Outside magazine hates on Houston

[crunchtastic]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6563392.html

As usual, the chron comments make the story. All I've got to add is this: Outside magazine must hire a bunch of puppies. Any real outdoorsman would tough it up and kayak the ship channel, or cycle our city streets. Unlike the soft hippies at Outside who doubtless prefer a nice shady trail in Portland to ride to the winery or the farmers market. Babies. They ought to man up and spend some time outdoors down here with Niche!

[musicman]

article

not sure there's not any defense necessary esp when a statement like "80% of the people have library cards" is the basis for the story. wait isn't this OUTSIDE magazine?

Edited August 7, 2009 by musicman

[TheNiche]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6563392.html

As usual, the chron comments make the story. All I've got to add is this: Outside magazine must hire a bunch of puppies. Any real outdoorsman would tough it up and kayak the ship channel, or cycle our city streets. Unlike the soft hippies at Outside who doubtless prefer a nice shady trail in Portland to ride to the winery or the farmers market. Babies. They ought to man up and spend some time outdoors down here with Niche!

One of the really nice things about Houston is that it's easy to day trip to all kinds of different places. Whether you like the forests, the hill country, salt water or fresh water, it's easy to get to. Meanwhile, "our suburbs eat prairie and poop restaurants," sayeth the great Memebag.

[kylejack]

Houston's bicycle infrastructure really is terrible, though.

[Fringe]

Well, it is Outside Magazine and even the Chron writer seems to allude to the fact that we do pretty much everything indoors here so I don't see a problem with the article. 

[crunchtastic]

I was being a tad toungue in cheek on the first post, but the whole thing is just so dumb. What's next?

This just in: RVing magazine rates Manhattan poorly!

[CDeb]

Oh noes! We're being hated on by pretentious douchebags!

Can you guess how concernedly concerned I am?

[KimberlySayWhat]

I've never heard of that magazine.

Same old complaints every single time. It's so laughable. So what about the heat! Boo hoo! Screw four season climates. I don't want that.

[SecondTour]

I was being a tad toungue in cheek on the first post, but the whole thing is just so dumb. What's next?

This just in: RVing magazine rates Manhattan poorly!

Edited August 7, 2009 by SecondTour

[august948]

Houston's bicycle infrastructure really is terrible, though.

I wouldn't go so far as to say our bicycle infrastructure is really terrible. We do have a lot of hike and bike trails along most of the bayous around town as well as marked lanes crisscrossing the city. Plus, metro has installed bike racks on all the buses. The main problems I've encountered biking around the city are distracted drivers and few bike racks. Can it improve? Sure. Is it bottom-of-the-barrel? No.

[kylejack]

I wouldn't go so far as to say our bicycle infrastructure is really terrible. We do have a lot of hike and bike trails along most of the bayous around town as well as marked lanes crisscrossing the city. Plus, metro has installed bike racks on all the buses. The main problems I've encountered biking around the city are distracted drivers and few bike racks. Can it improve? Sure. Is it bottom-of-the-barrel? No.

Comparatively speaking, Houston has fewer miles of bike lanes and bike paths. Austin and even Dallas and San Antonio are far better. Among, say, the top 10 most populous American cities I would say Houston probably has the worst bicycle infrastructure. I've ridden in NY, LA, Chicago, Phoenix (which is GREAT for bikes btw), Dallas, all are better. Detroit might be worse than Houston, I dunno.

[august948]

Comparatively speaking, Houston has fewer miles of bike lanes and bike paths. Austin and even Dallas and San Antonio are far better. Among, say, the top 10 most populous American cities I would say Houston probably has the worst bicycle infrastructure. I've ridden in NY, LA, Chicago, Phoenix (which is GREAT for bikes btw), Dallas, all are better. Detroit might be worse than Houston, I dunno.

You might be right, but can you quantify it? A quick look on the web shows 345 miles for Houston per city hall. Austin parks and rec shows 50 miles of bike paths (couldn't find data on Austin bike lanes) and Dallas has a grand plan for 500 miles but their current phase only gets them to 277 miles. I haven't checked San Antonio.

The biggest block to riding in a city is dealing with traffic. Do the cities you cited have better traffic separation for bicycles, allowing a rider to get to places with minimal interference from automobile traffic?

[RedScare]

You might be right, but can you quantify it? A quick look on the web shows 345 miles for Houston per city hall. Austin parks and rec shows 50 miles of bike paths (couldn't find data on Austin bike lanes) and Dallas has a grand plan for 500 miles but their current phase only gets them to 277 miles. I haven't checked San Antonio.

