Moose

Mon, Sep 28, 2009 : 11:07 a.m.

Cyclists keeping to the right is a courtesy, not a requirement. The evidence that motorists aren't aware or don't care leaves one to believe that they don't know the law as well as most cyclists.

KJMClark

Sun, Sep 27, 2009 : 9:13 p.m.

@"Need a Nanny" - actually I'm arguing that motorists that say that bicyclists violate the law too much are either not paying attention or are hypocrites. Motorists break the laws at least as much as bicyclists do. I've received two tickets from the AAPD for biking. The first I took to court and after $3000 the judge threw out the AAPDs charge that I wasn't biking close enough to the edge of the road. In the second, I gave up on paying the $3000 and tried to convince the judge that I had made legal lane changes in trying to make a left turn, but ended up having to pay the ticket. I now get over much earlier to make left turns. What you should be aware of is that under state law, there are a number of situations where a cyclist doesn't have to keep right, where safety training says cyclists should be in the middle of the lane, and where motorists are required by law to wait behind the cyclist until it's safe to pass. The list of those situations is detailed in MCL 257.660a (http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-257-660a). The most important one is that a cyclist doesn't have to keep right in a lane that's too narrow for a motorist to stay in the lane and still pass a cyclist safely. That's most of the lanes in most downtowns. In those cases, the cyclist is supposed to use the middle of the lane.

Moose

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 4:28 p.m.

Yeah, the mayor has a great idea, but he's been in office for 10 years with little to show for it. He's been blowing his own horn on this subject for a quite a while now. Talk all you want about how many more miles will be built, but it's cheap to talk about it when the roads and bike lanes aren't maintained or improved, little effort is made at driver and cyclist education and law enforcement is weak in this area. It's no longer amusing to hear this kind of talk when the political silly season gets underway.

pseudo

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 3:16 p.m.

I think the mayor's idea is an improvement in a bad situation. What is worse are the attitudes shown in the comments here. Facts be damned, let the bodies pile up. The bike lanes won't do much good unless the driving population improves in attitude, skill and decision making. Neither population can claim perfection on the road but the ignorance displayed here is worth documenting and following up on.

shepard145

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 11:22 a.m.

How about if the Mayor convinces the City and County to FIX THE ROAD PAVEMENT! I agree with others - many of AA's roads are nearly impassable to bikes and painting stripes across the potholes and broken pavement is useless. Has anyone tried to cycle on Huron River Drive west of town lately? The pavement is beyond broken - it's dangerous. We all know that some roads are the city's responsibility and others are the county but regardless, they are a significant problem to cyclists. With tall the democrat bumper stickers floating around Ann Arbor, where is our share of your heros porkulous spending bill!? Come on democrats, dont let all of our grandchildrens incomes be spend elsewhere, get off your butts and start making some noise

JAM

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 10:21 a.m.

I wish the city would put up signs REQUIRING bikers to use the bike lanes where they exist. I was hit from behind while walking on the sidewalk on Packard (where there is a nice bike lane). I have also had several near-misses standing at the bus stop on Packard (including some idiot who came up from behind me, between me and the bus stop sign, on the grass, in about 9 inches of space). There's a lot of traffic on Packard, people.... pedestrians can't hear you riding up behind them! And no, I don't use an iPod. P.S. - the gardens on Packard are lovely, but when they grow out beyond the sidewalk, bikers/pedestrians/dog walkers can't SEE each other!

Moose

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 8:44 a.m.

As far as bike lanes in this city, they are a complete joke, potholed, rutted and filled with debris that cars push to the curb. The most ridiculous "bike lane" in the city is the one on Ann St that was put in because of the $50 million new city hall. It's three blocks long, doesn't connect to anything and crosses that stupid angle CAR parking next to city hall. In fact, I was cut off, in that bike lane by an Ann Arbor police officer who didn't use his mirrors when he was exiting the curbside parking next to the County Building I wonder who's bright idea that "bike lane" was and how much that stupidity cost? All the hype about bike lanes in Ann Arbor is political smoke and mirrors used to promote some people's political careers.

