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Here in grenoble they opened a bunch of new lanes last year, and one stretch in a very busy road is actually in the middle between the two car lanes, on slightl
by black_puppydog 7y ago
Here in grenoble they opened a bunch of new lanes last year, and one stretch in a very busy road is actually in the middle between the two car lanes, on slightly raised ground, like 10cm, enough to make a bump if you cross over with a car, but that's all.
At first I hated the idea but once I was on there for the first time it immediately became clear to me that whoever had planned this had thought more about it than I ever did in my last five years of bike-commuting.
Being in the middle means that bicycles of both directions share space (which feels much more generous than sharing with cars) and you're never next to parking cars, at risk of being doored.
So yeah, there's a lot of improvement to be made with simple changes like this. I hope they seize the opportunity.
- Kyro38 7y agoSame city. Other advantage is that you won't be bothered by the buses and their stops !
- kaybe 7y agoA disadvantage of that placement should be the pollution you're exposed to. Even small displacements of the bikepath next to the road have a large impact already. I cannot wait for internal combustion engines in cities to die out.
- Mediterraneo10 7y agoRe: pollution, at least now riders are likely to be riding with something over their face and nose, even if it isn’t a high-grade safety mask.
- joncrane 7y agoI don't think masks filter the kind of pollution that is really harmful (fumes, not particles).
- Mediterraneo10 7y agoThey must have some effect, inasmuch as cyclists and motorbike drivers in highly polluted cities like Kathmandu and Delhi wear at least a cloth over their mouths for their own comfort.
- brokenmachine 7y agoPeople also hang beads and crosses in their cars. But last time I checked, crosses and beads don't add anything to a car's safety rating. Maybe to stop from swallowing flying insects?
- kaybe 7y ago(A small detour: In Japan you can buy traffic safety charms that are reflective. They might work for pedestrians and people on bicycles - the only charms I've seen so far that look usable.)
- Mediterraneo10 7y agoTry cycling in Delhi or Kathmandu without a mask and then tell me a face covering doesn’t do anything but a placebo effect. Yes, without a high-grade mask people are still breathing in dangerous fumes, but putting something, anything over your face will still block certain larger particulates that would otherwise leave you choking and angry at the whole experience.