Man, the truth is perception's worst enemy, isn't it? Thanks for actual numbers, August. You probably have more stats in this single post than that magazine's entire article.

[Gary]

I was thinking the same thing. Kylejack, we'll be waiting on your response.

[barracuda]

I've never heard of that magazine.

Same old complaints every single time. It's so laughable. So what about the heat! Boo hoo! Screw four season climates. I don't want that.

These "best city" rankings are opinion pieces, nothing more. Plenty of people prefer the heat and abundant sunshine in Houston to a half a year of cold and drizzle in Seattle or the miserable winter cold of Minneapolis. One could easily argue that most cities on their "best" list have worse weather than Houston.

Of course, they conveniently disregard the hot weather in Austin and Atlanta. It's only a problem when describing Houston because it fits within the tired old tradition of hating Houston without actually understanding the city.

[Fringe]

You might be right, but can you quantify it?  A quick look on the web shows 345 miles for Houston per city hall.  Austin parks and rec shows 50 miles of bike paths (couldn't find data on Austin bike lanes) and Dallas has a grand plan for 500 miles but their current phase only gets them to 277 miles.  I haven't checked San Antonio.

The biggest block to riding in a city is dealing with traffic.  Do the cities you cited have better traffic separation for bicycles, allowing a rider to get to places with minimal interference from automobile traffic?

Are you sure Houston's not just counting every paved street as a "bike lane"?  I really find that number hard to believe. 

[kylejack]

345 miles is definitely not accurate for Houston. There may be 345 miles of "bikeways" as they call them, but that ranges from dedicated path along bayou to bike lane to non-bikelane road with signs indicating its a bike route to absolutely nothing (no lane, no sign, no nothing).

[musicman]

345 miles is definitely not accurate for Houston. There may be 345 miles of "bikeways" as they call them, but that ranges from dedicated path along bayou to bike lane to non-bikelane road with signs indicating its a bike route to absolutely nothing (no lane, no sign, no nothing).

no it looks like it is even more

Houston offers a 345-mile interconnected bikeway network spanning across 500 square miles of the city. The network includes bike lanes, bike routes, shared lanes and bayou trails, rails to trails, and other urban multi-use paths. This network does not include 80 miles of hike and bike and nature trails found in City of Houston parks.

[kylejack]

no it looks like it is even more

Houston offers a 345-mile interconnected bikeway network spanning across 500 square miles of the city. The network includes bike lanes, bike routes, shared lanes and bayou trails, rails to trails, and other urban multi-use paths. This network does not include 80 miles of hike and bike and nature trails found in City of Houston parks.

Many parts of the "345-mile interconnected bikeway network" are in fact nothing at all. Download the map PDF and you'll see some areas are marked as bike lanes, some areas are marked as signed routes (which just means that there is a sign saying that bikes travel the road, no bike lane) and some areas are nothing at all. No sign, no lane, but it is specified by the city as a "bikeway" and part of the "345-mile interconnected bikeway network".

Edited August 7, 2009 by kylejack

[Gary]

345 miles is definitely not accurate for Houston. There may be 345 miles of "bikeways" as they call them, but that ranges from dedicated path along bayou to bike lane to non-bikelane road with signs indicating its a bike route to absolutely nothing (no lane, no sign, no nothing).

How is it "deffinately not accurate"? You have yet to provide one source for your claims and two posters have cited your inaccuracy with verifiable facts.

[kylejack]

How is it "deffinately not accurate"? You have yet to provide one source for your claims and two posters have cited your inaccuracy with verifiable facts.

What, do you want me to link you to the PDF or something? As I said, Houston is describing various different things as "bikeways" as can be seen on the map. These are not necessarily bike lanes, in fact the majority are not.

Edited August 7, 2009 by kylejack

[august948]

no it looks like it is even more

Houston offers a 345-mile interconnected bikeway network spanning across 500 square miles of the city. The network includes bike lanes, bike routes, shared lanes and bayou trails, rails to trails, and other urban multi-use paths. This network does not include 80 miles of hike and bike and nature trails found in City of Houston parks.

Thank you. I stand corrected. That gives us one positive comparison, since the Austin figure of 50 miles is of hike and bike trails from the city of Austin Parks and Rec division. And, I would venture to say that the 277 mile figure Dallas gives as their near term goal probably also includes signed roadways with no true bike lane so that gives us possibly two reasonable comparisons.

