Cycling in Melbourne Australia
Albert street bike lane a joke?
Dear MCs,
It is probably not the most read paper on this blog, but I came across an interesting photo + comment in the HUN about a week ago. Then this weekend I just happened to ride the free tourist shuttle and it was going down Albert street as a detour because of the game at the MCG. I recalled the article and witnessed it with my own eyes. This is the HUN entry (from a segment called black & white)
It is probably not the most read paper on this blog, but I came across an interesting photo + comment in the HUN about a week ago. Then this weekend I just happened to ride the free tourist shuttle and it was going down Albert street as a detour because of the game at the MCG. I recalled the article and witnessed it with my own eyes. This is the HUN entry (from a segment called black & white)
WHAT is going on in Albert St, East Melbourne?
New road markings have shifted the cars out from the footpath and placed a bike lane where the cars normally would park.
But as this
photo, taken on Tuesday, shows, it's not working. The cars are staying
by the footpath, leaving the parking bays empty of cars and used by the
bikes.
The next step? Dozens of signs to explain what's going on and
more visual pollution.
This is the photo:
On the weekend the story was identical. All cars parked along the curb. You can clearly see the little straight edges that represent the edges of the car parking space, but if you are actually driving down Albert street you would never ever park your car in, what feels like, right smack in the middle of the road. There is nothing to guide you like the islands on Swanston street. It is totally alienating. If you are in the neigbourhood it is worth to have a look.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jack on -
I have been watching this lane develop over the last couple of months. I can see the logic in it but not really understand why it is required. Most of the cycle traffic is during morning peak hour and for that period it is a clearway. After the clearway times have passed and cars start to park it leaves only one lane for car traffic and a bike lane that gets a few bikes on it. Be interesting to see how it works out or just a a very expensive experiment.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on -
As one who has cycled in traffic since they were 13, starting in Launceston in the 1970s, going via Hobart and ending up here in "real" traffic ;-) I see no -->"logic"<-- at all in marginalising cyclists further, endangering people disembarking from cars from the passenger side and confusing the shit out of motorists who will blame us for the insanity of it all.
Whose idea was this? Was Bicycle Victoria consulted? If so, have they opposed it or supported it? If they supported it, what are they SMOKING?
Somebody should be sacked for this. Somebody should never work again and live as an outcast pariah, homeless and scorned for the rest of their life. OK, I'm being "poetic", I don't really believe that, but really, I want to meet the person whose idea this was and shake their hand for creating the stupidest cycling infrastructure idea I have EVER seen, and I come from Hobart :-)
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Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on
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The half witty thought occurred to me - it's not a left over installation piece from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is it? ;-)
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Permalink Reply by Neil on -
Steve, you obviously haven't seen how they do things in Mosman, NSW. I wish I had a picture!
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Permalink Reply by Adrian Tritschler on -
I love the way the Herald Sun article and the papers in general refer to "the cars doing this" or "the cars staying by the footpath" as though they are separate entities with their own free will.
More useless painty bits? Sounds as though there's a BV hand in there somewhere.
http://www.bv.com.au/change-the-world/40562/
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Permalink Reply by SimonG on -
This was supported by BV, i saw it in their "in The Loop" newsl;etter but only after i'd noticed the guys out doing the work. I ride that route to and from work everyday and think the bike lanes are a waste of tome for the following reasons:
1) Motorists don't understand how to use them as shown in the OP
2) They aren't really needed as clearways are in effect dunring the busiets times
3) They haven't done anything about the worst part of the route, the intersection at punt road where Albert st become Elizabeth but the two are misaligned. Drivers regularly squeeze past in the narrowest section and on corners (although this can be prevented by cyclists taking the centere of the lane, i've not seen anyone else do it yet :s)
4) They make inexperienced cyclists feel safer but experienced cyclists alienated and possibly less safe. once the cars are parked properly there's more danger from pedestrians and passengers/drivers accessing vehicles in a kerbside lane
5) they force left turning vehicles and straight ahead cyclists into the same space very close to each intersection. the cyclists has no chance to take the straight ahead lane before the left filter lane when cars are parked.
At the end of the day, a bike lane is little more than a white line and a false sense of security. I may just take a different route to avoid this one outside of clearway times if it ever starts working properly.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on
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This was supported by BV, i saw it in their "in The Loop"
Seriously considering letting my membership go! Now I know how Malcolm Fraser feels about the libs.
Is there an affordable insurance package for cyclists outside of BV membership?
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Permalink Reply by Neil on
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Pedal Power ACT gets a lot of good recommendations. (I hear. I am not a member or in anyway affiliated.)
Depends on what sort of insurance you are after, as well. Household insurance can cover you for 3rd party outside the home. Check your home policy.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Tonkin on -
I often wonder why RACV do not offer an equivalent insurance package for cyclists. We are with them for Extra Car and Home Care, Car and House Insurance, Bike Assist and it would be a natural extension cos I reckon they could also insure the bike as well as the rider :) RACV has very extensive member benefits too. After all RACV are now quite involved in cycling - Great Vic, Bike Share, Ride to Work angels etc.. I would rather donate money to BV in recognition of their advocacy on my behalf (or not donate as the case maybe) rather than having to donate it by way of there membership insurance cover. It would be interesting to observe the impact on BV Membership if they lost the insurance exclusivity.
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Permalink Reply by Cory on -
I'm not sure if it's actually been launched yet. To my knowledge, they haven't changed any of the signage. Ppl would then, just be treating it as a whole lot of paint on their parking lanes.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on
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The question arises (for me, anyway)...
Is it time to form an alternative body to Bicycle Victoria? One which supports cyclists, not the insane whims of road planners.
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Permalink Reply by Steve Jay on
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According to the reply I got from Bicycle Victoria, responding to my complaint about their supporting this style of bike lane is essentially, "They do it in Montreal, and US research proves Forrester set bicycling back 20 years."
In Europe, according to a recent ABC Radio News story on the Sydney inside-out lanes, they recommend against them because they create greater conflict and complexity at intersections and more bicycle/pedestrian collisions.
I think this battle has been lost in Victoria and NSW even before we realised there was one. I'm seriously disheartened about this. If they do this on any of my main routes, I may have to give up cycling to work. Seriously.
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