Moose

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 8:21 a.m.

I was ticketed one time for coasting through stop sign in a residential neighborhood with no traffic in any direction at the stop. $105 fine. I've also been cut off in a bike lane by a car resulting in $8,000 out of pocket medical expenses and two years of rehab. The driver didn't even get a ticket. I'm really tired of self righteous drivers bashing bicyclists when they drive 4000 pound deadly weapons like they own the road and no one else belongs there. Get off your cell phones, turn down your stereo and pay attention! Look in both directions when you turn a corner! Are you too much in a hurry or so self centered that you can't slow down and take 10 seconds to pass me safely? I'll ride where I darn well please, in the middle of the road if I want, because the law says I have every right to do so. Any driver who tries to intimidate me, cut me off or even give me a dirty look risks my boot in the side of their door or a nice key stripe at the next intersection. Bicyclists have to pay attention because their life depends on it. Cyclist who don't pay attention and ride irresponsibly risk getting removed from the gene pool, but it's always the cyclist who pays for it in blood, broken bones or worse because the car always wins It is completely irrelevant if they are harder to see, ride slowly, do or don't pay taxes. Those are the lamest excuses used by driver to justify their selfish actions. Some drivers act like they own the road and don't give a flip about anyone else except them and their shiny, polluting cage they call a car.

Stop & Think

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 7:48 a.m.

Ok, we are having high unemployment, people are LEAVING Ann Arbor because of job loss & forclosure, the parks dept is more important than the police & fire dept, affordable retail space is non-existant and the homeless shelter is packed to overflowing every nite....hmm I don't think that adding bike lanes is the best option with the "extra" money the City seems to have come up with. This especially from a City Council that cries poor and has to lay off 14 Firefighters and who knows how many cops. These will be the same police officers that would be giving tickets out to the "bikers" who ride where they please. Give me a break....Can't we get someone in office that actually cares about this city and wants to do good for the residents instead of a "personal agenda" for the rich??? Have some brains and take a step back and say "hey we need to save this for another time" or "we really need to help people who are losing their jobs". sorry more bike lanes won't fix those problems.

Newzdog

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 6:28 a.m.

As long as they keep the bike lanes away from the roundabouts!

annarbortownie

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 5:50 a.m.

I have to agree with the comments that request bikers stay OFF the sidewalks, obey traffic rules AND don't come flying in front of my car, going the from my right to left ON THE SIDE WALK, when I am making a right turn. THEN they look at me like I did something wrong. Not quite buddy!!! This happens ALL the time. Bikes are a great thing, it's how they are ridden that cause the problems. More bike lanes??? Get real. Ann Arbor needs a news paper back, NOT more bike lanes. Work toward bringing in a newspaper Mr. Mayor!!!

Alan Goldsmith

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 5:23 a.m.

Guess the mayor has been reading the local blogs about numbers and percentages lately.

amlive

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 1:55 a.m.

"I've personally never seen a bicyclist getting a ticket from a traffic officer. Have any of the bicyclists here received them?" I saw a cyclist blow through a red light on Miller near main a while back, and was impressed to see a nearby bike cop chase her down and stop her. When I walked by a few moments later, sure enough, I saw him handing her a citation. Though I've been a bit more lazy as of late, I've biked a lot throughout the state over the last 20 years, and have always been very conscious of the rules of the road as they apply to cyclists. I honestly find that most cyclists in the area seem very responsible, and take the "same road, same rights, same rules" mantra to heart. There are always some bad seeds that are much less careless in their judgement, and arguably arrogant and naive to the dangers they pose to others and themselves. That still exists in cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, and cyclists alike though, so I don't think it's an issue anyone can single out cyclists to nail to the cross over. People are stupid, and do stupid things, and this certainly crosses all lines of lifestyle and choice of transport. I think the more we increase the availability of clearly defined and maintained routes, the more conscious drivers and cyclists may become of rights and rules. At the very least, it provides a safer route for those who choose to take it, and may even encourage those who were previously on the fence about preferring their bikes to take them more often. Hopefully, anyway.

notnecessary

Fri, Sep 25, 2009 : 12:39 a.m.

