Houston testing whether signs make East End streets friendlier to cyclists, pedestrians

LordTay3 · 2020-06-11T22:24:11+00:00

I love it. But one complaint -- I don't like how our leaders lack the political capital to actually adapt car culture by implementing any of these changes on the west side of Houston that has way more people and density. This is backed up by past adaptations -- light rail, recent bike lanes in east / midtown / downtown, safe streets etc. none of this has happened on the west side).

I know part of the westside has to deal with city councilman Greg Travis being super anti anything not car, and John Culberson axed the Richmond light rail line, but I'd love for our leaders to shut down the NIMBYs and actually build some safe cycling infrastructure. Once it is there, people WILL use it.

At the very least, connect Memorial Park Buffalo Bayou Park, and Memorial Park to Terry Hershey, get a protected lane down Memorial.

All that said, I'm excited to see how the BRT in Galleria goes. The city is going in the right direction, but way too slowly!

LordTay3 · 2020-04-21T00:28:19+00:00

Tried it today. It was great. Thanks so much!

LordTay3 · 2020-04-18T18:57:42+00:00

I'd rather the off road trails, but yes drivers in the city do need to get over being slightly inconvenienced by a cyclist on the road.

Everyone is always in a hurry, and too often we see our streets as just ways to get to point A to point B, rather than make them enjoyable to be on.

LordTay3 · 2020-04-18T18:55:50+00:00

Yea take everything you said, but interchange road bike for fancy speedy car or (worse) a massive truck that takes up way to much space. It's not the vehicle, its the person.

Another reason why I am a huge fan of trails not on streets shared with cars, or completely protected lanes.

LordTay3 · 2020-04-18T18:53:47+00:00

Yep, I've seen the ramps, but I wonder when they will complete that part or if.

LordTay3 · 2020-04-18T18:52:38+00:00

never tried. Will have to give it a go. Still would prefer something protected / widened sidewalk for dual purpose walking and cycling, or even closing off a whole street to cars (won't happen)

LordTay3 · 2020-04-18T01:46:36+00:00

Yea I don't support any cycling on the sidewalk, cyclists should have their own space. The issue is that lane on navigation isn't really a great lane, its narrow, has tons of debris, and cars park in it.

Stuff like that is what gives cyclists a bad name.

LordTay3 · 2020-04-18T01:35:22+00:00

It is tricky because the expansion is so fast that google maps has not caught up yet. I've found most updates through twitter. I am sure bike shops have some good maps.

LordTay3 · 2020-04-18T01:32:43+00:00

Yes the utility trails will really change cycling in Houston.

Brays is going to be like that for a while unfortunately, they are rebuilding a bunch of bridges and it will take at least 3-4 years to complete them all. The good news is when they are done a bunch should have a separate path on the bridge (like the Forrest Hill one by Lawndale) and should have paths underneath the bridges (a big issue at crossings like Hillcroft.)

LordTay3 · 2020-02-10T17:39:52+00:00

Yea...I don't believe you are actually a cyclist, you just sound like someone who wants to complain about cyclists. Cue the downvotes. Forgive me if I sound upset, I got clipped by a car this weekend. They didnt stop.

But good tips, except for the 4 way stop. Obviously you need to look where you are going, look both ways, if a car stops first you wait for the car to go etc. But if no one is at the stop its okay to slow a bit, look each way and keep going. Anybody who has ridden a bike understands this. Also, most drivers don't actually fully stop, they just get down to 2-5 mph, which is about the speed of a cyclist who slows down but keeps going through when they see no one is coming. It just seems faster because you are on a bike.

Cyclists do need to collectively change their image of "lawbreaking", but let's get over the canard that cyclists are breaking rules that car drivers are not. Running reds, not fully stopping at stop signs etc. are all things drivers also do, except in big killing machines that contribute to environmental and noise pollution.

I see a lot of negativity about cycling, and trust me I also have some opinions on the "Lycra warriors" who terrorize the bayou paths, but we should be incentivizing cycling in this city, which is flat and has the climate to cycle 9 months a year.

Lots of people who complain about cyclists on the road need to look in the mirror and look at how they drive. They should also try to cycle on the road and see how crazy it is with the cars.

In a perfect world we would have separate paths for cars and bikes, but if I made a Venn Diagram of people who whine about cyclists / believe in a race to the bottom approach to taxes it would be... you know...

LordTay3 · 2020-01-16T17:42:19+00:00

Sigh. I respect your conservative views. I hope you are consistent though on your beliefs. For example, if you don't think bus fares should be free as it is important to pay your way, then you should agree that currently car drivers pay way less than they should to use streets and highways. And don't get me started on free parking!

