Bicycle issues in Winnipeg

Bikes still need to ride to the rules , and I think as long as safely done be on the sidewalk. better there as it is safer then the streets in many circumstances .

Pedestrians may not agree with you. I don't care if they ride on the road just follow the fricking rules like most drivers do...

Heh heh Now that spring is almost here (sigh) I fully expect the annual driver-cyclist debates.

Cept for the downtown area the sidewalks in Wpg are not that busy. Funny how they share that path in East Kildonan if they really try it can be done .

Check out the sidewalks on Corydon, Osborne, Portage, Marion...

A cyclist should only use a sidewalk if they are walking the bike. Or if the wheel diameter is less than 20 inches, i think is the limit. (ie, kids bikes).

I'm really surprised some cyclist activists haven't put smaller wheels on their full size bikes to get around this!

Yes but most routes are not that busys all the time Hell I go there cause I don't trust any driver in Wpg there all idiots . Seen them cut to many bikes powered and cycles off .

Oh oh. The rules forbid that pavolo. Stay off the sidewalks. Rules is rules... Can't have this both ways I's afraid...

Maybe if all sidewalks were spec'd out like the EK bike path, we could have shared paths.

Hell I tell them I coming with a good scream to get the hell out of the way .

watch out that they don't stick their cane in your spokes, Pav!

One of them tried that so I threw my water bottle at her .

I've been off the bike since december because the weather has been so bad, but usually I try to commute throughout the winter.

I consider myself a fairly good cyclist, and nothing bothers me more than the ones that blow stop signs, don't wear proper helmets or use lights or show a general disregard for all traffic laws.

My commute is essentially straight up pembina. I ride in the road the entire way with the exception of a two block stretch just before confusion corner ( nobody is on that stretch of sidewalk, and it leapfrogs me ahead of the backed up traffic.) I also used to ride the sidewalk along fort from the exit from Wpg square parkade back to graham. If I am on the sidewalk, I'm a guest - pedestrians always have the right of way.

The HTA states that cyclists must ride as close as safely practicable to the curb. Who makes that determiniation? The cyclist. Given the awful condition of the roads, in some cases you are almost in the median lane. My general rule is far enough out so that a car has to make a lane change to get around you - generally this seems to work best for driver and cyclist.

I have been really disappointed in the city's bike trail direction the last couple of years. Not so much in the funding or lack thereof, but where the funding is being directed to. For example one project was a trail along bishop grandin from the red to pembina. Problem with that is there is already a path off the bridge to one of the quie residential streets in the area which connect to other quiet residential streets to lead to pembina. I'd rather see that funding be invested in fixing the curb lanes on Pembina. The stretch from jubilee underpass to grant is really nice for riding. Or even paint diamond/bike lanes on pembina similar to the ones that were on colony/hargrave last year. Those were sweet.

Be the good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise I start biking to work next week:) I respect the rules of the road, or try to anyway. My beef last summer was those sharrow lanes........its the cars that don't respect bicyclists in those lanes, nearly got clipped a couple of times, cars passing within inches of me. The respect and the rules of the road go both ways.

sharrow lanes are such a bad idea it aint even funny

I too will start cycling to work next week. It will be interesting to see how respectful the motorists will be on McPhillips between Selkirk and Inkster with the new diamond lane for buses and cyclists. I travel that stretch quite frequently in the afternoon rush hour and I have seen quite a few irate bus drivers as well as a few careless motorists who have been tagged by the police. While I enjoy riding in the diamond lanes, I still maintain that as a cyclist. I am required to maintain a minimum of caution as there are motorist out there who don't abide by the rules of the diamond lane. One of the rules that motorists don't abide by is the passing rule. It is required that a vehicle change lanes when passing a cyclist unless that is impossible and then a vehicle is required to leave a minimum of 1 metre between the vehicle and the cyclist.
I have had one instance that sticks out in my mind that I still have nightmares about. I drive northbound on McPhillips on my way home and come up to the lights at Logan. I am travelling north bound on McPhillips and for those of us who travel this stretch know, the curb lane at Logan is right turn only. So for this instance, as the laws of the road state, if I am not turning right I must be in the middle lane to travel straight. So I pull in behind the car in front in the middle lane, when the light turns green I proceed through the intersection. As I am going through the intersection this female in a VW (ingrained in my mind) passes me ON MY RIGHT!!!!!!!! She is in between me and the curb, blew right through the right turn only sign and kept going. Good thing I wasn't pulling close to the curb until after the merge lane because if I were I would not be writing this right now, she would have killed me. I was lucky enough to catch up to her at the lights on McPhillips and Jarvis and gave her a piece of my mind as well as taking a picture of her car with tags to send in to the police. She basically told me to go fcku myself. I am lucky that I have friends in the traffic division that let me know that later that summer she was ticketed at that same intersection for going through the right turn only lane.

Does anyone really expect a seperate lane for bicycles?
Where?
There probably are a few areas that could use it!
i assume that there will be a bicycle tax to pay for it!

Any one remember that time that people on bikes tried to block traffic and had that protest? I was that big black Tundra that push its way through the crowd. The same truck that pushed its way through anti fogging hippies that same summer! Oh how I love my Tundra!

Its funny that Holly mentions the diamond lanes on McPhillips. I take the 35 McPhillips Express on my way home and with the diamond lane, the bus can literally fly as it only makes 4 stops from William to Mapleglen, but had to jerk along the other day following some guy on a bike.

It'll be ok in a month or so when I'm the guy riding on the bike holding up all those folks on the bus.

Well I agree with the bikers rights why can you not take the quieter side street one over from the busy route and enjoy the ride . Many times the side street one over or the back route is faster and much safer . leave all us idiots on the main drags to kill our selves .

Excellent point pav. Excellent point. Ever read my blog post on this very topic? winnipeg dash blog

Pav's right. (Please note that on this date and at this time, I agreed with Pav)

I get off the major routes as fast as I can. Riding to work or to home, I get off McPhillips and cut over to Fife or Shepherd at Selkirk or Burrows. Just because I ride a bike doesn't make me stupid.

Yes I have it on my site did not tremember reading it but glad you agree . Jeez Freeman we better go have a beer

Lets not get carried away. :party 005:

O come on shuckins I neeed the excuse

This really is becoming a dating site.

Now we have gone to far .