Question for the anti-bike / anti-bus people

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bike, I walk, I drive, and I take the bus. I support safe and efficient modes of transit. But, we have to build the transit infrastructure for future--whatever we want that to be--not the past or the status quo.

Agreed. We need to build a public transit system for the future. That’s why prioritizing bikes over transit on our limited right of ways makes zero sense.

There will be plenty of room in the limited right of ways for bicycles AND buses, which are both space-efficient modes of transit, once we decide to stop making cars (driving and parking) the priority and everything else an afterthought.

1. That may be a you problem.
2. That may be a design problem. Sometimes DDOT makes small segments of bike lanes in otherwise inhospitable areas just because it's "easy". Advocates have been asking for a *network* because that's what's needed to be useful. Look at 15th st - that's a network component with downtown bike lanes and is used quite a bit.

Bike lanes are a terrible use of resources. All that space and billions of dollars spent on something that only a miniscule fraction of the public uses. Better to focus on getting people back on the subway.

That sounds great, let's focus on the subway. Doesn't mean that we can't also give people who want to bike a scrap of the public land being used by drivers.

There's more than 100 miles of bike lanes in D.C. As you may have noticed, most of them are rarely used.

I've *never* seen anyone, not a single person, ever, use a bike lane near my house.

[Anonymous]

1. That may be a you problem.
2. That may be a design problem. Sometimes DDOT makes small segments of bike lanes in otherwise inhospitable areas just because it's "easy". Advocates have been asking for a *network* because that's what's needed to be useful. Look at 15th st - that's a network component with downtown bike lanes and is used quite a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I've *never* seen anyone, not a single person, ever, use a bike lane near my house.

Then either it's a bad bike lane that people don't feel safe riding in, or it's a bike lane that doesn't connect to anything, or both. You should advocate for a connected network of good bike lanes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. That may be a you problem.
2. That may be a design problem. Sometimes DDOT makes small segments of bike lanes in otherwise inhospitable areas just because it's "easy". Advocates have been asking for a *network* because that's what's needed to be useful. Look at 15th st - that's a network component with downtown bike lanes and is used quite a bit.

Nobody should expect a massive shift in transport modes to take place overnight. I grew up biking everyday but it took me a good 15 years in adulthood before I warmed to the idea of using a bike to get around big cities. Many people who could well use a bike to commute and run errands are justifiably terrified by the idea of mixing it up with DMV drivers on any roads. Getting them to make the switch will require a lot more protected bike lanes (which are very very limited currently) but also much harsher and more consistent enforcement of the city’s traffic laws (which is also practically non-existent as of now).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL. PP is so unhinged about bicycles that they posted twice revealing their inability to read.

“it is used incredibly frequently” means that it is used a lot, not a little.

Perhaps there is something about bicycles that makes people lose brain cells?

Read fine to me. PP and PP above that were agreeing with PP that each were quoting. Which was calling the person out who said billions are spent on bike lanes. Because that's just stupid. Like, intensely stupid. Most of the ~100 miles of bike lanes in the city are just paint. Paint is pretty damn cheap last I checked and the labor to repaint a road takes all of a day or so.

I 'd wager good money that the city has spent more on the Mass Ave resurfacing & road bed project in the last year than it's spent on ALL bike related infrastructure ever.

And you would lose all your money. The Mass Ave Rehabilitation budget was $40 million. DC just passed a capital budget commitment of $36 million over the next six years for bike lanes, $125 million to improve trails and $15 million for Capital Bikeshare.

I’m not even going to bother looking up how much has been spent over the past decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I've *never* seen anyone, not a single person, ever, use a bike lane near my house.

Then either it's a bad bike lane that people don't feel safe riding in, or it's a bike lane that doesn't connect to anything, or both. You should advocate for a connected network of good bike lanes.

There's quite a few bike lanes that no one appears to use. I don't think biking is very popular.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I've *never* seen anyone, not a single person, ever, use a bike lane near my house.

Then either it's a bad bike lane that people don't feel safe riding in, or it's a bike lane that doesn't connect to anything, or both. You should advocate for a connected network of good bike lanes.

There's quite a few bike lanes that no one appears to use. I don't think biking is very popular.

Aside from scooters, polls show biking is the least popular mode of transportation in Washington D.C. It would be better if we focused on modes of transportation people actually want to use.

[Anonymous]

The assumption in this post is flawed: that people are anti-bike and anti-bus. First, few people are "anti-bike." They just don't think putting two bike lanes down Connecticut Avenue is the best use of resources given the other competing needs in a finite space. That leads to the second point. If Connecticut is to be redesigned, it would be a far better tradeoff to have dedicated bus lanes than bike lanes. Frequent, fast bus service is a more efficient user of a scarce resource -- lane capacity -- than bike lanes. It is the only option that has the potential to meaningfully reduce private car trips. And bus lanes would enhance a transit option that is inclusive: for senior citizens, the less-mobile, people on fixed incomes who don't have a car, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL. PP is so unhinged about bicycles that they posted twice revealing their inability to read.

