[OSM-talk] Tagging for street danger levels

[Paul Houle]

Liz wrote:
>
> Firstly I don't agree with your assessment.
> Secondly, how will this assist with tagging streets unsuitable for cycling?
>   
    The only kind of street that is "unsuitable for cycling" is a street 
on which it is illegal to ride bicycles (regardless of safety.)  A 
certain individual cyclist might not enjoy riding on a particular 
street,  because of their preferences,  but attempts to segregate 
cyclists into separate or different ways have proven to be dangerous,  
at least under American conditions.

    I'd like to see some tagging that tells cyclists not to ride on 
sidewalks,  for instance:  as a pedestrian I've been involved in 
accidents where cyclists were ~illegally~ riding on a sidewalk and 
coming around a corner at high speed without looking where they are 
going.  I've also personally witnessed accidents where cyclists have 
been riding on sidewalks ~illegally~ and either ride their bikes into or 
get hit by cars.   Meanwhile there is a contingent of idiots in a city 
near me that are continuously complaining that the city is not "bicycle 
friendly" but that won't speak out about absurdly dangerous bicycling 
behaviors that go on all the time..  Even the bicycle cops in town are 
ignorant of the basics of bicycle safety.

    There's a pretty extensive literature showing that bikeway systems 
(going back to San Luis Obispo in the 1970s) increase cycling fatalities 
(at least under American conditions):  you might as well open a hunting 
season on cyclists...  Anyway,  John Forrester 
(http://www.johnforester.com/) is a hardcore cyclist who makes a 
stronger case for this than I ever will,  particularly see

http://www.johnforester.com/Articles/Facilities/TransQuart01.htm