Goodbye “Share The Road”
UPDATE (August 29, 2015): Researchers confirm that “Share The Road” Doesn’t Work:
http://www.bikede.org/2015/08/29/share-the-road-is-a-problem/
In August, Bike Delaware asked DelDOT to permanently discontinue its use of the “Share The Road
” plaque in Delaware. The article on our ask, which can be read HERE, was viewed on the web more than 15,000 times, “liked” more than 1,800 times and generated many thoughtful comments. (Bike Delaware shared all these comments with DelDOT.)
On Friday, DelDOT’s Chief Traffic Engineer released an official memo to DelDOT staff and contractors:
“…effective immediately, DelDOT is discontinuing the use of the STR [“Share The Road”‘] plaque. For projects that have not yet reached the final plan submission, the STR plaque should be deleted from the plans. For projects past the the final plan submission or in construction, the STR plaque does not need to be installed. When bicycle warning signs and STR plaques are being replaced for maintenance purposes…the STR plaque should be omitted…”
To understand why this is a smart decision by DelDOT, please read our original letter from August which explained the problems that the well-meaning, but ambiguous and confusing, “Share The Road” message causes.
James Wilson is the executive director of Bike Delaware.
RELATED:
• Comments on End “Share The Road”
• WashCycle: Is it time to retire “Share the Road”?
8 Responses
[…] Bike Delaware has been lobbying the state for this policy change since this summer. In August, in a letter to DelDOT’s Chief Traffic Engineer, Bike Delaware’s James Wilson wrote: […]
This wasn’t initiated, worked on, and achieved by Bike Delaware. The idea was started in DelDOT years ago and only recently did DelDOT’s Chief Engineer decide to move on it. Multiple stakeholders – including Bike Delaware – were asked to comment and write letters and they did. Instead of taking all the credit and making it appear as a Bike Delaware project, apply it equally among all of those involved.
This is a great thing for cyclists–I’m glad it’s happening! But to get the record straight–the first people to initiate this idea in Delaware were DelDOT engineers.
More than one of them has been pushing for this change for years, going around to the advocacy groups, requesting input and support. Other biking advocates also wrote letters. I look forward to biking on roads with the new signs, but I will be grateful to the many people who made the effort to get them there.
I don’t get this hub-bub about taking, claiming, giving credit…. a good thing is a good thing. What’s the purpose cold water about the credit
I don’t get the hub-bub either, so why does Bike DE keep making such an effort to garner all the credit? Whether the inaccuracies are intentional or by mistake, if we all just commit to making more of an effort to be accurate and forthright, that will take care of all the concerns surrounding giving and taking credit. Share and share alike.
[…] from this post on Bike Delaware website. This Monday Bike Delaware announced that the state DOT has complied with the […]
JK, yes, a good thing is indeed a good thing, and this was an example of a huge success for cyclists…but, Advocacy Organizations, DelDot, local government, and citizens alike are supposed to support and encourage each other on our common goals. Bike Delaware’s post could have pointed out that others helped to bring this change about. By doing so, they would have shown how effective organizations can be when they keep their eye on the common prize. So, the issue here is NOT about taking credit. It is only about calling attention to the fact that Bike Delaware was not entirely responsible for this success, as their post appears to suggest. This Blog that I follow explains why
[…] cycling advocacy group, Bike Delaware, would be infuriated by the announcement. As it turns out, Bike Delaware were the ones to request the signs’ removal. But […]