That makes sense but LOTS of the bike lanes are on streets that would be fairly safe with or without the lanes such as numbered (non-main) streets. I would say that the busier streets, say 8th Ave., do seem mildly safer with the marking. One of the problems is that the white marker stuff (sorry for being so overly technical) rubs off. There is a lane on the street where I live, West 77th, or there used to be but you'd have a very hard time knowing it was there.

I think one of the biggest problems with the lanes--and it is the sole fault of the walkers, not the city--is peds in the lanes. I had a woman step out from in front of a stopped (it was at a light) cab and into one of those painted green lanes right into my path. We had a huge collision--must have looked like a corner back slamming into a split end at midfield.

And then there is the lane down Broadway from Times Square to 23rd. I can't figure out why people walk in the lane. There are plenty of sidewalks, get out of the lane!