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The fancy name for bike lane is "segregated cycle facility" but either term denotes "roads, tracks, paths or marked lanes designated for use by cyclists from which motorized traffic is generally excluded." Bicycle lanes, explains BicyclingInfo.com, make the "movements of both motorists and bicyclists more predictable and as with other bicycle facilities there are advantages to all road users in striping them on the roadway."
The dedicated crew at Transportation Alternatives add: "Every city renowned for cycling in Europe and North America has an extensive network of interconnected city-level and district-level bike paths or lanes, complemented by networks of bicycle-friendly streets shared with cars (at low traffic speeds and volumes) and supporting facilities like bike parking. Indeed, nowhere in industrialized countries does one find significant levels of cycling without street space dedicated to bikes."
There's a long history behind bike lanes but today, they are subject to ad creep, a need for liberation, and yeah, sheer stupidity.
Four things cyclists should know about bike lanes
1. They're safer. For example, from 1990 to 2005, only one fatal crash with a motor vehicle occurred when a bicyclist was in a marked bike lane.
2. Bike lanes are helpful and encouraging for new and inexperienced cyclists.
3. Bike lanes define road space, encourage cyclists to ride with the flow of traffic, remind motorists to look for cyclists when turning or opening car doors, and signal motorists that cyclists have a right to the road.
4. If there are not enough bike lanes in your town, it's possible for you to add a few more.
