Bike Commuter Rage

[DrewM]

Originally Posted by patrolskid

so you gotta ride a little further going the " wrong " way . . . makes things more efficient and safer for everyone ( cyclist and pedestrians ) travelling in the direction of traffic .

sure you can say it's both directions only because there's no signs , but common sense will tell you it's better if everyone is moving the same direction . if your only argument is the time and energy saved , better set yourself some extra time to do your commute .

when i encounter riders going the " wrong " way , i'll slow down to make the pass , flash some stink-eye and mutter something like " you ain't in australia " . . .

punching somebody out for it though ? that's just plain unbike like and completely unacceptable .

Thank you.

-D

[0_o]

need a description of the bike.

[patrolskid]

gotta question for you guys going the " other " way . . .

as biking in general and commuting specifically becomes more popular and more riders start using the routes , are you going to continue to ride the " other " way ?

i'm pretty flexible . there are times and places where it just doesn't and won't matter which direction you ride , but for typical commute routes and typical commute times , i'm gonna be the one of the guys going with the traffic , hopefully setting an example for the ones who just don't know .

maybe if gregor stays in office long enough we'll have separated , two way lanes all over the city , but until then i'm gonna stick with what has worked for me for the last 40 years .

as for the mopeds and shit , if they got an engine other than heart , lungs and legs , i don't wanna see them in there with us grinders .

[taprider]

having some riders going the "other way" allows passing when you are caught behind slow riders

[gotham]

Originally Posted by Onegear

The Alex Fraser is windier, noisier, and there's way more truck generated spray, but somehow it's a way more pleasureable experience.

The Alex Fraser sidewalk is 3xwider, and has lines down the middle which to me suggests directional flow.

[patrolskid]

try that " other way " thing next time you get in your car , and lemme know how it works out for ya

but seriously , there will prolly be a time when there will be so many riders on the routes that we'll remember these days fondly , when ya could go the " other " way if ya wanted to .

[KenN]

Originally Posted by patrolskid

gotta question for you guys going the " other " way . . .

as biking in general and commuting specifically becomes more popular and more riders start using the routes , are you going to continue to ride the " other " way ?

Well, I live in the eastern bit of Lynn Valley. My commute (when I start again in the spring) is up to Dempsey, across the pipe bridge, down Lillooet Road. A bit of pissing about, and I'm at the bridge, east side. I'm heading to Burnaby near Kensington - also east from the bridge. So, my options are to cross over twice (east to west, then back west to east side) or just say fuck it and stay on the east side of the bridge.

Until there's a sign saying otherwise, that's the way it's gonna stay.

wwjd?

(what would jew do?)

Kn.

[Dave K]

Originally Posted by KenN

Well, I live in the eastern bit of Lynn Valley. My commute (when I start again in the spring) is up to Dempsey, across the pipe bridge, down Lillooet Road. A bit of pissing about, and I'm at the bridge, east side. I'm heading to Burnaby near Kensington - also east from the bridge. So, my options are to cross over twice (east to west, then back west to east side) or just say fuck it and stay on the east side of the bridge.

Until there's a sign saying otherwise, that's the way it's gonna stay.

wwjd?

(what would jew do?)

Kn.

Fly down Mtn Hwy to Main. It's fast and you can generally keep pace with traffic. Single lane down the hill so there is plenty of room to ride (going up Mtn Hwy. sucks though). Ride over the bridge on the West side. Unfortunately you do lose some elevation down the switchbacks on the north side of the bridge but it's not too bad. Cross under the hwy and you climb up to Hastings via the Cassiar bikeway.

On the way home you take the Cassiar Bikeway to the east side of the bridge. Wind your way up the hill whichever way suits your mood. Although I would avoid climbing Mtn Hwy. Up ArborLynn and other side streets are much nicer (although a bit longer).

My biggest concern with riding south on the East side of the bridge is the climb up to the entrance (along the long curve of the Dollarton exit ramp). Riders coming the other way can build up a lot of speed and the sightlines are poor due to the blackberry bushes. If someone is coming down it at 30-40 kph (easy to do), it could really get messy.

As a general rule I just do not trust other riders (same as I do not trust other drivers). You may be in the right to climb up the east side, but it still sucks terribly if an accident happens. Of course the other rider should keep their speed in check, but that is poor consolation if someone is hurt.

I also don't see the point of wasting energy sniping at other riders because they use the "wrong" side. Smile and say hi. Comment on the weather and carry on. It's awesome that other people are outside and riding.

[walleater]

Yes, and to add to the above, if I was able to commute from Knight / 33rd to BSP on Main on a frigging BMX cruiser (including swapping over to get to the right side of the bridge) I think it's safe to say it's not hard to do!

First World problems etc....

[morgman]

When I first started commuting over the bridge, my commute was ~17 km from Parkgate to Metrotown. Here is the route I eventually settled on to get from the west side of the bridge and heading east into Burnaby. Douglas is an elevation conserving traverse from Brentwood to Boundary, a smart option for commuters from Burnaby to North Van.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5722582

If you are using the east side of the bridge, what is your route east into Burnaby from there? I'd actually be interested in seeing what the elevation numbers are for each route.

[Dave K]

Originally Posted by morgman

If you are using the east side of the bridge, what is your route east into Burnaby from there? I'd actually be interested in seeing what the elevation numbers are for each route.

It's almost the same. Once off the bridge you head straight along the pathway. It takes you directly to the Cassiar Bikeway. From there you can take whatever route you prefer into Burnaby. Since I'm heading to SFU, I take the Adanac-to-Union/Francis bike route east. Although if I am on a mtn bike, as soon as I am off the bridge I make a left and head to the trans-canada trail.

But as I mentioned in my last post, I prefer to ride along the west side when going southbound.

[morgman]

Well, there is also the option of climbing up the short hill to Fellowes, which is essentially flat / slightly downhill, but only leads to Skeena which is also again slightly uphill after the 4-way chicane. I've ridden through this area a lot, and have my own routes pretty well solidified, but I wonder what others settle on after their own time in the saddle.

[patrolskid]

when i'm riding into burnaby from north van , i come off the bridge , do the one switch back and then head up that trail that goes east under the bridge . . . one short steep middle ring pitch and then yer up onto the residential streets north of hastings .

[Duncan]

I've ridden the "wrong way" for 15 years. I ride the "right way" too and pass people going "the wrong way", pretty much every day I ride. Never had a problem. If people going the "wrong way" pisses you off, then slow people would too ... so there is a problem in your head as well. There was a lady who had a crash recently and she wrote a letter to council. She was hit going downhill and someone didn't yield to her. She insisted that downhill rider had the right-of-way. I've encountered that a couple of times on the bridge too. Well, that's a bicycle rule too, isn't it? Try that on the Second Narrows Sometime.

[DrewM]

Originally Posted by Duncan

She was hit goining downhill and someone didn't yield to her. She insisted that downhill rider had the right-of-way. I've encountered that a couple of times on the bridge too. Well, that's a bicycle rule too, isn't it?

Actually, that one (as it pertains to offroad riding) states that the climber has the right of way... but most rider's don't seem to follow it either... too inconvenient to wait a couple of seconds for someone to finish climbing a tech section.

-D