Bike Boxes? Never Mind

I’d like to learn more about this movement and get something started here in Atlanta, GA. Who is the best person to talk with?

So, in the Oregonian article, it says that the city was asked to try non-green bike boxes by federal authorities. WTF is that about? Why do the feds (USDOT?) care about green bike boxes? Do they think it would it be a bad precedent? Why?

Ideas anyone?

Green paint is more expensive than no paint. It’s probably just a matter of cost savings. Studies will show if they are effective with out the paint. We don’t have anything like that here in Memphis, but is this paint slick at all? I know the stripes on the road can get slick. Just curious.

Why not use green stripes? Or some other color stripes?

@Kermit:

“We don’t have anything like that here in Memphis, but is this paint slick at all? I know the stripes on the road can get slick. Just curious.”

We have a number of bike boxes in Vancouver, B.C., although they are not green but are red, and I’ve not found them to be slick. The paint is course and grainy, like the anti-slip stuff sometimes painted on stairs, etc. I can see wear and tear on the paint though, as they’ve started to get bald patches from heavy use.

I don’t really think the boxes in the main road are necessary if there are already reasonably-sized bike lanes on those roads. I’m sure drivers are even less enthusiastic.

I’ve ridden across one in Portland when we were down there for our Mobile Social, and I said, “what is this thing?” And the joke was, “you tell us.” I think part of the issue is that it’s a painted box with no actual indication of what it’s supposed to do. In Seattle, I think from my perspective, the Green Lanes serve a good function when the bike lane ends. Here’s another post and close-up photo. The paint here in Seattle is like that non-skid stuff you put on deck steps.

The thing that troubles me about the bike boxes is that it seems to encourage cyclists to “filter” forward ahead of cars that arrived at the intersection before them.

Unless the motorists are turning right, they’re going to (at least perceive themselves to) be impeded by those cyclists who passed them while they were obeying the law waiting at the light.

perhaps I’m missing something; maybe these green boxes are only placed at the front of right turn only lanes, but I don’t think so.

Everybody rides in traffic differently, I know (and that may be the problem…) but I won’t pass cars waiting at lights (unless I’m turning right) because I don’t want to make them have to pass me more than once… just seems like courtesy.

I don’t think it makes sense that we are supposed to stay out of the way of cars (to the right of the lane) so they can pass easily, but the instant we have an advantage (traffic backs up due to light/stop sign/whatever) we should ignore that golden opportunity to cruise past the stopped cars and merge back into a lane of stopped traffic. Not having to sit in traffic is a major attraction to get people on bikes.

All that being said, the way I generally operate is that if there is a steady flow of cars to my left, I stay to the edge of the road and head to the front of the line at the light. If traffic is sporadic, I will probably merge back into the full lane and wait my turn.

I think you can aggrivate cars either way, because they may feel they could have made the light if they didn’t have to stay behind you while you slowly accelerate when the light turns green.