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This is such a heartless response. This response puts both property and a narrow understanding of the law in front of lives. First let’s just acknowledge that

This is such a heartless response. This response puts both property and a narrow understanding of the law in front of lives. First let’s just acknowledge that the article is describing a small change in driver habit to save lives. Not the lives of drivers, but the bicyclists. Second, while bicyclist are often treated like other vehicles by default there are many exceptions made for bicycles, this is a reasonable one. Finally this comment seems to demonstrate a deeply fundamental misunderstanding of the design flaw of putting a bunch of parked cars directly next to a bike lane with no safety gap. There is almost no safe speed to bike next to a car where you can practically avoid a door that could open any second. This is why lanes are given a wide berth of parked cars. This same affordance has not been given to most bike lanes as cities have attempt to squeeze bike lanes into existing roads. It leaves bicyclists a sophie’s choice: ride in the road with the cars, or in the bike lane with the doors.

adhesive_wombat 5y ago
> This is why lanes are given a wide berth of parked cars. If only that was always true: this[1] kind of lane is far too common. It's completely counter-productive as it actually encourages the cyclist into the door zone without being wide enough to keep passing traffic at a safe distance (also a dashed-line means cars may enter the lane anyway, so it's indicative only). The safest place to cycle here is probably so far right that a car won't be able to pass without a full overtake in the oncoming lane, moving to the left only when there are no door hazards. also you should keep right though the choke-point island, as you do not want a car to overtake you there, unless you want a taste of one of those bollards - imagine being a bike next to the black oncoming car. However, such an assertive riding position tends to upset cars who may instead punishment-pass the cyclist. Understandably, many cyclists prefer not to open themselves to such bullying and will instead stick to their lanes, and risk doorings instead. Even quite wide, well-marked and "safe-looking" lanes can still be mostly within the door zone[2]. [1] https://i.imgur.com/4zm6VwB.png https://i.imgur.com/4zm6VwB.png [2] https://i.imgur.com/vVh7fUP.png https://i.imgur.com/vVh7fUP.png
- aconbere 5y ago
  Totally agree! It’s hard to summarize the many ways to die as a bicyclist in a single comment. I learned the hard way that I was safer taking the lane and having some angry drivers (I guess OP would be happy to treat me like a car?) than to put myself in poorly designed bike lanes.
  - anonymou2 5y ago
    What you are describing shows that segregated bike lanes are really the cyclists ghetto. Built to kick us cyclists off the roads that the motorists believe are theirs. Look at China, they are building them now, what has changed? Remember the images of the Chinese going to work by bike? Of course, they need to make room for the car. Something like that happened in the Netherlands in the 1940's. We see it happening now in China and other places in Europe.

adhesive_wombat 5y ago

> This is why lanes are given a wide berth of parked cars. If only that was always true: this[1] kind of lane is far too common. It's completely counter-productive as it actually encourages the cyclist into the door zone without being wide enough to keep passing traffic at a safe distance (also a dashed-line means cars may enter the lane anyway, so it's indicative only). The safest place to cycle here is probably so far right that a car won't be able to pass without a full overtake in the oncoming lane, moving to the left only when there are no door hazards. also you should keep right though the choke-point island, as you do not want a car to overtake you there, unless you want a taste of one of those bollards - imagine being a bike next to the black oncoming car. However, such an assertive riding position tends to upset cars who may instead punishment-pass the cyclist. Understandably, many cyclists prefer not to open themselves to such bullying and will instead stick to their lanes, and risk doorings instead. Even quite wide, well-marked and "safe-looking" lanes can still be mostly within the door zone[2]. [1] https://i.imgur.com/4zm6VwB.png https://i.imgur.com/4zm6VwB.png [2] https://i.imgur.com/vVh7fUP.png https://i.imgur.com/vVh7fUP.png

aconbere 5y ago
Totally agree! It’s hard to summarize the many ways to die as a bicyclist in a single comment. I learned the hard way that I was safer taking the lane and having some angry drivers (I guess OP would be happy to treat me like a car?) than to put myself in poorly designed bike lanes.
- anonymou2 5y ago
  What you are describing shows that segregated bike lanes are really the cyclists ghetto. Built to kick us cyclists off the roads that the motorists believe are theirs. Look at China, they are building them now, what has changed? Remember the images of the Chinese going to work by bike? Of course, they need to make room for the car. Something like that happened in the Netherlands in the 1940's. We see it happening now in China and other places in Europe.