American Planning Association National Conference

I will be giving a poster presentation on Exclusive Motorcycle Lanes at the APA National Conference this spring in Minneapolis. This will be a great opportunity to engage planning professionals in the merits of establishing motorcycle infrastructure in the US. I will be sure to report back to this blog on the feedback I receive from the conference.

Safe Routes Scooter Rally, Melbourne, Australia

In Melbourne the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) has been holding a Safe Routes Scooter Rally for a few years now to shine a spotlight on scooters as a valid mode of transport and to demand that government make allowances for scooters in their transport policy. Here are a few of their positions that, by the way, are all relevant in the US:

“VACC is calling for the implementation of designated and signed ‘Safe Routes’, access by scooter riders to certain designated bicycle lanes, filtering in stationery or slow moving traffic and allowing boxed turns at certain busy intersections,”

“With high petrol prices, many people are tightening their financial belts. Some see scooters as a viable means of transport because they are cheap to buy and run, easy to park and are environmentally friendly."

“Sales are soaring and yet, the Government and transport policy makers seem oblivious to their existence and growing relevance."

"There is no sign of the boom in scooter and motorcycle sales abating. Road sharing must be made safer for scooter and motorcycle riders. Neither regulation, nor training, nor traffic management and infrastructure has kept pace with the boom in sales of two-wheeled transport. Clearly cars and poor road sharing practice pose the greatest risk to scooter riders."

“Riders are doing their bit for the economy and environment by taking to scooters. Now the Government has to do its bit and provide protection for these responsible, but vulnerable, members of society."

"Scooter sales are booming. Some brands are up nearly 60 percent on last year. They are a cheap alternative to cars, they benefit the environment because they leave a tiny carbon footprint, they reduce congestion on roads and they reduce pressure on city parking spaces. It is time for the Government to take them seriously and to accommodate scooters in our road planning and traffic management systems."

"Encouraging more people to get on their bike, whether pedal or powered"

In my opinion, this is a very insightful position by London Mayor Boris Johnson.

“One of the ways we can ease congestion is by encouraging more people to get on their bike, whether pedal or powered, and I believe they should be able to share our bus lanes successfully and safely. At the end of the trial period I will listen carefully to the views of all our road users and then make a decision about whether this should be a permanent arrangement.”

Source: Date set for London bus lane access

Motorbikes Rule Jungle Town

Very interesting article from Brazil. What if these were all fuel efficient motorcycles or scooters, maybe even electric motorbikes - please remind me why we all need to drive cars in the US?

This article also makes a good argument for using motorcycles as a form of economic development as they are considerably more affordable than automobiles. "The ease of acquiring a motorbike has helped fuel the growth of the city, which has doubled in population in the past 20 years, surging past neighboring Leticia, which has about 35,000 residents and about 10,000 motorbikes. "

That Roar in the Jungle Is 15,000 Motorbikes
By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO
TABATINGA, Brazil — This sweltering Amazon outpost is a border town on the move — on two motorized wheels, that is.
During the afternoon rush hour, Tabatinga’s main avenue is a sea of scooters and motorcycles. Whole families pile onto a single scooter, even families of five: husband, wife and three children. Mothers breastfeed infants while fathers navigate a road nearly uncluttered by traffic signals.
With more than 15,000 motorbikes and only 47,000 people, Tabatinga resembles a small version of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, another chaotic place where cars take a distant back seat as the preferred mode of transportation.

For rest of article see link: nytimes

Why motorbikes and vehicles have nothing in common

This article (Why motorbikes and vehicles have nothing in common) makes some great points. Especially the argument that motorcycles are not cheaper than cars when you factor in the cost of the funeral and cremation. The article also makes the obvious statement that both cars and motorcycles are viable forms of transport. However, that motorcycles are only treated as a hobby form of transport - at least in Britain and other Western, developed countries.

