Categories: EtiquetteLa Vie VelominatusTechniqueThe Rides

Urban Riding: The Sanctity of the Bike Lane

Stay on your toes: you’re in the bike lane now.

There was a time when the world was painted in hues of black and white. Right and Wrong were separated by lines painted in such a thick, heavy paint that even to wander close was to already alter your very nature. The Elders taught us on which side we were to dwell and what evils would descend upon us if we were to transcend into the void. Little was known of what dwelt on the other side; the mind imagines the most horrific beasts in the unknown.

As Cyclists, we dwell in the space between black and white; everything we know is confined within the shades of gray that exist between two absolutes. Nowhere is this more true than when we subject ourselves to the roads to ply our craft at the mercy of motor vehicles, pedestrians, and the department of transportation’s ability to place potholes and manhole covers in the most inopportune locations. A moment’s inattention and our fortunes could shift dramatically.

The bike lane is shrouded in an air of false security. The white line painted a few meters from the edge of the road offers little by way of providing a barrier or any other kind of physical protection. Nevertheless, we wrap ourselves in a blanket of wishful thinking and pedal merrily along our way. The biggest problem with the bike lane is the total disregard that people, traffic, and road crews have for how few options we have outside of our narrow strip of tarmac in the event that the way is blocked, often unaware of the dangers their behaviors impose upon us. These are normally not intended as threats; it is simply a lack of exposure and appreciation of the risks we as Cyclists endure. In the spirit of Rule #3, I will outline some of the greatest risks.

The bike lane is not a turning lane. In many cases – at least in Seattle – the bike lane will be sandwiched between traffic on the left and a parking lane on the right. Traffic will use our humble strip as a turning lane, or use it as a runway for their futile efforts to parallel park.
The bike lane is not a parking lane. If there is no dedicated parking lane, the bike path serves double duty for this purpose in the eyes of the driver. I have had the unpleasant experience of entering a suddenly stopped car through its rear windshield; it is an experience I prefer to limit to a single occasion.
The bicycle lane that was crossed in order to park your car may occasionally contain a person riding a bicycle. Please look behind you prior to opening your door.
Bike lanes are not construction tool collection areas. Cones, shovels, gravel, loitering workers have all sent me diverted into traffic. What’s so attractive about using the bike lane for this purpose? Surely the grassy bit between the sidewalk and the street is equally suitable.
Please repair the tarmac with the same care given to the car lanes. I understand that water mains, power lines, and sewers might need to be accessed by way removing the tarmac in the bike lane. But that lumpy patchwork with the long seam along the edge that runs parallel to the direction of travel is lethal.

Too many Cyclists are being killed doing what they love. We all understand what we risk and accept those rather than not ride our bikes, but I think I speak for all of us when I say I’d rather live to ride again tomorrow. We all have to come together with our fellow motorists to understand how best to work together. But most of all: be careful and diligent, my fellow Cyclists.

Vive la Vie Velominatus.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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wiscot says:

Jun 18 2014 at 9:52 am

@Souleur

@frank

@frank

@Souleur

This article makes me really admire those who live in urban areas, it really takes a different commitment to ride when so populus dense. Chapeau for you all

Conversely, living in a rural town of 12k, there are no bike lanes. I have had to educate/enlighten the mayor and council on what bike lanes even are, and still we have none these years later, as they see it a waste of time...I mean who even rides a bike when you can drive a car...right??? So much for city admin and planning

But, I'll take it, the trade off from population density, to just a few drunks in ford pickemups, once in a blue moon. The roads are shit, but there is no traffic either, so all in all, a fair trade

I think in Utopia/Merckx in the sky, there is the marriage of both no traffic and all bike lanes, er...open roads

So..........Velomitopia is in Southwestern Wisconsin?

central Mis-ow-ree, which is prob same as Wisc cheese country

Not sure I would call it Velomitropia, as having been in Washington and the great NW which is where my lost soul really belongs....just saying if you like lone wolf riding with one run in car incident per year such as the flip of a finger, the toss of a beer can or the less than nice hillbilly road rage...its not a bad place as literally 99% are amazed that someone even rides and they go around you like your a freak of nature and are spreading herpes with each stroke. Then again, if you like pack riding, there are very few here. I have to go to St Louis or thereabouts to get in with others, and thats 2hr drives each time.

