Welcome Guest!
In order to take advantage of all the great features that Waterloo Region Connected has to offer, including participating in the lively discussions below, you're going to have to register. The good news is that it'll take less than a minute and you can get started enjoying Waterloo Region's best online community right away.
or Create an Account




Thread Rating:
  • 1 Vote(s) - 5 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Cycling in Waterloo Region
I was riding the MUT and I was on my bike waiting to cross at the H-W roundabout, one driver in the closest lane stopped and waved me on and drivers in the other lane kept going but the stopped driver got angry at me for not crossing at their instance, oblivious to the traffic passing by them on their left. I had to actually start riding away from the intersection to get this driver to continue on their way. I would rather wait for my own clear shot than rely on drivers. Crossing the other half of the roundabout is easier since the cars are slowing and possibly stopping for traffic. All in all it wasn't a great experience but I haven't found a decent route to get from south-west Kitchener to downtown.
Reply


A new opinion piece in The Record.

Crux of the argument:
1) Allow side-by-side bicycling
2) Anarchy ensues

http://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/6...-licensed/

Keep in mind that, while side-by-side cycling will be allowed, it is still the law to move out of the way of traffic where possible.

This lays out the author's opinion quite clearly
Quote:Cyclists go slower than other vehicles. If they are riding two abreast it will be much harder to pass them. Motorists will get frustrated. And nothing good ever came out of a frustrated person with a tonne of metal around him or her.

The cyclists are supposed to move over to the side of the road if a vehicle comes up behind them.

But we all know that cyclists are a diverse breed.

Some obey the rules of the road to the letter. A whole lot of others act as if there aren't any rules of the road.

So... you're saying that there is a group of cyclists who are only being kept in check by the side-by-side ban? I'm not sure I follow that people who follow that rule in the first place will suddenly be emboldened by their new freedom and begin to flout other ones.
Reply
What's the backstory here? I confess that I was quite surprised to read about the Region's decision. What is the purpose of riding abreast and who was seeking to do so? It seems to go against everything I ever learned about bicycle safety.
Reply
Quote:Cyclists go slower than other vehicles. If they are riding two abreast it will be much harder to pass them. Motorists will get frustrated. And nothing good ever came out of a frustrated person with a tonne of metal around him or her.

Ugh. This is worded almost as a threat. I get it, as an individual, that I need to protect myself by behaving defensively because someone I don’t know who is operating a car might be unhinged or distracted or anything else, and that could be dangerous to me. Everyone should act defensively, obviously. That’s reality.

But this person is writing in a newspaper, trying to be a thought leader, trying to influence policy. And he’s saying that the policy should be a certain way because, otherwise, motorists might get frustrated and act dangerously because of their frustration. Maybe we should get serious about people who let their frustration influence the way they operate a motor vehicle. If someone’s getting “frustrated” because it’s taking a few seconds too long to pass a bicycle, and does something “no good,” that person shouldn’t have a driver’s license.

Sorry for going on…
Reply
Quote:One of those concerns is that, if a driver comes over the brow of a hill and encounters two side-by-side cyclists, neither the driver nor the cyclists will have enough time to react.

If that is the case, it means that either the driver, the cyclists, or both are driving too fast. I can guess which one it probably is.

Regardless, even if it is illegal to ride side by side now, I don't think it is a well-enforced rule.

Quote:Police rarely stop cyclists from breaking the law, in my experience. Often that is because there is no way to identify them. Cyclists don't have to have a licence or any identification with them.

I find this hard to believe. Whether you carry any sort of identification card or not, police can enforce the laws. And you can be identified without an identification card. It seems like the justification for requiring a licence is so that you have another piece of ID to carry to assist in enforcement of the law.

Regardless, the presumption that allowing cyclists to ride two abreast on Regional roads is going to result in anarchy is ridiculous.
Reply
As a cyclist, I would never, ever ride 2 abreast. Totally unsafe feeling and rude to those who also use the road (including other cyclists).

As a driver, I hate when cyclists ride 2 abreast (especially in the country). They never move over.
Reply
(05-26-2016, 03:13 PM)Canard Wrote: As a cyclist, I would never, ever ride 2 abreast. Totally unsafe feeling and rude to those who also use the road (including other cyclists).

As a driver, I hate when cyclists ride 2 abreast (especially in the country). They never move over.

