Comments on: More fuel for the Vancouver bike debate: Dunsmuir bike traffic up; consultation on lanes coming

By: Bill Lee

Bill Lee — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:28:49 +0000

” At the start of the 20th century, weekly bicycling columns in Seattle newspapers reported that ten thousand cyclists, in a city of 80,000, crowded Seattle paths and roadways. So next time you’re out on your bike avoiding texting motorists, be grateful that car traffic is all you have to worry about.”

The tale of Seattle and bicycles – a love story
http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/archives/217460.asp

By: Bill McCreery

Bill McCreery — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 02:46:17 +0000

Apparently my ‘setting out’ prediction last weekend didn’t happen but perhaps some was lost in translation. I understand there were City survey crews on Hornby last week. What were they doing? In fact, what is the City doing with this whole process? All we know is they’re having a public info session next Wednesday & the public consultation process is 6 weeks [+/-15 Sep].

That 6 weeks, by the way, is just another insult to Vancouver voters. 6 weeks is a joke. It is not long enough to allow individual, businesses & condos consisting of 100s of owners & renters to assess & come to reasonable conclusions much less for those various interest groups to develop any sense of their shared conclusions. It seems obvious that is precisely the intent. So, we’re just going thru the motions, ONCE AGAIN.

As well, even before we are allowed to comment on whether the already decided Hornby route is going to bankrupt my business or reduce my condo value shouldn’t we be allowed to discuss alternative routes? WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT? Why isn’t Granville Street on the table? Why isn’t Granville Bridge rather than Burrard, given all the problems, on the table?

Message to Vision:: If you’re going to do something, do it right.

By: Bill Smolick

Bill Smolick — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:54:18 +0000

Oh GMGW, my old friend where have you been? A nation turns its lonely eyes to you…

> Even now drivers who are too timid to perform the Indy-style standing
> start now necessary to get onto the Burrard bridge southbound from Pacific
> use the Hornby/Granville bridge route as an alternate

The “Indy-style standing start” you describe was a problem before the bike lane was installed. I’ve never been fond of that double merge onto that particular bridge.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:11:10 +0000

Terrence’s comment about how few cyclists he sees on the Burrard Bridge lanes reminds me of our friend who, having driven across the bridge, angrily complained about seeing only 10 riders on the new separated lane shortly after it opened. I waited a few weeks until she’d cooled down, then noted that it took her about one minute to cross the bridge, which meant that 10 riders a minute equals 600 an hour, just in one direction. She looked surprised, then agreed.

I prefer to believe the city’s counts, which are done by electronic meters. Some others commenting here, when the facts don’t square with their casual observations and their beliefs, seem to prefer a conspiracy.

By: Bobbie

Bobbie — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:48:52 +0000

I can sense a lot of fear in here.
Car drivers afraid of change, afraid of looking down the road to see what’s coming.
All through the ’80s and ’90s they were told that only welfare losers rode bicycles and that if they put themselves into massive debt by purchasing a car, they would be ahead of the game.
Car drivers are the King of the Road, or so they were told.
But no matter how much they paid for their car, no matter the total cost of gas, parking , insurance, maintenance and so on, they just weren’t getting ahead. Even when the average car driver screams and rants that their gas taxes entitle them to sole usage of the road it drives them further around the bend when they’re reminded of all of the costs of motoring that they always seem to want to externalize.

Nope, like it or not, the day of the subsidized automobile are quickly drawing to an end. Sure, the automobile lobbyists aren’t going to go down without a good scream and a fight. And yes, it may get a little nasty out there on the public roads as cagers vent their disillusionment of not attaining the “American Dream(tm)”. But as India and especially China thirst for the same limited resources that North American car drivers thirst for, we are going to have to make a decision.
Do we start embracing a more sensible affair with the private automobile, or do we aim for the status quo and doom ourselves to war after war after war when we start fighting for limited resources.

George Carlin said ” The thing about the American Dream is you have to be asleep to believe it”

By: Terrance

Terrance — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 05:26:22 +0000

I have to apologize to the site. I’ve been on a multi-day bender and I’m sorry that I equated my own misguided opinions with hard data. From now on I won’t mix meth and the keyboard. My sincere apologies again.

By: Bill McCreery

Bill McCreery — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 20:03:53 +0000

I have just been advised that the setting out work on the Hornby lane on the east side of the street is starting this weekend. Engineering staff are working overtime on a holiday weekend @ double time to do this.

I’m going to personally review the situation to confirm this.

If so, SO MUCH FOR THE CONSULTATION ending in September.

By: Bill McCreery

Bill McCreery — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 20:00:03 +0000

@ Tessa.
I was referring to the entire undertaking @ that point. sorry for not being clearer.

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:30:30 +0000

@Terrence
Thanks. Always glad to spread some cheer. Your one man campaign to keep the word twaddle alive is most admirable.

By: Dave 2

Dave 2 — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 07:25:07 +0000

Joe Just Joe // Jul 29, 2010 at 11:34 am

Why do people keep spelling it Clarke, it’s Clark no e on the end.

Here here Joe, and if I see The Sun or Province refer to “Smythe” Street again I swear I’ll lose it