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-   -   The joy of reverse commuting on bike trails - not (was: Cheap brighttail light) (http://www.cyclebanter.com/showthread.php?t=245376)

Rolf Mantel September 17th 14 08:59 AM

The joy of reverse commuting on bike trails - not (was: Cheap brighttail light)
 
Am 16.09.2014 18:28, schrieb Joerg:
Bike lanes help a bit but a separated bike infrastructure is much better.


My son (8 years old) has now changed to a different school - the least
bad way of getting there is a 2-mile ride on trails and roads (almost)
closed to motor traffic, followed by a 8 mile train journey. For the
first few days I am accompanying him to the railway station.

The ride infrastructure is 'perfect': well surfaced road network 2 to 4m
wide (access roads to some allotments along the railway line) with a
bridsge closed to motor traffic in the middle to keep it car free.
Together with my son, it's a pleasurable ride taking just over 15 minutes.

However, the way back: my son gets on the train at 7:30, I would like to
be home before 7:45 so I can park the bike, kiss my wife good-bye and
still catch the 7:50 train to my work.

Day 1: my son's train was delayed a few minutes, so I wanted to do the 2
miles in 10 minutes.
- On one of the narrow 2-m wide parts, masses of school kids come the
other way. I need to ring my bell and slow down a lot until the kids
have sorted out a way of leaving a part of the trail for me.
- First right-turn onto a bridge. Doing a 120 turn on a narrow road
forces me to slow down anyways, but in the middle of the corner there's
a cyclist coming off the bridge on the left-most edge of the road. I
need to emergency brake to negotiate a wrong-side pass with that guy.
- Right-turn at the end of the car-free part into a residential road.
Again in the corner there is a cyclist cutting his left turn, and I need
to negotiate the wrong-side pass.

Day 2: Behind a slight bend I see a bike lying on the ground on the
left-hand side= Emergency brake. Indeed, hidden behind the bushes
there are two more cyclists standing with their bicycles to block the
road completely. Apparently a kid has come round the bend carelessly,
forcing an old man to fall off his bike.

So in the future, I might prefer to take the multi-lane road where I can
go above 20 mhp and only need to brake for traffic lights, not for
recurring dangerous situations.

Rolf


Lou Holtman[_7_] September 19th 14 08:02 AM

The joy of reverse commuting on bike trails - not
 
Rolf Mantel schreef op 19-9-2014 8:11:
Referenzen:


















[re-posted to rec.bicycles.tech end extended]
Am 16.09.2014 18:28, schrieb Joerg:
Bike lanes help a bit but a separated bike infrastructure is much better.


My son (8 years old) has now changed to a different school - the least
bad way of getting there is a 2-mile ride on trails and roads (almost)
closed to motor traffic, followed by a 8 mile train journey. For the
first few days I am accompanying him to the railway station.

The ride infrastructure is 'perfect': well surfaced road network 2 to 4m
wide (access roads to some allotments along the railway line) with a
bridsge closed to motor traffic in the middle to keep it car free.
Together with my son, it's a pleasurable ride taking just over 15 minutes.

However, the way back: my son gets on the train at 7:30, I would like to
be home before 7:45 so I can park the bike, kiss my wife good-bye and
still catch the 7:50 train to my work.

Day 1: my son's train was delayed a few minutes, so I wanted to do the 2
miles in 10 minutes.
- On one of the narrow 2-m wide parts, masses of school kids come the
other way. I need to ring my bell and slow down a lot until the kids
have sorted out a way of leaving a part of the trail for me.
- First right-turn onto a bridge. Doing a 120 turn on a narrow road
forces me to slow down anyways, but in the middle of the corner there's
a cyclist coming off the bridge on the left-most edge of the road. I
need to emergency brake to negotiate a wrong-side pass with that guy.
- Right-turn at the end of the car-free part into a residential road.
Again in the corner there is a cyclist cutting his left turn, and I need
to negotiate the wrong-side pass.

Day 2: Behind a slight bend I see a bike lying on the ground on the
left-hand side= Emergency brake. Indeed, hidden behind the bushes
there are two more cyclists standing with their bicycles to block the
road completely. Apparently a kid has come round the bend carelessly,
forcing an old man to fall off his bike.

