skwatra Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Where exactly does the dedicated Lamar lane end on the west side? Bagby?I saw some talks on bikehouston about trying to extend to the bayou. I'm hoping to be able to take my toddler to daycare (1 year old in a trailer) coming from Buffalo Bayou. Destination is Pierce and La Branch.Other option is to go down W Gray or Webster which I don't think is a good one (safety wise with a kiddo). Hoping to do a dry run Friday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 It goes all the way to the bayou trails. The lane replaced the crosswalk at Bagby and Lamar. You can then go alongside Sam Houston Park and connect with the trails at Sabine Street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 On a poorly paved sidewalk next to a freeway exit ramp. Let's not oversell the quality of the connection to the bayou trails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 It's perfectly passable, even with a baby trailer, which I think is what the question was. It could of course be improved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Thanks all. I'll check it out Friday. I don't even have the trailer yet, still shopping. He turns one in August and we plan to move him downtown. This wouldn't be daily, probably once a week when I'm working from home. I'll see how secure I feel safety wise but really hoping I can bike him from Montrose to his daycare downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbates2 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Saw this jackhole parked in the bike lane yesterday but just kept going. Saw it again today and instead of turning it into a sweet ramp, I called the number to tell them they can't park there all day. Redneck on the phone started to yell at me and tell me they can park wherever they want. Downtown bike lanes, now with ramps and swearing hillbillies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunstar Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Just goes to show you, putting in bike lanes doesn't necessarily make you a bike friendly city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cspwal Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Would calling 311 get them a ticket/towed? Or is there any recourse? Also that ramp looks straight out of crazy taxi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbates2 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 There was a cop parked one block up also in the bike lane. I didn't feel like reporting to him would help much. The next block is where the lane ends because it is blocked by the Hillcorp construction. Bike lane was going hard today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urban909 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 There is an app called TowIt. Seems to work fairly well:http://www.citylab.com/tech/2015/05/remove-badly-parked-cars-with-the-app-tow-it/394043/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I'm not one for stereotypes but God tow truck drivers are the worst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Just goes to show you, putting in bike lanes doesn't necessarily make you a bike friendly city. You are correct. It will only work once its part of a greater system. Right now its nothing but an urban anomaly that is simply not understood. I mean come on that company is from Magnolia! Not to shoot down magnolia, but its not like there are bike lanes everywhere and this dedicated bike lane is the only one downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UtterlyUrban Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Kbates2:Thanks for trying. There are generally cops all over downtown -- on foot, horse, car or bike. I see this lane everyday and have yet anything like this guy but, I have resolved that when I do, I will simply call the department, explain the issue, and hopefully get the offending vehicle ticketed. Will my plan work? Who knows? But I will try.Next time, if it's a commercial vehicle, you may also wish to snap the plate number (along with the other images) and send to the police too. Likely will amount to nothing but, can't hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 That's not necessarily a Magnolia company. Lots of commercial guys use addresses in the sticks to reduce insurance costs. Definitely a call the police situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Yes, they added no parking signs to the bike lane a while back, so those vehicles can be ticketed. Well, the non-cops, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I used the route a few weeks back to meet my wife for lunch. The connection from the bayou is reasonable but could be improved. Overall, I decided I would not be picking up my toddler with a trailer in tow using that dedicated path. There was noone parked, no obstructions (other than the construction), but I'm just concerned about a couple close calls. East bound was actually great, with the light green I could cruise through and any time a potential conflict came up (a west bound driver turning left) they saw me clearly and gave me right of way. The problem was west bound, over the course of 8 blocks twice I had people turn left in front of me causing me to slam on the brakes. One person saw me and accelerated to beat me, the other was oblivous. As a defensive biker, I'll take it in a hearbeat. But not with my kid in tow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I used the route a few weeks back to meet my wife for lunch. The connection from the bayou is reasonable but could be improved. Overall, I decided I would not be picking up my toddler with a trailer in tow using that dedicated path. There was noone parked, no obstructions (other than the construction), but I'm just concerned about a couple close calls. East bound was actually great, with the light green I could cruise through and any time a potential conflict came up (a west bound driver turning left) they saw me clearly and gave me right of way. The problem was west bound, over the course of 8 blocks twice I had people turn left in front of me causing me to slam on the brakes. One person saw me and accelerated to beat me, the other was oblivous.As a defensive biker, I'll take it in a hearbeat. But not with my kid in tow.So we need one way bike paths down the opposite dkrection of one way streets? Aka, spread the Lamar route in half and move the west bound over to Dallas or McKinney? It's an interesting point. I always ride my bike in the oncoming lane so I can see cars coming/make the proper maneuver.. I guess it works the same for the cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_cuevas713 Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 This makes me so angry. Like how stupid do you have to be? I would have talked so much trash to the guy. This is about as stupid as people turning left in front of cars, not knowing they share the lane with the train. Saw this just yesterday actually and it pissed me off so bad. What is the city gonna do with people like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 So we need one way bike paths down the opposite dkrection of one way streets? Aka, spread the Lamar route in half and move the west bound over to Dallas or McKinney? It's an interesting point. I always ride my bike in the oncoming lane so I can see cars coming/make the proper maneuver.. I guess it works the same for the cars. I'm not sure this is the answer given the infrastructure required and though it may be better for visibility, you're doubling the interaction between cars and bikes (separate lanes). Hopefully drivers will just learn - just like when the