Can Bikes and Cars Coexist?

Bikes and cars rolling along the same road often behave like preschoolers -- they don't share very well. But drivers and typical urban cyclists are long past preschool -- they're certainly old enough to share the road. Yet city bike planners follow varying philosophies. Some claim segregated infrastructure (e.g., bike lanes) is the way to greater safety and more cyclists. Others, known as vehicular cyclists, argue two-wheelers belong on the same streets as cars.

So what does the future bear for all of us on the roads? Bike commuting has increased 43 percent nationwide between 2000 and 2008, and gas prices haven't hurt the pedaling cause. The Los Angeles Times recently took a look at the segregated versus integrated future of bicycle planning. Should your city be pouring concrete for cycle tracks -- a bike lane separated from the roadway by a curb or barrier -- or pouring more money into education to train cars and bikes to play nice?

John Forester, an 80-year-old elder statesman and author supporting the vehicular cycling movement, says efforts to separate bikes from cars sends the message bikes are not an equal partner on the road. Segregated infrastructure implies car drivers should be annoyed when a bike is on their playground. Studies also back up Forester's claim bike lanes are simply more hazardous -- car doors open in front of bicycles without warning and motorists give more room when passing bikes on a road versus a bike lane. Vehicular cyclists say following the rules of the road while riding a bike in traffic is the key to coexistence. Bicyclists shouldn't be second-class citizens. Yet cities are continuing to build bicycle lanes.

Take Dallas. In 2008 the city got rid of their bike coordinator, Paul Michael Summer, who also happens to be a fan of vehicular cycling. This was the same year Bicycling magazine rated the city the worst place to ride on two-wheels. Shortly after Summer's removal, the city approved $300,000 in funding to overhaul the bike plan. One consulting firm likely to land the contract is big on bicycle lanes. "Bicycles are different than cars. Pedestrians are different from cyclists. How you create a bicycle-friendly community is you create conditions where bicycles truly can be a part of daily life," explained Mia Burke, the firm's founder told the Dallas Observer.

Then there's Boston. Also a former last place finisher in Bicycling magazine, the city's bike coordinator (also a vehicular cyclist) was replaced in 2007. The installation of five miles of bicycle lanes ensued.

But let's be real, is this an either/or proposition? Look at Chicago. That's Fit asked Brian Steele, director of communications and assistant commissioner at Chicago Department of Transportation, how bike planning is proceeding in the Windy City. "The Bike 2015 Plan is predicated essentially on that vehicular cycling concept -- bicycles using the existing public right of way that is available," explained Steele. But his staff also likes bike lanes. "The folks who staff our bike programs are avid cyclists. Year-round cyclists who are really in tune, active members of the bike community," he said. "They want to see the on-street bike lanes because not only do they provide a safe and dedicated place for them to ride, they also increase the awareness of motorists regarding the rights of bicyclists to ride on city streets." Chicago's an old city and its curb-to-curb right of way is fixed. In essence, Chicago leans on both philosophies because it has to.

To urban and suburban cyclists alike -- do you prefer to ride along with traffic or pedal within a dedicated bike lane? Let us know, and don't miss these defensive bicycling tips to keep you safe on the roads. Keep riding, it seems more bikers may mean less injuries.