Tram superstops

User avatar
Bentnose
Posts: 1327
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 9:00 am
Location: N/E suburbs Melbourne, Victoria

Tram superstops

Postby Bentnose » Mon Dec 19, 2011 6:21 am

The Age have an article http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/cycli ... p0tf.html] . Is the road network going backwards or something? I doubt whether this will improve tram travel travel times, I thought we were meant to be embracing sustainable travel for the enviroment or something, I love how the Darebin director of city works says that cyclists have to give way to pedestrians on the ramp, as it is a shared ramp. It would pretty much never be safe to ride over the ramp and at peak hour it could jammed full of pedestrians, remind me to avoid that road in the future. I'm guessing thats what they want anyway, why not ban all vehicles except trams, that would speed up tram travel times or better yet build more train lines and provide people a real alternative, trams are useless. It takes 3 times longer to get to the city by tram from my house than a train.
No signature

User avatar
jules21
Posts: 10555
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:14 pm
Location: deep in the pain cave

Re: Tram superstops

Postby jules21 » Tue Dec 20, 2011 4:29 pm

i just use the tramlines to negotiate these. i like these - the real purpose of them is to slow down traffic, which is a good thing, as:
a. speeding on congested metro roads doesn't get anyone anywhere faster, and
b. it's dangerous for vulnerable road users, i.e. cyclists.

the ones on whitehorse road have a shared path around the back of the stop - these are handy on the uphill side, on the downhill i just ride along the tracks.

the more of these traffic calming devices we have, the friendlier our roads will be for cyclists.

toholio
Posts: 95
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 12:22 pm

Re: Tram superstops

Postby toholio » Thu Jan 05, 2012 11:30 am

What jules21 said.

I don't think the design of the stops is perfect but I like what the stops will do for traffic overall. There are enough cyclists on High Street that it should still be navigable as pedestrians there are somewhat aware.

Sucks if you're a "go fast" kind of cyclist though.

dude18
Posts: 69
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:29 am

Re: Tram superstops

Postby dude18 » Thu Apr 19, 2012 1:10 pm

jules21 wrote:i just use the tramlines to negotiate these. i like these.
Except when your thin road bike tyre gets stuck in them and you faceplant...

User avatar
jules21
Posts: 10555
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:14 pm
Location: deep in the pain cave

Re: Tram superstops

Postby jules21 » Thu Apr 19, 2012 1:11 pm

dude18 wrote:
jules21 wrote:i just use the tramlines to negotiate these. i like these.
Except when your thin road bike tyre gets stuck in them and you faceplant...
learn how to negotiate tram tracks and that should never happen

User avatar
Mulger bill
Super Mod
Super Mod
Posts: 29060
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:41 pm
Location: Sunbury Vic

Re: Tram superstops

Postby Mulger bill » Thu Apr 19, 2012 2:23 pm

I used one of the new ones in the CBD a few days back, was really surprised noone walked out in front of me.
Interesting concept... Passenger area, lane, tram track. Wonder what old 'Arold thinks?
...whatever the road rules, self-preservation is the absolute priority for a cyclist when mixing it with motorised traffic.
London Boy 29/12/2011

User avatar
DavidS
Posts: 3632
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:24 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Tram superstops

Postby DavidS » Fri Apr 20, 2012 12:13 am

As far as I can tell, and detail was very thin in that article, these are tram stops. Not to be confused with safety zones. As such, all vehicles need to stop if the tram either has the doors open or someone is trying to get on or off. Bikes are vehicles.

So, what is the issue? You travel down a road which has a tram line then you have to stop at tram stops if passengers are getting on or off.

What I don't get is this idea that pedestrians and cyclists have to share part of the road. Just treat the superstops like any other tram stop and it should be fine, as long as people abide by the laws.

DS
Allegro T1, Auren Swift :)

dude18
Posts: 69
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:29 am

Re: Tram superstops

Postby dude18 » Fri Apr 20, 2012 12:28 am

Pedestrians stand on the bike 'lane' part of the raised platforms. People don't tend to stand on the road when the bike lane shares the road.

User avatar
DavidS
Posts: 3632
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:24 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Tram superstops

Postby DavidS » Sat Apr 21, 2012 11:48 pm

I'll have to see what it's like when I can get up Swanston St again. Sounds like there needs to be some education of peds and cyclists on what you are supposed to do around these new stops.

DS
Allegro T1, Auren Swift :)

User avatar
KenGS
Posts: 1474
Joined: Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:31 pm
Location: Rosanna, Victoria

Re: Tram superstops

Postby KenGS » Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:35 pm

Maybe they should hire some actors for a period of time, dressed up to attract everyone's attention, and direct people as to what they should and should not be doing around these stops
--Ken
Helmets! Bells! Rego!

dude18
Posts: 69
Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 2:29 am

Re: Tram superstops

Postby dude18 » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:27 pm

They did at some point. There was a band dressed in all yellow attire. But that was only for a weekend or so.

User avatar
DavidS
Posts: 3632
Joined: Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:24 pm
Location: Melbourne

Re: Tram superstops

Postby DavidS » Mon Apr 23, 2012 11:25 pm

I ride through town everyday but it sure is going to be hard this week.

I understand the need to remodel Swanston and the superstops are a good idea, there were too many stops in Swanston St and the whole street was a joke with the trucks, police cars, buses, hell, private cars treated it like a normal street.

So this morning I went my usual way, turn at Flinders Lane and go up Elizabeth St. What do I find? They're now ripping up Elizabeth St. Really, do they ever think maybe these things could be coordinated? I know the tram tracks at Elizabeth and LaTrobe were stuffed but how about some consideration that, given Swanston is currently blocked, we need Elizabeth St. I suppose it's either William St or Russell St now. What a mess.

DS
Allegro T1, Auren Swift :)

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users