If I tried to ride a bike for my daily commute I would be a red smear on the road because Main Street be crazy. If there was a bike lane I’d be all for it, though.
I’m with you on that, Trish. We need dedicated bike lanes. Riding around Church Hill is a piece of cake. But once downtown, it’s too dicey on a bike, especially on weekdays and during rush hours.
That’s the problem with the claim by the city that it’s interested in creating a bike and pedestrian friendly city. Creating a couple of miles of greenway and hosting a bike race do not a bike and pedestrian friendly city make. Like Trish and Elaine have said, a commitment to infrastructure would be necessary before anyone could take the city seriously, and that infrastructure needs to include both bike lanes and proper pedestrian infrastructure. Having large portions of the city’s downtown core lack crosswalks and viable sidewalks proves the city is blowing smoke.
That said, it is certainly possible to ride the bulk of downtown at rush hour, but you have to do it wisely, and it’s not for the faint-hearted. Firstly, you must try to use less traveled parallel streets whenever possible. Main can be brutal, as is Broad at rush hour, but Grace is reasonable, for example. Finally, if you must be on one of the high speed stretches of some of these roads (where, I may add, the speed limit is 25, routinely blatantly violated, and should be enforced as part of the city’s goal of bike and pedestrian friendliness), take the lane. But be prepared for irate drivers who don’t realize you are entitled to do so.
Count me in for a few days as well!
If I tried to ride a bike for my daily commute I would be a red smear on the road because Main Street be crazy. If there was a bike lane I’d be all for it, though.
I’m with you on that, Trish. We need dedicated bike lanes. Riding around Church Hill is a piece of cake. But once downtown, it’s too dicey on a bike, especially on weekdays and during rush hours.
That’s the problem with the claim by the city that it’s interested in creating a bike and pedestrian friendly city. Creating a couple of miles of greenway and hosting a bike race do not a bike and pedestrian friendly city make. Like Trish and Elaine have said, a commitment to infrastructure would be necessary before anyone could take the city seriously, and that infrastructure needs to include both bike lanes and proper pedestrian infrastructure. Having large portions of the city’s downtown core lack crosswalks and viable sidewalks proves the city is blowing smoke.
That said, it is certainly possible to ride the bulk of downtown at rush hour, but you have to do it wisely, and it’s not for the faint-hearted. Firstly, you must try to use less traveled parallel streets whenever possible. Main can be brutal, as is Broad at rush hour, but Grace is reasonable, for example. Finally, if you must be on one of the high speed stretches of some of these roads (where, I may add, the speed limit is 25, routinely blatantly violated, and should be enforced as part of the city’s goal of bike and pedestrian friendliness), take the lane. But be prepared for irate drivers who don’t realize you are entitled to do so.