Why can’t Cincinnati city have world-class bike lanes?

(Editorial)


Laure Quinlivan’s call for dedicated bike lanes, “Cincy needs bike
lanes” (April 25), calls to mind my trip to Berlin, where I, like
Quinlivan, biked – taking a tour.

I remember the tour guide’s tongue-in-cheek instructions that
underscored how serious the Germans are about transportation: “If a
pedestrian is walking in the bike lane, it is not only your right to
run them over, it is you duty!”

Berlin’s “dedicated” bike lanes work beautifully, especially as part
of a comprehensive transportation system. It was duly noted that there
was no pollution-producing traffic congestion. When comparing
Cincinnati’s bike lanes with Berlin’s, German engineering trumps
American ingenuity.

If Cincinnati has the political will to create world-class parks, why
can’t we have world-class bike lanes?

Unlike the old country, Cincinnati’s “stubborn Dutchmen” mentality
does not always serve our city well.

Jim Grawe, Covedale


http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opin...anes/83570506/

--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ---

Bike Month in the Tri-State: Everything (seriously, everything) you need
to know

CINCINNATI -- For many, the "holiday season" is either a distant thought
or a distant memory, or both.

But if you ride a bicycle, the holiday season is about to begin.

Every May, cycling enthusiasts come together to promote the bicycle
lifestyle and discuss the benefits and challenges that surround life on
two wheels during what the nation has designated as National Bike Month.

And the truth is, Cincinnati knows how to do Bike Month as well as the
next guy. So much so, in fact, that in the 31 days of May, there are
nearly 70 different ways to celebrate, regardless of one’s age, enthusiasm
or skill level.

Here we’ve compiled every Bike Month event planned this year, with dates,
times, descriptions and links for more information, when needed.

Events run the gamut.

“Duckling Rides,” for example — probably Bike Month’s most popular events
— consist of a few veterans leading beginners on road rides throughout the
city, so as to introduce more and more would-be riders to the road.

There are also more advanced rides planned, as well as guided sessions on
how to use the city’s now-well established bike share program, Red Bike.

Several events involve tours of upcoming bicycle infrastructure projects,
while others are a bit more academic, such as panel discussions or group
rides through Cincinnati’s historical districts.

And then there are the Happy Hours and deals on food and drink
Cincinnati’s bike-friendly businesses have graciously offered bike
commuters who chose to stop by.

So, whatever your flavor, take a look at the timeline below. You can roll
through the timeline as a whole, selecting certain events that pique your
interest in the bottom row, or simply scroll through the events
chronologically (using the black arrows on the right and left), to get a
feel for the cadence of Bike Month in Greater Cincinnati.

If the events are too crowded in the lower timeline bar, simply use the
(+) button to zoom in, and the events will spread out.

http://www.wcpo.com/entertainment/lo...u-need-to-know

On 04-29-2016 15:38, Garrison Hilliard wrote:
I remember the tour guide’s tongue-in-cheek instructions that
underscored how serious the Germans are about transportation: “If a
pedestrian is walking in the bike lane, it is not only your right to
run them over, it is you duty!”

Lima, Peru, has many excellent bike lane, and a good portion of them
have nearby pedestrian lanes. But there, the tour guide for pedestrians
might say, "If another pedestrian is using the lane, it is your duty to
walk in the center of the bike lane."

--
Wes Groleau

On 5/11/2016 6:43 AM, W. Wesley Groleau wrote:
On 04-29-2016 15:38, Garrison Hilliard wrote:
I remember the tour guide’s tongue-in-cheek instructions that
underscored how serious the Germans are about transportation: “If a
pedestrian is walking in the bike lane, it is not only your right to
run them over, it is you duty!”

Lima, Peru, has many excellent bike lane, and a good portion of them
have nearby pedestrian lanes. But there, the tour guide for pedestrians
might say, "If another pedestrian is using the lane, it is your duty to
walk in the center of the bike lane."

My area has relatively few bike lanes, but it does have a very popular
Multi-User Path, perhaps 2 miles long and a full 20 feet wide, marked
with a center line. (It was a park road before becoming closed to motor
vehicles.)

Given the 10 feet of width for each direction, it's not easy for
pedestrians to block the way. But they team up to do it, walking five
abreast when necessary.

When they can't muster a team of five, they enlist a dog with a long
leash, trained to string it across the direction of travel.

--
- Frank Krygowski