Video: Car Driver Takes New Burrard Bridge Bike Lane
Even detractors have had to admit that the Burrard Bridge lane reallocation trial has worked. The sky did not fall in. Cars kept moving. Pedestrians enjoy the extra space on the bridge's West sidewalk. Cyclists have to admit that it's a fair compromise that makes crossing the bridge safer. At least, most of the time.
Even though Mayor Gregor has said that it's highly unlikely that the sixth lane on the heritage bridge will be reinstated as a car lane, some drivers don't give up that easily.
Someone responded to my YouTube post about the Burrard Bridge decision with a clip, posted a week ago, showing a motorist tearing down the new bike lane.
Either this night-time racer was somebody out to prove a point. Or it was somebody who inadvertently ended up in the bike lane and then realising that he or she was stuck floored it to get to the exit. Impossible to say, as the driver isn't clearly visible.
However, the author of the YouTube video, remarks: "Before he got to the other end he was going at least 100kmh!"
Comments
dootubed
Unfortunately, the video now has ads and poster removed the original audio and replaced it with canned Beethoven's 5th.
Bike Lane Rox
I love the Burrard Bridge bike lanes and hope they will be retained, enhanced even, once the current test is over. There has been a lot of squawking in the media by a handful of businesses who maintain that the changes have reduced the number of customers frequenting the area. Whether true or just the reflex actions of change-resistant business types is of little interest to me. What they should be doing is embracing the change, mounting bike-friendly events [discounts if you bike in, special delivery services for two-wheeled shoppers who spend over a certain amount, etc. ad nauseum]. Get creative guys. With all this whining going on I certainly can't see myself patronizing these businesses. I dine at Kettle of Fish once in awhile and I visit Art Knapp's every spring. This year I'll hold my nose and buy my plants at one of the big box retailers since the little box retailers can't seem to see outside of the box itself. In the case of Art Knapp's, the opening of the Canada Line, Canadian Tire and Home Depot on Cambie Street are probably having a bigger impact on retail sales than any bike lanes could ever have.
Change is going to happen with or without them on board. What needs to be done is make hard choices and it's heartening to see that the mayor and council are willing to make those choices rather than bowing to anachronistic interests. Thanks for pioneering a new way forward.