FLCC> a modest proposal.-

[david streater]

I'd go along with Bill's "modest proposal"!
                DaveS


-------- Original Message --------
> From: William Lodico <wlodico at stny.rr.com>
> Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2007 10:53 PM
> To: Flcc <flcc at icycle.org>
> Subject: Re: FLCC> Bike lane for uphill state st? a modest proposal.
> 
> Maybe something productive can come out of all this.
> 
> How does this sound :
> 
> Go ahead and stripe State Street just as planned for a bike lane,  
> only don't call it a bike lane.  Call it a shoulder.*
> 
> Post the following signage:
> 
> 1  "Motor vehicles may not travel in shoulder"  (there is a sign to  
> that general effect at the base of the NY 13 south descent into  
> Ithaca, and it does properly state the law.) This should keep  
> motorists out of it, which is what everyone wants out of a bike lane  
> in the first place.
> 
> 2  Usual "Share the Road" with bicycle diamond.  This reminds  
> motorists that, new striping notwithstanding, bikes may be in the  
> roadway, and that they've an obligation to accommodate them.  This  
> should negate the "bikes don't belong on the roadway" message that  
> might be implied by something that looks like a bike lane.
> 
> Assuming that the city commits to cleaning the shoulder (necessary  
> since motor traffic won't be performing the bike-friendly act of  
> sweeping the pavement there), a five foot shoulder should provide all  
> the bike positive advantages that might be afforded by a (clean, five  
> foot) bike lane, without disallowing cyclists from the roadway  
> proper.  It lets those who can make their way in motor traffic do so,  
> and those more comfortable with riding on the other side of a paint  
> stripe the chance to do that.
> 
> Maybe the city will be satisfied with some designation for the  
> project that completely eliminates any hint of a bike lane.   
> Something like "the State Street bicycle accessibility project."
> 
> How do others on the listserve feel about this idea?  Is there anyone  
> well-placed on bike-ped committee or otherwise who might consider  
> suggesting it as an alternative to the city?
> 
> Bill Lodico
> 
> (*Please note that I have some reservations about shoulders, although  
> since they don't have the effect of implicitly prohibiting motorists  
> from using the rest of the roadway, they aren't nearly as threatening  
> as bike lanes.  They certainly aren't the panacea some think they  
> are.  They collect debris, and are often given short shrift on the  
> maintenance front, and quite often cyclists would be better served by  
> a wider traffic lane and no shoulder.  .  .   but that's a whole  
> different can of worms.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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