
Roads with protected bike lanes make both cycling and driving safer: study - cienega
https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2019/06/protected-bike-lanes-safe-street-design-bicycle-road-safety/590722/
======
ben7799
As a long time long distance cyclist an awfully lot of these lanes, both
protected and painted/"sharrow" are really frightening.

There is an anti-car/pro-bike lane group of researchers who want to push this
style of road design super hard right now at all costs.

There are still major problems with their designs though, they are working
from the assumption cyclists won't learn to follow the rules of the road.

Tell me how I'm supposed to safely take a left out of one of these protected
bike lanes in any way that is safe and time/distance effective? They've stuck
me in a "protected" lane on the far right side of the road and I can't signal
and get over to the left side turn lane without jumping a curb or plowing
through some grass. Or they expect me to take a left from the far right side
of multiple lanes of traffic? At least an unprotected lane doesn't require
mountain bike skills to exit.

Also how do they expect me to safely go straight through the intersection when
they've locked me into a protected bike lane that is to the right of the
"right hand turn lane" for the motor vehicles? If I was riding in the road I
would signal left and move left into the "go straight" lane.

It seems they think all cyclists need to dismount and become pedestrians in
the crosswalk at all intersections. That's the only way to use these bike
lanes safely. That is hardly time efficient compared to learning how to ride
in the lanes. And most places outside of the city core there are no crosswalks
anyway.

This stuff is plainly obvious when you've rode 10s or 100s of times more miles
than the researchers. If they put more effort into educational programs it'd
go a long way since city riders tend to break every law they can constantly
and pull incredibly bone headed moves.

All their work is dedicated towards reducing the chances you get hit from
behind by a car, which is the irrational fear. The real danger is getting hit
from the side or the front at intersections.

~~~
Xylakant
The issue is that protected bike lanes are not designed for you or me, I
prefer riding in traffic, too. They are designed for people with less active
riding styles. Elderly people, kids, women. For them the trade off works:
spend a little more time on turns and crossings, be safe from cars overtaking
close. In the end, it doesn’t even really matter if their fear is rational or
not, it prevents that demographic from cycling. And to be an effective mode of
transport, cycling needs to feel safe for everyone. The Dutch have that
figured out.

~~~
u801e
> The Dutch have that figured out.

The problem is that the vast majority of motorists do not have significant
experience riding a bicycle, so they don't know where to look for cyclists and
will end up colliding with them when they pop out from behind parked cars
within 30 feet of the intersection (when traveling at 20 feet per second).

~~~
stefs
i can confirm this from my own experience. didn't use a bike to get around the
city for years, but once i started, my (car) driving style changed noticeably.

for example, i do a lot more shoulder checks to the right. i'm a very fast
cyclist and sometimes overtake drivers on the right (when riding in the bike
lane). some drivers can't fathom a cyclist being faster than them.

the other thing is mirror checks when opening the car door. i even started to
reprimand other drivers or passengers (depending on my role) for not checking.
even though i'm riding fast i'm trying to be safety conscious and always
assume a driver in a dangerous spot hasn't seen me; this is impossible for
suddenly opening car doors.

~~~
u801e
> once i started [cycling], my (car) driving style changed noticeably. for
> example, i do a lot more shoulder checks to the right.

What I'll do is move further to the right when preparing to make a right turn
in order to prevent cyclists from passing on the right. As a cyclist, I won't
pass other vehicles on the right if there's a possibility that they could make
a right turn, or a car from the opposite direction could make a left through a
gap of stopped traffic, or a car approaching on the intersecting road on my
right may not see me before pulling out.

> i'm trying to be safety conscious and always assume a driver in a dangerous
> spot hasn't seen me; this is impossible for suddenly opening car doors.

You can avoid opening car doors by riding at least 6 feet away from parked
cars. I ignore door zine bike lanes and just ride in the center of the
rightmost general purpose lane. Faster traffic can change lanes to pass me.

