Ruofan 🚎
@bollardfan.bsky.social
Transit planner in Vancouver, originally from Montreal. Posts mostly about road safety, bike stuff, housing and indie music.
Opinions my own - he/him
Opinions my own - he/him
Sure gunpowder and the compass and paper are nice, but the greatest invention in Chinese history is surely this spoon
November 9, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Sure gunpowder and the compass and paper are nice, but the greatest invention in Chinese history is surely this spoon
The Vancouver budget will be devastating to services so many rely upon and to the hardworking employees delivering them, but here's one tiny sliver of good news: the scheme to spend millions to widen Beach Avenue and tear out the bike lane appears to have been dropped from the Capital Plan!
November 7, 2025 at 1:35 AM
The Vancouver budget will be devastating to services so many rely upon and to the hardworking employees delivering them, but here's one tiny sliver of good news: the scheme to spend millions to widen Beach Avenue and tear out the bike lane appears to have been dropped from the Capital Plan!
I was disappointed but not mad about the results until I read this two minutes ago, and now I'm mad
November 3, 2025 at 3:58 AM
I was disappointed but not mad about the results until I read this two minutes ago, and now I'm mad
Pas surprenant mais comme même décevant. Ça fait huit ans que Montréal est en tête de l'Amérique du Nord en matière de transports actifs et de développement durable, mais c'est certain que la ville va maintenant reculer. La seule question, c'est si ça sera un grand reculement ou non...
November 3, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Pas surprenant mais comme même décevant. Ça fait huit ans que Montréal est en tête de l'Amérique du Nord en matière de transports actifs et de développement durable, mais c'est certain que la ville va maintenant reculer. La seule question, c'est si ça sera un grand reculement ou non...
Yup, the path is here. It was closed for a few years because this whole area got dug up for a pipeline, but now it's open again. It's a pretty nicely maintained gravel path, although the wayfinding is a bit lacking.
October 28, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Yup, the path is here. It was closed for a few years because this whole area got dug up for a pipeline, but now it's open again. It's a pretty nicely maintained gravel path, although the wayfinding is a bit lacking.
According to the BC Ministry of Transportation, you may bike through this crosswalk, but you must dismount and walk across, but also you must not walk here
(Port Mann Bridge NB @ United Blvd)
(Port Mann Bridge NB @ United Blvd)
October 28, 2025 at 5:46 AM
According to the BC Ministry of Transportation, you may bike through this crosswalk, but you must dismount and walk across, but also you must not walk here
(Port Mann Bridge NB @ United Blvd)
(Port Mann Bridge NB @ United Blvd)
@markedwardson.com pointed out that even the Ministry, where cycling infrastructure goes to die because of bureaucratic hangups about the Motor Vehicle Act, has one
Like come on why is the COV being so weird about this
Like come on why is the COV being so weird about this
October 26, 2025 at 8:31 AM
@markedwardson.com pointed out that even the Ministry, where cycling infrastructure goes to die because of bureaucratic hangups about the Motor Vehicle Act, has one
Like come on why is the COV being so weird about this
Like come on why is the COV being so weird about this
A recent bugbear of mine: Vancouver has inexplicably decided that this sign, which is used basically everywhere in BC, is illegal for some reason
It's not that big a deal because unsignalized cross-rides are really rare here, but still just really baffling stuff
It's not that big a deal because unsignalized cross-rides are really rare here, but still just really baffling stuff
October 26, 2025 at 8:26 AM
A recent bugbear of mine: Vancouver has inexplicably decided that this sign, which is used basically everywhere in BC, is illegal for some reason
It's not that big a deal because unsignalized cross-rides are really rare here, but still just really baffling stuff
It's not that big a deal because unsignalized cross-rides are really rare here, but still just really baffling stuff
My local bus growing up literally had ZERO service off-peak and weekends
I had to walk 50 minutes to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue to catch the bus
I had to walk 50 minutes to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue to catch the bus
October 23, 2025 at 3:12 AM
My local bus growing up literally had ZERO service off-peak and weekends
I had to walk 50 minutes to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue to catch the bus
I had to walk 50 minutes to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue to catch the bus
Ultimately I think Burnaby's infrastructure is mediocre at best, but IMO the philosophy they're pursuing of protecting direct routes on-arterial creates way better outcomes than Vancouver's 30-year obsession with circuitous local street bikeways. Even today, a protected infra map reveals a big gap:
October 6, 2025 at 6:24 AM
Ultimately I think Burnaby's infrastructure is mediocre at best, but IMO the philosophy they're pursuing of protecting direct routes on-arterial creates way better outcomes than Vancouver's 30-year obsession with circuitous local street bikeways. Even today, a protected infra map reveals a big gap:
I am actually obsessed with this multi-use path stencil in North Van
September 24, 2025 at 4:52 PM
I am actually obsessed with this multi-use path stencil in North Van
Uh, technically I guess
September 23, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Uh, technically I guess
Just biked Keith Rd on the North Shore and the part in the DNV was terrible. The buffered bike lane up the big hill just... ends halfway up? To make space for a second GP lane that itself disappears three blocks later? The bike lane doesn't come back, the curb lane just becomes decorative hatching??
