Safety is top of mind when we leave our homes, especially on the road. Yet, poor maintenance of our road design and quality can put that safety in jeopardy. For an avid biker, this can really impact the experience.
On Reddit, one user shared a photo of their brother navigating a frustrating experience riding in poorly designed bike lanes in Switzerland.
Posted to a subreddit concerning transportation, the photo highlights the uneven and somewhat bumpy road in front of the biker.
"Definitely designed by someone with the exhaust in the driver cabin," the original poster wrote in their post title.
Bike safety is a crucial topic, especially given the experiences shared by cyclists in other parts of the world.
One example is a cyclist in Charlotte, North Carolina, who highlighted the dangers of poorly designed bike lanes, describing it as one of "the worst bike lanes I have ever seen." The lane itself comes to a sudden end when reaching the intersection, forcing other bike riders to navigate busy streets without the protection they need.
The potential harm to communities reinforces the importance of well-established infrastructure. This would include wide, separated multi-use paths that ensure the safety of both bikers and drivers.
Protected and separated bike lanes have been shown to significantly reduce accidents and fatalities. Additionally, commuting on a bike just once a day cuts down on the harmful pollution in the air by as much as 67% per person, giving both cyclists and communities cleaner air. If you were to bike to work 10 days a month, you could save $150 or more per year while cutting down on planet-warming gases, so it's a win on both fronts.
As we work to maintain both bike, pedestrian, and driver safety through protected lanes, we can encourage more people to engage in bike riding frequently, enjoying such benefits as saving money from gas prices and completing adequate exercise for optimal health.
"That's not a bicycle gutter, it's just a gutter," wrote one Reddit user.
"He's not supposed to be cycling in the gutter, he's allowed to use the road," commented another user in confusion.
The original poster responded to the confusion by claiming that "any app would tell you there is a bike path there."
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