Critique of a new bicycling report

Wayne Pein said:

"Effect of Wide Lane Conversions on Bicycle and Motor Vehicle
Interactions" is a report produced by the University of North
Carolina Highway Safety Research Center for the Florida Department
of Transportation. The report was prepared in cooperation with the
State of Florida Department of Transportation, the USDOT, and the
FHWA. It can be found online at:
http://wwwprod.dot.state.fl.us/research-center/Completed_Safety.htm

In essence, 14 ft lanes were reconfigured with 11 ft "motor
vehicle lanes" and 3 ft "undesignated bike lanes." The authors
claim the re-striping is an improvement.

My critique is at:
http://www.humantransport.org/bicycledriving/library/critique_conve
rsions.pdf

I hope none of my tax dollars were spent on this study. One point you
might want to address: the cyclists in the study were aware that they
were part of a study, not to mention the fact that most of them were
some sort of Sheriff's officers. This means that the studied reactions
wouldn't represent those of normal cyclists or drivers. How likely is
it that a motorist is going to buzz a uniformed officer? (It's hard to
tell from the pictures, but they appear to be in uniform.)

Being videotaped would probably change the reactions of both cyclists
and drivers even further. But it sounds like the investigators weren't
willing to spend the time to wait for a sufficient number of normal
cyclists to pass.

--
Ray Heindl
(remove the Xs to reply)

Wayne Pein said:

"Effect of Wide Lane Conversions on Bicycle and Motor Vehicle
Interactions" is a report produced by the University of North Carolina
Highway Safety Research Center for the Florida Department
of Transportation. The report was prepared in cooperation with the
State of Florida Department of Transportation, the USDOT, and the
FHWA. It can be found online at:
http://wwwprod.dot.state.fl.us/research-center/Completed_Safety.htm

In essence, 14 ft lanes were reconfigured with 11 ft "motor vehicle
lanes" and 3 ft "undesignated bike lanes." The authors claim the
re-striping is an improvement.

My critique is at:
http://www.humantransport.org/bicycledriving/library/critique_conversions.pdf

Wayne, I agree with your critique.

I might have something more to say about it, after reading both again more
carefully -- maybe later this week.

Matt O.

Ray Heindl said:

I hope none of my tax dollars were spent on this study.

It's possible they were since it was produced "in cooperation with" the
FHWA.

One point you

Quoted message said:

might want to address: the cyclists in the study were aware that they
were part of a study, not to mention the fact that most of them were
some sort of Sheriff's officers. This means that the studied reactions
wouldn't represent those of normal cyclists or drivers. How likely is
it that a motorist is going to buzz a uniformed officer? (It's hard to
tell from the pictures, but they appear to be in uniform.)

Being videotaped would probably change the reactions of both cyclists
and drivers even further. But it sounds like the investigators weren't
willing to spend the time to wait for a sufficient number of normal
cyclists to pass.

Yes, these are good points. While it is ideal that subjects do not know
they are being studied, I can't envision how they would change their
behavior if they knew. Ride faster? That would be an insignificant
change. I doubt knowing they were being filmed would alter their lateral
position. Still it is worth noting. I did note that the same subjects
repeatedly rode the examination area, which makes the data uniform.

It seems logical that some motorists may afford more room to a uniformed
officer, assuming they were able to tell as much. Chances are most
motorists did not realize they were being filmed. Having done such work
myself, I know that the cameras are typically located unobtrusively.

Thanks,
Wayne

Ray Heindl said:

Being videotaped would probably change the reactions of both cyclists
and drivers even further. But it sounds like the investigators weren't
willing to spend the time to wait for a sufficient number of normal
cyclists to pass.

You should know from hanging around here that there are very, very few
"normal cyclists"...

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

florida appears to table the coded requirement for cycle lanes due to
property owners ojections to losing another 3 feet
viva!!!