The technology of bike lanes.

I love these buffers between bike lanes and car lanes. In some situations they might even be better than separated bike lanes. The problem with separated bike lanes, as I see it, is that bicyclists get complacent, they feel safe and let their guard down, and then at intersections they have to deal with cars again, and cars aren’t necessarily expecting them. (I’m thinking specifically of the Ocean Ave. bike lane from Prospect Park to Coney Island.) Buffers, in contrast, offer no physical barrier, but in my experience, work psychological wonders. Cars obey them. Bicyclists are then free to ride in the extreme edge of the bike lane and avoid the threat of car doors opening.

One problem buffers potentially invite is double parking. I guess the thought is that whereas a bike lane by itself might not be inviting, a bike lane plus three to six feet of buffer looks great to someone picking up their kid. My feeling is that yes double parking is annoying, and maybe it happens a little more where buffers exist, and sure cops should ticket for it, but I am not as bothered by it as double parking in other situations. Essentially, as a bicyclist, I am so separated from the car traffic by the buffer, that I feel fine stopping and waiting behind a double parked car until there is a chance to go around them. With just a bike lane, or with no bike lane at all, the instinct is to try and keep up your speed and merge with traffic if you can to get around the double parked car, and this feel dangerous.

I know no one reads this, but in the spirit of inclusion, what do you think?