Comments on: Simple Answers To Simple Questions http://bikeblogs.org/sf/2008/11/03/simple-answers-to-simple-questions/ Biking in the Bay Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:07:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Peter Smith http://bikeblogs.org/sf/2008/11/03/simple-answers-to-simple-questions/#comment-728 Peter Smith Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:13:50 +0000 http://bikeblogs.org/sf/?p=347#comment-728 i'm with better transit, julie - i just don't like the idea of speeding up buses. they're already good at killing people. why make them more effective at that task? that's what 'speeding up buses on Van Ness' is about - speeding up buses, handing Van Ness over to buses - taking it away even more from walkers and bikers - if that's even possible - making walking and riding on Van Ness even more difficult and dangerous. BRT proponents say that BRT is safer for pedestrians and bikers. There is no proof for that claim at all. None. In fact, the only evidence I've seen directly contradicts this claim - more pedestrians are killed, and they're even chased off of roads that go BRT - they simply stop walking on/near/around them. I suspect the same is true for bicyclists. we should give people the option to ride to their destinations. right now it's just not realistic for most people because riding can feel so incredibly dangerous, and often is a terrible experience. Sunday Streets is a better indication of what we can achieve with a bike-friendly city. i think most people can ride a bike, and if we allowed them to, most people would ride a bike. i think most people would want to ride a bike if the streets allowed it - right now, they don't. the only people who bike in this city are totally crazy. on a 10-point scale for bike-friendliness, san francisco is about a -3. that needs to change. speeding up buses - making the streets even more hostile to walkers and bikers - is not going the change we need. there's actually very little evidence that new or improved bus service attracts new riders - especially people who own cars. for attracting new riders - people who would otherwise drive - there is ample evidence to suggest that rail solutions are better than BRT/bus solutions at attracting new riders. if we were serious about transportation in this town - serious about getting people out of their cars - we'd be building more rail (and bike) infrastructure, not more bus infrastructure. i’m with better transit, julie - i just don’t like the idea of speeding up buses. they’re already good at killing people. why make them more effective at that task? that’s what ’speeding up buses on Van Ness’ is about - speeding up buses, handing Van Ness over to buses - taking it away even more from walkers and bikers - if that’s even possible - making walking and riding on Van Ness even more difficult and dangerous. BRT proponents say that BRT is safer for pedestrians and bikers. There is no proof for that claim at all. None. In fact, the only evidence I’ve seen directly contradicts this claim - more pedestrians are killed, and they’re even chased off of roads that go BRT - they simply stop walking on/near/around them. I suspect the same is true for bicyclists.

we should give people the option to ride to their destinations. right now it’s just not realistic for most people because riding can feel so incredibly dangerous, and often is a terrible experience. Sunday Streets is a better indication of what we can achieve with a bike-friendly city.

i think most people can ride a bike, and if we allowed them to, most people would ride a bike. i think most people would want to ride a bike if the streets allowed it - right now, they don’t. the only people who bike in this city are totally crazy. on a 10-point scale for bike-friendliness, san francisco is about a -3. that needs to change. speeding up buses - making the streets even more hostile to walkers and bikers - is not going the change we need.

there’s actually very little evidence that new or improved bus service attracts new riders - especially people who own cars. for attracting new riders - people who would otherwise drive - there is ample evidence to suggest that rail solutions are better than BRT/bus solutions at attracting new riders. if we were serious about transportation in this town - serious about getting people out of their cars - we’d be building more rail (and bike) infrastructure, not more bus infrastructure.

]]> By: meli http://bikeblogs.org/sf/2008/11/03/simple-answers-to-simple-questions/#comment-724 meli Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:08:28 +0000 http://bikeblogs.org/sf/?p=347#comment-724 It could use an express line or something. The repetitive stops (I think) often make it slower. Could use a 49A-49B etc. that would skips stops therefore making it move forward faster. I dont ride the bus that much, so what do I know, my mom does though. But when I do I always think of the people that do ride it very often/daily and it could use lots of improvements obviously. Never mind that it is also a highway and I kinda get upset at people fighting to ride on it, when a block east is Polk st. which is such a better street to ride on. Anyways - It could use an express line or something. The repetitive stops (I think) often make it slower. Could use a 49A-49B etc. that would skips stops therefore making it move forward faster. I dont ride the bus that much, so what do I know, my mom does though. But when I do I always think of the people that do ride it very often/daily and it could use lots of improvements obviously. Never mind that it is also a highway and I kinda get upset at people fighting to ride on it, when a block east is Polk st. which is such a better street to ride on. Anyways -

]]> By: julie http://bikeblogs.org/sf/2008/11/03/simple-answers-to-simple-questions/#comment-712 julie Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:55:25 +0000 http://bikeblogs.org/sf/?p=347#comment-712 Why not? Have you ever ridden a bus going up Van Ness? Not everyone can or wants to ride a bike, and if the public transit absolutely sucks, people are going to drive. Why not? Have you ever ridden a bus going up Van Ness? Not everyone can or wants to ride a bike, and if the public transit absolutely sucks, people are going to drive.

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