One advantage of bike lanes over WOL/shoulder
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
One advantage of bike lanes over WOL/shoulder
I had been wanting to explore some routes for getting to center city Philadelphia from Wilmington by bike and today I finally got the chance. Pennsylvania has marked bicycle touring routes (https://www.dot.state.pa.us/BIKE/WEB/tour_routes.htm) that cut through the state at various points and I happen to live near the start of both bike route L and E. Bike route E takes you from North Wilmington all the way through Philadelphia and a little bit beyond. For some reason the maps are not online like they are for the other routes. I planned on following the signs for around an hour and then heading home (an hour got me just past the airport from my starting point on Naaman's Road in DE). The route was a mix of two lane roads with NOL's and WOL's (usually doubling as a parking lane) and 4 lane roads with NOL's, WOL's, bike lanes, or shoulders with speed limits ranging anywhere from 25-50mph.
One reason that I am a DLP convert is the fact that so often in my area WOL's/shoulders/bike lanes just seem to end. The road narrows or the shoulder/bike lane becomes a right turn lane. Riding to the right at all times meant sometimes being caught offguard by these changes if on an unfamiliar road and ending up in a bad spot. Riding center by default gives me more time to assess the situation and I can decide whether or not to change position to allow faster traffic to pass or to make them wait/go around me.
Now, to my point. All of the bike lanes along the way (I rode the first 13 miles or so of the route with maybe 4 of those miles having bike lanes) were signed at the beginning and the END, usually accompanied by a "Share the Road" sign. I've never seen a shoulder or WOL lane signed saying that the width of the highway is going to be narrowing. These signs were quite helpful with deciding on my positioning as I could see them well ahead of me. I knew far in advance whether I should be looking to move left if I was right and if I should just stay left if I was left. At higher speeds it can sometimes be difficult to discern just how much the highway is narrowing especially if it's happening around a bend in the road.
So score one for well signed bike lanes. But deduct a half point for them being way dirtier than the WOL's
Side note: I think I saw the bravest old woman ever today, riding against traffic on a 50mph, 4 lane, NOL road. Now that takes guts.
One reason that I am a DLP convert is the fact that so often in my area WOL's/shoulders/bike lanes just seem to end. The road narrows or the shoulder/bike lane becomes a right turn lane. Riding to the right at all times meant sometimes being caught offguard by these changes if on an unfamiliar road and ending up in a bad spot. Riding center by default gives me more time to assess the situation and I can decide whether or not to change position to allow faster traffic to pass or to make them wait/go around me.
Now, to my point. All of the bike lanes along the way (I rode the first 13 miles or so of the route with maybe 4 of those miles having bike lanes) were signed at the beginning and the END, usually accompanied by a "Share the Road" sign. I've never seen a shoulder or WOL lane signed saying that the width of the highway is going to be narrowing. These signs were quite helpful with deciding on my positioning as I could see them well ahead of me. I knew far in advance whether I should be looking to move left if I was right and if I should just stay left if I was left. At higher speeds it can sometimes be difficult to discern just how much the highway is narrowing especially if it's happening around a bend in the road.
So score one for well signed bike lanes. But deduct a half point for them being way dirtier than the WOL's
Side note: I think I saw the bravest old woman ever today, riding against traffic on a 50mph, 4 lane, NOL road. Now that takes guts.
#2
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,807
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1394 Post(s)
Liked 1,335 Times
in
841 Posts
Originally Posted by joejack951
... Side note: I think I saw the bravest old woman ever today, riding against traffic on a 50mph, 4 lane, NOL road. Now that takes guts.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#3
Two H's!!! TWO!!!!!
Originally Posted by joejack951
I had been wanting to explore some routes for getting to center city Philadelphia from Wilmington by bike and today I finally got the chance. Pennsylvania has marked bicycle touring routes...
Of course, that in itself, unfortunately, is not always particularly useful since so many bike lanes are so awful that you want to avoid them in favour of a 2-lane high-speed NOL road with a lot of traffic, seriously...
#4
Arizona Dessert
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: AZ
Posts: 15,030
Bikes: Cannondale SuperSix, Lemond Poprad. Retired: Jamis Sputnik, Centurion LeMans Fixed, Diamond Back ascent ex
Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5345 Post(s)
Liked 2,169 Times
in
1,288 Posts
Originally Posted by chephy
Oh, this brings up another point point in favour of bike lanes over wide shoulders: they are shown on maps.
https://www.tempe.gov/bikeprogram/Bik...6%20Legend.jpg
Al
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 1,840
Bikes: Bianchi San Remo - set up as a utility bike, Peter Mooney Road bike, Peter Mooney commute bike,Dahon Folder,Schwinn Paramount Tandem
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by chephy
Oh, this brings up another point point in favour of bike lanes over wide shoulders: they are shown on maps.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 111
Bikes: Raleigh
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by John E
She eliminated the danger of being struck from behind.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 135
Bikes: 1970 Raleigh Record (daily rider), 1967 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Motobecane Mirage (commuter)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Please assume for the moment I'm new here -- what's "WOL" and "NOL"? I'm guessing that W==wide and N==narrow, and L is probably "lane", so what's 'O'?
Cheers!
Cheers!
#8
Arizona Dessert
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: AZ
Posts: 15,030
Bikes: Cannondale SuperSix, Lemond Poprad. Retired: Jamis Sputnik, Centurion LeMans Fixed, Diamond Back ascent ex
Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5345 Post(s)
Liked 2,169 Times
in
1,288 Posts
Outside aka Curb
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 389
Bikes: Trek 7.5 FX
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
raleigh_fan and I live in a state that has adopted the WOL as policy for accommodating bikes, rather than having bike lanes. I've spent the last few weeks wondering which is better in different situations. For instance, They're tweaking a five lane, 55mph road (US 74 in from Fairview, for AVL folks or Googlers) and they're planning a WOL, saying it's for bikers.
I think for 45+mph roads I'd prefer a dedicated lane. Less than that and I'm great with the WOL approach. Around here no one expects to see cyclists. If we had our own marked lane it would at least be an indication that some of us are out there, and dirvers might not be so shocked to see us. It might also add a badly needed sense of security for those unwilling to try riding due to fear.
I think for 45+mph roads I'd prefer a dedicated lane. Less than that and I'm great with the WOL approach. Around here no one expects to see cyclists. If we had our own marked lane it would at least be an indication that some of us are out there, and dirvers might not be so shocked to see us. It might also add a badly needed sense of security for those unwilling to try riding due to fear.