In happier times.
Just as not everyone is the same, not every cyclist on the streets of Newton fits a specific type. We might, however, conveniently divide most cyclists into three general categories:
- Spandex cyclists: You have seen them, singly or in packs, dashing down Beacon Street in aerodynamic attire, their eyes fixated on the road ahead. Their expensive bikes, built for speed, are light and have thin tires. Though some Spandex cyclists commute to work, most are out for a vigorous workout. Sometimes they carry a few items in backpacks. Spandex cyclists in general travel in traffic lanes as they should. Their pace, mostly upwards of fifteen miles an hour and sometimes higher, steers them away from sharing protected bike lanes with slower cyclists.
- Neighborhood cyclists: These folks, both younger and older adults, ride on heavier hybrid bicycles with wider wheels. They also ride for exercise, and some of them commute by bike. Whatever their destination, their pace is much more modest, usually from six to twelve miles an hour. Whenever possible, they do their errands on their bikes. To this end, they usually have side baskets, or panniers, attached to a rack on their back tires. Neighborhood cyclists wear casual clothing, not very aerodynamic. Although most would prefer to be in a bike lane, they are experienced enough to weather the sometimes dangerous passage in traffic lanes when no bike lines are present.
- Recreational cyclists: These cyclists use their bicycles more infrequently. Their number has increased markedly during the Pandemic. Most encouragingly, children of all ages have taken to bicycles, traveling singly, in small packs, or with family. Many adults, whose bicycles were mouldering in the damp corners of garages and basements, have also returned to cycling, often with their children and spouses.
Given the boom in bicycle use around the Garden City, advocates like Bike Newton have pushed city leaders to improve roadway infrastructure. Promoting bicycle safety on major roadways would most benefit the growing legions of recreational cyclists, not to mention students. Before the Pandemic, on nice days the bike racks at North and South were often filled to overflowing. More students in middle school might also bike if streets like Walnut, Parker, and Beacon were less forbidding. Families on bicycles might venture farther afield as well if passage through intersections like Beacon and Chestnut were safer.
Fortunately, supporters of bicycles have advocates on the City Council. When I despair at the pace of progress, councilors like Andreae Downs and Alicia Bowman remind me that improving bicycle safety, in truth, is very much on the agenda:
- The Council is refining its plan to add bike lanes on most of Beacon Street between Washington Street and Newton Centre.
- The design already exists to place protected bike lanes on Needham Street even beyond Newton’s border into Needham.
- Plans are proceeding on the north side of town on Albemarle between Crafts and North, northern Walnut Street and Crafts, parts of Washington Street in West Newton, and, perhaps, someday on Washington between Chestnut and Whole Foods.
- Bike lanes are destined for all of Walnut Street north of Forest Street in the Highlands.
In recent months the citizen/parent group Newton Safe Routes to School has emerged as a powerful voice for improving bicycle safety. Its members have worked continuously with school officials and city administrators to make it easier for students to ride their bikes to school. The safety of cyclists on Beacon and Walnut Streets is central to their plans. Let’s hope that this impetus spreads to all of Newton’s major thoroughfares, and that all cyclists, whatever type they are, can ride safely throughout the Garden City.
The state needs to show leadership in creating cycle superhighways across city lines, especially now. Needham-Newton is a prime example – the Upper Falls Greenway should have been extended to the Needham Heights commuter rail station four years ago, and it could have been, were it not for an obstructionist Needham selectman who ought to be ashamed of himself. Now, instead of safe and relaxing segregated cycle infrastructure, we’re ending up with some variant of cycle tracks across 60 mph highway ramps. Swell.
I try VERY HARD to give bikers the room they need. I try to pass far to the left of them to make them feel safer. When it is unsafe for me to pull out and pass, I ride slowly behind them waiting for my moment. More times than I can count, I have been sworn at as I pass. Why? Aren’t we supposed to SHARE the road? It makes me insanely angry when one or more bikers ride right down the middle of the street as if they own the road. Not once have I beeped my horn or yelled at anyone….as much as I might have wanted to. Today, a biker near Walden Pond pulled out into the middle of the road to pass slower bikes and then refused to pull back over to let me continue on my way. So It’s hard to want to share the road with bikers who feel entitled to block the road and take ownership of it. No amount of bike lanes will fix this problem.