I just can't imagine riding like you dudes do in the jam packed city, perhaps I would get use to that tho

Whoa! Go easy on the Wisconsin/Mizzoura comparisons there! My city (30,000 in SE WI) doesn't do bike lanes. I think the city expects everyone to ride on the "rail-to-trail" that runs through the city. "If you're foolish enough to ride on the road, that's at your risk" seems to be the attitude. Fortunately, there are tons of nice, quiet, almost traffic free roads to ride on and drivers are overwhelmingly polite and give a wide berth. For example, I hit a stop sign in Campbellsport on Saturday at the same time as a lady driver. Who was to go first? I did, mouthed "thank you" with a nod of the head and a smile. She mouthed back, with a smile, "you're welcome." Made my day that did. Wouldn't have happened in Indiana where I used to live . . .
Steve-o says:

Jun 18 2014 at 9:57 am

@Ron

Okay Frank, you've done it - I've finally seen a s**fie that doesn't piss me off. And, that one actually makes me smile. Strong work! Thank you!!

There is a church down the block from me. Not only do perpetually late parents use my block as a cut through zone for drag racing at 7:56 weekday mornings, en route to drop off their little fuckers BUT every Sunday they use the bike lanes on the main street for parking. No joke. A mile in either direction and across a bridge, they fill up the entire bike lane, pushing cyclists into traffic. It's insane. The police station is also across the road, but I think they let this slide.

Do unto others, eh...goddamn Catholics. (relax, I was raised and confirmed Catholic, I've just come to my senses.)

Cafeteria Christianity. Oh the hypocrisy of it all. Also raised and confirmed Catholic, and come to some sense...
PeakInTwoYears says:

Jun 18 2014 at 10:10 am

@wiscot

Wouldn't have happened in Indiana where I used to live . . .

In Indiana, you would likely have been shot for the sport of it.

(I lived there for a few years growing up, and the physical and psychological scars remain.)
PeakInTwoYears says:

Jun 18 2014 at 10:15 am

@Jamie

You should try riding past the exits no-hands while making "devil horns" and screaming "ALL HAIL THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS, MASTER OF EVIL AND SUGGESTOR OF ANAL SEX!"
wiscot says:

Jun 18 2014 at 11:09 am

@PeakInTwoYears

@wiscot

Wouldn't have happened in Indiana where I used to live . . .

In Indiana, you would likely have been shot for the sport of it.

(I lived there for a few years growing up, and the physical and psychological scars remain.)

I know, but it's hard to steer, drink beer AND shoot a rifle at the same time. Gun racks are standard base-model equipment in IN pick-ups.

Where did you live in IN? I was in Terre Haute and Lafayette. Could have been worse I suppose . . . I could have been in Muncie or Rensselaer.
Ron says:

Jun 18 2014 at 11:16 am

Frank - Yeah, I do wonder if other states will pick up the new signage. Here is a report on it that is kind of interesting, if you'd like to read more.

http://www.bikede.org/2014/04/07/why-share-the-road-is-gone/

I really have shifted my mindset of late on how I ride. Like I wrote, I used to ride and think, "Oh, I'll be nice and kind and move as far right as possible for this driver, even if there is the anti-shoulder here." That is what a pal and I termed roads where the white line edges up to a sharp, harsh drop off of the pavement. "Drivers will love me for moving over." Yeah, maybe some did, but I also got buzzed a lot and nearly run off into ditches and such. Then I'd come back from what should have been fun all fucking pissed off at the world.

Now I take the lane or ride far enough into it that drivers MUST cross the center yellow to pass. If there is a nice shoulder, I'll ride it. If not, I'm going to give myself enough room. Instead of riding in this "courteous mindset" I'm now riding in "I have no steel cage around me, I'll ride where I feel safe riding." I'm still not trying to be a dick, but I am simply making myself less likely to be smashed.

When riding like this I often peek to watch behind me and I also peek when I now a car is there. Kinda telling them, "Yes, I know you are there, I'm going as fast as I can, there is no shoulder, I'll move over when there is room." When out in the country I always wave drivers through when it is safe.

Seems like this marking of territory is really working. Sure, I still get the wild pass now and again, but instead of a stream of close passes, I get one or two nuts a ride, and the rest of the people backing off a lot more. I guess it is kind of asserting my right to be there and showing that I am in fact part of traffic. Before I really tried to be too courteous, I think. Now I ride thinking, "If you want to pass me on a blind curve, go ahead, but I am actually going the posted speed limit and I'm not moving over."

