tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post4528882987448272152..comments2024-01-23T15:23:18.562+01:00Comments on Slow Factory: Seville: "Great is the enemy of good"Slow Factoryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-64475757104947821472011-04-01T11:42:22.100+02:002011-04-01T11:42:22.100+02:00well...
those cycle paths certainly have the meri...well...<br /><br />those cycle paths certainly have the merit of being there.<br /><br />But they're<br /><br />- too narrow<br />- dangerous at crossings without lights because of inherent dangers to two-way paths<br />- very annoying at crossings WITH lights-you spend half your cycling time waiting because you often have to cross two times to get where you want<br />- they do not reduce in any way the speed of car traffic probably just the other way round. <br />- they did not get me where I wanted most of the time ;-)<br /><br />but it's just me, obviously ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-60893965578249768662011-03-31T22:07:51.724+02:002011-03-31T22:07:51.724+02:00I was happy to see that in Sevilla things are happ...I was happy to see that in Sevilla things are happening on the streets.<br /><br />As a tourist I really enjoyed the 'ringroad' cycle track.<br />- Yes it was narrow, but it was never really dangerous and people were not annoyed.<br />- There were men, women and children of all ages on this ring road using it for utility purpuses, but also recreation.<br />- there were cyclists, roller blades and also people with wheel chairs.<br />- before reaching a zebra crossing there are signs on the pavement: 10 - 5 - to warn you if you look down in stead of around you.<br />- it was easy to find my way - I just had to be sure to reach the ring road at some point and I knew I would be able to find my pension.<br /><br />Within the ringroad in the middle of the city I found 2 types of what I call 'Spanish Shared Space'<br />- the very inner part has a BRT system in a pedestrian & bike area - busy with people, really good atmosphere - smooth surface to bike on<br />- the 2nd type being narrow streets with cobble stones; cars drive slowly, bikes as well. Many people walking. No special features or infra, no conflicts that I was aware of<br /><br />All in all: no perfection - I enjoyed it a lotAngela van der Kloofhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17990297463166672901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-59084264231294300882011-03-28T16:58:45.410+02:002011-03-28T16:58:45.410+02:00Thanks, Eneko. Regarding the loss of pedestrian fr...Thanks, Eneko. Regarding the loss of pedestrian freedom, I suppose this gets offset in part or in some way by the mode transfer from cars to bikes...Slow Factoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5533690948683564037.post-21965992459081249312011-03-28T14:25:41.120+02:002011-03-28T14:25:41.120+02:00Well, the Sevilla issue is not so easy to comment....Well, the Sevilla issue is not so easy to comment.<br /><br />First of all, I must tell you that Sevilla has increased its number of cyclist enormously, even when the percentage of the rise is not so high than they show in their data, just because they don't mention they didn't take account of pedestrians when they calculate de modal split (and pedestrians mean a 36% of all travels). <br /><br />http://bicicletasciudadesviajes.blogspot.com/2011/02/cambio-modal-realidad-o-ficcion.html<br /><br />It's true that most of space taken for cycle paths comes from parking lots, but what is also true is that, in most of the cases, cycle paths are done at sidewalk level, so they interfer the walking itineraries, mostly on crossings.<br /><br />You are right when you spot the question of the spaces stolen to pedestrians. I also want to add the freedom drop from them, that is maybe more difficult to value and impossible to return.<br /><br />About the type of cycle path choosen, I agree that is really narrow, problematic because of the bi-directionality and not enough well managed at junctions, but people is happy or, at least, easy-going with them.<br /><br />Check it out here:<br /><br />http://bicicletasciudadesviajes.blogspot.com/2011/03/el-carril-bici-de-sevilla-cuidado.html<br /><br />Or here:<br /><br />http://bicicletasciudadesviajes.blogspot.com/2010/03/aceras-bici-y-estres-peatonal.html<br /><br />I hope this responds to your questions.Eneko Astigarragahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04598267111382640345noreply@blogger.com