bikedangersign.jpg
I guess this was inevitable:

Six bicyclists have sued the city of Seattle, claiming that streetcar tracks caused them to crash and the city knowingly allowed the unsafe conditions.

The South Lake Union streetcar opened Dec. 12, 2007. Even before service began, some cyclists fell.

The tires on a standard road bike can easily get stuck because they are narrower than the 1 3/4-inch groove that holds the steel streetcar wheels in place. Patricia Lenssen held a "Watch for Injured Cyclists" sign on opening day. She said she broke her jaw and two teeth in a trackway tumble.

The story notes that city officials have made South Lake Union's 9th Ave the official bike route through the area, allowing riders to avoid the north-south streetcar tracks completely if they wish. It also says that designs for the future First Hill Street Car will keep its rails toward the center of the street when possible, leaving the street edges clearer for cyclists.

Still, all of this does raise the question:

What do these lawsuit-filing riders need most?