They need to reduce the speed limit AND change the lights to be 20 mph. Better for businesses too. Drivers will notice businesses at a slower speed.
Downtown core from Bway to 16th, State to Myrtle should be designed and implemented to be pedestrian and bike friendly. Chief Doan, Chief Bones, and the Mayor can lead that objective.

On a bike, I do filter forward on the right when cars are stopped at a red light, and generally this is OK – especially so on a road like Main – with limited inter-block driveways. Once the light goes green, I merge back into the lane to not become a victim of a right-hook. Main st. has slow enough traffic that I can reasonable keep up with cars, and it’s usually not a problem.

If I had it my way, I’d have ACHD re-time the downtown core light ‘green-waves’ to 15-20mph, so cyclists would feel more comfortable biking this way. When cars are going this slow, the rate of collisions greatly decreases, as well as the severity of collisions.

Eastie, I saw the same sort of thing with a spandex-queen passing a fuel truck on the right… the truck made a lawful right turn… trailer would have squashed bike but for extra heavy duty trailer wires to grab onto. Had it been a smooth-sided truck cyclist be dead. Totally the bikers fault… biker total jerk to driver and others. Please get off the road! You are a hazard to all much like a deer or elk.

Idaho & 8th.

the biker was in the bike lane accelerating and going faster than the traffic.
Me in middle lane.
Black truck on right lane. And a crappy green Gremlin car in front of the black truck.
The green car does a sudden right turn onto 8th street – NO blinker, of course. But everyone turns onto 8th St there. Otherwise you wouldnt be in the right lane jammed up with buses.

But as the biker passed the truck, I expected the truck to do the right turn onto 8th. I was getting a little nervous- about my schedule and having to write out a witness statement.

But then bang! it was the green car instead.
Biker was passing vehicle traffic and made a bad situation.
Fortunately the bike braked hard, hopped, skipped… changed his underwear and then proceeded.
I don’t think the driver of the green car had any idea what happened.

I– from the luxury of an nearby car saw it coming. That biker should have too.

The solution to the bicycle deal is to make pedestrians and bicycle people the same in the eyes of the right of way on the streets. Cars must yield to pedestrians and ditto to those on bicycles. They don’t stand a chance if the cars and other vehicles don’t give way to them. I would also advocate bicycles riding against traffic. At least you can see cars coming at you and you have a chance to get out of the way.

However, the “drivers fault, period” at all times is not correct. In the absence of an actual bike lane, the vehicle and bike are equals using 1 lane of traffic. IMagine 2 motorcycles approaching and intersection and the motorcycle on the left side of the lane uses a blinker and turns into a parking lot like the another motorcycle is proceeding past the turning motorcycle… whoa! What is the second motorcycle doing?

A bike “passing on the right” presents questions.
A bike “exceeding speed for the conditions” (cars stoppped in front) is another possibility.

When in doubt, refer back to Rule #1. Stay alive. -which means a driver (biker) has a duty to avoid a collision if possible.

So, it is not always “green and white”. That’s an analogy to a green painted bike lanes for the non-library types. 😉

As far as getting a ‘free ride’ in terms of infrastructure spending, well, the ACHD website has a good answer for that – http://www.achdidaho.org/Projects/ProjectFAQs.aspx?ProjectID=248

Q: Motorists pay for the roads with gas taxes and vehicle registration fees, so why should we pay to put in things like bike lanes?
A: While bicyclists in Ada County don’t have to pay a registration fee for their bikes, they are probably paying to fund ACHD in other ways, such as through property taxes (the largest source of ACHD revenue) or sales taxes. Most adult bicyclists are also car owners, so they’re likely paying registration fees on a motor vehicle. Taxes and fees born directly by motorists in the form of vehicle registration fees and highway user fund distributions (fuel taxes) make up only about one-third of ACHD revenue. With the exception of the rare person who pedals in from outside the county, it’s fair to assume that bicyclists in and around downtown Boise are contributing some amount to the upkeep of Ada County roads.

I agree with you that it’s important to be seen, and bike defensively – I do those things, and encourage others too, as well. Personally, I try to bike as if no one can see me. But in no way should this be a legal excuse for others to be less alert while driving.