Even though he objected last time to being referred to as my "partner," I am nice enough to share another guest blog from the cycling yogi - who thinks that "lover" better describes our relationship. Whatever...his observations can be read along with a recent article in the Philly Inquirer, claiming "more cyclists means fewer accidents"
Photo Credit: RYAN S. GREENBERG / Staff
With cyclist traffic up sharply, the city has set up 220 miles of bike lanes including these at 13th and Spruce Streets.
When I started riding in the city
forty-something years ago, there were no amenities for cyclists, and
I learned to be bold and visible in traffic, giving clear signals and
ever watchful for the motorist who wasn't. I had my routes and my
habits and so, believe it or not, it kinda went right by me when,
umpteen years ago, Philadelphia sprouted bicycle lanes.
Today for the first time, I discovered
that Pine St has a full car-sized lane reserved for cyclists, that
goes all the way across midtown from West to East. On the way home,
I looked for a parallel route and sure 'nuff, found that Spruce St
had the same deal East to West.
Both streets have converted what used
to be two miles of parking spaces into a bicycle lane, and both have
painted lines for a separator zone, a no-man's land about three feet
wide. Lights are timed at 20 mph, a little faster than I can manage,
but slower than the cars, which tend to zoom from one light to the
next, then brake for the red and sit and wait.
As I discovered the bike lanes, I also
discovered that they have become a favored landing for every FedEx
truck and Coca-cola delivery in the neighborhood. Also people who
were parking with their flashers on – just for a minute, I'm sure –
while they wait for a date or run in to pick up a friend. Every
three blocks or so, I ventured out into traffic to go around somebody
or other.
In one place, traffic was tied up, and
drivers were sorely tempted to slip into the bike lane to get around
the snarl. So I got huffy. I yelled at a driver, and knocked on the
roof of an encroacher as I passed him on the right. How quickly I
have come to feel entitled!
At the end of the day, I waxed
philosophical and came to think that bike lanes are less than
perfect, more than useless. Perhaps the best thing they are is an
agent for transformation of social attitudes. For now, the city
cyclist must remain hyper-vigilant, with brakes at the ready. Most
motorists will “be nice” to us, with some sense of liberal
condescension. But few will acknowledge – on those rare occasions
when we are more of an obstacle to them than they are to us – that
we have an equal right to the pavement.
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