The biggest hazard to cyclists, Bob, is people who are texting while driving. We’ve seen truly stunning examples.
The second biggest hazard, when you are in a bike lane or otherwise riding near parked cars, is being “doored.” The solution to that is for drivers to use the Dutch Reach when opening their doors, using the right hand to pull the handle, swiveling, and therefore looking backwards. https://www.dutchreach.org/
Let’s not forget the upcoming public discussion to turn segments of the Carriage Lane (will exclude signalized intersections for now, for example) into legal Eastbound AND Westbound bicycling, after which it will go to Traffic Council.
Let’s not forget the upcoming public discussion (Sept. 30) to turn segments of the Carriage Lane (will exclude signalized intersections for now, for example) into legal Eastbound AND Westbound bicycling, after which it will go to Traffic Council.
I’m pleased to learn that so many promising initiatives for improved bicycling are underway in this City. Kudos to Andreae, Alicia and so many others that are pushing these programs.
I’m 84 and have just been cleared to be part of a training program for adaptive cycling and other sports at the West Roxbury VA. The intent is to get vets to do things they thought they would never be able to do again; and do them safely.
And, of course, thanks to Bob Jampol for this article and so many other things he does for the right causes.
Mr Jampol, thank you for this post! Your division is very apt – I generally bike in my slacks, or jeans, and it’s always interesting to (try to) keep pace with the racers.
I sympathize with Truth’s frustration. Something that trained me well as a biker was living in Cambridge for several months. People there know how to keep you in line – I tried a couple times to coast through a red light, only to be (rightly) told to walk or wait my turn. Turns out waiting isn’t too bad! A little patience can go a long way, on everyone’s behalf. Road etiquette definitely needs to go both ways. I often wonder if the guys (always guys) that buzz past me with no warning, or blow through red lights, are the same guys who might cut me off on Rt 9. Many of us bike defensively, with a little anxiety, but it’s worth staying patient and courteous, no matter what side of the windshield we’re on.
Agreed Michael – we need more bike lanes and safe routes. And more traffic calming in general. I almost died a few months ago when someone came down Parker at 45 miles an hour, sneaking up behind me as I was taking a left turn. I had looked behind me a few seconds earlier, the coast was clear, and I was about to cross over the yellow line when I heard a loud whooshing over my shoulder and swerved right just in time. I usually take pride in biking very safely – always signaling, wearing bright colors and lights etc – but only takes one careless person to cause an accident. All the moreso when your roads are built for speed and not safety
@TWT your efforts to be careful around cyclists are definitely appreciated!
Unfortunately there are bad apples on the road — people who are irresponsible and aggressive vehicle operators, whether their vehicle that moment is a car or a bike. Fortunately with so many more bicycles on the road, drivers’ habits have been very good overall this year.
I’d suggest you might review what you might be doing in your interaction with cyclists, if you’re being sworn at “more times than you can count.” In more than 30 years of driving I don’t recall the last time a cyclist has sworn at me, if ever. And it’s not as if I’m doing anything special, I’m just a conservative driver. Cyclists in general don’t hit the road so they can swear at motorists. Maybe a review of motorists rights and responsibilities vis-a-vis bicycles might be helpful? https://www.massbike.org/laws
Bravo to Jane Hanser and company for their ongoing efforts to legalize what is already established custom: bicycles and pedestrians and strollers and skate boarders passing both east and west on the Commonwealth Carriage Lane. Common sense suggests that only cars should be limited to one-way traffic on that stretch. As long as everyone moves slowly, judiciously, and courteously, I envision no safety issue in the change. It’s been that way in practice for quite a while anyhow. Cyclists speeding through should ride in traffic anyhow, as I contend in my piece. The Carriage Lane would be for neighborhood and recreational cyclists as defined above.
