Mijksenaar

Bicycles welcome! (#3)

2009

More and more cities are discovering the bicycle as a 'green' and sustainable means of transportation. But the creation of safe and comfortable free bicycle lanes in cities that once where dominated by cars is not always easy as this concise overview shows ...


Since most cities are not (yet) able to create complete separated bicycle paths, a color coded lane seems a reasonable but temporary solution. The choice of colour is not standardised. In Luxembourg it is red (above) and in Holland pink. Notice the pass-over where bicycles can pass the junction, adjacent to the pedestrian zebra.


In London as well in New York, green has been chosen. In New York (above) a safety block is created where cyclists can wait for green light in front of the cars.


Now you can cycle safely even on Times Square!


Here a bicycle lane is provided in one direction only (London). It's amazing in how many situations bicycle lanes sometimes just end, without any advance warning or further instruction for the cyclist on how to continue.


Try somewhere else ...


Though helmets are not mandatory, the authorities in New York don't take any risk.


Bye bye to whom? To the car who will drive him over soon?






'Ring with two tings!' Mixed traffic, especially pedestrians and wheeled travellers is often dangerous, despite the clear regulations at the London waterways 'towpaths'.






In the Italian city of Padua (Padova) the beginning is obviously tough...

Some photos are made by Meijer Mijksenaar; the rest by the author.