I am living proof that more and improved bike lanes get people on bikes. Last month I bought a new, electric bike. My purchase was spurred by the plethora of new bike lanes that have been installed in my city.
I can bicycle downtown and to other destinations—groceries, bank, library, shopping, etc.—completely on very good bike lanes. About six of the eight and a half miles of my work commute is protected by bike lanes. In about a month, I've ridden over 120 miles on my new bike.
It's the concept of induced demand. For cars that means, build more roads, get more cars. Same principle applies to bikes, build more safe bike facilities, get more bikes.
The majority of my commute is multi-use paths or quiet streets with bike lanes (unprotected). The one stretch with none of that is where I had a scary encounter with an agressive driver that kept me off my bike for a year. This neighbourhood recently underwent revitalization with protected bike lanes added and I am finally feeling excited to get back on my bike. It's nice for me to see my personal experience is similar to others.
Bike lanes work wonders. I ride in a rural area, roads with no or limited shoulders, and limited traffic. The bad roads have curves, and a small percentage of vehicles, often pickup trucks with young male drivers and no tools in the back, or BMW drivers, will pass on the curve (or a blind hill). I worry they will meet someone head on and either have an undesirable ending, or swerve back into my lane. I try to avoid the road where that happens the most, so take a longer route. In town they are starting to paint bike lanes, and even in a few spots have green paint for intersections. This helps, but not to the degree that a designated and protected bike lane would. We have some bike/walking paths that do protect, and they are used, but limited at present and not in heavily travelled areas for commuting. We have work to do, but at least it has started.
I live in a city with high car and bike accident rates. I cannot express how happy I am that the city is investing in *protected* bike lanes. Not only do I feel safer as a biker, but I feel safer as a driver too!
I am living proof that more and improved bike lanes get people on bikes. Last month I bought a new, electric bike. My purchase was spurred by the plethora of new bike lanes that have been installed in my city.
I can bicycle downtown and to other destinations—groceries, bank, library, shopping, etc.—completely on very good bike lanes. About six of the eight and a half miles of my work commute is protected by bike lanes. In about a month, I've ridden over 120 miles on my new bike.
It's the concept of induced demand. For cars that means, build more roads, get more cars. Same principle applies to bikes, build more safe bike facilities, get more bikes.
The majority of my commute is multi-use paths or quiet streets with bike lanes (unprotected). The one stretch with none of that is where I had a scary encounter with an agressive driver that kept me off my bike for a year. This neighbourhood recently underwent revitalization with protected bike lanes added and I am finally feeling excited to get back on my bike. It's nice for me to see my personal experience is similar to others.
Bike lanes work wonders. I ride in a rural area, roads with no or limited shoulders, and limited traffic. The bad roads have curves, and a small percentage of vehicles, often pickup trucks with young male drivers and no tools in the back, or BMW drivers, will pass on the curve (or a blind hill). I worry they will meet someone head on and either have an undesirable ending, or swerve back into my lane. I try to avoid the road where that happens the most, so take a longer route. In town they are starting to paint bike lanes, and even in a few spots have green paint for intersections. This helps, but not to the degree that a designated and protected bike lane would. We have some bike/walking paths that do protect, and they are used, but limited at present and not in heavily travelled areas for commuting. We have work to do, but at least it has started.
I live in a city with high car and bike accident rates. I cannot express how happy I am that the city is investing in *protected* bike lanes. Not only do I feel safer as a biker, but I feel safer as a driver too!
Important post, Lloyd!
The automobile lobby is much wealthier than the bike lobby, and cyclists are a tiny fraction of the number of car and truck drivers.
For a politician, both the money and the votes come from cars, cars, and more cars.