Coming out of the Cherry Creek Country Club, I can see how it is questionable about where you should stop your huge SUV:
I mean really who knows what you are supposed to do. I informed the driver (who was at a red light, waiting to turn left, and who's car was completely across the crosswalk) that they needed to pull back. The driver then rolled down her window and yelled that she could stop wherever she wanted. I pointed towards the sign and told her she needed to back up. She referred to me as previously detailed.
I am apparently not the only one who has had problems at this intersection. I guess it's enough of a problem for the Denver Police Dept. to get involved. Now I've seen these tactics in New York, but this is the first concrete example of the Denver PD victim blaming peds and cyclists that I have seen:
I mean I guess it's true. It's really on the pedestrian or cyclist to avoid the car, the driver can't be bothered. After all, they are operating a 2,000 lb vehicle (well the small ones), so they shouldn't be asked to make sure they are not going to hit anyone. These are the same tactical that the NYPD has used and they have been successful in raising accident rates of pedestrians. 44% of all peds injured were in the crosswalk, with the light. Additionally 6% of peds hit were on the sidewalk. Should Denver really be using the same tactics as this safe-haven for non-motorized travelers?
For anyone not knowledgeable about the area, the aforementioned intersection is one of the few instances where bikes and peds are not completely separated from traffic within Denver. Once you head south of Cherry Creek State Park, there are much more hairy intersections.
Due to this separation, the trail is highly used, and is kept decently clean even in winter:
...Well, clean enough to ride on with city tires.
Even despite the interactions with those leaving the country club (the drivers commonly disregard the laws and turn on red or block the trail), the Cherry Creek trail is so much better than the Highline Canal Trail.
Riding the Highline Canal Trail, you are continually met with very interesting choices. The worst of which are the street crossings:
That is 3 lanes, a median where you can catch your breathe, and 3 more lanes. The oncoming traffic has no light, signs or anything to inform them that they may encounter people on foot or non-motorized vehicle. This makes for times when the road is impassable.
Other parts of the trail are just horribly disconnected:
Awesome right? Just hop onto the badly kept sidewalks next to one of the busiest roads in Denver and try to find the southern leg of your journey east.
What we really need is a fully connected, protected and well maintained trail system throughout Denver and the surrounding suburbs. Until they put in some effort, the bike way system wont allow for increased ridership.
