A bicycle path is an independent element of road infrastructure for movement on two-wheeled vehicles. Keeps clear of vehicular traffic, designed to ensure the safety of all road users, and is the legal territory of bicycle drivers. Entry of vehicles and exit of pedestrians onto bicycle paths is generally prohibited.

The attitude towards cyclists in the traffic rules has changed: now they are full-fledged drivers with rights, responsibilities and a specially designated territory - that same bicycle path. In practice, everything looks different: not every city in our country can boast of bicycle paths. So you have to roll the bikes out onto the road or ride on crowded sidewalks.

However, not everything is so bad: the cycling movement is actively developing in Russia, and this is a plus. Paths, although in small quantities, appear. In some cities, it was even possible to clearly regulate cyclists, car drivers and pedestrians on stretches and intersections.

The bicycle path is presented in three options: a marked lane on the roadway, a sidewalk bicycle zone and a separate path.

Bike lane on the roadway

A bicycle lane is a section of road separated from the main traffic flow. Bounded on the left side by a solid line, on the right by a curb. Continuous markings simultaneously prohibit both bike drivers and motorists from crossing the line.

Advantages of a bike lane:

• relative safety compared to moving in the general flow;
• clear priority of direct passage at intersections;
• There are fewer parked cars and doors in the way.

Parking of cars in the area with a bicycle lane is prohibited. However, not everyone respects traffic rules, not to mention bicycle drivers. Thus, a parked car and a risky detour around an obstacle in violation of the rules.

Forced to break rules because of parked cars

Movement Features:

• You need to stay as far to the right as possible and give up part of the lane to overtaking cyclists;
• at intersections, travel is only allowed straight and to the right (even if the roadway is two-lane);
• control the traffic situation: pay attention to signs and traffic lights, assess the distance to other vehicles.

Bicycle paths on the roadway are not the best option, since there is no guarantee of safety. A car may also suddenly stop or a pedestrian jump out. A lane on the roadway is more suitable as an intermediate option. But if one of these suddenly appeared on a major street in the city, that’s already progress!

Bike and pedestrian path

Combined bicycle and pedestrian zones are a reality in almost every city in Russia. A bicycle path on a pedestrian area is a budget-friendly and simple option to make the life of cyclists a little calmer. Despite such bright aspirations of the authorities, cycling enthusiasts themselves are skeptical about this and consider it an outright deception.

Cycle paths run along tourist routes, mainly in city centers:

• embankments;
• streets without car traffic;
• parks;
• wide sidewalks;
• in places where it is impossible to draw a bicycle lane on the roadway or build a separate path (for example, narrow bridges).

Paths combined with a pedestrian area have two significant advantages: complete isolation from vehicles and the opportunity to relax in the saddle while riding slowly. The latter applies to lovers of leisurely walks.

There are plenty of disadvantages to such a bike path:

• exiting pedestrians;
• it is impossible to develop good speed;
• small bandwidth;
• difficulty passing an oncoming cyclist.

Marked cycle track on a pedestrian street in Sochi

Despite clear markings and even a “Bicycle Traffic” sign, most pedestrians often do not take bike paths seriously and go beyond the markings. A separate issue is impracticality. The bicycle zone is designed more for leisurely walks than for full movement without access to the roadway.

Separate bike path

Actually, this is a full-fledged road for cyclists. Layed separately from the noisy road and sidewalks, it should ensure movement in oncoming directions.

The bicycle path can be adjacent to the roadway and laid separately. The first option is city streets with vehicular traffic, the second is routes between microdistricts and tourist routes. It is clear that in the Russian expanses, separate bicycle roads are still under construction.

Separate and equipped road for bikes

Advantages:

• isolation from pedestrians and cars;
• convenient to move around;
• the ability to enjoy cycling without being disturbed by pedestrians.

Flaws:

• strip width less than 1 m;
• difficult to pass and get ahead;
• low speed compared to driving on the road.

If the street is equipped with a fenced-off bicycle path, it is prohibited to move along the roadway with cars. This is not entirely convenient, especially if the path ends after 200 - 300 m.

A professionally designed bike path - high-quality surface, located above the level of the roadway, barriers. Indicated by the “Bicycle Traffic” sign and markings: separation of oncoming traffic, silhouette of a bicycle and arrows with directions.

Safe Design

On straight sections:

• fencing from traffic flow;
• flow delimitation;
• sufficient width of the bicycle surface.

Near public transport stops, the bicycle path should not be located too close to the road: passengers will immediately get under the wheels of bicycles. The optimal distance is a few meters from the stop.

Standard intersections: intermittent markings at the intersection of traffic flows and a stop line.

The right lane (or two lanes) at the intersection is for right turns only. The bike path is equipped with a special traffic light. Route diagram:

• Bicycles are prohibited on the main transport green;
• Bicycles are allowed to pass, the light is red for all cars and pedestrians;
• Traffic in the transverse direction is allowed, cyclists - red.

Traveling to the “red phase” under the permitting signal of a bicycle traffic light

Advantages: the ability to ride a bicycle in all directions. Disadvantages: long waits, congestion of cars in front of traffic lights.

Are bike paths needed in cities? Undoubtedly. A specially designated and well-designed cycling zone is an opportunity to ensure safe movement on two-wheeled vehicles. The presence of this additional and necessary infrastructure helps to fully comply with traffic rules and improves the level of culture on the roads.

Original taken from alex_maisky in Cycle track

As in the previous post about bike paths (by the way, there is also a list of useful sources), we’ll start with international definitions. The International Convention on Road Traffic says this about bicycle lanes:

“Cycle track” means an independent road or part of a road designated for cycles, signposted as such. A cycle track is separated from other roads or other parts of the same road by structural means.

The term "cycle path" means a separate road or part of a road designated for use by cyclists and signposted accordingly. A bicycle path is structurally separated from other roads or from other elements of the same road.

A little history

In Holland, bicycles appeared in 1870 and quickly became the main form of transport. By 1920, their share in the traffic flow was 75%. Conflicts between cyclists and other road users - horse riders and pedestrians - were also common in the pre-automobile era. Therefore, already a hundred years ago there were proposals to divide the road space into separate sections for different types of transport and pedestrians.

