Wednesday Morning Commute - Green

Good Morning

• Capital Bikeshare and BikeArlington are hosting a "station party" at the Ft Myer Dr/Wilson Blvd Capital Bikeshare station in Rosslyn on Earth Day, Friday April 22nd from 10am to 1pm. They'll be demonstrating how the system works and giving out bike maps, promotional materials, free one day membership coupons and more. Bring a possible member with you.
• The FHWA has issued an Interim Approval for the use of green coloring in bike lanes. Green is the only color allowed because blue is set aside for handicapped parking and red has not been approved in any official experiments. The experiments with green paint have shown positive results including cyclists positioning themselves better, cyclists feeling safer and drivers saying they're more aware of the bike facilities when green.
• In Montreal, Bixi's (which are the same as CaBi) have a traffic calming effect.

know this: Bixis are involved in very few accidents. The experts say Bixis, like other bikes, have a "traffic calming" effect on city streets. That might explain why, in 2010, the number of bicyclists seriously injured in collisions was way down - 14 fewer than in 2009, according to Montreal city hall and the police - and collisions of all kinds were down five per cent. "People on Bixis are a lot more careful than we (bike owners) are," cyclist Doris Bérubé said. "They move along well."   

Elsewhere in the article they talk about the problem with incivility. It's cute to hear people in Montreal talk about a problem with incivility. Yes, that's what people think of when they think of Canada.

• By the way, Boston is getting Bixi's, and CaBi users should be able to use their accounts there if I'm correct.
• A new CaBi station is going in today at 14th and D, NW, by the Ronald Reagan Building.
• Richard Layman is worried that unattended CaBis will be stolen because the stations are too far apart (hasn't happened yet that I know of). 
• Notes from Alexandria's Feb BPAC meeting.
• Wait, Dan Tangherlini is going to Chicago (I kid, I kid). What's even better for Chicago about Klein going there is that it signals the direction Mayor Emanuel wants to go - which is for a balanced transportation system. I hope he doesn't poach any of our DDOT bike team people.
• Reminder: Tree planting on the Met branch trail tomorrow for Earth Day
• Sidewalk cyclist hit by driver in Vienna. Driver ticketed for failure to pay full time and attention.

Comments

[charlie]

RE: Layman; I do see people sometime leaving the bikes unattended. I was tempted to yesterday -- went to 17th and Corc around 7 and the station was full. Needed to run into safeway for 2 minutes but ended up bailing. Clearly the best way to do this is steal someone's credit card, then joyride and dump the bike. Pickpockets, however, are more rare here than in Europe.

From the montreal article

"Only young kids (under 8 or 9 years old) should be riding their bikes on the sidewalks. Everyone else, stay off - or risk getting a ticket if a cop sees you.

Read more: Only young kids (under 8 or 9 years old) should be riding their bikes on the sidewalks. Everyone else, stay off - or risk getting a ticket if a cop sees you.

Read more: "Only young kids (under 8 or 9 years old) should be riding their bikes on the sidewalks. Everyone else, stay off - or risk getting a ticket if a cop sees you"

[washcycle]

In DC it isn't illegal to ride on sidewalks. And I hold there are times when it is appropriate. Some sidewalks are signed bike routes. Read it as many times as you'd like, it isn't relevant to DC.

[Mr Share]

"By the way, Boston is getting Bixi's, and CaBi users should be able to use their accounts there if I'm correct."

Bixi was awarded the contract in 2009, and then the contract was voided because Bixi lied about stuff. The RFP was reissued, and a new vendor was chosen, that may or may not also be Bixi (Bixi reissued a bid).

I believe they announce the new winner tomorrow. I hope it was Bcycle, which has a superior system.