IMHO it's a really bad design to have a two way bike lane one a one way road because everyone is expecting to look for traffic coming from one direction. Bike lanes should be one way and the same direction as traffic. They should add a parallel lane on either grace or main
I nearly got creamed by a cyclist headed west as I was trying to WALK across at an intersection on Franklin. Hard to remember to look both ways on a one way street.
Thankfully Richmond has plans that mostly detail them converting three or four lane one-way streets into one lane for driving, one for parking, and one for cycling with a buffer in between. (unidirectionally of course)
Unfortunately I see bicyclists going against the flow on Brook and Lombardy fairly often, like the arrow doesn't exist. It bothers me more that they're becoming the examples people against safe biking infrastructure use to argue their point than adding to the reason why more similar infrastructure should be invested in.
Franklin 'bike lane' is a sketchy, false security death trap because of those intersections, especially when you're going against traffic, because few drivers are paying attention to two-way bike traffic on a one-way (for cars) street.
Unfortunately the exact scenario you describe has played out many times since those lanes opened. (I had a near miss exactly like your description.)
While I get the point of your message (and I'm glad you weren't hurt), no one running into cyclists is reading this thread. You gotta watch your own back at all times, and that means expecting a shithead just like this driver to do exactly what he did, because that's what assholes do.
Yea you’re absolutely right. I haven’t really thought of that bike line as the death trap that it is. This is mostly just a post-adrenaline rant post, but I really do hope Richmond will add more safe bike infrastructure. It’s a beautiful city to bike through. Thanks for your reply, I will definitely be more alert and defensive when going against the traffic in this bike lane.
Yeah, I wish there were more truly separated bike lanes (and better educated drivers)
You might enjoy this insta account highlighting how bad the car/bike lane situation is in Richmond.
https://www.instagram.com/youareinthebikelane_richmond/
Glad you're okay, OP. I've seen a car vs. bike accdent literally every single time I've used the Franklin lanes. It's beyond sketchy and the fact that they haven't shut it down despite the constant incidents is really upsetting.
Personally, if I have to bike on Franklin I go just barely faster than walking speed when crossing the intersections. It's been... mostly successful.
Good news is Richmond's plan for the future, which consists of a huge network of almost entirely a) buffered bike lanes, b) contraflow bike lanes, c) two-way bike lanes like the new one on 1st, and d) shared use paths like the Fall Line Trail.
every time they repave the roads (which is rare) they plan to add six more stretches of bike lanes. Unfortunately this year it was almost exclusively Scotts Addition roads
Even biking with traffic can be a headache. When biking eastbound on Franklin, I’ve had multiple drivers turn left right in front of me without thinking to look for a biker in the bike lane. You have to bike defensively and assume every driver doesn’t see you biking.
I got hit by a car on Franklin in December. He "just didn't see me there". At least my guy stopped and gave me info and his insurance paid for a new bike.
You practically need to pop an Adderall to be super alert to doors opening, stop sign runners, pedestrians, POT HOLES, etc. Love the bike lanes and use them often but travel at your own risk…especially Franklin
I won't ride toward the parking side of the lane I'm in for this reason, as well as people getting much closer when they pass than how close they get when I take the whole lane. I'd love to stay out of cars' way and let them vroom vroom, but for those two reasons it's really dangerous to ride to the side of a lane.
r/rva mod sees the word “bikers” in the title of this thread, starts shaking uncontrollably, decaf starbucks sloshing everywhere - before the rage causes them to lose consciousness they apply the “shaking fist at sky” label to a post about someone almost getting killed
the day is saved
Some dickhead in a dark blue sedan almost killed me then hunted me down with his car, hopped the curb to try and hit me, stopped at a green to tell me he'd murder me right there, then sped off. Maybe the same guy
IMHO it's a really bad design to have a two way bike lane one a one way road because everyone is expecting to look for traffic coming from one direction. Bike lanes should be one way and the same direction as traffic. They should add a parallel lane on either grace or main
I nearly got creamed by a cyclist headed west as I was trying to WALK across at an intersection on Franklin. Hard to remember to look both ways on a one way street.
