[waddlesworth]

I don't know if I'd call the overhead cables "a blight on the streetscape." and the tracks inside the CBD aren't particularly deep. How do they impact pedestrians and cyclists?

I take a tram to work every day, and any underground metro system would take a lot longer (It's a relatively short trip.)

[pmontra]

Rails are notoriously bad for cyclists.

I live in a city with underground metro, buses, trams and trolley buses (Milan, Italy.) It's nearly impossible to change the route of a tram line unless there are rails and overhead cables everywhere but it's immediate for buses. Even trolley buses can move on batteries to drive around road works or car accidents. On the other side trams can be much longer than a standard bus and accommodate more people. The trend is to have tram routes that don't share the road with cars, electric buses and more underground metro.

[flukus]

> Rails are notoriously bad for cyclists.

These ones are basically a small bump, you don't even slow down when you go over them. If you're riding along them they can be slippery and you can get stuck in the grooves, but they're in the middle of the road so this isn't really an issue.

[michaelt]

You're picturing someone crossing at a right-angle to the tram tracks, as one might cross a train track at a level crossing. In that case you would indeed only get a small bump!

But if you cycle in the direction the tram travels - as you would if it was a bus lane, or a car would in a lane shared between trams and cars - then [1] can happen. Wheel goes into the groove in the road, cycle can't no longer steer, so it can't balance.

Obviously, you might think "Well then, don't cycle along lanes with tram tracks" but that means retrofitting an existing city with new tram tracks makes it less welcoming to cyclists - unlike busses or a metro system.

[1] https://youtu.be/aE3W4kEBhuE

[flukus]

> You're picturing someone crossing at a right-angle to the tram tracks

I'm picturing that because it's the most common occurrence. When your traveling in the same direction as the tracks then those tracks are always out in the center of the road and your as far left as possible. The only times I've been caught in the tracks was when I'm trying to turn right from the middle in which case a hook turn is usually better. You also need a bit of caution when your crossing curving tracks.

They aren't notoriously bad and in practice barely an issue, there are far bigger things to worry about.

[cylinder]

It's definitely an issue. A woman was killed when she rode over tracks and slipped, then went under a bus.

And: https://www.smh.com.au/national/tram-tracks-a-trap-for-cycli...

http://www.executivestyle.com.au/rail-lines-tram-tracks-and-...

It's a common issue for cyclists in Melbourne.

Now, a proper analysis would compare this detriment to the risks presented by busses, more cars, etc.