Sharrows and Signs

Photo from Fan of the Fan community blog.

This will not come as news if you’ve been riding or driving around Richmond a bit recently, but just in case you haven’t stumbled upon them, Richmond has been getting more sharrows (shared lane markings) as well as bike route signs.  As far as the routes go, Fan of the Fan says this:

The R2 runs From Monroe Park up Floyd Ave through the Museum District and over to Grove Ave out to the University of Richmond. The R3 runs along the Boulevard north to Bryan Park and across the Boulevard Bridge toward Forest Hill Park. There will be more info and map routes online soon but keep an eye out for more bike traffic on these routes!

Sharrows have been installed mainly on the main north-south route so far, including on Forest Hill and Westover Hills Boulevard, as well as the Boulevard from Byrd Park to the Diamond, where they continue on Hermitage to the city line.

With still more sharrows being installed, you may hear questions from folks about what they really mean.  Here are some FAQs lifted from the City of San Carlos, California web site:

What is “Sharrow”?

A sharrow is an arrow-like design painted on a roadway to mark a bicycling route.

What is the purpose of this marking? This “Shared Lane Marking” is intended to inform cyclists and motorists where a travel lane is shared by both modes. It has been shown to be helpful in situations where motorists may squeeze cyclists against the curb, where it may not be obvious where cyclists should be riding, such as intersections with multiple turn lanes, or where cyclists commonly ride too close to parked cars. The idea is to keep cyclists away from parked cars while promoting awareness of their right to use the road.

If I see this marking in a lane, is the lane only for bikes? No. This marking is used for shared lanes; lanes that are used by bicyclists and motorists. Shared lanes are different than exclusive bike lanes which are set aside for bicyclists only and are marked by a solid white line and by a different symbol.

If I don’t see this marking, can I still use the travel lane? Yes, cyclists can ride on any street except for those with signs explicitly prohibiting cyclists.

I’ve never seen this marking before. Where and how did it originate? Cities such as Denver (where the marks were first used), San Francisco, Portland, Chicago and Paris have some variation of sharrows on their streets. However, having pioneered in Denver in the mid-1990s, sharrows attracted the attention of transportation officials around the United States. The marking was considered controversial at its inception. Nonetheless, Boulder, Colorado became one of the few cities outside of California to install the shared-lane markings in June 1990.

Portland followed and decided to experiment with sharrows. After a study found the marking provided a statistically significant benefit to cyclists by encouraging them to move left and center. The study was commissioned in 2004 in an effort to improve cycling conditions on San Francisco’s crowded streets. Since then, the California Traffic Control Device Committee, an advisory body, has recommended that the marking be adopted by the entire state. Following that, San Francisco has stenciled approximately 2,500 sharrow markings on city streets.

The principle behind sharrows is simple: They reinforce existing rules of the road. In most states, cyclists are required to stay as far to the right as possible, except under unsafe conditions. One of these conditions is when the travel lane is too narrow for side-by-side passage of an automobile and a bicycle.

In addition, shared-lane markings have gained acceptance in some European and Australian cities. An Australian report published several years ago on “bicycle friendly zones” – the sharrow equivalent – suggested that shared-lane markings can be more effective than bike lanes in encouraging cyclists and motorists to pay attention to one another. The report also says the markings slow traffic and encourage all modes to share limited street space.

Everyday Cycling

Know someone who, with a nudge and good information, might start cycling more to get around?  And for whom you still need a holiday gift?

You might consider one of a couple of recently published guides to cycling aimed at just this kind of person.  I confess that I have not had the chance to read either one of them yet, but both authors are known quantities in this area, and the reviews are generally quite positive.

The newest one is Everyday Bicycling by Elly Blue, a Portland cyclist who has written for BikePortland and Grist.  Urban Velo says the following about the book:

Blue takes cycling and makes it digestible to cyclists and would-be’s in a friendly, laid-back tone. Absent of any authoritarian voice, this is the book I wish I had years ago, when getting acquainted with the elements of cycling meant drifting through online forums, bike shops and co-ops, gleaming bits and pieces of the big picture over time. “Everyday Bicycling” is comprehensive without being daunting, an ideal read for anyone who wants to learn how to integrate cycling into their lives, or just brush up on the basics.

The other book is  Just Ride by Grant Petersen, maker of Rivendell bicycles.  Click here for a New York Times review.  Like Blue, Petersen offers practical advice for practical riding, but it’s also about what you don’t need to cycle for fun or transportation, namely lycra shorts, a $2,000 bike with skinny tires, or a jersey with logos on it.  Some think Petersen goes too far in his opposition to this kind of thing.  As someone who is seen now and again in lycra on a road bike, I might be inclined to agree.  But I really appreciate what he’s trying to do: move cycling away from being a special “sport” for athletes with special equipment back to something everyday people with regular bodies and budgets find appealing.

You can order the books directly here and here, or if you’re not in a rush, why not bike over to a local bookstore and see if they have it in stock?

City $$ for Bicycle and Pedestrian Initiatives

The Richmond Mayor’s Participation, Action, and Commuication Team (MPACT) is holding two more meetings — tonight (12/12) and tomorrow (12/13) — to get citizen input on budget priorities for fiscal years 2014 and 2015.  Those who have been the two meetings already held say that few attendees pushed for spending on bicycle and pedestrian projects.

This is an opportunity for us to communicate our desire for spending in this area directly to the city administration, and to demonstrate to fellow Richmonders that this spending is important.  Please consider attending one of the remaining two meetings.  Tonight’s meeting is at George Mason Elementary School, 813 N. 28th Street; tomorrow’s meeting is at Holton Elementary, 1600 W. Laburnum Avenue.  Both meetings begin at 6 p.m.

It does not matter if you are not from the area of the city where the meeting is being held.  Hope to see you there!

Community Biking Forum Sunday 12/9

Why Is That Bicyclist in My Lane?

A facebook page/group called Bicyclists Belong on the Travel Lane includes a nice, fairly succinct list of responses to what many motorists no doubt ask when they encounter a bicyclist taking the lane.  It also serves as a good reminder of why a cyclist would want to take the lane.  It boils down to this: it’s usually safer to be there than hugging the curb or riding right next to parked cars, and you have the legal right to be there, however much motorists might resent that.

Riverfront Plan
Thanks to all of you who contacted your city council members last week to encourage them to pass the Riverfront Plan. The plan passed unanimously!  Coverage in the RTD hits the highlights of the plan and the ongoing issues with the possibility of the city acquiring Mayo Island and/or the USP/Tarmac property for public use.

Legislation on Texting while Driving
Another tidbit I’ve been meaning to post about is a report in the RTD that the Virginia State Crime Commission is going to consider legislation that would make texting while driving a primary rather than a secondary offense.  (Endorsement of the legislation by the commission supposedly carries significant weight among legislators, who would ultimately have to pass any new law).

Distracted driving poses a major threat to cyclists and pedestrians as well as other motorists, and texting is highly distracting (even talking with hands-free equipment is more distracting than you would think).  Under current law, you cannot be pulled over for texting while driving itself.  You can only be cited for it if you are pulled over for some other reason, and the first offense carries a fine of only $20.  Hopefully new legislation will be passed and convey a sense of seriousness appropriate to such dangerous behavior.