I am a bicycle commuter. Relatively new, actually, by many peoples' standards. I've been doing this for 3 years. I loathe bike lanes, and segregated paths in t

I am a bicycle commuter. Relatively new, actually, by many peoples' standards. I've been doing this for 3 years. I loathe bike lanes, and segregated paths in the US, from what I've seen, also need help. If they're open to use by pedestrians, you'll always end up with people walking three-abreast taking the entire path, or people with mile-long dog leashes made of clothesline-esque material, among other ridiculous hazards. Physically separated bike lanes don't solve many problems, really. They cause quite a few that've already been mentioned here. Education and good on-road bicycle routes would probably do a lot more for bicycling. A example of a good bicycle route would use residential roads with low speed limits and traffic calming devices. Intersections with arterial roadways would have traffic signals, and you might run into bike/ped-only accessible things, such as a pair of back-to-back cul-de-sacs connected by a sidewalk or no-through roadways obstructed with bollards to keep rat-runner motorists at bay while allowing others the ability to pass through. This would keep cyclists on the road where they belong, but off the major roads where they cause frequent irritation among impatient motorists. Then, education will be needed to teach cyclists a few things that many seem to easily forget: * Traffic rules apply to all users of the road * Bike routes exist that might add a little distance to your trip in the name of comfort and safety. * Be seen, FFS. All it takes is some cheap blinkenlights and a light-colored t-shirt or jacket.