The case for Bikeability in Houston

[20thStDad]

Just in the past 2 weeks I've managed to bike-commute (with 2-yr old) to the grocery store 3 times and to pick up food twice, plus 3 trips to the park. This time of year rocks.

[Fringe]

I don't endorse everyone else's comments in this thread, only my own!

[totheskies]

You make a valid theoretical counterpoint, but by your own admission the evidence (cite sources) would seem far from conclusive.

For instance, I'd be a lot more willing to take the 'inattentional blindness' of drivers towards cyclists more seriously if cyclists actually were common on roads in the inner city. As it is, I might encounter one on the roads every couple of weeks...maybe less. Also, I'd be more willing to buy into the counterargument that congestion slows down traffic to speeds that are safer for cycling if the few cyclists that I encounter on congested roads didn't impatiently weave in and out of it.

Like yourself, I'd like some serious research on the matter.

Really??? Every couple of weeks?? Don't you live in the East End?? I see 3 to 5 cyclists a day in this neighborhood... and that's a minimum. Always on Polk, Leeland, Dumble and Dowling. East End has a lot of regular bike commuters. We DON'T however have a lot of "cycle groups and events" like you see all over Midtown and Montrose. But yeah, unless it's a hard rain, I always see people on bikes in this area.

[kylejack]

East End has a lot of regular bike commuters. We DON'T however have a lot of "cycle groups and events" like you see all over Midtown and Montrose.

There are many cycle events in East End. Just tonight the Lone Star Urban Bike Race ended at a bar at 3004 Navigation and the after party is going on there right now with free Lone Star. Also, there was some kind of Zombie bike race or something that started over off of Leeland, and then there was an event at Aerosol Warfare, and Critical Mass going through East End every 2nd or 3rd ride.

[Subdude]

Really??? Every couple of weeks?? Don't you live in the East End?? I see 3 to 5 cyclists a day in this neighborhood... and that's a minimum. Always on Polk, Leeland, Dumble and Dowling. East End has a lot of regular bike commuters. We DON'T however have a lot of "cycle groups and events" like you see all over Midtown and Montrose. But yeah, unless it's a hard rain, I always see people on bikes in this area.

Yeah, even in the Montrose and Midtown there are cyclists more than every couple of weeks. Besides, even if cycling isn't common now shouldn't the city still try to encourage more of it?

[Subdude]

Speaking of encouraging bicycling, a number of cities have implemented public bike sharing schemes. Is this something Houston should explore?

[TheNiche]

Really??? Every couple of weeks?? Don't you live in the East End?? I see 3 to 5 cyclists a day in this neighborhood... and that's a minimum. Always on Polk, Leeland, Dumble and Dowling. East End has a lot of regular bike commuters. We DON'T however have a lot of "cycle groups and events" like you see all over Midtown and Montrose. But yeah, unless it's a hard rain, I always see people on bikes in this area.

Well, if you count the guys selling cotton candy and other treats on their oversized trikes...yeah, I probably see one of them every couple of days or so.

I did run into a Critical Mass ride once, I think somewhere along the Columbia Tap. But those weren't commuters and their riding patterns certainly weren't typical of what is experienced when I encounter a lone cyclist on the road. It'd be a lot more effective as a way of raising "awareness" if they swarmed a neighborhood and fanned out in ones and twos on every thoroughfare and side street at once as a sort of disorganized mob.

[house567]

In the interests of more cyclists and pedestrians, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) has put out a call for planning studies. More information can be found at www.h-gac.com/go/pedbike.

It's all about "connectivity".

[skwatra]

I took part in my first Critical Mass last friday. It was a lot of fun, though not sure I agree with their methods. From talking to others, part of it was the route chosen which caused problems. I will go again though.

What I've really enjoyed is the Columbia-Tap route and the dedicated path from UH DT (though i wish access were easier from DT) to the Heights then coming home via Heights/Waugh south to Gray.

[kylejack]

Wasn't at Critical Mass this month as I went out of town for Quakecon. Sucks to miss a Critical Mass.

[Subdude]

I took part in my first Critical Mass last friday. It was a lot of fun, though not sure I agree with their methods. From talking to others, part of it was the route chosen which caused problems. I will go again though.

What I've really enjoyed is the Columbia-Tap route and the dedicated path from UH DT (though i wish access were easier from DT) to the Heights then coming home via Heights/Waugh south to Gray.

What do you mean by "their methods"?

[kylejack]

Presumably he is talking about rolling red lights.

[barracuda]

Most drivers caught by corking are actually really patient and I think they enjoy the spectacle. Occasionally someone will curse and hold down their horn in protest. But it's basically impossible to have a mass bike ride stop at every traffic light, or it'd quickly split into numerous small groups that'd get lost from the pack.

[Subdude]

Most drivers caught by corking are actually really patient and I think they enjoy the spectacle. Occasionally someone will curse and hold down their horn in protest. But it's basically impossible to have a mass bike ride stop at every traffic light, or it'd quickly split into numerous small groups that'd get lost from the pack.

"Corking"?

