Riding home on 43rd Ave last night, I thought about how much calmer and more confident I feel thanks to the new #protectedbikelanes. I guess haven’t tweeted much about my experiences on #SaferSkillman lately because I haven’t had anything to complain about! pic.twitter.com/KkyAIHaB4l

— Laura Shepard (@LAShepard221) October 5, 2018

Look at the photo above from this tweet I just saw. I know it’s dark, but take a good look. Don’t you think some similar passenger-side vehicle-protected bike lanes (with door zone buffers!) would make an excellent holiday gift?

The location above is 43rd and Skillman in Queens, NYC. As recapped by Streetsblog NYC’s Laura Shepard back in June, making 43rd Avenue safer for cyclists only happened after extensive debate, death and injuries to many attempting to cycle these streets, and a protest via human chain-protection:

Tonight, at 6:45, while activists created the first human-protected bike lane in Queens, the six blocks of 43rd Ave were empty of moving cars – but there were lots of bikes! @TransAlt @macartney @StreetsblogNYC pic.twitter.com/vSTxJM97cf

— Craver (@jackcraver360) June 7, 2018

Acknowledging that gifts aren’t often free when it comes to infrastructure improvements for those cycling and walking our roadways, perhaps we in Albuquerque can give ourselves a present, eventually and after a long-fight, by learning from the protests in Queens.

As an example, Better Burque noted way back in November 2016 that the City was then proposing Lead and Coal Avenues have “wall of steel” protected bike lanes from 2nd to 8th Avenue downtown.

So far, nothing. And that nothing includes a reportedly failed “test” of lane reduction on Lead.

Maybe the gift of Lead/Coal getting this treatment hasn’t happened yet because of a lack of cyclists clamoring/demanding/human-chaining for it. Think of other places around town that could hugely benefit from such infrastructure, whether vehicle or other meaningful protection.

To horribly malaprop what I always heard growing up: The good Santa Claus helps those who help themselves.

Anybody up for a chain?

P.S.: To get a better idea of what it’s like to experience parking-protected cycling, take a trip with this new one in Alexander County, Virginia: