5 ms·
Here in SF, I use my electric skateboard almost everyday to commute. The infrastructure has not caught up to them yet though. Many roads are in a terrible stat
by on_and_off 7y ago
Here in SF, I use my electric skateboard almost everyday to commute.
The infrastructure has not caught up to them yet though. Many roads are in a terrible state. It is ok for cars or bikes, but skates have small wheels so you have to stay vigilant at all times. Even on the same street from one day to the next, some extremely large pothole might have appeared.
If bikes and skates had reserved lanes with :
- a barrier ! So cars can't park there and crazy drivers can't try to kill you (sadly it happens)
- good smooth pavement.
it would be way safer and could encourage many more people not to use a car.
Especially since SF does not have a good public transport system (that would be another thing to improve drastically)
- hedora 7y agoBarriers for bike lanes are often counterproductive. There’s no way for street sweepers to clean them, so leaves and garbage accumulate, making them dangerous for bikes (and presumably impassible for skateboards).
- on_and_off 7y agooh I did not think about that ! hmm, I would rather have street sweepers adapt to bike lanes than removing them You really don't want to share a road with cars. I did not have someone swerve at me to hurt me yet, but I see that regularly on social networks (just a local bay area user group too .. not something national). I already had cars accelerate until they are caught up with me, and then do something dumb like klaxon loudly or yell to hope to make me trip. And of course multiple occurences of cars that think it is ok to cut up right in front of you and brake, or that want to overtake you when there is no space and there are literally less than 10 cms between you and the car. So I would definitely rather have a secure lane .. even if it means that we must adapt cleaning equipment.
- Vinnl 7y ago> I would rather have street sweepers adapt to bike lanes That's what's done in the Netherlands, and I can confirm: it's far safer and comfortable to cycle in separate bicycle lanes, and it greatly encourages people to cycle.
- anonymou2 7y agoIf car drivers don't respect you I don't think the solution is to let them have all the road for themselves and put you away from their view. Fighting for the rights of cyclits by segregating them is like trying to fight sexism by having women wear a burka so that they do not provoke men!
- on_and_off 7y agothat's an insane comparison, by that sick "reasoning" drunk drivers and drunk rapist have just committed accidents.
- ben_w 7y agoDedicated bike lanes exist in Europe, so I assume this is a solved problem and US cities could just buy whatever European municipalities use to clean bike lanes.
- flukus 7y agoStreet sweepers about the same width as a ride on lawn mower exist, they can easily get down separated lanes: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mini+street+sweepers&iax=images&ia=images https://duckduckgo.com/?q=mini+street+sweepers&iax=images&ia...
- asdff 7y agoMy city deploys sidewalk sweepers that they use in the bike lanes.