September 22, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Just biked Keith Rd on the North Shore and the part in the DNV was terrible. The buffered bike lane up the big hill just... ends halfway up? To make space for a second GP lane that itself disappears three blocks later? The bike lane doesn't come back, the curb lane just becomes decorative hatching??
My remarks if anyone wants to give them a read 👀
September 17, 2025 at 3:12 AM
My remarks if anyone wants to give them a read 👀
Poorly aged things
September 14, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Poorly aged things
It is 4000% more illegal to bring a dog onto a playground than to smoke in it
September 13, 2025 at 7:22 PM
It is 4000% more illegal to bring a dog onto a playground than to smoke in it
The best evidence for the fact that cycling infrastructure is only as good as its wayfinding is that literally nobody I've ever talked to is aware that there's a protected bike lane leaving Tsawwassen ferry, since MOTI didn't put up signage to indicate it
September 13, 2025 at 3:26 AM
The best evidence for the fact that cycling infrastructure is only as good as its wayfinding is that literally nobody I've ever talked to is aware that there's a protected bike lane leaving Tsawwassen ferry, since MOTI didn't put up signage to indicate it
One of the strangest introductions to a government report
September 5, 2025 at 5:15 PM
One of the strangest introductions to a government report
At least it's not Abbotsford Station, which is a concrete platform in the middle of a cornfield
September 2, 2025 at 5:38 AM
At least it's not Abbotsford Station, which is a concrete platform in the middle of a cornfield
oh come on now these maze gates are getting silly, what is this even guarding against
Highway 99/Oak St Bridge NB approach, Richmond (Ministry)
Highway 99/Oak St Bridge NB approach, Richmond (Ministry)
August 31, 2025 at 10:08 PM
oh come on now these maze gates are getting silly, what is this even guarding against
Highway 99/Oak St Bridge NB approach, Richmond (Ministry)
Highway 99/Oak St Bridge NB approach, Richmond (Ministry)
happy death cab for cutie - plans (2005) day for those who celebrate
August 30, 2025 at 6:32 PM
happy death cab for cutie - plans (2005) day for those who celebrate
Biked through North Delta again today and I'm still baffled at the number of maze gates they put everywhere on bike routes. Does someone's cousin own a company that makes maze gates or something? Even the railways don't use so many.
August 25, 2025 at 5:09 AM
Biked through North Delta again today and I'm still baffled at the number of maze gates they put everywhere on bike routes. Does someone's cousin own a company that makes maze gates or something? Even the railways don't use so many.
Kinda obsessed with this cryptid bike rack in Strathcona
August 18, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Kinda obsessed with this cryptid bike rack in Strathcona
I love the heritage dead grass in front of the heritage brick wall of the heritage shopping mall that doesn't have an entrance for pedestrians
August 7, 2025 at 9:19 PM
I love the heritage dead grass in front of the heritage brick wall of the heritage shopping mall that doesn't have an entrance for pedestrians
It's time for another one of my minor inconsequential pet peeves but is there any piece of wayfinding signage more useless than this one? I don't know why Surrey, West Van and the Ministry install them everywhere -- they tell you nothing
August 3, 2025 at 5:06 AM
It's time for another one of my minor inconsequential pet peeves but is there any piece of wayfinding signage more useless than this one? I don't know why Surrey, West Van and the Ministry install them everywhere -- they tell you nothing