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Disability Perspective: Concerns About Bikes on Transit
MUNI says we are one of the only major transit systems to NOT allow bikes inside streetcars. They conveniently forget to tell people how badly these programs were planned, i.e. WITHOUT consulting with their transit system's respective counterparts to MAAC, in Chicago and in St. Louis, cities I have visited several times in the past year.
MUNI wants to allow 25 selected people to take their bikes inside the "K" streetcar on surface stops BUT NOT have the bikes hooked, strapped, or tied anywhere inside the MUNI streetcar, relying on the muscle power and quick reflexes of the bike tester to keep the bike from bumping into other passengers if there's a sudden stop. Light-rail systems in Sacramento and Santa Clara County as well as CalTrain and AmTrak all provide hooks, clamps, or bungee cords to stabilize the bikes when in motion--but not MUNI.
MUNI also ignores that these selected testers would be positively inclined to be polite and do absolutely everything right--hardly a fair and unbiased test. These testers likely would bend over backwards to make everything go right.
It is supposed to last for 30 to 45 days, starting some time in May or June.
I urge you to try to make all aware of this experiment so they can offer comment, either in person or on the bridge telephone line that the Mayor's Office on Disability has available for their meetings. Go the city website section for the Mayor's Office on Disability or contact MOD staffer Ken Stein at 554-6789 for specifics as to the phone # for this call-in option for public comment.
The Mayor's Disability Council will have as agenda item 11 at its 19 May meeting a presentation about a plan to test allowing BICYCLES inside MUNI's streetcars. Best time estimate when this will be heard is some time after 1:30 pm in Room 400 at CIty Hall. The MUNI Access Advisory Committee [ whose constituency is seniors and people with disabilities ] , overwhelmingly opposed this experiment at its regular April meeting.
http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=3293#more
MUNI also ignores that these selected testers would be positively inclined to be polite and do absolutely everything right--hardly a fair and unbiased test. These testers likely would bend over backwards to make everything go right.
It is supposed to last for 30 to 45 days, starting some time in May or June.
I urge you to try to make all aware of this experiment so they can offer comment, either in person or on the bridge telephone line that the Mayor's Office on Disability has available for their meetings. Go the city website section for the Mayor's Office on Disability or contact MOD staffer Ken Stein at 554-6789 for specifics as to the phone # for this call-in option for public comment.
The Mayor's Disability Council will have as agenda item 11 at its 19 May meeting a presentation about a plan to test allowing BICYCLES inside MUNI's streetcars. Best time estimate when this will be heard is some time after 1:30 pm in Room 400 at CIty Hall. The MUNI Access Advisory Committee [ whose constituency is seniors and people with disabilities ] , overwhelmingly opposed this experiment at its regular April meeting.
http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=3293#more
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It would be easier if people could bring their bicycles on Amtrak for longer distance travel. Only Capitol Corridor trains (Auburn-Sac-San Jose) have bicycle racks. All other Amtrak trains lack bicycle racks and require rental of bicycle boxes. Currently bicycles in boxes are only allowed on or off Amtrak trains at staffed stations. Since many stations aren't staffed, that leaves them out as possible stops. Even if stations are staffed, the rider needs to put the bicycle in a bike box, taking it completely apart. This is cumbersome to say the least..
Sine many people aren't able to drive, having bicycle compatible public transit is needed. It seems that the current government administration is adverse to making long distance travel by Amtrak convienient for anyone, especially bicyclists. How difficult or expensive would it be to design a rail car for bicyclists, with bike racks and less seats, or subway style seats on the outer wall (to fit more riders in car)? This goes for local trolley/streetcars also, maybe the last car in each train can be for bicyclists and their bike trailers, thus saving people from heat stroke and dehydration if they're underway during the midday sun. Same goes for hypothermia in the winter.
If we as a nation can be deceived into spending billions of dollars to invade another country (Iraq) and control their oil supply, scared into building a militarized border wall for hundereds of miles across the desert, then surely we can afford to turn the logic part of our brains back on to design and build transit friendly rail cars..
It is reasonable to guess that the amount of people who use bicycles for transportation will increase as petroleum supplies become more difficult to extract and refine. The communities that are prepared for this by providing bicycle friendly transit will make a smoother transition in the post-petroleum future..
bike with trains website;
http://www.bikeaccess.net/BikeAccess/Select_db.cfm?Query=Train
Sine many people aren't able to drive, having bicycle compatible public transit is needed. It seems that the current government administration is adverse to making long distance travel by Amtrak convienient for anyone, especially bicyclists. How difficult or expensive would it be to design a rail car for bicyclists, with bike racks and less seats, or subway style seats on the outer wall (to fit more riders in car)? This goes for local trolley/streetcars also, maybe the last car in each train can be for bicyclists and their bike trailers, thus saving people from heat stroke and dehydration if they're underway during the midday sun. Same goes for hypothermia in the winter.
If we as a nation can be deceived into spending billions of dollars to invade another country (Iraq) and control their oil supply, scared into building a militarized border wall for hundereds of miles across the desert, then surely we can afford to turn the logic part of our brains back on to design and build transit friendly rail cars..
It is reasonable to guess that the amount of people who use bicycles for transportation will increase as petroleum supplies become more difficult to extract and refine. The communities that are prepared for this by providing bicycle friendly transit will make a smoother transition in the post-petroleum future..
bike with trains website;
http://www.bikeaccess.net/BikeAccess/Select_db.cfm?Query=Train
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