The Salt Lake Tribune’s recent poll on feelings of road safety was interesting. I chose not to take it since the available questions do not reflect the nuance I experience as a cyclist, pedestrian and diver. I’d like to offer these observations instead. Ultimately, my safety depends on how I use the road, but often the road itself is poorly planned, or those around me are acting unsafely.
As a committed urban cyclist for the past 25-plus years (11 in Salt Lake City), I generally feel safe following the rules of the road and bike lanes in Salt Lake City. Cyclists are less safe near electric bikes travelling at motor-vehicle speeds. Without a bike lane, I occupy the right-most car lane, leaving about two-thirds of it to my right. In this way, I show that I am present, part of the traffic, and that drivers wishing to pass me must change lanes properly to pass me, when it is safe for them to do so. I also eliminate the risk of colliding with opening parked car doors. Sometimes, a driver will honk at me as they pass. Their impatience does not concern me.
As a driver, I feel safer on urban/suburban streets than on Utah highways. I have been in a highway accident as a result of the frequent poor design or complete lack of merge lanes at freeway entrances. An entrance ramp should not simply dump drivers into 70mph traffic: we need a length of lane to match speed and signal. I also feel unsafe with the level of disregard that many Salt Lake City drivers have for stop signs.
I feel safest in Salt Lake City travelling by TRAX/Frontrunner, followed closely by bus. However, the guesswork involved in finding routes — coupled with less-than-helpful 15-minute service intervals — means that these are frequently not usable options for my trips.
Loren Carle, Salt Lake City