Cape Town a truly bike-friendly city

[Willehond]

OK, it's actually: "The plan is to make Cape Town a truly bike-friendly city where people can commute by cycle to work and school in safety in a scenic and traffic-free environment.

 

So far, the NMT has started construction on a bicycle and pedestrian route that will stretch from Rondebosch to Salt River, following the Liesbeek River and traversing the proposed Two Rivers Urban Park. It is scheduled to be complete by June 2009. "

 

I just saw this published on iafrica.com.  Would be nice if you had bike paths in 2009!!!!!!!!!

 

http://lifestyle.iafrica.com/1240961.htm

 

 

Willehond2008-10-21 06:35:38

[Bateleur1]

How many pieces of broken glass would you be able spread on this peace of road? Bateleur12008-10-21 06:40:08

[Red Zone]

I have seen a bit of that path in Rondebosch, it is realy great but it is more of a recreational path, what out City needs are designated bike lanes on public roads.

 

[FanieFiets]

I would cycle to work every day but we dont have showers so that will never work. 

[Red Zone]

I would cycle to work more but it is not realy worth it for 5km due to the time taken to get changed and cleaned up.

[Willehond]

I have seen a bit of that path in Rondebosch' date=' it is realy great but it is more of a recreational path, what out City needs are designated bike lanes on public roads.

 

[/quote'] NEXT TO public roads.  Taxi's and other impatient drivers will just use it as an extra lane if it's on the normal road.

 

THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT:

 

NOT THIS:

Willehond2008-10-21 06:59:00

[splat]

Willehond, in the second pic, which is the bike lane?

The strip to the left of the paint, or the left of the grass?

[Willehond]

Willehond' date=' in the second pic, which is the bike lane?

The strip to the left of the paint, or the left of the grass?

[/quote']  The bit on the left of the dotted line.  It's just there to make the cars aware that bikes are allowed to be there.  All roads in the Netherlands (except highways), either have dedicated bike lanes (dual on one side or singles on both sides of the road) or just have the narrow painted ones in the example.

I just think that in SA it won't work to just paint a bike lane in an existing road.  You need law abiding motorists before that will work.

[splat]

I just think that in SA it won't work to just paint a bike lane in an existing road.  You need law abiding motorists before that will work.

 

Just for starters...

[niterider]

Problem with those separate lanes are:

1. Pedestrians use them. And unlike Holland, they don't give right of way to cyclists

2. Pedestrians break their glass on them. Unlike the roads there's no cars to gently disperse the glass.

3. Whenever those paths intersect with roads, motorists are not expecting bikes to pop out from no-where. Unlike Holland, cars are not guilty when they knock people off their bikes

 

Give me a wide lane on the side of a normal road any day.

 

[Willehond]

Problem with those separate lanes are:
1. Pedestrians use them. And unlike Holland' date=' they don't give right of way to cyclists They will use the bike lane too!  Try riding in the bike lane in the Waterfront - filled with pedestrians.
2. Pedestrians break their glass on them. Unlike the roads there's no cars to gently disperse the glass. On a bike path there hopefully/unfortunately also won't be cars dispersing the bottles they now throw on your bike path
3. Whenever those paths intersect with roads, motorists are not expecting bikes to pop out from no-where. Unlike Holland, cars are not guilty when they knock people off their bikes  Bikes get their own robots in Holland.  I know stupid idea...

Give me a wide lane on the side of a normal road any day. OK
[/quote']

 

True, no arguments there (apart from the ones in red above) about pedestrians etc., but in SA cars are pressured to ride in the yellow lane, so what stops them for pulling over into that for other cars?  Same safety issue again!  If you had a barrier or at least some flexible poles (I can get some examples) in the road to hinder cars it would be a possible solution.

Willehond2008-10-21 08:46:06