2 ms·

Human drivers don't even follow the most basic bicycle safety rules, such as merging into the bike lane before making a right turn to prevent "right hook" colli

Human drivers don't even follow the most basic bicycle safety rules, such as merging into the bike lane before making a right turn to prevent "right hook" collisions. From my observations, probably no more than one out of ten drivers does this. I guess they think it's illegal to drive in the bike lane at all, even though the opposite is true: at least in California you're legally required to merge into the bike lane in the last 200 feet before the intersection when making a right turn. http://www.sfbike.org/news/bike-lanes-and-right-turns/ http://www.sfbike.org/news/bike-lanes-and-right-turns/

koenigdavidmj 10y ago
Oregon law actually requires the unsafe behavior, though I expect that has very little to do with how drivers behave.
phil21 10y ago
If you travel (and drive) regularly between 2 or 3 states, it will be almost impossible to "intuitively" remember all these rules. What you describe is outright illegal in my home state, but required in a large city I also split my time in. Road rules for bikes and bike lanes are wildly different depending on state, and heck - even city. There are states where you have one set of rules within city limits, and entirely different throughout the rest of the state. It's a huge mess, and doing things like putting unprotected bike lanes to the right of traffic lanes is almost criminally stupid and dangerous. You cannot undo decades of muscle memory ("things don't pass me in the right lane especially on dense city streets") and then point to "there is a rule that says you have to!" when the expected tragedies start occurring. I used to think drivers and bikers were just "assholes" to each other in the US - then I spent time in the Netherlands and Belgium and realized these two modes of transportation are purposefully being put at odds against each other in the US for political reasons. It's quite possible to combine these modes of transportation into a network that works for both types of users.
- cardiffspaceman 10y ago
  By physically separating bicycles and automobiles? A perspective from a writer who favors separating bikes and cars: http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/07/vehicular-cyclists-secret-sect.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/07/vehicular-cyclists-secr...
cardiffspaceman 10y ago
And, I'd like to see the evidence that shows California drivers are scoffing at this law. To put it another way, I don't think anyone knows this law.

koenigdavidmj 10y ago

Oregon law actually requires the unsafe behavior, though I expect that has very little to do with how drivers behave.

phil21 10y ago

If you travel (and drive) regularly between 2 or 3 states, it will be almost impossible to "intuitively" remember all these rules. What you describe is outright illegal in my home state, but required in a large city I also split my time in. Road rules for bikes and bike lanes are wildly different depending on state, and heck - even city. There are states where you have one set of rules within city limits, and entirely different throughout the rest of the state. It's a huge mess, and doing things like putting unprotected bike lanes to the right of traffic lanes is almost criminally stupid and dangerous. You cannot undo decades of muscle memory ("things don't pass me in the right lane especially on dense city streets") and then point to "there is a rule that says you have to!" when the expected tragedies start occurring. I used to think drivers and bikers were just "assholes" to each other in the US - then I spent time in the Netherlands and Belgium and realized these two modes of transportation are purposefully being put at odds against each other in the US for political reasons. It's quite possible to combine these modes of transportation into a network that works for both types of users.

cardiffspaceman 10y ago
By physically separating bicycles and automobiles? A perspective from a writer who favors separating bikes and cars: http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/07/vehicular-cyclists-secret-sect.html http://www.copenhagenize.com/2010/07/vehicular-cyclists-secr...

cardiffspaceman 10y ago

And, I'd like to see the evidence that shows California drivers are scoffing at this law. To put it another way, I don't think anyone knows this law.