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Bike lanes are a step in that direction. SF is starting to gain more protected bike lanes, it would definitely be nice to have more. The bike lane itself is a g

Bike lanes are a step in that direction. SF is starting to gain more protected bike lanes, it would definitely be nice to have more. The bike lane itself is a great initial way to measure bike interest. Though honestly, nearly every street in the city should have at least a painted bike lane.

rocqua 9y ago
Here in the netherlands, cyclist paradise, we don't even have a painted bike lane on nearly every street. There are also streets where biking isn't allowed. These are mostly major car arteries. It is imperative to realize there are places where cyclists don't belong. Just like it is imperative to realize that in most places in the city, cyclists do belong.
- saiya-jin 9y ago
  Every single road I ever saw in Netherlands (true, been only in Amsterdam & around for daily cycling) had a corresponding separate bike lane running along with it, in many cases on both sides. Maybe you mean roads only for motorized vehicles (not sure about proper name), usually with multiple lanes? Maybe some roads at the beginning/end of highway? In many not only European cities this is impossible to build since streets are as narrow as possible, you would have to remove pedestrian paths or tear down many buildings.
- TulliusCicero 9y ago
  It was my understanding that major car arteries in the Netherlands usually had adjacent bike paths that were slightly set apart from the road, ala: https://www.google.de/maps/@52.1084742,5.0647,3a,75y,172.64h,74.24t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sQlTJOWPoMf60id13qdZuFA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DQlTJOWPoMf60id13qdZuFA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D58.057777%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e3 https://www.google.de/maps/@52.1084742,5.0647,3a,75y,172.64h... > Here in the netherlands, cyclist paradise, we don't even have a painted bike lane on nearly every street. With narrow streets and low speeds, cyclists and cars can effectively mix. It's just that in the US, politically that's an even harder sell than protected bike lanes, most of the time.
  - rocqua 9y ago
    Indeed most major roads have adjacent bike paths. Certainly not all though. No highways do, and there are some other roads where it doesn't make sense. Cycling on highways is a total no-go here. I've never heard of it happening, and I'd expect the police to be called whenever someone sees it. You're right on the narrow streets and low speeds. That is a much bigger cultural / civil-engineering thing. It makes me wonder how cycling infrastructure is done in Rotterdam. It's city centre needed to be completely rebuild after WW2. The result is regarded by some as ugly or 'american'. Perhaps this has affected cycling, or perhaps that was taken into account in the rebuild.
    - TulliusCicero 9y ago
      In the US you can't bike on freeways either (I avoid saying 'highways' as technically the term can refer to a number of different types of roads, whereas freeways only mean roads that have completely controlled access (on ramps and off ramps, no stoplights or stop signs)).
      - rocqua 9y ago
        I was thinking of [1], ever since I saw that, I thought Americans were crazy cyclists. Upon further research that video is from Russia. Seems like american cycling is much better than I thought. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hVXhg8zvkI&ab_channel=StreetFXMotorsportTV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hVXhg8zvkI&ab_channel=Stree...

rocqua 9y ago

Here in the netherlands, cyclist paradise, we don't even have a painted bike lane on nearly every street. There are also streets where biking isn't allowed. These are mostly major car arteries. It is imperative to realize there are places where cyclists don't belong. Just like it is imperative to realize that in most places in the city, cyclists do belong.

saiya-jin 9y ago
Every single road I ever saw in Netherlands (true, been only in Amsterdam & around for daily cycling) had a corresponding separate bike lane running along with it, in many cases on both sides. Maybe you mean roads only for motorized vehicles (not sure about proper name), usually with multiple lanes? Maybe some roads at the beginning/end of highway? In many not only European cities this is impossible to build since streets are as narrow as possible, you would have to remove pedestrian paths or tear down many buildings.
TulliusCicero 9y ago
It was my understanding that major car arteries in the Netherlands usually had adjacent bike paths that were slightly set apart from the road, ala: https://www.google.de/maps/@52.1084742,5.0647,3a,75y,172.64h,74.24t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sQlTJOWPoMf60id13qdZuFA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DQlTJOWPoMf60id13qdZuFA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D58.057777%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e3 https://www.google.de/maps/@52.1084742,5.0647,3a,75y,172.64h... > Here in the netherlands, cyclist paradise, we don't even have a painted bike lane on nearly every street. With narrow streets and low speeds, cyclists and cars can effectively mix. It's just that in the US, politically that's an even harder sell than protected bike lanes, most of the time.
- rocqua 9y ago
  Indeed most major roads have adjacent bike paths. Certainly not all though. No highways do, and there are some other roads where it doesn't make sense. Cycling on highways is a total no-go here. I've never heard of it happening, and I'd expect the police to be called whenever someone sees it. You're right on the narrow streets and low speeds. That is a much bigger cultural / civil-engineering thing. It makes me wonder how cycling infrastructure is done in Rotterdam. It's city centre needed to be completely rebuild after WW2. The result is regarded by some as ugly or 'american'. Perhaps this has affected cycling, or perhaps that was taken into account in the rebuild.
  - TulliusCicero 9y ago
    In the US you can't bike on freeways either (I avoid saying 'highways' as technically the term can refer to a number of different types of roads, whereas freeways only mean roads that have completely controlled access (on ramps and off ramps, no stoplights or stop signs)).
    - rocqua 9y ago
      I was thinking of [1], ever since I saw that, I thought Americans were crazy cyclists. Upon further research that video is from Russia. Seems like american cycling is much better than I thought. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hVXhg8zvkI&ab_channel=StreetFXMotorsportTV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hVXhg8zvkI&ab_channel=Stree...