Using a bicycle instead of a car can save money, offer the benefit of exercise during a commute, and cut back on harmful air pollution. But when vehicle drivers inappropriately use bike lanes, it creates stress and worry for cyclists.
One Redditor took to the internet to share their frustration in the r/IdiotsInCars subreddit.
In the photo from the post (presumably looking back from a bike), an SUV is seen driving in a bike lane, seemingly headed to an intersection to turn.
One Redditor commented, "This is why protected lanes should be used everywhere, not just a few cities around the country/globe."
Protected bike lanes have a physical barrier between car lanes, sidewalks, and parking areas. This barrier helps keep bikers safe on the road, and improved safety features could encourage more people to choose bicycles over cars when possible.
Without protected lanes, drivers are able to break the rules and ride or park in areas meant for bikes. One Reddit user shared, "This is one of the top reasons I don't bike."
With the benefits of riding a bike including avoiding rising gas prices and helping the environment, it would be advantageous for all to make this method of transportation safer.
In the Netherlands and South Korea, people are even working to combine bike paths and solar panels. In 2014, the world's first solar power-collecting road, SolaRoad, was opened to the public in the Netherlands. The pathway consists of concrete slabs embedded with solar cells covered with tempered glass.
South Korea installed a bike path down the middle of an eight-lane highway that features a solar panel roof. According to South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, these three miles of solar panels produce enough energy to cleanly, affordably power about 600 homes while offering a safer path for cyclists, ABC News reported.
🗣️ Which factor would most effectively motivate you to use an electric scooter-sharing service?
🔘 Saving money 💰
🔘 Avoiding traffic and parking 🛴
🔘 Reducing pollution 🌎
🔘 Not interested in e-scooters 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
An unprotected bike lane can lead to many concerns. While many cities in the United States may have a long way to go to make cycling more appealing, some have been working to address the issue. In Paris, bikers are now reportedly outnumbering cars after the French capital added hundreds of miles of bike lanes.
In the meantime, Redditors had plenty to say about the shortcomings of unprotected lanes, and one even offered a solution that could combat the dreaded "heat island" effect.
One person commented, "This situation becomes more frustrating when you are in the bike lane and [drivers] cut into the bike lane to turn, so they start honking at you to move."
"You can plant some trees in the median and get some shade!" someone else offered.
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