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First of all, cyclists are allowed on any road/street in Houston with the exception of Allen Parkway and Memorial Parkway. Of course just because we are allowed on any road/street doesn't mean that's the best choice. For example, I would never ride down Alabama, Richmond, Westheimer, Montrose, etc. because there are much better alternate streets available that are safer. I also rarely every use the separate bike paths. They are a pain and not convenient in most cases for commuter cyclists. They are more for family rides with kids. The bike lanes are a joke here in Houston (they are more like the gutters) and I REFUSE to ride my bike in the bike lane on Willowick/Wesleyan or Polk (there are others too, but I can't remember the streets). Cyclists ARE PERMITTED to take the ENTIRE LANE, which is what I often do. It is safer to force a car to go into the other lane to pass you than to try to share a lane with a car because a cyclist is trying to ride too far to the right. I ride about 20 to 30 miles (often more if I do a group ride in the evening) everyday inside the loop (occasionally leave the loop but not very often) and I find most motorists to be courteous and careful around me. Of course, you have idiots that get impatient because they have to wait an extra 5 seconds for a cyclists or those that text and drive, but for the most part motorists are fine.
Now, as far as helmets and lights... personally, I wear a helmet every time I'm on my bike. There are those who choose not to and that's their right. I'm not going to patrol Critical Mass and insist people wear helmets when it's their choice not mine. I ride a lot at night, but I ride very well lit. I have four lights and they are extremely bright. Actually, night riding is my favorite time of day to be on my bike. It's quiet, peaceful and much less cars on the road.
Critical mass is meant to be a demonstration to promote cycling, but when you have 1500 people at one event, you are bound to have those who are drunk idiots. All in all, critical mass is successful and we have had very, very few incidents. June's critical mass had police attendance. There were several cops on bikes who joined us and everything went well. The ride is setup so we leave after rush hour is over and they pick routes that have little traffic. We don't want to cause problems for motorists, just show that cycling is alive and well in Houston and we do have the RIGHT to be on the road with the cars.
[quote=DejaBlue;25375935]I'm glad I'm not down there. I started watching some YouTube videos of this. Why do y'all ride at night? Houston + night driving = barely safe for those of us driving so you put yourself and others at risk too?
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY too many without helmets. Not enough reflectors. You wanna improve? Demand some helmets or don't ride with us. It's rididulous. Don't blame anyone if anyone gets hurt.
I've seen the starting rides of March, April, May and June and I've seen about 30 helmets total watching all 3 videos. Especially at night. Jesus.
For every 1 with a helmet and reflector there's 150 without one. It just looks like a giant hipster or wannabe be hipster movement at least in Houston.[/quote]
What is it about bicycle riding that leads some individuals to embrace it with a kind of fervor that resembles fanatical religiosity, replete with righteousness, proselytizing, and extreme public acts designed to promote these beliefs? (naked bike rides... really?)
Putting aside recreational and fitness uses, as a means of transportation, a bike is nothing more than one of several ways to get oneself from Point A to Point B. Sometimes its practical to take a bike, sometimes a car, and other times public transportation.
To answer my own question, it is obviously rooted in extreme environmentalism, which I find has a lot of similarities to religious faith: a lifestyle choice based on deeply-believed, often non-scientific principles that provides one with emotional satisfaction through moral righteousness and sense of community with like-minded others.
Radical environmentalism, like extreme religion, bolsters its sense of community and the righteousness of its cause by opposing a "cultural enemy". In this case "car culture". Religious fanaticism sees cultural enemies in homosexuality, pornography, etc.
If bikers want the PRIVILEGE to be on the main roads (where no designated biker lanes exist), then they should be required to get defensive bike driving lesson, pass a safety exam and get tickets if they dont' follow traffic rules. Motorcyclists do, so should bikers and anyone else that wants to use the roads. They should get ticketted for squeezing between 2 lanes, for going too slow, for not signalling, for not obeying lights and rights of way, etc.
Just today, I saw a biker dart across Memorial Rd on a red light. Yesterday it was another biker putting several people's lives at risk. Imho, bikers are almost as bad as drivers on their phones.
You can find a Critical Mass event in most major cities. It isn't an only Houston thing. Some of the rides in other cities border on the dangerous more than any of the ones I've been to here. Ask San Francisco if some of their bike riders take an offensive measure on the roads! Now imagine a 1000 of them on one route
If bikers want the PRIVILEGE to be on the main roads (where no designated biker lanes exist), then they should be required to get defensive bike driving lesson, pass a safety exam and get tickets if they dont' follow traffic rules. Motorcyclists do, so should bikers and anyone else that wants to use the roads. They should get ticketted for squeezing between 2 lanes, for going too slow, for not signalling, for not obeying lights and rights of way, etc.
Just today, I saw a biker dart across Memorial Rd on a red light. Yesterday it was another biker putting several people's lives at risk. Imho, bikers are almost as bad as drivers on their phones.
Hmmmm, PRIVILEGE? Really? We as cyclists have EQUAL rights to the roads as cars do!
Cyclists do receive tickets for breaking traffic laws.
Drivers treat cyclists like 2nd class citizens. Cyclists are bullied everyday by motorists because of ignorant viewpoints, like it's a PRIVILEGE to be on the road with cars. Give me a break, just be a responsible driver that looks out for EVERYONE, including cyclists and pedestrians and everyone can get along fine.
If bikers want the PRIVILEGE to be on the main roads (where no designated biker lanes exist), then they should be required to get defensive bike driving lesson, pass a safety exam and get tickets if they dont' follow traffic rules. Motorcyclists do, so should bikers and anyone else that wants to use the roads. They should get ticketted for squeezing between 2 lanes, for going too slow, for not signalling, for not obeying lights and rights of way, etc.
Just today, I saw a biker dart across Memorial Rd on a red light. Yesterday it was another biker putting several people's lives at risk. Imho, bikers are almost as bad as drivers on their phones.
There are other places that is even worse than Htown, if you watch youtube videos of scooter accidents, you would be thankful bikers is barely a problem. Bikers can't kill you, but road rage drivers, pedestrians and animals can. I'm all for obeying traffic, but for me riding the path is my enjoyment. A lot of times when I ride, I couldn't believe I rode so far. I ride at least 5 times a week, it will not hurt your knees like running in pavement, I've been riding for 5 years, no leg, or ankle problem- Thank god!!!
Hmmmm, PRIVILEGE? Really? We as cyclists have EQUAL rights to the roads as cars do!
Cyclists do receive tickets for breaking traffic laws.
Drivers treat cyclists like 2nd class citizens. Cyclists are bullied everyday by motorists because of ignorant viewpoints, like it's a PRIVILEGE to be on the road with cars. Give me a break, just be a responsible driver that looks out for EVERYONE, including cyclists and pedestrians and everyone can get along fine.
Yeah really. Get off your high horse lady and look up "privilege". It's a privilege to drive a car, not a right. It's a privilege to ride a bike on the road, not a right. You have to earn your privilege to drive a car by getting your license. It'd be nice to have to make bikers take safety lessons too. I'm all for the govt giving us bike lanes. But until they do so, I do wish bikers would stay off the busy roads. I have a perfect driving record so I don't treat bikers as 2nd class citizens, I have to treat them with kiddie gloves because my biggest nightmare is not that I'll kill someone while i'm drinking...it's that i'll accidentally kill some biker or another car driver due to a biker not being visible or doing something stupid....and then i'd have to pay for it for the rest of my life, eventhough i'm a very careful driver and did my best. Sheez.
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