Originally Posted by Helmet Head
Yes, I know. But my point is that traffic coming up from behind should be the least of a cyclist's worries (it's the cross traffic, albeit including traffic from behind that is turning right, that is the main danger).
And the lane width increase from a 5' BL to 12ish' NOL should be great help in reducing close passes.
It depends on the street and traffic I suppose. I've had a close passes or twenty in 15' WOLs, but never in bike lanes. Granted, I haven't ridden bike lanes as much, but imo, traffic gives way more room to the cyclist in the bike lane than to the cyclist in the shared lane because traffic has to stay out of the bike lane by law. The city may even put in a normal size lane and an emergency lane. Then the cyclist would probably get buzzed more often and the city probably wouldn't keep the area they occupy as clean...
Not that this is what's going to happen, it's just that unless recreational cycling is popular year round, cities don't give a rats ass about cyclists imle.