Sharrows Story Has Legs
Decatur Metro | August 31, 2011 | 4:56 pmWho knew that a “paint on a road” story could have a part II?
First, in case you missed it here, the city has posted a detailed explanation of their sharrow plan-o. Here’s a blurb…
Ponce de Leon and Sycamore Drive were chosen for sharrows because they are streets that provide important connections through town and have a wide variety of users on the street. Ultimately, the city will continue to place sharrows on all the streets in the Decatur Bicycle Network that call for an “on-street facility” and do not meet the requirements for bike lanes.
And then this report from Sharon this afternoon…
I was just interviewed (on my bike) by one of the local news channels about the sharrows on Ponce. (Maybe CBS, but I’m not sure. And of course I didn’t think to ask when they’d be airing the clip.) Hopefully they interviewed people who are better at thinking on their feet than I am, as I didn’t have much to say… but I did give props to DecaturMetro when they were surprised I had heard of a sharrow.
UPDATE: Here’s the link to the video.
There was a piece on Channel 2 4 o’clock segment, but I don’t see a link on their website.
Continue to place sharrows? Have we arrived at the critical flaw in the Decatur Bicycle Network [Concept]?
I think it’s a mistake to focus on major thoroughfares.
How can painting the road be considered critical? If a flaw at all, that could rather easily be covered up.
The critical flaw could be aiming for the difficult bike lanes but getting bike sharrows.
This paint won’t be significant; that’s the problem.
see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_back_tattoo
I fell for the link for the lower back tattoo. I am not sure what this has to do with the discussion at hand, but this Wikipedia entry demonstrates the weakness of the wiki open format for an encyclopedia.
As an anesthesiologist, I can attest that many of these lower back tattoos look like hell after 2 or 3 babies.
TMI.
+1
I thought “tramp stamps” were out of fashion now…
Video now on Channel 2’s website.
Linkage? I can’t find it.
http://www.wsbtv.com/video/29042480/
Thanks man! It’s funny how the title of the segment is “confusing signs” yet not one person in the segment said they were confusing.
My biggest concer w/ the sharrows is that they aren’t a true bike lane. In a lot of areas, they don’t provide the requisite space for a car to safely pass. And while I know a recent GA law has said that bikes should be afforded the same “space” on the road as an automobile, it’s not always “practical” for either the car or the bike.
I agree w/ the point that the sharrows should have been placed on the Decatur Safe Bike Routes FIRST and then work their way to the more busy thoroughfares. I feel it invites individuals, more specifically kids, to main streets under the guise that they are “safe” when in fact that might not be the case.
As a long time watcher of WSB, they seem to coincidentally run a lot of stories that appear a day or so after they appear here. Lots of locals run the same stories, but the reason I notice, is because it’s always kind of random stories that probably not many are plugged into yet. (Like the weird bugs on screens a while back) Most tv news outlets don’t want reporters running, another reporter’s newspaper piece they read in yesterdays paper. I don’t know if it’s really the same thing, but in a round about way it is really. The reporter may have put a different spin on it, but essentially it’s still using someone else’s ideas and resources, and passing it off as your own without credit. Just because it’s not a newspaper that is being borrowed from, but a website, doesn’t mean you get to just borrow away, the rules are still the same. It’s possible COD reached out to them, or this is just a coincidence, but there seem to be lots of them on that channel. Not implicating the reporters there, could be an over-eager intern or producer who don’t understand the rules, much like over at the AJC. Who knows…
If Sharon is reading this, you did a fine job.
If you’ve been around DM long enough, you know this really used to bother me. I would say that if you’re going to play with the blogs, you should follow their rules (ie give a flippin’ hat tip). But as blogs disappear and more corporate entities take over that space, we seem to be reverting back to the old rules. And because this is just a blog, folks figure they can pilfer – especially across mediums. Even some blogs now take stories and don’t attribute. But I’ve since realized it’s a losing battle, and I’m better off focusing my outrage at J_T at the most random moments in time (I kid!).
