Comments on: If at first you don’t succeed

By: John Knox White

John Knox White — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:09:46 +0000

Neal,

There is now an off-road path, bi-directional, on the East side of the street that connects the bridge with the school. The bike lanes are also still on Fernside in both directions for commuters and faster riders to use.

By: Neal Jarecki

Neal Jarecki — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:59:27 +0000

Not to hijack the thread, but why, exactly, are there three bike lanes from the Bay Farm bridge to LMS?
The two lanes that are separated from traffic by the new median I understand but I don’t get the purpose of the 3rd lane.

Inquiring minds…

Thanks!~

By: David Kirwin

David Kirwin — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 23:58:08 +0000

I use Fernside a lot, and I’m not miffed no matter if I am on my bike, or 4-wheeling. I am however very confused, as we now have 3 bike lanes on the east side of Fernside and none on the west side of Fernside.

It is also disappointing that when on a bike going to Bay Farm Island from Park St or South Shore on Otis, there is no connection (except by jumping the curb) to the beginning of the bike lane. Is it assumed that all bicyclists are to break the law by riding on the sidewalk?

And what is the law concerning ridiong on the sidewalk? If bicycles are ‘motor vehicles’, is it ever legal? At what age is it illegal? Considering the root-bound status of the main bike path on Bay Farm from the shopping center to the San Leandro Bay Bridges, which route does Bike Alameda suggest for adults and students who don’t have mountain bikes?

I’d like to suggest to Bike Alameda that they encourage ‘road riding’ classes for both bicycle riders and drivers. Other communities, like Davis, educate the public and there is a better relationship and level of respect by each class of road user. Perhaps Bike Alameda could talk to ‘Monkeylectric’ (www.monkeylectric.com/) out at the Point and encourage them to sell their bicycle visibility devices at cost to the “Rhode Scholars” who take the classes.

By: Jack B.

Jack B. — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:20:24 +0000

I thought it was 3 lanes before… but I only use the part from San Jose Ave to get to the bike bridge.

If you ride your bike legally (which I do, especially w/ my kids) the ride to Alameda Pt. w/ the stoplights are agonizing.

By: John Knox White

John Knox White — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:41:06 +0000

There are already a a ton of these around the Island, East and West Ends, AND all repavings are resulting in D-type sensors that detect both, so no matter where they are located, they’ll get them. The only intersections that don’t get them are ones like broadway and Central, or Park and Central, where the lights are timed and not triggered.

Not quite sure what you would be miffed about on Fernside, with the exception of a small part of the Blvd, it’s been a one-lane (each direction) road since before I moved here, the changes at the western end of the street don’t have any major effect on traffic, it just changes where the merge happens. The overall volume of the street remains the same as it has always been.

By: Jack B.

Jack B. — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:53:12 +0000

That’s great. Any chance we can get car and bike sensors for the West End? It’s really a drag to [legally] sit there stopped on a bike when there isn’t any traffic.

Btw…. I LOVE the new bike lanes on Fernside. If I was a car driver on that road every day I’d be miffed but not my problem.