At the dawn of the last century, cycling was a very fashionable and popular pastime in the United States. On January 1, 1900 (!), the first part of the Pasadena-Los Angeles toll recreational bicycle highway was opened in California. According to the project, the bike path was supposed to stretch for 10 km and connect Pasadena, then still a suburb of Los Angeles, with the city's Highland Park area. The part opened in 1900 was 2 km long, paved with pine tiles, and illuminated at night. Travel along the path cost 10 cents one way, 15 cents round trip. Due to the decline in the popularity of the bicycle, the owners of the bicycle highway abandoned further construction, and a few years later they dismantled the already built part.

The advent and mass production of automobiles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries quickly changed the balance of power on the road. In Germany in the 1920s and 1930s, the auto industry lobby tried to drive cyclists off the roads. Moreover, mind you, then no one called the roads automobile roads. They were just roads and just streets. During the same years in England, supporters of cycling tried to do the same with cars - ban them from driving on ordinary roads and streets, banish them to reservations - to special roads, which, however, still needed to be built. While there were few cars, this seemed quite possible. But both on the continent and in England, motorists quickly won. With a very simple and democratic idea - the idea of ​​free use of public roads.
Cycle paths running along the roadways of streets were planned to be built in England back in the 1920s. But the English Cyclist's Touring Club then opposed this, fearing that cyclists would have to pay an additional tax to build cycle paths, and as a result, almost no cycle paths were built in England until the 1970s.

The history of the appearance of bicycle and pedestrian paths dates back to post-war Sweden. The SCAFT research group at Chalmers University of Technology developed urban planning guidelines, which have had a significant impact in at least northern European countries. This document proposed to separate motorized from non-motorized movement wherever possible. Pedestrians and cyclists were considered a homogeneous group, and it was proposed to build paths for them according to the same principles, or even combine them on the same paths. Therefore, now the most combined pedestrian and bicycle sidewalks can be seen in Sweden and Finland. Under the influence of this leadership, an extensive cycling network was built in Helsinki.

In Germany, by the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 70s, the number of cyclists had decreased significantly, and bicycle paths “as unnecessary” began to be built up with car parking. By this time, the car had become the main means of transport in European countries. Even in a cycling country like Holland, the construction of bike paths has practically ceased.
The beginning of the cycling revival in European countries is associated with the deterioration of the environmental situation due to cars and the oil crisis of 1973. In Holland, this was also compounded by the large number of children and cyclists killed by cars. As a result, already in 1978, priority was returned to the bicycle and cycling infrastructure in Amsterdam's transport development plan.
Mark Wagenboer’s video about how cycling infrastructure developed in the Netherlands, translated into Russian by activists from Let’s bike It (or Vladimir Zlokazov, I still don’t understand whose merit it was :) gives an excellent idea of ​​this turning point:

The example of Holland was then followed by Denmark, Germany, England, other European countries, the USA and Canada. Cycle path networks are actively developing in the cities of Brazil, Chile, Argentina, China, Malaysia and Indonesia.
In general, Holland is now the most developed country in terms of cycling infrastructure. And Russia lags behind it by at least 50 years.

Varieties

Cycle paths ( cycle track) is a very general name. In fact, there are different bike paths - blue, green, red. No joke, bike paths often use painted pavement, and usually these are the same colors.

Cycle paths refer to both urban bicycle paths located on both sides of the streets, as well as completely independent bicycle roads laid away from highways, and all varieties in between. If the bike lane runs next to a highway or street, the bike lane is almost always located between the roadway and the sidewalk. The fact is that pedestrians tend to stay further away from cars, and if you place a bike lane behind the sidewalk, pedestrians will often end up in the bike lane.

Cycle paths usually differ in several main ways:

• connection with highways - whether the path is located within the boundaries of a street or within the right of way of a road, or is it an independent bicycle road not connected to highways;


• number of directions of movement - one-way or two-way movement;


• separation from the roadway - horizontally: the bicycle path can be located within the roadway, adjacent to it or separated by a lawn; vertically: the bicycle path can be located at the level of the roadway, at the level of the sidewalk, or at an intermediate level.

The most common options are:

Cycle path in Amsterdam

One-way bicycle paths located on both sides of the roadway on a city street . This is the most common, typical cycle track(in American they are sometimes called more unambiguously - bicycle sidepath). Such cycle paths form the basis of cycling networks in Holland and Denmark. In New York City, a bike lane is a lane located at the level of the roadway, but separated from the car lanes by a parking strip and a buffer zone.
The main problems on side bike paths, even in cycling countries, are caused by cars parked on them.
And during design and construction, difficulties usually arise from bus stops and places where bicycle paths connect with other elements of road infrastructure - they go to intersections, bridges or turn into bicycle lanes. In areas where a bike lane is adjacent to a bus lane or crosswalk, safe means of crossing bicycle and pedestrian traffic must be provided. It is advisable to leave a space for pedestrians to the left of the bike path, where they could wait for a bus or opportunity to cross the street. If there is no such space, pedestrians getting off the bus will end up directly on the bike path, interfering with bike traffic.

Two-way cycle path running along a street or road (two way cycle path) . In large cities, such bike paths are rare; they are more common in the suburbs, in small towns and on country roads. Such a bicycle path is usually adjacent to a sidewalk, or it itself serves for the passage of pedestrians.
Such bike paths are usually made:

• if the road has many junctions of secondary streets on one side. The cycle path can then be laid on the other side so that cyclists do not have to frequently cross secondary roads. A typical example of such a situation is embankments;


• on streets where points of interest are located predominantly on one side. Here it makes more sense to place the bike path on this side of interest, so that cyclists do not have to cross the road at each destination;


• on one-way streets where bicycle traffic must be organized in both directions. Everything seems clear here. An alternative to a two-way bike lane is separate bike lanes on both sides of the street, but the problem is that drivers leaving yards and secondary driveways on a one-way street do not expect to encounter cyclists moving against the flow.

