As much as I love the bike…

As much as I love the bike lanes as a cyclist, I love them more as a driver. Before they were built, the right lane had to serve three separate functions — parking, driving, cycling — and as a result did none of them well. Both cars and bikes had to constantly switch lanes to avoid parked cars, which was confusing, unpredictable and dangerous. Separating these three functions has made the streets safer for both cyclists and drivers. Removing the bike lanes will not solve gridlock, but it will cost lives. If streets are public, they must support ALL forms of transportation instead of privileging one above all others.