I'd still like to know, though, from anybody who has biked in other large cities, what the major differences are. Is it really easier to traverse LA, Chicago and NYC by bike than it is here? If so, I'm curious how they overcome the infrastructure problems common to all large American cities. I lived in Atlanta for 10 years before moving to Houston and I can tell you that while the city is beautiful, it's not as easy to get around there by bike as it is in Houston (same thing goes for driving around Atlanta as well).

[RedScare]

What, do you want me to link you to the PDF or something? As I said, Houston is describing various different things as "bikeways" as can be seen on the map. These are not necessarily bike lanes, in fact the majority are not.

If you want us to give any credit whatsoever to your claim, some kind of concrete response would help. As it stands, your claim is being beaten like a rented mule.

[Gary]

What, do you want me to link you to the PDF or something? As I said, Houston is describing various different things as "bikeways" as can be seen on the map. These are not necessarily bike lanes, in fact the majority are not.

Yes, I want you to provide a link which is commonplace here. You'll get shot down everytime without one, especially when your asking us to take your words as fact.

[N Judah]

Houston's bike lanes, trails, etc. really do pale in comparison to other cities/towns. I say that as a person who *likes* Houston, but not for anything bike-related. Who cares what the stats say? The "miles of bike lane" stat can be easily pumped in ways already mentioned. Why put in effort when you can fudge the numbers? The point is that Houston is not a very bike-friendly city, and I know this because of Proof By Inspection.

At least Metro finally put bike racks on the buses. I'm glad we're only decades, not centuries, behind other cities in terms of bike friendliness.

Edited August 8, 2009 by N Judah

[august948]

Houston's bike lanes, trails, etc. really do pale in comparison to other cities/towns. I say that as a person who *likes* Houston, but not for anything bike-related. Who cares what the stats say? The "miles of bike lane" stat can be easily pumped in ways already mentioned. Why put in effort when you can fudge the numbers? The point is that Houston is not a very bike-friendly city, and I know this because of Proof By Inspection.

I'm glad Metro finally put bike racks on the buses. I'm glad we're only decades, not centuries, behind other cities in terms of bike friendliness.

OK...I'll bite. What is it that Houston lacks and/or needs to do to not pale in comparison to other cities/towns? Specifics please. And examples from similar sized cities. I'd love to know what to petition our local officials about. I say this not only as a person who loves Houston for non-bike related things but also as an avid biker who bikes around west Houston for errands and amusement.

Edited August 8, 2009 by august948

[N Judah]

I think they should use stimulus money to do that Buffalo Bayou plan, in its entirety, according to that picture that was posted in another thread.

[august948]

I think they should use stimulus money to do that Buffalo Bayou plan, in its entirety, according to that picture that was posted in another thread.

Ok...that's a start, but I'm really curious on specifically how we are decades behind other large cities in bike-friendliness. What, for instance does LA, Chicago, NYC, Dallas or even Austin do that is way, way ahead of what's available in Houston?

[livincinco]

Ok...that's a start, but I'm really curious on specifically how we are decades behind other large cities in bike-friendliness. What, for instance does LA, Chicago, NYC, Dallas or even Austin do that is way, way ahead of what's available in Houston?

Real bike lanes for a start. Many other cities will designate a section of the right side of the road as bikes only.

[Fringe]

If you want us to give any credit whatsoever to your claim, some kind of concrete response would help.  As it stands, your claim is being beaten like a rented mule.

Perhaps you could start by asking the city of Houston exactly what they consider a "bike way", because I have to agree, H town is not a very bike friendly place despite their over-blown numbers.  

[RedScare]

Real bike lanes for a start. Many other cities will designate a section of the right side of the road as bikes only.

Interesting concept. Maybe the City could just designate those sections on Heights, 14th, 20th, Pecore, Washington, Antoine, Wirt, Kempwood, Fountainview, 43rd, Pinemont, Briar Forest, Richmond, and other streets that have those big white lines and drawings of bicycles on them as bike lanes. Problem solved!

[RedScare]

Perhaps you could start by asking the city of Houston exactly what they consider a "bike way", because I have to agree, H town is not a very bike friendly place despite their over-blown numbers.  

Their map seems pretty self-explanatory.

http://documents.publicworks.houstontx.gov/documents/divisions/planning/bikeway/bikeways_map_network.pdf

Let me know if you need help with the legend.