An example from New York shows that on a one-way street, which also has many junctions on one side, such a path is quite appropriate:

In St. Petersburg, an example of such a bicycle path would be the path running along Lunacharsky Avenue.

Independent, not connected to the road, two-way bicycle path . This is already a full-fledged bicycle road, it may even have its own sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, which is usually the case in areas with little pedestrian or bicycle traffic, pedestrians can still use the path. The European guide to the development of cycling infrastructure PRESTO suggests, for the sake of clarity, calling such bicycle paths solitary cycle track, isolated bike path. The name is also often used cycle path, especially when it comes to suburban recreational paths. In Russian GOSTs, such bicycle paths are called isolated.
An example of such a bike path is the path in Murinsky Park. Just not the one that runs along Lunacharsky Avenue, but the one that runs next to the stream and ponds.

Paths on which both pedestrians and cyclists are allowed to travel in English they call shared-use path. In some sources, this is also the name for a sidewalk with a bicycle lane for cyclists, and bicycle and pedestrian paths without separating pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Strictly speaking, paths for shared use ( shared-use paths) only bicycle and pedestrian paths without traffic separation should be named. If there are markings on the path or sidewalk separating pedestrians and cyclists, then these are already adjacent lanes ( adjacent paths).

Bicycle paths, especially if they are adjacent to a roadway or sidewalk, are often separated from them by a curb. The curb is very important - it serves as a visual and physical boundary to the cycling area. It should be high enough to prevent cars from driving into the bike lane, but low enough to not interfere with pedaling. Therefore, for such cases there are standards for the height of the curb.
Also, different parts of the road are often made from different materials. The sidewalk and pedestrian area are paved with paving stones, the roadway is made of ordinary asphalt, and the bicycle path is made of painted asphalt. In Denmark, this division is perceived so naturally by residents that they often do without special markings and road signs.

Cycle paths in different countries

Holland
Bicycle paths, physically separated from the roadway and from the pedestrian area, are the basis of the cycling network in the Netherlands. There are more than 30 thousand kilometers of bicycle paths in the country (according to various sources - from 29 to 37 thousand km). Bike lanes on the roadway, for comparison, are “only” 5.5 thousand km. To make the scale clearer, let me remind you that in terms of area, Holland is half the Leningrad region, and 16 million people live there - twice as many as in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. In the Leningrad region there are no bike paths at all, and in St. Petersburg there are hardly more than 40 km of them.

Denmark

A typical bike path in Copenhagen

In Denmark, cycle paths also make up the bulk of cycling routes. Danish guides and manuals for designing bicycle paths stipulate that a one-way path running along the roadway should have a width of 2.2 meters (minimum value - 1.7 m). If the bike path is located in a “pedestrian area”, on a sidewalk, then it is recommended to make it narrower - 1.7 m, but not less than 1.5 m.
On streets with heavy bicycle traffic, it is recommended to make paths of such a width that would allow two cyclists to ride side by side, and at the same time provide the opportunity to overtake them - 2.8-3.0 m. The ability to ride or walk side by side is very important, as it turns utilitarian infrastructure into space for communication.
If the bike path is separated from the roadway and sidewalk by a curb, the height of the curb is also standardized. On the road side - 7-12 cm, on the sidewalk side 5-9 cm. Curbs are needed to keep cars off the bike path, bicycles off the sidewalks, and to show pedestrians that the bike path is not their territory.
Bicycle paths with two-way traffic must have a width of 3 m, but not less than 2.5 m.

England
The cycle lanes I saw in England were either bright red cycle lanes on the pavement or dual carriageways that bypassed major streets in residential areas and parks. The classic European option, when on both sides of the roadway there are bicycle paths for one-way traffic, separated from both the road and the sidewalk, is rather a rarity for England. In any case, I have not seen such people.
However, they are provided for in guides and manuals. There are even options when there are two-way bicycle paths on both sides of the road - this is for very wide and busy roads, so that cyclists do not have to cross the roadway twice.
Bicycle paths separated from sidewalks are designed for a speed of 15 mph (approximately 24 km/h), while combined bicycle and pedestrian paths (usually paths in parks or outside the city) are designed for a speed of 10 mph (~ 16 km/h).
Oncoming lanes on dual carriageways are separated by a broken line. And the direction of movement is indicated only by the image of a bicycle turned in one direction or another.

Bicycle paths adjacent to the roadway must be separated from it by a buffer zone of at least 0.5 m wide, and if the speed limit on the road is 40 mph (64 km/h) or more, it is recommended to increase the buffer zone width to 1 m.
The following cycle lane width standards are provided (in accordance with the London Cycling Infrastructure Design Standards):

• one-way bicycle path - recommended width 2 m, minimum 1.5 m;


• two-way bicycle path - recommended width 3 m, minimum 2 m;


• bicycle and pedestrian path - recommended width 3 m, minimum 2 m;


• If the cycle path (or cycle path) runs close to a wall, fence, hedge, etc., 0.5 meters should be added to the total width for each side so limited.

USA

Bike paths in the city of yellow taxis

The NACTO guide divides American bike paths into three types:

• one-way bicycle paths located at the level of the roadway and separated from it by a buffer zone, boundary posts, parking strip or other obstacles;


• bicycle paths located above the level of the roadway - either at the level of the sidewalk, or having an intermediate level between the roadway and the sidewalk. Can be one-sided or two-sided;


• bicycle paths for two-way traffic, located on one side of the highway. They can be located at the level of the roadway or raised above it.