@Dulles
I am truly offended at your suggestion that I must be doing something wrong to get sworn at so many times. Wow. I don’t need a refresher on the rules of the road. I understand them and follow them. As noted, there are many more cyclists on the road these days. Just as there are nasty motorists, there are just as many nasty cyclists. The key is to share the road, not own it.
I have to agree with @TheWholeTruth. When I read @Dulles’ comment it sounds as if he was blaming
Is there a link to these “future” plans? I don’t see any of these roads (Albemarle, Walnut, Crafts etc) confirmed on the city hall website
http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/planning/transportation_planning_/bicycling.asp
I also feel compelled to point out that the ability of people to be civil to each other these days has been lost. One need only look to our leaders for examples of nasty words and behaviors. Many people have the feeling they are entitled to selfish and nasty behavior. Look at the use of Crystal Lake this summer. It was “closed” yet every day it was packed with people who decided to ignore that rule and swim anyway. Look at all the people building fire pits in the City even though they are not allowed. When I pointed that out to a person recently, their answer was basically “i know, but wink wink, I’m doing it anyway.” So it’s no surprise to me that I get sworn at or given the finger by cyclists who feel entitled.
Has cyclnjg really “increased exponentially”? It is doubtful that Mr. Jampol either knows what exponential growth actually is much less how to substantiate what is otherwise a hyperbolic claim intended to further an agenda supported by and benefiting a vocal few.
Fair enough…’markedly’ might have been more accurate than “exponentially.” But cycling is a healthy trend and benefits the broader community. I hope that it catches on here as much as it has in European cities like London, Paris, and Amsterdam.
Bike sales are way up. Bike shops report long lead times in getting simple things done like tune ups (some people told me that they were offered dates that were three months out), and even bike parts are in short supply. Bike manufacturers are reporting major delays in getting product to market just to keep up with demand. So the number of new bikes on the road has greatly increased at least the potential for cycling.
Painted bike lanes are a great step and they help make cycling more visible to motorists. But statistically, they don’t bring additional cyclists to the road. To do that we need major changes like protected bike lanes. Boston managed to install several temporary protected lanes when traffic volume dropped and is now making those permanent. Newton took no such action.
Coming back to Bob’s original point, the spandex cyclists are going to ride no matter what. We shouldn’t be building for them. It’s the neighborhood cyclists that offer the most potential, as they’re the group that have been proven–around the country and around the world–to replace car trips with bike trips.
Something to consider: a bike network exists west of 128 and another bike network exists east of 128. However, there is only one spot along all of 128 that offers a protected bike and pedestrian crossing of the highway. It’s in Lexington. There are two existing structures that can be converted into such a crossing, one in Waltham and the other in Newton. A third, in Needham, was torn down when MassDOT widened 128. Needham chose not to replace it. That was an active choice.
Places that have focused on bike-friendly and bike-safe development have seen huge gains across the board. Businesses see an increase in sales, happiness increases, traffic problems go down. It’s all there and we can have it, we just need to take the leap.
Personally I bike about 400 miles a month – in both the spandex and neighborhood profiles. I’ve been doing that amount of biking for about a decade. I also have a cargo bike which I use to transport my kids around the city.
A few thoughts:
Painted bike lanes and anything two-dimensional on roads do very little for safety. People will drive their cars directly in a painted, well-marked bike lane, even when there are bikers in it. This is true for the one on Walnut Street in front of City Hall, and especially true for Beacon Street eastbound after Newton Centre.
Three-dimensional markers are essential for safety on any busy street – pilons, cones, a speed bump, parked cars, whatever. This is especially critical if we want more kids and families out on bikes.
A 25 MPH speed limit is too high. People go 34 MPH. Or more. Plus, cyclists play hopscotch with cars in a city – car zooms ahead, biker catches up at stoplight. Car zooms ahead, biker catches up at stoplight. Somewhere in between, car gets frustrated by traffic, endangers cyclist with a close pass/racing engine.
