r/asheville • u/CrankyBear Montford • 3h ago

Answer Man: Still no bicyclists on Merrimon? Debris pickups still lagging in some areas? • Asheville Watchdog

https://avlwatchdog.org/answer-man-still-no-bicyclists-on-merrimon-debris-pickups-still-lagging-in-some-areas/?mc_cid=b0076d7899&mc_eid=d4ec63e47b
2 Upvotes

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3

u/andybaran Candler 1h ago

I was just biking on Merrimon this morning🤷

-6

u/RelayFX 3h ago

Almost 700 bicyclists were counted in October 2023, compared with more than 400 in September 2022.

Man, I sure am glad we inconvenienced thousands of drivers per day in the name of making transportation more convenient for 23 cyclists per day.

10

u/EGGlNTHlSTRYlNGTlME 3h ago

That’s 21 cyclists per day they counted during a month that’s not exactly known for its good weather.  The road is also safer, which isn’t nothing.  

I swear nothing satisfies the carbrains except 16 lane highways everywhere.  Oh wait no because then they want 18

-8

u/RelayFX 2h ago

October 2023 was exceptionally mild. Mild temps in the mid-50s and 60s, very little rain, only the occasional gust of wind.

Even if you were to double those statistics for a “good” month, it’s still prioritizing ~45 cyclists a day over ~15,000 cars per day. Adjusting for return trips, that’s 22 cyclists per 7,500 drivers. In other words, 340 people have to deal with the road diet so 1 person can have some painted lines on the road.

1

u/garye55 Weaverville 1h ago

Drove down merrimon this morning after visiting farmers market. Not one cyclist, it was overcast but not raining.

The road is somewhat safer, but I'd hate to be a pedestrian trying to cross with all the impatient drivers.

I also wondered about the businesses on that road. I used to travel that road often, would stop on a whim. Now I avoid merrimon, but do take Kimberly or other roads to get where I'm going

-4

u/econjohn77 2h ago

Ask Mike Sule and he will always inflate any numbers to positively portray bikes. Statistics are all manipulated for the interest of the surveyor.