Type 1 bike lanes must have a minimum width of 1.5 meters (5 feet), and in areas with heavy cycling or uphill travel, a minimum width of 2.1 meters (7 feet).
It is recommended to make bicycle paths of the second type wider - about 2 m (6.5 ft) in the main part and at least 1.5 m at intersections. The difference in level with the roadway should be from 2.5 to 15 cm, and with the sidewalk - from 0 to approximately 13 cm. It is noted that a larger difference in level with the roadway prevents illegal parking of cars on the bike path, and a larger difference in level with sidewalk reduces the number of conflicts with pedestrians.
It is recommended to make bicycle paths for two-way traffic no narrower than 3.6 m, although in some areas it is possible to reduce the width to 2.4 m. The dividing line on such bicycle paths is usually yellow and intermittent. It is noted that it is needed not only to delimit traffic lanes, but also to make the bike path visually different from the sidewalk.
The buffer zone separating the bike lane from the parking lanes must be at least 90 cm (3 feet) wide to prevent a cyclist from colliding with an opening car door. If a bicycle lane is separated from traffic by a parking strip, parking should be prohibited at intersections to ensure visibility of cyclists.

Also in North America there are bicycle paths, usually recreational, located outside the road network - full-fledged bicycle roads that look something like this:

Width of bike paths in different countries
For ease of comparison, I collected all the numbers just listed in a table. Width is given in meters. Please forgive me for the appearance of the table, I can’t make frames in this LJ template :(

PRESTO guides on the width of paths for shared use recommend, if width allows, to make paths/sidewalks with joint traffic of pedestrians and cyclists - joint, but not mixed, i.e. with separate lanes for pedestrians and sidewalks. The general recommended width of such paths should be 4 m, the minimum value is 3 m. If there is not enough space and the volume of traffic is relatively small (no more than 100 pedestrians per hour for each meter of sidewalk width), you can mix cyclists and pedestrians - make a bicycle and pedestrian path without movement separation. A width of 3 m is sufficient for it, a minimum of 2 m.

I can’t resist making a dig at NIPigrad’s proposals for the development of cycling in St. Petersburg, with all due respect to M. L. Petrovich and his team. The authors of this document (unfortunately, only individual pages can be found online) have developed an extensive classification of bicycle paths. But for some reason, regardless of the design speed and category of the bike path, the lane width in their proposals is always 1 meter.

Cycle paths in Russia

What do Russian GOSTs, SNiPs and traffic rules tell us about bicycle paths?
This is actually a pretty boring section. But delving into GOSTs and SNiPs on your own is even more boring. You can safely skip it. But to complete the picture, I will still cite sections of our regulatory documents related to bicycle paths.

Traffic rules of the Russian Federation:

In traffic regulations, bicycle lanes are rarely mentioned, but they are mentioned. There are even a few signs indicating the existence of bike lanes. This is, in fact, sign 4.4. “Cycle path” and sign 1.24 “Intersection with a bicycle path”. Perhaps soon there will be a sign “End of the bicycle path”, which is now obviously missing, because instead of it the sign 3.9 “No cycling is prohibited” is used.
Paragraph 24.4 of the Traffic Regulations prescribes:

at an unregulated intersection of a bicycle path with a road located outside the intersection, drivers of bicycles and mopeds must give way to vehicles moving on this road.

SNiP 2.07.01-89 Urban planning. Planning and development of urban and rural settlements:

According to this SNiP, bicycle paths belong to “streets and roads of local importance,” the main purpose of bicycle paths is “ travel by bicycle along routes free from other types of traffic to recreational areas, public centers, and in the largest and largest cities - communication within planning areas”.
There are bike paths isolated And isolated . Table 8 speaks about this. I will give the part related to bicycle paths:

There are even four-lane bike lanes. Please note that the lane width on the bike path cannot be less than 1.5 meters.
The funny thing about this SNiP is that “ 11.5 Design parameters of streets and roads in cities should be taken according to Table 8, for rural settlements - according to Table 9”, however, in Table 9 there is not a single line about bicycle paths. That is, in Russian villages there are no bicycle paths.

What are separate and isolated bicycle paths is clear from paragraph 11.7:

On main streets with regulated traffic, it is allowed to provide bicycle paths separated by dividing strips. In public recreation areas and other green areas, bicycle paths should be provided, isolated from streets, roads and pedestrian traffic. Bicycle paths can be arranged for one-way and two-way traffic at the shortest safety distance from the edge of the bike path, m:

• to the roadway, supports, trees - 0.75


• sidewalks 0.5


• car parking and public transport stops 1.5

Note - It is allowed to install bicycle lanes along the edges of the carriageway of streets and roads, marking them with a double line. The width of the lane must be at least 1.2 m when moving in the direction of traffic flow and at least 1.5 m when moving in oncoming traffic. The width of the bicycle lane installed along the sidewalk must be at least 1 m.

The drafters of the document, of course, lied about isolation from pedestrian traffic. After all, where there is no sidewalk, pedestrians are allowed to walk along the bike path. Therefore, wherever there is a lot of bicycle or pedestrian traffic, the bike path should have a separate sidewalk for pedestrians. There is no bike path on the above-mentioned bike path on Lunacharsky Ave., and this greatly reduces the ease of use of this path for both cyclists and pedestrians.

SNiP 2. 05.02-85 “Highways” (probably this document may soon change its name to Code of Rules SP 34.13330.2012 Highways):

There is a whole section about bike paths and sidewalks. The bike paths here include the following:

4.37. Bicycle paths should be designed along highways under construction or reconstruction in areas where the traffic intensity reaches at least 4000 driving units/day, and the intensity of bicycle traffic or mopeds in the first five years of road operation will reach 200 bicycles (mopeds) in one direction and more than 30 minutes with the most intense traffic or 1000 units per day.
Bicycle paths, as a rule, should be designed for one-way traffic with a width of at least 2.2 m on a separate roadbed, at the bottom of embankments or outside the slopes of excavations, as well as on specially constructed berms (in exceptional cases - at a distance of at least 1 m from edges of the roadway).
Single-lane bicycle lanes should generally be located on the windward side of the road (taking into account prevailing summer winds), and two-lane bicycle lanes should be located on both sides of the road.
In cramped conditions and on approaches to artificial structures, it is allowed to install bicycle paths on the side of the road. In these cases, the shoulders should be separated from the roadway by a curb 0.20 - 0.25 m high, and the paths should be located at a distance of at least 0.75 m from the vertical edge of the curb.
4.38. Coverings of bicycle paths should be made from materials treated with binders, as well as from crushed stone, gravel material, crushed soil, broken bricks, burnt rocks and slag, and in the absence of these materials, with an appropriate feasibility study, from asphalt concrete and cement concrete.

