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LexRides
Lexington's Bike Forum
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mickster
training wheels
Joined: 05 Sep 2008
Posts: 22
Location: lexington, ky
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 Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject: the 3rd bike dilemma |
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Hi lexriders--
I don't chime in much here, but think it's so cool that this forum is poppin..
I wanted to share some personal experience that may have been covered here, but if it hasn't, thought you might like to hear about it.
I've been discussing with Kenzie what I might call the 3rd bike dilemma.
Meaning: If you and a friend decide to take LexTran somewhere -- with your bikes -- and there's even one other person already on the bus with a bike, well, you're sort of screwed. Because the racks only hold two bikes.
I'm not saying this is malicious, just that it's possible and I passed on these thoughts to Kenzie Gleason and she's been very responsive, if not with a solution, then at least with a heightened awareness of the potential-- and the need for an eventual solution.
So, anyway, my original email to her went like this:
| Quote: | hi kenzie:
Appreciate all you do for biking in lex..
My wife and i have both used the bus to get somewhere bike-friendly
(like coldstream), which was super cool
except -- (you knew there was an 'except,' didn't you??)
those racks only hold two bikes which is, you know, just *how it is.* We asked the driver what you would do if the rack was full and he said "wait for the next bus."
so if you're biking with another person, there's always the chance that you'll get hosed at the bus stop if BOTH slots aren't empty. And you basically can't "together bike" with 3 or more people.. (at least if you're trying to "bus-bike" somewhere)
I'm not exactly complaining here, just pointing up something for future consideration, especially in this energy-crunch world we're moving into and with the WEG coming.. I can only assume that more and more |
Right, then-- So Kenzie did some asking around (total solid) and here's what came back from Jared Forte, asst. gen. mgr of LexTran.
| Quote: | We are currently investigating moving to bike racks that hold three bikes. Carlos, our maintenance director talked to some vendors in California about it. Our current policy is that we do not allow bikes on the buses because of safety issues. There is no safe location to store the bike except for the wheel chair areas. Any loose items can easily become projectiles if the bus stops suddenly. We internally allow one exception for the last trip
when another bus is not coming. We have discussed establishing a bike
rescue plan similar to our ADA rescue plan which we use in the very rare
occasions when a wheel chair lift on the bus is not functioning. In
this case we send a supervisor out in a lift equipped van to pick the
passengers up. However, we have not set that in stone concerning our
cycling passengers.
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Kenzie then replied:
| Quote: | Thanks Jared. Glad to hear you all have given some thought to this (it honestly hadn't occurred to me). Do you have a sense of whether this
happens very often (although it would probably only take once to
discourage me from bike n ride!). I suspect that it's more likely to
occur at peak hour and commuters won't want to be late for work. What
if the next bus has a full rack too?
If someone wanted to lend a supportive voice to the three rack design
and/or advocate for the emergency plan you mentioned, who should they
direct that to? |
And the response from Jared was:
*Dave Riggins our Director of Community affairs
*Rocky, the director (I guess of LexTran)
So, super long-winded post, but I thought you all might dig this conversation that was had on behalf of lexbikers..
mick
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mick jeffries
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sailorjames
cutter
Joined: 15 Nov 2007
Posts: 329
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| Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:14 am Post subject: |
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Too bad there's not some sort of rack that could be fitted to the side of the bus, and still fall within safe vehicle-width restrictions...
or is there? |
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bryant
hipster
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 111
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| Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 2:01 am Post subject: |
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| ive had them let me on the bus and bring my bike inside before |
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mickster
training wheels
Joined: 05 Sep 2008
Posts: 22
Location: lexington, ky
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| Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:50 am Post subject: |
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| sailorjames wrote: | Too bad there's not some sort of rack that could be fitted to the side of the bus, and still fall within safe vehicle-width restrictions...
or is there? |
not on any bus in Lex that I've seen...
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mick jeffries
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mickster
training wheels
Joined: 05 Sep 2008
Posts: 22
Location: lexington, ky
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| Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:02 am Post subject: |
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| bryant wrote: | | ive had them let me on the bus and bring my bike inside before |
which is -- technically, apparently -- a violation of policy. I guess my thought in posting this conversation is that lexriders, et. al., should remain aware of this evolving discussion, especially if it involves things like the city spending thousands of $$'s on new bike racks. Among the smart folks here, somebody might have observed the very best bike rack and would want to advise Kenzie or the LexTran folks on such things.
A PRINCIPAL MOTIVATOR: The World Equestrian Games. In less than 2 years, Lexington's population is going to double for two weeks. Who knows what gas will cost then? And regardless, there stands to be a significant number of bikers going to the Kentucky Horse Park from downtown Lex just to avoid the parking hassles.
(That ride is gorgeous, btw, and is really the impetus for this thread. I google mapped it here (including the LexTran part) http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&hl=en&msa=0&msid=106075029027915104021.00000113821041e127fc3&z=12)
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mick jeffries
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brokebike
cutter
Joined: 21 Oct 2007
Posts: 2434
Location: local
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| Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:24 am Post subject: |
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many other cities allow certain exceptions for bikes on trains, and I don't see there being much of a difference between the interior of a bus and that of a train.
I think a 3-bike carrier would make a lot of sense.
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mickster
training wheels
Joined: 05 Sep 2008
Posts: 22
Location: lexington, ky
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| Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:53 am Post subject: |
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I think a 3-bike carrier makes a reasonable amount of sense. It's 50% better than 2-bike carriers! I just would love to see Lex do everything possible to promote the use of bikes and know that the folks in this forum are super dedicated to that, too.
When Lucy and I have done the bus-to-bike Horse Park ride, I've just had the best feeling about my "transportation choices." And the only hmmph came when we both thought: "So-and-so would love to do this with us!" Because under the current 2-bike carrier system … can't happen. Three people can't do it. Unless you just have a friendly driver who says "Welllll… okay." And god bless that driver, btw!
But moreover — and here's The 3rd Bike Dilemma at its core again — if you and yr bikebuddy wanna do a bus-bike thing and there's somebody already on board with a bike? Well, it could be that you gotta make another plan, Stan.
So this discussion is borne out of personal interest/speculation. Seems like it's on their radar now, thanks to Kenzie.
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mick jeffries
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