Seattlest: Safer Cycling for Seattle

r700

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:22:48 -0800

That was a GREAT article. I moved up from L.A. in August - and sold my car before I moved. I committed to commuting by bike (and occassionally the bus) and it has been an exciting winter, needless to say. I thought the writer really paid attention to the subtleties of the challenge that is commuting on bike in this city. I wouldn't give it up for the world (don't ask me about it at 7 am when it's 38 degrees and raining) but the City has a long ways to go to make it a viable option for more people. I love that the debate is even happening and this article goes a long way towards helping people understand the nuances of the challenge.

gaijinrunner

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 13:10:26 -0800

that is really cool about the signs. 5 years ago i was riding my bike from nickerson, turning left onto fremont bridge and was hit by a car turning right. it wasn't serious, but really scary.

Jared

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:51:57 -0800

that was a decent article. i'm glad people are starting to realize that this isn't an "us vs them" problem, it's an infrastructure problem, and one that can be solved to allow both modes of transportation to move freely. i commute to work by bike from about march to november. i pack it up for the winter because i just don't like being soggy and the darker ride times decreases visibility to a point where i'm not comfortable riding. and that reason right there is why there's so much tension between cyclists and non-cyclists: neither side respects or understands why the other chooses the transportation method they use (i'm referring to the polar sides, there certainly is a level-headed middle ground for both sides). i think because The City (government, not just it's inhabitants) are taking measures to improve safety for everyone we're closing the gap between hard-liners. i sincerely hope that if the city keeps this up it's going to make cycling more attractive to people that currently have reservations about it. i complain like everyone else that the Burke-Gilman gets crowded and nuts when the weather gets nice but i'd much rather be stuck in a bike-jam than a car-jam :-)