big chainring

In my community one of the most used roads was repaved. When it was all done the planners had added a bike lane that goes for many miles thru several suburbs. Fantastic!

I ride the road often and it does give you a sense of security, especially at high traffic volume times of day. Cars have plenty of room to pass, bikes have a nice wide lane to ride in. Fantastic!

What I have been observing lately however is cyclists not satisfied with the bike lane. They ride out in the middle of the car lane. Why? It was extremely nice of the road planners and the towns the road traverses to include a bike lane. And the pavement is new and smooth. Yet I see regularly cyclists not using it and riding out in the car lane.

Sometimes I get frustrated with the stupidity of cyclists, And the image they portray. A townie at a coffee shop along the route asked me about the way cyclists disobey the bike lane and traffic signals. I responded I don't ride that way, but there are a few cyclists that ride like outlaws and know they can get away with "taking the lane" and rude behavior.

ItsJustMe

Is the bike lane right alongside parked cars? If so, it's in the door zone and would be dangerous to use.

You can't "disobey" a bike lane. The presence of a bike lane does not mean that cyclists MUST use it. It's another lane for their use, just like the main traffic lanes. it's up to the discretion of the cyclist which lanes are appropriate and safe to use.

Taking the lane is not something you "get away with" - it's perfectly legal behavior and sometimes is the safest way to ride. It's like saying that a car driver is "getting away with" going the speed limit and stopping at a stop sign.

making

I am not a bike lane fan. I will use them if I think they are safer, but I will also ignore them, the car doors being a very good example.

CliffordK

There have been raging debates about bike lanes on this site.

I personally like them, although sometimes I'll ride the white line to avoid debris if there is no traffic around, then pull right as cars approach.

I believe most safety issues with bike lanes have to do with major intersections which you should approach with caution, espeially if passing cars on the right.

Do you have car parking to the right of the bike lane? Are there cars parked to the right of the lane? That is one of the greatest complaints I've read. Here, I'll often ride in the parking lane as the parked cars are so infrequent.

fietsbob

Do The Twist .. Open the door with the hand furthest from The door.. It's the Dutch reach..

Then you look behind you as you open the door , Across the bike Lane..


https://www.bikeforums.net/advocacy-s...tch-reach.html

big chainring

There is no parking on this road. Newly paved, so nothing to really avoid nearer the curb. It's obnoxious cyclists "expressing" themselves.

genec

Ask townie about those folks driving the big heavy metal things why is it that they ignore stop signs and speed limits, and if he is one of them...

FBinNY 

This varies by state. Many have "must use bike lane laws". There are exceptions in most of the laws, but the basic principle is that cyclists are mandatd by law to use bike lanes where they exist.

Regardless of the law, I have mixed feelings about bike lanes and though generally not a fan, I'll use a lane if it's in good shape because it makes no sense to mark off pavement that nobody uses.

jeichelberg87

Did you ask them? "Hey fellas, why are you out on the road and not in the bike lane?"

LOL!!! You are very funny!

Wow, you called the other cyclists, "outlaws." Those bastards...

Cool... Did they look like this?

jeichelberg87

Oh no...must not do that and anger the motorists...motorists good...cyclists bad...

big chainring

Just saying the road planners, city planners, whoever, went out of there way to make this stretch of road as bicycle friendly as possible. But you still get riders that have to stand out on the road, ride two abreast where there just is not enough room, and they HAVE a bike lane to ride in.

Daniel4

Send your praises to the city planners. Advise them that some cyclists aren't using them for reasons beyond your comprehension. This suggests for them to do their own study for improvements that will accommodate more cyclists.

ItsJustMe

It's 16% to 20% of states depending on interpretation.

State Bike Laws | League of American Bicyclists

Some state laws require use of separated facilities, but bike lanes are not separated facilities, and I think there are very few areas that have separated facilities for more than a tiny fraction of the routes one might want to take.

