Bike-ability in OKC

[Mesta Parker]

It is a rare day when I see a cyclist using a bike lane. I don’t understand why anyone would use a bike lane on a major thoroughfare like Classen rather than a safer side street.

[CCOKC]

I live close to downtown and I see bikers use the bike lanes everyday. The bicyclists from the north typically use them for recreation and exercise to get to the river. The ones from the south typically use them to access services. Bikes are a very important resource for our homeless friends.

[cinnamonjock]

I rarely see people in OKC cycling. Give up your dreams of OKC being a cyclists friendly city. Roads are for cars. Not bikes.

i'm not falling for that hot take. that's clearly someone with a fixation for getting yelled at. i refuse to participate in that kind of debauchery

[Plutonic Panda]

i'm not falling for that hot take. that's clearly someone with a fixation for getting yelled at. i refuse to participate in that kind of debauchery

Fine. Enjoy trying to get roads bike friendly in OKC. You’ll be like an old man yelling at a cloud.

[Rover]

I live close to downtown and I see bikers use the bike lanes everyday. The bicyclists from the north typically use them for recreation and exercise to get to the river. The ones from the south typically use them to access services. Bikes are a very important resource for our homeless friends.

There has been some slight increase in bikes, but very slight is my observation. OKC is improving, with still a fair ways to go. But it seems like we are trying to induce bike riding as a means of transportation vs responding to a demand. We have made improvements and I observe little to no use on those. I see amusement riding or fitness riding around Lake Hefner, but rarely at other trails or on streets where there are bike protections. Where are all these riders that we are fighting for?

[DoctorTaco]

There has been some slight increase in bikes, but very slight is my observation. OKC is improving, with still a fair ways to go. But it seems like we are trying to induce bike riding as a means of transportation vs responding to a demand. We have made improvements and I observe little to no use on those. I see amusement riding or fitness riding around Lake Hefner, but rarely at other trails or on streets where there are bike protections. Where are all these riders that we are fighting for?

How many people do you need to see swimming across a river before you feel it is worth fighting for a bridge?

[Plutonic Panda]

How many people do you need to see swimming across a river before you feel it is worth fighting for a bridge?

Not really valid comparison in this scenario. Even if you built bike lanes on every single major arterial in the city the ROI would be minimal. Not that it shouldn’t be done but focus should be more downtown and then in suburban areas more trail corridors for recreation where they can be connected one day.

[Jersey Boss]

For the sake of pedestrians and bicycle riders, right on red should be ended in the urban core areas

[soonergolfer]

They are doing a lot of bike paths by my house on Independence from integris, to wilshire: then leading to the lake bike trail.

[Rover]

How many people do you need to see swimming across a river before you feel it is worth fighting for a bridge?

How many people do you need to see flying to the moon before you build a rocket ship. WTH kind of comparison. lol

[Plutonic Panda]

How many people do you need to see flying to the moon before you build a rocket ship. WTH kind of comparison. lol

Exactly.

[OKCisOK4me]

How many dead or seriously injured cyclists do you need to see who used "share the road" lanes before you see dedicated cycling roads like what they've recently done with Lake Hefner Drive/Grand Blvd over Hefner Parkway?

I'm not an avid cyclist but I rode over 350 miles this year...a majority of that from my house in The Village.

I'm 6' 5" and a relatively large target on my XL bicycle frame. I think those of you who argue bicycle use on roadways, just need to pay more attention to your surroundings. After all, driving is a privilege.

[Urbanized]

Streets and roads existed for millennia before automobiles. They belong to the public, not just those who choose to (and who can afford to) drive automobiles. And it’s also a well-documented fact that quality bicycle facilities are not only great for businesses fronting them, but also make the road safer for EVERYONE, including those in automobiles. Hating on bicycle infrastructure is very 20th century. Wake up.

[Rover]

Streets and roads existed for millennia before automobiles. They belong to the public, not just those who choose to (and who can afford to) drive automobiles. And it’s also a well-documented fact that quality bicycle facilities are not only great for businesses fronting them, but also make the road safer for EVERYONE, including those in automobiles. Hating on bicycle infrastructure is very 20th century. Wake up.

Totally agree. But, It would help promote more infrastructure development if we got more buy in with what we have. I was driving around downtown about two hours today and saw zero riders anywhere. We need to use what we have. Are we putting it in the wrong places? Why don’t we see riders?