Cyclists will be in the middle of a road for various reasons. Often, it is legally allowed for a cyclist to take the full lane. Also, the edge of the road can be an issue, which you can’t see in a car. Pavement damage, debris, broken glass, or drainage grates on the edge are all very common – cyclist is not able to safety ride on the roadside and so moves into the road. A biker could be turning left as well.
Bike travel networks should utilize back streets as much as possible – increasing travel distance slightly to increase safety is a good deal. Plus, you get to bike more!
That’s all for now on one of my favorite topics…
@TWT, again, I deeply appreciate your care and caution. Every day I ride a bicycle on city streets and come home safely to my spouse is a small victory.
You said you have been sworn at by cyclists “more times than I can count.” And said the actions of cyclists sometimes make you “insanely angry”. I don’t recall the last time I’ve been sworn at by a cyclist while I was driving, and I’m frequently on metro West roads that are popular cycling routes, so it’s not from lack of encounters. I don’t consider myself a great driver (or a great cyclist). I don’t know what we’re doing differently.
Thanks, Chuck, for your timely points, and I agree with your conclusions. For more information about improvements on the north side of town, read Chuck’s recent piece on Village 14:
https://village14.com/2020/09/16/big-transportation-changes-near-the-waltham-line/.
I have been a bicycle commuter from Waban to Cambridge for many years. I agree that “dooring” is a big problem, having been doored a few times, which is why I ride the width of a car door from parked cars. The number of drivers using their phone has also been on the rise in recent years, causing uncertainty if not danger. However, the biggest problem that has been growing these past few years is the quality of the pavement. Deteriorating road surfaces, potholes, uneven patches from construction, and more are major hazards for bicyclists. Having to watch the road instead of the surrounding traffic is not good. Painting lines on the road will not solve this problem. Only paving and proper patching will improve the quality of bicycling on our streets.
@Dulles
I can personally say I have no traffic violations in my own 30 years of driving – no speeding tickets, no at-fault accidents, cyclist-conscious – and have encountered my share grumpy cyclists, as well, regardless of my efforts to accommodate and share the roads. @TBT’s message is “it takes two to tango” in terms of sharing the road… and you’re focused on the incorrect part of his messaging. There are less-than-stellar drivers, just as there are less-than-stellar cyclists.
I am one of the “spandex” cyclists, and the characterizations of types of riders and how they use the roads seems fair. I like the idea of more bike lane infrastructure, knowing that some roads are more amenable to adding separated lanes than others, and that with improved paving will attract more riders– especially in our village center structure, and more so if and when the Blue Bikes start operating here (I am looking forward to that so I can be a “neighborhood” cyclist more often).
As for road manners, I find that I have very few complaints about drivers- certainly no more than when I am driving myself. Occasionally one passes too close, but generally drivers on the roads I frequent are pretty good at sharing the road – it’s really not that hard (and yes, to borrow and mangle a phrase, there are bad people on both sides).
I should add that I have quashed one source of tension– cars gunning their engines as they go by- I came to realize they are simply revving up to pass safely rather than being over-aggressive (usually), so I recognize that now rather than thinking it’s some sort of conflict that does not exist
The problem with the argument about “less than stellar cyclists” vs. “less than stellar drivers” is that well-meaning citizens often use that as a reason to provide less room to cyclists and more room to cars. Meaning, you can be a less than stellar driver and not suffer any real punishment, but even the existence of a less than stellar cyclist hurts all of us.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say “well, if cyclists just obeyed the rules of the road, then I would share with them.” The funny thing is, even if, as a driver, you never get a ticket it doesn’t mean you obey the law. The speed limit in Newton is 25, but most people drive 30 or 35 on most roads. Congratulations, you broke the law. You are unlikely to get a ticket for that. (I would love to give you stats around this, but… yeah).
Is it better or worse than a cyclist getting annoyed? Well, it’s possible that the cyclist just had 5 cars blow by them at a deadly 45 mph, so perhaps they’re already predisposed to frustration.
