A Bike Lane has been striped on Dexter for several years. The Bike Lane is the parking lane for motorized vehicles. About 90% of the "bike lane" space is in the door zone of the parked cars. This area is identified by cycling instructors as a Hazard Zone to be avoided.

 
Dexter Avenue N Seattle, Washington
Dexter if the Hazard Zone were hashed.

Modified striping, farther right and hazard zone hashed

Modified striping, farther right and hazard zone hashed, bike symbol farther left

Bike lanes on 12th Ave South configured as proposed for Dexter 10 to 11 feet from curb to outside bike lane edge

Should the City hash the Hazard Zone so cyclists and motorists can see from the striping that cyclists do not belong in the Hazard Zone?


Or, should they stripe the bike lane so the striping looks to cyclists and motorists like cyclists belong in the Hazard Zone?


The city plans to add a stripe to mark the outside edge of the parking lane at 7 feet and then stripe a 4 foot wide bike lane for a total of 11 feet from the curb to the outside bike lane stripe. The bike lane stripe now is about 10-11 feet from the curb in these pictures. This may encourage motorists to park a little closer to the curb but leaves the total bike lane space at about 90% Hazard Zone.

Should bicyclists be encouraged to ride in the bicycle lane that is 90% Hazard Zone so they can stay farther away from motorized traffic? Or, should cyclists be encouraged to avoid the Hazard Zone near parked cars and ride closer to traffic?


Experts on bicycle driving train cyclists to stay out of the door zone and to ride with traffic while the city’s Dexter (and 12th Avenue South) bike lanes strongly steers them in the opposite direction - into the hazard zone.


It is unconscionable that this contradiction in advice to cyclists is tolerated. Studies of bicycle crashes on Dexter could show which cyclists (those avoiding the hazard zone and riding with traffic, or those avoiding traffic and riding in the hazard zone) are experiencing crashes more. The results of a Dexter bicycle crash study could inform cyclists how to drive their bicycles, and inform facilities design.

Are you interested in cycling, but nervous about traffic?


Want to Discover the SECRET to Bicycling Confidently and Safely?


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Dexter: A hill for cyclists to develop some speed, a Hazard Zone next to parked cars striped as a bike lane, and a Starbucks to generate roadside activity during the commute and you have a two wheeled disaster in the works. Visit the Blog page.


Monitoring: A helmet mounted video camera following cycling commuters passing Starbucks reveals significant roadside activity, and cyclists dodging car doors/peds. See the Photos page.




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