This resident found their city's new bike lane completely unusable.
A Redditor reposted images taken by a bystander in Victoria, British Columbia. The photos show several cars parked inside the brand-new dedicated bike lane.
"New bike lane just went in and this is the result," the Redditor wrote. They did clarify in a comment that "there are still 1 hour parking signs up from the old road and no signage prohibiting this yet. Personally though I wouldn't park in this."
It's certainly frustrating for bikers, but hopefully the problem subsides when proper signage is implemented. Another Redditor shared a similar scene — cars parked in the clearly painted bike lane.
There are bountiful benefits to installing protected bike lanes. They reduce accidents between cars and bikes as well as between pedestrians and bikes, reduce the number of cyclists on sidewalks, and increase the number of people on bikes. Bike lanes, especially those protected by curbs or railings, make the road safer for everyone.
There are environmental benefits to riding a bike instead of driving, like reducing our reliance on cars and lowering carbon emissions. According to data from UCLA Transportation, "choosing a bike over a car just once a day reduces the average person's carbon emissions from transportation by 67%."
Subsequently, biking lowers noise pollution and promotes cleaner air. Electric bikes are great alternatives, too — they produce zero emissions and "can save up to 500 pounds of carbon emissions each year," per Green Match.
Some cities have abandoned cars altogether, opting for sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes, and public transit. The differences in these before-and-after photos from Paris after prioritizing walkability are incredible.
Commenters were frustrated by the drivers' behavior and by the lack of consequences.
"Paint on roads isn't infrastructure. I'm not surprised," one user said.
"We need to get those aggressive tow truck drivers out there," another user suggested.
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