A Fundamental Issue Revealed

Occasionally (like every day) I read Bike Snob NYC. It is an irreverent, funny, and often R-rated blog about bicycling. Not for everyone, I am sure. 

This morning the Bike Snob pointed out an all too-common behavior that drives me nuts: people citing stupid and dangerous behavior of people on bikes as a greater concern than the stupid and dangerous behavior of people in cars.

 

Idiot who thinks bikes are a bigger hazard than cars

 By the way, I have no idea about the meaning of the picture (was in the blog today), but it suggests to me the mentality of 'TT', the person who wrote to the NY Times (text in italics below) in response to an article about the recent death of a bicyclist. Here is the excerpt from today's Bike Snob NYC:

Yesterday I mentioned a New York Times article that, despite itself, proved we have a serious problem in this city with drivers running people over.  While the person who wrote the article made some dumb points, the people reading it are apparently even dumber, because one of them left this comment:

TT
new york

I was hit by a bike five days after Martha was killed, just a few blocks away.

Her situation was tragic. I was lucky. The bike food delivery messenger was not wearing a glow in the dark vest, had no ID, no bell on the bike, no basket
in the back for the food and was peddling quickly the wrong way.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been hit and injured, unfortunately.
What to do about reckless bike riders and bike messengers?

March 11, 2013 at 12:07 a.m.

Yes, you are lucky.  You're lucky the delivery person was on a bike and not in a car.  When you get hit by a bike you live to leave whiny Internet comments.  When you get hit by a car there's a blurb about you in the Post that ends with the phrase "no criminality suspected."  There seems to be a unique brand of American idiocy which causes us to read articles about cars running people down by the hundreds and then respond by getting angry about bikes.  It's like reading an article about gun violence and then leaving a comment about how you cut yourself while making dinner so what's being done about knives?

The bright yellow highlight above is mine. If you think this attitude does not apply in our area, check out online comments in the Press Democrat or the Napa Register the next time somebody gets hit while riding a bike.

People on bikes are fathers, mothers, sons and daughters. They work, they pay taxes and oddly enough, almost all of them also drive cars. What is with the anger that cyclists seem to create just by riding a bike? And what can be done to make that go away? 

Thank you Bike Snob! Ride safely and often. 

Wanted: Bicycle Advisory Committee Member

Are you interested in improving bicycling in Calistoga?  There is an opening on the Calistoga BAC that will be announced by the City soon. So if you want to get involved, now is the time to apply. 

Key qualifications include: 1) whatever the City says in the announcement, 2) time to help get things moving forward with the bike plan.

October 2012: New Bike Plan 

A bike plan is important for several reasons . . . most important is that we need one to qualify for State or Federal funding. No plan, no money.

Click her to download your own copy of our new 5 year plan

What is really cool is that the City Council adopted the plan unanamously, uh, 5-0. Here's the Resolution with a breath-taking 14 Whereases in it.

11 Whereases on page 1

3 more Whereases, plus a Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved.

As important as this document is, even better is that it met with the approval of the Metropolitan Transportation Agency . . . we qualify for funds.
Well done to the City Staff!

An important hurdle is behind us!

OK, we're legal now. What's next? Check back, or subscribe, to find out.

2012: The Loops Extend into the County!

You may have read the post about the bike loops that were created in 2008. Here's where the Eastern (yellow) loop ended where the Washington-Dunaweal Bike Path ends at Dunaweal Lane.

Where the Yellow Loop Meets the City Limits at Dunaweal Lane.

Well, a funny (unusual) thing happened to these loops in 2012. A bike-friendly manager at Napa County Public Works paid a visit to Calistoga and was most interested in seeing the loops. Two members of the Calistoga BAC showed him around and he took a lot of notes. Within a couple of weeks we noticed the way-finding signs for our loops had appeared on the adjacent County roads.

Calistoga's Bike Loop Signage on Dunaweal Lane

Now the Loops on the bike map were really loops on the ground! And it appears a neighboring artist has taken note of the additional bike traffic.

Bicyclists  Welcome!

Following the Loop gets you to Silverado Trail

Yellow Loop matches the mustard blooms

There is even a way to see a little more of the countryside on Pickett Lane and Rosedale. Brings you back to the Trail right across from the entrance to Solage Resort.

A quiet country lane is now part of the Eastern Loop

There are equally beautiful vistas if you take the Western Loop (red dots). It will get you to another nearby quiet stretch of road, Bennett Lane, where you will see things like this.

Mt. St. Helena from Bennett Lane

Wow! We've got loops that loop! Thanks Rick!

2009: Calistoga Gets First Bicycle Map!

After working with a local graphic designer for many months, the Calistoga Bicycle Advisory Committee proudly unveiled the new City Bike Map. When viewing the map online the top half is upside down . . . it was designed as a paper map and is meant to be folded in a particular way. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Calistoga Bike Map

Side 2 shows the whole town and the surroundings for context. Interestingly, after 4 years this map is not out of date. An unexpected 'benefit' to no progress on the bicycle network.

Calistoga Bike Map

Considering Calistoga is a Bicycle Friendly Community, why is it so hard to find this map on the City of Calistoga's Website? Seems like it ought to have a place on the VISITORS tab, like the pool. Just try to find it on your own. Then click on either of the map captions above to see where to find its hiding place.

2008: Calistoga Gets Scenic Loops!

It may sound trivial, but it was a big deal back in 2008. After months of discussion, Calistoga's Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) persuaded the City that way-finding signs would be helpful to visitors wanting to take a bike ride around town. One determined member of the BAC invested hours with a barely cooperative ex-employee of Public Works (nameless and long gone) to personally assist with placement of  Bike Route signs around town, and to define two color-coded riding loops.

Red Loop - Entering Cedar Street from Cyrus Creek Bike Path

The Red Loop is the route for exploring the west side of town.

Riding along Calistoga's Napa River bike route.

The Yellow Loop is the route for seeing the east side of town.

Heading south on the Yellow Loop

The results are obviously helpful. But why was it such a struggle? Hopefully those days are just ancient history.

Back to the Story . . . Grant Street

Not sure when this was created (90s my guess), but if you head downtown from Tubbs Lane on Grant Street, just as you pass Mora Avenue you will find this.

Looks like a Class II Bike Lane!

Here are typical users of this lane.

Mom, baby, and a couple of tykes behind

A Tyke Lane?

Scootin' after Mom

Here's why they ride on the wrong side.

There is no option. A half-Class II?

At the corner, the signage beckons.

Right onto North Oak

The half-Class II bike lane continues.

Maybe it's really a just a low budget sidewalk.