🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Feb12.172922.3036@casbs.Stanford.EDU> (ca.environment), nancy@casbs.Stanford.EDU (Nancy Pinkerton) writes:
> 
> Greetings!  This is my first post, so I hope it works.
> 
> I am a walker and a car driver.  I don't ride a bike, so I've
> always wondered WHY, when there is a nice, wide, marked bike
> lane available, do so many cyclists drive precicely on the
> white line separating the bike lane from the driving lane?
> 
> It makes it a real pain to pass these folks without scaring them,
> hitting them, exposing them to the gush of air from a passing vehicle
> and possibly causing a crash, etc.  There is three feet of paved
> roadway for their use - why not use it?  I'm continually perplexed.
> 
> Nancy
> 
Here are some reasons in no particular order:

One of the many problems is that motor vehicles tend to sweep a lot of
debris into the side of the road.  Much of this debris is dangerous to
the cyclist and can cause problems ranging from flat tires to loss of
control.

Another problem is that often these bike lanes parallel on street parking.
To avoid the hazard of having a car door thrown open in front of
them at 15 to 25 MPH riders give these cars a wide berth.

Another answer I can think of is that cyclists are generally more visible
closer to the roadway and precisely for the reason that you will be
more careful as a motorist if you see them, they ride where they will
be seen.

I'm sure some of the rec.bicycles.soc people can offer some even more
eloquent comments.


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Steve Sergeant          Internet:  SteveSgt@torrent.sj.ca.us
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