This in from an informant in Pune, India where they built 80 km of cycle tracks, but most are unusable due to poor design, paving, and encroachment.
On 10th Nov 10, a cyclist was hit by a speeding luxury bus and died. The cycle tracks in Pune are just not visible, nor usable resulting in non-use of cycle tracks.
The manifold problems re CYCLE TRACKS are:
1.The signages are too little and insignificant/invisible, displayed after a pretty long distance. Lost or broken boards are never replaced.
2. CT are blocked by parking of 2 wheelers/rickshaws/cars , even trucks. (see earlier posts here and here)
3. Auto vehicles drive frequently on CT for convenience-contra flow-short cuts-congestion etc.
4. CT are used for private and commercial activities.
5. CT are used for dumping garbage/building repair-construction materials and left overs.
The question remains then: what is the best strategy for informal economies from the global south, like India? Can segregated bicycle lanes work? Or are they culturally specific to cities where traffic rules are clear and followed, like rule-bound Denmark, Holland, and Germany where they were developed? What should be put in in a place like India instead if segregated cycle tracks don’t make sense?