I have personally observed cyclists moving over. So it's not "never."

I also don't really understand why someone would want to ride abreast of someone else. But, if they want to, why not. They have to move over just like someone bicycling on his own.
Reply


If the road is generally quiet, and you want to converse with your cycle mate, I can see why you may want to do so. It's a rare enough need, and I think all this discussion is blowing things way out of proportion.
Reply
The best case I can think of is a large group of cyclists travelling together. Riding two abreast makes the line half as long (and it takes half as long to pass), and also makes it easier for cyclists to reposition themselves in the group. I think this sort of riding would be more applicable in the countryside than in the city. Many regional roads are not "big arterial roads, like Weber Street and Victoria Street".

I appreciate bringing Regional by-laws in line with the HTA. Unfortunately, it looks like the townships may not all follow suit.
Reply
(05-26-2016, 03:13 PM)Canard Wrote: As a cyclist, I would never, ever ride 2 abreast. Totally unsafe feeling and rude to those who also use the road (including other cyclists).

As a driver, I hate when cyclists ride 2 abreast (especially in the country). They never move over.

I once did a long road trip with some buddies. We started cycling in single file along country roads but were forced by drivers sneaking past us (sometimes with just a few inches to spare) to cycle in the middle of the road, sometimes two abreast. This way they would do a proper pass. Needless to say, if the road had a wide paved shoulder we would cycle on the shoulder single file.
Reply
(05-26-2016, 03:30 PM)KevinL Wrote: If the road is generally quiet, and you want to converse with your cycle mate, I can see why you may want to do so. It's a rare enough need, and I think all this discussion is blowing things way out of proportion.

This.  The media thrives on pitching stories in such a way to get people stirred up.  This is like, ultimate feeding time for them.

I wonder who will be first to try this on Victoria, though? That'll be fun!
Reply
(05-26-2016, 03:42 PM)timc Wrote: The best case I can think of is a large group of cyclists travelling together. Riding two abreast makes the line half as long (and it takes half as long to pass), and also makes it easier for cyclists to reposition themselves in the group. I think this sort of riding would be more applicable in the countryside than in the city.

This. When we go cycling in a large group (> 15 riders) responsible drivers have to wait for a very wide gap to overtake a 15 cyclist long lane. If, on the other hand you allow the group to ride as a peloton it can be safely overtaken in a single standard passing move.
Reply
Lousia D'amato was particularly ridiculous in today's paper calling for the licensing of cyclists if they are going to be riding side by side. I've done plenty of riding side by side on country roads and at a brisk pace we're going at speeds close to those of a slow tractor so it's not like it's something any regular country driver isn't used to encountering.

I don't think I'd try doing it on any busy city streets but I've done it with my friends on side streets since I was little gaffer so I really don't see why it's a huge deal... the traffic jams are almost always 'cos of other cars in the city, certainly not a few cyclists. Most people avoid cycling on Victoria Street in single file so I really doubt anyone will be taking the WCC paceline down Victoria anytime soon.
Reply


The only context where I ride abreast is with larger group rides with WCC, although I typically ride solo lately. The double paceline is actually the most efficient way the group can ride. Generally speaking, the group will ride single file where a double paceline isn't possible and only form one on less busy country roads.

Not only does the double paceline make the group much shorter to pass, and encourage motorists to wait for a proper opportunity to pass instead of squeezing by, it also allows the group to ride significantly faster, as much as 5 kph for similar effort. This is because the riders slowly rotate through the paceline only spending a short time at the front and a much longer time drafting behind other riders. The fact is that a double paceline is less of an obstruction to traffic than farm equipment or a horse and buggy and actually goes substantially faster than both, so driver irritation toward the group is hardly reasonable.
Reply
(05-26-2016, 03:17 PM)MidTowner Wrote: I have personally observed cyclists moving over. So it's not "never."

So what does the HTA say on this topic?  Slower traffic must move to the right (ie move over into a single file) or not?
Reply
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »



Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 8 Guest(s)

About Waterloo Region Connected

Launched in August 2014, Waterloo Region Connected is an online community that brings together all the things that make Waterloo Region great. Waterloo Region Connected provides user-driven content fueled by a lively discussion forum covering topics like urban development, transportation projects, heritage issues, businesses and other issues of interest to those in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and the four Townships - North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot, and Woolwich.

              User Links