------
jxcl
As a commuting cyclist I usually prefer to ride in the street than in a bike
lane. Protected cycle lanes are great only so long as nobody turns to the
right directly in front of you. When there are cars parked in between the
cycle lane and the car lane it's much easier for the driver to miss the
cyclist, and few people check the cycle lane before turning right. I was
definitely guilty of this until I started cycling.

Unprotected bike lanes between traffic and parking are the worst though. It's
terrifying riding past cars any of which might open their door without looking
and either cause me to crash into them or swerve into traffic and be run over.
On these streets I will frequently ride in the car lanes as well.

~~~
wefarrell
In NYC I think they're counterproductive to safety. Cars use them for
temporary parking and pedestrians use them as a sidewalk.

When I visit Europe and Japan they seem to be far more effective.

I think it comes down to etiquette and that goes both ways - non cyclists need
to respect bike lanes and cyclists need to obey traffic laws. Admittedly I
don't obey traffic laws when cycling, but I would if they were enforced.

~~~
amalcon
What factor do you believe explains the 78% drop in deaths and serious
injuries per bicycle trip in NYC from 2000-2017?

[https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/nyc-cycling-
risk...](https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/nyc-cycling-risk.pdf)

I'm legitimately curious. I'm not a New Yorker, so it's very plausible that
there are factors involved that I'm not aware of. E.g. if the additional 130
million trips in 2017 are all in Central Park, that could explain it.

~~~
wefarrell
I've only been biking here the last 6 years so it's hard to speculate, but I
would guess that the number of people biking have forced cars to adjust.

It's pretty rare for me to feel like I'm at risk of being hit by a car and
anytime they don't notice me it's because I'm in their blind spot, which I now
know to be aware of.

Pedestrians are another story. They will cross streets and watch out for cars
but not cyclists. I almost killed a small child when her mother directed her
into the bike lane (without looking) in order to get around some obstacle on
the side walk. Pedestrians do not pay attention and are frequently on their
phones.

~~~
fooblitzky
But what caused the number of people biking to increase?

Also - didn't the linked article explicitly rule out increased number of
people biking as a factor in reducing fatalities?

------
godelski
I bike commute all the time and I want to share an experience from yesterday
that EVERY cyclist will get. (I live in the PNW, so there are a lot of people
that bike here)

I was sitting at a stop sign, in a lane that has sharrows. Waiting for a car
to go by I feel a push from behind and get almost pushed into the car I'm
waiting for (my hands aren't on the breaks, by feet are on the ground).
Adrenaline skyrockets, I look back see this guy not really concerned, I look
down at my bike, then back up at him, and just say "Dude, what the fuck?" (not
really yelling, trying to stay calm). The guy's response "Chill out, it was an
accident." Of course at this point I flip out.

To be honest, this is one of the better experiences I've had when cars almost
seriously injure me.[0] There is a frequent challenge of avoiding doors being
opened on you while also not pissing off the car following you in the sharrow
road. Of getting out of intersections as fast as possible (because getting hit
at a stop sign is pretty common). Avoiding pedestrians that step right off the
curb into you. I ride without headphones because I have to be aware.

I have found that riding in protected bike lanes, a lot of this decreases.
There is extra space for me at stop signs/lights, drivers have to stop sooner.
Cars are parking out, and are more likely to look before they open their door.
Pedestrians notice something is off and actually look both ways before
stepping off the curb. I think the green painting helps too. Honestly I feel A
LOT safer in a protected bike lane.

