10 July 2012

New walking and cycling facilities for Marcus Clarke St

| Leon Arundell
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Plans for Marcus Clarke Street’s new walking and cycling facilities were unveiled yesterday.

The centrepiece will be a segregated cycleway in each direction.

Cyclists will still have the options of riding on footpaths or sharing the road with cars.

Pedestrians will retain the single option of sharing footpaths with cyclists.

The speed limit on the footpaths, road and cycleways will be 50 km/h.

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KB1971 said :

Jethro said :

KB1971 said :

Leon said :

According to the New York Times, India’s road toll is 118,000 per year. On a population basis – and despite their lower rates of car ownership – that’s about 50% wors than Australia’s

dtc said :

We could all take a leaf out of the Indian road system ….

Hardly, only 1292 people were killed in Aus last year: http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/ck/releases/2012/january/ck001_2012.aspx

“Only 1292” – That’s an average of 3.5 people dieing on Australian roads every day. Remember, every death directly affects dozens of people – people who have lost a mother, father, brother, sister, friend.

Let’s not forget that for every person who is killed many more will carry life long injuries. Based on their quality of life some road accident ‘survivors’ may very well have been better off dieing.

Considering almost every road death is avoidable, I would hesitate to use the word ‘only’ when describing the number of people who die on Australian roads.

1292 is “only” compared to India’s 118,000. It was a direct response to “thats at least 50% more that Australias road toll.

Context jethro, context.

I knew someone was going to raise that.

Indian cities are much safer than the overall statistics. Out in the country its terrifying.

Jethro said :

KB1971 said :

Leon said :

According to the New York Times, India’s road toll is 118,000 per year. On a population basis – and despite their lower rates of car ownership – that’s about 50% wors than Australia’s

dtc said :

We could all take a leaf out of the Indian road system ….

Hardly, only 1292 people were killed in Aus last year: http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/ck/releases/2012/january/ck001_2012.aspx

“Only 1292” – That’s an average of 3.5 people dieing on Australian roads every day. Remember, every death directly affects dozens of people – people who have lost a mother, father, brother, sister, friend.

Let’s not forget that for every person who is killed many more will carry life long injuries. Based on their quality of life some road accident ‘survivors’ may very well have been better off dieing.

Considering almost every road death is avoidable, I would hesitate to use the word ‘only’ when describing the number of people who die on Australian roads.

1292 is “only” compared to India’s 118,000. It was a direct response to “thats at least 50% more that Australias road toll.

Context jethro, context.

KB1971 said :

Leon said :

According to the New York Times, India’s road toll is 118,000 per year. On a population basis – and despite their lower rates of car ownership – that’s about 50% wors than Australia’s

dtc said :

We could all take a leaf out of the Indian road system ….

Hardly, only 1292 people were killed in Aus last year: http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/ck/releases/2012/january/ck001_2012.aspx

“Only 1292” – That’s an average of 3.5 people dieing on Australian roads every day. Remember, every death directly affects dozens of people – people who have lost a mother, father, brother, sister, friend.

Let’s not forget that for every person who is killed many more will carry life long injuries. Based on their quality of life some road accident ‘survivors’ may very well have been better off dieing.

Considering almost every road death is avoidable, I would hesitate to use the word ‘only’ when describing the number of people who die on Australian roads.

The one-way cycle-ways will be great IF we don’t end up sharing with pedestrians who are supposed to stick to the footpath and cyclists riding the wrong way. So doomed. Hope I’m wrong.

Leon said :

According to the New York Times, India’s road toll is 118,000 per year. On a population basis – and despite their lower rates of car ownership – that’s about 50% wors than Australia’s

dtc said :

We could all take a leaf out of the Indian road system ….

Hardly, only 1292 people were killed in Aus last year: http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/ck/releases/2012/january/ck001_2012.aspx

VYBerlinaV8_is_back4:58 pm 12 Jul 12

Leon said :

According to the New York Times, India’s road toll is 118,000 per year. On a population basis – and despite their lower rates of car ownership – that’s about 50% wors than Australia’s

dtc said :

We could all take a leaf out of the Indian road system ….

That’s right. Bicycles are insanely dangerous and should be banned immediately.

According to the New York Times, India’s road toll is 118,000 per year. On a population basis – and despite their lower rates of car ownership – that’s about 50% wors than Australia’s

dtc said :

We could all take a leaf out of the Indian road system ….

Leon said :

This logic implies that drivers shouldn’t mix with adjacent faster and heavier traffic (such as high speed trains), but it’s OK for them to mix with the slower and lighter traffic on a cycleway or footpath adjacent to the road.

