cyccommute 

I was rather confused by the picture and how these intersections are supposed to work. Then I read the article. That's, without a doubt, the dumbest thing every conceived! It's the "wait-cross-wait-cross" method of left turn and it's just plain dumb. Protected lanes aren't anything to crow about either, especially the way in which all cyclists are confined to the ghetto of that lane which is usually poorly maintained and/or far too narrow. But making us do "wait-cross-wait-cross" is adding insult to injury.

Frankly, I like the idea that the bike lane disappears at the intersection. If I'm going straight through, I just ride straight through. If I'm turning right, I turn right. If I'm turning left, I merge over into the left turn lane, get in line and turn left. Protected lanes force me to either merge with traffic a block early...and suffer the slings and arrows...or do the fraidy cat "wait-cross-wait-cross". It ain't progress. It's going backwards.