Foto Friday – Dealing with Upcoming Conflict Points Through Paint

For today’s edition of Foto Friday we’re going to highlight intersections.

Below is a video showing how intersections in The Netherlands have been reconfigured to ensure that all modes can get through intersections safely and with ease.

In our country however, we haven’t quite advanced the thinking to a stage when we can actually think about allocating our transportation dollars in a truly equitable manner. So in the meantime, advocates have to settle for inadequate solutions that can be implemented quickly.

For now, the way one turns left is by merging into the vehicle’s travel lane as depicted by the diagram below. The diagram also indicates that we have a long way to go in our graphic design skills as well as redesigning our transportation network.

How to turn left if you’re on a bicycle: merge with the cars.

But the current method can be made a little easier for drivers by warning them to expect bicyclists merging into their lane. Such a solution is currently being implemented in San Francisco. The photo below was sent in by our traveling bicycle reporter, Hans Wangbichler.

San Francisco pavement signs warning drivers to expect bicycle traffic merging. Photo Hans Wangbichler

Wangbichler writes,

I love this because it warns the car drivers, and not the bicycle riders (bikes have the right of way), and this obviously isn’t a new way of thinking, due to how worn the markings are. Markings like this make a statement that bicycles aren’t an accepted form of recreation, but considered a viable means of transportation.