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Do you have to ride Lyft’s bikes where it tells you to?

Answer: No, but it might be a good idea.

There’s a new feature in Lyft’s that tells users where to ride its bikes…if they want a safer trip.

Going forward, riders will be presented with a color-coded map of the city in the app. Protected bike lanes will be denoted with solid green lines, while less-protected but still bike-designated routes will appear as dotted green lines. Users should note that this feature is designed specifically for bikes — some areas ban electric scooters from their bike paths, so be sure to double check the rules if you want to use this feature for a scooter.

“We believe that providing clear information about bike lanes in our app will encourage more people to choose two-wheeled transportation for their trip,” said Caroline Samponaro, head of micromobility policy for Lyft. “Each ride on a bike or scooter represents a win for the environment, congestion and a more livable city.”

Kate is a senior copy editor in Northern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in professional writing from the University of California, Davis.