"shpuker" (shpuker)
08/08/2014 at 20:51 • Filed to: None
1
15|
"shpuker" (shpuker)
08/08/2014 at 20:51 • Filed to: None | 1
| 15 |
I'm currently going to school on the western side of the state and sadly had to sell my WRX in order to pay rent this summer. As a result I've had to bike the 6 miles to work every day. The results have been kinda sad.
Let me start off by saying this, not only is Holland not bike friendly, it is actively hostile at times. There are literally fenced chicanes across the sidewalk coming towards downtown.
While I get that they are there to help keep cyclists from getting run over by trucks, they're an idiotic psych fix to a much bigger issue, you shouldn't feel the need to ride on the sidewalk in the first place. There isn't a single bike lane in this town... A college town with zero bike lanes. Now that's pretty stupid. And while some sections of road are perfectly fine to ride on regardless others are either covered in potholes that seem designed to year your car apart, let alone someone riding over it, or simply far too dangerous to ride on without them.
Looking at other cities like East Lansing (Michigan State), Ann Arbor (Michigan), and even Grand Rapids and their attempts to make it easier to get around via bike makes me think it may not really be a Michigan thing altogether, but as matter of the city not realizing it's fighting the growth that the school is trying to bring in.
On a sidenote, if I didn't bother to slow significantly and make sure people coming out of driveways were paying attention, I would've been run over at least 3 times in the past week... Although I did get forced into bailing over a curb, thankfully onto grass, once already.
Maybe being from Colorado my view is just skewed a bit, but hell even I get pissed about people biking on the street in anything over a 50mph zone, hence I choose not to ride on the street there not anywhere people drive that quickly (aka anything over a 30, it's kinda comical in a "you're all assholes" kinda way).
On a positive note, I've clocked just under 200 miles in the past 2 weeks and my legs are quickly, and painfully, getting back to hockey level.
And if you've read this far, have a Gallardo!
Ah reminds me, last thing. Showed my coworker Balboni's Gallardo from earlier and it extracted the response of, I shit you not, "Who would spend that much on one of those pieces of shit anyways?"..... The guy drives a Mazda minivan...
Edit: if also like to add in the fact that there have been more stabbings along my commute in the last week than other people on bikes commuting.
kincai28
> shpuker
08/08/2014 at 21:02 |
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wtf Holland, Michigan not bike friendly? I literally went on a biking trip to Holland every year for 18 years. Granted I have not been in the last 4 but the vast amount of bike paths they have is wayyyy better than many other cities. Also, those chicanes don't look that bad I mean you're on a bike after all.
Not trying to be a dick this article just seems so left field to me.
norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
> shpuker
08/08/2014 at 21:05 |
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Who the fuck calls a Balboni Gallardo shit? Also those chicanes actually look fun.
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shpuker
> kincai28
08/08/2014 at 21:09 |
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If you are heading to the beach, yea you're golden, if you're following the few paths and their destinations you're golden. If you actually need to commute across town or to the township and the industrial parks, you run into some issues. Hell a good section of town doesn't even have sidewalks. Aka go to the south side of town and then go north to the township, about 1.5 of 6 miles has bike path, said path is damn nice though.
Edit: The chicanes wouldn't be that bad if there weren't so many of them so close together, there are like 10 in maybe 100 yards. I should track down a go pro and record the commute, might help see if I'm crazy or if it's sketch.
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shpuker
> norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
08/08/2014 at 21:11 |
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Seriously though, and the chicanes kinda suck. There are something like 10 of them in about 100 yards.
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kincai28
> shpuker
08/08/2014 at 21:18 |
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Fair enough, I was always near the beach. Used to ride the 22 miles up to Grand Haven and back to see the tall ships. I miss Holland I need to go back.
Stapleface-Now Hyphenated!
> shpuker
08/08/2014 at 21:33 |
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Man, screw those chicanes. IMHO if you run into one of them you should be able to sue the city for putting them there in a walking path.
Years ago a friend of mine ran into a mailbox in the middle of a sidewalk and took a rather nasty spill. They sued the owner of the mailbox and they had to pay for his medical bills and move it to a place not on the sidewalk.
How is the city for bike security? My area is fairly low crime, but riding a bike is a joke. Most stores don't even have a bike rack outside. And those that do they're so loose a good kick would know the post out of the ground. I've got a set of skewers for my wheels I haven't installed yet, but will do so soon. Can't be too careful.
Milky
> shpuker
08/08/2014 at 22:00 |
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This is one thing Detroit is doing right!
Svend
> shpuker
08/08/2014 at 22:13 |
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Have a TVR or two (either side of the Passat) and a white Renault Clio too.
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norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
> shpuker
08/08/2014 at 22:21 |
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If they were on like a bike track they would be fun but not in such proximity.
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shpuker
> norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
08/08/2014 at 22:25 |
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Very true. They're fun for the first 3 or 4.
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shpuker
> Svend
08/08/2014 at 22:25 |
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No love for the (I think) Jag?
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Svend
> shpuker
08/08/2014 at 22:40 |
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The Clio is a good cheap DD hatchback, the TVRs are more rare and great powerful sports cars and the Jag XF is just pretty common, a good car but nothing special really.
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shpuker
> Milky
08/09/2014 at 12:47 |
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That is one damn impressive bike path.
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Milky
> shpuker
08/09/2014 at 13:27 |
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Yea, it was a disused train track path ... How the hell do you say that?
But there are also a lot of bike lanes too, at least in midtown where I live.
adda
> Milky
08/15/2014 at 19:48 |
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"Former rail right-of-way"