Seeing the recent installation of the new concrete dividers to create separated bicycle lanes was heartening. So I’m surprised to be writing this letter with some concerns about said concrete curbs from the perspective of a cyclist.
On Sept. 27 I was involved in a serious bicycle accident on Feltham. I wasn’t sure if a van was going to pull in front of me, and must have made a correction to the left and struck the edge of the concrete curb and the upright warning post. I was told that I went over the handlebars, struck the edge of the curb with my right side and landed in the bike lane.
I sustained a severely separated shoulder, punctured lung, three cracked ribs, two cracked vertebras, and a broken toe. While in the hospital one of the specialists asked me what happened and when he heard the story, he told me that I wasn’t the first person that this had happened to.
So I’m conflicted about writing this letter. On the one hand I am a complete supporter of bike lanes and would hate to see them dialed back or reversed. On the other hand, I would not like to see anyone else suffer the same fate.
I’ve had time to ponder and have a few suggestions. I note that some rows of the concrete curbs have bevelled edges while others are cut at 90 degrees, as was the case in my situation. The 90-degree curbs will stop a bicycle cold. I’d imagine the usual result would be going over the handlebars.
At least the bevelled edge might give the rider a chance to stay upright, or if there was a crash, help avoid going over the bars. So a suggestion might be to ensure that when a row of concrete curbs starts, the first one should be bevelled. I’ve also noted that around town some bike lanes are not separated by concrete curbs but rather by flexible plastic warning posts or flat vertical plastic strips. That might be a better approach.
The concrete curb doesn’t give the cyclist an out if the unexpected happens. There’s nowhere to go, and there will be a crash. I realize that the curbs provide a physical barrier to protect the rider from wayward car traffic. So my question would be are there more injuries caused by vehicles intruding on unprotected bike lanes than cyclists colliding with the concrete barriers? Time will tell I suppose, and if the conclusion is that the new system reduces either the quantity and/or severity of bicycle injuries, then I accept that. I’ll just assume I was unlucky that day.
Hopefully, things will heal up and cycling will be in the cards again, but it has shaken one’s confidence about riding, no question.
Steven Hickton
Saanich
