Originally Posted by
genec
So you are saying that by building bike lanes we are enabling motorists to feel that we don't belong on streets?
When I ride in the traveled way, I hear "get in the bike lane," when no bike lanes exist, I hear "get on the sidewalk." I don't think motorists give a hoot about a "bikeway system... " they just feel that cyclists do not belong on roads... yet they do find us "acceptable" in bike lanes... this rather counters your comments... of course "bikeways" is an all encompassing term that can mean anything from bike lanes to paths.
No, one more of your failures to understand. Building bike lanes does not enable motorists to feel that we don't belong on streets. Building bike lanes is the physical embodiment of the pre-existing feeling that we don't belong on streets, and that we should be kept in our place, where we won't delay motorists.
You write that: "I don't think motorists give a hoot about a "bikeway system... " they just feel that cyclists do not belong on roads... " Whatever you may think, it is incorrect as proved by the historic record, and is illogical as well. It is illogical because the bikeway system is the physical embodiment of the motorists' view that cyclists don't belong on roads. It is historically erroneous because it was the motoring organizations who forced the imposition of bikeways upon cyclists, against the opposition of cyclists and after the motorists' safety arguments for them had been proved wrong.