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Are bike lanes safe or just offer an illusion of safty?

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Are bike lanes safe or just offer an illusion of safty?

Old 06-25-09, 01:05 PM
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Are bike lanes safe or just offer an illusion of safty?

Cyclists Find No Safety in Numbers
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Old 06-25-09, 01:24 PM
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here is the data used in the article:

Pedalcyclists Killed, by Age and Location - State : USA, Year : 2007
Pedalcyclists Killed, by Time of Day and Day of Week - State : USA, Year : 2007
Pedalcyclists Killed in Single Vehicle Crashes, by Vehicle Type and Initial Point of Impact - State : USA, Year : 2007
Pedalcyclists Killed, by Related Factors - State : USA, Year : 2007

https://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/People...lcyclists.aspx
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Old 06-25-09, 01:31 PM
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The one thing I like about segregated lanes is that I feel more at ease to go slow. When I'm riding in the midst of traffic, I often feel pressured to keep my speed above 10 miles per hour, which can make steep hills and long distances less enjoyable.

I personally think sharrows are a better option, but if the illusion of safety that lanes provide gets more people riding, perhaps that's a good thing.
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Old 06-25-09, 01:45 PM
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It's a good article, worth reading. I think bike lanes increase safety becuae they help keep cars and bike segregated. But, as the article points out, the dangers of intersections still remain. The bike lane is great between intersections, but getting out of the lane and into trafic at the intersection usually is the best strategy.
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Old 06-25-09, 03:40 PM
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Bike lanes create a perception (some would say illusion) of safety, because drivers expect cyclists to stay on their side of the white line, and vice versa. Cyclists like the idea, because cars aren't supposed to go there.

The truth is that cars cross the lane at every driveway and intersection. And cyclists need to move to the left edge of the traffic lane at least every now and then because they need to make left turns.

They make traffic situations more complex, by introducing a new. partially segregated stream of traffic, and expecting everyone to blithely share intersections and other crossing areas.

They're useful,and they're a strong encouragement for more folks to ride. Just be careful out there...
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Old 06-25-09, 03:54 PM
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Do people really call themselves "Foresterites"? I thought it was a term that other people called them.
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Old 06-25-09, 06:08 PM
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It all depends on the details.
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Old 06-25-09, 06:19 PM
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Are bike lanes safe or just offer an illusion of safty?
I'm sorry, but I'm not from this country, and I am not familiar with these new term - how you say it, ah - "safty."

-Kurt
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Old 06-25-09, 06:33 PM
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Originally Posted by cudak888
I'm sorry, but I'm not from this country, and I am not familiar with these new term - how you say it, ah - "safty."

-Kurt
Go back to Texico, 'ito.

Depending on painted lines for an illusion of safety is gonna make you have a bad day sooner or later.
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Old 06-25-09, 06:47 PM
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Originally Posted by geo8rge
here is the data used in the article:

Pedalcyclists Killed, by Age and Location - State : USA, Year : 2007
Pedalcyclists Killed, by Time of Day and Day of Week - State : USA, Year : 2007
Pedalcyclists Killed in Single Vehicle Crashes, by Vehicle Type and Initial Point of Impact - State : USA, Year : 2007
Pedalcyclists Killed, by Related Factors - State : USA, Year : 2007

https://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/People...lcyclists.aspx
Interesting charts.
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Old 06-25-09, 06:48 PM
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Originally Posted by johndavis
The one thing I like about segregated lanes is that I feel more at ease to go slow. When I'm riding in the midst of traffic, I often feel pressured to keep my speed above 10 miles per hour, which can make steep hills and long distances less enjoyable.

I personally think sharrows are a better option, but if the illusion of safety that lanes provide gets more people riding, perhaps that's a good thing.
I like the sign that say's "Bikes May Use Full Lane." As well as the share the road signs. Hopefully they let drivers know to expect bicycles on the road.
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Old 06-25-09, 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Kerlenbach
It's a good article, worth reading. I think bike lanes increase safety because they help keep cars and bike segregated. But, as the article points out, the dangers of intersections still remain. The bike lane is great between intersections, but getting out of the lane and into traffic at the intersection usually is the best strategy.
I don't think that it is always necessary or safe as the article points out, to keep motor vehicles and bicycles segregated.

