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Posts Tagged ‘bicycle’
Bicycle Spielberg Graces San Francisco – Panhandle Panache – The Fell / Oak Corridor Has Been Captured for the Ages
Wednesday, June 12th, 2013Does Our CHP Have a “Bicycle Officer School?” Yes, Here It Is – Soon to be Patrolling the Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge
Wednesday, June 12th, 2013Whenever it opens, which will be about a quarter-century late.
Check it:
@CHPoakland officers preparing for Bicycle Officer School and will soon be patrolling the new Bay Bridge! pic.twitter.com/KJ6lk8EqOp
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Bicycle Fatality on the I-80 at University in Berkeley Raises the Question: Can You Ride a Bike on a Freeway?
Saturday, June 1st, 2013Consider this morning’s news:
“Katie Utehs @katieutehs2h - All lanes of eastbound 80 blocked for bicycle vs. collision at University. @ktvupic.twitter.com/iIHtmZJ8bw“
Is it legal to ride a bike on the freeways of California?
No, not on the very urbanized part in Berkeley I don’t think.
But bike riding is legal on other certain stretches of freeway.
“We’re not talking about temporarily closing down a freeway to cars on Father’s Day like they did in Pasadena a while back, to the horror of Rob Anderson.
And we’re not talking about an illegal bicycle romp in traffic the way the Crimanimalz do it on the 405.
We’re talking about you legally riding your bike on the right side of some of California’s 4000 miles of freeway.
Well, according to the California Department of Transportation, maker of melty orange and blue cupcakes, sí, se puede. Yes, you can ride your bike on about 1000 miles of California freeway.
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For proof, check out this white sign in Marin County on the 101 South. You see? It says “BICYCLES MUST EXIT” so that means, assuming you didn’t ignore any ”Bicycles Prohibited” sign, it’s all good for you to be on this stretch of freeway. Q.E.D. Res Ipsa Loquitur.
Here’s the CalTrans version:
Of the more than 4,000 miles of freeways in California, about 1,000 miles are open to bicyclists. These open sections are usually in rural areas where there is no alternate route. California Vehicle Code Section 21960 says Caltrans and local agencies may prohibit bicyclists from traveling on freeways under their jurisdiction and that they must erect signs stating the prohibition. There are no signs permitting bicyclists on freeways. When a bicyclist is legally traveling on a freeway, he/she may be directed off the freeway at the next off-ramp by a sign that says “Bicycles Must Exit.” The freeway will be posted at the next on-ramp with a sign that says “Bicycles Prohibited.”
And here’s the Vehicle Code:
21960. (a) The Department of Transportation and local authorities,
by order, ordinance, or resolution, with respect to freeways,
expressways, or designated portions thereof under their respective
jurisdictions, to which vehicle access is completely or partially
controlled, may prohibit or restrict the use of the freeways,
expressways, or any portion thereof by pedestrians, bicycles or other
nonmotorized traffic or by any person operating a motor-driven
cycle, motorized bicycle, or motorized scooter. A prohibition or
restriction pertaining to bicycles, motor-driven cycles, or motorized
scooters shall be deemed to include motorized bicycles; and no
person may operate a motorized bicycle wherever that prohibition or
restriction is in force. Notwithstanding any provisions of any
order, ordinance, or resolution to the contrary, the driver or
passengers of a disabled vehicle stopped on a freeway or expressway
may walk to the nearest exit, in either direction, on that side of
the freeway or expressway upon which the vehicle is disabled, from
which telephone or motor vehicle repair services are available.
(b) The prohibitory regulation authorized by subdivision (a) shall
be effective when appropriate signs giving notice thereof are
erected upon any freeway or expressway and the approaches thereto.
If any portion of a county freeway or expressway is contained within
the limits of a city within the county, the county may erect signs on
that portion as required under this subdivision if the ordinance has
been approved by the city pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section
1730 of the Streets and Highways Code.
(c) No ordinance or resolution of local authorities shall apply to
any state highway until the proposed ordinance or resolution has
been presented to, and approved in writing by, the Department of
Transportation.
(d) An ordinance or resolution adopted under this section on or
after January 1, 2005, to prohibit pedestrian access to a county
freeway or expressway shall not be effective unless it is supported
by a finding by the local authority that the freeway or expressway
does not have pedestrian facilities and pedestrian use would pose a
safety risk to the pedestrian.
The Perils of Electric Moped / Scooter / Bike Ownership – A2B “Bicycles” are Back in Business
Thursday, May 30th, 2013I think I saw an ad for these A2B bikes just today in the SF Weekly.
They were never very popular but I did my best to discourage purchases, to the dismay of the Ultra Motors people.
These days, Ultra Motors is gone but A2B bikes are making a comeback aided by more realistic pricing.
Thusly, as seen with a flat tire:
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IMO, you’re better off with a regular bike, one with puncture resistant tires and theft-hardened parts.
But that’s just me.
Bus Rapid Transit: Our San Francisco County Transit Authority Studies Big-Ass, 80-Foot “Bi-Articulated” Buses
Friday, May 24th, 2013Here’s your San Francisco County Transit Authoritah in a nutshell:
“Created in 1989, the Authority is responsible for long-range transportation planning for the city, and it analyzes, designs and funds improvements for San Francisco’s roadway and public transportation networks.”
