# Will the US ever install bicycle lanes in all the major cities? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 7, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084 "2017-05-07T20:14:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/41 "2017-05-08T19:41:08Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > The majority do use the bike lanes, except when cars park in them and the cyclists are forced to take a full lane of traffic. I bike commuted for several years into Cambridge and you have to keep your head on a swivel for bad drivers (and other riders), and the same was true when I was driving in. Bike lanes are heavily used here, and they take many cars off the streets. More could and is being done, and the number of bike commuters continues to grow here. > > [https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/10/20/census-biking-work-increasingly-popular-boston/3W6yUSXUSHey7X1bCr3fYL/story.html](https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/10/20/census-biking-work-increasingly-popular-boston/3W6yUSXUSHey7X1bCr3fYL/story.html) I worked in SF for a decade. Cyclists routinely used the sidewalk instead of the designated bike lane, and cars werent parked in it. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/42 "2017-05-08T19:47:03Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I worked in SF for a decade. Cyclists routinely used the sidewalk instead of the designated bike lane, and cars werent parked in it. I’m not trying to negate your experiences, but it doesn’t really happen here in Boston. Not sure what else I can say? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/43 "2017-05-08T20:04:08Z")
The community in Tennessee that I live in is very strange. They put in **some** bike lanes, **near but not to** the University. **Near but not to** local grade and high schools. **Near but not to** shopping. One bike lane starts near a grade school, and leads out into a semi-abandoned industrial area, where there are car repair shops & electrical wholesalers, and nothing else, stopping just before they reach the Jail. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/44 "2017-05-08T20:11:58Z")
Where there are bike lanes, cyclists stay off the sidewalks. Unless the lanes are badly designed and even then. Again the studies show this: [http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2014/08/tired-of-cyclists-riding-on-the-sidewalk-build-more-bike-lanes/375984/](http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2014/08/tired-of-cyclists-riding-on-the-sidewalk-build-more-bike-lanes/375984/) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/45 "2017-05-08T20:26:54Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > Where there are bike lanes, cyclists stay off the sidewalks. Unless the lanes are badly designed and even then. Again the studies show this: [Bloomberg - Are you a robot?](http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2014/08/tired-of-cyclists-riding-on-the-sidewalk-build-more-bike-lanes/375984/) No, the "studies’ dont show that:\* The sampling is small, and it’s admittedly hand-picked by advocates, …\* ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/46 "2017-05-08T20:36:55Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > Where there are bike lanes, cyclists stay off the sidewalks. Unless the lanes are badly designed and even then. Again the studies show this: [Bloomberg - Are you a robot?](http://www.citylab.com/cityfixer/2014/08/tired-of-cyclists-riding-on-the-sidewalk-build-more-bike-lanes/375984/) I’m an infrequent bike rider. We live very close to our downtown area so a few times a year for some events we’d ride our bikes - a community music festival, the annual art festival, jazz & rib festival, etc. Before our city invested a ton of money into putting in bike lanes and educational/awareness campaigns, I would ALWAYS ride on the sidewalk. Our downtown on a weekend is mostly a ghost-town and the sidewalks are big 8 foot+ wide sidewalks. I -knew- I wasn’t supposed to be on the sidewalk but honestly it was the only way I felt safe with the idiotic drivers around here and there was very little foot-traffic on the sidewalks to contend with. Now that we have bike lanes and a few years of awareness campaigns, I feel much better about riding in the street (within the bike lane). Naturally this is all anecdotal… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/47 "2017-05-08T20:39:11Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, the "studies’ dont show that:\* The sampling is small, and it’s admittedly hand-picked by advocates, …\* Wheras your anecdotes are the equivelant of a _Lancet_ publshing. Gotcha… ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/48 "2017-05-08T20:44:16Z")
> [@PoppaSan](#): > > Most bike lanes are paid for out of the highway taxes. That’s money paid by car drivers (mostly) that is [not fixing potholes and bridges.](http://mediatrackers.org/wisconsin/2014/07/28/federal-highway-fund-pays-bike-paths-wisconsin) > Register and other fee bicycles to pay for at least some of the off highway lanes and I’d be all for it. Um… if those bikers instead took cars, SUV’s etc, there would be more damage to the roads and require more money. You should not only expect them free passage but should be subsidizing them for saving you money. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/49 "2017-05-08T20:48:16Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > Wheras your anecdotes are the equivelant of a _Lancet_ publshing. Gotcha… No, but I dont pretend they are "studies’. