Posted by sadinemporia (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I completely agree!! As much as gas prices are now, more and more people will begin riding their scooters, bicycles, motorcycles, etc. to work or shopping that bike lanes would be so much safer!
The people of Emporia are worth the investment the city would have to make in order to have safe riding conditions.

Posted by b3bill (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I couldn't agree more with the above comment and the article. It wouldn't take much for Emporia to work toward becoming a more "bike friendly" community.

An additional enhancement to the use of bicycles around town would be for merchants to consider installing bicycle racks in their parking lots. Bicycle racks are typically of minimal expense and maintenance, and require minimal space. They also provide a good means for securing a bicycle while inside the store.

As a nation, we have to do something to incorporate other means of transportation. For short trips around town, bicycles work great many days of the year. They certainly won't solve all of our nation's energy and pollution problems, but it is one way to help, plus also get some exercise and help save on gas money.

Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I, too, agree that Emporia is overdue to have bicycle lanes, and with gasoline heading toward five or six dollars per gallon, we need to do it now. More and more people, including members of my family will be riding bikes more now. However, keep in mind that bike lanes are just for bicycles. Motor scooters and motorcycles are street legal motorized vehicles and belong in regular traffic lanes, not in lanes reserved for folks on bicycles.

Posted by Bjnemp (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 4:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Right on, b3bill. "Build it and they will come." If Emporia were more bike friendly, complete with lanes and bike racks, I bet we would be amazed how many people would begin biking. It's fun, it's healthy, and it saves a lot of liqiud gold (gasoline).

Posted by b3bill (anonymous) on June 17, 2008 at 10:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I hope the City will further develop some good provisions for bicycling already in place. One example is the bicycle/walking bridge over I-35 at Prairie Street.

If you were on the south side of I-35 and wanted to go out to Walmart or other locations in that area on the north side of I-35, the Prairie Street bicycle bridge could be a good option instead of riding along Industrial to cross I-35 and dealing with a busier street and very busy intersections. A simple side walk addition along 24th from Prairie to Industrial, in places where one doesn't already exist, would give good bicycle access. 24th isn't exactly a "bicycle-friendly" street in its current form. Similar upgrades could be done along other streets without significant expense or ongoing high maintenance.

The geographic size of Emporia is easily negotiable on a bicycle for a lot of riders. It doesn't have a lot of steep hills either. Just some rather simple enhancements to existing infrastructure would really help make Emporia more bicycle friendly.

Maybe the emporia.com web site could be updated with a good map of the city to show recommended bicycle routes. It could serve as a great resource for visitors and college students new to town wanting to use their bicycles.

As the use of bicycles increases as a substitute for cars, it would be great if someone manufactured some lower cost bicycle trailers to haul cargo in. The child carriers already made would work, but they are quite pricey. Wouldn't it be neat if some individual or business in Emporia was the designer and manufacturer of a lower cost bicycle trailer?

Posted by wouldntuliketoknow (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 4:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Maybe the bicylists would like to pay for this great idea with a $500 tax on their bike every year.

Posted by jackslap (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

As a bike owner...... Where is the money tree to fund that one?

Posted by mythoughts (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

We certainly have some wide avenue-type streets that would only need a new paint job to make a bike lane. I bet there's some governent money for projects like this! Hasn't the local bike group been working on a trail system already?

Posted by USNretired (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I hope we include mandatory rider training in this scenario. I lived in California and Florida and I can remember how screwed up things got during bike events as riders ignored traffic laws and rode around like cattle wandering across a pasture. If no training is involved, I consider it a bad idea to promote massive numbers of bikes. Drivers have a hard enough time seeing me on a motorcycle in this town as many of them also ignore stop signs. I would hate to see a car hit a line of riders. I saw that once on a back road near Caserta, Italy and it was a mess. I don't know if Emporia is ready, just yet.

Posted by jennienbj (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I think it would be great to have bike lanes. I do not know how many times we ride bikes and have to ride in the narrow streets and avoid the traffic. I also think, though, as a driver, you need to learn and watch out for bikers. There are too many times that I watch children about get hit on bikes because drivers are not paying attention. Also if you have a bike and you use it to go a lot of places, then no matter what the age you should have to know the simple laws to stopping at stop signs, checking the streets that do not have stop signs for cars coming. And I think you should have to be at least 18 to ride a scooter. In my neighbor hood, there are lots of young teens that ride them and they give all of their friends rides and chase people on bikes with them. They also ride them wherever they want, including sidewalks and in the parks.

Posted by bdprotheroe (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wonderful idea! For those of you interested in pursuing the goal of establishing designated bike lanes along the busier thoroughfares of Emporia, here is one resource to get you started: http://www.sfbike.org

Posted by MelissaE (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 3:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Here is another resource for bike paths:

http://www.brunswickme.org/parkrec/andro...

It's not geared toward street-riding but as a place to go and exercise.

M

Posted by b3bill (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Of course funding is an issue. Funding of anything always is. There will always be those who complain. Is that going have to stop everything because someone complains?

As a bicycle rider, it is not enough to "just open your eyes, be aware of your surroundings, watch the road, pay attention". Vehicle drivers also have an obligation toward bicycle riders and pedestrians.

Per the traffic laws, unless otherwise posted, a bicycle is authorized to be ridden on the streets, whether vehicle drivers like it or not. Vehicle drivers are not permitted to force a bicycle off the road any more than they are allowed to do the same to another vehicle that they don't like for some reason. Just because vehicle drivers are annoyed by a bicycle going slower than vehicle traffic, or because a bicycle does not require a license plate or pay personal property taxes, etc., does not authorize a motorist to not share the road with a bicycle.

