Marcus Henry: Bike lanes are dangerous for cyclists

Regarding the July 27 news article “Changes aim to make roads safer for cyclists, motorists”: The picture of a cyclist riding in a Hillsborough Street bike lane shows clearly why cyclists should ride in the very middle of the car traffic lane, not in “bike lanes.”

The bike lane is in the “door zone” where a motorist opening a car door creates a sudden unexpected steel barrier for the cyclist, sometimes with fatal results.

I am glad to see the changes in North Carolina’s traffic law concerning bicycles, but traffic law needs needs to be enforced for cyclists and for drivers.

This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 7:16 PM with the headline "Marcus Henry: Bike lanes are dangerous for cyclists."