“it is used incredibly frequently” means that it is used a lot, not a little.

Perhaps there is something about bicycles that makes people lose brain cells?

Read fine to me. PP and PP above that were agreeing with PP that each were quoting. Which was calling the person out who said billions are spent on bike lanes. Because that's just stupid. Like, intensely stupid. Most of the ~100 miles of bike lanes in the city are just paint. Paint is pretty damn cheap last I checked and the labor to repaint a road takes all of a day or so.

I 'd wager good money that the city has spent more on the Mass Ave resurfacing & road bed project in the last year than it's spent on ALL bike related infrastructure ever.

And you would lose all your money. The Mass Ave Rehabilitation budget was $40 million. DC just passed a capital budget commitment of $36 million over the next six years for bike lanes, $125 million to improve trails and $15 million for Capital Bikeshare.

I’m not even going to bother looking up how much has been spent over the past decade.

Your $125m number was thoroughly debunked on the other thread. You know that only a fraction of that allocation is for bike lanes. Yet you repeat it. Yes, this is anonymous forum where you suffer no discernible reputational consequences for repeatedly posting misrepresentations. But please try to have more self-respect and embrace facts, even when they are inconvenient.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I've *never* seen anyone, not a single person, ever, use a bike lane near my house.

Then either it's a bad bike lane that people don't feel safe riding in, or it's a bike lane that doesn't connect to anything, or both. You should advocate for a connected network of good bike lanes.

There's quite a few bike lanes that no one appears to use. I don't think biking is very popular.

Ok Nick

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I've *never* seen anyone, not a single person, ever, use a bike lane near my house.

Then either it's a bad bike lane that people don't feel safe riding in, or it's a bike lane that doesn't connect to anything, or both. You should advocate for a connected network of good bike lanes.

There's quite a few bike lanes that no one appears to use. I don't think biking is very popular.

Aside from scooters, polls show biking is the least popular mode of transportation in Washington D.C. It would be better if we focused on modes of transportation people actually want to use.

How do you know that's what people want to use?

Personally, I want to teleport places, but that doesn't show up at all on surveys of how people move.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I've *never* seen anyone, not a single person, ever, use a bike lane near my house.

Then either it's a bad bike lane that people don't feel safe riding in, or it's a bike lane that doesn't connect to anything, or both. You should advocate for a connected network of good bike lanes.

There's quite a few bike lanes that no one appears to use. I don't think biking is very popular.

There are 24 miles of protected bike lanes. Out of 1,500 miles of roads in DC and an almost equal length of sidewalks. Biking is plenty popular but it’s hard to do when there are so few places to do it without putting one’s life on the line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The assumption in this post is flawed: that people are anti-bike and anti-bus. First, few people are "anti-bike." They just don't think putting two bike lanes down Connecticut Avenue is the best use of resources given the other competing needs in a finite space. That leads to the second point. If Connecticut is to be redesigned, it would be a far better tradeoff to have dedicated bus lanes than bike lanes. Frequent, fast bus service is a more efficient user of a scarce resource -- lane capacity -- than bike lanes. It is the only option that has the potential to meaningfully reduce private car trips. And bus lanes would enhance a transit option that is inclusive: for senior citizens, the less-mobile, people on fixed incomes who don't have a car, etc.

CT Ave remains 4 lanes wide with the addition of the bike lanes. The city would be well within its rights to reserve two of those lanes for buses. But the issue with the buses is WMATA. They are cutting service, not adding it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I've *never* seen anyone, not a single person, ever, use a bike lane near my house.

Then either it's a bad bike lane that people don't feel safe riding in, or it's a bike lane that doesn't connect to anything, or both. You should advocate for a connected network of good bike lanes.

There's quite a few bike lanes that no one appears to use. I don't think biking is very popular.

Ok Nick

Oh, Bob. Isn't Mar-a-Lago calling?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The assumption in this post is flawed: that people are anti-bike and anti-bus. First, few people are "anti-bike." They just don't think putting two bike lanes down Connecticut Avenue is the best use of resources given the other competing needs in a finite space. That leads to the second point. If Connecticut is to be redesigned, it would be a far better tradeoff to have dedicated bus lanes than bike lanes. Frequent, fast bus service is a more efficient user of a scarce resource -- lane capacity -- than bike lanes. It is the only option that has the potential to meaningfully reduce private car trips. And bus lanes would enhance a transit option that is inclusive: for senior citizens, the less-mobile, people on fixed incomes who don't have a car, etc.

CT Ave remains 4 lanes wide with the addition of the bike lanes. The city would be well within its rights to reserve two of those lanes for buses. But the issue with the buses is WMATA. They are cutting service, not adding it.

The proposal is not 4 travel lanes. It’s one travel lane and a left turn lane.