All traffic rules were agreed to when you are granted a driver's license and sign it. Driving is a privilege and not a right. If you don't like the rules of the road, then you need to take that up with those who make the rules, not those who are following them. Or, you could stop driving if you don't like the rules. Ignorance of the traffic rules or not liking some of them are not valid reasons for not following all of them.

I drive a vehicle for 100's of miles every week. Of course I know many people don't follow the traffic rules regarding bicycles. That is why there is interest in having designated bicycle lanes or other provisions for bicycles.

If vehicles shared the road with bicycles as they should per the traffic laws, there would not be the interest in bicycle lanes/paths. It may be children riding bicycles too, not just adults.

Posted by bdprotheroe (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 6:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Using a bike as primary form of transportation has increased so dramtically in San Francisco, a monthly bicycle ride is held to celebrate cycling and to assert cyclists' right to the road. It's called Critical Mass, a spectacular event that began in 1992. http://www.critical-mass.info/

The YouTube video will give a bit more insight of what that monthly event is like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7-MxK8Av...

Posted by MisterO (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 8:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

There are several East-West roads that go from one end of town to another (South Avenu, 6th, 12th, 15th and 18th).

Instead of creating bike lanes on these streets, might it be possible to designate an existing street as "bicycle only"?. Looking at an Emporia map, it looks like 9th Avenue also goes from one end of town to the other, it's centrally located between two of the busiest streets (6th and 12th), and probably doesn't get the amount of traffic the other East-West roads get.

Posted by orlando (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 9:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Bike lanes are a good idea. But I think we need to license the bikes, and then bikers would have to know the biking rules to get a license for their bikes. At least once a day, I see a biker on the wrong side of the street or go right through a stop sign--red light or 4-way stop or regular stop---it doesn't seem to make a difference. These all seem to say "slow down, don't bother to stop" to a biker. I have yet to see a policeman stop a biker, yet there are rules of the road for those on bikes.
Also I agree--the joggers and walkers need to use the sidewalk when one is available. Sometimes all they would need to do is go to the other side of the street!

Posted by Paccifier (anonymous) on June 18, 2008 at 10:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

License bikes, and enforce the rules for all. Use the fees raised from the licenses to help defray costs on the bike lanes/paths, and nothing else, Same for fines collected for bike violations. Make the license fees reasonable, but that would let those who want the lanes help pay for them, and perhaps, encourage other bikers to voluntarily get a license for the bike. With gas going up, won't bike theft go up too? A license may help in bike recovery, since the serial number could be registered with the City, even if the license plate is removed. If you look, and ask questions of those who know, you might find that there is a city appointed committee looking into bike/walker accessability in town- like a linking trail between Peter Pan Park, and Sodens Grove. A small step, but a step.

Posted by USNretired (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is not Frisco, and we don't have BART or cable cars, etc. Emporia will slowly accept change, not shoved down any body's throat. ride your bikes in a safe and courteous manner, and folks will get used to you. Narrow streets will always be an issue here, one way streets are probably more acceptable than bike only. Maybe something can be set up for a bike tour of Emporia with the police involved to help everyone get used to bikes and for riders to learn to practice the rules of the road.

Posted by bdprotheroe (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 5:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I apologize USNretired, my intent was not to "shove" anything down one's throat. Because it appears there is an interest amongst some Emporians, I was merely offering up resources that might be of use to them in pursuit of bike activities and services.

Oh, and before I go, I do need to let you know that San Franciscans despise the term "Frisco" just as much as Emporians despise the term "Euphoria."

Posted by sadinemporia (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

USNretired, I think that is a great idea for the police to get involved with conducting a city wide class or several classes on bike safety, I will admit I am a bit rusty on my bike safety. I would attend!

Posted by TacoBellB (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 6:32 p.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by MelissaE (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 7:52 p.m.

(This comment was removed by the site staff.)

Posted by jennienbj (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 8:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think it would be great if we had the bike lanes. Why not have a biking class that could be city wide. Drivers need to be aware of bikers and bikers need to be aware of bikers. So with that said, why not let us get bike lanes? We spend thousands of dollars on other things that might not be needed but we can't put in bike lanes? How much work would that be?

Posted by mythoughts (anonymous) on June 19, 2008 at 9:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ha Ha - If we could get the bicyclists out into the streets, and the jogger/walkers onto the sidewalks, half our troubles would be over.
Lets' do it! It's not that hard! Let's have a "bicycle to work" day and see what happens! I have my bike helmet...

Posted by USNretired (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

When I lived in the area in the 70s it was Frisco, by the late 80s, a few got bent out of shape about it. I used to go to the WashBag (Washington Street Bar and Grill) but I hear the thought police don't like that nickname now either.

Posted by jennienbj (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 12:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Even though you can ride on the on right shoulder and it is okay, people still don't pay attention. So what would it hurt that they painted a lane? It can't cost that much to paint some lines. Give me some yellow paint and we can do it.

Posted by TacoBellB (anonymous) on June 22, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Okay apparently I asked the question in the wrong way, so my comment was removed.
I need someone to explain to me why the term "Frisco" is so heinous?
I made a reference wondering if that is why the person was so offended and apparently saying that term is now unacceptable to the gazette - I don't know?
So let's hear it - what is so bad with Frisco?

P.S. As I stated earlier - Euphoria for Emporia makes NO sense because there is no U or H in Emporia, while Frisco is simply taking a few letters out of Francisco. E-oria would be comparable.

Posted by slipandslide (anonymous) on June 22, 2008 at 11:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

never heard it called euphoria, but i have heard it called emporia blues or em-poor-ia, we need a better nickname