Many bike lanes are very simple, small lanes on the side of the road. They may be painted green or otherwise marked with a bike symbol. In some instances, there’s no bike lane at all, and cyclists are just supposed to ride in the lane or on the shoulder.
Unfortunately, this is inconsistent when it comes to safety, and it leads to a lot of accidents. Drivers will sometimes make aggressive passes that are much too close. They may turn through a bike line without looking to see if there is a cyclist coming up behind them. They make all manner of mistakes and hit cyclists who are supposed to be safely riding in a lane that was set apart for them.
The barrier system
As a result, some cities have begun using a system that puts physical barriers between the automotive lane and the bike line. These are often bollards or pylons. They may be attached directly to the concrete, and they are a few feet high so that they’re easily visible.
This visibility is part of what makes them beneficial. It’s easier for a driver to overlook a section of pavement that has been designated as a bike lane than it is to overlook actual pylons that are in the way of the vehicle.
Additionally, many accidents happen when drivers get distracted and drift to the side of the road. These physical barriers can help to prevent this from happening because the car would strike the bollards first and alert the driver that they were making a mistake. This will still damage the car, but it could save the cyclist’s life.
Most roads do not have these systems
As noted above, these systems are simply not that common and most cyclists will have to spend significant time on the streets without protection. If you’ve suffered injuries as a result, you may be able to seek financial compensation.
