A case against bike lanes

First of all, hear me out.

Rather than use this post to complain about motorists, I'd like to instead form an organized argument against bike lanes -- both the infrastructure and the philosophy behind it. I want a dialogue, not a rant.

I bring this topic up for a few reasons...

Critical Mass - October 2009

1. Relevance: I ride a bike on Philly streets nearly every day, and have for the past 3 years.
2. Frustration: Recent run-ins with disgruntled and irrational drivers has made me raw.
3. Timeliness: City Hall plans to implement new lanes on 10th & 13th streets.

Bike lanes have a pretty good rap. They're often used as an indicator of the bike-friendliness of a city. And for good reason I suppose.

At the very least, it demonstrates that the city recognizes a cycling community. Furthermore, their presence acknowledges bicycles as machines that belong on the asphalt.

For the rider, bike lanes feel pretty good. They tend to be car-free, which makes a rider feel safer.

But there always seems to be a catch.

Sure, we're permitted to ride on the road. In fact, by law we're permitted to take a full lane for ourselves. But the bike lanes imply that we should only ride between the white lines. Thus, some drivers take it upon themselves to enforce this implication by yelling at riders outside the bike lane. In cases where there aren't any bike lanes painted on the road, the rider is still expected to stay far to the right, pinned between moving traffic and parked cars with unpredictable doors.

These lanes also make bicyclists invisible. Why else would drivers make so many right turns, or pull into the bike lane with their 4-ways on, despite the looming two-wheeler in their side mirrors?

It's as if the left edge of the bike lane represents an invisible shield through which drivers cannot see. And the moment we choose to move to the left to avoid a stalled bus, glass, or the occasional door, we suddenly appear within the driver's visual field. And they either honk or sideswipe us. Some states have implemented a law that requires motorists to give cyclists at least three feet of space between them while passing. In other words, we're forcing cars to notice us to avoid this shit.

The ultimate catch is what they expect from cyclists in exchange for these precious accomodations (bike racks, lanes, etc.). Earlier this spring, Philadelphia Police Department launched their "Give Respect - Get Respect" campaign for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

While I agree with some of their sentiments (don't ride on the sidewalks, wear a helmet, don't use a cell phone while riding), I do not agree with the ticketing of cyclists for these "transgressions." For two main reasons.

1. Charging a $54 fine for something like riding on the sidewalk could significantly deter some riders from using a bicycle at all. The city has failed to consider why someone might ride on the sidewalk (i.e. the slowest way to get anywhere). This population consists of mostly inexperienced riders, as well as delivery guys. Both are probably terrified of being hit by a car. Why? Because cars can be fuckin' aggro as shit.

 2. The underlying message of this campaign is that if the city gives us (bikers) room to move around, we should return the favor by following their laws. The laws that were written and designed with cars in mind. Fuck that. I avoid certain activities like chatting on the phone, riding without a helmet, and riding on the sidewalk because they are unsafe, not because I respect Philadelphia government.

The city would like to think that they've done a lot for cyclists: transforming old parking meters into shitty bike racks, painting bike lanes that disappear for the winter under piles of snow, and taking pictures of the mayor wearing a helmet.

But most of the time, we're either pushed aside or lumped in with cars. And we're not cars.

Tour de Bronx - October 2010

I guess what I'm trying to say is bike lanes do not equal respect. The cycling community has exploded in Philadelphia over the last five years, and yet our laws have remained the same. Sure, the city has added new laws, but they have yet to alter those that were problematic in the first place.

Futhermore, "respect" from the city does not equal respect from its drivers. They're still going to honk and yell any time a rider tries to take the lane.

Respect will be achieved once the city acknowledges that the entire transportation infrastructure must be changed if they really want to accommodate cyclists completely. What this infrastructure change involves, I don't know exactly. But bike lanes don't really mean shit.

So for now I'm going to keep cruising, using my eyes, ears, and helmet to keep me safe.