City aims to make bike travel easier, safer

Recommendations include bicycle policy coordinator, infrastructure improvements

By KEVIN ROBILLARD Staff Writer

Published 07/23/08

The philosophy behind an effort to make Annapolis more bicycle-friendly is best summed up by a favorite saying of Jim Urban, a city resident and planner.

"Annapolis has one of the best bicycle transportation systems in the world," Mr. Urban says. "There are just too many cars on it."

Mr. Urban is serving on a committee studying how to make Annapolis more bicycle-friendly. As residents switch from four wheels to two in reaction to traffic congestion and high gas prices, the use of bicycles is more important than ever, committee members said.

The committee is expected to recommend hiring or designating...

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"Sharing the road" - July 24, 2008

if a car decided at the intersection to arbitrarily drive up on the sidewalk and go across the intersection posing as a pedestrian? The driver would be locked up. similarly if a car driver fails to put on turn signals , or runs a red light he risks a ticket. The incidence of joggers and bike riders (at any given moment) deciding to arbitrarily change 'roles' and enter the transportation right-of-way without abiding by the traffic codes is the rule, not the exception around here. I actually had a bike rider give me the 'finger' on Duke of Glochester. He was pedaling up the street the wrong way in the traffic lane and was clearly 'irritated' that he had to swerve around me. Same with Joggers running two abreast -DOWN- Main Street in the traffic lanes. I get in my car because I have to go somewhere not for amusement or exercise ... I have a Bowflex and a stationary bike for those purposes. Until the cyclists and joggers turn on the miscreants in their own communities and ridicule the behavior I've described above? The "enthusiasm" of the commuting public will be (shall we say) less than interested in or supportive of sharing the road with cycles or joggers in the traffic lanes.

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John C. Campbell III - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Bad

Cycling VS city bus - July 23, 2008

As I bicycled yesterday on West st. down town, a city bus tailgated me. The bus kept a close distance of about 12 feet or less at a speed of 20 to 26 miles per hour. I think he was telling me in his aggressive manner to get on the sidewalk. I was on the right lane at the speed of the traffic flow. At such speed it is not safe for a bike to be too far to the right- a door of car door could suddenly open and there is little clearance for emergency maneuvers. If I needed to make a sudden stop, the driver could have hit me- or the passengers on the bus could have be injured from a sudden stop. The city should manage their drivers and teach them to show curtsey to pedestrians and cyclists.

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D. Fotos - annapolis, MD - Karma: Bad