Jonathan sent in this pic of the newly painted sharrows along South McDonough Street.
Meanwhile, I noticed this morning that the ones along Ponce in downtown Decatur could use a fresh coat themselves.
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so what is up with those? Why are they everywhere now? have been riding my bike down the street for years without them?
They don’t afford any rights that didn’t exist before. They’re more about education and expectation-setting. By putting them down, a community can more formally and proactively express its commitment to shared streets, remind drivers that they’re not the only ones on the road, and remind cyclists that where they position themselves differs based on context.
Unfortunately, I think the vast majority of the public has no idea what these mean. And if they do know, they still go absolutely crazy if a cyclist is in their lane.
What is different now? I know sharrows were explained when they showed up on West Ponce but I’m not understanding the application here. Exactly what are the sharrows in this case? What has changed for cyclists? For drivers?
And while we’re at it, what part of this pictograph is a sharrow? The >> part?
And why is there a stroller in the sharrows?
Full of questions today
That’s not a stroller- it’s a portable power paint sprayer cart driven by one of the 2-man crew that did the painting.
Aha! Makes more sense! I’m all for strollers and will never forget those stroller-pushing/obstacle avoiding years but even I think the sidewalk, not the sharrows is the right place for them!
From wikipedia:
A shared-lane marking or sharrow[1] is a street marking installed at locations in Australia, Canada, and the United States. This marking is placed in the center of a travel lane to indicate that a bicyclist may use the full lane.
According to the US Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, shared-lane markings are used to:
Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking in order to reduce the chance of a bicyclist’s impacting the open door of a parked vehicle;
Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in lanes that are too narrow for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to travel side by side within the same traffic lane;
Alert motorists of the lateral location bicyclists are likely to occupy within the traveled way;
Encourage safe passing of bicyclists by motorists; and
Reduce the incidence of wrong-way bicycling.[2]
The name sharrow was coined by Oliver Gajda, of the City and County of San Francisco Bicycle Program, and is a portmanteau of share and arrow.[3]
“portmanteau”
I like that word. I should use it more frequently. I will use it when poking my frenemy with a spork while wearing jorts.
Portmanteau is French for a two-compartment piece of luggage, hence the English adoption to describe terms that pack two words into one.
Fascimazing
You’re a regular Lewis Carroll.
great place to hang a coat too.
Wow, it’s just after noon on Monday and I’ve learned more than I usually do all week.
Me too…who knew that bikes were allowed on my car roads.
Oh how curmudgeonly and clever you are, Keith. You’ll put those liberals in their place if it’s the last thing you do.
I LOVE how Keith F drives you crazy. Your obsession with him is one of the reasons I read DM. Comedy gold.
Same.
It’s so tough to be in the majority, isn’t it WB?
Nope. Good one, though.