So in the future, I might prefer to take the multi-lane road where I can
go above 20 mhp and only need to brake for traffic lights, not for
recurring dangerous situations.

Rolf

Day 3: Blind junctions on bike trails- is it 'yield to the right' or
'yield when you enter the trail'? The 8-year old coming downhill from a
bridge at 10mhp doesn't even start to react when he sees a front wheel
from the right 1m ahead and yours truly stops his emergency braking as
soon as it's clear that the 60-year old entering the trail has stopped.
When a motor scooter needs the whole width of a 1.5m wide access trail
(pedestrian and bicycles only), at least the sight line is good enough
to accept 'might is right' and wait on the main trail until we can leave
the main trail.


Bike paths on 'school rush hours' are hell.

Lou

Rolf Mantel September 19th 14 08:07 AM

The joy of reverse commuting on bike trails - not
 
Am 19.09.2014 09:02, schrieb Lou Holtman:
Bike paths on 'school rush hours' are hell.


School rush hours in Germany are hell full stop. School kid have to be
in school at 08:00AM, nobody with a decent job has to be a work before
09:30 ;-)

Rolf

Duane[_3_] September 19th 14 01:21 PM

The joy of reverse commuting on bike trails - not
 
On 9/19/2014 2:11 AM, Rolf Mantel wrote:
Referenzen:


















[re-posted to rec.bicycles.tech end extended]
Am 16.09.2014 18:28, schrieb Joerg:
Bike lanes help a bit but a separated bike infrastructure is much better.


My son (8 years old) has now changed to a different school - the least
bad way of getting there is a 2-mile ride on trails and roads (almost)
closed to motor traffic, followed by a 8 mile train journey. For the
first few days I am accompanying him to the railway station.

The ride infrastructure is 'perfect': well surfaced road network 2 to 4m
wide (access roads to some allotments along the railway line) with a
bridsge closed to motor traffic in the middle to keep it car free.
Together with my son, it's a pleasurable ride taking just over 15 minutes.

However, the way back: my son gets on the train at 7:30, I would like to
be home before 7:45 so I can park the bike, kiss my wife good-bye and
still catch the 7:50 train to my work.

Day 1: my son's train was delayed a few minutes, so I wanted to do the 2
miles in 10 minutes.
- On one of the narrow 2-m wide parts, masses of school kids come the
other way. I need to ring my bell and slow down a lot until the kids
have sorted out a way of leaving a part of the trail for me.
- First right-turn onto a bridge. Doing a 120 turn on a narrow road
forces me to slow down anyways, but in the middle of the corner there's
a cyclist coming off the bridge on the left-most edge of the road. I
need to emergency brake to negotiate a wrong-side pass with that guy.
- Right-turn at the end of the car-free part into a residential road.
Again in the corner there is a cyclist cutting his left turn, and I need
to negotiate the wrong-side pass.

Day 2: Behind a slight bend I see a bike lying on the ground on the
left-hand side= Emergency brake. Indeed, hidden behind the bushes
there are two more cyclists standing with their bicycles to block the
road completely. Apparently a kid has come round the bend carelessly,
forcing an old man to fall off his bike.

So in the future, I might prefer to take the multi-lane road where I can
go above 20 mhp and only need to brake for traffic lights, not for
recurring dangerous situations.

Rolf

Day 3: Blind junctions on bike trails- is it 'yield to the right' or
'yield when you enter the trail'? The 8-year old coming downhill from a
bridge at 10mhp doesn't even start to react when he sees a front wheel
from the right 1m ahead and yours truly stops his emergency braking as
soon as it's clear that the 60-year old entering the trail has stopped.
When a motor scooter needs the whole width of a 1.5m wide access trail
(pedestrian and bicycles only), at least the sight line is good enough
to accept 'might is right' and wait on the main trail until we can leave
the main trail.



Yep, on my daily commute I have the option to take some separated bike
paths that are well made, good pavement and clean rather than the
street. When school is in these are pretty busy with school kids and I
mostly avoid them. On the other hand, during the summer no one uses
them when I'm going to the office and they are like the bike autobahn.


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