Well, the SFCTA is on the move in 2013, doing stuff like making new webpages, and, among other things, looking at Bus Rapid Transit for the 415.
So that means studying, like er mah Gah, monstrous buses like these rigs straight outta Mexico City:
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Now, would BRT be a good thing for those poor souls living out in the West Bay taking the wretched #38 Geary home every night? IDK. I’ll look into it.
Fatal Collision with Large Truck at 16th and South Van Ness, May 23rd – Image of Mangled White Road Bike – Via KTVU
Thursday, May 23rd, 2013Via Tara Moriarty, of KTVU-TV:
“Deadly bicycle accident on S Van Ness & 16th in SF with garbage truck. Cyclist may have been dragged a block @KTVU pic.twitter.com/Af4PnW4P9Z“
@KCBSNews reporter Holly Quan: early signs garbage truck/cyclist both on 16th St. Truck made R turn onto S Van Ness; bike went straight.
Transit Porn: The Newest Govmint Website is “MyStreetSF.Com” – SFCTA Shows Where It’s Spending All Your Money
Monday, May 20th, 2013That’s what they’re calling it, MyStreetSF.Com, but all that URL does now is point you to http://www.sfcta.org/mystreetsf-map, which is also new.
Check it, SFCTA is EV ERYWHERE:
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This image is just a snapshot. What you should do is click on over and then start tapping on the interactive map.
[Call and response, like when you were an activist before you became a typical selfish millionaire property-owning NIMBY-type] Whose streets? _MY_ STREETS!
Now you’re on the trolley. In fact, you’re paying for one, right…here. See?
All the deets:
[Click on this link to go directly to the MyStreetSF Projects Map.]
From signals to streetcars, bicycles to boulevards, from pedestrian safety to paving, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) provides funding for hundreds of transportation projects citywide. The MyStreetSF interactive map shows all projects currently underway that are funded by, or prioritized for funding by the SFCTA, as well as those for which the SFCTA provides some level of oversight, in our role as Congestion Management Agency for San Francisco.
Most of these projects are funded with Prop K sales tax funds matching other federal, state, or regional funds. We also provide funding through the Prop AA Vehicle Registration Fee and the Transportation Fund for Clean Air programs.
The MyStreetSF interactive map allows you to search for projects by location, Supervisorial District, project type (e.g., bicycle, pedestrian safety, transit rehabilitation), project sponsor, or timeline. Click on a project on the map to see key information (e.g., short description, schedule, cost) and a link to the project page and/or project sponsor’s main page. The map page also includes information on city-wide projects and programs like Bicycle Education and Outreach.
We’re still beta testing the map and continue to work on new features, such as displaying already-completed projects.
Please let us know what you think. Your comments are invaluable in helping us correct, refine, and improve the map.
Disclaimer This map only shows transportation projects funded or prioritized for funding by the SFCTA, as well as those for which SFCTA is responsible for some level of oversight, acting in its capacity as Congestion Management Agency for San Francisco. SFCTA does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information shown on the map.
How I Go Up Masonic, How I Come Down Masonic
Tuesday, May 14th, 2013This shot shows the real steep block of northbound Masonic, just above Fulton.
Dude here uses the bizarrely-wide sidewalk, the way I and most other people do. Good times:
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And you should too, that’s what I’m saying.
Now, going south on Masonic is different. You should stay on the street ’til the cross-street Turk (which has a higher speed limit than Masonic, go figure). Then you go onto the sidewalk for one block (taking care to avoid the illegally parked cars put there by area homeowners who actually own garages, go figure). Then at Golden Gate, you cross and wait for the light to turn red.
Then you have two whole blocks all to yourself, if only for a few moments
Thusly:
That’s How I Go Up Masonic, How I Come Down Masonic.
San Francisco Must Be the Bicycle-Stealingest City in the World
Tuesday, May 14th, 2013A quick-release skewer on your new mountain bike is a bug, not a feature:
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The Bay Area Air Quality Management District Drives to the Meeting About Eliminating Parking Spaces on Polk Street – Ironic?
Monday, April 29th, 2013I’m not finished yet.
Look at this official Bay Area Air Quality Management District staff car. What powers it? Gasoline. Evil, evil gasoline.
Now let’s leave aside the half-assed parking job directly in front of the latest Polk Great Streets Complete Streets “Improvement” Meeting. Oh wait, let’s not. Parallel parking involves being parallel, right? Work on that, BAAQMD. And should you have left your ass hanging over the official SFMTA red zone? Have you no respect for The Law, BAAQMD?
Hey BAAQMD, where’d you come from to get to the corner of Bush and Polk? Tell me and I’ll then tell you which crappy SFMTA bus line you all could have used to get to the meeting. I myself came up Sutter from the office ’cause it’s relatively flat. See? I’m loaded with info!
Conveniently using one of the many parking spaces it wants to eliminate in the Polk Corridor. Let’s call this shot The High Cost of Free Parking:
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Hey BAAQMD! Do you pay the meters when you park you gasoline-powered cars about town on the weekends? I think we had a big deal about this issue just last year, right? Oh no, you just leave the meter flashing EXPIRED EXPIRED while you tend to your bidness for hours? OK fine.
Oh well.
The BAAQMD isn’t an Air Quality Management program, it’s a jobs program.
It’s a jobs program for the people who work for … the BAAQMD.
Just saying.
