Originally Posted by
njkayaker
In the US (at least), the amount of bike lanes (which, I guess, you think would eliminate the need to make "vehicular" left turns) is very small. If people want to ride bicycles in the US, they have to deal with what exists. They can't wait until enough bike lanes are present to start riding.
While it's likely that more bicycle paths will be built in the US, there will always be many, many places where bicycle paths will never exist. That means that many riders (in the US) are going to have to be able to ride in the roadway.
"Riding in the roadway" for most cyclists in the U.S. has little to nothing to do with "lane control," as the term "lane control" is used by our Vehicular Cycling advocate comrades. Cyclists ride on the shoulders (when available) or to the far right, including in the door zone in crowded city traffic, regardless if a bike lane is marked out or not. They do it because it works out better for them than the available alternatives. And have been doing so long before anyone ever dreamed of a bike lane.
The cyclists who practice "lane control" as the term is normally used, are relatively few and far between, anywhere, and the presence/absence of bike lanes is a red herring.