@KJMClark Your argument is that two wrongs make a right. You are correct that cars don't always obey the traffic laws either. What bugs me is that bikers blatently do. Often times they blow through stop signs without barely slowing down. They are also much harder to see than cars when they do such infractions, especially at night. I believe that as a car-driver, the risks to me from the laws that bikers break are higher than those you mention that autos often break. It would really make me feel bad if I hurt someone on a bike, even if it was their fault. I've personally never seen a bicyclist getting a ticket from a traffic officer. Have any of the bicyclists here received them? And if a bike is riding in the middle of the lane, I'll be honest here, I think that they are a complete idiot. That doesn't justify what cars might do to them, but I think they are idiots just like I think that the students who walk across the street in the middle of traffic without looking are complete idiots.

1bit

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 11:57 p.m.

Thanks for the info, Ryan. I'm keeping hope alive for Geddes and agree that it is a major (neglected) thoroughfare for both motorists and bicyclists. It's the way Plymouth Road used to be way back and has become a disgraceful confluence of potholes. Maybe we should have a contest to see what is the worst stretch of paved road in Ann Arbor - I'll nominate Geddes between Huron Parkway and US-23.

Moose

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 10:25 p.m.

You assume that car drivers obey all traffic laws? I suppose you do? "I am tired of bikers thinking they can do whatever they want and not obey the traffic laws like everyone else on the road." "Obey the laws and realize a car could so easily take you out" Thats sounds like a threat with a deadly weapon. Go drive your BMW in the Walmart parking lot.

SBean

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 9:17 p.m.

I'll address some of the questions and comments. -Bike lanes are added to streets as the roads are resurfaced. It's the most efficient/least wasteful approach. Painting lines without repaving and repairing potholes would indeed be a cheap trick, but that's not how it's done. -Miller between 7th and Main is scheduled to be repaved in the next year or so, IIRC. -Another pedestrian island is being put on S. Seventh at Washington, primarily for the benefit of students at Slauson Middle School and others who use the school facilities. -AAPD enforces traffic laws with bicyclists. A significant number of drivers of both cars and bikes don't obey the laws -- it's not just bicyclists. -Ann Arbor was a Bronze level bicycle-friendly city a few years ago and moved up to Silver. We're on the way to Gold, I suspect, and many people have put many hours into making that possible, both inside and outside city hall. A fair comparison would be to similar sized cities in the Midwest or northern states. I think we're making good progress and that it will continue. -I'm sure that the mayor and Eli Cooper would love specific suggestions on how to provide better options to bike lanes next to parked cars, how to add more lanes in a shorter period of time, and how to pay for those suggestions. Stan, I suspect that the families of the two young people killed while crossing Plymouth Rd. several years back without the benefit of a pedestrian refuge would likely differ with you, as I do, about pedestrian islands being unnecessary. Also, the mayor works with 10 other people on city council as well as the administrator and city staff to develop a budget. It's hard to tell from your comment whether you just didn't know that, it slipped your mind, or if your question is politically motivated.

KJMClark

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 9:07 p.m.

I think the Mayor's and City's goal to double the mileage of bike lanes is great. I think it's helping both cyclists and motorists learn to share the road. I was one of the people pushing for the city to dedicate 5% of its Act 51 money to non-motorized transportation several years ago, and I continue to think it showed great foresight on the part of city leaders. At the time, I recall also having some concerns about the lack of controls placed on how that money might be spent. Looking at some of our bike lanes today, I think some of those concerns have come to pass. While we have some very useful and well-done bike lanes, we also have some things that really don't belong on our bike lane maps. We have numerous examples of bike lanes missing signage and pavement markings. We have some bike lanes that engineers in other communities would never accept. Our maintenance of most of our bike lanes is marginal, and our sweeping schedule ignores the bike lanes so they accumulate gravel. The police still act as though the bike lanes are discriminatory facilities. And we still don't have the State Police recommended ordinance on the books that makes it clearly illegal for motorists to drive in the bike lanes. I really appreciate the bike lane network Ann Arbor is building, and it would be even better if we were just a bit more thorough about all the details that are supposed to go along with a bike lane network.

b master b

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 8:54 p.m.