And one more point from the section on environmental protection:

12.22 In order to avoid disruption of communication routes for local residents, increased time spent on travel to places of work, recreation and medical care, dismemberment of agricultural land, worsening traffic conditions for agricultural machinery, horse-drawn vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians, and the passage of livestock, it is necessary to provide access to populated areas , pedestrian and bicycle paths, as well as structures for connecting separated areas. When constructing new roads of categories I - II, options are considered for not combining them with local roads of passing traffic.

Examples of bike paths

Wikipedia provides a list of bike paths in Russian cities.
The list, it seems to me, is true. This is sad. The very existence of this list suggests that a bicycle path in Russia is a rare and outlandish thing. By the way, in St. Petersburg five years ago a resolution was adopted on the development of a network of bicycle paths. And if it had been implemented, St. Petersburg would now have more bike paths than the rest of the country. Compare the list from Wikipedia with the appendix to this resolution.

Impact on traffic

Rush hour on Copenhagen bike paths

Most cyclists believe that bike lanes are better than bike lanes and that they offer a better level of service. The construction of bicycle paths brings the greatest increase in bicycle traffic. A study in Denmark found that installing 25 kilometers of bike lanes on 10 roads resulted in a 37% increase in the number of cyclists on those roads. On city streets, the construction of bicycle lanes even leads to a decrease in car traffic - in Copenhagen, for example, the construction of bicycle lanes was accompanied by an increase in bicycle traffic by 20% and a decrease in car traffic by 10%.

The Danes also report that laying a bicycle path helps reduce the speed of both car and bicycle traffic. The speed of cars is reduced by an average of 1-5 km/h, and that of cyclists by 1-2 km/h. With cyclists, everything is clear - on the road, the less your speed differs from the speed of the flow, the better, so many try to go fast. On a bike path, cyclists feel safer and more relaxed, and therefore ride slower. But how bicycle lanes located outside the roadway slow down the movement of cars is anyone’s guess. I will assume that the construction of a bicycle path reduces the width of lanes for car traffic.

Safety

The debate about the impact of bike lanes on road accidents began even before bike lanes existed and continues to this day. There is evidence both that with the advent of a bicycle lane on the street, the number of accidents involving cyclists increases, and there is evidence to the contrary.

Danish research shows that adding bike lanes along motorways reduces bike accidents by half. However, the appearance of bicycle lanes on city streets leads to an increase in bicycle accidents - in Copenhagen, for example, the number of accidents increases by 10%. Researchers from other countries provide approximately similar figures. At the same time, there is evidence showing that although the number of accidents remains the same or even increases, the severity of injuries to those injured decreases.

Hitting a passing cyclist with a car is not one of the most common accidents. But such accidents account for just under 40% of cyclist deaths (data from England). The likelihood of death increases as vehicle speed increases. Therefore, on streets and roads with higher speed limits, greater separation of bicycle and car traffic is necessary. Inside residential areas, where the speed limit is 20-30 km/h, there is almost no need for separate cycling infrastructure. There are enough bike lanes on streets with a speed limit of 40-50 km/h. On roads with high speeds, it is advisable to have separate bicycle lanes. So it’s not surprising that bike paths have the greatest effect on country roads.

In cities, the appearance of bicycle lanes leads not so much to a decrease or increase in the number of bicycle accidents as to their redistribution. The number of accidents on stretches is significantly reduced and the accident rate at intersections increases. Which, in general, is quite understandable. After all, on stretches the bike path is separated from the roadway, and at intersections they intersect.
In St. Petersburg, where there are almost no bicycle lanes compared to Copenhagen, about 40% of accidents involving cyclists occur at intersections, and almost 60% on highways. In Denmark, the ratio is reversed—about 2/3 of accidents occur at intersections.
In fact, if we take into account the length of the stretches and intersections, it becomes obvious that intersections are kind of concentrators of accidents.
An important safety factor at an intersection is visibility conditions. Near intersections, bicycle paths should not be hidden from drivers by parked cars, bushes on lawns, advertising stands and other obstacles.
The influence of the bike path itself on the increase in accidents is that riding on it does not require the same concentration of attention as driving on the roadway. Intersections, on the contrary, require increased attention. When entering an intersection, cyclists do not have time to concentrate.

An interesting argument against bike lanes is that while the number of accidents involving cyclists increases as the volume of bicycle traffic on the roadway increases, the overall number of accidents decreases. That is, cyclists are a kind of traffic calmer. The more cyclists on the road, the slower the flow and the more attentive drivers are.
Based on this fact, streets with mixed traffic operate, where everyone - cars, cyclists and pedestrians - move through a single space, not divided into a roadway, a bicycle path and a sidewalk. But on such streets, traffic speed is usually limited and the volume of vehicle traffic is small. On streets with high speeds and large volumes of traffic, it is simply inhumane for cyclists to regulate the speed.

Bicycle paths are a very broad topic. The next posts will be much shorter. I'll talk about bicycles in bus lanes, shared-use lanes on roadways, and shared-use paths.

UPD: Do not take everything written in this post as truth. Especially the part about bike paths in Russia. Now (in 2013) in our country there are noticeable changes in traffic rules and standards for road signs and markings, as a result of which the official status of bicycle paths and bicycle lanes, requirements for the organization of bicycle traffic and other standards related to bicycles may change. Pay attention to the date of the post and make adjustments for this.

Yes, but only in exceptional cases. In Art. 4.1. The traffic rules state that pedestrians must walk on sidewalks, pedestrian paths, bicycle and pedestrian paths, and in their absence, on the side of the road. It is permissible to move on a bicycle path only if there are no sidewalks, pedestrian paths, bicycle paths or shoulders or it is impossible to walk on them (for example, there are road works going on there).

How is a bike path different from a bike/pedestrian path?

