Comments on: Bike Lane FAIL: The Case of the Vanishing Bike Lane

By: Bike Lane FAIL: Painful Squeeze in Mountain View | One woman. Many bicycles.

Mon, 23 Jun 2014 16:11:28 +0000

[…] busy intersection, another re-design, another vanishing bike lane. Caltrain wanted to keep cars from getting caught on the tracks when the signal turns red. The […]

By: ladyfleur

ladyfleur — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 23:13:40 +0000

Thanks, Ed, for writing in to the Palo Alto transportation folks. I do this series in part because the attention often results in action. With the San Jose DOT and parks, I’ve had great success replacing a hazardous drain grate and removing a bollard. Kudos to San Jose.

Palo Alto hasn’t been as easy. I’ve written Jaime Rodriguez twice on two separate issues and never got a response. I hope your email is better received. If you’re a PA resident that might help.

Grate: http://ladyfleur.wordpress.com/2012/08/16/bike-lane-success-newly-grateful-in-san-jose/
Bollard: http://ladyfleur.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/bike-lane-success-bollard-be-gone/

By: Ed

Ed — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 23:02:05 +0000

I’ve contacted the Palo Alto transportation department about Middlefield and need to fix these on again, off again bike lanes. I’m not sure what the solution can be without taking out curbs and making more space. I think sharrow markings that help get cyclists predictably out into the full lane of traffic are one solution.

It would help if more people complained directly in addition to the lovely work you do on this blog. Make your voice heard here: transportation@cityofpaloalto.org

By: Phillip Tanks

Phillip Tanks — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 15:29:51 +0000

This is Palo Alto, supposedly a bike-friendly city. However, the arrogant and self-absorbed head of transportation will NEVER admit to making a mistake. Never look back, just charge ahead and paint everything green and hope nobody notices the mistakes made through haste and poor planning.

By: Jean

Jean — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 02:32:15 +0000

Hope you notify the municipality. Or someone.

By: ladyfleur

ladyfleur — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 17:36:34 +0000

I crossed San Antonio on Charleston on Monday and you’re right, they didn’t add a bike lane so it’s not like Middlefield. I was on a slow bike and didn’t feel like standing my ground by taking the lane so I took the sidewalk. So there, call me a scofflaw. I really hate that we are put in these situations.

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 08:14:43 +0000

At Charleston/San Antonio there is no bike lane either side, so your choice is the sidewalk, or the middle of the traffic lane. The problem at Middlefield is that on one side there is a bike lane, the other side there is not, so the design implies a merge in the middle of the intersection. I was told in riding school never to change lanes in the middle of an intersection…

By: ladyfleur

ladyfleur — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 15:59:08 +0000

Oh, I misread. That’s what happens late at night. But there is another woman in my neighborhood with a red Viva Juliett just like mine. Only one I’ve ever seen in the wild.

By: Stuart M.

Stuart M. — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 13:33:51 +0000

No, no, I’m sorry. I first thought you had a red Velorbis bicycle, but then I saw the Viva logo on the downtube and corrected myself. My sister is not big into bicycling.

By: ladyfleur

ladyfleur — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 06:12:43 +0000

She has a Viva? So do I. In red. If your sister lives near Rengstorff & Central and her Viva is red, I’ve probably already met her.