The only reporter who’s good at this sorta thing is Doug Richards at 11Alive, who’s a born-again blogger himself. He doesn’t always say, “We first read about this at DM…” in his segments, but he calls me, thanks me and continually offers his help if I should ever need it. That’s really all I need not to feel taken advantage of.
I’ve been reduced to the level of plagiarizing journalists? Sweet! Focus away, I can take it!
LOL! No, as I see it, I traded up!
Most reporters are now being scooped by bloggers, who don’t have nearly as many editors to run stories by before publishing. Because bloggers can post things that are inaccurate without the same consequences as an established news organization, they often beat newspapers to the punch. And I, for one, am happy to see Decatur Metro scoop the newspapers – I often come to DM before I go to the AJC.
However, blog reports are usually a mix of news, commentary and rumors. They are often biased. Newspapers don’t have the luxury to post whatever they feel like in whatever voice they feel like (at least the good ones). That said, I think it is completely unreasonable to be upset at WSB or any other news organization for failing to credit DM or any other blog for a similar story. Reporting on the sharrows, for example, is not stealing a story at all. It’s taking a topic that is clearly of interest to the community and reporting on it.
Take pride in the fact that you contributed to a larger story, but don’t get miffed if you’re not credited.
Your true credibility lies in the number of people who come to this site first, which is most of us.
Yep, I agree. That’s why I don’t lose any sleep over it anymore. But regardless, trust me when I say, it’s easier said than done.
And I don’t think that being “faster” is the only reason DM scoops other orgs. I think it’s also because we have better sources here and pick up stories that would otherwise never see the light of day among the established news orgs. But that doesn’t mean anything to your larger point, which I agree with.
All fair points…
But is sitting behind a computer all day reading other people’s pieces and websites, and then summarizing it, really journalism? That’s probably the standard for tabloid news, but that doesn’t make it right. “Hey, look at this great story I made, after copying the story someone else made!”
If a story comes from a press release that the city sends out, that’s one thing. But actively searching for ideas from other journalists’ pieces and blogs, just seems like stealing to me.
Agree, Rebecca, but a blogger is not a journalist.
And that distinction means what?
All I meant was that a reporter who reports on a news item she reads on a blog isn’t stealing a story from a fellow journalist. She’s using her research to fill out a story.
I see how you could take offense. Believe me, none intended.
I’ve started this new fitness kick and I’m thinking about getting a bicycle for Christmas. I’m so glad to know that my daughter and I will be able to Take the Lane as we bike eastward, uphill, on Ponce de Leon. Sure we may be a little slow pedaling uphill as we bike the 1/2 mile stretch from the post office to the Decatur square, but I’m sure the cars will understand. I had no idea this was legal! My daughter will likely learn new vocabulary words as well.( sign and otherwise) The city has already narrowed portions of Ponce de Leon and added cross walk bulbs, so it’ll be even more fun, kind of an obstacle course involving bikes, cars,curbs and children.
Serious note: “Experienced cyclists will continue to use the entire street network while the bicycle network will provide comfortable accommodations for younger or less-experienced adult cyclists.” Decatur Community Transportation Plan
The city has painted sharrows on Ponce de Leon when there is a parallel much safer and wider route on West Trinity Place with multiple links to Ponce via Commerce and several other smaller streets. West Trinity is already a designated bike route and is a much safer link for “younger and less experienced adult cyclist” and should be encouraged. If downtown Decatur eventually becomes a pedestrian mall Trinity will certainly be the main car and bike connector thru Decatur. ( I trust bicycles won’t be allowed in pedestrian mall area) The city should not reduce Trinity’s physical travel capacity until that decision is made. In the meantime, maybe we need to pause before we tattoo much more of our fair city. Cyclist certainly have the right to the entire street network which I think experienced riders already utilize, but I don’t think encouraging the use of Ponce is a good idea when there are safer alternatives for everyone. We all have to share the roads while exercising common sense, safety and courtesy.
I never see any bike riders in these new lanes, but the cyclists continue to believe they own
E. College Ave and refuse to “Share the Road”.
Soon we may be able to take our own bike sharrows with us where ever we bike.
http://www.gizmag.com/blaze-bicycle-laser-safety-device/18886/