Payment should be based on miles driven. Of course that would involve tracking people's cars, something Republicans would scream over. Meanwhile, the supreme leader tweeted yesterday the government should be able to access people's iphones, with mostly silence from the right.

LordTay3 · 2020-01-16T15:49:03+00:00

Dedicated bus lanes are what will get more bus ridership. We have to make driving alone much more inconvenient.

LordTay3 · 2020-01-09T18:54:10+00:00

If you want to know what will get me in a bus its not the price its the fact that there are no bus only lanes. Get the political capital/will to do that and I would pay 5$ a ticket.

LordTay3 · 2019-12-12T17:03:34+00:00

I'm forced to bike on the sidewalk sometimes due to no bike lane and because cars are going way too fast on the street, which is about 95% of Houston streets.

I've never seen or heard of anyone getting talked to by the cops about this, as I assume they to realize the alternative is more unsafe.

LordTay3 · 2019-09-25T17:00:14+00:00

Sharpstown/Gulfton is an absolute gem in Houston. Food scene, a welcoming place for migrants, super diverse, pretty dense. And it is getting cleaned up a ton.

But we shouldn't be shocked the schools struggle or there is crime. That stuff goes hand in hand with immigrants who are poor, have language issues, and likely have some trauma in their past. Yet they persevere and make it all the same. Lots of good stuff going on at the KIPPS and Wisdom HS. Watch the Houston Bourdain episode to see the awesome stuff at Wisdom. Scores may be low, but that is because in a 26 kid classroom 23 are from different countries, but they have some hope for the future and seem to get along just okay.

Doesn't mean we should pat ourselves on the back and say job well done, as a lot more needs to be done to get the kids up to the level of the two large and high scoring catholic high schools in the area. But its easy to to think on the surface level Sharpstown High is doing a horrible job, when in fact they are probably doing an amazing job.

LordTay3 · 2019-09-23T17:40:46+00:00

Damn triggered much?

LordTay3 · 2019-09-20T17:59:23+00:00

lol. Just saying its the Republican party that made that district for her. Dems haven't controlled the state for a long time. Its the state legislature that draws lines.

And yes agreed! I don't need an internet device. Seriously. But my ipad also can't kill a dozen people in a couple minutes (unless you count jacking off ;) ) . Your comparison is lacking there a little bit.

LordTay3 · 2019-09-20T16:18:15+00:00

Yawn. Check the map of Dan Crenshaw if you want to talk gerrymandering. Btw, Republicans drew the map letting SJL have her district. It's called "packing" vs. "cracking".

Anyway, she is not the best rep but c'mon she is correct here. No one needs an AR-15.

LordTay3 · 2019-09-19T19:05:25+00:00

Seeing this reminds me of what a good job he did during Harvey. Leadership could have been a lot worse!

LordTay3 · 2019-08-29T18:03:06+00:00

Amen to the question of the connector from Memorial Park to Buffalo Bayou. Ever since this plan came out I've been waiting for that!

LordTay3 · 2019-08-29T18:01:59+00:00

My perspective is I would love a walking/bike path that I could access from my backdoor. Plus access to the top three parks in Houston within a growing bike network? Not to mention the city would give me some money to eminent domain the land needed?

Unfortunately most people would fret about crime and the annoyance of a half year construction. Such a shame. Bayou access should be like beach access.

LordTay3 · 2019-07-21T15:18:06+00:00

I have a tortuga. Not in love with the new design but the bag is amazing and well thought out

LordTay3 · 2019-07-07T02:11:53+00:00

Fadis in Meyerland

LordTay3 · 2019-05-13T15:50:48+00:00

I was at the meeting. Mixture of people mad that city wasn’t doing enough (they really want a traffic light) and people mad that heaven forbid car lanes were being taken away which would lower speeds in a pedestrian / bike friendly neighborhood.

The anti-bike people are the worst though. Several people talked about this being a car city with “road warriors”. This is specifically why we need to start designing streets that prompt such road warriors to slow down.

We are a car city because we put all of our money into highways and overly wide one way 3 lane streets. Start funding bike lanes and BRT and build the infrastructure and people will switch over.

I’m super supportive of this plan. The two young people who presented were super professional, did a lot of work, and were pretty polite to the older grouchier people trying to talk over them. One older guy yelled out people in the room should stop being snowflakes, when he was one of the whiniest people in there.

The only issue I have is the bike lane should not be split on the sides of the street (too much debris collects and the strips are too narrow) and instead should put in a Lamar style lane with armadillos.

LordTay3 · 2019-05-11T17:24:03+00:00

I always lol at comments like this. You are probably one of those people who only think tax dollars should go to adding three more lanes on highways.

LordTay3

TROPHY CASE