June 11 — Including bike lanes on newly constructed roads around Boston may give riders a false sense of security as they struggle to keep their wheels in motion along the busy roads, some cyclists say.
Mike Wissel, a sales manager for Back Bay Bicycles, said he rides his bike almost every day and enjoys the benefits of having a cheap mode of transportation, the ability to contribute to green efforts by reducing fuel consumption and a fun form of exercise.
“Especially for people new to the city, biking is a good way to get around,” Wissel said. “You can go out and buy a bike for what it costs for a T pass for a couple months, and it includes physical and environmental benefits in the long run,” he said. “Riding is safer than you think.”
Though efforts have been made around the city to improve cyclists’ experience, Wissel said Boston University’s campus is one of the most difficult regions to cycle through and it often causes him grief.
“I ride through Boston University’s campus every day and it is horrible for bicyclists,” he said. “I’ve been hit and clobbered by cars. Sometimes, the drivers are sorry, but I have even been attacked by a driver who hit me. The bike lanes that are being put in are going to give a false sense of security for bikers and just become a double parking lane for drivers.”
BU recently began trying to better accommodate student cyclists by adding indoor bike storage rooms to dorms, including Shelton and Danielsen halls, and proposing others for buildings such as Warren Towers, the George Sherman Union and the Photonics Center. New, bigger bike racks around campus allow for outdoor storage as well. Students are encouraged to register bikes with the BU Police Department in case they are stolen.
A state bill would require bike lanes on new roads, including Commonwealth Avenue, which has been undergoing construction as part of an improvement project that is set to wrap up in November, Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition Executive Director David Watson said.
MassBike, a nonprofit group that advocates for increased construction of bicycle-friendly roads and encourages safe biking habits, tells new riders to be aware of their surroundings at all times and plan routes ahead of time. The group sponsors a number of events around the city for cyclists of all ages and has pushed for cyclists’ rights legislation during its more than 30 year history.
In addition to providing bike lanes, the bill, which has been passed by the House and is now in the Senate, will educate drivers and police officers about the bicyclists’ rights as operators of vehicles.
The bill will make dooring — hitting a cyclists or pedestrian when opening a car door — a finable offense. It would also allow police officers to ticket bike riders for traffic violations.
“In Massachusetts, a bike is a vehicle the same as a car, but the laws aren’t 100 percent clear when referring to a bike,” Watson said. “The bill will give more responsibility to riders and drivers to be aware of bicyclists and pedestrians around them.”
Danielle Suarez, a junior in the College of Engineering, said she lives in West Campus and loves the speed that her bike affords her for getting to class on time. As a devoted cyclist who spends a good deal of time peddling down Commonwealth Avenue, Suarez said she has encountered few problems with drivers.
“I have never been hit and I find that cars are pretty respectful to you as a bicyclist if they see you,” Suarez said. “They aren’t afraid to honk at you either.”
