2015-04-13

Six blocks is an unconsciously long and unpleasant bike ride

If you can actually believe it, the Edmonton cycling community is whining about bike lanes again.

The north-south 121 Street bike connection is one example of how the city is planning to go forward with bike connections as projects like neighbourhood renewal get started.

“It’s a staged implementation and it’s very opportunity based,” said Travis Pawlyk, senior planner with current planning at the city. “There’s not a specific bike budget for improvements yet, it’s trying to find ways to achieve an overall network over time.”

Cyclists are welcoming the plans, with some saying the need to get some type of bike network in the area to connect cyclists.

“It’s a nightmare in that area right now. There really is no north-south connection comfortable enough for people on bikes,” said Conrad Nobert with Edmonton Bike Coalition. “I’m really happy the city is looking into it.”
"There really is no north-south connection" says this worthless tax-absorbing asshole.

He actually said that. Presumably, the sicko actually believes it.

What's "uncomfortable" about the 127th Street bike lane (excepting, of course, when cyclists don't follow the rules and die as a result of their negligence) exactly? The only complaints I can find about it online (again, excepting angry commenters that I identified a deceased cyclist as being in the wrong) is that it was getting rough 4 years ago (it's since been paved), and cars park sometimes.

Indeed, the biggest gripe from area residents is that the 127th street bikeway is a wasted unused space that impedes the flow of cars, the real people interested in the roadway 365 days a year. With this in mind, why the hell should the city listen to idiots like Nobert who demand extra infrastructure (again, note in the picture above that there's already a bike lane running north of 121st along the old rail line, and that it goes within a block of 104 Avenue) that will take space and public works monies away from roadways that people use, for the pipe dream of bike lanes that Nobert claims (falsely) that people will use? Maybe. Someday.

Look, Edmonton's foolish "Share the Road" program is already...well...foolish. As Kerry Diotte has discovered and I've mentioned a few times before, the cyclist notion is "cars have to share the road with us and we can do anything we like". It's ridiculous, and a main reason that I so enjoy driving in the "designated bike lane". After all, the City of Edmonton assures cyclists they are legally allowed to ride anywhere, so surely it can apply to me as well?