Shared lane markings come to city streets

'Sharrows' to remind motorists to share road with bike riders

By SHANTEE WOODARDS, Staff Writer

Published 10/12/09

Motorists and bicyclists are going to have to find a way to exist in harmony - at least on a few city streets.

Courtesy graphic
This diagram illustrates how 'sharrow' lanes would function. The bicycle and double arrow would indicate to drivers when lanes are to be shared with cyclists.

This month, Annapolis officials are launching "sharrows," a pavement marker that will remind motorists to share the lane with bike riders.

Starting Oct. 19, the markers will be placed on Rowe Boulevard between the College Creek Bridge and Calvert Street. They will be placed about every 250 feet along that roadway.

Plans also are in place to have the markers on three other streets in the city. This is part of an effort to increase safety for bike riders and motorists, but also to bank on the city's...

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. - 2009-10-12 17:36:50

We seen to have educated the motor vehicle operators as to the rules of the road pretty well. Maybe the solution is not more pain on the roads, but an education initiative (perhaps even a cycling "permit" like they offer for boaters) to people who wish to ride a bicycle.

There have been accidents and a lot of near misses. This summer, a cyclist was driving up Main Street and ran into a parked car door that was being opened. Not sure whose fault it is, but I suspect the door was more visible to the cyclist than the cyclist to the driver in a rear view mirror.

I also see cyclists riding on the sidewalks, and on the wrong side of the road--bike should go with the flow of traffic.

And of course there are all of those intersection moments where cyclists assume they have the right of way.

I say more education and less paint!

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John F. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Excellent

Shared Responsibility - 2009-10-12 16:50:47

Yes, we all know that motorists need to share the road and watch out for cyclists. But let's be honest, many (and some would say most) cyclists are very casual about adhering to traffic laws. If I could offer a bit of advice to cyclists: a red light is not a suggestion. You are supposed to stop. That's what the rest of us do.

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T. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral

More Problems? - 2009-10-12 16:25:24

We already have drivers that don't give bikers any room, and bikers that ride down the center of the lane because there's no shoulder. I don't know, I just don't see this helping. If there's not a wide shoulder/bike lane or neighborhoods to cut through and sidewalks to ride on, I wouldn't risk my life riding a bike on the roads in (or around) Annapolis. I know they need to do something, but is this the answer?

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Matt B. - Deale, MD - Karma: Good

Bicycles - 2009-10-12 14:39:50

Dear Cyclist -

As someone who owns both a bicycle and a car, I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that riding your bike across the street in a cross walk does not give you right of way over automobile traffic - go look it up. You can cuss at me all you want, but that still does not give you right of way, so stop being so righteous.

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T. Durden - annapolis, MD - Karma: Neutral