@Dulles,
First is was blaming me and now you are insinuating I’m lying.
Thanks. Have a great day.
I agree with much of what @Shawn Fitzgibbons wrote. I am a spandex rider and I bike 5-7k miles year. I bike year around as long as the roads are free of snow, ice and debris. Bike lanes can be good and bad. I do not like the protected lanes like those found in Cambridge and Watertown. These are great for casual riders, but if you are biking fast or long distances they are more problematic than helpful. Just my opinion. The bike lanes on Beacon are fine for me, but the two biggest problems I encounter with bike lanes are (1) runners in the bike lane which forces the rider into the road and (2) speeding cars as Shawn stated. I would applaud actual speed enforcement by the NPD. I live on a street that is posted as a 25 MPH. It is between three schools and it is narrow. The road allows for parking on both sides, which makes it impossible for two cars to pass safely, but the biggest issue is speed. I am amazed at the speed that cars and trucks drive in Newton. It is almost as if there has never been speed enforcement in the city. I ride far out west on long rides and feel much safer in Harvard, Littleton, Athol, etc than I do in Newton. It is the speed and congested roads of Newton that really make it dangerous for riders and unless you are comfortable riding in traffic, I can see it being terrifying and to ride in traffic as you need to be able to ride with speed. In other cities and towns, I pass speed traps often, but I never see them in Newton. Slowing overall traffic in the city would go a long way to making it safer for bikers, walkers, students when they return to school and overall noise levels.
Chestnut Street between Beacon and Comm Ave attracts bikers, and especially bikers on weekend mornings that bike two a breast. It is very difficult to pass any biker in that stretch, and I land up following the bikers (slower than the speed of traffic). What is the rule of biking there? I don’t want to cause an accident, but often in that area, you can’t see around the curves. And on the rare occasion, I have used my horn on the bikers that aren’t single file, I get a finger. (Thanks, I am trying NOT to kill you.) I just want them to move to single line, so I can get around them safely in a mini van.
Can someone with bicycling expertise please explain to me the thought process behind the new bike line on Braeland Ave between Langley and Herrick (near the Newton Centre T-stop)? The newly painted bike lines are to the left (driver side) of all the newly painted parking spaces, which seems prime for bicyclists to get inadvertently “doored” by people opening their car doors. Additionally it keeps the bike and cars together rather than separating them by a row of parked cars. If this was being re-configured, why not make it a protected bike line to the right (passenger side) of all these cars? Seems like there is plenty of space to have done that. Maybe there is a logical explanation that more experienced cyclists can share. Thanks
@NewtonMom – the cyclist might be taking the lane because it is safer for them to block you than it is for them to allow you to try to pass when there isn’t enough room on the road. Especially if the side of the road has pot holes or other obstacles. And that stretch of Chestnut is really terrible for biking because it is so skinny. I never go on it myself.
Here’s something to consider though – instead of trying to pass, maybe just ease off the gas and drive at 10/15 mph for a bit? It won’t actually make you late. You’ll also help the cyclist feel and actually be safer.
@TWT I’m sorry that I have upset you with my comments.
Thank you for being careful around cyclists, even when they don’t reciprocate your caution and courtesy.
@NewtonNewbie
The Braeland bike lane is a traffic calming device. To protect it would make it impossible for the homeowners on the south side of the street to back in or out of their driveways without hitting parked cars.
In putting that street configuration in, stakeholders and the city agreed the first priority was to protect pedestrians–prior to that there was no useable sidewalk. Second was to slow speeds and dangerous driver behavior on Braeland (we had accounts of Uber/lyft drivers making U-turns on this one-way street back to Langley). Third was to protect access for driveways.
People riding bikes may or may not feel the lane is for them (I like it, myself, but I am a slow, careful rider and I look for possible dooring issues). But it makes the road feel narrower, and that feel makes drivers slightly more cautious.
Hope this helps.
