A bike lane dubbed the world’s most dangerous cycle path has been removed after a furious social media protest over its safety.
The route ran right down the middle of a dual carriageway in Canto do Buriti, Piaui state, Brazil.
Marked out in red, it had no safety barriers, leaving cyclists to dice with death just inches away from trucks, coaches, and cars.
The new route sparked an angry online campaign to get it removed after one astonished bike fan put footage of it out on Instagram.
The caption on the akiebike.mg page asked its 55,000 followers: “Does anyone know if this bike lane in Piaui really exists?
“Because I can’t believe it. If it does exist, would you dare to ride your bike on it?”
At the time of writing, the clip had been watched tens of thousands of times by cyclists.
One joked: “If it doesn’t hit you on the way there, it will hit you on the way back.”
Road officials removed the bike lane on 3rd August soon after the footage emerged.
A more recent clip shows the lane having fresh tarmac laid over it.
The man who filmed the path told local media: “In the morning, I went there, around 10.45am, and took several videos and photos.
“And when I returned in the afternoon, the government was already covering it with asphalt, around 2.30pm.
“It all happened very quickly; the controversy surrounding this cycle lane spread across the country and the world.”
Engineer Kidner Prospero had earlier told local media: “Common sense tells us that this puts the cyclist in danger.
“Best practice does not recommend making this type of bike lane.
“So ideally, a bike lane should be made on the side of the road, or if it is maintained in the middle, barriers should be installed.”
The Department of Roads and Motorways of Piaui said later in a statement: “Regarding the construction of the bypass road in the city of Canto do Buriti, 400 kilometres south of Teresina, the Department of Roads and Motorways of Piaui informs that construction is still ongoing, and there will be no bike lane in the central lane.
“When completed, the construction will comply with all safety regulations required by law.”
