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Two-wheelers take over Storrow Drive
By adamg on Sun, 09/18/2016 - 9:21am
Storrow Drive was turned over to bicyclists this morning for the annual Hub on Wheels. "The way life should be," Steven D. Schmitt, who watched the procession, enthused.
So many bikers ready to start #hubonwheels! @CityOfBoston @marty_walsh @cityhallplaza @universalhub @VisitBoston pic.twitter.com/bbp9pjqe91
— Adam Castiglioni (@ConciergeBoston) September 18, 2016
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Comments
I live under a rock
So I know that I pretty much live under a rock and I probably should have known this was a thing, but as a poll to readers, how do you all get informed about big/fun events like these ahead of time? I feel like I'm constantly missing cool events and only finding out about them on UH because they already happened.
Try these
http://www.thebostoncalendar.com/
- local non corporate site, built by long-time Boston redditor yiseowl. Oriented towards young professionals. looks good on mobile. Meta-links to other calendars. Does better than most w/ 'hyper-local' events (eg Open Studios, Porchfests, etc).
http://boston.eventful.com/events
- big national company, listings tend to be larger events. Pretty but slow UX. Crap on mobile.
http://www.events12.com/boston/
- short-ish (ie curated) list of events. Good for tourists/visitors. Simple, non-glitzy, but pretty responsive UX. Not bad on mobile. Boston = greater Boston (ie no local search).
http://www.boston.com/section/events
- Boston Globe's online calendar. Not as good as you'd expect. I *think* they use eventbrite's sw as their backend (see below).
https://www.eventbrite.com/
- national company serving several largest markets. Requires event organizers to contribute content, so can be spotty. responsive ux.
http://www.bostoneventguide.com
- for 'young professionals". Ie, lots of boozing and nightlife listings. Not so much community-oriented stuff.
Awesome, thanks!
Awesome, thanks!
Apparently the new and
Apparently the new and optional 40 mile course was not planned well at all. This event tied up traffic on Hyde Park Ave for a while - not to mention these people all think they own the damn road... "Rules of the road still apply..." according to the site.
Yep
Rules of the road apply to drivers, too. If cyclists need to take the lane, drivers need to wait to pass.
Always remember: most traffic is caused by solo drivers in vehicles vastly larger than their bodies. Cyclists only "cause" traffic when there are vastly more of them in a much smaller area than they would use if they were each driving a car.
It still was not well planned
It still was not well planned or communicated. Hyde Park ave is dangerous enough - there was a bad accident last night right where the cyclists were coming over the bridge at Ridge st.
Also, there was another accident last month at the same intersection where a car drove through the front of Top's liquors .
You know what also was at that bridge?
A cop directing traffic (HPA side)
At Ridge Street, the cyclists were practically begging us motorists to go, since we had the right of way, but of course the minivan in front of me was too nice to them.
As a cyclist
I can tell you that this habit is super irritating.
As a human this habit is super irritating
Confusing and dangerous when people yield to others when they rules of the road says the opposite should happen.
Learn when you're supposed to yield and do so. Otherwise don't. While driving and taking a left I've had drivers in the oncoming left lane wave me across while drivers in other oncoming lanes were still crossing.
No thanks. I'm still at fault if there's an accident and doubt you're going to stick around to tell how helpful you were being.
Crash, Not Accident
That's not an accident, that's a crash. Terminology matters. Note you're upset with cyclists but don't seem concerned with a person (not a car by itself) driving through the front of a store on a road known for speeding.
That's not how language works
That's not how language works.
You can't eliminate car accidents by declaring that they're renamed as crashes. People are still going to call them what they're called. (And even if the name somehow changed, it would make absolutely zero difference to safety.)
Hyde Park Ave
Has heavily used buses going up and down it all day and night long, every 15 minutes and every 1/2 hr. I was on a packed bus trying to get to Forest Hills orange line to get to work downtown. I know Most on that packed bus, myself included, didn't appreciate the added hassle these mostly middle and upper middle class bike riders created with their 'fun' ride on a heavily congested street in a heavily congested city.
