OK, that’s not exactly what he said. But that was the gist of it, in a story called “Traffic Confusion” that Global News BC ran tonight.
It was (yet another) story on the woeful state of downtown Vancouver now that one little bike lane has been added – the Hornby Bike Lane.
It seems that motorists are so confused that flag people have had to be deployed to help them out. Some are more impatient than confused, and are illegally turning right, cutting across the bike lane and scaring some of the cyclists.
Shop merchants are (predictably) complaining that traffic confusion means shoppers are giving their stores a pass. WHEN are they going to discover that cyclists spend money? And that not all cyclists are bike couriers, as one liquor store merchant seemed to think? He said that some of his most frequent customers are bike couriers, but complained that they only buy one or two beers at a time. Hey, I shop at liquor stores, and I DEFINITELY do not buy one beer at a time!
The good news is that Vancouver’s Mayor Gregor Robertson – fearless champion of bike lanes – is unfazed. Gregor bought a few welcome sound bites of sanity to the news story when he said:
“Hornby Street’s open. And that’s a good time to shop there for the holidays. … I’m not worried about the popularity piece of it. This is really important infrastructure for downtown Vancouver. We build streets, we build sidewalks. Building good bike lanes is important for our future.”
Hear, hear. Or as my daughter would say, “Word.” (And I actually know what that means, which shows I’m not as old as I look.)
Global chose to end the story on a bitchy note. They focused on a bike courier cycling like a loon, and commented: “Some of the bike lane lettering is already crumbling. No bother to some who just ignore it all.”
To Global, and to all those confused and irate motorists, I say:
“Hornby Bike Lane is here to stay – get used to it!”
Word.
Im downtown right now writing this reply from my iPad… I am quite happily able to report that there are a lot of bike riders all around downtown tonight this december evening! Lots of bike racks full, and riders going to their destinations. I was gonna ride, but took the bus out of concern due to theft. I used to keep an old junker bike bike for nights like this that I didn’t care if it got stolen, but gave it away to a foreign student who didn’t have a bike. I must get another one and join all the other people riding down here!
Great to hear from you direct from Hornby, Alex! And that’s a great idea – getting an old junker. SO many times I take a bus rather than risk having one of my beloved bikes stolen …
I do that too. I have an old beater that was found in the garbage room. I use it when I’m going out at night in areas known for theft so if it’s gone it’s not a big deal.
People in the Netherlands do that apparently. They have their good one for everyday use or when travelling to another city and then their beater for when they go to the train station and are going to leave it locked up for a week while they’re away.
I don’t if/when shop owners will get it through their heads that motorists are not their only customers.
Something people need to remember when they believe motorists must have money, therefore are better customers…How many people actually own their vehicles out right? Most people are trying to pay their vehicles off for the next 10-15 years, whereas some who walks or cycles alone can take that money and spend it elsewhere…Maybe even in their stores, though I try to always avoid businesses that complain about bike lanes.
Many of the complaints from merchants in Toronto, came from people whose business is made up mostly from local foot traffic. Even more sad is they made a big stink about a little painted line.
As cyclists were told to “suck it up” by motorists, referring to the fact that ‘cars are here to stay’…I say to motorists “suck it up…bike lanes are here to stay!”
Good point about the money. Not only do cyclists come from the same “class” as motorists, but many of them don’t even own cars and thus have a lot more disposable income that would otherwise be going towards automotive maintenance, gas and other ownership costs.
I agree, great point Sean. I went back and added it into my post. I feel like I should wear a badge that says “I’m a cyclist and I shop” – because when I am shopping in my work clothes, for example, it is assumed that I am NOT a cyclist. Actually, that is a pretty good idea. I’m now on the Board of the BCCC … I will bring it up and see if there is any appetite for that idea. I remember in the USA they advanced gay rights by having credit cards that reminded merchants that gay people shop (and therefore, in our consumerist society, should be respected and welcomed). The same applies to cyclists. For some reason, people think we have less disposable income, whereas some of us have more. I know I have a lot more disposable income now that I don’t throw away hundreds a month on car payments, insurance, gas and repairs. I spend a LOT on my bikes, but nowhere near what I used to spend on my ugly van.
This is a great thought – one interim thing you (we) could do is to put a sticker/label on our credit cards saying “I cycled here” or print out some business card sized pieces of paper that say – “I came to your store on my bike”…it would be easy for BCCC or VACC to come up with a pdf template for people to print and cut…too bad I’m not creative enough to do it!!
P.S. I’ll be using Hornby tomorrow, and dining at Griffins so may try this out!
Glad you like this idea, Janine. And you’re right – it could be done pretty cheaply and easily. Go for it at Griffins tomorrow night 🙂
I have an opposite approach. I intentionally am shopping at the businesses that had complained while carrying my helmet in with me so they know how I got there. (I normally lock it with the bike.) Instead of “punishing” them for their comments I’m hoping to change their minds.