The traffic rules state that a bicycle path is an element of a road or a separate road, which is structurally separated from the roadway and sidewalk. Those. it is separated by a curb or fence. This path is intended for cyclists only. It is indicated by sign 4.4.1:

Do not confuse a bicycle path with a lane for cyclists. The second is a strip of the roadway, which is separated from the rest of the roadway by horizontal markings. Those. it is located directly on the roadway. This lane is intended for bicycles and mopeds. Pedestrians are not allowed to walk on it under any circumstances. The lane for cyclists is indicated by sign 5.14.2:

A bicycle and pedestrian path is an element of a road or an independent road that is structurally separated from the roadway. It is intended for the separate or joint movement of cyclists with pedestrians.

On a segregated bicycle and pedestrian path, the flows of cyclists and pedestrians are separated from each other by markings or design. The beginning of such a track is indicated by the sign 4.5.4 or 4.5.5.

Good afternoon, dear reader.

As soon as sufficiently warm weather sets in over central Russia, the number of two-wheeled vehicles increases significantly. Hundreds of bicycle and moped drivers appear on city streets and join the dense traffic flow.

According to my observations, at least 80 percent of the drivers of two-wheelers, for which a driver's license is not required, have absolutely no idea and take to the road completely unprepared.

Road rules for bicycles

Let's consider traffic rules for bicycles. A quick glance at the text may seem that traffic rules for cyclists are concentrated exclusively in section 24 of the rules "". However, in reality everything is completely different.

In the rules of the road, there are several types of road users, to which a specific clause of the rules may apply. Among others this motor vehicle, vehicle And driver. A bicycle without an engine is not a motor vehicle, but all points relating to drivers and vehicles also apply to cyclists.

Attention! Rules that apply to pedestrians do not apply to bicycle drivers. They apply only to persons driving a bicycle.

Thus Most traffic rules apply to cyclists, including a special 24 section. I will not analyze and explain absolutely everything for cyclists in this article. The interested reader can do this himself. I will focus only on those points of the rules that are most often violated by bicycle drivers.

Technical condition of the bike

2.3. The driver of the vehicle is obliged to:

2.3.1. Before leaving, check and ensure the good technical condition of the vehicle on the way in accordance with the Basic Provisions for the admission of vehicles to operation and the responsibilities of officials to ensure road safety (hereinafter referred to as the Basic Provisions).

Driving is prohibited if there is a malfunction service brake system, steering, a coupling device (as part of a road train), unlit (missing) headlights and rear marker lights in the dark or in conditions of poor visibility, a windshield wiper that does not operate on the driver’s side during rain or snowfall.

So, the rules of the road Bicycles are prohibited, which has Malfunctions of the service brake system or steering. And we’re not just talking about driving a bicycle with broken handlebars or broken brakes.

There are "passionate" cyclists who try to reduce the weight of their bike in every possible way. This includes removing brakes and other structural elements. Punishment for such a violation is provided for in the Code of Administrative Offenses and will be discussed at the end of the article.

Alcohol intoxication of a cyclist

Movement of cyclists over 14 years of age possible in descending order:

1. Along bicycle paths, bicycle pedestrian paths, or lanes for cyclists.
2. On the right edge of the roadway.
3. On the side of the road.
4. On the sidewalk or pedestrian path.

Please note that each subsequent item in the above list assumes that the previous items are missing.

For example, you can drive along the side of the road (point 3) only if there is no bicycle path or lane, and there is no possibility of driving along the right edge of the roadway.

In addition, there are a few exceptions:

• You can ride on the roadway if the width of the bicycle or load exceeds 1 meter.
• You can drive along the roadway if traffic is carried out in columns.
• You can ride on a sidewalk or pedestrian path if you are accompanying a cyclist under 14 years of age or transporting a child under 7 years of age.

When driving on the roadway, you should keep in mind the following rules:

24.5. When cyclists move along the right edge of the roadway in the cases provided for by these Rules, cyclists must move only in one row.

A column of cyclists may move in two rows if the overall width of the bicycles does not exceed 0.75 m.

The column of cyclists must be divided into groups of 10 cyclists in the case of single-lane traffic, or into groups of 10 pairs in the case of double-lane traffic. To facilitate overtaking, the distance between groups should be 80 - 100 m.

Additional Information:

Movement of cyclists aged 7 to 14 years possible on sidewalks, pedestrian, bicycle and pedestrian paths, as well as within pedestrian zones.

Please note that “school cyclists” are not allowed to ride in bicycle lanes, the roadway or the shoulder.

Movement of cyclists under 7 years of age possible only together with pedestrians (on sidewalks, pedestrian and bicycle paths, pedestrian zones).

Thus, in 2019 and 2020, cyclists will also be able to ride on sidewalks and roadsides. In this case, the cyclist rules impose additional requirements:

24.6. If the movement of a cyclist on a sidewalk, pedestrian path, shoulder or within pedestrian zones endangers or interferes with the movement of other persons, the cyclist must dismount and be guided by the requirements provided for by these Rules for the movement of pedestrians.

I would like to note that when driving on sidewalks, pedestrian paths, roadsides and pedestrian zones, a cyclist must not interfere with the movement of other persons. If necessary, the cyclist must dismount and continue moving as a pedestrian.

Let's look at an interesting example. Let's say a car (in some cases this is allowed by the rules) and a cyclist are riding on the sidewalk. If a collision occurs, both road users will be to blame. If a cyclist walks along the sidewalk, then he will not be to blame for the accident (he will not pay for car repairs).

Therefore, paragraph 24.6 emphasizes that in the event Accident on the sidewalk one of its culprits will in any case be the cyclist.

Dedicated lanes for cyclists

In 2020, you will find dedicated lanes for cyclists on the roads, marked with special signs:

Only bicycles and mopeds are allowed on these lanes.

Dedicated lanes for public transport

In addition, in 2019, cyclists can also use dedicated lanes for public transport. Clause 18.2 of the Rules:

18.2. On roads with a lane for route vehicles, marked with signs 5.11.1, 5.13.1, 5.13.2 and 5.14, the movement and stopping of other vehicles on this lane is prohibited, with the exception of:
...
On lanes for fixed-route vehicles cyclists allowed if such a strip is located on the right.

