The Los Angeles Department of Transportation is testing the use of “The Wave,” a thermoplastic bike barrier used to separate bike lanes from motor vehicles traveling on the same road. These are temporary or “pop-up” lane barriers that are more attractive and more easily portable than other obstacles, such as plastic orange cones or solid plastic barricades.

Currently, only a white stripe painted on the road separates bike lanes from motor vehicle lanes. A recent study from Australian researchers indicates that the presence of a white line often makes motor vehicles pass closer to bicycles than they otherwise would. This was the most extensive study of its kind worldwide, which placed custom devices on bicycles that measured the distance between the bike and passing motor vehicles. The results of this study supported other research showing that on-road bicycle lanes, especially bordering a row of parked cars, are an ineffective way to protect cyclists.

One problem is that bicycle lanes remove the requirement for drivers to maneuver their vehicles around bicycles who are sharing the same road by passing or otherwise going around them. Drivers must proceed straight past the bicyclists, so they unconsciously see no need to give them any more room than a single white stripe on the road warrants.

Using these barriers could make cyclists safer when traveling on busy roadways. The hope also is that the boundaries would encourage more casual bicyclists to use bike lanes for transportation and recreation if they felt that the barriers offered more protection.

When you have been injured in a bicycle accident, you need an attorney who can stand up for your interests from the outset of your personal injury claim. It is our goal to evaluate the facts and assess your potential claim. This step will allow you to explore your options and help you build the most substantial claim for compensation possible. Do not hesitate to contact Bonnici Law Group at 858-261-5454 today and set up an appointment to speak with us soon.