Besides, they probably got coached and persuaded into saying something against the bike lane by the reporter and the businesses who welcomed it didn’t end up in the piece. (I used to work in news and know how they work and what their motives are. People getting along isn’t news remember.)
Good points Nikolai. I have also been horribly misquoted in the news. I think positive persuasion is always a good idea. That’s why I really like the idea of letting merchants know they are taking money from cyclists. I really want to figure out a way to do that.
I’m sorry I missed that newscast – but maybe I’m not if it was negative. I’ve been sporting a cold but had circled today on my calendar to plan all of my errands using the Hornby Bike Lanes – not too hard to do since they link everything up so well. As a long time pedestrian, I’m also scared of all the cars that turn right without looking as the only thing they care about is looking left to see if they can merge into traffic. No right hand turning is the only safe solution for cyclists AND pedestrians if they can’t learn to share the road with others and be less impatient. New York has this law. Works pretty good. Anyway, if you see someone on Hornby today, on their bike with a big kleenex, that’s me!!
Hey Paddyanne, the good (?) thing about Global is that they run the same news stories over and over and over again. (I commented on this in my post on the vote for Hornby – the news was all over the internet, and the vote was actually happening, WHILE the 11.00 p.m. news was on, and Global just ignored it. By the time they reported it the next morning, everyone already knew – they really are going to have to get with it if they want to compete in a world of instant media.) In any event, they ran the same story this morning at 7 and no doubt will run it again at 8.
About the right turn thing – in South Africa, where I come from, that is unheard of. I was SHOCKED when I discovered it was the norm here. It is so blatantly dangerous for pedestrians. As you say, motorists are so focused on looking for cars from the left that they forget to look for pedestrians. I have actually been a passenger in a car in which the driver was speeding towards pedestrians in a cross walk, while looking over her left shoulder for cars. I had to yell out to get her to slam on brakes. It’s an INSANE law, and could only have been allowed in a society that privileges driving over life itself.
Be careful out there on your bike today (especially with your cold) – it is going to be snowy and rainy. I don’t think I am getting on a bike today – I hurt one of my knees scrambling to rescue my puppy from a coyote this morning.
I really like the advance right turn signal for motorists. Drivers are usually an impatient bunch so getting them out of the way first is good.
Also it means that those walking also have a delayed walk signal so the cars turn and get out of the way sooner as well so the bike lane is inadvertently helping motorists get to where they want to go sooner with that too.
I agree – I love the way they have done the traffic signals on Hornby. I would much rather wait patiently for the cars, than compete with them as they try to turn right while I try to go straight. I cannot understand why anyone finds them confusing – they seem to me to be simple. Cyclists follow the cycle signal if it’s there. Cars follow the regular signal. Pedestrians follow the walk signal. If everyone follows the signals, no one needs to get hurt …
I was out on Hornby today. Not a lot of car traffic, pedestrians or cyclists anywhere downtown, probably because it was a pretty gray day, and sorta coldish, and threatening to rain/snow . Anyhow, I overheard one pedestrian loudly tell her friends as I cycled past, something to the effect that “all these bike lanes for just 2 bikes” (meaning my husband and I). I could not help but to say, back to her, “There’s not too many cars on the streets either!” I hope my point was not lost on either her or her companions. But, more balanced reporting has to occur. In the meantime, cyclists in Vancouver have to make a concentrated effort to use these lanes on poor weather days, it will help – albeit slowly – to change the attitude of those who just repeat negative drivel they read or hear in the media – or from their ill informed friends.
Good on you, Paddyanne. I think it even jolts such people to realize that cyclists CAN speak – I know every time I stop to explain something to one of them, they stare at me in mute astonishment – “It SPEAKS”!!! I agree about the need to get out there and use the lanes, regardless of weather.
Paddyanne:
Farbeit from me to deny that the media is home to a considerable amount of drivel.
but….
The real objection most people have ( in my opinion, which you may discount as drivel but which I assure you has not come from any media report ).. is being served up the dog and pony show that Gregor and his Vision play out to give the impression that this bike lane is just a ‘trial’ and that the fix isnt in on spending another 22 million of MY money JUST FOR STARTERS and the dismissive attitude shown when objections are raised as to how does this make practical sense. HOW DARE we object? Dont we know this is Holy Work unfolding?
The way I understand it is that the bike lane is a “trial” in the sense that if it works well, they will put in more; but if it doesn’t work that well, then we will have to make do with what we have. I certainly hope that is the case. That would make sense, given that the streets obviously can’t accommodate any more cars, but the number of people wanting to travel downtown will inevitably increase.