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From Dan F, Salt Lake City, UT
League Cycling Instructor.

LICENSING
Drivers of motor vehicles are licensed in part due to the size and weight of their vehicle and the amount of damage they are likely to cause if they cause an accident (larger trucks have additional requirements under this philosophy). Cyclists rarely cause significant damage to OTHERS when they don't obey traffic laws (although still no excuse).

BIKE LANES/LANE POSITION.
The prior speaker who was hit behind a truck, if were in a "bike lane" would have been even more invisible to the Left Turning driver, vehicles passing cyclists in a bike lane are shielded from view for oncoming traffic turning left as the oncoming traffic is moving faster dropping the cyclist off the back.

If cyclists are riding in traffic, in a visible lane position (if going close to the speed of traffic, should be in CENTER of lane) to avoid the mentioned LT motorist, and or a car overtaking in the faster lane and then wanting to merge into the right lane (riding to far to the right makes you invisible here as well).

Bikes should NEVER pass vehicles on the right, stopped or not and even with bike lanes. Stopped cars once start moving on green may turn right as the cyclist passes, for instance the 3rd vehicle decides to not use their turn signal and turn right. Bike Boxes encourage passing on the right which actually increased the danger for the right hook.

In Europe they are starting to figure out that the separated bike lane isn't working and is more dangerous at intersections and driveways which is 60-80% of motor vehicle/bike accidents.

MANDATORY USE
Bike lanes doe have their purpose, but just don't un-conditionally "require" their use. Only the cyclists at a given place and time can make a judgment if it is "safer" or "practicable" to use it on a given stretch of road due to driveways, parked cards, poorly designed lanes, debris etc. You can not expect a judge and jury to figure this out later.

posted 4 years ago
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