Part 1
I thoroughly enjoyed the bike tour through Atlanta with our class - it's always exciting to bike as a group. I started biking in Atlanta last year between school and work, and was able to use the cycle track on Peachtree Center Ave. on part of my commute. I consider myself to be somewhere in between in the "Interested but Concerned" and "Enthused and Confident" groups. What I've learned is that when I'm confident in the actions I take as a cyclist (i.e. take the full lane), then (most) drivers leave me alone. The bike tour was the first time I had cycled in Atlanta in several months, so I was able to notice and appreciate minor improvements that have been made to the bicycle network over the short period (i.e. repaving of Edgewood - HUGE improvement for cyclists!).
Of course my awareness was heightened when we were cycling on unprotected facilities (on-street lanes) rather than on the BeltLine, and certainly when we were around the freeway. I also had some concern about riding on a Friday afternoon, as I know that drivers tend to be more careless during this time (leaving work early & anxious to start the weekend). Overall, I was surprised at how leisurely and enjoyable our ride was - I did not ever feel unsafe or in danger.
Part 2
The entire street design in the Netherlands video couldn't be more different than the in the US. Cycling in the Netherlands is obviously perceived as second nature - why would you drive? Americans ask the exact opposite - why would I bike? Its convenient and easy to drive!
Especially in videos 3 & 4, I made several mental notes about the cycle lane design. First - I noticed there were very few driveways or side streets that intersected with the path. Second - the building store fronts were close to the street (no sea of parking in front, as in the US). Second - I also noted there was relatively little signage, signaling, or paint on and along the path. It seemed as if the rules of the road were intuitive; the infrastructure made them apparent. Third - for left hand turns, cyclists never have to enter the vehicle traffic. A left turn like that in the US (protected left) is seen as luxury, rather than standard.
A few additional thoughts: 1) Very few people use hand signals or wear helmets; 2) There weren't many pedestrians; 3) The street was so quiet; and 4) I wonder if right-of-way issues arose when the country was reconstructing its bicycle routes.
