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The new green paint on 5th Street actually made things worse for me
Last Tuesday I rode through the freshly painted bike lane on 5th Street near the courthouse. The city put down that bright green coating to mark the conflict zone where cars turn right, but it's slicker than the old asphalt when wet. My front wheel slipped a bit during a light rain, and I nearly went down next to a bus. I get the visibility argument, but I've ridden that stretch for 3 years and never felt this unstable. Why does nobody test these coatings for traction before rolling them out citywide? Has anyone else noticed the green sections feeling greasy after a storm?
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caleb_sanchez2mo ago
I saw a report last month about the city testing paint samples in a lab, but they only checked color fading and how long it lasts. Nobody seems to ride a bike through a puddle during their test. Downtown near the library has the same issue, I slipped on that green patch last spring and my elbow still remembers it. They put this stuff down to stop car doors hitting cyclists, but now I worry more about hitting the pavement myself. Concrete and oil are bad enough, why add a layer of wet soap on top of that?
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