[crunchtastic]

Real bike lanes for a start. Many other cities will designate a section of the right side of the road as bikes only.

I have one of those running right through the middle of my neighborhood on Polk St., all the way into downtown. I have friends in Austin, and the only bike paths they have go in circles around their subdivisions.

[august948]

Real bike lanes for a start. Many other cities will designate a section of the right side of the road as bikes only.

Do you mean like this one?

Or like the ones that run for miles along Richmond, Briar Forest, and Kirkwood in west Houston not to mention much of the rest of the city, inside and outside the loop?

[august948]

Perhaps you could start by asking the city of Houston exactly what they consider a "bike way", because I have to agree, H town is not a very bike friendly place despite their over-blown numbers.

OK. I keep asking for concrete examples of how other cities are "decades" ahead of Houston in bike-friendliness and so far I'm not seeing anything.

Once again, is there anyone out there who has actually ridden in other cities and can tell me how we are decades behind? Seriously, I really want to know if there is something we can do to dramatically improve bike-friendliness here. I'm just not so sure places like LA, Chicago, NYC and Dallas are so far ahead that it will take decades to catch up. Prove me wrong.

[august948]

double entry deleted

Edited August 8, 2009 by august948

[RedScare]

OK. I keep asking for concrete examples of how other cities are "decades" ahead of Houston in bike-friendliness and so far I'm not seeing anything.

Once again, is there anyone out there who has actually ridden in other cities and can tell me how we are decades behind? Seriously, I really want to know if there is something we can do to dramatically improve bike-friendliness here. I'm just not so sure places like LA, Chicago, NYC and Dallas are so far ahead that it will take decades to catch up. Prove me wrong.

I don't think you'll get anyone to bite on that. In spite of the quickness of some to badmouth anything Houston does, it turns out that Houston received Honorable Mention for its bikeway efforts from the League of American Bicyclists, a bicycle advocacy group, Austin actually did receive a Silver Medal from the group. No other Texas city is mentioned. For that matter, neither is Los Angeles or ATLANTA, one of Outside magazine's winners. So, the bicycle experts find Houston's bikeway system to be better than one of the magazine's winners, but the magazine feels the need to single Houston out.

Back to Houston, the Bikeway Coordinator is updating the Bikeway master plan for another round of improved bike access. Even though most do not know about it...and therefore assume that nothing is being done...it is in the works.

[musicman]

Real bike lanes for a start. Many other cities will designate a section of the right side of the road as bikes only.

i am so confused at why people are having problems riding bikes. i've skated from downtown out to at least 610 on the north, south, east and west. now the roads aren't as great, but i can still ride my bike from gulfgate to downtown in 40 mins and anywhere else just as easily. i'm still not sure why riding in a bike lane is required. i've had absolutely no problems making it anywhere within the loop. what's even more amazing is that if i do get bored, i can put my bike on the bus bike rack and just head home.

it's really quite scary that people are still ignorant of the street configuration in houston. i'm now having a flash back to 1997 and i'm skating from downtown to UH on the pierce elevated. is a bike lane required or am i having fun?

[crunchtastic]

i am so confused at why people are having problems riding bikes. i've skated from downtown out to at least 610 on the north, south, east and west. now the roads aren't as great, but i can still ride my bike from gulfgate to downtown in 40 mins and anywhere else just as easily. i'm still not sure why riding in a bike lane is required. i've had absolutely no problems making it anywhere within the loop. what's even more amazing is that if i do get bored, i can put my bike on the bus bike rack and just head home.

it's really quite scary that people are still ignorant of the street configuration in houston. i'm now having a flash back to 1997 and i'm skating from downtown to UH on the pierce elevated. is a bike lane required or am i having fun?

it's different now, musicman. helmets and stuff. Speaking of bikes we need to get together--I want to ride around down around forest hill/mason park and see what's going on with the new trails.

[musicman]

it's different now, musicman. helmets and stuff. Speaking of bikes we need to get together--I want to ride around down around forest hill/mason park and see what's going on with the new trails.

let's do it......lemon balm martini is always free at da crib. speaking of that...let me go chill a cocktail glass.

[worldlyman]

That Outside Magazine idiocy takes the cake.

They factor in cost of living, economy in their rankings and yet Houston somehow is on their hate list in the big picture.

Stupid, stupid. They condescend to remark about our nice barbecue...when actually it's our ethnic food that shines out more than anything these days. Shows how much they know about Houston.

