Originally Posted by
Bekologist
accident mitigation is not the sole purpose of bikelanes; there are myriad other positive effects that support bike lanes
You're backing away from your earlier statement that bike lanes have been "proven" to enhance safety.
Originally Posted by
Bekologist
Here are some excerpts from a 2007 NATIONAL COOPERATIVE HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM report "GUIDE TO REDUCING ACCIDENTS INVOLVING BICYCLISTS...
"...Bicycle lanes are often appropiate when most bicyclists on the route are less experienced"
"Most studies present evidence that bicycle lanes may provide protection against bicycle/motor vehicle collissions. Evidence also shows that riding with traffic reduces bicyclists' chances of collission with a motor vehicle. Locations with bike lanes have lower rates of wrong-way bicycling"
"Bike lanes have been found to provide more consistent seperation between bicyclists and motorists than shared travel lanes. The presence of the bike lane stripe has also been shown from research to result in fewer erratic motor vehicle driver movements, more predictable bicyclist riding behavior, and enhanced comfort levels for both motorists and bicyclists."
Your quotes just prove my point that 30+ years of attempting to prove that bike lanes improve safety have failed. Let's take them one at a time:
"Most studies present evidence that bicycle lanes may provide protection against bicycle/motor vehicle collissions. " Well, that's the very definition of a qualified statement. "Bicycle lanes may provide protection?" Even I can't deny that, because I can't prove they don't. But that certainly is a long stretch from proving that they do.
"Evidence also shows that riding with traffic reduces bicyclists' chances of collission with a motor vehicle. Locations with bike lanes have lower rates of wrong-way bicycling." Still no proof that bike lanes improve safety, perhaps an inference that they increase behavior associated with safety.
""Bike lanes have been found to provide more consistent seperation between bicyclists and motorists than shared travel lanes. The presence of the bike lane stripe has also been shown from research to result in fewer erratic motor vehicle driver movements, more predictable bicyclist riding behavior ..." Again, no proof of anything having to do with safety.
"...enhanced comfort levels for both motorists and bicyclists." Bingo! That's what bike lanes are all about.
Enhanced comfort levels -- particularly for motorists. Many motorists just don't like sharing the road with cyclists.