OK, I found 8 states that have mandatory bike lane laws on the book:
California, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Oregon, South Carolina

Utah says that "traffic control devices may direct cyclists to use a marked side path"

Oklahoma requires bike lane use within state parks. Not anywhere else.

Nebraska repealed their mandatory lane law in April 2016.

Kansas says you have to use a "path" - whether a bike lane counts as a "path" is possibly arguable.

Georgia's state law allows local governments to impose mandatory bike lane laws within their jurisdiction but does not impose one statewide.

The rest say "(state) does not require that bicyclists use any lane or path other than a normal vehicular traffic lane."

ItsJustMe

Have you ridden them? There may be broken glass, sand or gravel or other hazards. I find that even if I have ridden a road and found hazards that required me to leave the bike lane, when I drive the same road later I can't see the hazards from a car.

I really don't want to excuse them if they're just trying to be critical m*******s or something, but I have seen areas where almost brand new bike lanes are not very safe.

CB HI

big chainring; you have been on BFs since 2007 and still remain clueless about the dangers of bikelanes. And even worse, you choose to disrespect other cyclist to motorist for the cyclist safety choices.

big chainring

Yes, I am appalled at the safety choices made by cyclists. It's just common sense. But that is lacking in all aspects of our society.

CB HI

Here we go with the "It's just common sense." claim. Your opinion you claim to be common sense has killed many, many cyclist who also FELT safer riding in a bike lane.

You are a real slow learner if you have not learned anything about how bike lanes increase doorings, right hooks and left hooks, while at the same time not reducing hits from behind from the distracted motorist.

I hope your common sense does not kill you as well.

79pmooney

Oregon Law also says that cyclists are to ride as far to the right as practicable. That often runs directly counter to staying in the bike lane. As one who had hit opening car doors, gotten many flats, some damage to bikes and crashed from bike lane debris and been hit by cars when entering intersections from the bike lane, I know from first hand experience, riding in bike lanes is often not "practicable".

Edit: I have seen parallel barred storm grates in bike lanes. The next town over has clearly marked bike lanes that lead you over three sets of closely spaced angles RR tracks. They are near impossible to cross within the bike lane on a road bike in the wet. (Google tells me Portland gets 154 days/year of measurable precipitation.) Probably half a dozen people have told me they crashed on those tracks (including my former housemate).

Ben

CB HI

A bike lane in big chainring's town:

Notice the small car driving on the white line. Imagine a UPS truck passing at full speed in that lane. Makes me feel so safe.
https://goo.gl/maps/z1vFZJcfgg52

Chris0516

Just because a bike lane exists. I won't use it. A separated bike lane, maybe. But then a cyclist is pigeon-holed even more in the width of the bike. Because there is two-way bike traffic in not more than a regular single bike lane.

Why, Bike lanes end for a myriad of reasons, only to continue further down the road. Also state governments' have a myriad of reasons for penalizing a cyclist for not riding in a bike lanes. Bike lanes are stupidly painted in the 'door zone' in some places.

I would rather have a motorist directly behind me. Where I can see what they are doing the whole time. Instead of having to worry about someone suddenly opening a car door, or pulling out into traffic from a parking spot.

big chainring

Indeed. What more could you ask for? And you know what I do on that road in heavy traffic situations. I go up on the sidewalk, wait for all the traffic to go by, then get back on the road to continue my ride. I stay out of the way.

But this is BF and obviously my point of view on cycling based on 45 years of riding experience is invalid. Go ahead and ride your bike as if you are driving a car and "take the lane".

Leebo

Lets start with, bikes are vehicles too. In MA, bikes can use full lane when needed. Maybe they need to turn left? Can't do that from the right of a car. As said, road trash etc. And bikes are traffic. If you cower on the sidewalk, seems to me that would be more dangerous. What state do you live in?

BobbyG

Perfect!

jeichelberg87

He lives in Illinois.

ItsJustMe

It's nice that you live in a place where the traffic eventually all goes by.

If I rode like that, I'd get to work about time to leave to go home.