Calls to Stop Relying on Sharrows Grow Louder

An article written by Momentum Magazine staff argues that sharrows, once believed to be an effective way to remind drivers to share the road with bikes, are at best ineffective and at worst downright dangerous.

If you’re unfamiliar with these sad, lonely symbols, they’re those little bike-shaped icons painted onto roads that are supposed to indicate where cyclists should ride. But in reality, they’re about as effective as trying to protect yourself from a charging rhino with a wet paper towel.

According to the article, “Studies have shown that sharrows don’t actually provide any real safety benefits for cyclists. In fact, they may even make things worse by encouraging drivers to pass cyclists too closely.” Planetizen previously covered this shift in mindset, when People For Bikes senior director Dave Snyder admitted in an opinion piece that he “was wrong” when he enthusiastically supported sharrows decades ago.

“Time and time again, research demonstrates that sharrows are ineffective at improving cyclist safety.” In fact, “We know now that even actual bike lanes painted in some eye-catching hue do not provide enough safety for cyclists.” In the worst cases sharrows can engender a “false sense of security” and encourage drivers to pass too closely and cyclists to ride too close to parked cars.

As bike advocates regularly explain, “The best bicycle infrastructure for safe cycling is dedicated bike lanes that provide physical separation between cyclists and vehicles,” which can reduce the risk of injury for cyclists by as much as 90 percent, according to one study. Bike lanes are also shown to boost sales for local businesses, and naturally reduce carbon emissions when replacing car trips. As Snyder and other advocates argue, cities should invest in bike infrastructure that truly protects bike riders, other street users, and the environment.