http://m.fastcoexist.com/3021509/lego-l ... Company%29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
LEGO-LIKE BIKE LANES THAT SNAP INTO PLACE COULD CREATE INSTANT BIKING CITIES
THE COPENHAGENIZE FLOW IS JUST A A SET OF PLASTIC AND WOOD TILES, BUT IT COULD CHANGE THE WAY CITIES THINK ABOUT BIKE LANES.
BY ADELE PETERS
Ask any biking advocate what it takes to get a new bike lane in place, and you’ll hear stories about painful bureaucracy and skeptical neighbors. But what if a city could try out a pop-up lane that snaps together like a set of Lego--without any permanent commitment?
The Copenhagenize Flow, a set of tiles made from recycled plastic and wood, are designed to let a city easily and cheaply create separated bike lanes, says Mikael Colville-Anderson, an urban mobility expert and CEO of Copenhagenize Design Co., a consultancy and design company that specializes in exporting Copenhagen's expertise in urban biking to the rest of the world.
“Most of the cities we work with are aware that permanent solutions are necessary to increase ridership, but are reluctant to invest,” says Colville-Anderson. “Painted lanes are no solid solution for inspiring citizen cyclists to ride. Especially those goofy lanes on the left side of parked cars--I hope someone got fired for inventing those. And sharrows [those arrows that indicate there is a bike lane somewhere in the middle of the car lane] are the unloved, bastard children of bicycle urbanism. The Flow is the gateway drug we have been waiting for.”
One kilometer of The Flow is a tenth of the cost of a permanent, separated cycle track, Colville-Andersen says. After it's tested on one street, it can pop apart and be tested on another, and then another.
The Flow is intended to help convince neighbors along with city officials: "It's hard to imagine a cycle track for many citizens in cities who have never seen them before. The Flow helps visualize the future of transport."
The shift to better urban biking can happen relatively quickly. On the latest Copenhagenize Index, the organization's list of the most bike-friendly cities in the world, several newly bikeable cities suddenly appeared. “There are the usual suspects, sure, but look at cities like Bordeaux, Barcelona, Paris, Dublin, Seville. Zeroes to heroes in just five short years. Seville has gone from 0.2% modal share to 7% in that time, for example. Common denominator for all these cities? Bicycle infrastructure. Other cities need a bit more convincing.”
Perhaps the Flow can help.
its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but...
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its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but...
Postby The 2nd Womble » Sun Nov 17, 2013 12:52 pm
The only good Cyclist is a Bicyclist
Huge fan of booted RGers who just can't help themselves
Huge fan of booted RGers who just can't help themselves
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Re: its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but.
Postby g-boaf » Sun Nov 17, 2013 1:46 pm
What happens when the try out lane gets wet and becomes as slippery as ice and someone gets hurt?
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Re: its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but.
Postby The 2nd Womble » Sun Nov 17, 2013 2:25 pm
You burst into flames and explode, and a box full of kittens dies
The only good Cyclist is a Bicyclist
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Huge fan of booted RGers who just can't help themselves
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Re: its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but.
Postby The 2nd Womble » Sun Nov 17, 2013 2:27 pm
It would be a perfect solution to recycling rubber.
The only good Cyclist is a Bicyclist
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Huge fan of booted RGers who just can't help themselves
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Re: its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but.
Postby il padrone » Sun Nov 17, 2013 6:48 pm
Yeah, like the roads get wet and are never slippery.g-boaf wrote:What happens when the try out lane gets wet and becomes as slippery as ice and someone gets hurt?
Seems amazing but maybe the design brief included this . Don't know anything about the product - I'd suggest that the fact they come from Copenhagen (land of winter snow and ice) means they may have tested them out Maybe that surface is texturised to prevent slip.
Ah, yes.
http://www.copenhagenize.eu/flow/product_specs.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Flow modules are made of a blend of 100% recycled plastic and 100% recycled wood in Italy. They are PVC-free.
- The surface is anti-slip and provides excellent traction both dry and wet.
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but.
Postby Ken Ho » Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:08 pm
There is a similar finish on sections of the river path here in amcakynthat are prone to tidal inundation. I was suspicious of grip when wet and tested it out. They are a rubberized finish and have superior wet grip to bitumen, concrete etc. Not shiny plastic.g-boaf wrote:What happens when the try out lane gets wet and becomes as slippery as ice and someone gets hurt?
Amazingly, sometime designers and councils are not complete twatwaffles.
You have officially become your parents.
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Re: its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but.
Postby il padrone » Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:16 pm
Mandatory helmet law?
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
"An unjustified and unethical imposition on a healthy activity."
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Re: its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but.
Postby RonK » Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:23 pm
And then - the sky falls down.The 2nd Womble wrote:You burst into flames and explode, and a box full of kittens dies
Cycle touring blog and tour journals: whispering wheels...
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Re: its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but.
Postby g-boaf » Sun Nov 17, 2013 8:19 pm
We don't need it anyway . Because we are Australia, and we don't like those things. We like our cars. And wouldn't this provoke calls for bike-riders to be banned from the road? (as I've seen written here before by others).The 2nd Womble wrote:You burst into flames and explode, and a box full of kittens dies
Personally, it doesn't bother me anyhow because I know just as well as you do there is about 0.1% chance of this appearing even as a 500m trial period in the most cyclist friendly parts of the country. And even that would cause a furore.
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Re: its not the Millennium Falcon or a cool speed boat, but.
Postby Aushiker » Thu Nov 21, 2013 4:10 pm
Thanks for the heads-up. This is something I will be definitely bringing up with the local council at our next Bug meeting.
Andrew
Andrew
Andrew
Aushiker.com
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