(Disclaimer: This is not a photo from the accident, nor is it from West Hartford)
The Courant reported this morning that a bicyclist was struck by a car along Boulevard in West Hartford and although in a "dazed" state was otherwise not seriously injured. These types of incidents are always disconcerting, however, the fact that the accident took place two blocks from my house and along my daily commuter route makes it all the more unsettling. I know we cannot take more from the incident until more details come out but as I travel this route daily and as it is a major thoroughfare for bike commuters I can personally attest as to the need for 'real' bike lanes on this central artery connecting West Hartford and the Beat. Cars move far too quickly along this road and while there is a nice wide shoulder and decent road quality throughout the route the fact that parked cars and bikers share the same portion of this infrastructure it leads to a dangerous tendency for bikers to move between the road and the shoulder according to whether parked cars are in their way. I know this is one of the biggest taboos of bike commuting and a very dangerous practice, however, the road is too busy with auto traffic in both directions to take the lane all the time. This increases the propensity for the rider to constantly move from the road to the shoulder to allow drivers to move past at their rapid pace in order to decrease the likelihood of pissing them off and inciting an altercation. I have found myself many times frantically looking over my shoulder to check the lane while coming up upon a car parked in the parking shoulder... oh I mean bike lane... in order that I might take the lane without getting run over or hitting the parked car. This makes for a dangerous situation and an unstable bicycling experience. I have been fortunate thus far not to have been hit, to run into a parked car, or to simply dump it as I was glancing over my shoulder, but it seems someone this morning was not. Lets just hope they are ok and that the driver was not on their cell phone.
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ReplyDeleteI don't understand how the Town of West Hartford can brag about being bicycle friendly and at the same time make the "improvements" made on Boulevard and Farmington that leave no space for bicycles.
ReplyDeleteAnd West Hartford's bullshit idea of parking being allowed in the bikelanes!??!?!
"The universal cycling symbol, reminding drivers to share the street with riders, will soon be painted in the travel portion of North and South Quaker lanes, Kraus said. On-street parking is still allowed in the "bicycle lane.""
Here's the whole Courant story
THOSE ARE NOT BIKE LANES!!!!
It sounds like a shady move by the Town of West Hartford to brag about miles of bike lane that are really deathlanes!
Put in a marked bike lane for bicycles. no cars. no parking. and give tickets to people parked in it.
Lack of a shoulder to ride in on quite a few State Numbered routes in Sub-rural-urbia is my main concern when the state seems to be pushing bike routes again with all the sudden interest in biking again.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the State and local municipalities are just playing lip service to the whole notion of being bike friendly for the potential tourist and maybe even corporate revenue it might attract.
Connecticut is no Oregon, that's for sure.
That isn't a photo from the accident. That isn't the corner of Boulevard and Whiting Lane and that's not a West Hartford Cruiser!
ReplyDeleteWent for a run this morning and passed by this intersection at the same time as last week's accident. Turns out there is a crossing guard posted right on the corner. Hesitated to ask about the incident but I now wonder if they were there or what there impressions were. Perhaps I should head back down tomorrow and see? Perhaps the decision to charge the driver had to do with vigilance of this steward of traffic flow!
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