Comments on: Blumenauer, FTA head: "We need you!" http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511 Portland Oregon bicycle news, events, culture, travel and opinion. Tue, 29 May 2012 00:55:47 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: BURR http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514475 BURR Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:44:46 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514475 and the moral is? 1. clearly both the google feature - and our streetscape - need some improvements. 2. don't believe everything you read on the internet. and the moral is?

1. clearly both the google feature - and our streetscape - need some improvements.

2. don't believe everything you read on the internet.

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]]> By: Ron http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514449 Ron Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:10:04 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514449 @Burr There is what should be and what is reasonable. I like being right about things, probably as you do -- it is right that there _should_ be more bikes on Lombard. But being literally dead right is not something I am interested in. I live 1 block from Lombard. There are no bike lanes. Traffic there is always heavy and fast. It is not a safe place to put bike traffic, especially beginners who may be looking to the new Google functionality to get them safe routes. Should each person use common sense? Yes, absolutely, and common sense would clearly dictate that riding a bike on Lombard betwixt Interstate and Denver is placing your life in serious danger. But I'd like to see Google's algorithm be a little more careful about routing people onto streets that have no bike lanes and fast traffic, especially when there is a much better road with bike lanes upon which the final destination nearly coincides. My 2 cents. @Burr

There is what should be and what is reasonable. I like being right about things, probably as you do -- it is right that there _should_ be more bikes on Lombard.

But being literally dead right is not something I am interested in. I live 1 block from Lombard. There are no bike lanes. Traffic there is always heavy and fast. It is not a safe place to put bike traffic, especially beginners who may be looking to the new Google functionality to get them safe routes.

Should each person use common sense? Yes, absolutely, and common sense would clearly dictate that riding a bike on Lombard betwixt Interstate and Denver is placing your life in serious danger.

But I'd like to see Google's algorithm be a little more careful about routing people onto streets that have no bike lanes and fast traffic, especially when there is a much better road with bike lanes upon which the final destination nearly coincides.

My 2 cents.

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]]> By: Michael http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514446 Michael Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:06:03 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514446 Right, so a quick look at what it recommends for my commute adds a mile to take the hapless victim right down Main Street, Bicycle Hell before turning onto a more reasonable route. Like all betas, this is going to need a little love. Right, so a quick look at what it recommends for my commute adds a mile to take the hapless victim right down Main Street, Bicycle Hell before turning onto a more reasonable route. Like all betas, this is going to need a little love.

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]]> By: Daniel Ronan http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514445 Daniel Ronan Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:06:01 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514445 Can I get a "Yes We Can!" :) Just reading this makes me feel like I am at a campaign rally. Sé que sí se puede! Can I get a "Yes We Can!" :) Just reading this makes me feel like I am at a campaign rally. Sé que sí se puede!

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]]> By: Todd Boulanger http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514423 Todd Boulanger Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:03:13 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514423 Hi to all the Oregon (and Washington) Bike Summiteers... ...hey remember to visit the smashing new Bikestation for a tour...its on the left side of the Union Station...it is also a good place to rent a basic bike from the Bike and Roll folks. And talk to Andrea White (CEO Bikestation) about our new low cost and shovel ready 'modular bikestation'. Hi to all the Oregon (and Washington) Bike Summiteers...

...hey remember to visit the smashing new Bikestation for a tour...its on the left side of the Union Station...it is also a good place to rent a basic bike from the Bike and Roll folks.

And talk to Andrea White (CEO Bikestation) about our new low cost and shovel ready 'modular bikestation'.

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]]> By: Kaeta http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514395 Kaeta Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:50:37 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514395 Blumenauer may have seemed tired because he had just been campaigning to get the OEA endorsement (no contest really, since repubs don't even try these days) and his daughter just got back form the Peace Corps this weekend. Just sayin' #4: clean air and healthy bodies are for everyone! :) We on the left don't plan to hog them from those on the right. They can breath and exercise with us! yay. Blumenauer may have seemed tired because he had just been campaigning to get the OEA endorsement (no contest really, since repubs don't even try these days) and his daughter just got back form the Peace Corps this weekend. Just sayin'

#4: clean air and healthy bodies are for everyone! :) We on the left don't plan to hog them from those on the right. They can breath and exercise with us! yay.

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]]> By: BURR http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514392 BURR Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:43:25 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514392 more bikes on Lombard would be a good thing, every street is a bike route more bikes on Lombard would be a good thing, every street is a bike route

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]]> By: Michael M. http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514366 Michael M. Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:55:47 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514366 The problem with Blumenauer's exhortation is that, unfortunately, it <i>is</i> partisan and ideological, however much he or anyone else might like it not to be. The problem with Blumenauer's exhortation is that, unfortunately, it is partisan and ideological, however much he or anyone else might like it not to be.

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]]> By: Ron http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514337 Ron Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:08:30 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514337 The bike mapper is a good first step, but it has some serious issues. A route planned from downtown to up to NoPo in the area of denver/lombard routes you onto Lombard from Interstate over to Denver -- a suicide route. From NoPo downtown, it reasonably routes you down Denver to Rosa Parks then over to Interstate -- why it doesn't do that on the way back up is a mystery to me. In either direction, it really should route you to Willamette then over to Denver all the way up (or down). It is beta, but routing bikes onto Lombard is a HUGE mistake. Beware people. The bike mapper is a good first step, but it has some serious issues. A route planned from downtown to up to NoPo in the area of denver/lombard routes you onto Lombard from Interstate over to Denver -- a suicide route. From NoPo downtown, it reasonably routes you down Denver to Rosa Parks then over to Interstate -- why it doesn't do that on the way back up is a mystery to me.

In either direction, it really should route you to Willamette then over to Denver all the way up (or down).

It is beta, but routing bikes onto Lombard is a HUGE mistake. Beware people.

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]]> By: bikieboy http://bikeportland.org/2010/03/10/live-from-the-national-bike-summit-30511#comment-1514307 bikieboy Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:11:25 +0000 http://bikeportland.org/?p=30511#comment-1514307 wow, the Google bike mapper worked pretty well for the Portland route i requested - the travel time estimate was quite good, too, & the links to Streetview are a nice addition. Good stuff. wow, the Google bike mapper worked pretty well for the Portland route i requested - the travel time estimate was quite good, too, & the links to Streetview are a nice addition. Good stuff.

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