Originally Posted by
Daniel4
Of the many types of bike lanes in Toronto, the one you describe is one of the safest. The difference is that car parking does not go all the way to the intersection - they never did anyways. By law, parking right up to the intersection is prohibited where I live. The parked cars provide a safety buffer for cyclists.
So right-turning vehicles, when they pose a danger to cyclists, have posed the same danger to pedestrians when there were no bike lanes. However, now with bike lanes, those that have curbs or bollards at the intersection force motorists be more aware while making their turns carefully. If you can't imagine that, then come visit and see for yourself.
Around here there might be one or two car lengths left open before the intersection. When the intersection is with an alley it will be zero. Let me repeat. Bike cannot see motor vehicles operating next to them as they approach intersections. Motor vehicles cannot see bicycles they are overtaking or driving parallel to. Entering the intersection it might be a split second the two parties can see each other. When the intersection is an alley entrance there may be no view of the bike lane at all until front end of car is in the bike lane. Does that sound dangerous yet? Or shall we hand wave some more about buffers and careful drivers?
At ordinary intersection with ordinary parking and no bike lanes pedestrians and motor vehicles can see each other a long way off. Parked trucks are and always have been an issue. When that parked truck is a one-off most are going to behave with added caution. When a rather worse situation becomes the norm and people want to get somewhere it gets harder. I don't even visit a lot of streets in my immediate area because the only safe speed is walking speed. For both the bike and the motor vehicle. As previously stated bicycle traffic is way down in my downtown area.