Originally Posted by
elTwitcho
Seriously. Sometimes I think if people just stayed out of it things would be fine, rather than flaming up some kind of war, blaming us for ****ing up their commute, whatever else. I can get to work quick without getting hit by a car, I don't really want anything else.
It's like anything else, though: 99% of the biching is done by people that participate 1% of the time. People that commute throughout the year (most of us) just accept the situation and adjust. Additionally, people with more experience riding through downtown traffic tend to know the safe & fast routes and pick our way through traffic in a much more hawkish manner than those with less experience. We just anticipate where the cars will go and react accordingly. Additionally, we are more clear with what's expected of us: keep a good pace, ride in a straight line, etc...
While more bike lanes, placed in a coherent network would be nice, I haven't found myself in danger for lack of them. On the contrary, I tend to ride with much more trepidation when in a bike lane, because I never know if car drivers are checking their blind spots before making turns, or who will be riding in the lane with me (it's much sketchier to pass a slow cyclist in a bike lane than a regular lane). Furthermore, the lanes get outright abused by parking cars, joggers, and skateboarders.
If the city is really, honestly, and truly interested in placing bike lanes, they don't need public debate ad nausea: they have planning experts, traffic flow experts, and crews to lay the lines. Either schit or get off the pot. I'm sick of relentless and circuitous debate.