Nice Try, Sharrows

Luisa D'Amato writes: " Sharrows — those bicycle symbols on a green background that are painted on some downtown streets — are confusing and pointless. It's time for them to go."

D'Amato is writing from the Region of Waterloo, in Ontario, where a "kefluffle" recently erupted over a a public service announcement about bicycle safety. The Waterloo Regional Police created two videos, one for drivers and one for people on bikes. "They offer tips like leaving a metre of space between you and the cyclist, if you're driving. Wear a helmet and know the hand signals, if you're cycling. That sort of thing," writes D'Amato.

The problem arises in the video for people on bikes. Riders are "advised to ride to the right of the street." The cyclist show exemplifying that behavior rides right past a sharrow in the process. That raises questions about what sharrows really mean. D'Amato is sympathetic to the frustration of cyclists, and decides that sharrows are a failed experiment that should be ended.