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Surprising Result of NYC Bike Lanes: Faster Traffic for Cars
A report at vox.com says that the implementation of bike lanes in traffic-heavy New York City has one possibly non-intuitive result: car traffic was sped up as a result. The bike lanes have caused the lanes for cars to be narrowed, but as a result of the street redesign to accomodate bikes, one big change has especially helped to keep cars moving forward more steadily:
Although narrower streets can slow traffic, that doesn't seem to have happened here — perhaps because traffic in this area was crawling at around 11 miles per hour to begin with.
Instead, the narrower lanes were capable of handling just as much traffic, and one major improvement to intersection design helped them handle more, while also letting bikes travel more safely.
This improvement was something called a pocket lane for left-hand turns: a devoted turning lane at most intersections that takes the place of the parking lane, which gets cars out of the way of moving traffic when they're making a left.
But it sounds like optimizing left turns is what actually improved traffic.
TFA implies is has nothing to do with bike lanes. The benefit comes from the improved intersection, which can happen with or without bike lanes.
I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
>This improvement was something called a pocket lane for left-hand turns: a devoted turning lane at most intersections that takes the place of the parking lane, which gets cars out of the way of moving traffic when they're making a left.
That dedicated left-hand turn lanes improve traffic flow isn't news, isn't surprising, and has nothing to do with bike lanes per se except that a road redesign to add bike lanes also put in left-hand turn lanes.
What a complete non-story. Thanks for voxsplaining that to us.
try: Unsurprising Result of Pocket Lane for Left-hand Turns: Faster Traffic for Cars
If I wore those embarassingly tight bicycle shorts, can I drive in the bike lanes?
Maybe you should report a bug to who ever makes the browser.
related to citibike but a bit off topic.. if a copy tries to give you a ticket for riding in a 'non-bike-line' in NYC (as happened to me), chances are they will give you a whole song and dance: "gee whiz buddy.. sorry to have to do this, but they're cracking down. here's a ticket for $140".
this is a police scam.
there is no law saying a bicyclist must ride in lane in NYC.. it's only recommended but up to rider's discretion.
I showed up to my hearing and the judge dismissed it without me saying a word (after the cop lied about how far he saw me riding of course).
they're of course hoping you don't know the law and don't (or can't) get off from work 6 months later (when you get a hearing date) to challenge it.i wonder how many millions theyve stolen from the public this way.
ok - that's all.
If you decrease the cross-section area while maintaining volume flow, the velocity has to increase.
This has been another installment of Physics Applied Badly.
Have roundabout been trialed in big cities? I know it doesn't apply to one way streets unless 2 of them meet.
The small town I grew up in doubled in size since I left and they replaced 2 major intersections with roundabouts. The congestion has been reduced significantly and the police posted numbers showing a 75% reduction in accidents at those intersections in the first 5 years of implementation.
From TFA:
What happened to biker safety when bike lanes went in
Interestingly, the pocket lanes aren't primarily designed to speed up the flow of traffic - they're designed to let bikes and cars coexist more safely. Intersections with them include specialized turn signals that alternate between letting bikes ride straight or cars turn left, so there's little chance of a car turning into a bike.
Bikes obeying traffic signals and, worse yet, having to stop for cars?! The End Times must be upon us.
I predict that the sight of this is going to provoke more cycle rage than the occasional squashed rider.
New York has discovered a new road technology, they are calling it a "pocket lane" a sort of "left turn lane" if you will. Amazing, what will New York discover next?!
Yes, but keep in mind this is mostly a clickbait article for The Daily Kos (now rebranded as vox). Do not expect good journalism from that source.
Is pocket lane some mysterious and unknown thing in US? We have them on most city intersections in Finland and with most I'd estimate somewhere around 90% at least in even small cities. You people really don't think through your designs at all do you?
Slightly off-topic, but...
I skimmed TFA and saw images of the bike lanes. it's good to see that they are segregated bike lanes, separate from car traffic. Even better that there's a cushion and a parking lane between the two types of transportation.
It amazes me why some cities think it's a good idea to have bike lanes BETWEEN car lanes. So much can go wrong in those lanes: cars changing lanes, car doors opening, etc. That will never promote or stimulate biking.
Where possible, I'd like to see bike routes to schools, especially in the USA. Children will get healthier and more independent if they bike to school instead of just sitting in their parent's car.
Embarassingly tight? Biking shorts look damn good on me, I'm not embarassed at all. IF you are embarassed by your own body you should do something about it, and no, just getting in shape won't necessarily work. At least try to cut the spiral with your kids if you have any. I can imagine how awfull it can be to be constantly embarrassed of yourself.
For those seeking enlightening - https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/alt.pave.the.earth
More than 2 decades ago and I still remember it fondly :)
Fuck you, hippy granola eating cunt.
Our problem isn't with cyclists on the road, it's with how cyclists conduct themselves on the road. The real problem is that cyclists seem to think traffic laws don't apply to them and in doing so put everyone else - including themselves - at risk. You should be fined, have your bike confiscated, and be barred from riding if you're *ever* caught disobeying road rules. Especially a failure to signal, which is something cyclists constantly do. It's too bad you're too dense to understand this.
BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.
You use precious road space for PARKING on? What the fuck? That's a problem for the buildings that people are going into to attend to.
Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"