I am tired of bikers thinking they can do whatever they want and not obey the traffic laws like everyone else on the road. I don't really care if you guys get more bike lanes or not as long as the potholes get fixed so when I have to swerve my BMW around the idiots that ride their bikes like they own the road, I don't have to risk damaging my premium suspension. Obey the laws and realize a car could so easily take you out, or go ride your bikes at a park

KJMClark

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 8:49 p.m.

Follow the same rules - I agree. So now motorists have to: - never travel faster than the posted speed limit, - change lanes to pass a bicyclist, - stop completely behind stop lines, - come to a complete stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, - travel several car lengths behind the motorist/bicyclist in front of you, - yield to a bicyclist using a full lane as specified by state law, - accept a ticket if your tire crosses into a bike lane. Still willing to follow the rules to the letter? Motorists break the laws all the time too. I see as many laws being broken per motorist as I see per cyclist.

AAJoker

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 8:30 p.m.

Engineer, it is a well known fact that the typical biker pays property, state, federal and gas taxes that support infrastructure. Note I said gas taxes as most bikers ALSO have a car, so stop trying to promote the falsehood that bikers somehow avoid taxes. I just rode down Miller this evening on my mountain bike and it is absolutely disgraceful between the potholes, the cars crossing the white line to pull around other cars (an illegal move that Ann Arbor Police completely ignore), the fact the paving seam is in the middle of the bike lane and as well all know some genis ended the bike lane at seventh (is that a lack of planning or what!). Hopefully one of these days the major and council put together a real plan, not all of this candy coating they keep throwing around.

Engineer

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 8:01 p.m.

If bikers want potholes fixed in the bike lanes you need to set some sort of revenue generator (Taxes the liberals love so much) to pay for it. I ride motorcycle and drive on the roads and no free rides for any of it and still have pot holes to contend with. Get over it!

Ryan J. Stanton

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 7:08 p.m.

There may be hope for Geddes. A SEMCOG official had this to say the other day about the region's long-term plans: "We have to set priorites. For example, we've identified Geddes Avenue in Washtenaw County as a high pavement priority, not only because the pavement is poor but because the corridor serves a high level of traffic, cars, trucks and buses, it's in a densely populated area that will likely continue to grow in the future, and it has other types of (issues) as well, like traffic crashes and congestion."

1bit

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 5:56 p.m.

I'm with the "fix the roads" group - take a drive down Geddes - it's such a joke because they can't even paint the road lines straight because there are so many potholes. I don't mind adding bike lanes or sharing the roads just so long as everybody obeys the same rules (like mentioned already).

stan

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 5:23 p.m.

Well, I can confirm that one of the pedestrian islands is located on S. Main just north of Oakbrook Dr. It seems completely unnecessary since there are three lanes there and the middle is a left hand turn lane. I'd rather the city spend money on improving existing roads than waste it on unnecessary projects. I want to know how the mayor intends to pay for these "improvements".

a2cents

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 5:20 p.m.

Besides potholes, need I mention trash, broken glass, trash bins, piles of leaves, snow piles, standing vehicles, cars passing in the bike lane, and buses? Enforcement and street sweeping / maintenance are (almost) nonexistent. I almost forgot: bike lanes adjacent to parked cars (Packard @ State, Miller w/of 7th, & coming soon to Division and Fifth Streets)

CynicA2

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 4:58 p.m.

I agree, yohan. But the neighborhood streets won't get fixed until this mayor is gone. I'm not sure what his game really is, but it seems to have more to do with developing the downtown area than with anything else. In any case, I don't think he will remain in office for another 5 years or even past the next election, so the whole thing may become moot.

redeye

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 4:54 p.m.

I wonder how much longer pothole repairs will last in the bike lanes vs. the car lanes. It will be interesting to see a real side-by-side comparison.

