The case for bike lanes
I didn’t read the article, but
IMO, this was an interesting opposing point of view to protected bike lanes:
Originally Posted by
52telecaster
So the mup that runs through my town goes almost nowhere i need to go, except today
Originally Posted by
B. Carfree
…Some people, mostly people who are relatively new to cycling, think we should use the few dollars that can go towards improving conditions for cycling by building a few miles of separated infrastructure and place it mostly on urban roads (with the inevitable intersection failures).
Other, more experienced riders, think we would be better served by funding traffic law enforcement and putting in many more miles of proper, six to eight foot bike lanes (not in the door zone) and only putting in separate facilities where there are long stretches of high-speed road without appreciable numbers of intersections.
This difference of opinion wouldn't be such a big deal, but many of the segregationists have been making their public case by convincing everyone that cycling is too dangerous to be done anywhere except on a segregated facility.
Not surprisingly, this has an impact in terms of how many people are willing to even try riding a bike since there is no way to get anywhere in the US without riding on a road. Oddly enough, these people are called and consider themselves "bicycling advocates". If one were to design a fifth-column assault to keep cycling participation down, it would look just like the pro-separation folks.
About congested urban locales such as Boston, I have posted:
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
Just this morning on the 6-7 AM segment of the Jeff Kuhner talk show on WRKO, he discussed proposals by mayor Marty Walsh to decrease the speed limit in Boston to 20 mph, and increase the number of bus and bike lanes. He was vehemently against it, as were many of the callers, with snide comments about cyclists.
I called in as Jim from Boston “speaking for "Boston’s cycling community” and introduced myself as his Number One Fan among Boston cyclists. I made two points: bicycles are entitled to be on the road, and the more cyclists, the fewer other cars, and the more parking spaces available.
Jeff was pretty gracious, but I (accidentally) got cut off. Afterwards, he made some reasonable remarks about my call, but took me to task to speak for Boston’s cycling community, as “another protected class.” (Another WRKO talk show host, Howie Carr, once referred to us as Spandex-Americans. 
)
I sent a rebuttal text to the station, FWIW::
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
Hi Jeff,
I called in this morning to “speak for the bicycling community” insofar as I was certain to be the only bicycle commuter to call in. I was speaking for myself, but I am an active participant on an Internet Bike Forum, with much discussion about cycle commuting. I’ve been cycle commuting in Boston for decades so I do claim expertise.
Before I got cut off I was going to make my third point that cyclists are ultimately responsible for their own safety, and I agree with your subsequent comments about cycle-auto collisions.
In the “cycling community” there are two schools of thought about riding in traffic: As Far Right as Possible: close to the curb; or Take the Lane to be out there and visible to cars. Bike lanes encourage the former behavior, likely more tolerated by motorists.
Bike lanes are not that wide, but then cyclist is in the “door zone” in danger of opening doors from parked cars.
Finally,
Originally Posted by
Maelochs
…
It is pretty freaking scary to be doing 18 mph alongside a line of cars doing 45-55 mph (in a 35-mph zone) and to have to suddenly jink left into traffic because there is some obstacle in the bike lane which would make me crash into traffic----but what would I do if there were Nowhere to go to avoid the obstacle?
Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
Me, if I came across a sudden obstacle and could not safely steer around it due to uncertainty about nearby traffic would use my brakes, even stop if necessary (shudder, the horror), until I could go safely around the obstacle. Luckily I seldom have ever
suddenly come upon obstacles on city streets that require
sudden unsafe steering corrections..
If I was forced to ride in a location where a problem with sudden unforeseen obstacles existed, such as from suddenly opening doors in a door zone on a street in a retail business area, I would think about adjusting my speed accordingly.
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
…My main argument for a mirror, particularly in the urban environment is summarized by Jim’s Law of the Road: “No matter how well paved or lightly-traveled the Road, a vehicle is likely to pass you on the left as you encounter an obstacle on the right.”….
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 06-09-19 at 06:29 AM.