Moreover, the current absence of signs is entirely unrelated to the skinny-lane experiment of a few years ago. Since the establishment of parking on the outside curb started then, and the skinny-lane marking was (mercifully) removed, everything was ducky for some time, buses, parked cars, bicycles and turning cars all (evidently) interacted just fine. Until, as Arthur mentioned earlier in this thread, the light posts were changed, the signs were removed, and illegal use of the lane (the LAW hasn't changed, after all) has become routine. What remains unanswered is how signs enforcing such an important (wrt. safety) law can go absent for so long. Another question, that only time will answer, is how long car drivers will continue breaking the law when the signs are reinstalled.
---- [email protected] wrote: > Wolfgang, > > The problem with the previous striping experiment is that it didn't work, and > probably gave bikers a false sense of security. Many motor vehicles were not > able to stay within their lanes, especially at the corners, because the lanes > were too narrow. > > As I recall, this problem was pointed out in the designs I saw when the > experiment was being approved. > > -- > ===== > darin > > ---- Wolfgang Licht <[email protected]> wrote: > > sorry i'm weighing in late; i haven't been checking my mail. > > > > i had no idea the marked lane was such a bad thing. i thought it was useful, > > especially for negotiating with the bus drivers, who sometimes get angry > > when the bikes are on the "wrong" side--and which side is wrong is dependent > > on the driver. maybe it was a false sense of security, but i liked knowing > > that the bus was supposed to stay on one side, and the cars on the > > other. the extra lane also allowed me to pull in front of the buses and cars > > at a stoplight without having to squeeze between vehicles, so i was more > > visible to both. > > > > i can see how drivers might see 2 full lanes and not realize they aren't > > allowed to drive in the right-hand lane, but most people recognize a skinny > > lane as bike space. it simply acts as reinforcement: this is a place to > > expect bikers. even when they are making right-hand turns, drivers tend to > > do it from the bus lane, not the bike lane--and a lane marking is closer to > > eye level than the signs on the light posts. as it is now, drivers have no > > visual markings to indicate that this is a space used by bikes. i'll be > > happier when the signs are back up, but i really do miss that extra lane. > > > _______________________________________________ > Bikies mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org -- --------------- Paul T. O'Leary Chronic Nuisance Madison, WI USA _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
