Mixed-Use Nightmare
This morning I needed to make a quick trip to the University to drop off a few things Jen needed for class. Unfortunately, the minutes before an even hour (10am) is not a good time to be in a car on campus. I drove less than a mile round-trip and I'm still shaking from the adrenaline. Most of the problem is that 13th Street is fully mixed-use, especially at the circle turnaround where it becomes bike/ped only.
These are the participants and what happened in my 7 minutes in the car:
I'm all for mixed-use. The problem comes with people not respecting the rules of transit, and the increased density of traffic because of the school-day schedule. There were all sorts of cars trying to find parking, and WAY too many people walking EVERYWHERE, because it was almost 10 o'clock. As a cyclist, I hate drivers who are aggressive and angry just because they have to share the road with me. As a pedestrian, I need to feel safe crossing the street. But as a driver, I just want to have fewer incidences where I want to run someone over.
I would've loved to see the police sitting at a couple corners and ticketing each cyclist without a helmet or people blowing through stop signs... but is that really the way to do it? I'm sure there are some ways that this area could get re-engineered to improve traffic flow. It would've been inconvenient if I knew I couldn't drive for this trip, having to get dressed and Cait in her trailer in a short amount of time.
Somebody fix the world for me? Please?
These are the participants and what happened in my 7 minutes in the car:
- Four-car-each-way backup while one car yielded to someone to turn left into a parking lot (which was starting to back up traffic into Agate, the main road in this case)
- Passed three cyclists with no helmets riding in the bike lane, one not using his handlebars
- Was only stopped briefly at the pedestrian crosswalk between 15th and 13th, which stops all traffic at noon due to constant to-ing and fro-ing of students.
- Got into the left-turn lane at the four-way stop at 13th and Agate, waiting for pedestrian traffic to allow the car traffic to take their turns
- No-helmet No-handlebars Dude rides behind me, enters the oncoming lane, makes it to the oncoming bike lane before he impedes a car that had ALREADY ENTERED THE INTERSECTION, and continues to turn left without concern for any other traveler.
- Make it to the intersection for my turn, watch four more bicyclists go out of turn, none wearing helmets.
- Finally on 13th, I proceed carefully, pausing for crosswalking and jaywalking peds.
- Pull up in a marked temporary parking space, drop off said items, and re-enter the street heading for said circle turnaround.
- FIVE STUDENTS ARE HAVING A HUGFEST IN THE ROAD.
- ONE OF THE FIVE DECIDE TO PRETEND TO BE AFRAID I'M GOING TO HIT THEM. I CONSIDER HITTING THEM.
- Distracted by the students, I nearly it a cyclist barreling out of the bike/ped section into the circle. She's wearing a neon orange and green vest and a vicious scowl.
- Return down 13th the way I came, again pausing for jaywalking students, hoping that was the worst of it.
- At the information booth there are three cars backed up waiting for a truck to pull a u-turn (allowed but tricky at this time of day).
- THREE HELMET-LESS CYCLISTS DECIDE TO JUMP THE LINE OF CARS BY COMING INTO MY ONCOMING LANE. Again consider hitting them. They seem unconcerned with this situation, and unaware they are contributing to the line by not allowing the truck to make its u-turn.
- Again hoping I've passed the worst, slowly and carefully make my way down Agate. At 15th, stopping for the 4-way stop, a police car pulls out down Agate ahead of me. It was his turn, so frustration/anxiety there.
- Car two cars up is waiting to turn left onto 17th (homesweethome), so we're backed up a little there. Van behind me starts pulling into the bike lane in to pass me on the right, when he notices the police car. They (prudently) decide to not pass THREE CARS ON THE RIGHT IN THE BIKE LANE because of the police car. Good move.
- turn left, make it home into the driveway.
I'm all for mixed-use. The problem comes with people not respecting the rules of transit, and the increased density of traffic because of the school-day schedule. There were all sorts of cars trying to find parking, and WAY too many people walking EVERYWHERE, because it was almost 10 o'clock. As a cyclist, I hate drivers who are aggressive and angry just because they have to share the road with me. As a pedestrian, I need to feel safe crossing the street. But as a driver, I just want to have fewer incidences where I want to run someone over.
I would've loved to see the police sitting at a couple corners and ticketing each cyclist without a helmet or people blowing through stop signs... but is that really the way to do it? I'm sure there are some ways that this area could get re-engineered to improve traffic flow. It would've been inconvenient if I knew I couldn't drive for this trip, having to get dressed and Cait in her trailer in a short amount of time.
Somebody fix the world for me? Please?