For many drivers, lines and paint morph from legal barriers to mere suggestions at the first sign of traffic.
A frustrated motorist in New York City went to the r/MicromobilityNYC subreddit and didn't mince words about drivers exhibiting that behavior. They characterized it as "selfish and reckless" in the title of their post.
The video shows a stream of cars blatantly breaking traffic laws, illegally using the two-way bike lane to cruise by traffic. The OP was anything but charitable, calling NYC drivers "arrogant" and a "misfortune to share the road with."
"You cannot give them ANY free space because they will bastardize it and claim it for their own," they wrote. That sentiment definitely rang true, considering the complete takeover of the bike lane. The OP noted the drivers' reckless use of the bike lane puts both drivers and cyclists in danger all "because they cannot be bothered to wait in traffic." They concluded their post by writing that "we need less vehicles."
The footage reinforces the severe limitations of painted bike lanes. Drivers have been caught all over the world parking in them or using them as passing lanes like in this clip. True protected bike lanes appear to be a necessity to counter this sort of behavior from overzealous drivers.
Disrespecting bike lanes discourages bikers and e-bike riders who can save money and fuel while reducing their own contributions to the carbon pollution of cars. Bike riding, a great source of exercise, is also considerably less noisy and more pleasant for pedestrians and residents. If drivers don't adhere to the rules, it may force bikers off the roads or, worse, lead to dangerous accidents.
Unfortunately, many cities cater to motor vehicles without exploring environmentally friendly designs and the positive impact that less car-dependent infrastructure has on its surroundings.
Users on Reddit empathized with the OP when it came to the motorists' bad behavior.
"An unprotected bike lane is just another car lane with paint," one wrote.
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Definitely 👍 "Enforcement nowhere to be found," another Redditor noted.
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A seasoned NYC commuter wrote of the scene: "Half of the people on the road need to have their license suspended for how bad they are at driving. The me-me-me mentality to save 2 seconds even if that action [creates] massive traffic jams and inconveniences for others [drives] me insane."
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