Yesterday a number of cyclists based in El Paso bemoaned their city’s lack of safe and secure cycling lanes due to poor maintenance. As seen in the image below, a cycling lane is largely covered with stones and gravel. This terrain would be difficult for a car to drive across over a distance with thick tires. However, it would be near impossible for a bicycle to ride on due to the potential punctures that could be caused by debris.

Speaking on the El Paso Cyclists Facebook page, one user wrote: “I am not talking about the heat or the hills.8 flat tires in 2 months on my bike. I am trying not to be dependent on my car, but it’s hard. The bike lanes are always full of glass or rocks. Why build bike paths if they won’t be maintained? Also, the lanes just end with no alternative path. I wish someone who plans this stuff for the city could see this.”

This prompted a discussion on the page, whereby other local cyclists chimed in. According to them, the city didn’t care about public transport and prioritized cars above others. Of course, it should be noted that these are the opinions of cyclists who are bound to be annoyed, whereas others in the city may not care as much.

Nonetheless, as the photo proves, a picture often tells a thousand words. In this case, you can see for yourself that certain bike lanes aren’t fit for purpose and this shows that perhaps El Paso has a long way to go when it comes to providing efficient transport links for the cyclists of the city.