Bike Lanes are great because they keep a modicum of space for cyclists to use without having to worry, usually, about cars driving in them. Certainly exceptions exist, turn-ins/outs, side streets, and of course paralell parking on the other side of the bike lane. These are all objective hazards that we as cyclists must mitigate by being as coherent and aware of our surroundings as possible. I live in Germany and cycling as a commuter is a way of life for most folks who view a bike, legally and materially, just as a car. The right of way laws here are based upon road position and not on vehicle type. The onus for all vehicle operators is to be aware of everything around you. In the US it is very similiar except I have never lived where there are bike lanes in the states. I have a good friend of mine here who t-barred a parked car with it's door open and the driver was found at fault and had to buy a new bike. But the judge admonished him with a fine for failing to be alert.
Pay attention no-matter who or what you are driving (incidentally in ther germany language the word fahren (to drive) is used if talking about a car, a boat, a bike, etc) and be as courteous to cars as you want them to be to you. Too often I get from the message boards a self-hypocritical attitude of holier-than-thou from cyclists. This is something that only hurts cyclists in the eyes of the wider tax-paying population who ultimately fund any and all bike lanes in the US.
Comments please feel free to email me at: jason.b.nicholson@us.army.mil
