Cities where transport is heavily dominated by private cars don't happen by accident. Car dependence, congestion and the road toll are all outcomes of choice...
When they’re 2 m wide and not next to parked cars it’s a lot easier to say that, I feel. A lot of the painted “bike lanes” we get are either narrower than 2 m, put you right in the door zone of parked cars, or both. And in that case, I do think that it’s worse than not having anything at all. Because then you’re stuck between riding in an unsafe location on the road (in the door zone, or the far left where you might get squeezed out), or safely moving out into the general lane and potentially angering ignorant motorists.
Which is why painted lanes are landed on as the compromise, right? Like, if we (royal we) didn’t come out and demand good practices then they would, by virtue of trying to do as much with as little as possible, just dismiss the need for safe infrastructure out of hand.
I appreciate acknowledging that the painted lanes are actually something, even if they’re not perfect.
I think the argument of “segregated lanes or nothing” is counterproductive. Yes they are best, but something is better than nothing.
When they’re 2 m wide and not next to parked cars it’s a lot easier to say that, I feel. A lot of the painted “bike lanes” we get are either narrower than 2 m, put you right in the door zone of parked cars, or both. And in that case, I do think that it’s worse than not having anything at all. Because then you’re stuck between riding in an unsafe location on the road (in the door zone, or the far left where you might get squeezed out), or safely moving out into the general lane and potentially angering ignorant motorists.
Which is why painted lanes are landed on as the compromise, right? Like, if we (royal we) didn’t come out and demand good practices then they would, by virtue of trying to do as much with as little as possible, just dismiss the need for safe infrastructure out of hand.