Originally Posted by
joejack951
Given the short light cycles on city streets, I can only see bike boxes causing more problems than they solve. Unless you know exactly when traffic will start moving again, attempting to reach a bike box is a recipe for getting right/left hooked. Once you are there, you now get to have everyone you just passed repass you. Seems like more of a hassle than it's worth.
Most of the significant signals I saw in Taiwan had the seconds left before the signal would change.
If the signal will change, just wait in the right lane.
Cars will eventually pass you, sure, in the left lane. Typically, cars won't retake the right lane unless they want to turn right, then they pass behind you.
Originally Posted by
joejack951
Now, if you were able to beat motor traffic to the next intersection, there's some benefit of getting ahead of traffic at lights but you can do that without the box.
Most of the car traffic in the right lane is turning right, which might be held up due to pedestrians or other issues. So, you're effectively getting ahead, though traffic is turning right. Through (car) traffic tends to migrate left. You end up beating (some) cars to the next intersection just because it takes time to move a line of packed cars.
It seems that unless they are such that they position the cyclist far enough ahead of stopped traffic that they can be seen, and that cyclists don't get caught manoeuvering up the inside of outer lanes and darting across in front of other vehicles to get into the box just as the light turns then they might be a problem.
I guess I looked at their usage as optional, and so you'd only maneuver if it were safe and had time to do so based on the light timers. The boxes in Taiwan seemed isolated enough and forward enough to be visible to motorists as well.
Personally, I felt pretty comfortable on the big streets in Taipei, despite the incredible traffic, compared to your typical ride through a dense city in the U.S. A lack of parked cars lining the streets, perhaps? Or maybe the additional infrastructure or maybe the large number of other two-wheeled traffic to be part of?