@NewtonMom, I can answer about the horn — inside the car it sounds like a courtesy “toot” to you, as the horn projects sound forward. Directly in front of the car it’s a near-deafening 110-120dB blast. That’s in the same ballpark as a live rock concert, or a jet plane taking off. The reason you’re getting that response is because you’ve just about scared the pants off those cyclists (that’s not to say they didn’t deserve it).
NewtonNewbie, yes, there is an explanation. A parking protected lane (bikes to the right side of cars) were considered for Braeland. However, tests done by the Public Works, Transportation, and Planning Departments showed that residents did not have enough space to turn into and out of their driveways if parked vehicles were pushed too far to the left.
A parking protected lane would also have risked conflict with pedestrians, who were given their own space to the right of cars in the final plan (this approach allowed improvements without waiting for costly sidewalk repair).
We also looked at different contraflow bike configurations, but none seemed to effectively balance utility and safety.
Finally, the city is looking at encouraging employees and commuters to use these spaces. As such, the turnover is likely to be pretty low, and the risks of dooring is less than might be expected at other locations.
I am one of our newer neighborhood cyclists, having been forced to commute by bicycle to work in downtown Boston, since the green line is no longer a safe option. I appreciate the literal trail-blazers that have created a few decent bike paths in Newton. But what I sorely need (and I assume therefore this to be true for many others) is a safe route to the river to access the Charles river paths from the south side of the pike. Centre Street dead-ends into death circle for bicyclists, and even if you were to survive the turn onto Charlesbank Road, that is even more perilous around the bend with aggressive commuters and about 4.5 inches of clearance. I hope the city has given this consideration as well as the many other pressing needs of bicycle commuters.
@NewtonMom- I want to echo what @Dulles said: a toot on the horn scares the spandex off riders, especially from behind. Please don’t do that (not that you deserve the finger for doing so, but just know that’s what happens).
@Sheldon – I live on the North side, but know what you mean about getting to he river. One option might be to go straight across the Circle of Death Bridge, then right onto Jefferson and access the river path at Maple St. There is a crosswalk to cross Nonantum St. (no light for some reason though, but I rarely have problems crossing by foot or bike).
Less traffic that way. I know Charlesbank is hairy, even for cars. It’s not the best and is slightly farther (my guess), but a bit safer.
@Sheldon in part it depends on where you’re coming from and where you’re going. Some of the routes aren’t intuitive until you’ve done them a few times. There is a way to go from Mill Street all the way to Watertown Square in a fairly easy way. However, it’s a big hill and not easy to come back on that route. If you’re going from Newton Centre into Cambridge, it may be easier to bike through Brighton.
Sounds like something that Bike Newton can help with.
Sheldon – here’s the route I take (or used to take) on my commute to/from Homer Street and downtown Boston via the Charles River bike path. Mostly back roads to get to the path.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2879704986
Crossing Washington St is the only part that is a little dicey.
@Shawn, for commuting do you prefer that route to Beacon Street? Riding from Needham to Boston I always take Beacon and although I’d like to see protected lanes, by American standards I’ve got no major complaints (other than the hill up to the Mary Baker Eddy house).
Beacon Street in Brookline is a bit of a pain after Cleveland Circle, although the cars tend to stay in the left lane (especially since March) and by the third intersection, everyone in the given pack of motorists and cyclists figures out that it’s going to be a tie to at least Audubon Circle so it’s not worth racing each other to the next red light. Outbound, Coolidge Corner to Summit Ave. in Brookline used to be a mess but they’ve eliminated a car lane there.
There is no reason two bikers should ever ride abreast….ever.
@Shawn that route is interesting, and one that I’ve been eyeing as something worth promoting. Other than the pretty steep hill on Blake Street, is a decent ride. It actually mirrors an older green spine and brook that used to flow through that area right into the Charles. This feels like it could be a great connection between Newton Centre and the river (and then Cambridge and Boston) if the roads were better and well-marked.
