Finally, some vindication.

The three-year bike injunction has been lifted, and so the floodgates for opportunity to beef up bike infrastructure have been released. The city immedietly responded by repainting the infamous "wiggle". The 'wiggle' is a well known route taken by bikers to bypass the hills between the downtown and Sunset districts. More specifically, it begins at the intersection of Chruch and Market and extends to Divizadero and Fell Streets.

New "WIGGLE" images, so bikers are validated in what they already know.

Lanes were repainted, and new bike images were added to the streets of the 'wiggle'. The most progressive being along Scott Street between Page and Fell Streets. Additions include: colored pavement, new bike lanes, and a bike-turn lane. While cities around the country and the world have been working to improve their bike infrastructure, using new techniques to promote equality and safety for bicyclists, SF has been idle for the past three years, leaving many riders and drivers ignorant of existing techniques. Case in point: The bike box.

San Francisco is now the proud owner of its first bike box. It is positioned in front of a car lane, and right behind the beginning edge of a crosswalk. This gives the bicyclist a slight advantage over a vehicle when the light turns green. Our bike box is located on Scott Street at Oak, a location where bikers tend to merge over to turn left at Scott and Fell, onto the bike lane that leads to the Panhandle, a popular bike thoroughfare.

The Bike Box @Scot and Oak.

The problem with the bike box was its lackluster introduction - no one new how to use it. Bikers took to it like a fly to a flame, because we'll take anything we can get, but drivers were less supportive. Cars are often found idling in the box, waiting in the green space for the green light. Actually, the green paint of bike box covered the bike image underneath, and thus making it unclear who it was intended for.

City truck in the Bike Box. Fucker.

One night I was pushed into a biker rage over this. I could just see city officials 86'ing any further bike improvements (like a bike box), dubbing them useless, because they were improperly used. However, that is only a reflection of the city's half-assed attempt towards supporting alternative infrastructure on city streets. The same could be said about the Bike turn light on Fell and Masonic. When that street light was introduced, many drivers were unaware and still turned left, even thought their new light prohibited from doing so, giving bikes and pedestrians the right of way. It wasn't until a bicyclist was hit by a car until the city put in the necessary publicity to make the new addition successful and known by all. For a few weeks there was a sign that flashed "NEW BIKE LIGHT, NO TURN ON RED," but until then, most drivers paid no attention to the new light, which is actually an amazing advancement in favor of bike infrastructure.

Fell Street disaster.

I am afraid that San Francisco won't take the necessary steps to assure success of the new additions. Portland is well known in the United States for supporting alternative forms of transportation, and providing the correct infrastructure is one way of showing that support. When Portland adds something to the street, they make sure that the correct advertisement is used to make everyone aware, erasing any confusion and fatalities during the introduction period. If San Francisco can't get with it, than additions like the Bike Box are unfortunately wasted.