On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 9:23:38 PM UTC-5, Jay Beattie wrote:

Now that you're retired, Frank, here is your homework assignment: can a "road authority" (e.g. city) do whatever the hell it wants in terms of placing stop signs and other traffic control devices? See http://www.oregonlaws..org/ors/810.030 (Generally, Oregon Revised Statutes Ch 810). Start with Oregon because it's the only place I ride regularly.

I get tired of the incessant diddling with basic rules done by the City of Portland -- following all the sinage is like doing the Hokey-Pokey. I'm always wondering if the City can really make me ride up and down sidewalks, into the path of trains and buses, etc., all in the name of "bike lanes." http://tinyurl.com/q4vcyo2 Look to the right of the orange street car. The bike lane jumps you on to the sidewalk right at the kiosk, into a crowd of waiting passengers and then down the sidewalk and into the intersection right in front of the train. Woohoo -- what's next? Alligators?

Ah, but it's "innovative" so it must be good!

Actually, the worst place I remember for that sort of nonsense was Vienna, Austria. The "old town" (whatever it's called) was once surrounded by medieval walls, like many back in those times. When Krakow (in Poland) tore down its walls, it turned the space into a beautiful ring park, with gardens, wide MUPs, etc. When Vienna did the same, it turned the space into a crowded multi-lane ring road.

We did bike that ring road, using their bike facilities. My most frequent question was "Where the hell are we supposed to go _now_??" The signs and pavement markings sent us onto sidewalks, into and around parking lots, into parks, back onto sidewalks...

I suppose Portland's advocates might have visited Vienna and said "Oooh, this is cool! Let's do this at home!"

- Frank Krygowski