For those of you interested in the negotiations of the State shoulder striping policy:
(Note this is a summery of email correspondence so the most resent is first and the oldest comments last.)
From Barry Childress:
I’ll attempt to put forth some impressions that I have on this discussion in several blocks of thought:
Starting with the first message from Micheal (at the bottom) it reminded me of some past conversations of: If we have a roadway with bicycle accommodations of lets say a 12′ shoulder, what’s the bare minimum that it can that be reduced before the State is considered no longer accommodating bicyclists?
If the answer is 3′ excluding gutter pan, I would be very displeased over that.
But if we could get roads (without a lot of truck traffic) that currently have no bicycle accommodations 3′ excluding gutter pan area that could be a really cool thing.
There can be no one shoe fits all universal striping policy, we need to hold roads to a higher standard that are currently accommodating cyclists
then roads that are currently not accommodating cyclists.
This block is influenced by Tao Te Ching
Thinking of something as beautiful makes you think other things are ugly.
Calling something “good” forces you to call some other things “evil.”
-Lao Tzu
We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want.
-Lao Tzu
It is important to understand these concepts, when we label something good like a bikeway, it also forces us to label non bikeways as evil, this is wrong. All things can have a functional component, but the functionality does not always come from what we are manipulating (the space to the right of the stripe) as it is the space to the left of the stripe that is the most critical.
Proof:
Given a lane width that is clearly not wide enough for a cyclists and motorists to safely share side by side. It is clear to passing motorists that they must leave the lane they are in in some fashion in order to pass the cyclists.
And
Given a lane width that is clearly safe for cyclists and motorists to safely share side by side. It is clear to motorists that it is safe to pass a cyclists in the same lane provided the cyclists is to the right and the motorists stays to the left of the lane.
Therefore
a cyclists traveling 1-2 feet from
the curb (as is typical) will usually be passed safely in ether a narrow lane or a wide lane, as the behavior expected from motorists is self evident but we must make note that the behavior of the typical motorist is different in these two lane widths while the behavior for the typical cyclists is the same.
If
it is only the behavior of the the motorists that changes between lane widths and not the (typical) cyclist,
It is therefore
critical to be clear to motorists that they are in a narrow lane or that they are in a wide lane, as their safe behavior in passing cyclists is dependent on them making that determination.
So how can
lanes that are not narrow and are not wide either improve cyclists safety as what is expected from drivers is dependent on drivers identifying an almost wide lane as a narrow lane and acting accordingly?
Personally I think 12′-13′ lanes are the worst to ride in, more harassment if you take the lane as
it looks like cyclists belong to the far right and if you are off to the right you get more unsafe passing events.
That SHA not provide
intended space for bicyclists on roadways less than 3 feet wide according to
their 2007 Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Design Guidelines. The
discussion was based around creating shoulder space for bicyclists that is
less than three feet wide. Here are reasons in support of the existing
policy:
If we are talking about what criteria is needed to call the space to the right of the stripe a space for bicyclists, then this makes some sense, if we are talking about not striping any space to the right of the stripe unless it is a space for a cyclists then that is problematic, as that space can serve other uses then just solely for bicycle use.
The assertion here is that by not having a stripe we will improve the typical cyclist’s road position and therefore increases his safety because of this position while totally ignoring the change in motorists behavior. Comments: no proof of that cyclists road position improves without a stripe, if anything it worsens. I’ve already made the case of motorists behavior.
it may be “possible” to ride in such a narrow space it is not “practicable” in the opinion of many bicyclists.
The assertion here is harassment from motorists is going to be worse with a stripe then without a stripe. My observations are; with a “shoulder” I am harassed to ride on on the shoulder, without a “shoulder” I am harassed to ride on the sidewalk, without a sidewalk I am harassed to ride bike trails, in short it’s always something and adding a stripe only changes the noun used in discussions and nothing else.
lane.
