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Today, I drove into the cycle lane. So what? There were no cyclists in sight... So it's against the law, that's what.
How often do you notice that metre or so of road which is painted a different colour and marked off with a white line? I mean the cycle-way; the space set aside for people on pushbikes.
Do you assiduously avoid -- in your car -- crossing into the cycle-way? Or do you simply treat it as an extra part of "your" traffic lane...
There's a cycle-way along Herdsman Parade. When a car ahead stops to turn right, you just pop into the cycle-way -- after looking out for cyclists, of course -- to get around.
Just before Jon Sanders Drive -- as you are approaching the traffic lights -- Herdsman Parade splits into two lanes. Just before the split, traffic starts to separate into two lanes. To do this, the left-hand car goes into the cycle-way.
So what? There are no bikes in sight... Or, if there are, they can move onto the footpath...
As I understand the law, the solid white line between car lane and cycle-way indicates, Do not cross. Just as a solid white line in the middle of the road means, do not cross. According to the law -- and the solid white line -- cars are not allowed to cross the solid white line into the cycle-way.
So I put on my Nanny-State hat
How can we stop drivers breaking the law? I moralised. (Sorry... I just re-read the definition of a Tom Swifty.) Rumble strips? Post-and-rail? booze-and-bike-track busses?That's not the real problem, is it...
What we have is an extra metre of road which is seldom used. Very few bikes use it. Cars occasionally use it. The continuous white line emphasises the separation of bike from car... It reinforces the them-versus-us attitude of both groups...
But when that metre-wide strip of road is in use -- it is very, very useful: Bikes have a clear run; cars can move ahead freely.
This is a strip of road which would be useful -- but is less useful that it could be.
Unless you are happy to break the law and cross the continuous white line.
So make it a discontinuous white line!
Treat the cycle-way as a second lane on the road. After all, that's exactly what it is.
Sure, the cycle-way is too narrow for a car. It is still useful when a car needs to get by another -- stopped -- car.
A discontinuous white line says, You may cross -- with care. The discontinuous line says, You may cross but do not drive along this line; get in one lane or the other.
The average driver is well able to stay within the average car-width lane. The average driver understands -- and deals with -- the necessity to stay within one lane, or to change with care. (This is true even in Perth.) So loosen up!
If there is a lane for bikes -- it's still a part of the road. It's too narrow for cars, so cars keep out -- in general. If a car needs the lane -- to get past an obstruction -- "change" lanes with all due care... And your car won't fit in the lane, so get back in the car lane, asap.
At present, we are attempting to ban cars from a part of the road. Many drivers ignore the ban; they ignore the continuous white line. Perhaps they see it as a ridiculous restriction. Perhaps they don't care... Perhaps they don't realise.
Share the road. Share the road sensibly. Set aside a lane for push-bikes. And allow it to be used -- as required, safely, with care -- by other road users.
Separate the cycle-way from the car lanes with a discontinuous white line. We all know how to deal with a discontinuous white line.
Make better use of the width of the road.
Depend on common sense and sensible driving. Tone down the enforced separation. It only emphasises the them-versus-us attitude of car drivers and bike riders.
If they even understand what is meant, by the solid white line of separation.
Agamedes Consulting. Support for your thought: email nick leth at gmail dot com |
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