Originally Posted by
Big Lebowski
Here's a link to a recent story about bicycle commuting in Johnson County, KS, which is where I live. It is a major suburb of Kansas City, MO.
http://joco913.com/news/happy-trails-to-you-cyclists/
I think that most of the article is spot-on. We have a pretty good trail system (blacktop) and it is getting better. I do not mind the extra time the trails take over a direct route. I think it is safer to not be on the roadway with cars, I'm not out to set any speed records and it is beautiful scenery.
The article does mention that "there is a debate even within the cycling community over whether marked bike lanes are preferable to giving the right lane slightly more pavement. Some cyclists even think bike lanes make motorists more likely to become enraged when a biker leaves the lane to make a left turn, for example." I was surprised at this. The bike lane mentioned and pictured in the article is near my home and I use it. I like it.
Bike lanes are sort of a mixed blessing. One problem is that they can move cyclists outside of a motorist's line of site. Further many motorists aren't used to checking behind them for traffic in the bikes lanes before making a turn. I got hit that way once.
On the plus side, whether they are actually safer or not, they feel that way to many cyclists so the existence of these lanes can increase bicycle traffic. That is ultimately what makes all of us safer.