Why I don’t cycle

Two weeks ago, the folk of Vancouver – or the media representing them anyways – were talking about just one thing. Yes, it was the start of the Burrard Bridge cycling lane experiment. The City has implemented a trial of allocating one of the lanes of a multi-lane bridge to bicycle traffic. Sounds like a great idea? If you read and listened to some of what was being spewed in the mainstream press, you would have thought the masses were out after the Mayor’s head. “Overcrowding!” “Congestion!” and “Pandering to the cycling minority” were just some of the headlines.

I really do hope the cycling lanes will be a success and that the entire culture around transportation changes. This can’t happen soon enough. Perhaps in a few years, even road-cowards like myself will take up cycling. But for now, I do not cycle for what I think are very sensible reasons.

I don’t want to get myself killed by an inattentive driver
It may be their lack of timing or spatial perception but there is a breed that should not be driving. It’s very easy to obtain a driver’s licence and unfortunately, very hard to lose it. There are risks I’m willing to take but death at the hands of someone who doesn’t think a solid metal object travelling at high speeds can’t kill a human being? No. If daytimes are frightening, I can’t imagine cycling after dark (even if you are a lit up Christmas tree with all those reflectors and fluorescent clothing.

I don’t want to get myself killed by a criminally reckless driver
Then there are those who will try to jump a green and make a turn where cyclists and pedestrians are crossing. Their line is “might equals right”. And what cyclist would argue with a car? This bully of the roads has killed and injured countless people over the years. In many towns and cities, the authorities have cracked down and started encouraging people to report dangerous and reckless driving to the police.

I don’t want a car to accidently steer off the road and kill me
If a cycle lane means the edge of the car lane then I’ll take the bus instead. There has to be a lane set aside SPECIFICALLY to accommodate bicycles. There is a good video on the whys and hows of bike lanes at:
http://local.theoildrum.com/node/3061


So I return to the main point. Cycle lanes are good and we need more of them.