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/50 "2017-05-08T20:48:18Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Um… if those bikers instead took cars, SUV’s etc, there would be more damage to the roads and require more money. You should not only expect them free passage but should be subsidizing them for saving you money. The source from that article is the Heritage Foundation which somehow decided that Federal money earmarked for transportation should be solely spent on cars, and that if any Federal money (which comes from taxes we all pay) is spent on other facilities then we are somehow stealing from the car drivers (who paid the same shares as the rest of us). ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/51 "2017-05-08T20:59:30Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, but I dont pretend they are "studies’. [Could have fooled me.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19448361&postcount=60) [I mean you sure talk like you’ve proven it via studies.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19257606&postcount=119) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/52 "2017-05-08T21:20:00Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > [Could have fooled me.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19448361&postcount=60) > [I mean you sure talk like you’ve proven it via studies.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19257606&postcount=119) In the first I did not pretend it was a study, like you did. In the second, I actually had cites, but again, I never claimed- as you did\_ that I was citing a “study”. [http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/in-d...ke-riding.html](http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/in-d...ke-riding.html) [http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/b](http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/b)…-why-the-hate/ [http://www.ibiketo.ca/blog/few-bike-...dewalk-cycling](http://www.ibiketo.ca/blog/few-bike-...dewalk-cycling) Breaking news is that a cyclist on the sidewalk at Finch and Sentinel killed a pedestrian recently … (this last does say that cyclist WOULD choose to use a bike lane, but since there are none, insists upon using the sidewalk- illegally) [http://archive.peninsulapress.com/20...d-pedestrians/](http://archive.peninsulapress.com/20...d-pedestrians/) The biggest complaint that we are getting has nothing to do with the lanes, but rather the fact that the bicyclists are still not using them,” said Kymberli Brady, president of the San Jose Downtown Residents Association. “They continue to ride their bikes on the sidewalks, and people who are out walking their dogs or their strollers or just taking an evening walk over to dinner are constantly having to dodge these people on bicycles.” Downtown resident Brian Vaeth wrote this comment on the Downtown Residents Association’s Facebook page: “I always hate having to dodge bicyclists on sidewalks, and for some reason people continue to use the sidewalks instead of the bike lanes.” Another comment on the Facebook page, by Susan Strehlow: “As a bike rider, I originally loved the idea of the bike lanes. Unfortunately, they are not being used very much! I walk my dog several times a day and usually NO one uses the bike paths. Bike riders continue to bike on the sidewalk, many times almost running me over and scaring my dog.” [http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/jum...nt?oid=3321829](http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/jum...nt?oid=3321829) [The Money Mustache Community - Index](http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/wel)…-the-sidewalk/ "Yes, I bicycle on the sidewalks. I do not know or care what the laws say in my area. " “yep. there isn’t a bike lane i feel comfortable with more of like 2 feet and then the curb. and no one else is using them. i’m not trying to get run over” Those are indeed- _anecdotal._ I never pretended otherwise, such as your claim to have “studies”. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084/53 "2017-05-08T23:03:19Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > In the first I did not pretend it was a study, like you did. You’re nitpicking on my use of the word study. Wheras you act like you are the authority on cyclists not using bike lanes. But hey… [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2014/08/07/with-bike-lanes-fewer-riders-on-sidewalk/?utm\_term=.d97635ef80aa](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2014/08/07/with-bike-lanes-fewer-riders-on-sidewalk/?utm_term=.d97635ef80aa) > [@](#): > > According to DDOT, on 15th Street NW, bike traffic jumped 47 percent when the new protected lane went in, but the number of bikes on sidewalks fell 70 percent. > **[2011\_columbus\_assessment.pdf](https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2011_columbus_assessment.pdf)** > > 4.79 MB > [@](#): > > Decreased rates of sidewalk ridership at all monitored locations [http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/prospectparkwest.shtml](http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/prospectparkwest.shtml) > [@](#): > > Dangerous sidewalk bike riding is down from 46% of bike riders on the sidewalk before the project to just 3% after, many of whom are children and legally allowed to ride on the sidewalk > [@](#): > > In the second, I actually had cites, but again, I never claimed- as you did\_ that I was citing a “study”. No, you just act like you are the final authority on cyclists not using bike lanes. For the record, my initial article did reference the DDOS statement (repeated in my Washington Post cite above) which presumably had research behind it. But hey, if you want to keep harping on the definition of ‘study’ then go ahead and try and score them internet points. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-us-ever-install-bicycle-lanes-in-all-the-major-cities/786084.md?page=2)