I feel a lot better and safer on rides of late. Kind of like being the padron of the autopeloton.
Ron says:

Jun 18 2014 at 11:21 am

My father was not raised Catholic, but goes to mass with my Catholic mother. He finds it funny that he has to shake hands with a bunch of folks...who will see him in town and ignore him or will cut him off in the parking lot immediately after mass. Ha.

Also, I was laughing during my June 17th V:4V morning ride. Here I am riding with the Eye of Sauron on the front of my bike...and driver after driver thinks it's a good idea to ride without their headlights on. What the fuck? Are you trying to be incognito? You think they'd see my shockingly bright light and think, "Oh fuck, maybe I should turn on my lights!"

What really made me shake my head was that I saw two sheriffs and one city cop...without their lights on. Fack.
VirenqueForever says:

Jun 18 2014 at 11:45 am

I don't live in NJ anymore but the comments section as usual sums up the idiocy and ignorance of the masses...

http://newjersey.news12.com/news/nj-assembly-passes-bill-requiring-4-foot-buffer-between-drivers-cyclists-1.8471920
Owen says:

Jun 18 2014 at 12:25 pm

@PeakInTwoYears

@Jamie

You should try riding past the exits no-hands while making "devil horns" and screaming "ALL HAIL THE PRINCE OF DARKNESS, MASTER OF EVIL AND SUGGESTOR OF ANAL SEX!"

Great, now the whole office knows I'm surfing the web due to my snickering. Could do that past the driveway of our church, but we're Lutherans so we'd probably laugh and buy you a beer.

Note to self: If anyone ever rides past the parking lot doing this, I'll know a fellow Velominatus.
KW says:

Jun 18 2014 at 12:27 pm

@Ron

Frank - Yeah, I do wonder if other states will pick up the new signage. Here is a report on it that is kind of interesting, if you'd like to read more.

http://www.bikede.org/2014/04/07/why-share-the-road-is-gone/

I really have shifted my mindset of late on how I ride. Like I wrote, I used to ride and think, "Oh, I'll be nice and kind and move as far right as possible for this driver, even if there is the anti-shoulder here." That is what a pal and I termed roads where the white line edges up to a sharp, harsh drop off of the pavement. "Drivers will love me for moving over." Yeah, maybe some did, but I also got buzzed a lot and nearly run off into ditches and such. Then I'd come back from what should have been fun all fucking pissed off at the world.

Now I take the lane or ride far enough into it that drivers MUST cross the center yellow to pass. If there is a nice shoulder, I'll ride it. If not, I'm going to give myself enough room. Instead of riding in this "courteous mindset" I'm now riding in "I have no steel cage around me, I'll ride where I feel safe riding." I'm still not trying to be a dick, but I am simply making myself less likely to be smashed.

When riding like this I often peek to watch behind me and I also peek when I now a car is there. Kinda telling them, "Yes, I know you are there, I'm going as fast as I can, there is no shoulder, I'll move over when there is room." When out in the country I always wave drivers through when it is safe.

Seems like this marking of territory is really working. Sure, I still get the wild pass now and again, but instead of a stream of close passes, I get one or two nuts a ride, and the rest of the people backing off a lot more. I guess it is kind of asserting my right to be there and showing that I am in fact part of traffic. Before I really tried to be too courteous, I think. Now I ride thinking, "If you want to pass me on a blind curve, go ahead, but I am actually going the posted speed limit and I'm not moving over."

I feel a lot better and safer on rides of late. Kind of like being the padron of the autopeloton.

I'm with you on this one. I ride to work as often as I can, and my route has few bike lanes or wide shoulders. I have learned to be much more defensively aggressive for my own personal safety. Mrs. KW misunderstands this as just plain aggressive, and is convinced that I'm going to get hit. I am still trying to convince her that the way that I ride is a) perfectly legal, and b) designed specifically to reduce the chances of me getting hit by a car.

Just have to pass along this incident from my commute earlier this week. There is a section where some road construction is going on (it is summer in WI after all), and two lanes reduce to one (right lane ends) for maybe 100 meters. I looked, and there was a gap to the next car, so I signaled and moved over. I also kicked up the pace to get through the zone quicker. For this bit of courteous and safe riding, I was greeted with a honk, and not a nice one. Once past the construction, the right lane opens back up and this snooty bitch flies past me into the turn lane for the freeway, laying on the horn the whole time. I wished that I could have come up beside her and apologized for going 35kph, on a bike, uphill, in a construction zone, and costing her 10 seconds of her precious life.

Seriously, if you're in that big a hurry, leave sooner. Le facque?