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i love bike lanes - they allow me a certain amount of comfort in riding to places that i otherwise wouldn't. Do they make cyclists safer on the road? Somewhat, i think, but there's no substitute for being an educated & skilled cyclist, which means: being aware of what the hazards are, controlling your bicycle, and staying aware of your surroundings. Same principals apply for drivers.

Bike lanes in Portland have raised the visibility of cyclists, provided a definite legitimacy for cyclists to use the road, and attracted a lot of people to cycling that might otherwise be driving. In my experience, 20 years ago it was not unusual to be harrassed by drivers; in recent years I can't think of a a single occurance.

Bike lanes: they're a good thing, but no substitute for cyclist & driver education. Some mutual respect & consideration would go a long way, too, to making our streets safer.

posted 5 years ago
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