Originally Posted by sggoodri
I don't understand the straight bike lane to the left of what appears to be an ordinary straight travel lane in the top row of photos. Why do the traffic engineers want to put through cyclists to the left of through motor traffic there? Do they put cyclists next to the median because there are fewer access points and parked cars to generate conflicts with cyclists?
If I were approaching this intersection, unfamiliar with the area, I would be riding in the right lane for a while before I noticed a bike lane striped on the far left side. I personally would probably stay in the right travel lane for my first couple of trips on that road until I became comfortable with the implications of using that particular non-standard bike lane. If I decided that the left-side lane worked for me, I would use it, otherwise I would stay in the rightmost through lane, according to the normal rules of the road. Would my operation in the rightmost through lane be protected under the law in Seattle?
Seems obvious that a lot of the traffic in the right lane must turn right at that intersection. You certainly wouldn't want to be to the right of that lane if you could avoid it.
Those bike lane markings are pretty big. If it takes you a couple trips through before you notice them, perhaps a trip to the optometrist .......??
__________________
Downtube VIII FS folder - his .... 2 - Strida3 folders - his n' hers .... HP Velotechnik Grasshopper - his .... Burley Hep Cat - hers .... Whiz Wheels TT Cruiser W/velo kit - his
.
Ayn Rand was a prophet ..... it isn't my fault
.