Bike lanes help everyone, not just cyclists. For every cyclist commuting to work, there is one less car on the road. For every cyclist out on a Saturday, there is less likelihood that person will be taking up medical resources when you have your heart attack.
I ride my bike on Tulsa streets all the time. 90% of my street riding is on "share the road" bike routes. 36th street. Pittsburgh. 3rd street. I have few, if any, problems on these streets. I generally try to stay just outside the curb (too much crap on the curb) and occupy the full lane when there isn't room for a car to safely pass or when the intersection demands it (right lane turn only). Like a motorcycle rider, I assume no one sees me, everyone wants to cut me off, and that if I screw up - I'm the one that dies and the Humvee needs a new bumper. Do you think we wear those bright-donkey-colors to be cool? NO! They're "don't squish me" colors. 75% of cars are very respectful, 15% at least treat me like any other vehicle, 5% are stupid or blind, and at most 5% are hostile (at most).
Now, I admit to rolling stop signs (just like every car and motorcycle, including police officers, do). I admit to running red lights when they aren't going to turn for me (as allowed by law, and the alternative is to stop cross traffic with the pedestrian button which would piss you off too). And yes, I've hopped onto sidewalks (either because the road isn't safe to ride on or because sitting in a line of traffic further hinders the line of traffic [I can't get going as fast as you can when you are waived through eventually]). So if those things cause you to hate me, you must be a really hateful person.
Clearly the bike trails are awesome too and most of my miles are probably on trails, but I have to get to the bike trails and sometimes I am actually going somewhere. The share the road lanes are a luxury largely confined to midtown and the river trails. The further away you get, the less useful they are. Try to find a safe way to bike to Woodland Hills Mall, or any of the office buildings near I44 and 169, or Memorial and 111th.
We do pretty well as a City. But I think there is low hanging fruit. Google has great maps showing Bike Trails and "bike friendly roads." I'm guessing a clever planner could find a few more bike friendly roads to help connect things.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Tulsa,+OK/@36.1154635,-95.9717851,13z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x87b692b8ddd12e8f:0xe76910c81bd96af7!5m1!1e3
After that, David's idea of a protected lanes might make sense on a more limited scale. Particularly around south Tulsa, where the roads are being redone, there is plenty of room, there are no share the road bike lanes, drivers get pissed if it has to slow for school children, and many affluent people cycle. Connecting those areas, and those people (who are more likely to have shower facilities at work!) to the trails and other bike share areas would free up parking at River Trails and maybe take a few cars off the road at rush hour. If nothing else, it makes Tulsa a more inviting city.
All that said --- just like motorcycles, inattentive driving by other drivers is the leading cause of death for cyclists. Any number of common idiot driver maneuvers that often cause crashes, can be fatal when the receiving end is a motorcycle or bike. Protected bike lanes are great, but from a practical standpoint cannot be put everywhere and won't stop every disaster. I'd love to see some limited use as a start, and we can see what works best in Tulsa.
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If you're interested, as a driver please:
1) give us 3 feet when you pass. Not only is it the law, but it is the distance you must give us to safely pass. If I can reach out and touch (or key) your car, you're too close. Trust me, I want to let you pass... as soon as I can, I will.
2) Please don't ride my wheel. I know you're there and you aren't helping me go any faster. I will get over as soon as I can.
3) Don't run red lights.
4) Don't pull out in front of me like I don't exist. Slamming on my breaks often leads to a crash. Plus, I worked really hard to build up that speed!
5) Please look twice. Motorcycles, cyclists, etc. are there. You have to look to see them!
6) Yes, yes. We all see you are a big tough guy with a brand new truck fully capable of squishing a cyclist. Thank you for being a courteous driver and not a jerk.
And cyclists:
1) Yes, you have the right to occupy the full lane and go as slow as you want. So does grandma. I hate you both when I'm trying to get to work. If you can safely get out of the way, please do; it's just being courteous to others. If you can't get over right now, I understand and am happy to wait a safe distance back until you can.
2) Don't run red lights. At stop signs, you are required to stop just like everyone else. And yes, in the real world I realize that often means "yield" to the point where you can immateriality stop if you have to (which is still illegal for both cars and bikes), but at least do the same thing you would do in your car. Its confusing for cars when they don't know if you're going to blow through or not. So following the same rules makes it easy.
3) Some roads aren't good roads for bikes. Avoid them. Again, yes, you have the right to troll down Memorial at 5:15 pumping away at 20mph. But it isn't safe for you or other driver's and it leads to rage. I get that sometimes you have to, but try not to.
4) Please pick one: 1) I am a child and want to ride my bike on the sidewalk and be treated like a pedestrian, 2) I am an adult and want to ride my bike on the street and be treated like traffic. Now that you have picked one, please think really hard before deviating from whatever it is you picked. If you are taking up a lane and then at the red light swerve between cars, over the curb, through the parking lot, and "around" the light. . . not only does it piss people off, but no one knows how to treat you visa vis the rules of the road. I'm practical, I'm not saying you can't "ever" bend the rules... but think about it before making it a habit. Just sit and wait with traffic. It will be OK if your heart rate drops out of your prime zone.
5) Yes, yes. We all see your new Dura Ace full carbon gear and note your awesome calves. You are a spectacular peacock. Thank you for being a courteous cyclist and not a jerk.