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From: Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net>
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Subject: Re: Commuter innovation
Date: Sun, 31 Mar 2024 22:53:14 -0400
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On 3/31/2024 6:28 PM, Roger Merriman wrote:
> Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> On 3/29/2024 5:49 PM, Roger Merriman wrote:
>>>
>>> In my experience bike lanes are generally cleaner than roads which
>>> themselves fairly well swept.
>>
>> If you're talking about bike lanes sharing the same asphalt as adjacent
>> general purpose lanes, my experience is absolutely opposite. And
>> contrary to Mr. "sms," my experience seems common. For example:
>> https://duckduckgo.com/?q=bike+lane+debris&t=newext&atb=v416-1&iax=images&ia=images
>>
>> I don't see how it's possible to have more debris on the portion of road
>> where car tires pass at least occasionally. Each car tire rolls over at
>> least six inches of pavement, and at relatively high speed. Bits of
>> gravel or glass get thrown up and would eventually end up in an adjacent
>> bike lane simply by random chance, even if the car's wind blast didn't
>> add impetus.
>>
> 
> You snipped my explanation ie I was talking about all bike lanes/cycleways
> ie the full on segregated stuff doesn’t get road debris spray. The ones
> with wands yes I’m sure but it’s really not a thing, personally I notice
> more the potholes on one road that even with 2in tires I don’t want to hit
> the edge too hard, is some vegetation in the gutter on one cycle lane but
> it’s hardly problematic.

I may be having trouble decoding that paragraph of yours. But: First, 
I'm not talking about completely separate paths away from roadways. 
Those are a minuscule portion of bicyclists' riding surfaces. Almost all 
riding is on streets or roads. And as others have pointed out, even 
completely separate paths often have debris problems.

I'm not sure if you're including typical "protected bike lanes" in your 
"full on separated" category or not. But the "protected" bike lane I've 
linked to before (near our city's downtown) is shunned by almost all 
cyclists in part because of its debris. The low concrete separators are 
apparently not able to stop gravel, etc. from being flung in from the 
road. And those separators do have gaps for driveway access.

As for "really not a thing," You seem to be ignoring the images linked 
above, and the images I've recently posted. I have other images as well, 
from longer ago, if you need to see them.

About potholes: Yes, they occur on roads. My area gets a lot of them, 
due in part to the local climate generating lots of freeze-thaw cycles. 
In a road, they are generally easy to see and avoid.

A problem in a bike lane can be avoided too, but often only by leaving 
the bike lane or avoiding it entirely, which is what I generally do. 
State law makes it clear that bike lanes are not mandatory.

> 
> Other places that cross town centres can get glass or rubbish from night
> life but it’s generally cleaned up quickly and hardly a bike lane only
> thing.

Again, car tires naturally sweep small bits of gravel or glass off the 
roadway. When they do that, they end up in a shoulder or a bike lane, 
whichever is adjacent. Look at the photos again.

-- 
- Frank Krygowski