[Plutonic Panda]

Streets and roads existed for millennia before automobiles. They belong to the public, not just those who choose to (and who can afford to) drive automobiles. And it’s also a well-documented fact that quality bicycle facilities are not only great for businesses fronting them, but also make the road safer for EVERYONE, including those in automobiles. Hating on bicycle infrastructure is very 20th century. Wake up.

They belong to cars. Things change and evolve. Get with the times.

[Rover]

They belong to cars. Things change and evolve. Get with the times.

And often they evolve back to better and more sane choices. Extrapolating is a fools science.

[Plutonic Panda]

And often they evolve back to better and more sane choices. Extrapolating is a fools science.

Okay have fun biking in 100 degree weather in a city sprawled out for dozens of miles. I cycle in OKC for recreational purposes as the same in LA and people are very aggressive towards cyclists.

[Bill Robertson]

Okay have fun biking in 100 degree weather in a city sprawled out for dozens of miles. I cycle in OKC for recreational purposes as the same in LA and people are very aggressive towards cyclists.

As far as 100 degree or 20 degree riding you can get used to it.
As far as driver aggression I hate to but I have to agree. For many years I put 7 thousand+ miles on a bicycle. Much of that was the actual races and other rides. Or the many, many laps around Hefner. But a lot was commuting from NW 42nd & Villa to NW 150th & Portland. Which I could do with only crossing main streets. That was good and safe.
Point being that I'm not an inexperienced cyclist.
The idea of riding many of the bike lanes I see now, especially like one in particular near Western and NW 16th where the bike lane crosses traffic lanes? Hard pass. Looks like a good way to get run over. And cars don't want bikes out there. Me and the groups I rode with got near-missed, flipped off, honked at, stuff thrown at us , etc. way more often than anyone should have to deal with. And that was 7ish and more years ago when I could still ride. I have no doubt it's worse now.

[Shortsyeararound]

Just as with everything - there are bad apples on both sides. Bicyclists that don’t follow road signs yet ride on the road aggravate me. I drive around Hefner almost daily and witness near crashes occasionally because a biker won’t stop at their stop sign when the car has the right of way. I bike but I stay on the path and stop when needed. I don’t want to become the person I get upset with.

[WhateverFrecker]

Just today watched a YouTube video about biking in Montreal and the infrastructure investments they’ve done there. OKC has potential but the investment and political will is weak comparatively. Something like Visited the best city in North America.

[OKCbyTRANSFER]

Just today watched a YouTube video about biking in Montreal and the infrastructure investments they’ve done there. OKC has potential but the investment and political will is weak comparatively. Something like Visited the best city in North America.

I was there in early October and was amazed at the bike infrastructure they had. It was quite impressive near the hotel I stayed at.

[wunderkind]

Not sure if this info is already posted but this is a good summary:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/newest-ok...120125933.html

[Bill Robertson]

Just as with everything - there are bad apples on both sides. Bicyclists that don’t follow road signs yet ride on the road aggravate me. I drive around Hefner almost daily and witness near crashes occasionally because a biker won’t stop at their stop sign when the car has the right of way. I bike but I stay on the path and stop when needed. I don’t want to become the person I get upset with.

This is true. I put many, many tens of thousands of miles on bicycles and was involved with the OBS and Hal McKnight in getting the trails started back in the beginning. I get upset when riders on the street simply ignore laws and basic "rules of the road" etiquette. No reason to excessively aggravate the drivers that already don't want us out there.
I get

[Rover]

This is true. I put many, many tens of thousands of miles on bicycles and was involved with the OBS and Hal McKnight in getting the trails started back in the beginning. I get upset when riders on the street simply ignore laws and basic "rules of the road" etiquette. No reason to excessively aggravate the drivers that already don't want us out there.
I get

Spot on.

This does not excuse dangerous or rude drivers, but there are dangerous and rude bikers too. Both are a problem here. Especially since there isn’t a culture of the two coexisting over a long time. No understanding of the rules, written or just understood.

I’m an older rider and understand the importance of following the rules better for my own safety. I don’t make risky decisions and am aware of potential drivers in front and behind who look like they can present a problem. This makes me more aware as I’m driving, too.

[mugofbeer]

I totally agree with post #26, the idea of intentionally mixing bikes with automobiles on a busy traffic artery even in designated bike lanes) is just insane. The easy solution is designating certain sidestreets as bus/bicycle/scooter only streets (local auto traffic only) and keep them separate whenever possible.

Denver has a lot of people using alternate types of of transportation, especially in the urban parts, and there is little more maddening than following a bicyclist after a long work day casually riding in the middle of a traffic lane holding up multiple vehicles behind him. Some take their bicycling far too seriously.

I say keep the modes separate.