The road, like Westmount Road, had a paint line like the ones used for bike lanes. There could not have been more than a foot of asphalt left of the line. Even better, the cement in the curb was sharply raised at least an inch above the asphalt. Cyclists are very wary of such features- it is a good way to suddenly wipe out when it catches the front tire. A non-recumbent bike must also consider the risk of the right pedal clipping the curb also causing an accident.
So the cyclist on such a road must right left of the line - or right on it - be cycle safely.
Meanwhiler, car drivers assume the painted line indicates a bike lane, and automatically centre their cars in 'their' lane based on that assumption.
The result is that a car centred in their lane may very well still hit a cyclist who is hugging the side of the road as best they can.
The city designers are an embarrassment to their profession. By simply removing the painted line, the cyclists and car drivers automatically will centre and space themselves properly. (I've cited those studies before.) So by painted that line on the road, the designers have actually paid MORE in order to make LESS safe roads.
Just unbelievable.
I'm ashamed for them.
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