I've got to agree with you that at intersections that it is best to get out with traffic. That way you are more visible. And you can (hopefully) observe turn signals. Granted with the infrequency that some drivers use their turn signals you'd think that they were disabled at the factory. :-(
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Old 06-25-09, 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Pscyclepath
Bike lanes create a perception (some would say illusion) of safety, because drivers expect cyclists to stay on their side of the white line, and vice versa. Cyclists like the idea, because cars aren't supposed to go there.

The truth is that cars cross the lane at every driveway and intersection. And cyclists need to move to the left edge of the traffic lane at least every now and then because they need to make left turns.

They make traffic situations more complex, by introducing a new. partially segregated stream of traffic, and expecting everyone to blithely share intersections and other crossing areas.

They're useful,and they're a strong encouragement for more folks to ride. Just be careful out there...
Fortunately here in Florida the law says that just because there is a bike lane that bicycles do NOT have to use them. And sadly here in St. Pete more then a few of them are just the shoulder repainted as a bike lane. And I think that we all know what ends up in the shoulder.
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Old 06-25-09, 06:57 PM
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Originally Posted by invisiblehand
Do people really call themselves "Foresterites"? I thought it was a term that other people called them.
No idea, before I read the article I never heard of him/them.
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Old 06-25-09, 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted by cudak888
I'm sorry, but I'm not from this country, and I am not familiar with these new term - how you say it, ah - "safty."

-Kurt
Kurt,

Sorry, I dropped the "e" from safety.
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Old 06-25-09, 06:59 PM
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Originally Posted by chipcom
Go back to Texico, 'ito.
But I use Shell.

-Kurt
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Old 06-25-09, 07:01 PM
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Originally Posted by chipcom
Go back to Texico, 'ito.

Depending on painted lines for an illusion of safety is gonna make you have a bad day sooner or later.
Yep, I agree with that. They're a good idea on paper but given that roads are only so wide they at best a false sense of safety.

It would be nice IF there was room for a road for cars, a road for bicycles, a road for roller bladers/skaters, etc. But there isn't enough room to make roads for everyone and we'd still have to contend with intersections.
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Old 06-25-09, 07:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Digital_Cowboy
It would be nice IF there was room for a road for cars, a road for bicycles, a road for roller bladers/skaters, etc.
It would be nice...until you have an intersection.

-Kurt
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Old 06-25-09, 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by cudak888
It would be nice...until you have an intersection.

-Kurt
Exactly.
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Old 06-25-09, 09:07 PM
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Forester’s opinion is that bike lanes were not devised to keep cyclists safe, but rather to keep them from interfering with car traffic.
Lol, I agree with Forest on that, but there is nothing wrong with making traffic flow efficient. There is a reason why you get traffic congestion when people slowdown (whatever reason: bikes, tractors) to watch the accident on the otherside if the traffic is in moderate/high volume.
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Old 06-25-09, 10:16 PM
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It is only an illusion... paint offers no physical protection, and thus no added safety.

However, that said, paint does help define spaces, and drivers are used to "staying between the lines."

BL also indicate that cyclists should use the road, but unfortunately BL also seem to indicate where cyclists are expected to "stay."
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Old 06-25-09, 10:23 PM
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Bike lanes allow alert drivers to see there is something special, but it doesn't help the idiot who is HUA!
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Old 06-26-09, 12:14 AM
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Originally Posted by invisiblehand
Do people really call themselves "Foresterites"?
NO.

Originally Posted by invisiblehand
I thought it was a term that other people called them.
True and I have only seen it used in BFs by those that hate JF.
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Old 06-26-09, 12:22 AM
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Bike lanes are convenient storage areas for broken glass, gravel, wires from steel belted tires, plowed snow, sand (formerly used for traction), etc.

Bike lanes reduce cyclist safety at intersections/driveways and encourage motorist to pass cyclist closer because the line tells them that a close pass is now OK.
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Old 06-26-09, 07:00 AM
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The article quoted in the op is really poor:
No safety in numbers... the number of cyclists killed has hovered around 800 for each of the past six years [shouldn't that number be increasing???]

The curb lane at this intersection [where a fatal bike accident occurred] ... the safety claims made for bicycle lanes are unfounded. [A curb lane does not conform to AASHTO standards for a bike lane.]

The author cites an accident involving a commercial truck whose drivers are taught that cyclists are hazards and to tap the horn at them but the problem is definitely bike lanes because there was not one present in this accident. As well as ignoring the fact that trucks have a disproportionate number of bike fatalities where the initial point of contact is the right side.
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