An Anti-Cyclists Intersection

Cyclists riding east along the Calle 24 bike lane cross Carrera 19. 

Despite boasting one of the city's very few protected, on-road bike lanes, along Calle 24 the car's have all the rights, and cyclists none. At the crossing with Carrera 19, at any time, the stoplights are either giving eastbound drivers on Calle 24 the green light to turn left across the bike lane, or are green for northbound drivers on Calle 19.

But cars turning left from Calle 24 onto Carrera 19 cut them off.

Last year, I sent the city's transit department a complaint about this, and they replied with a six-stage scheme for reworking the intersection. I replied that all they really needed to do was alter the timing of the stoplights. Since then, naturally, they've done nothing at all.

The anti-bicycle intersection.

Help!

This is the worst anti-cyclist intersection I know of, but not the only one. A bit west on 26th St. in front of the Inpec headquarters, the lights gives cyclists and pedestrians only about 5 seconds to cross with all three lights green. Those who don't manage to dash across must stop and wait, stop and wait, crossing in three stages as the various lights turn green.

And, as soon as the vehicles stop turning left, the traffic along Carrera 19 begins crossing.

Where do we cyclists go from here?

Blog by Mike Ceaser, of Bogotá Bike Tours