Aggressive limo driver on Grove

9/20/2009, 6:10pm.

White limo, Tx plate CNL-479 heading northbound on Grove.

Honking at other traffic, speeding/driving in the bikelane, going straight from a right-turn only lanes, etc. A real douchebag.

We both turned e on belt line and stopped at Bowser. I advised the driver he had been illegally driving in the bike lane. At that point the caucasian male driver (about 35yo?) encouraged me to "eat sh_t". I declined. To my discredit I responded with similar language, punctuating my shouty opinion with unkind gestures.

Since then I have been disappointed to find there is no searchable database of plate numbers.

rode the completed bike lane

The paintjob and signs appear to be complete on the Grove bike lane (read: traffic calming lane).

I rode the bike lane from Centennial to the DART station at Arapaho. No cars were driving in the bike lane this time which is a welcome change. No big trucks parked dangerously far into the lane.

It was generally enjoyable although bicycles do not trip the traffic signals, so one has to wait for a car to come along in the same direction. At Arapaho a car can set off the lights on the other side of the street but you still get red. :-( Running the light at Arapaho is a little scary. I mean it would be if I did it. Which I wouldn't admit.

There were some "traffic school" type pylon patterns in the northeast corner of the DART lot and road, so I slalomed them. Or I would have if I had ventured over there. Which I wouldn't admit.

Comments on 8/31 work/council meeting

Work session

* Keffler's response to Visitor Morgan's "5 year contract" issue was interesting. It wasn't "that isn't what happened", or "you don't understand the law", but rather, "we had our lawyers check off on that." I hope Mr. Morgan shares anything he learns on this topic.

* More practical and insightful questions from Mr. Omar (school zone lights).

* bike lanes on grove and elsewhere - so far 100% of the time (see update below) I have driven down Grove since the installation of the bike lane I have seen cars driving in the bike lane. Dave says "the ones that live along there are pleased; the ones that do not live along the roadway are the ones that are not [pleased]." Ya think? This confirms my previous comments about the NIMBY aspect of this traffic calming project. I live off Grove and am not convinced of the overall value of the project yet.

[update: it's now the 6th. I drive Grove at least 2x/day. 4 days after writing the above "100%" post I finally traversed Grove without seeing someone driving erroneously in the bike lane. This occurred at 6:15pm on a Sunday afternoon. So I stand corrected.]


"bulb-out" - well, I learned something today.

Mitchell: "It's an esthetic thing". Really? Cars parked alongside the road are pretty?

Macy: "my beady little brain". Hey, I didn't say it.

Mr Solomon: bike lanes are causing congestion, and drivers are having to choose other routes. That, Mr. Solomon, was the intention of the traffic calming project.


Council Meeting
Didn't run long, so there is going to be a couple hours off his at the end of the mp3 I posted.

Rode the bike lane

I rode the marked portion of the bike lane last night around midnight.

* cars were driving down the bike/parking lane

* the bike lane paint strip goes away at lasalle in the northbound lane, and terminates at beltline for the southbound lane. I assume they are still working because spray paint dabs are present on the northbound side. Perhaps it's not officially open yet.

* the bike logo stencils are not yet present. I hope they will help clue people in that they are driving in the bike lane. [note - this draft is 24hrs old - since I started writing this the logos have started showing up]

* people are parking fullsize trucks far enough away from the curb that a bicycle cannot pass without hitting mirrors or crossing the solid white line.

I don't know if having the bike lane will reduce the chances of getting run over or not.