Commuting - Bike lanes on the left side of one-way streets

I rode into downtown Minneapolis on my way home last Friday to run some errands. I rarely ride in Minneapolis as I live and work in the suburbs. As I was cruising in the right lane of a one-way street, I noticed that there was a bike lane over on the left side of the street. Well, I had to turn right in a bit so I didn't bother using it. But on my way out of downtown, the street I used had the same setup. So I used the bike lane and I must say it freaked me out a bit. I was not used to looking over my right shoulder for cars. So why do they do this? Is it because street parking on the right and bike lane on the left is better than the opposite? Are cyclists more visible/noticable on the left?

Some one-way streets are 2-way for bicycle traffic. Cyclist have a dedicated lane on the correct side of the road. Were you using it in the correct direction?
If a bike lane makes no sense, and the rode is suitable, then use the road.

It's actually because of the buses - you were probably heading the wrong way. The downtown bike paths are (mostly) one ways that go against traffic. I'm not sure why they set it up that way, but it cuts down on people turning against you, because the cars see you in front of them and don't have to look in their rearview mirror. Also, if they don't see you, they see the bus coming up behind you and don't turn...

I'm assuming you're talking about the lanes on streets like 10th & 11th St, Park, and Portland. I haven't figured out the reasoning myself, because it seems like the drivers would be least likely to expect cyclists on their left. But I've also noticed that I'm usually moving faster than traffic in these lanes downtown, in which case it makes sense that the bike lanes are on the left (assuming the principle that faster-moving vehicles should pass on the left).

The ones on Marquette & 1st Ave S run in the same direction as the bus lines, but in the opposite direction of other traffic. You still have to watch out for left turning traffic...and more than anything when using the bike lanes downtown: watch out for taxis! Why they share lanes with the buses is beyond me, but anyhow, they are constantly using the bike lanes to pass or make left turns.

It's actually because of the buses - you were probably heading the wrong way. The downtown bike paths are (mostly) one ways that go against traffic. I'm not sure why they set it up that way, but it cuts down on people turning against you, because the cars see you in front of them and don't have to look in their rearview mirror. Also, if they don't see you, they see the bus coming up behind you and don't turn...

No, there were no oncoming bus lanes on these streets. And I saw bike symbols on the street that indicated I was going the correct direction.

I'm assuming you're talking about the lanes on streets like 10th & 11th St, Park, and Portland.

Yes. I entered downtown from the west using 12th to get to the convention center and left going north on Park.

Yes. I entered downtown from the west using 12th to get to the convention center and left going north on Park.

Yup--those lanes are the fast way to navigate downtown, particularly during rush-hour. Beats trying to squeeze through traffic, getting cut off by right turns, and of course getting doored. Oh, *moment of enlightenment* if you're travelling on the left side of the street, you don't have to play leap frog with the buses. Yeah, that's it!

Oh, *moment of enlightenment* if you're travelling on the left side of the street, you don't have to play leap frog with the buses. Yeah, that's it!

Hey, that makes sense. I have lot of fond memories from the time I lived in St. Paul and rode my bike to the U of M campus and regularly played leapfrog with the 'ol #16 on University Ave :)

Yup--those lanes are the fast way to navigate downtown, particularly during rush-hour. Beats trying to squeeze through traffic, getting cut off by right turns, and of course getting doored. Oh, *moment of enlightenment* if you're travelling on the left side of the street, you don't have to play leap frog with the buses. Yeah, that's it!

If I'm picturing those lanes correctly, there are still cars that park on the left hand side of the street, thus dooring is still a minor risk. And you do have to worry about being cutoff by the left turns. I especially like the patented Minnesotan left turns made from the right lanes (and vice versa).

If I'm picturing those lanes correctly, there are still cars that park on the left hand side of the street, thus dooring is still a minor risk. And you do have to worry about being cutoff by the left turns. I especially like the patented Minnesotan left turns made from the right lanes (and vice versa).
The "Citiots" must have a splinter group in Florida because every so often I see someone pulling that same maneuver down here.

if they are like the left side bike lanes in Munich I would treat these bike lanes with extreme caution and maybe even avoid them completely- drivers do not expect cyclists cycling on the left. So if you have intersections with cars you have a higher chance of being hit. The stats show that cyclists using these left hand bike lanes (on the sidewalk) are up to about 12x more likely to be involved in an accident. I have had a few near misses on these type of bike paths and avoid them like the plague.

In NYC bike lanes are often on the left side on one-way streets because of all the double-parking that occurs on the right side... :)

We have a couple of those left-side bike lanes here in Eugene, one runs for about 4 blocks and the other for quite a ways further. There are metered parking spaces between the curb and bike lane, then the driving lane. You're all correct, dooring is a problem are cars turning left. I ride roads as little as possible just 'cause I'm allergic to pain.

We have one of these, about 1.5 miles long. It's to avoid tangles with busses. Got "left-hooked" in it last year. Witnessed a left-hook in it last Thursday. There's parking for part of it, so getting doored is also an issue. Turning right from it is a pain. You have to plan a coupla blocks in advance. Mirror doesn't show what you need to see. But it's downhill from Capitol Hill, so you can usu. keep up with the car traffic (unless there's some slow student in front of you; another peril). IIRC, there are a couple in Ann Arbor.