On Friday, Bike to Work Day, we and our news partners The Seattle Times are wondering just how safe you are getting from here to there on two wheels.
We’re also looking for commute stories, not just from today, but any good tales of biking to work. Or, for that matter, from people who would rather NOT share the road with bikes.
The Times has put together a top ten regional list of bike trouble spots. Maple Leaf isn’t on it, nor are the usual routes from here to downtown, unless you commute through the north end of the University Bridge.
Here’s one you might identify with, though – the Burke-Gilman Trail at 25th Avenue Northeast. The “missing link” of the trail in Ballard and the south end of the Ballard Bridge are on the list, too.
Tell us your bike stories.
As a daily, year-round bicycle commuter living in Maple Leaf my experiences with car commuters are almost completely positive. The only tight spots are (sometimes) mornings on Roosevelt between NE 78th and Ravenna Blvd, where traffic is moving briskly. I usually occupy the right-most lane and it’s no problem. Most autos in that lane are turning right at either 75th, 70th or 65th, so I don’t feel like they are breathing down my neck. Before 9am, it’s mostly a bus lane, with bicycles filling in between.
I appreciate the coverage you have given bicycle transportation issues Mike!
I bike from Maple Leaf to UW every day, and I love it. My biggest gripe is that some of the Metro bus drivers don’t use their turn signals/emergency blinkers, which I rely on to know what that big bus is planning on doing next.
I typically commute via bus, but this is my second year occasionally biking to work. Being out in the fresh air and getting some exercise is far more enjoyable than taking the bus. My overall commute time is about the same, especially since the buses have left 15th.
Today is my eighth bike-to-work this month. Safety is a concern, but I’ve not had any issues in Maple Leaf. I wish they’d add a bike sharrow to Roosevelt as it’s the most direct way for me to go and it connects with the U. Bridge, which is on the Seattle Times list, and the site of a fatality. The merge there can be a heartstopper as bicyclists pick up a lot of speed on the approach and cars aren’t always paying attention.
Commuting in traffic can be more dangerous if you’re not a confident bicyclist. I find it’s much better to go fast and keep up with cars than to go slowly in the right lane. Visibility is key. Use reflectors, lights, signals and your eyes.
The 5 bicyclists killed in 2006-2008 the Times map shows, and the four more killed this year (mentioned in the article) are sobering, but it’s not going to stop me. How many Seattle drivers have been killed this year in in auto accidents?
Life can be dangerous. Bicycling is fun. Be safe out there, enjoy it.
It’s great to bike to work (or school), but it’s important to stay safe while getting there.
Recently, cities like Seattle have been trying to make cycling safer by building bike lanes, greenways and other infrastructure.
I’ve compiled a list of U.S. and International cycling maps and advocacy resources on my blog, Bikeway Central (http://bikewaycentral.com)
The blog also offers updates on the most exciting bike-related developments in the country, like Denver’s new bike share program.
Happy (bike) trails…
Aaron