We could all take a leaf out of the Indian road system, which some how manage to cope with pedestrians (no footpaths), cyclist, camels, motor bikes, tractors, trucks, cars, cows (of course), street vendors, auto rickshaws, 4WDs, people drawn carts, buses and a few other assorted transport methods.

Sandman said :

patrick_keogh said :

Dramatic but incorrect Leon. “The rider of a bicycle riding on a length of road with a bicycle lane designed for bicycles travelling in the same direction as the vehicle traffic must ride in the bicycle lane unless it is impracticable to do so.” ACT Road Rules Handbook, p.100.

However, there are no practical methods currently used to identify cyclists breaking said rules of the ACT therefore the rules basically don’t apply. Do what you want, o 2 wheeled hero’s!!!! No one can stop you!!!!

Mmm, so a registration plate stops car drivers from breaking the rules? Do you report every red light runner you see or any car that drives past you while you sitting on the speed limit?

I agree with Patrick that traffic logic is important. This is where I have a problem. Based on the posts here, the logic seems to be:

1. Pedestrians shouldn’t mix with the faster and heavier traffic, on a cycleway or road adjacent to the footpath, but it’s OK for them to use the footpath.

2. Cyclists shouldn’t mix with the faster and heavier traffic on the road adjacent to the cycleway, but it’s OK for them to use the cycleway, or to mix with the slower and lighter traffic on a footpath adjacent to the cycleway.

This logic implies that drivers shouldn’t mix with adjacent faster and heavier traffic (such as high speed trains), but it’s OK for them to mix with the slower and lighter traffic on a cycleway or footpath adjacent to the road.

patrick_keogh11:21 pm 10 Jul 12

Sandman said :

However, there are no practical methods currently used to identify cyclists breaking said rules of the ACT therefore the rules basically don’t apply. Do what you want, o 2 wheeled hero’s!!!! No one can stop you!!!!

It is those damned pedestrians walking against the lights who cause all the accidents. They should have to wear number plates and helmets I tell ya!

patrick_keogh said :

Dramatic but incorrect Leon. “The rider of a bicycle riding on a length of road with a bicycle lane designed for bicycles travelling in the same direction as the vehicle traffic must ride in the bicycle lane unless it is impracticable to do so.” ACT Road Rules Handbook, p.100.

However, there are no practical methods currently used to identify cyclists breaking said rules of the ACT therefore the rules basically don’t apply. Do what you want, o 2 wheeled hero’s!!!! No one can stop you!!!!

Last year’s plans were for on road cycle lanes. If you want to see the new plans, for segregated cycleways level with the footpaths, you could ask TAMS.

thy_dungeonman1:33 pm 10 Jul 12

“Cyclists will still have the options of riding on footpaths or sharing the road with cars.”

And yet we are made to feel that we shouldn’t be doing either.

Old news, the plans for the Civic Cycle Loop have been up on the Tams website since November last year.

http://www.tams.act.gov.au/move/roads/construction_projects/walking_and_cycling_trunk_infrastructure

patrick_keogh12:35 pm 10 Jul 12

I still don’t get the logic. Even if it will be legal to ride a bicycle on the road alongside the bike lane (which I dispute), the building of the bike lane will reduce the number of bikes on the road (win for cyclists and motorists) and will reduce the number of bikes on the footpath (win for cyclists and pedestrians). Right now there is daily conflict between cyclists and pedestrians along Marcus Clarke because the road is one of the significantly less safe ones for cyclists. Building a safe cycle route here will clearly improve things for pedestrians.

Further more, if it results in more people cycling then it is a win for everyone including pedestrians (less pollution, less congestion, fitter population etc.).

So what is it that drives you to oppose infrastructure for cycling? Petty jealousy from a non-cyclist? Self aggrandisement in front of some other group? You were scared by a bicycle as a baby? You are unhappy and want others to be just as unhappy? I don’t know.

Wow about a link with more info?

Dramatic but incorrect Patrick. The cycleways will be off-road.

The speed limit on the footpath will be 50km/h?

Nice try.

patrick_keogh11:31 am 10 Jul 12

Dramatic but incorrect Leon. “The rider of a bicycle riding on a length of road with a bicycle lane designed for bicycles travelling in the same direction as the vehicle traffic must ride in the bicycle lane unless it is impracticable to do so.” ACT Road Rules Handbook, p.100.

If you like we could lobby the government to make it legal for pedestrians to walk on the road. Or is your point that motorists should be able to drive on the footpath?

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