Moose

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 4:15 p.m.

By comparison:Thanks to aapolitico Boulder, Colorado (pop. 170,000) has 300 miles of bike lanes, routes, designated shoulders and paths. Madison, Wisconsin (pop. 212,000) has 99 miles of paths, lanes and signed routes. Columbus, Ohio (population 747,000) has 170 miles of paths, lanes and signed routes. Ann Arbor, Michigan (pop. 113,000) has 51.84 miles of bike lanes, shared use paths and paved shoulders At the moment, according to the City of Ann Arbors web site, there are 24 miles of in-road bike lanes. In May of 2008, Hieftje was quoted in the Ann Arbor News as saying, Ann Arbors five-year, non-motorized transportation plan calls for expanding the citys bicycle-lane system by 300 percent. Just about a year later, it was reported that Federal stimulus funds are going to be making it safer for cyclists in Ann Arbor. The city plans to utilize these funds to add 8 miles of bike lanes, improve 24 more miles of bike lanes and make the downtown friendlier to bicyclists and pedestrians. The 2007, Non-Motorized Transportation Plan reveals that Ann Arbor had just 18 miles of in-road bike paths, and that between 2004-2007 a paltry eight miles of in-road bike paths had been added. A look at the map of existing on-road biking facilities (Figure 4.C3, page 160, of the Non-Motorized Plan) shows a city center devoid of bike paths, and bike paths along major roads that, well, just end in the middle of traffic. Eight miles of new in-road bike lanes in 2009 represent an increase of 30 percent in the total miles of in-road bikes lanes, and an overall increase of a mere 15.6 percent in the 51.84 miles of bike paths, shoulders and in-road lanes.

Ryan J. Stanton

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 4:14 p.m.

There are some good questions here that I will try to find out the answers to. For now, here's some information on the city's Web site. http://www.a2gov.org/government/publicservices/systems_planning/Transportation/Pages/Bike.aspx

notnecessary

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 4:05 p.m.

My only complaint is that I wish Bicycle riders would be forced to obey the same laws as motorists and ticketed if they do not. Countless times I have had to slam on my breaks because a bicyclist has made an illegal manuever on the street (most often running a stop sign). Bicyclists want motorists to respect their presence on the road, but often do not respect the laws that make the road work.

Phil Dokas

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 4:03 p.m.

"Ann Arbor is in the process of installing three pedestrian crossing islands" what intersections are these being installed in?

81wolverine

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 4 p.m.

I think it's a great goal. I'm all for anything that makes the roads safer for everyone - bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers. One stretch of road we DESPERATELY need a bike lane is on Scio Church from Maple all the way out to Zeeb. Maybe most of this falls outside the city's jurisdiction, but there are often many bicyclists on this stretch sharing the road with cars. And with no paved shoulder, a relatively high speed limit, and one lane in each direction, it's not very safe. I do also agree that these improvement projects should go hand in hand with keeping the sections of road in good repair with no potholes.

amlive

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 3:40 p.m.

If this is what it takes to make sure the roads get repaired, I'm all for it. Right now there are plenty of roads that seem like you should need an ORV permit to even drive on them. Try riding a bike down Miller between 7th and Main, and you're darned lucky if you can make it out with out a flat tire or bent rim, regardless of where you ride on the road. In many places cyclists are currently forced to choose between taking to the sidewalks (very dangerous at driveways and crossroads), riding the theoretically correct right side of the lane (and run the risk of wiping out on gravel, or getting thrown when your tire snags in the steady gauntlet of cracks and potholes), or ride the smoother center of the road (dangerous when drivers get angry). I'd say it makes many roads practically unnavigable on bicycles. This is great news to hear. I'd be interested in seeing what routes the city currently has planned.

yohan

Thu, Sep 24, 2009 : 3:37 p.m.

What good are lines of paint when the roads are full of potholes? The biggest deterrent to biking on AA streets are the rim bending potholes. This paint job is just another cheap political trick by a cheap politician.