Please note that a cyclist may only enter a public transport lane if that lane is marked by one of the signs listed above. In addition, there should be no additional conditions prohibiting entry into the specified lane.

For example, in some Russian cities traffic is organized as follows. In fact, the road has a dedicated lane for route vehicles and all traffic participants understand this. However, from the point of view of traffic rules, the lane is not indicated by the signs listed above. Simply, at the entrance to it, a 3.1 “brick” sign is installed.

Only public transport drivers can ignore the requirements of this sign. Other vehicles, including cyclists, cannot pass under the “brick”.

Additional Information:

Bicycle zones

On December 14, 2018, the concept of “Bicycle zone” appeared in the traffic rules. The following road signs are used to indicate the cycling zone:

Not only cyclists, but also motorized vehicles (cars) can move through the bicycle zone. In this case, the following rules must be observed:

• Cyclists have priority over cars.
• Cyclists can ride on the entire opposite side of the roadway, and not just on the right edge.
• Cyclists are not prohibited from turning left and making U-turns on wide roads.
• The speed is limited to 20 km/h.
• Pedestrians can cross the road anywhere, but they do not have the right of way.

More detailed information about cycling zones is provided in the following article:

Bicycle drivers must give way to pedestrians at crossings

14.1. The driver of a vehicle approaching an unregulated pedestrian crossing is obliged to give way to pedestrians crossing the road or entering the roadway (tram tracks) to cross.

A bicycle, like any other vehicle, must slow down or stop before crossing to allow pedestrians to pass.

Bicycle lights

In the dark, the headlights or lanterns must be turned on on the bicycle, and in the daytime, low beam headlights or daytime running lights:

19.1. In the dark and in conditions of insufficient visibility, regardless of the road lighting, as well as in tunnels, the following lighting devices must be turned on on a moving vehicle:

on all motor vehicles and mopeds - high or low beam headlights, on bicycles - headlights or lanterns, on horse-drawn carts - lanterns (if equipped);

19.5. During daylight hours, all moving vehicles must have low-beam headlights or daytime running lights on to indicate them.

So far, I have not met a single cyclist who uses low beam headlights or daytime running lights when driving during the day. In this regard, traffic police officers can impose a fine on almost any bicycle driver.

Age to ride a bicycle

Riding a bicycle is allowed at any age. However, depending on age, the rules for riding a bicycle differ (discussed above).

Driving on the carriageway is only possible when from 14 years old.

Prohibitions for bicycle drivers

24.8. Cyclists and moped drivers are prohibited from:

• drive a bicycle or moped without holding the handlebars with at least one hand;
• transport cargo that protrudes beyond the dimensions by more than 0.5 m in length or width, or cargo that interferes with control;
• transport passengers if this is not provided for by the design of the vehicle;
• transport children under 7 years of age in the absence of specially equipped places for them;
• turn left or turn around on roads with tram traffic and on roads that have more than one lane for traffic in a given direction (except for cases where a left turn is allowed from the right lane, and with the exception of roads located in bicycle zones);
• drive on the road without a fastened motorcycle helmet (for moped drivers);
• cross the road at pedestrian crossings.

24.9. Towing of bicycles and mopeds, as well as towing with bicycles and mopeds, is prohibited, except for towing a trailer intended for use with a bicycle or moped.

From this list the following points should be noted:

1. Bicycle drivers are prohibited from turning left and turning around on roads that have more than one lane in a given direction. Those. In the city, cyclists are prohibited from turning left on almost all major streets.

Note. This requirement does not apply to bicycle zones, as well as to roads where left turns are permitted from the far right lane.

In practice, we can offer the following way out of this situation. The bicycle driver leaves his vehicle and becomes a pedestrian. Then he crosses the intersection in the required direction along the pedestrian crossing. After this, he gets back on the bike and continues moving along the roadway or side of the road.

So the fines for bicycle drivers currently cannot be compared with (30,000 rubles for driving while intoxicated). In addition, the advantage of cyclists on the road is that they are rarely fined for violating traffic rules. And this, in turn, leads to the fact that most “two-wheelers” behave unpredictably on the road, provoking the emergence of dangerous situations.

That's it for a look at the features finished. I remind you once again that every cyclist needs to read the full version at least once.

Well, in conclusion, I suggest you watch a short video that clearly demonstrates what a traffic violation can lead to for cyclists:

Good luck on the roads!

Regarding sign 3.9 "No cycling". The rules regarding this sign contain the following paragraph:

Signs 3.2 - 3.9, 3.32 and 3.33 prohibit the movement of the corresponding types of vehicles in both directions.

Those. If the sign is installed to the right of the roadway, then movement along the entire roadway is prohibited.

GOST R 52289-2004 gives the following information regarding sign 3.9:

5.4.29. Signs 3.2 - 3.9, 3.32 and 3.33 are installed at each entrance to a section of road or territory where the movement of the corresponding types of vehicles is prohibited. Before side exits onto the road, signs are used with one of the plates 8.3.1 - 8.3.3.

There is no additional information on this sign in the regulatory documents.

If you adhere to the general principles of installing prohibitory signs, then they prohibit movement to your left. That is, if there is a sidewalk to the right of the sign, then you can drive on it.

Difficulty may arise if the sidewalk is adjacent to the roadway and the pillars are installed to the right of the sidewalk. In this case, the sign is located to the right of the entire road and an incomprehensible situation arises. If you are faced with a similar situation in practice, then it makes sense to write an appeal to the traffic police with a request to clarify the traffic order or change the traffic pattern on this section of the road.

Good luck on the roads!

Alexey-464

A cyclist is prohibited from turning left or turning around on roads with tram traffic and on roads that have more than one lane for traffic in a given direction.

