Monday, April 11, 2011

RE: Market Street's New Bike Boxes: Use them!!

Dear Market Street Commuters:

I, like you, ride Market Street daily to get to work. This has been rather well documented on the blog.

Being that we ride on Market quite a bit, you've probably noticed that there are new bike boxes around the intersections of Van Ness and 9th streets. (btw: THANKS SFMTA!!)

Some of these bike boxes are more useful than others, but one in particular is amazing and very very much needed: the box at the intersection of Van Ness going eastbound. I've talked about the perils of crossing that intersection before. What I have noticed lately is that NO ONE (except yours truly) that I've seen communting around me is actually using the box. There is a bike box on the wiggle at Scott and Oak that people use, so what is it about the new Market Street bike boxes that have people staying out of the box? It's arguably more necessary to use the eastbound Van Ness bike box than any other one on Market Street.

Just in case you don't know what to do with the awesomeness which is our little bikey bright green space on Market Street and Van Ness, here's two StreetFilms videos describing how to use a bike box.





In the immortal words of biggie smalls, "if you don't know, now ya know."

So fellow Market Street bike commuters: use the box! It's ours to use!!

Much Love,
CTX

3 comments:

  1. They would be better if you didn't have to get out of the lane to get back in the lane, but other than that, they can make a huge difference at intersections where turning cars can prevent you from getting through. I like 'em!

    However, I am not sure a bike box has ever made me feel "super!!" : )

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  2. @ade: that's how i feel about the one on van ness going westbound. i mean i guess it prevents cars from turning right into you, but i dunno. the eastbound one just makes so much more sense because on the other side of van ness on market is where the bike lane is in the middle of the street. no crossing traffic necessary w/ that bike bike box

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