Cycling in Waterloo Region

[danbrotherston]

Unfortunately, I have to disagree. I see (from behind the wheel, and behind my handlebars) cyclists all the time riding on the sidewalk when there's a bike lane right there. Especially when I'm on my bike, that infuriates me because it gives us a bad name.

It's also a bit like saying "people drive bad and roll through stop signs? Well just make them all yeilds!" Or something like that.

Your anecdote notwithstanding, it is well studied, while a bike lane doesn't entirely eliminate sidewalk cycling it is the most effective thing you can do to reduce it.

And yes, not everyone is comfortable riding in a bike lane, that is why better bike lanes are even more effective, segregated lanes for example.

And no, it's not like saying all stop signs should be yields, nobody fails to stop at a stop sign out of fear for their lives, they do so out of laziness, drivers and cyclists alike, there is a difference.

That being said, you should still consider human nature, whether for self preservation or laziness.  What exactly *is* wrong with your driving example, if people aren't stopping at a particular stop sign, why should we not consider whether a stop sign appropriate here, or if some other traffic control device would be better.  And compliance *is* already a consideration when putting a stop sign in right now.  Its why we don't use them for traffic calming.

Also worth keeping in mind, in the Netherlands after biking over a 1000 KMs, I can count on one hand the number of stop signs I saw.  Just because they're the norm here doesn't mean there aren't other options.  We shouldn't close our minds to such alternatives, they may have something to teach us.

When infrastructure doesn't align with its use, or with human nature, people aren't going to abide by it.  Then we will need to have to enforcement, and that can be even more expensive than building the right infrastructure in the first place.