Originally Posted by Roody
Good job pointing out the advantages to bike lanes. But I can see a couple disadvantages in the picture:
- The silver Chrysler (or whatever) is parked in such a way that bike lane users have to travel in the "door zone." (EDIT: At least that's how it looks in the picture--but you said there is room.)
- Looks like lots of driveways and (presumably) side streets empty into the bike lane. Some motorists don't watch for traffic in the bike lanes, but most do watch the motor traffic lanes.
- In many states, you are required to use the bike lane if there is one, but you can use the regular lane if ther is no bike lane.
There's about 3-4 feet of space available inside the bike lane on the other side of the car, which for the most part DOES put you in that "door zone". However, I've never actually seen this be a problem. Generally, if someone is about to open thier car door, they are either standing outside the car, and you will avoid them anyway, or they just parked the car, which you watched from a few hundred yards behind on your bike, and you are aware that they will likely open thier door shortly, so you can give them space.
The bike lane is *right next* to the regular traffic lane. If a motorist doesn't look before he pulls out into the bike lane, it's his fault as a poor driver, not a fault of the road design. You'll see that the driveways also cross over the sidewalk, but it's not the fault of the sidewalk if a motorist hits a pedestrian because he wasn't looking where he was going. In my town, specifically, most motorists are pretty aware of bicyclists because there are so many around, but I know that doesn't apply everywhere.
California law regarding bike lanes:
21208. (a) Whenever a bicycle lane has been established on a roadway pursuant to Section 21207, any person operating a bicycle upon the roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction shall ride within the bicycle lane, except that such person may move out of the lane under any of the following situations:
(1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle, vehicle, or pedestrian within the lane or about to enter the lane if such overtaking and passing cannot be done safely within the lane.
(2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
(3) When reasonably necessary to leave the bicycle lane to avoid debris or other hazardous conditions.
(b) No person operating a bicycle shall leave a bicycle lane until the movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after giving an appropriate signal in the manner provided in Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 22100) in the event that any vehicle may be affected by the movement.