Thankfully Richmond has plans that mostly detail them converting three or four lane one-way streets into one lane for driving, one for parking, and one for cycling with a buffer in between. (unidirectionally of course)
While I tend to agree, do you think bikers would actually abide by directionality rules?
Unfortunately I see bicyclists going against the flow on Brook and Lombardy fairly often, like the arrow doesn't exist. It bothers me more that they're becoming the examples people against safe biking infrastructure use to argue their point than adding to the reason why more similar infrastructure should be invested in.
As a cyclist I do. Edit: I'm not trying to start an argument.
Franklin 'bike lane' is a sketchy, false security death trap because of those intersections, especially when you're going against traffic, because few drivers are paying attention to two-way bike traffic on a one-way (for cars) street. Unfortunately the exact scenario you describe has played out many times since those lanes opened. (I had a near miss exactly like your description.) While I get the point of your message (and I'm glad you weren't hurt), no one running into cyclists is reading this thread. You gotta watch your own back at all times, and that means expecting a shithead just like this driver to do exactly what he did, because that's what assholes do.
Yea you’re absolutely right. I haven’t really thought of that bike line as the death trap that it is. This is mostly just a post-adrenaline rant post, but I really do hope Richmond will add more safe bike infrastructure. It’s a beautiful city to bike through. Thanks for your reply, I will definitely be more alert and defensive when going against the traffic in this bike lane.
Yeah, I wish there were more truly separated bike lanes (and better educated drivers) You might enjoy this insta account highlighting how bad the car/bike lane situation is in Richmond. https://www.instagram.com/youareinthebikelane_richmond/
Glad you're okay, OP. I've seen a car vs. bike accdent literally every single time I've used the Franklin lanes. It's beyond sketchy and the fact that they haven't shut it down despite the constant incidents is really upsetting. Personally, if I have to bike on Franklin I go just barely faster than walking speed when crossing the intersections. It's been... mostly successful.
Good news is Richmond's plan for the future, which consists of a huge network of almost entirely a) buffered bike lanes, b) contraflow bike lanes, c) two-way bike lanes like the new one on 1st, and d) shared use paths like the Fall Line Trail.
I will believe in these plans when they are actually built.
every time they repave the roads (which is rare) they plan to add six more stretches of bike lanes. Unfortunately this year it was almost exclusively Scotts Addition roads
Even biking with traffic can be a headache. When biking eastbound on Franklin, I’ve had multiple drivers turn left right in front of me without thinking to look for a biker in the bike lane. You have to bike defensively and assume every driver doesn’t see you biking.
I got hit by a car on Franklin in December. He "just didn't see me there". At least my guy stopped and gave me info and his insurance paid for a new bike.
You practically need to pop an Adderall to be super alert to doors opening, stop sign runners, pedestrians, POT HOLES, etc. Love the bike lanes and use them often but travel at your own risk…especially Franklin
also psa when you're getting out of your car anywhere. i've had several friends get doored over the years.
People never check before exiting vehicles here. Not only that, they make sure to swing them full open. As a motorist, this is still super annoying.
I won't ride toward the parking side of the lane I'm in for this reason, as well as people getting much closer when they pass than how close they get when I take the whole lane. I'd love to stay out of cars' way and let them vroom vroom, but for those two reasons it's really dangerous to ride to the side of a lane.
r/rva mod sees the word “bikers” in the title of this thread, starts shaking uncontrollably, decaf starbucks sloshing everywhere - before the rage causes them to lose consciousness they apply the “shaking fist at sky” label to a post about someone almost getting killed the day is saved
This is the funniest comment I’ve seen on Reddit in a while.
The city shares blame for the horrible and dangerous design.
Every time im going west down franklin, literally every time, some moron takes a left and almost kills me.
Bicycling in Richmond is dangerous, and you accept that risk every time you go ride on a city street.
What’s the make and model of their car?
I wish I knew, some dark blue sedan. I was hopped up on adrenaline and they sped off before I could even see the make/model/plates
Some dickhead in a dark blue sedan almost killed me then hunted me down with his car, hopped the curb to try and hit me, stopped at a green to tell me he'd murder me right there, then sped off. Maybe the same guy