Hope this isn't too off-topic. I come from, and live in, the UK. There are
two types of cycleways in our country - cycle paths (off the road) and
cycle
lanes (on the road). I use a bike as my main type of transport rather than
as a leisure activity. I find my main problems relate to other users of
the
cycle routes I use.
A cycle path is usually about 2' - 2'6" wide and either green tarmac,
tarmac
marked with painted cyclist symbols or both. Pedestrians on the whole
consider cycle paths to be the same as footpaths and feel that it's the
cyclist's responsibility to avoid people taking up the whole of the cycle
path when there's a perfectly good footpath next to it. There are no laws
in
our country specifically against Jaywalking (but anyone doing so in a
completely reckless manner could probably be prosecuted under another law)
and so Jaywalking on a cyclepath is definitely no crime and the courts
would
probably consider the responsibility to lie in the lap of the cyclist.
This
irks me because if a car hits a pedestrian it's usually only the
pedestrian
who gets hurt whereas if a bike hits a pedestrian the cyclist could come
off
just as bad as (or worse than) the pedestrian - even with a helmet.
A cycle lane is usually about a foot wide and marked as a cycle route in a
similar way to the paths. Unlike the cycle paths it is usually only about
1' - '6" wide with a solid white line demarking the boundary between car
and
cycle lanes. Most motorists think of cyclists as reckless pedestrians on
wheels who should be on the pavement or the cyclepath. The English Highway
code states that a car, when overtaking a cyclist should leave "one car's
width" between themselves and the cyclist and, if this is not possible,
moderate their speed so that they do not panick the cyclist - who is
allowed
on any roads apart from motorways. It is rare that an overtaking motorist
leaves enough space and they quite often overtake at speeds in excess of
50mph - enough to make an unsuspecting cyclist wobble and clip the car or
be
hit by the car behind it. This situation is not helped by cycle lanes -
because the solid white line has a psychological effect on the driver -
the
cyclist is in another lane, just like other motorists are - therefore as
long as you don't cross the line overtaking is OK - but as the cycle lanes
are so narrow this means that the driver passes dangerously close
(consider
that the average mountain bike has handlebars of greater width than our
cycle lanes and you'll catch my drift).
Most towns and cities in Britain have cycle routes but we are only just
starting on a country-wide network of Cycle lanes - based mostly on
existing
bridleways and public footpaths.
How does your American system differ and, bearing in mind the distance
between some states, are you going to have long cycle routes stretching
across some of your deserts?
Look forward to discussions,
Tim Rayner.
--
If it's truth you're REALLY after then you should not be afraid to look
hard
at what you believe.
trayner@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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