[0] worst experience is that this guy cut me off, almost hitting me, I flipped
him off and he proceeded to try to hit me with his car. As in he got behind me
and came over into the bike lane. I bailed into the sidewalk and he hit the
curb, then he drives off.

~~~
dangjc
_[0] worst experience is that this guy cut me off, almost hitting me, I
flipped him off and he proceeded to try to hit me with his car. As in he got
behind me and came over into the bike lane. I bailed into the sidewalk and he
hit the curb, then he drives off._

Cars are an incredibly anti-social medium. It creates a bubble of metal and
glass around drivers making them think they're impervious and don't have to
interact with other humans in socially acceptable ways. We really should have
much harsher point systems for taking away driver licenses.

------
WhompingWindows
I ride extensively around the Providence, RI area. Cars are simply a scourge
to biking here, at a time when we need less global and local pollution and we
need to improve health via air quality and exercise.

We have VERY few protected lanes, mostly there are "sharrows" aka faded
pictures of bikes on the road that do absolutely zilch. I am routinely honked
at and ignorant/rude people yell things out of their car windows at me,
usually because I'm going too slow/am in their way on the very narrow
(designed before cars) streets. Cars simply dominate due to the wealth and
political power of all the car owners (many of whom have Florida plates to
avoid local taxes). Do any of the politicians even ride bikes to their
legislature or have any understanding of cyclists' issues?

An illustrative example of our inadequacy is going in between two
fantastic/picturesque protected paths: the East Bay Path along Narragansett
Bay to the Blackstone River Path. You have to pass through 5+ miles of the
urban and narrow streets of Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls. It's
honestly a nightmare, I'd rather bring my car to transport my bike from one
path to the other than ride in between myself, breathing in exhaust from old
clunkers and trucks, experiencing road rage and petty rudeness, and of course
nearly getting hit on multiple occasions.

Let's get our act together and make a network of protected lanes across the
North East corridor. With electric bikes coming to the fore, I'm hoping more
and more cyclists will be able to cover longer and longer ranges, thus
facilitating low-emissions, healthy inter-city transport.

~~~
fhbdukfrh
I agree with your general sentiment, but don't think people on electric bikes
are going to improve the situation, rather make it much, much worse based on
the electric bike share pilot in my city. Someone who owns their ebike might
be better, but those on shared bikes are a danger to everyone and never wear a
helmet.

~~~
gpm
Wearing a helmet increases your chance of death on a bike according to the
statistics.

I personally don't, I feel less safe wearing one. I can't locate cars as
accurately with audio with one on my head, the extra weight makesy head turn
slower, and I think subconsciously left often. Drivers pass more aggressively
and illegally (most drivers passing break the law here that requires a meter
seperation when passing a cyclist, but they break it 'more' by coming closer
when I wear a helmet).

~~~
foota
Fairly certain that's bullshit. [https://www.iihs.org/topics/pedestrians-and-
bicyclists](https://www.iihs.org/topics/pedestrians-and-bicyclists)

~~~
anyanswers
[https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jan/24/bike-
helmet-...](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jan/24/bike-helmet-
appetite-danger)

------
DoingIsLearning
I read a lot of hostile views towards bike lanes and segregating bicycle
traffic and I think it really contrasts with the mind shift I found when
moving to the Netherlands.

All the strong views in the comments seem to imply that there is an I "the
cyclist" as an urban tribe, like skaters or petrol heads. In the Netherlands
there obviously are cyclists in lycra and carbon fiber bicycles, but for the
most part, there are people who-happen-to-be-on-a-bicycle.

I don't change clothes to cycle to work, I don't sweat, and don't curse cars.
But I also am not a "cyclist" I just get on a bike to get to work.

I think that, specially in an urban environment, there is a need to embrace
the mindset of the bicycle, as a thing you use, as opposed to a thing that you
somehow identify with.

Yes there are trade-offs, yes you will not be able to hit 30km/h speeds on
your urban commute. Yes you will have to slow down due to small children and
elderly.

But if you rationalise this and break it down, the downside of not being
sanguine through an urban route on a race bicycle really translate into
anything between 3 to 7 min extra commute time (depending on long you travel
on an urban setting). That's the time you spend ordering a latte.

The upside is that literally everyone and their dog can use a bicycle around
the city and be safe.

It also furthers the safety in my opinion because there is now a much greater
chance that your average sedan car driver is now occasionaly also using a
bicycle and is far more mindful and respectful of human fragility on a
bicycle.

------
chuckgreenman
In Cincinnati, it's illegal to ride a bike on a sidewalk, which makes sense,
it's not very pleasant for the cyclist or pedestrians. The result is that
bicyclers ride in the street. You'll regularly get harassed for riding in the
street, even when you're all the way to the right, or people will just open
their door right into the lane when they street park. It's really difficult to
travel with bicycles safely in a medium - large US city.