Pretty off on your demographics
While cycling events tend to be pretty white and wealthy affairs, hub on wheels is the total opposite. There were all kinds of different people on all kinds of different bikes both beauties and beaters. Hub on wheels caters to be people who probably wouldn't call themselves cyclists but just want to go on a fun welcoming ride and feel safe.
A lot of people don't have
A lot of people don't have $50 to spend on a bike ride registration fee.
And they call it a charity ride, but only $5 goes to Children's Hospital? That's shameful!
It's unfortunate, but not at all surprising
that only a measly amount (i. e. $5.00) goes to Children's Hospital. In these particular events or events that supposedly funds certain causes and/or places, very little, if any of the funding goes to the cause(s) or places that this particular event or events is promoting. Most of the funding goes to the company or companies that organize the event. It's sickening!
I do feel bad for people who
I do feel bad for people who have to work on the weekends... hearing an angry chorus of 'this is the way it should be!' / 'shut down the roads to public transportation, truck drivers, delivery drivers, weekend workers, contractors, people visiting their families out of the city' is disheartening since these people clearly don't get that not everyone has a Mon. through Fri. work week... some people actually have to (gasp!) take the bus on the weekends. Many of us city residents have family who live rural parts in NH, Maine, etc. and (gasp!) have to drive a car to spend time with family. Wouldn't it be nice if we were all leisure cyclists with no obligations on the weekends who could take over the roads for a pleasure ride and never work Saturday or Sunday! Heck, I'd be a cyclist too then! Till then, would cyclists groups PLEASE give city residents ADVANCE NOTIFICATION of street shut downs for hipster cyclist parties. Thanks, ride safely and PLEASE wear helmet!
I would hardly describe this
I would hardly describe this event as a
Also, it's the CITY's responsibility to notify residents of road closures. Not the organizing group. The failure of communication is on them.
"Rules of the road still apply..."
LMFAO! Oh god is that funny!
I'm going to disagree
I ended up driving across the route several times around 9:30 this morning. Yes, it was a pain, and I made things worse on myself by turning off Hyde Park Ave at Neponset when I saw the mass of bikes in front of me (yet traffic seemed to be moving better than at 8:30 on a typical weeday morning.)
My big issue with your characterization of the event is that traffic was allowed to flow. Cyclists by and large paid attention to the lights, so I was able to get from A to B with a minimum of delay.
On the other hand, I will be making motorists lives miserable the day before Columbus Day running the BAA Half Marathon. Enjoy.
Hyde Park Avenue seemed fine to me
but perhaps I got there after whatever problem you're reporting, as I'm on the slow side of bike riders locally.
oh dear
"An event in a public location slowed down my trip".
Welcome to the club, buddy.
One day
It's one day of the year. Who's tying up traffic on Hyde Park Ave the other 364 days of the year, and do you have a comparable level of judginess towards them? Oh yeah, cars are invisible and don't take up any space.
Bikers
Like why weren't the people notified of the two wheeler take over on the road, they were all over Mattapan, Dorchester creating havoc on the Sunday morning traffic . We need more communication in the city
Saved from the rain
I am in New Hampshire today and it rained most of the morning. The forecast wasn't looking especially good for Boston. Glad it worked out.
Community Notification was Poor for American Legion
and Walk Hill Area. I had no idea this was happening today. I drive across American Legion Highway everyday and I saw NO notifications that this event was happening today. I also had the misfortune of driving down American Legion (toward Dorchester) and stopping at the Walk Hill light. The detail cop stopped all the traffic going in that direction for at least 5 traffic signal cycles. It was maddening to sit there and watch everyone else drive up and down Walk Hill and on the opposite side of American Legion. I have no problem with the bikers, they seemed to obey the rules, but I would have like to know this was happening so I could have opted out.
This I agree with
It's kind of like the first comment, but in an opposite sense.
I run road races, but I do feel for the people who are confronted by streets closed for the races, even if they are only closed a half hour. It would be nice to get a heads up that your commute might be affected by something like this. I remember a few years ago seeing one of those roadside electronic signs on the Arborway in the days leading up to this event. Now, to put one of those on every street would be costly, but Hyde Park Ave and American Legion could stand for a heads up.