When it's "flat", Houston gets singled out but not Chicago or NY or Miami.

When it's "bad weather", Houston gets singled out but not those MISERABLE Chicago winters (which I grew up with). And those incessant gloomy Seattle overcasts. And the lack of thunderstorms of any sort in San Diego...I considered that "bad weather" during my time there!

Living in Westchase, there are numerous opportunities for biking. I have a bicycle and ride on some occasions. Those sidewalks along the business parks, the driveways and such actually make for an excellent cycling endeavor.

Ranchester, Briarpark, Westheimer, Meadowglen, Gessner...it is SOOOO EASY to create a bike route.

Do these anal types have to have these lanes marked "BIKE PATH?" Do these Outdoor Idiots need nature ways lined with grapevines in all directions that lead to a Whole Foods Store?

I could easily bike along the sidewalks returning my movies to the Blockbuster at Gessner/Bellaire if I wanted.

Edited August 8, 2009 by worldlyman

[Fringe]

Their map seems pretty self-explanatory.

http://documents.pub...map_network.pdf

Let me know if you need help with the legend.

Saw the map, read the legends but still don't grasp the bike ways. Bike lanes are self explanatory. The more prominent red lines indicate "signed routes/shared lanes". According to the map these routes are designated for bicycle OR motor vehicle use. Does just sticking up a sign on a road turn it into a bike way? It says there are special pavement markings but I've been down some of those streets and never noticed any. They definitely are not striped bike lanes. Except for the signs which motorist don't seem to be concerned with, they don't appear any different from any other street. 

[RedScare]

Saw the map, read the legends but still don't grasp the bike ways. Bike lanes are self explanatory. The more prominent red lines indicate "signed routes/shared lanes". According to the map these routes are designated for bicycle OR motor vehicle use. Does just sticking up a sign on a road turn it into a bike way? It says there are special pavement markings but I've been down some of those streets and never noticed any. They definitely are not striped bike lanes. Except for the signs which motorist don't seem to be concerned with, they don't appear any different from any other street. 

That's what a US bikeway system looks like, chief. A few dedicated lanes, often on abandoned railroad ROWs, LOTS of striped lanes in the road, and even more shared lanes with signage to warn motorists of cyclists. Even award winning Seattle and Portland that the magazine was fawning over looks like this. If you want a real bicycle transportation system, you'll have to go to Europe. BTW, do not discount the signs warning of shared lanes. Remember the vitriol expressed in the other bicycle thread about cyclists needing to get out of the way? A large percentage of the driving public believes that cyclists should be on the sidewalk. Those signs do a great service in reminding the ignorant public that the cyclists belong there. And, remember that those signs are STILL more than most US cities do for their cycling citizens.

[Talbot]

I do like how NYC is doing their new separated bike lanes.

New York City Bike Paths

Edited August 8, 2009 by Talbot

[Fringe]

That's what a US bikeway system looks like, chief.  A few dedicated lanes, often on abandoned railroad ROWs, LOTS of striped lanes in the road, and even more shared lanes with signage to warn motorists of cyclists.  Even award winning Seattle and Portland that the magazine was fawning over looks like this.  If you want a real bicycle transportation system, you'll have to go to Europe.  BTW, do not discount the signs warning of shared lanes.  Remember the vitriol expressed in the other bicycle thread about cyclists needing to get out of the way?  A large percentage of the driving public believes that cyclists should be on the sidewalk.  Those signs do a great service in reminding the ignorant public that the cyclists belong there.  And, remember that those signs are STILL more than most US cities do for their cycling citizens.

I guess I'm just looking for more than a "shared" lane. Not trying to compare Houston to other cities because I have no idea what other cities are like. Just seems by the map that Houston is being pretty generous with it's bike ways. Signs or not, I wouldn't feel very safe on some of those roads. But that says more about Houston drivers than our bike routes. 

[RedScare]

I guess I'm just looking for more than a "shared" lane. Not trying to compare Houston to other cities because I have no idea what other cities are like. Just seems by the map that Houston is being pretty generous with it's bike ways. Signs or not, I wouldn't feel very safe on some of those roads. But that says more about Houston drivers than our bike routes. 

No disagreement there at all. I think the separated lanes should be a goal on major thoroughfares, with painted lanes on lesser roads, and one day I think we will get them. But, on the miniscule budget that the Bikeway coordinator probably has, the signage is a start toward getting motorists to share the road. Remember, the US (not just Houston) went through 3 decades of eschewing any transportation options other than single occupant motor vehicles. We have a lot of ground to make up, and a lot of attitudes to change. While Houston certainly does not have a stellar bike transportation system, it is worlds better than it was, and better than a lame 600,000 circulation magazine's opinion of it.