~~~
maaaats
> _You 'll regularly get harassed for riding in the street, even when you're
> all the way to the right_

I don't even understand the hate for riding in the middle. If a driver were to
pass someone riding on the right, he would (should) have to move so far over
that the next lane has to be empty. That is the same as if the bicyclist was
in the middle.

Riding to the right only invites cars to squeeze past. Take the lane, it's
safer.

~~~
ummonk
Roadways are usually wide enough that a car can pass through the middle,
leaving plenty of space for a cyclist on the right, and still avoid colliding
with an oncoming car if that oncoming car moves to the right of its lane.

Of course, even though the above is possible, drivers often don't leave enough
space for cyclists, so cyclists should ride in the middle to force cars to not
try to squeeze past.

~~~
maaaats
Yeah, the problem is just that when it's space, the zoom by in a high speed.
Taking the lane and then yielding will force them to overtake at a reasonable
speed, at least.

------
kashyapc
[I realize you can't quite compare American and European roads in the context
of bicycling, given the huge surface area in the US. Still, a small anecdote.]

I live in a small Western European city with a serious biking culture. As an
everyday bicycler, lately I was happy to see some pleasant incremental changes
(to the already pretty good infrastructure) for bicyclers and pedestrians:
they are turning streets where cars are allowed into "mainly bicycle" lanes
(and the existing narrower bike paths get freed up for pedestrian use), fully
painted in maroon, with some wooden signboards on the side, reading: "This is
a bicycle-first path, cars _must_ remain behind bicyclers".

This makes it _much_ more spacious, not to mention safer, to bike along,
especially so on busy bicycle routes, on previously-narrower lanes. To make a
poor analogy, it's like an upgrade from economy to business class.

~~~
steelframe
> fully painted in maroon, with some wooden signboards on the side, reading:
> "This is a bicycle-first path, cars must remain behind bicyclers".

As a regular bicycle commuter in the United States who has also ridden a
bicycle on Amsterdam's infrastructure, converting a handful of existing roads
into "bicycle-first" seems to me like the best solution for dense cities that
already have serious congestion problems.

People need to feel safe. If they don't feel safe, they won't want to do
something. One of the things that really makes cyclists feel unsafe is when
motorists are constantly trying to aggressively "get around" them. This often
results in close passes and right hooks. Not to mention the animosity.

A strictly enforced policy of "This is a bicycle-first path, cars must remain
behind bicyclers" on a handful of narrow well-connected roads leading into and
out of the city center would be brilliant. It would address the complexity and
cost of building new bicycle infrastructure such as separated bicycle tracks.
I would additionally reduce the speed limit to that of a typical bike trail:
15 mph.

It wouldn't ban cars from these existing roads. It would simply establish a
norm for those roads. That is, that a bicyclist is a first-class citizen on
them. No bicyclist on that road will feel that they're "holding up" traffic
behind them, because cars slowing down to the speed of a bicycle would be the
norm. And no motorists will pull dangerous maneuvers to try to pass them or
cut them off on those roads, or they'll pay a hefty penalty when caught doing
that.

Motorists who want to go faster and pass cyclists can use all of the existing
"motorist-first" roads for that. With the increased number of people riding
bicycle instead of driving because of how much more nice those "bicycle-first"
roads are, perhaps that will make the other "motorist-first" roads less
congested.

------
andys627
We're seeing lots of comments from current bike commuters, representing a
survivor bias. Protected bike lanes are built to encourage people who are
currently too scared to ride on a regular bike lane.

------
RankingMember
I yearn to see a city in the US make its city center area car-free for a year
(not a weekend thing as has been done already) just to see how it goes over
the course of a year or so. Cars won't disappear, so there'll need to be some
kind of parking on the outskirts, but I just want to see if it's feasible
(admittedly I want it to be, but am willing to be proven wrong).