Your comment says that you can't turn left almost anywhere. Why? This direction is a left turn or a U-turn. If the roadway has 3 lanes in each direction, and turning left (and turning, if not prohibited) is only allowed from the left lane, where does it say that you cannot turn from the third lane? There is only one lane in this direction. Either the rules are written crookedly, or those who read them do not understand what is written. Please read carefully. For those turning left, the direction straight or right is not a given. It is completely absent for him; he does not go there.

Where does it say that you can’t turn from the third lane?

Clause 24.2 prohibits driving away from the right edge of the driveway if the movement is on the roadway.

This direction is a left turn or a U-turn.

No, such a direction in the traffic rules is called the “intended direction of movement” (see “driving through intersections”: “leave in the intended direction”). “Lane of a given direction” refers to all lanes for forward traffic, no matter forward-left, forward-straight or forward-right. The “lanes of a given direction” are not only the “lanes of the opposite direction” and the dividing strip, but at intersections there are also crossing ones.

Dmitry-484

Barkhudarov, you are right - traffic rules for cyclists were written by people who not only do not ride bicycles, but apparently hate cyclists. First of all, everything is done for motorists, because the strongest and richest are first and foremost motorists. There are already rumors that licenses for cyclists will be introduced. Instead of reining in the most insolent motorists, who not only massively violate rights, but in some cases deliberately try to set up a cyclist - they cut off and do not turn on the right turn signal.

Dmitry-484

Or what is the cost of dismounting when crossing a green light at a controlled intersection, spending a lot of time stopping, crossing on foot and accelerating again. And all because the motorist who turns onto the green is too lazy to look away from a telephone conversation, too lazy to slow down and carefully look to see if there is anyone on the zebra crossing. And vice versa, when he sees a leisurely cyclist, he will not only not let him pass, but will hit the gas pedal!

Are there any clarifications about riding bicycles in underground passages and on overpass bridges? I often see people driving, especially on the new ramps for strollers with children and disabled people, and for those who have difficulty walking up stairs. Such ramps are shaped like a P, and often around turns neither the pedestrian sees the cyclist, nor the cyclist sees the woman with a stroller.

Hello! To be honest, I didn’t find anything about dismounting at a controlled intersection, which was written about a couple of posts ago. But I wanted to ask about something else.

1. Does the requirement of clause 24.2 to move on the right mean that it is mandatory to move to the right if the signs/markings from the right lane only allow right? Judging by the context of clauses 24.8 and 8.5, probably not. After all, 24.8 does not prohibit turning left on single-lane roads, but 8.5 requires you to take the extreme position, not the lane, but precisely the position. That is, it is allowed to leave from the right edge if necessary, and therefore change into a lane from which you can go straight, if from the right only to the right.

2. Clause 24.2 allows movement on the side of the road only if it is impossible to move along the right edge of the FC, although for mopeds and horse-drawn vehicles the old wording “driving on the side of the road is allowed if this does not interfere with pedestrians.” It would not be better to keep something similar in paragraph 24.2,

12. All vehicles except mopeds are prohibited from using bicycle lanes. All vehicles are prohibited on pedestrian and bicycle paths.

The traffic requirements for cyclists and moped drivers have changed significantly, so I present here the entire new text of Section 24 of the Traffic Rules:

"24.1. The movement of cyclists over the age of 14 years must be carried out on bicycle paths, bicycle pedestrian paths or a lane for cyclists.

24.2. Cyclists over 14 years of age are allowed:
along the right edge of the roadway - in the following cases:
there are no bicycle and bicycle pedestrian paths, a lane for cyclists, or there is no opportunity to move along them;
the overall width of the bicycle, its trailer or the cargo being transported exceeds 1 m;
cyclists move in columns;

on the side of the road - if there are no bicycle and bicycle pedestrian paths, a lane for cyclists, or there is no opportunity to move along them or along the right edge of the roadway;

on the sidewalk or pedestrian path - in the following cases:
there are no bicycle and bicycle pedestrian paths, a lane for cyclists, or there is no opportunity to move along them, as well as along the right edge of the roadway or shoulder;
a cyclist accompanies a cyclist under 7 years of age or transports a child under 7 years of age on an additional seat, in a bicycle stroller or in a trailer designed for use with a bicycle.

24.3. The movement of cyclists aged 7 to 14 years should be carried out only on sidewalks, pedestrian, bicycle and pedestrian paths, as well as within pedestrian zones.

24.4. Cyclists under 7 years of age should only ride on sidewalks, pedestrian and bicycle paths (on the pedestrian side), as well as within pedestrian zones.

24.5. When cyclists move along the right edge of the roadway in the cases provided for by these Rules, cyclists must move only in one row. A column of cyclists may move in two rows if the overall width of the bicycles does not exceed 0.75 m. The column of cyclists must be divided into groups of 10 cyclists in the case of single-row traffic or into groups of 10 pairs in the case of double-lane traffic. To facilitate overtaking, the distance between groups should be 80 - 100 m.

24.6. If the movement of a cyclist on a sidewalk, pedestrian path, shoulder or within pedestrian zones endangers or interferes with the movement of other persons, the cyclist must dismount and follow the requirements provided for by these Rules for the movement of pedestrians.

24.7. Moped drivers must move along the right edge of the roadway in a single file or in the bicycle lane. Moped drivers are allowed to move along the side of the road if this does not interfere with pedestrians.

24.8. Cyclists and moped drivers are prohibited from:
drive a bicycle or moped without holding the handlebars with at least one hand;
transport cargo that protrudes beyond the dimensions by more than 0.5 m in length or width, or cargo that interferes with control;
transport passengers if this is not provided for by the design of the vehicle;
transport children under 7 years of age in the absence of specially equipped places for them;
turn left or turn around on roads with tram traffic and on roads with more than one lane for traffic in a given direction;
move on the road without a fastened motorcycle helmet (for moped drivers).

24.9. Towing of bicycles and mopeds, as well as towing with bicycles and mopeds, is prohibited, except for towing a trailer intended for use with a bicycle or moped.

24.10. When driving at night or in conditions of poor visibility, cyclists and moped drivers are recommended to carry items with reflective elements and ensure that these items are visible to drivers of other vehicles."