More Bike Sharrows to Nowhere
Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 8:52 am
Living on a high traffic street plagued by frequent accidents, I was curious when the city posted signs and banned all parking for a day last week, stating that “paving” was to be done.
Instead, I was surprised to find them spray painting pictures of bicycles at various locations along the road.
Known as “sharrows,” these tell bicyclists where to ride and supposedly remind drivers to share the road with cyclists, ostensibly making the road safer.
But they don’t actually achieve that according to several studies that showed no more bicycle ridership or safety on roads with these markings.
If you’ve ever stood at Riverside and West Clifton, you’d notice the speed with which drivers navigate that 35 mph turn from northbound Riverside onto W Clifton. Without any traffic signal, it’s a free for all at that corner. Fortunately, most pedestrians are aware and cross carefully, running for their life when they think it’s clear.
I’m not sure if I’d be confident thinking I was safer biking on either street just because those pretty pictures are there.
But I’m glad the city thought it was a good use of time and money.
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a2004441 ... -used-for/
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a2003995 ... ing-safer/
https://www.citylab.com/solutions/2016/ ... go/460095/
Instead, I was surprised to find them spray painting pictures of bicycles at various locations along the road.
Known as “sharrows,” these tell bicyclists where to ride and supposedly remind drivers to share the road with cyclists, ostensibly making the road safer.
But they don’t actually achieve that according to several studies that showed no more bicycle ridership or safety on roads with these markings.
If you’ve ever stood at Riverside and West Clifton, you’d notice the speed with which drivers navigate that 35 mph turn from northbound Riverside onto W Clifton. Without any traffic signal, it’s a free for all at that corner. Fortunately, most pedestrians are aware and cross carefully, running for their life when they think it’s clear.
I’m not sure if I’d be confident thinking I was safer biking on either street just because those pretty pictures are there.
But I’m glad the city thought it was a good use of time and money.
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a2004441 ... -used-for/
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a2003995 ... ing-safer/
https://www.citylab.com/solutions/2016/ ... go/460095/