Not having a stripe is not going to increase the brass content of cyclists’ manhood, get rid of psychosis or change anything of significance on the cyclists side of things to get them to “take the lane”. Typical cyclists ride to the far right with stripe or without stripe, or if no stripe they don’t ride at all, end of story with no one taking the lane that didn’t take the lane before. Forester and his English major/industrial engineer based psychobabble is pure quackery, he will ride to the right for the convenience of faster passing traffic but if anyone else attempts to do the same they suffer from cyclists inferiority complex. Forester is full of contradictions and cannot be used as as a reliable expert especially in the field of psychosis.
Confidence video advise bicyclists to take the lane when it is too narrow, moving only to the far right to allow faster, overtaking traffic to pass, when safe for the bicyclist to do so on one lane roadways. SHA shouldn’t have an engineering policy contrary to their own guidelines, the vehicular bicycling concept nor MDOT’s bicycle safety materials.
I don’t really get this argument, I like stripes and narrow lanes because if I am one one side of the stripe I am telling motorists it is safe to pass me without (much) lateral movement or inconvenience on their part and if I am on the other side the stripe I am in their way (sorry) and they will have to make adjustments in order to pass. Without the stripe if I pull to the right, the question of is there enough room in the lane or not to safely passed is not often answered well, and I’ll get a mirror to the back of the head or worst if the
motorist reads it wrong. If MDOT’s safety materials encourage cyclists to move to the right when it is safe to do so, it is the stripe and not the lack of stripe that helps determine if it is safe to pull off the travel lane and it is the stripe and not the lack of a stripe that infomes the motorists if the cyclists is out of the travel way or not.
-=Barry=-
Cycling Advocate
BaltimoreSpokes.org
. . o
. ./L
=()>()
– Global warming, increasing obesity rates, traffic congestion, dependence on foreign oil, leading causes of premature death and the economy… if only there was a common solution.
— On Wed, 2/18/09, Bill Kelly (WN) wrote:
From: Bill Kelly (WN)
Subject: Re: MBPAC planned resolution
To: …
Date: Wednesday, February 18, 2009, 7:19
AMHi Michael Jackson,etal, Thank you for responding
to my e-mail asking about a resolution being proposed by the MBPAC. to
change/alter SHA/MDOT’s policy of striping roadways when the space to the right
of the white line is less than 3′. You refer to the Bicycle & Pedestrian
Design Guidelines May 2007. stating that SHA NOT PROVIDE intended space
for Bicyclists on roadways shoulders if the shoulder is less than 3′. In
responding to my inquiry with your answer that a wide curb lane is better than a
narrow shoulder is still open to discussion and puts fear in the heart of the
road-riders when they are told to “Just Take the Lane”. In the 2007 Guideline
Book on Page 1-1 it boldly states, “SHA shall make accomondations for Bicycling
and Walking a routine and intergal element of planning, desisgn, construction,
operations and maintenance activities as appropriate” That APPROPIATE WORD
always seems to be added. as an escape clause..I have always appreciated SHA/MDOT’s work
to accomonate the Cyclists on the roadeway and they have done a pretty good job
under very difficult situations. I would encourage SHA/MDOT to continue the
policy in place of striping the right side of ther roadway (After leaving a
10′ Space for autos)and leaving whatever space to the right of the
white as a “Safety Recovery Zone” There are 22 reasons for the shoulders on the
right side of a roadway and only one of them is to allow a Bicyclists to share
some of the roadway space with an auto. I agree we should not assume that this
small shoulderway is an Approved/sSgned Bikeway.This issue is very complex and open to many
discussions. To say “Take The Lane” is not an appropriate answer on our busy
roadways today. I have taken the lane many times when there is no space on
the right side of the road and had cars right on my rear wheel and been yelled
at by police and motorist to get off their roadway. I am going to pass
your memo around to see if others agree wiith your rational. There is no easy
answer to this difficult situation, but I feel workling together we can arrive
at resolution that will work for all roadway users:Autos Cyclists and
Pedestrians. to travel More Safely on our busy roadways, Thank you for sharing
thoughts. Bill Kelly—– Original Message —– wide.From:
Michael JacksonTo: Bill Kelly (WN)Cc: Springer, Jeff [USA]Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 2:59
PMSubject: RE: MBPAC planned
resolutionThat SHA not provide
intended space for bicyclists on roadways less than 3 feet wide according to
their 2007 Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian Design Guidelines. The
discussion was based around creating shoulder space for bicyclists that is
less than three feet wide. Here are reasons in support of the existing
policy:
- Safety risks increase if
bicyclists ride in a narrow space because they have less room to maneuver.
