Old 09-26-22, 10:29 AM
  #121  
livedarklions
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Originally Posted by 63rickert
Really absurd assertions such as when a bike lane is immediately adjacent to curb and sidewalk a cyclist must pay attention to what is on the sidewalk. Absurd assertions such as when trapped in a narrow slot between curb and a parked truck there is zero visibility of the adjacent road. A commenter above actually asserts he in fact can see traffic from bike lane. What? Yes I can think of a lane where 21mph would be briefly possible, the lane on Sheridan past Northwestern University. But not in any hours when there are pedestrians. Not when anyone else is using the lane. And before there were lanes it was possible to ride the road at 25 or 30 or whatever you could do.

There is a big contingent here that is going to assert lanes are good regardless of how bad and ill conceived the vast majority are. The best on-street lanes still turn cyclists into rats in a maze. The freedom of cycling is gone. You think some marginal illusory safety is enough justification to give up freedom. I think the safety is completely illusory. The lanes are flat dangerous. I never see old people riding the lanes. They were on same streets before. Every street that gets a lane sees a big drop in cycling traffic. The traffic moves to the next side street and you absolutely see the diverted bikes on the side streets. How many destinations could anyone have if only willing to ride where there is a lane?

I have 64 years of riding in traffic. Two accidents with injury caused by motor vehicles. One of those was with a Post Office truck traveling the wrong direction on a oneway bike lane. The other was a blind drunk driver exiting an enter only alley at speed. Both accidents connected to extreme police negligence. The drunk was wife of local police lieutenant, they knew she drove drunk habitually. Two stitches in my chin, forty stitches in my leg. That's total extent of traffic injuries in a lifetime. It is simply not possible to ride a bike when paralyzed by fear. Bike lanes do not cure fear. It just means I have to suffer someone elses fear.

Sorry, but you have just turned this into such a black or white issue where you want to argue that bike lanes are universally bad against someone who thinks they're universally good. SInce I don't hold either of those beliefs, you are now just berating me to convince me that I'm not a true Scotsman if I ever find riding in a lane advantageous. After all, who am I supposed to believe, you or my lying eyes? And seriously, where in any major city does a cyclist not need to be aware of what's going on on the sidewalk and the street?
And yeah, I've seen people of all ages in bike lanes. Assuming you're actually still riding through these streets, I think what's happened to you is you're just sure all lanes are like the ones you experience locally. I don't think what you're describing fits how bike lanes are used and perceived in the Boston area. The only riding I've ever done in Evanston was on a cul de sac when I was 6 years old.
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