In the Netherlands, current design calls for three types of streets:
- highways, speed limit >= 100. Cyclists can’t go there (but alternative, cycleable routes always exist)
- main arteries into cities, speed limit 50, with separated cycle tracks.
- ‘last quarter mile’ roads, speed limit 30, where cars and bicycles share the road.
So, if there is a bicycle lane, it typically is separated from the car lanes by a barrier (row of trees, parking spots, etc)
That makes switching from bicycle lane to car lane or switching back to the bicycle lane when the car lane gets busy hard to do.
Also, you may be more likely to get a green light when riding in the bicycle lane, as the the induction loops there are designed to detect bicycles, not cars, and, on top of that, cyclists may be preferentially give green lights on crossings over cars.
- highways, speed limit >= 100. Cyclists can’t go there (but alternative, cycleable routes always exist)
- main arteries into cities, speed limit 50, with separated cycle tracks.
- ‘last quarter mile’ roads, speed limit 30, where cars and bicycles share the road.
So, if there is a bicycle lane, it typically is separated from the car lanes by a barrier (row of trees, parking spots, etc)
That makes switching from bicycle lane to car lane or switching back to the bicycle lane when the car lane gets busy hard to do.
Also, you may be more likely to get a green light when riding in the bicycle lane, as the the induction loops there are designed to detect bicycles, not cars, and, on top of that, cyclists may be preferentially give green lights on crossings over cars.