Safety is more important than some bicyclists feeling fearful of overtaking
motorists if they have to share the roadway.- Expectation may increase by some
motorists that bicyclists must ride in this narrow space, creating confusion
and possible hostility toward bicyclists taking the lane. While it may be
“possible” to ride in such a narrow space it is not “practicable” in the
opinion of many bicyclists.- Encouraging bicyclists to ride
in such a narrow space is symptomatic of the “cyclist inferiority complex”
coined by John Forester because vehicular bicyclists wouldn’t try to hug the
curb but take the lane. The closest example of vehicular bicycling is
motorcycles. Motorcyclists don’t hug the curb; they take the lane.
- MDOT’s adult bicycle safety
materials, Safe Bicycling in Maryland and the Competence and Confidence
video advise bicyclists to take the lane when it is too narrow, moving only
to the far right to allow faster, overtaking traffic to pass, when safe for
the bicyclist to do so on one lane roadways. SHA shouldn’t have an
engineering policy contrary to their own guidelines, the vehicular bicycling
concept nor MDOT’s bicycle safety materials.
……
…
— On Thu, 1/22/09,
Michael Jackson
; wrote:
From:
Michael Jackson
Subject: Bicycle
Space Design Discussion
To:
Date: Thursday,
January 22, 2009, 6:18 PM
To All:
Thanks for your
interest and attendance at yesterday$B!G(Bs meeting
regarding roadway design for bicyclists when there is
insufficient space to provide 4$B!G(B of space for
bicyclists in the right-most travel lane, exclusive of
space for motor vehicles or gutters. The Maryland SHA
Bicycle and Pedestrian Design Guidelines (see attachment)
reads in pertinent part:
$B!H(BA shoulder may be
striped as narrow as four feet on closed section roadways
or as narrow as three feet on open section roadways. The
shoulder must provide a minimum 3-foot smooth operating
space, exclusive of the gutter pan, for a bicyclist to
safely operate. On roadways where retrofitting shoulders
would result in a paved shoulder that provides less than a
3-foot smooth surface, it is preferable to maintain a
wide-outside lane.$B!I(B
However as you are aware some
bicyclists have told SHA staff that they prefer a paved
shoulder regardless of width over a wide-outside lane.
Shoulder widths less than 3-feet would conflict with these
guidelines. During our meeting we discussed other options
designed to provide bicyclists with psychological comfort
such as use of Share The Road with Bicycles signs,
installation of
BIKE ROUTE signs,
sharrow pavement markings or BICYCLES MAY
USE FULL
LANE signs (expected to appear
in the planned 2009 edition of the Manual of Uniform
Traffic Control Devices).
Because we were unable to
develop a consensus at this meeting as promised this is to
continue our discussion electronically.
My question to
you is: Do you agree or disagree with the text in bold
italics and why? The Maryland Bicycle and Pedestrian
Advisory Committee$B!G(Bs Commuting and Transportation
Subcommittee will consider responses and whether advice to
SHA is warranted.
Please let me know if you have
questions.
Michael
Jackson
Director of Bicycle
and Pedestrian Access
Maryland Department of
Transportation
410-865-1237
oldId.20090218074222137