The Arborway
and Centre St. does seem to have more electronic signs--JP Music Festival at the Pond was the most recent. And I expect to see the signs again for the BAA half marathon. Is this a difference between the DCR and the City? I also get DCR alerts on road closures, detours, etc. I don't get alerts from the City but that may be because I haven't signed up for them.
More signage would be useful.
I'm willing to bet you hit
I'm willing to bet you hit the nail on the head - the jurisdiction responsible for the road is the one handling closures and notification thereof. So DCR may opt for signs when the city doesn't, or vice-versa.
I personally think this is an argument for moving to the jurisdictional divides found in Canada (and some US states, particularly Virginia), where municipalities maintain all roads (with rare exception) within city limits. No having 5 different jurisdictions maintain different roads within the city.
Territorial Disputes
Massport and the State Police will not be giving up the seaport or airport any time soon.
Hyde Park Ave. and American Legion Parkway weren't closed
The only roads I recall seeing actually closed for the event were Congress Street, Chardon Street, Cambridge Street, Storrow Drive / Soldiers Field Road, the Bowker Overpass, Park Drive, and maybe the little side streets in Brookline next to Olmsted Park. Also, one lane of Morrissey Boulevard from Freeport Street to UMass Boston. Otherwise, all the streets were open to traffic.
Not closed, but blocked
The BPD definitely were making sure the bicycle flow was going well.
And from my 30 seconds at the intersection, it looked like they blocked Walk Hill Street.
Still, better than a road race.
THE ROAD IS MUGAR WAY
In this picture, the cyclists are not riding on Storrow Drive. They are on David Mugar Way. Storrow Drive is the depressed road to their left.
Fair enough, but...
Without studying a map carefully, it's damned near impossible to know if you're on Storrow, Mugar, or Soldier's Field Rd. On the other side of the river, good luck (as a guest or newcomer to town) knowing if you're on Land Blvd, Memorial Drive, or Mt Auburn. Signs suck in this city (and surrounds)
Nope. They are on Storrow Drive outbound, not Mugar Way.
The depressed road to the left is Storrow Drive inbound as it exits the tunnel. Mugar Way, which is to the left of the picture, is a narrow surface street that connects to Storrow Drive inbound behind the photographer.
The location from a different angle and time period:
http://www.universalhub.com/2016/when-route-66-went-through-back-bay
Boston generally does a
Boston generally does a terrible job notifying people of road closures or events that will be affecting traffic. They post a press release on their website, but that's about it. No notifications or emails you can sign up for. I love Hub on Wheels, but I do sympathize with people who didn't know it was happening. At least if you know about these types of events, you can plan accordingly.
Cambridge has electronic
Cambridge has electronic signs in busy areas, where they post road closure info about a week in advance. Boston needs to do this.
Pope John Paul Park in Dot
I only saw a small portion of the course -- hundreds of bikes whizzing around the narrow paths of Pope John Paul Park in Dorchester -- at the same time as several hundred kids and parents came/went to Dorchester Youth Soccer games at the park fields. Scary and poorly planned!
I hope they do not include the park in the course next year - the paths are too narrow and filled with pedestrians == it's recipe for disaster.
If done right, could be less of a problem
Just make sure the bikes enter via Hallet Street and take the river side of the soccer fields. Of course, if parents tend to park over by Hallet Street, there could be a problem with the bridge between the two parts of the park, which could be avoided by having the pedestrian use what would typically be the bike trail.
Remember, it is one morning a year.
Sounds like a legitimate concern
A bunch of young kids and parents not expecting a peloton.
Should be some pre-ride education and signs and volunteers there to facilitate. Kids and parents could probably enjoy it more and stay safe if they knew what was going on. And the riders would surely be happy not to be dodging kids.
The big, unanswered question
How many bikes were there?
I went to Franklin Park yesterday morning, so I got to watch them go by. That was a mass of bikes (though as I note, basically well behaved cyclists.)
From past times I've participated
Numbers are on the order of 5,000.
A few more Hub on Wheels photos
Waiting on Congress Street for the ride to start
Storrow Drive