Why are motorcycles only a "hobby form of transport"? My answer is because they do not have safe infrastructure to travel on.

Scooter sales soar as gas prices rise

Scooter sales are going through the roof throughout the country. Here are a few links:

• Scooter sales soar in Seattle



• Sale of Vespa Scooters rise



• Scooter sales rise with gas prices

Complete Streets Introduced in the House

Here is some encouraging news, seems like there would be many opportunities for EMLs under this legislation.

Cyclists pedal scared on Triangle roads

The Raleigh News and Observer ran an article today titled Cyclists pedal scared on Triangle roads. I also heard a story this morning on a local radio show where the DJs were discussing how they would love to ride their bikes to work but that they would not take the chance because the roads are so dangerous. A few people also called in and said they only ride their bikes on the greenway systems, but would also love to ride to work, for the exercise, to save on gas and other expenses of operating an automobile.

Can someone out there tell me why it is that two wheeled vehicles do not have their own infrastructure? It is almost as if no one in the US has even considered this very simple idea.

As gas prices rise, so do 2-wheeler deaths.

As gas prices continue to rise, more and more people across the country are turning to motorcycles, scooters, and bikes as a form of transportation. Unfortunately, this trend has also led to a dramatic increase in 2-wheeler deaths. In my home state of North Carolina, motorcycle fatalities have tripled in a decade - it seems like every time I open up a newspaper there is a new story of someone being killed on a motorcycle or bike.

If motorcycles, scooters, and bikes had their own, exclusive lanes, most if not all of these deaths could have been avoided. In my opinion, the best way to curb this disturbing trend is by bulding a network of EMLs. No matter how careful of a rider you are, you can not prevent what would only be a minor fender bender accident between two vehicles from turning into a fatality if one of those vehicles is a motorcycle, scooter, or bike.

USE OF MOTORCYCLE LANES IN MALAYSIA

A preliminary analysis of EMLs along the federal highway F02, Shah Alam, Malaysia from the Overseas Centre Transport Research Laboratory Crowthorne Berkshire United Kingdom shows that EMLs dramatically improve motorcycle safety.

It is my premise that if EML commuter routes were provided in the US, the number of motorcycle, scooter, and commuting bicyclists would significantly increase due to the increased safety of these modes. Vespanomics has also commissioned similar studies that show the positive impact that a mode shift to scooters would have on the environment and congestion.

With $4/gallon gas on the horizon, shouldn't we be considering EMLs?

Estrada proposes exclusive lanes for motorcycles

A bill has been filed in the Senate that seeks to establish motorcyle lanes along busy roads and streets across the country to minimize motorcycle accidents. Authored by Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, Senate Bill No. 2076, known as "Motorcycle Lane Act of 2008," requires the construction of one-half-meter lanes on both sides of the road for exclusive use of motorcyles.
Under the bill, the Department of Public Works and Highways, in coordination with local government units, is tasked to construct the motorcycle lanes.

If passed into a law, motorcycle drivers who do not use the lanes will be penalized by a maximum of six years imprisonment or fined of not less than P5,000 but not more than P20,000, or both at the discretion of the court. The DPWH and any local government unit which violate any provision of this Act shall be fined of not less than P10,000 but not more than P20,000 at the discretion of the court. The penalty does not prohibit any motorcycle driver who met an accident due to the absence of the lane from filing damage claims against the DPWH and the local government units that violated this Act.

The bill seeks an appropriation of P10 million to construct the lanes. In his explanatory note, Estrada said accidents involving motorcycles continue to increase. Citing data from the Metro Manila Development Authority, Estrada said there were 116 deaths and injuries in motorcylce accidents in Metro Manila in 2006 alone. He said this represents a 26.6 percent increase over 2005 figure. Estrada said Congress had passed a law requiring motorcycle drivers tp wear helmets but it was not enough to minimize deaths and injuries to motorcycle riders.

Source: http://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2008/0310_estradaj1.asp