light rail came in though that process was painful and sometimes tragic. I think the biggest problem is the "random" drivers that rarely ever come downtown that are so oblivious to their surroundings. For the bike lane the markings, signing, everything is there. Hopefully it won't take tragic events to teach the general driving public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 It's an interesting point. I always ride my bike in the oncoming lane so I can see cars coming/make the proper maneuver.. I guess it works the same for the cars. I like to ride this way too, you get to plan your manuever better when you can see trouble coming at you .... I got "pulled over" last weekend on my bike by a police officer telling me I need to ride with the flow of traffic, not against it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Ride near the curb and go in the same direction as other traffic: (551.103) - See more at: http://www.biketexas.org/en/infrastructure/texas-bicycle-laws#sthash.6wyw2lWQ.dpuf Though I do prefer to ride against traffic when I'm able to ride on the sidewalk (legally which you are not allowed to do downtown). Better visibility for people turning in/out of shopping centers and side streets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Admittedly I ride my bike out in the suburbs.. I'm not sure I would feel as comfortable riding into oncoming traffic on a busy/wide city street.Good point about the period of adjustment Skwatra.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Admittedly I ride my bike out in the suburbs.. I'm not sure I would feel as comfortable riding into oncoming traffic on a busy/wide city street.Good point about the period of adjustment Skwatra.. I only ride in the streets on weekends when there isn't a lot of traffic around, I don't like riding on busy streets either - Im on bike paths/trails the rest of the time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I like to ride this way too, you get to plan your manuever better when you can see trouble coming at you .... I got "pulled over" last weekend on my bike by a police officer telling me I need to ride with the flow of traffic, not against it... I hate to be 'that guy' but as well you should be 'pulled over'. You may feel that you're more safe riding into oncoming traffic, but far from it. Yes, it's very likely that people will see you directly in front of them, pedaling towards them. But the hazards that you don't see, and the hazards that aren't expecting you to be going that direction aren't going to be looking for you. Your chances of being injured are greatly increased to the unseen hazards. For example, the driver sitting in the exit to the parking lot turning right will look left for oncoming traffic, not right to see if there's a bike going contraflow, if there's a hedge, or some other obstruction that limits view to the right, he won't have a chance to see you even if he looks, nor will you see him. Please, for your safety, ride on the correct side of the road, with traffic. If you decide to ride on sidewalks, please also ride on the right side of the road. as for riding on sidewalks, it is legal, but only where there are not businesses within a certain proximity. so downtown, you shouldn't be on the sidewalk. I think on the blocks with parking lots, it is okay to ride the sidewalk, but otherwise, not. They have a specific code for it somewhere. Also, this is different when you're walking and there's no sidewalk, you are supposed to walk on the shoulder of oncoming traffic, but not on a bike. I'd go so far as to say it's reckless to ride into traffic on a bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Riding against traffic is not exactly smart. Ask the cyclist I almost hit a few years back who was riding North bound on Fannin as I prepared to turn left onto Tuam. He seemed to be offended that I was proceeding in a legal direction in a legal lane, and should have turned left from the second lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I do it in a suburban city of 25,000 on 2 lane roads (generally because of a lack of sidewalk) that go through a residential area on the outskirts of town, aren't too busy, but sometimes people like to speed down. I've almost hit more than one person at night because they were walking/riding with the flow of traffic and didn't see me driving up on them/I couldn't see them for one reason or another. It's the worst when a car is coming from the other direction and their headlights are blinding you so you can't see the people just beyond their vehicle walking/riding out in the street. So yeah.. IMO sometimes it is smarter to ride into opposing traffic. But I wouldn't do it in a major city like Houston. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Pragmatist Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 You ride a bicycle with the flow of traffic and go against traffic whilst walking without a sidewalk for logical reasons. Riding against traffic is particularly silly because the two vehicles (the bike and the automobile) are coming at each other at an enhanced rate of speed. If the bike is going 15 mph and the car is going 35 mph, then it's like they're approaching head on at 50 mph. It shortens the reaction time for both parties. If they're going in the same direction, the apparent speed gain of the automobile on the bike is only 20 mph. It's much easier to recognize the bike and adjust accordingly with this diminished rate of gain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 You ride a bicycle with the flow of traffic and go against traffic whilst walking without a sidewalk for logical reasons. Riding against traffic is particularly silly because the two vehicles (the bike and the automobile) are coming at each other at an enhanced rate of speed. If the bike is going 15 mph and the car is going 35 mph, then it's like they're approaching head on at 50 mph. It shortens the reaction time for both parties. If they're going in the same direction, the apparent speed gain of the automobile on the bike is only 20 mph. It's much easier to recognize the bike and adjust accordingly with this diminished rate of gain. I dont disagree with anything you say....my issue is that at least if I'm facing the car coming at me and they don't see me, swerve in my direction, etc...I would have a chance to react...if I am going with the flow of traffic and the car behind me swerves towards me, I don't know its coming and have no chance to react...Im still going to lose no matter if it is 20mph or 50mph. Just to clarify...I don't ride down Westheimer or Washington Ave going against traffic....I avoid city streets as much as possible sticking to bike lane/trails....about the only time I'm on city streets is the weekend when I go over to Buffalo Bayou Park from the East side....and now with the bike lane, it's even less... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunstar Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 285 tickets! This thing will pay for itself in no time http://blog.chron.com/thehighwayman/2015/07/local-cyclist-and-mayor-upset-by-bike-lane-parking/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 and the police pension fund, and the firefighter pension fund, and the... I have visions of bike lanes everywhere as the city tries to bridge the gap of our debt issues. This thing is less than 3/4 of a mile. I'm envisioning 1000 miles of bike lanes! extrapolated out, that's like, a million tickets every year! even if the fee is nominal, like $25? 25 million a year, that's notbadobama.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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