Matt, a parent riding next to a child is a perfectly common and valid reason for riding side by side. So is two riders riding side by side in conversation. It just isn’t appropriate if there is passing traffic present.
It is also legal in Massachusetts. Quoting MassBike: “You may ride two abreast, but must facilitate passing traffic. This means riding single file when faster traffic wants to pass, or staying in the right-most lane on a multi-lane road.” See here: https://www.massbike.org/laws
Our roads are an essential part of our transportation network that enable many people in Newton to drive to and from home, school, and work. But that is not the totality of what our streets are for. Not practically, not historically, not legally.
@Michael – I definitely prefer the river route. Totally safe and very scenic. It does take about 10/15 minutes longer, though. So sometimes if in a hurry I’d take Beacon, which I agree is OK. Brookline has done a decent job of accommodating bikes. Still, it isn’t as safe. So many drivers are aggressive, impatient or on their phones.
Another route in is Brighton Ave – this now has a dedicated bike/bus lane and also separated bike lanes, so its pretty good.
@Matt, in addition to what Mike said, another reason for riding two abreast is safety– the #1 thing you can do as a cyclist to stay safe is to make it easy to be seen (of course, given that you do move over to facilitate passing cars).
Bikes belong in the road, and the more roads and signage are designed to recognize that (outside of excellent bike lane design, which just isn’t possible everywhere) the safer it will be for everybody
Thank you Bob for another great post.
@Sheldon here is the way I go to the river, although I am not always looking for the shortest route crossing Washington St at Church but does require you to cross Nonantum Road without a light. https://www.strava.com/segments/25817498
Another way is to go through Hunnewell Park which connects you to the river path at the light at Brooks Street https://ridewithgps.com/routes/34222456
Thank you Doug, Chuck, Shawn, and Alicia for the different ideas. I’m coming from the East side of Centre street. Either down Park or Waverley. I’ve had to resort going through Oak Square, Faneuil, and Brooks, which is OK getting to the river but terrible getting back. I will try all of these ideas – the Hunnewell Park options sounds promising.
During the 50s, it was so much easier and safer to bike from one end of the city to the other. With rare exceptions, the roads were in far better shape than they are now and relations between bikers and cars were far more cordial, in large measure because the vast majority of bikers were kids and most adult drivers had kids that rode bicycles on these streets. A far less stressful time for everyone on the road. I can’t recall a single incident where a kid on a bike was hit by a motor vehicle.
@ Sheldon Kendrick down to Washington Street and Brighton Ave. is pretty good, especially with the new bike/bus lanes.
It’s a great time to take up bike commuting because is still well below pre-pandemic levels. I miss my bike commute, now that my office is just downstairs
The river paths are great, but you trade car traffic for multi-use traffic. There is likely to be less damage in the case of a collision, but you need to dodge walkers, runners, strollers, scooters and roller-bladers moving at different speeds.
I like the categories and find I slip between the three. Sometimes, you want to ride fast, sometimes you just want to get somewhere, and sometime you are just hanging out with friends and family.
You don’t need a license to ride a bicycle. There is no training necessary that would teach cyclists to not be the most entitled, angry, pissy, inconsiderate people on the road.
Everyone always puts the blame on the automobile driver when every single one of us sees cyclists flouting traffic laws most anytime you are riding around Newton.
A pack of a large number of cyclists with chatty tendencies riding side by side as cars are waiting behind them given the narrow roads in Newton.
God forbid a cyclist has to yield and disrupt their rpms because they are ‘training.’
Anyone hears of a cyclist involved in an accident and we are trained to think it was the automobile’s fault. Give me a break.
I should get one of those in car dashboard cameras and record the nuisance created by cyclists on the weekend in this city.
Believe it or not, I’m all for every single one of these bike lane expansion projects. Cyclists should have safe routes and lines in the road that they can follow.
I’m just tired of listening to this nonsense that cyclists are this group of law abiding, considerate citizens. Don’t tell me it’s a minority when you can easily find nuisance cyclists by merely driving around Newton.
Oh, Kim. You so crazy!