Yesterday I decided to try riding on the road from Bowness to downtown instead of using the adjacent and parallel bikepath, in order to see what would happen in the way of motorist aggression. I've posted my GPS tracklog on mtbguru.com.
Okay, it was a Saturday afternoon with light traffic, not a rush hour populated with stressed-out commuters, but I counted more than 40 cars that passed me on Memorial Drive, starting the count at Shaganappi Trail and ending at 10 St NW. Not one of the motorists honked a horn at me or came too close for my liking. I was surprised, actually.
I always ride with a glasses-mounted rear-view mirror so I was able to continually monitor the approaching traffic while I rode at least 1m from the curb (both to avoid rough pavement and to give me room to dodge if needed). I noticed that many drivers actually changed lanes as they approached, or moved half-way into the other lane.
So will I now start riding on Memorial Drive instead of using the adjacent bikepaths? Well, no. Even though I was riding a cross bike and could maintain close to 30 km/h (into a moderate SE headwind), I felt quite vulnerable on the stretch of road east of Crowchild Trail where the speed limit is 70 km/h. The lanes aren't particularly wide so I'm definitely affecting other traffic along that section. Even though no one acted aggressively against me, the situation was probably atypical. I can't say I was relaxed during that ride.
On the other hand, when I ride on the bikepaths I never have to worry about being struck from behind and killed or injured by a motor vehicle (if you ride on the roads and don't have this concept somewhere in the back of your mind you may not be playing with a full deck). And really, what did I gain by riding on Memorial Drive? At an average speed of 30 km/h, that 10 km/h trip would take 20 minutes. On the pathway, where I could realistically average 25 km/h without fear of getting a speeding ticket (slowing for other users as appropriate, of course), that trip would take 24 minutes. Four minutes extra seems like a cheap price to pay for the peace of mind I get on the pathway.
What's your take on this choice?
Morning Commute
Submitted by gyrospanner on
This is part of my commute >>>
I'd stay on the bike path and risk the groups of joggers, "boot camp" guys dragging logs, off-leash dogs and the other zombies you find in the morning rather than take the risk of being squeezed out by a car.......
There are way more options to "bail out" on the bike path than the road, and I usually ride 30 kmh+ on the pathways, so I'll easily risk a ticket in place of an injury or my life!
Cheers!
Seems close to the time
Submitted by Spinner on
Seems close to the time difference I got going from Forestlawn to Bowcycle.It takes me about 50-55 minutes using the paths and about 40-45 minutes using the street.I found using the street for the most part and the path in the busy sections worked well.When I head that way I take 17ave down to 8ave and head toward downtown on 8 ave,then up to 9ave to cross the river,then straight down 10 ave and re cross the river at 10 st.Then head to Bowness on the path untill Shag,then jump back on the road at the lights and head down Bowness rd.The only problem with this route,is that I always end up stopping at MEC so timing the trip is difficult.
Pathways - the final frontier
Submitted by PedalFaster on
It seems to me that our pathways represent one of the last places where we all have an opportunity to act courteously and safely while we share a valuable common space.
Everybody complains about the state of our roads and the attitudes of drivers towards, well, everybody and it seems the battle is lost there.
The sidewalks are pedestrian only (supposedly) but if anyone has ever walked a crowded sidewalk downtown they know that there is a lot of tension, bluster and bravado in the walking crowd too. Sidewalks are also subject to the noise of cars, splashings and spatterings from curbside puddles, signage, and debris from cars and pedestrians alike.
But the pathways are away from all that. They are pretty clean, generally removed from road traffic noise and effects, and give us scenery and wildlife to look at that we can't usually find on our roads and sidewalks. Such freedom and isolation from the buzz of the city draws so many different users and it is a marvel that we can all still get along for the most part, but that really depends on the attitudes of the users.
