Parc and Bernard Take One

The following blog entry went to a few active members in CFME before being posted, and it garnered quite a lot of discussion surrounding bike safety.
I have included this dialogue at the end of the original text, which I hope may act as an invitation to readers at large to add to the discussion using the comments feature. Or email us at info@carfreemileend.com.
I know the corner of Ave. du Parc and Bernard quite well. It’s a hazardous place. When I saw the city bus heading towards me, barrelling down its privileged access lane at a hell of a clip, I knew I was right to have tucked my bike back onto Bernard behind the line of the curb. It’s my habit now, having had my turn playing chicken with the buses and taxis at rush hour on Parc Ave. on more than one occasion. I just wanted to cross the street and continue up on Hutchison…
When I heard the driver of the bus honk, I realised that another cyclist wasn’t so familiar with this danger. I turned to look, and sure enough, a bike-rider had just shoved off into the reserved lane heading north, not more than two feet from the curb. Swerving more than a little to avoid the cyclist while the honking rang in my ears, the driver managed to miss the bike, but nearly caused an accident in the adjacent lane, judging by the echoing din of more honking from speedy cars. The cyclist, no doubt was learning her lesson the hard way (racing heart, adrenaline rush etc.). These guys take the rules of the reserved lane very seriously: like the sign says, it’s for the exclusive use of buses and taxi-cabs. Enter at your own risk.
But of course, those of you who know me know that I’m not going to leave it at that.
Somebody has to tell these drivers that the progressive measure of implementing a reserved-use rush hour lane was not designed to allow buses and taxis to fly up and down the street at 65 km/h two feet next to a sidewalk full of pedestrians. In this instance, the bus was “hors service” (so you can imagine the driver was hurrying to get to the garage and head home), but I have seen drivers of full buses take the same hasty, unaccommodating approach, making tracks up Parc Ave, and it’s especially dangerous for cyclist on the same path – as a solution, I have taken to riding in the second lane, but I would rather rely on the simple principle of respect from other drivers, and not have to worry about my life while riding.
The last thing we need “in this day and age” (at risk of sounding clichéd) is to have public transit at odds with pedestrians and cyclists. And yet it’s something I witness all too often. Car Free Mile-End is dedicated to the idea of having public transit as a huge component of our vision for the future of a sustainable neighbourhood and the greater Montréal community as a whole. But as an advocate for public safety in public spaces above all, we must insist that the law provides clear parameters by which to curtail the actions of civil servants such as bus drivers bent on speed.
In turn, for their part, cyclists could do well to polish up their image somewhat by slowing down too – especially at intersections (read: red lights!). Sure a cyclist can slip through that grey area between pedestrian and vehicle, but there’s no great benefit in antagonising drivers, or pedestrians. What’s the big rush anyway?
I should point out that, in the case of the near-miss I witnessed, the cyclist simply appeared to be advancing in good faith. By all accounts the experienced bus driver (my assumption – he was in his fifties) should have seen it coming and simply pressed on the brakes, instead of freaking everybody out. Luckily, no-one was hurt.
As a final note, I’d like you to picture this: a little old lady waiting for the #535 bus might step forward as the “hors service” bus approaches, mistakenly expecting the bus to stop, only to have its side-view mirror brush by her head and nary a beep from the impatient maniac behind the wheel. This too I have witnessed – at the same intersection!

And the responses:

Hey there,

My only 'issue' with this is that I think that bicyclists should really try to avoid Ave du Parc, especially during the hours when the bus lane is open (I certainly do!). I know that there are not any great alternatives, but it is the lack of alternatives that is the primary problem in my opinion.

Of course it would be nice if the drivers would slow down and pay more attention. But the whole purpose of the dedicated bus lane is exactly so that buses can get through traffic faster! One certainly can debate whether high-speed buses mix well in dense urban thoroughfares.... Check-out how the dedicated bus lanes are structured in Bogota. In the denser urban areas the buses have completely separate rights of way (ie not even next to cars) and the stations are in 'pedestrian zones' designed for just pedestrians and buses.

Anyway... it is a good piece.

Zvi

Hey Maclean,

While I agree with your overall point and spirit of this article, I worry it comes off as being too critical of public transit (and may even contribute to the paranoia that many feel about even biking in this city, because they consider it as being too dangerous). I'm sure you've heard it before, that it's just "safer to drive". As you say in the article- "The last thing we need “in this day and age” (at risk of sounding clichéd) is to have public transit at odds with pedestrians and cyclists." ...so I do know that this is the heart of your argument and I agree with you. I'm not suggesting you change anything in your text. I think it actually just sparks a debate about what the true target for criticism is. Like Zvi mentioned, it's more a problem of infrastructure and lack of better options for cyclists. As well, the bus lane is designed so that public transit is faster and therefore more of a draw for people to use. I think the bus lanes need to be designed better, as well as bike paths. St. Urbain is one example of a really weird crossover/combination of bike path/bus lane in one. That just should never happen...

But your article definitely does address safety issues, and that's one of the keys points of CFME. It sparked a response from me, so I guess that means it's a good article!

Cheers
Shelley

Hey - I actually am very happy with the St. Urbain "bike lane". Whenever I am in a hurry to get downtown (by bike) I take St. Urbain. Have for years, even before the "lane" was there. The paint basically formalizes a situation that was pre-existing. The paint has the effect of creating awareness that bicyclists need their space too, and it works rather well in my opinion. Previously it was not unusual to be squeezed out of the lane (primarily at intersections as the cars queue up), and this happens much less often now. Obviously not everyone is comfortable riding in traffic, but on St Urbain there are fewer disruptions than on many of the side streets: everyone is going straight and in the same direction. On the other hand, I have read that cars tend to pass closer to bicycles who are in painted bike lanes than they would otherwise, and this could be the case. I have not measured the distances, and my impressions are not at all scientific....

Zvi

I also take it to work, and agree that it is fast and goes well with the one-way flow of traffic. My main complaint was just at the spots where buses pull over to stop... I always feel like I'm trying to cross paths with them. But maybe I'm just one of those cyclists who doesn't stay in the right lane :-)

Shelley

I agree that those sections are awkward, and in fact I stay in the outer part of the lane there (ie with the through-traffic) instead of following the bike lane next to the curb. The new painted bike lanes near UdeM make it more clear that the bus stops are weaving sections: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zvileve/3959254578/

Eventually some kind of guidelines need to get coded about what works and what does not. It is still too early to say what is "good", but the city's engineers are definitely working on things. Not that I have the impression that they ride bikes!

Zvi