The city council in Oldham, UK has created a bicycle lane on Hollins Road that's just ten meters long. That means a bicyclist traveling at a normal pace would enjoy the added "safety" of the lane for just over three seconds.

Some have argued that special bus lanes and bicycle lanes are used to take road space away from motorists to discourage driving, or push them onto more profitable toll routes.

A city council spokesman defended the lane in an interview with the Oldham Advertiser, saying that the short stretch was perfectly sensible. "Concerns mainly relate to intimidation cyclists experience in terms of motorists squeezing past them at pinch points or motorists failing to notice the approaching pinch point and therefore having to brake sharply having realised they cannot pass a cyclist," Paul Bruffell explained.

[Bicyclist and resident] Ed Stacey said: "Pinch points are an issue, but in this case they seem self-inflicted. I can't see the need for any pedestrian crossing islands in Hollins Road. It is a narrow street and there aren't very many pedestrians anyway."