A fair number of comments on the pathway crackdown have a 'damn the other users, I'm going to go as fast as I want' tone and while not wanting to risk your life on Calgary roads is a fair enough argument hopefully cyclists don't become to the pathways what cars are to us on the roads. Also, I understand the 'I want to get my workout in' reasoning but I can't support it. If runners were weaving in and out of pedestrians at high speed on the sidewalks during the day downtown it would definitely be unacceptable, they just need to find somewhere safer to run. Same thing for bikes. It would be nice to make the pathways cardio central but I think it is unfair to the majority of the other users, including novice and slower cyclists trying to get out for a ride away from the terrors of the streets. Yes, the bootcamp groups seem to have made the pathways and parks their own workout space but really they are not conflicting with anyone, except high speed cyclists. I have yet to hear about a massive pile up between joggers, roller bladers, and bootcampers.
I ride mostly roads for my part, but sometimes pathways are great shortcuts or are just that much safer than some road sections. If I am looking for speed though then the road is the best place for me by far. Even riding at high speed I find the pathways to be too circuitous for me to get to and from most places efficiently. There are always trouble sections of road between A and B, but (I find) there are always less busy roads that are almost as direct and still much faster than pathways, and I can go as fast as I can pedal if want.
Just my two cents I guess but I really feel that respecting the pathway speeds and other users will get us a lot farther as far as gaining support for our own dedicated lanes or maybe even higher speed pathway sections.
PF
Well Said
Submitted by Julie Gregg on
I know this is a REALLY late reply but I like how you (PedalFaster) think. I agree that the pathways are for sharing and we have to all do that give and take thing.....I'd love to see the "cycle friendly" attitude improve so I guess it has to be earned. I am one of those cyclists who also runs the pathways often so I get both sides of it. We just have to play nice!
Bowness to Downtown via Memorial Drive
Submitted by Orange on
I commute the same way that you do and have tried the option you describe.
You may find it easier if you take a left-hand turn at Kensington and take that to the Louise St. Bridge as that section from Crowchild on is a little too tight for comfort.
If you want to commute home without using much of the path you can head west on the path to 14th Street and then North to 5th AVE and West to Memorial. Memorial going west is actually pretty good.
I typically take these routes when I know the By-law officers are around otherwise I stick to the paths as the risks are lower. It seems road rage is becoming more and more common in our City so stay safe out there! My take on your choice would be to stick with the paths during the commuting hours as everyone is on edge and the chance of an ultercation is much higher - but that's just my opinion.
Kensington Rd. option
Submitted by ride on
Orange, I just did that ride as an experiment, since there's been a lot of discussion about bylaw enforcement along there, and some discussion about having a mass of commuters ride Memorial Drive as a kind of protest. I actually live in Bridgeland, so my commute to downtown is both short and stress-free.
As you say, there are alternatives to Memorial Drive. The Kensington Road option would definitely be a good alternative if I were indeed commuting that route. But even that road has lanes that are too narrow for a bike and car at one time, so I'd likely veer off onto Bowness Road by slipping through the little park that's right on the SE corner of Crowchild Trail NW and Kensington Road. At 16 St NW by CBC, I'd make a jog over to Broadview Road and then slip under 14 St NW in the pedestrian tunnel. Then I'd get on the bikepath for the final half kilometre to the 9A St bridge into downtown.
Another alternative
Submitted by njensen on
Instead of taking the pathway, I'll cut north to 7 Avenue NW at 37 Street NW. 7 Avenue goes from 37 to 24 Street with only one stop sign at 29 Street NW. It's also a quiet residential road. At 24 Street you cut down to 5 Avenue which takes you all the way to 10 Street NW. There's a bit of a delay to cross Crowchild and to cross 14 Street.
I actually prefer this route going west when I'm coming home in the afternoon - I generally take the pathway in the morning.
Why 70 kph?
Submitted by nick motown on
I would like to know why the city thinks that section of Memorial should be 70 kph. There are houses right next to the road and anywhere else along that road where there is a neighbourhood, the speed limit is 50 kph. Plus, it's not like the morning and evening commute is aided by a slightly faster zone. Heck, even 16th Ave is limited to 60 kph! Why just this one section?