Originally Posted by Daily Commute
It is not even in the same league as sending black people to the back of the bus, but it is stupid policy. Bike lanes are adjacent to, but not on, the road. Just like sidewalks are adjacent to, but not on the road.
Mandatory sidepath laws (this thread's topic) keep cyclists out of the correct place at virtually every intersection.
How can you turn left if a cop can ticket you for leaving the bike lane 1/2 a block before the turn? You can't, because mandatory bike lane laws keep you off the road.
How can you position yourself to avoid a right hook? You can't, because you need to be in the line of traffic to do so and bike lane laws keep you off the road.
Yeah, I will have to give up on this one because you don't really get where I'm coming from. I refuse to talk design or enforcement issues. The thread topic said "bike lanes" not "sidepath". I think the two terms may be used interchangeably in some contexts not. Anyway, I am not interested enough to pursue this distinction with you, except to say that anything to the left of the gutter pan is "on the road" in my book.