BIKE: fact sheet on bike lanes

[Stephen Wechsler]

Jeff,
Thanks.  I've looked over as much as I have time for.  Schimek is  
arguing (rather stridently) for a particular position, so obviously we  
just cannot accept what he says at face value.  The only way to assess  
any of this is to go back to the original documents and studies---  
which I dont have time for now.

But I found this comment interesting (they're discussing Cambridge MA):

------------------------------------
> http://www.bikexprt.com/massfacil/cambridge/lanes.htm
> I have found bicycle coordinator Cara Seiderman to be an effective  
> proponent of bicycle-related programs within the Cambridge city  
> government. However, Seiderman did graduate study in Denmark, and came  
> to her position in Cambridge with a vision of bicycling formed by that  
> experience. I disagree with Seiderman about the validity of the  
> Northern European vision of bicycle facilities, and about its  
> implementations in Cambridge.
>
> On major streets, Danish cities have special bike lanes, separate from  
> those for motor vehicles, at the edge of the street. Motorists turning  
> or right across the bike lanes must not merge into the bike lane, but  
> instead must yield before crossing the bike lane.
------------------------------------

Personally I think I'm seeing things through Seiderman's eyes, re "the  
validity of the Northern European vision of bicycle facilities".  I've  
bicycled in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, France, and  
Germany (and Indonesia, but never mind that)-- for years altogether.    
I like the "special bike lanes, separate from those for motor vehicles,  
at the edge of the street".  It makes cycling so much more pleasant.

Yes, there's a problem here in the US at intersections with  
right-turning cars clipping you.  The solution in N.Europe is simply to  
have special traffic lights for the bikes.  The cars go then the bikes  
go then the cars go.  Just like for pedestrians.   I don't see any  
reason why it could not be done the same way here.   (Although I'm sure  
someone is about to tell me why....)

Part of my 'vision' is the images from Europe of WHO is on the bikes.   
Old people, kids, people pulling trailers, even pulling small boats,  
carrying sheets of glass, etc.  Why not?   That's the point, for me.   
Sure, *I* can ride in traffic if I have to (though I really prefer not  
to)---- but I want my son to be able to ride the streets safely, like  
his friends & relatives in Sweden do.

As it is, he and I ride together to Lee Elementary School, but I would  
like the ride to be safer.  Check this out:  out of 400 kids at that  
school, there are rarely more than 5 or 6 bikes on the bike rack.   I  
think that's pathetic.  And I'm trying to improve on it.

---Steve


On Sunday, October 24, 2004, at 09:27 PM, Thorne wrote:

> Steve:
>
> Thanks for posting that 'fact sheet,' but I have reason to doubt its
> conclusions/assertions.
> See:
> Bike Lanes and Safety Research
>   Presented to the City of Boston Bicycle Advisory Committee
> Supporting material from the Bike Lane Forum open committee meeting,  
> February
> 21, 2001
> by Paul Schimek, with Tom Revay, February 21, 2001
>
> "Introduction
> "Proponents of bike lanes tell us that these are roadway safety  
> features that
> are installed for the benefit of cyclists. For example, Cambridge,
> Massachusetts has published an article describing the purported safety
> benefits of bike lanes. 1    However, a closer look at the available  
> studies
> cited in that document shows that there is no evidence that bike lanes
> increase bicyclist safety."
>
> [Read the whole article at:
> http://tomrevay.tripod.com/projects/MassBike/BikeLanes/ 
> BikeLaneRebuttal.htm]
>
> [See also:  http://www.bikexprt.com/massfacil/cambridge/lanes.htm  and
> http://www.bikexprt.com/research/synthesis/synwach1.htm and
> http://www.bikexprt.com/bikepol/facil/lanes/wachlane.htm]
>
> It seems to me the jury is still out, but there is little in the way  
> of solid
> evidence that bike lanes actually help cycling safety, as opposed to  
> making
> some riders feel safer, which is a different thing altogether.  In my
> experience, bike lanes seem to increase the risk of passing auto  
> traffic
> turning right across the rider's path and increase the incidence of  
> cycling
> against traffic.
>
> Jeff