Verizon Droid: Big Deal? Or Just Another Late Arrival Rival?
3rd Annual California Dreaming Same-Sex Ballroom Dancing Competition
Photo du Jour 501
Day Around the Bay
Afternoon Palate Cleanser: Dinosaur Jr.'s "Over It"
This monster pothole lurked on Townsend Street in the shade of the ramp connecting 6th Street to I-280. Under normal circumstances, we find the shrill complaints of motorists about pavement quality to be rather tedious. To motorists, we self-righteously sneer, "Why did you buy that SUV, anyway? If you want smooth roads, move to the country. Or Texas."
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition takes a broader view: poor pavement quality isn't just an inconvenience, it makes roads more dangerous for both motorists and cyclists. As part of a "Good Roads" campaign, the SFBC has recruited "Lane Stewards" to identify road hazards and call them in to the Department of Public Works.
Thanks to the SFBC Lane Stewards and the DPW, cyclist and motorists need no longer fear the gaping maw of the Townsend Street fiend: the crater has been replaced with smooth new asphalt.
Townsend Street, as traffic-pattern aficionados know, is a particularly anarchic artery. More demolition-derby ring than "street," Townsend offers a panoply of other hazards, including chronic double-parkers, scampering Art Academy Institute University students, head-in parking, live-in parking, u-turning taxis, and an occasional locomotive blocking the street. And of course, there is no bike lane.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
I'm documenting the double parking in front of the section from the rotary towards 7th. This is a very hazardous spot, cyclists getting pinched into double parked cars shortly after coming out of the blind turn from the rotary, and cars coming out from the mid-block parking garage not being able to see what is coming.
Since I started photographing I have not ridden that street without catching someone. In 5 or so trips I have encountered at least one double parked car each trip. Including 2 cop cars.
Some drivers have taken to wheeling out ASAP once I set up for my shot. Hopefully I don't suffer the same fate as some SF DPT Meter Maids.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25400295@N07/
Townsend is not for wussies. There mostly isn't even any *sidewalk* between 4th and 7th. The locomotives going down the middle of the street are really cool though.
Where the hell is my hover car? Damn scientists.
murph: please consult the "gamma" and/or "exposure" section of your camera's manual.
manys: not sure if the Iphone has such controls... :)
The way I figure, if someone comes after me I can assure them my phone is not capable of capturing their license plate number. I'll just tell them I am trying to get the businesses to paint a green zone so that the spaces won't get hogged.
Hey Murph, you've inspired me to upload my "Starbuck's Townsend" folder.
ah yes, the pass on the right at 7th play. UPS truck in the travel lane with left turn signal on. Bikes line up on the right. Motorist does not want to wait for UPS truck and thus lines up to the right of the cyclists, then tries to gun past cyclists where no lane exists. Lovely stuff.
The real power play is when they pinch the cyclists to the right trying to squeeze into the right lane ahead of the cyclists. The cyclist is thusly pinched into a parallel train track.