Some recent letters have claimed that protected bike lanes are unsafe, and that a painted line is all that is needed.
In reality, extensive research over the past 30 years in cities around the world has shown that protected bike lanes are much safer, and more effective in encouraging people to choose cycling as a way to get around cities.
For example, one large study looking at 12 U.S. cities found that cities with protected bike lanes had 44% fewer traffic deaths than those which did not. The increased safety applied not just to those riding bikes, but to pedestrians and motorists as well. The same study found that painted bike lanes offered no safety improvements – and other studies have shown that painted bike lanes can actually make things worse by giving a false sense of security.
I'm always shocked that so many of the people who complain about bike lanes in Victoria seem to think they are somehow unique to our region, or that it all started with former mayor Lisa Helps. Are they not aware that nearly every city in North America and Europe is currently developing a network of protected bike lanes? Cities are doing this because they've been proven to provide a safe and attractive transportation option for a broad range of urban residents, allowing us to reduce our dependence on cars.
Rob Maxwell
Saanich
