[whelchel]

There is some merit to that idea but I think you may be missing a few things. Often, parking is placed between a bike lane and the side walk. Bikes need to be able to cross lanes, often in cities, to make left turns. How can they do that when they're up on a curb to start, but additionally, with potential street parking in the way?

I think technically in many jurisdictions, bikes are to be treated as vehicles. Whether or not they're always treated that way is up for debate (and vice versa), but it may explain also partially why things were done that way.

[KozmoNau7]

Put the parking between the road and the bike lane/sidewalk instead. That's how most city streets are laid out in Copenhagen, af it provides a good safety buffer of parked cars.

[azernik]

Also how Oakland does it on Telegraph. San Francisco has switched to this solution on some streets (Folsom and Howard).

This doesn't include putting the bikes on the same grade as the sidewalk, but that's a relatively minor difference once you already have parked cars separating you from car traffic.

[dluong]

Bikes should not be crossing lanes along with traffic to make left turns, they should do what pedestrians do. Cross along one direction on the sidewalk, then cross in the 2nd direction. Bikes should not mix in with traffic, it's just chaos and safety issues all around.

[KozmoNau7]

Absolutely agree. Bikes in left turn lanes are hugely dangerous. They should go straight across, stop at the corner and then turn to go straight the other direction, when the light turns green.

I know some people get annoyed that it's slightly slower, but you avoid some seriously dangerous situations.

[tedunangst]

People in wheelchairs find ways to cross the street.