asmac

Not surprisingly, streetcar tracks are a leading cause of cyclist injuries everywhere:


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-39305038

Chris0516

00

canklecat

>Waiting for the "Everyone who is injured by poorly designed infrastructure is doing it wrong" responses.

>>Followed by links to videos of Nedderlanders riding across tracks without falling down, implying above.

PaulH

Thank you, General Motors, for playing a role in getting rid of these blasted things.

FBOATSB

From the article:

Lesley Hinds, City of Edinburgh Council's transport convener, said: "We have yet to be shown the full report but the safety of pedestrians and cyclists is of utmost importance to the council and transport for Edinburgh.

Translation:

Situation under control, nothing to see here, move along....

Chris0516

I crashed trying to cross railroad tracks. Because my front wheel was basically parallel to the tracks, big mistake. I always make sure that my front(and back) wheel is perpendicular to the tracks.

Milton Keynes

Yes, I always try to cross RR tracks at as close to a 90 degree angle as I can, even if the tracks cross the road at a sharp angle.

torkelisacson

Prof Chris Oliver, a consultant at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, has counted 252 tram track incidents, 191 involving cyclists.

The trauma and orthopaedic surgeon says that 119 men and 72 women were injured, with the most common incident being a wheel caught in the tracks, followed sliding on a track, which was particularly likely in wet weather.

The accidents caused 55 upper limb fractures or dislocations, eight sustained lower limb fractures and two facial fractures.

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One sustained both upper and lower limb fractures and one had facial and lower limb fractures.

Moe Zhoost

It's intuitive to me to cross at as close to perpendicular now, even though I have never been bitten by a track. It seems to me that novice cyclists would have some awareness of the danger, but apparently not. I have seen crossings with rubber pads to narrow the gap, and that is the real way to fix, even though they need to be maintained regularly. It is more likely that the solution will be signage, which is just as likely to be noticed as the gap.

alois

Here is the Nedderlander ;-).
And indeed I do favour trams, not because I like riding next to tram tracks but because I believe that trams are a vital part of an efficient public transport system in cities that try to reduce car usage. So more trams to me means less cars, and that is good voor cyclists.
(By the way, I live in the town of Arnhem and over here we have trolley busses, which are in a way trams without tracks.)

italktocats

never had this problem, nor does it seems to be one in amsterdam, kids get taught by parents and tourists quickly learn not to ride them parallel, the slippery rails are part of the design and i cant think of a easy fix besides not riding over them.. you should avoid oil patches just the same, reality is deadly!..

Dahon.Steve

+10000000000

What isn't mentioned are all the cyclist injured and killed by buses! If you don't want streetcars, then you'll be playing leap frog with the bus. I can't count all the forum members injured or nearly killed by a bus making a close pass while looking to pickup a passenger on the corner. How many cyclists have been killed making a pass only to get tossed under as the vehicle pulls away from the curb.

The trams are predictable which works for the cyclist. You don't have to play leap frog with you and they're not going to make a close pass to pick up a passenger. I'm not saying the tracks are dangerous but the bus isn't safe either.

I-Like-To-Bike

I dunno, how many cyclists have been killed or injured that way?

kickstart

I can think of one BF member off the top of my head, and recall a few posts about incidents that were gleaned off the internet. Personally I once had a minor, easily avoided issue with a school bus, but I'm not obsessed with such things.

I think some have trouble distinguishing the difference between possible and probable, and awareness and paranoia.

AlexCyclistRoch

Seeing that you are from D.C., it may have been a good idea in your town; Washington's streetcars used a sunken track in the road for a live rail, instead of overhead wires. I'm trying to imagine getting a road bike wheel in one of those things, connecting to 600V DC!