So you return home from sunny France, the weather has turned sour and your mind wanders off to Cycle Chic Parisiennes oozing down avenues on their vintage Peugeots…then you flip back to reality to find all’s well and mesmerizing as usual.
Typical. Amsterdam Cycle Chic in heels, long rain coat and keeping hair do together with [...]
So you return home from sunny France, the weather has turned sour and your mind wanders off to Cycle Chic Parisiennes oozing down avenues on their vintage Peugeots…then you flip back to reality to find all’s well and mesmerizing as usual.
Typical. Amsterdam Cycle Chic in heels, long rain coat and keeping hair do together with cap.
Was browsing your site and noticed that my humble page was added to your list of cycle blogs! Thanks, it’s quite an honour and the more motivation for me to get my blog in top shape :)
I noticed that lots of European cities have fewer parking spots and thus don’t have this problem (dangerous bike lanes beside parked cars and potentially opening of doors).
Thoughts on this matter? What’s a good place to put the lanes then? Especially in N.American cities where taking away the parking altogether would only result in anger and protests?
Your ‘humble’ blog shows a good eye for cycle chic beauty, Kyle, so to me quite the no-brainer :)
It’s all about public/political will and city planning, really, dedicated and integral city planning that is. Comprehensive approaches, which include setting up the most efficient and safe infrastructure, not half ass solutions that only serve as band aids. So, when the best solutions (for all) is to give up on a few parking spaces, so be it, it’s part of the traffic plan/policy (over here car drivers protested, too, as anywhere else, but common sense won). It’s not like planners want to ban cars or parking all together, but they come up with alternatives, challenged by the density of European cities. Discouraging car drivers to go downtown through higher parking fees, while offering things like parking hubs + public transportation discounts. The bottom line is that everybody benefits for the common good, shops prosper more from much greater access (pedestrians, bikes, public trans), the public space is more pleasant etc etc.
In Amsterdam there are similar bike lane scenarios as you linked to, but these don’t cause problems. Car drivers are predominantly bike conscious and cyclist have a sixth sense for inconsiderate car drivers.
Finally, answering your last question. Ordering a street situation (visually) from right to left, (continental) traveling direction: sidewalk with/without curb, clearly marked bike lane, curb/pavement, car parking, road, car parking, curb/pavement, bike lane, side walk. Here’s one example. You’d be surprised how much more can be done, considering planners in Amsterdam also had to deal with bus lanes and tram lines in the same amount of space. In that case, bicycle lanes go around the bus, away from the road and bus stop where people get out. I could go on, but I think you have a clearer picture now. Feel free to ask me more :).
PS. I read you’re having trouble getting what you want for your livejournal blog. Can I suggest you move to a free Wordpress blog (or host your own through Wordpress.org? You can easily transfer your content and it gives you way more flexibility. Besides that, take it from me, livejournal as a blogging platform is quite on the ‘outside’ of the general blogosphere, not at all as semantically sound as most others.
Thank you so much for your insight! I’m quite busy at the moment but when I get the chance I will be writing a follow-up to your response at my blog there :)
Also, I’ve definitely considered Wordpress! I know LJ isn’t really legit, but it’s mostly because I started out as just writing personal entries for myself, and never intended to get into the ‘blogosphere’ haha. Especially now that I’ve established some friends over at LJ, with friends-only posts and such. I’ll think about transitioning though! Cheers
you’re quite welcome, it’s what this blog is all about, Kyle :)
Good luck with your decision, holler if you need any help when you consider Wordpress, I’m sort of a geeky expert on that.
My gal looks just great on two wheels, when she is willing to ride. I try my best to convince her that riding is the “thing” and so sexy, more than some silly smoothy purse could ever be. Her athletic ability is already top form, so adjusting physically would be no problem for her. Still, riding with my sweety thus far is limited to joy rides and not comuting. I would be over joyed if she would just ride one kilometer to her gym instead of driving. So, I built a fun comfortable and safe bicycle in the hopes that she may see the light. I figure, by the time she has ridden to the gym, half of her workout will be over.
The real goal and dream if I may call it that, is if she realizes the importance of the CYCLOCHIC in society. Let’s face it, the world rotates around what a beautiful woman wants. If she rides, then it will be the norm. EMPOWERMENT TO THE LADIES ON TWO WHEELS. WE ARE UNDER YOUR POWER. WE WILL HUMBLY FOLLOW AS YOU ARE LIKE GODDESSES.
Really, this cool ride I put together offers super bun, leg and heart exercizes and I just know my gal will really dig how she feels all over after a few months of cyclochic lifestyle.
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