Safety in Numbers: Why a Bike Lane in Kitsilano? [infographic]

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Brent Granby passed along an excellent infographic on the Kitsilano Bike Lane produced by Holly Foxcroft and Jen Cook.

Check it out the complete infographic after the jump.

Infographic explaining the need for bike & pedestrian improvements along Cornwall and Point Grey Road

Infographic explaining the need for bike & pedestrian improvements along Cornwall and Point Grey Road

Last modified: July 19, 2013

6 Responses to " Safety in Numbers: Why a Bike Lane in Kitsilano? [infographic] "

  1. Jen says:

    Great post — and I support more bike lanes — but I just wanted to know why you specifically pointed out the increase in women and girls cycling, and not the figures for men and boys too? Are you trying to imply that we’re worse cyclists and so the bike lanes are needed to accommodate us?

  2. Holly Foxcroft says:

    Hi Jen,

    We pointed out the increase in women and girls in Vancouver because numerous studies have found that they are more cognizant to safety. Improving cycling infrastructure by making it safer, i.e. moving from a shared roadway to a separated cycling lane, results in an increase in women and girls cycling.

    John Pucher, a well known cycling researcher and professor provides this insight:

    “Perhaps the most important finding of their analysis is that women are an ‘indicator species’ when it comes to cycling.”

    In cities where a high percentage of bike trips are by women, overall rates of cycling are high, and cycling conditions are safe, convenient, and comfortable. Where few women cycle, overall rates of cycling are low, and cycling conditions are unsafe, inconvenient, uncomfortable, and sometimes outright impossible. Thus, the authors suggest that the percentage of women cyclists is a key indicator of the success of cycling.

    “In short, the best way to raise overall cycling levels is to get more women cycling. And that is the heart of this chapter,” says Pucher.

    http://www.ecf.com/news/cyclingandwomen/

  3. Jesse L Hausner says:

    Thanks for the infographic. I would like to know where the statistics are that you created the infographic on. Could you post a link to those statistics just for verification purposes? I always find infographics to be far more powerful if they provide a link to the statistics they use for others to verify and validate.

  4. Anthony says:

    New #map shows 50+ #cycling accidents on Cornwall Ave – RT to show support for new #Bike route! #VanPoli @WeAreHub pic.twitter.com/5LY7LQTsyR— Anthony Smith (@AnthonyNSmith) July 19, 2013

  5. Daniela says:

    First and foremost, I doubt that any of the information derived was from ANY cyclist. They most likely sat there and counted numbers on the bridge and came up with STATS. I’m a woman rider, (since age 6 riding to school). I hate the gender bullshit. Get over it.
    Taking a cycling- how to ride in traffic course and just learn to ride with men/women/children, cars, etc…

    You can promote this all you want, the fact is you are now encouraging cyclists (skilled or not) to get out and ride, and that causes all kinds of problems. We do not know anyone’s skill level, or that they might/not know traffic laws and regulations. Instead you are then forced to ride with beginners, intermediate, and advanced riders (often going super fast)with the expectation that “everyone is the same skill level”. At least with vechiles you can see the “N” on the back of the car stating new driver. I find this whole cycle lane bullshit- stupid, as I’ve been riding in traffic so long that I DON’T CARE about the lanes. I just find safe quiet roads to ride on to get to my destination, and AVOID being with other cyclists, as I feel they from a SAFETY prospective are far more dangerous than cars (pedestrians are another story…!)

    I think that Vancouver is the dumbest city in regards to bike lane design- this conversation wouldn’t occur in Europe – rather it happens here because NO one ASKED cyclists. the City of Vancouver just made it’s own opinion and forced everyone to be part of a “one size fits all program”. Why don’t we educate drivers and cyclists instead of spending all the millions of dollars on “lanes” that really never will be busy enough to call them a ‘highway of cyclists’. Before you encourage riders to get out, educate them, teach them safety, and give the the gift of feeling safe, by their own doing, not by City of Vancouver dumb “cyclist” committee.

    I don’t want a bike laneway down Point Grey, its a ridiculous expenditure of money that could be spent in oodles of other ways.

    I’m sure the City already approved it, and NO one asked the cyclist.
    Disgusting!

  6. brett says:

    Cute infographic but rather goofy. 93% increase in trips by women and girls. Seriously? This really doesn’t need to be about gender. I hope your next bit of information isn’t breaking it down by race, ethnicity, or cohabitation status.

    More interesting than the 30 collision at Cornwall and Burrard stat would be that 28 of them were the fault of the cyclist (my guess). It’s the number one intersection for cyclists to first exit the bike lane coming off the bridge, ride along the road west and then veer into the pedestrian crosswalk south so they don’t have to wait for a green light.

    Fine, give them their little bike lanes….but then keep them off other roads altogether. The easiest way to eliminate bike collisions on Cornwall is to ban bikes from that street. Bikes can use York one block south instead. And the hill on York that they’ll whine about??? It’ll build their glutes!