[barracuda]

"Corking"?

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=corking&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[skwatra]

Presumably he is talking about rolling red lights.

Rolling red lights was fine, in most cases. I didn't think we needed to block off the whole intersection but I guess that's the safest way. Seems like if you just block the cross traffic and turners, and if we're headed north you let southbound traffic go things would be a little smoother. but the point is to let everyone know we're there so I wasn't bothered by that too much.

My issue was the route, and they way people acted. It was a good idea in theory, we went through a bunch of universities. But we ended up loitering, and people were riding up and down all the steps, right in front of doors and buildings, all over the grass. It got students (peds) and security all riled up at one location, and didn't really send a good message, more of a nuisance.

Also, we turned on Main street and 1/4 the people were riding on the Rail tracks which is just stupid. And going down Washington at 10pm on the Friday didn't seem like the best idea either, but it did provide us with a good place to stop and congregate near downtown.

But 90% of the time, people were ok with us corking, honked for us (only at us a few times) and we had random people ask what we were doing and some joined us.

[TheNiche]

Rolling red lights was fine, in most cases. I didn't think we needed to block off the whole intersection but I guess that's the safest way. Seems like if you just block the cross traffic and turners, and if we're headed north you let southbound traffic go things would be a little smoother. but the point is to let everyone know we're there so I wasn't bothered by that too much.

My issue was the route, and they way people acted. It was a good idea in theory, we went through a bunch of universities. But we ended up loitering, and people were riding up and down all the steps, right in front of doors and buildings, all over the grass. It got students (peds) and security all riled up at one location, and didn't really send a good message, more of a nuisance.

Also, we turned on Main street and 1/4 the people were riding on the Rail tracks which is just stupid. And going down Washington at 10pm on the Friday didn't seem like the best idea either, but it did provide us with a good place to stop and congregate near downtown.

But 90% of the time, people were ok with us corking, honked for us (only at us a few times) and we had random people ask what we were doing and some joined us.

Shouldn't you guys have a parade permit or something like that?

And going down Washington at 10pm on the Friday didn't seem like the best idea either, but it did provide us with a good place to stop and congregate near downtown.

I once ran into a Critical Mass ride (or something like it) heading northbound along Dunlavy and then eastbound along Allen Parkway--which just happened to be the route I had chosen to get home--and it was Halloween night at about 1:30AM as people were beginning to filter out of bars. Several of the riders brought along small children. One woman had her baby strapped to her. There weren't much in the way of reflectors, the riders were not sticking together very well, and the whole scene just seemed primed for a tragic end.

Seemed pretty stupid to me, too.

[skwatra]

Shouldn't you guys have a parade permit or something like that?

I once ran into a Critical Mass ride (or something like it) heading northbound along Dunlavy and then eastbound along Allen Parkway--which just happened to be the route I had chosen to get home--and it was Halloween night at about 1:30AM as people were beginning to filter out of bars. Several of the riders brought along small children. One woman had her baby strapped to her. There weren't much in the way of reflectors, the riders were not sticking together very well, and the whole scene just seemed primed for a tragic end.

Seemed pretty stupid to me, too.

i think getting a permit would defeat the point.

most people had lights on the back and front, and the group was pretty cohesive. sometimes there were gaps and we got split up, but there were always a large amount of people together.

I can't speak to the Halloween group you saw. That wasn't an official Critical Mass, but there are plenty of other rides out there.

[kylejack]

1:30 AM on Halloween night, headed towards downtown...that would be people assembling for the Moonlight Ramble, an annual ride which does have a permit. It starts at 2 AM from GRB.

[barracuda]

Rolling red lights was fine, in most cases. I didn't think we needed to block off the whole intersection but I guess that's the safest way. Seems like if you just block the cross traffic and turners, and if we're headed north you let southbound traffic go things would be a little smoother. but the point is to let everyone know we're there so I wasn't bothered by that too much.

My issue was the route, and they way people acted. It was a good idea in theory, we went through a bunch of universities. But we ended up loitering, and people were riding up and down all the steps, right in front of doors and buildings, all over the grass. It got students (peds) and security all riled up at one location, and didn't really send a good message, more of a nuisance.

Also, we turned on Main street and 1/4 the people were riding on the Rail tracks which is just stupid. And going down Washington at 10pm on the Friday didn't seem like the best idea either, but it did provide us with a good place to stop and congregate near downtown.

But 90% of the time, people were ok with us corking, honked for us (only at us a few times) and we had random people ask what we were doing and some joined us.

There are no official rules and really no particular mission to the rides. I agree that some riders should be more cognizant of their surroundings or else they may eventually ruin the ride for everyone else with the bad publicity.

[samagon]

Riding down main street is just annoying, and I hate it when crit mass goes down it.

That bothered me this last ride and what bothered me more was people riding on the wrong side of the street down leeland and other streets along the ride.

Also when we do stop people think it's a grand idea to just stop and do whatever in the middle of the street.

It happens though, i mean there's hundreds of kids riding in the group? Always someone pushing the boundaries even farther than they should.