I'm NOT going to say this is always the case, but sometimes you might not be seeing the entire situation:
1) Bicycle lanes tend to accumulate a LOT of trash, some of it pretty dangerous. I remember one day on a steep downhill lane I used to commute on in the 80s, with a raised curb separating the bicycle lane, and I had to dodge a bent coathanger in the lane!
Now I think most serious cyclists might laugh at the measures I took to improve my chances of getting to work and home without a flat --these included the most "armored" tires I could find, at one point Armadillos (a b*tch to change on the road!) coupled with Mr Tuffys inside-- but with those and continual observation of the road ahead my flat rate dropped to once a year (3-10k miles? I forget).
2) In Washington state, cyclists are by law allowed to ride two abreast. And the lanes are narrow enough, one will be out in the roadway. But I have also noticed that the brighter, less arrogant-left (okay, I'm inferring that) will also go to single-file to let traffic pass.
>>1) Bicycle lanes tend to accumulate a LOT of trash, some of it pretty dangerous.<<
I get that. I also know that if you’re on a contraption that’s about the substsance a couple of butterfly antenne and a shock of angel’s hair you’re going to be a bit more *ahem* sensitive to trash in the road.
May I recommend a mountian bike? You look less silly and can ride over more things.
If the bike lane was impassable I would be sympathetic. The spandex yahoos in my area however, would not deign to dip their precious wheels in our bike lanes, even when newly paved. The roads are theirs, and us car drivers are really inconsequential things in their quest to find their two wheeled bliss. It gets really ridiculous. Brand new bike lane: all the bikers ride 6 inches over the line into the street.
>>2) In Washington state, cyclists are by law allowed to ride two abreast<<
That’s really just stupid.