J Barton ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) writes:
> I have a different definition of a bicycle lane. It's not very technical
> but it is technically beautiful:
>
> A cycling ghetto where glass, rocks, car parts and dead animals accumulate.
How true. The sweeping action of cars and trucks on non (bike-lane) striped
roads circumvents any need to advise the city to remove such debris. It's
a bit more difficult to sweep away hydro poles and drain covers located in
bike lanes though.
Another point never mentioned is that bike lanes serve one destination
only at intersections. Strange as it may seem, but cyclist traffic is
like other traffic, it travels in more than one direction at intersections.
Except for the rare left side bike lane (on one way sections), bike lanes
never serve left turning cyclists. Bike lanes to the left of right turn
lanes serve straight through cyclists only. Bike lanes to the right of
lanes used by other traffic to turn right, such as on Bay Street and Island
Park Drive, serve right turning cyclists only (at least they ought to). The
latter are the most common, as well as, the most dangerous kind. I like to
think someone realized this when they removed the bike lane between the
right turn lane (to the Alexander Bridge) and the through lane (to
Mackenzie) southbound on Sussex Drive in front of the National Art Gallery.
The never ending discussion on the value of having cyclists separated by paint
striping detracts from the real cycling safety issue of how cyclists can
get themselves through intersections without getting into trouble. Bike
lane and shoulder paint striping is a red herring. The "hit from behind"
collison represents a very small number of cycle accidents, but an
inordinately large part of cyclist concerns. Meanwhile real risks at
intersections are rarely mentioned. (Most of these are cycling skill related
and cyclists don't like to admit they are at fault.)
Peter James touched on it in an earlier post when he pointed out (problems
are generated) ....
"at the very locations where most accidents occur - at intersections!"
Let's focus on real problems not perceived ones.
--
Avery Burdett
Ottawa, Ontario
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