Would you stop your car in the car lane? Why are you doing it in the bike lane?"


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Canard - 11-26-2018

I suspect they will invariably reply “you can just go around”.


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Coke6pk - 11-27-2018

(11-24-2018, 03:56 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(11-24-2018, 08:30 AM)Spokes Wrote: If the city really cared about enforcing this, they'd pass a bylaw stating that fines for parking violations in bike lanes are tripled.

You could easily do this for parking on LRT tracks too.

Effective enforcement of current bylaws would make a bigger difference than larger fines (that are not enforced), methinks.

The bike lanes are "No Parking", so taxi's, ride share, delivery who are "actively loading or unloading" as defined in the HTA, are not legally parked.  The city should make those lanes no stopping [or have the police enforce the "Diamond Lane" aspect... any vehicle that is not a bike would be guilty of an offence]

Coke


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Section ThirtyOne - 11-27-2018

(11-23-2018, 09:36 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(11-23-2018, 09:06 PM)danbrotherston Wrote: Of course, the Region is even more obstinate about the design, continuing to argue that it's fine.  They are however completing a study, which I will promote here again:

https://surveys.regionofwaterloo.ca/?e=138552&h=DF587D3F1E1AE87&l=en

It's worth filling out carefully, the questions are rather...biased...to achieve the result of "the lane is fine".

The report will be presented at ATAC in January, where I have a (twice deferred on weak excuses) motion to ask Regional Council to consider a more protected design for Phase 2.  I find it unlikely staff will support this request, so it's likely going to be a case where council would have to overrule staff for anything to change.

The city's survey is also asking whether the uptown lane separation is sufficient:
https://www.waterloo.ca/en/living/uptownstreetscapeimprovement.asp

Thank you for the link. I left some fairly frank comments regarding the bike lanes and LED lighting.


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Canard - 11-27-2018

(11-27-2018, 11:59 AM)Section ThirtyOne Wrote: I left some fairly frank comments regarding the bike lanes and LED lighting.

What aspect of the lighting do you object to?


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - danbrotherston - 11-27-2018

(11-27-2018, 09:36 AM)Coke6pk Wrote:
(11-24-2018, 03:56 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Effective enforcement of current bylaws would make a bigger difference than larger fines (that are not enforced), methinks.

The bike lanes are "No Parking", so taxi's, ride share, delivery who are "actively loading or unloading" as defined in the HTA, are not legally parked.  The city should make those lanes no stopping [or have the police enforce the "Diamond Lane" aspect... any vehicle that is not a bike would be guilty of an offence]

Coke

I think you allude to it but I want to make it explicit. Delivery/rideshare/taxis are committing an HTA offense (what they're doing is illegal) when they are in a bike lane.  However due to the distribution of powers, city bylaw refuses to ticket them because it is WRPSs jurisdiction to enforce the HTA but WRPS will under no circumstances ticket a vehicle in that situation.  When we were told enforcement would solve the uptown bike lanes it was nothing short of an outright lie.


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Section ThirtyOne - 11-28-2018

(11-27-2018, 01:42 PM)Canard Wrote:
(11-27-2018, 11:59 AM)Section ThirtyOne Wrote: I left some fairly frank comments regarding the bike lanes and LED lighting.

What aspect of the lighting do you object to?

The fact that it is garish, was extremely overpriced and cheapens the overall look of the streetscape.


RE: Cycling in Waterloo Region - Canard - 12-01-2018

I have what is potentially a really dumb question, or maybe this is something totally obvious that people do all the time...

One of my bikes (the one I ride year-round, a Trek Verve 3 that I absolutely adore) has 700c x 35 tires. I have these nice Hard Case Ultimate Bontrager tires on it that are super-smooth on the paved paths, but have knobby edges off to the sides when I'm off road. I love 'em.

Anyway, in the winter, I switch over to some knobbier Bontrager tires, I just did that myself this morning for the first time. It didn't take too long, maybe 20-30 minutes.

Anyway, I got to thinking about how much I'd also like to try out studded/spiked tires, for those days when it's icy or when the knobby tires don't have enough traction - but don't want to not be able to ride when it's clear out. Swapping would be a little more effort than I'd probably want to do on a regular basis... so then I thought, what if I just bought a second set of rims, tires and tubes, and the same cassette that is on my "regular" wheels... and just physically swap the entire wheels depending on the weather? That's like a 1 minute job.

What do you think? Is this crazy? Or do people already do this as "a thing"?

If I were to do this, I suppose there are all sorts of parameters and nomenclature for specifying the correct type of rim (or, I suppose more importantly, the axle arrangement and offset for the rear one, especially, to accommodate the cassette)...?