~~~
daenz
It would be cool if—even for a day— cars drove on odd number streets, bikes on
even number. Being able to freely move down the street on a bike without
worrying about imminent death at all times would be such a huge stress
reliever.

~~~
crisnoble
Riding a marathon course after the roads are closed, and parked cars are
moved, but well before the start of the race, is an absolutely amazing
experience.

------
rapnie
In NL the country is full with separate bycicle infrastructure, making it a
paradise for cyclers.

"Cycling is a common mode of transport in the Netherlands, with 36% of the
people listing the bicycle as their most frequent mode of transport on a
typical day as opposed to the car by 45% and public transport by 11%."

"Some 35,000 km of cycle-track has been physically segregated from motor
traffic, equal to a quarter of the country's entire 140,000 km road network."

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_in_the_Netherlands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_in_the_Netherlands)

~~~
bvanderplaats
You're not kidding. I took a 30 second jaunt with google maps and found this:

[https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9223839,4.4624592,3a,60y,117...](https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9223839,4.4624592,3a,60y,117.32h,70.47t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1szdn8J5SlRNmGE54BWei4mg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656)

Note how it is _physically impossible_ for the cars to drive or park in the
bike lanes. Very cool.

------
zwieback
I wonder how much rider skill and experience has to do with it. I've been
biking in city traffic for a long time and have had a few crashes and close
calls but not so much recently. The worst situations (e.g. getting cut off by
right-turners or cars entering from the right) can be made less risky by
defensive riding practices.

------
jt2190
From a much better article about the same study (with a better photo):

> Instead, researchers found that bike infrastructure, _particularly physical
> barriers that separate bikes from speeding cars_ as opposed to shared or
> painted lanes, significantly lowered fatalities in cities that installed
> them. [Emphasis mine.]

from: "Separated Bike Lanes Means Safer Streets, Study Says"
[https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/05/29/protect-yourself-
sepa...](https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/05/29/protect-yourself-separated-
bike-lanes-means-safer-streets-study-says/)

The actual study:
[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221414051...](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140518301488?via%3Dihub)

------
knolax
It's great that focus has finally been put on bike accessibility within a
community, but the problem still stands that in the US it's nigh impossible to
safely leave a community on bike. Many suburbs are laid out in way such that
highways and roads with no shoulders are the only way out of the community.

------
black_puppydog
Over here in Europe, Grenoble just built a bunch of new, separated bike roads.
This is a small town, with ~300K population in the area.

One thing they built, and which I'm not sure yet how it plays because it's not
"in production" yet (waiting for other parts of the roadworks to finish) is a
bicycle lane _in the middle_ between two bus/taxi only lanes. It is a few
centimeters higher than the surrounding road. So we'll see how that goes. But
in the meantime, bike infra here is amazing. :)

------
trustfundbaby
I rode a scooter for the first time yesterday and it got me thinking that bike
companies are typically a non-factor when it comes to city municipalities,
but, the backing of Uber and Lyft (plus numerous scooter companies) might be
the thing that helps push these cities into embracing more of these sorts of
things (protected lanes for scooters), just because of the clout they can
bring to bear on these cities.

------
venuur
I live in Beijing, and they seem to work well. It may help that they are
ubiquitous. Or that drivers are used to seeing cyclists (and scooters)
everywhere.

------
agumonkey
I was wondering about a fence between bike lanes sides.

~~~
tobylane
Generally a waste of space but it depends how one way the peak flow is and
what local casual riders think. I can’t picture a fence in the UK.