[N Judah]

I do like how NYC is doing their new separated bike lanes.

New York City Bike Paths

I do too. Does anyone remember how the bike lanes were implemented in Houston a few years back? All they did was re-stripe the roads. No wonder the drivers are/were so upset -- they got smaller lanes and some guy on a bike bouncing around in the gutter a few inches away from them.

So in addition to implementing more parks (which is useful to interrupt the conception of our city as a giant NASCAR track, and makes it more amenable to biking) I think a lot of the roads should be re-paved. Also, since people like stats we should come up with our own metric for our bicycle system. For example, a bicyclist inside the loop should at all times be no more than X yards or an Xth of a mile (the smaller the better) from a dedicated, physically separated bikeway or a park that has a bike trail or a LRT stop. This way bicyclists can pedal around and minimize having to slug it out with the traffic.

Also I am interested to know how pedestrians/bicyclists stand in terms of right of way. I think there are other cities where pedestrians/bicyclists automatically have the right of way.

Edited August 8, 2009 by N Judah

[august948]

I do too. Does anyone remember how the bike lanes were implemented in Houston a few years back? All they did was re-stripe the roads. No wonder the drivers are/were so upset -- they got smaller lanes and some guy on a bike bouncing around in the gutter a few inches away from them.

So in addition to implementing more parks (which is useful to interrupt the conception of our city as a giant NASCAR track, and makes it more amenable to biking) I think a lot of the roads should be re-paved. Also, since people like stats we should come up with our own metric for our bicycle system. For example, a bicyclist inside the loop should at all times be no more than X yards or an Xth of a mile (the smaller the better) from a dedicated, physically separated bikeway or a park that has a bike trail or a LRT stop. This way bicyclists can pedal around and minimize having to slug it out with the traffic.

Also I am interested to know how pedestrians/bicyclists stand in terms of right of way. I think there are other cities where pedestrians/bicyclists automatically have the right of way.

I believe under Texas law a bicycle is considered a vehicle for traffic purposes. In other words, a car and a bicycle are the same when it comes to right of way and traffic signals.

[august948]

That's what a US bikeway system looks like, chief. A few dedicated lanes, often on abandoned railroad ROWs, LOTS of striped lanes in the road, and even more shared lanes with signage to warn motorists of cyclists. Even award winning Seattle and Portland that the magazine was fawning over looks like this. If you want a real bicycle transportation system, you'll have to go to Europe. BTW, do not discount the signs warning of shared lanes. Remember the vitriol expressed in the other bicycle thread about cyclists needing to get out of the way? A large percentage of the driving public believes that cyclists should be on the sidewalk. Those signs do a great service in reminding the ignorant public that the cyclists belong there. And, remember that those signs are STILL more than most US cities do for their cycling citizens.

Good point that the signs serve to remind drivers to share the road. I've always just thought of them as a way to guide cyclists through unfamiliar neighborhoods so they can connect to other bike lanes and trails.

[Gooch]

Before you add up of those miles-and-miles of Houston bike lanes you need to subtract the ones that are unridable. Like this one on Morningside...

The sub-roadbed's actually collapsed in numerous spots between Main and Rice Village. Looks like the city got tired of doing maintenance on it, so they gave up and turned it into a bike lane. The bike lane on Weslyan also comes to mind as dangerously narrow and too rough to ride with any rapidity. That isn't to say that HOUTX doesnt' have some nicely constructed and executed bike lanes. The ones on 12th that link up to Post Oak then Memorial are excellent. Unforutnately it's illegal to ride on Memorial just a few miles west of the tie-in, so I'm not quite sure their purpose. To be fair, just about all of the goofiest lanes pre-date the current bikeways coordinator who's working very hard to secure improvements. This one actually *gasp* rides a bike.

What makes HOUTX so unbikable are the lack of complete routes. For example, there is no thru-route from Downtown to the Energy Corridor via bike lanes. That would be a reasonable commute, but there's no good way to do it without taking a very tortuous route, or being forced to navigate over-crowded streets. Again this isn't entirely the City of Houston's fault, as the Memorial Villages forbid bikes on the road.

Good point that the signs serve to remind drivers to share the road.

Works great on Heights Blvd.