Bike lanes are usually very close to parked cars. A door opens, and you are in the hospital.
Bike lanes are poorly striped at intersections. Sometimes they stick them to the right of all traffic lanes, so if a cyclist in the bike lane stays in it to go through the intersection, he is going to get right-hooked by turning cars. Sometimes the lanes are striped so that straight-through traffic is in the right place, but this encourages cyclists to do stupid things like making turns from the center lane.
Finally, the cars driving in the real traffic lanes push all the debris into the bike lane. That means you will be riding over wires, broken glass, etc., and that you will be very susceptible to flats.
Basically, once you are comfortable riding on the road, you will forget that bike lanes even exist. Riding a bike is statistically somewhat dangerous, but if you actively try to stay safe, you will.
(And oh yeah, please get some freakin' lights for your bike if you are going to ride at night.)
Bike lanes are usually very close to parked cars. A door opens, and you are in the hospital.
Bike lanes are poorly striped at intersections. Sometimes they stick them to the right of all traffic lanes, so if a cyclist in the bike lane stays in it to go through the intersection, he is going to get right-hooked by turning cars. Sometimes the lanes are striped so that straight-through traffic is in the right place, but this encourages cyclists to do stupid things like making turns from the center lane.
Finally, the cars driving in the real traffic lanes push all the debris into the bike lane. That means you will be riding over wires, broken glass, etc., and that you will be very susceptible to flats.
Basically, once you are comfortable riding on the road, you will forget that bike lanes even exist. Riding a bike is statistically somewhat dangerous, but if you actively try to stay safe, you will.
(And oh yeah, please get some freakin' lights for your bike if you are going to ride at night.)