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My location is listed. If you drive in the city it happens all the time.
Boston, sorry, dont believe it for a second. Your perception may be that, but the reality Im sure, is nothing close to that.
In my city, cars slow me down and stop me regularly while they weave around and play yield games on the narrow streets. Yet, I have never felt the need to yell at them to get on the sidewalk as I patiently wait for them to slowly lumber to the next block they are going to clog up.
Why are cars clogging streets ok? but slowing for a bike, bad?
As a liberal, I am all about being "green". I love riding my bike, taking it to the grocery store, and using it for exercise and fun. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who hate my kind.
There are people who say there should be no bike lanes
There are people who say bicycles belong on the sidewalk and not on the road
There are people who say bicycles belong on the road and not on the sidewalk
There are people who say bicyclists should be fined for using the side walk
There are people who say bicyclists on the road should be hit by cars
There are people who say that bicyclists should either walk or drive unless there is a bicycle path
...Clearly a few people hate us, though some have legitimate reasons for that, like people not being able to stop at stop signs.
So...
...What should a cyclist in this country ought to do?
Bicyclists should pay user fees the same as auto drivers do. Those user fees (registration in their case?) should be used to fund dedicated bicycle trails. Bikes are not a major problem on secondary streets or roads, but should be banned from main arterials. Don't play on a major street/highway with your toy. If they're ridden on public streets, require insurance (as well as registration) and ticket them when they break traffic laws. Oh, and make sure they have slow moving vehicle signs, the same as say tractors are required to have when operated on a public highway.
Story Summary: 1 in 10 households no longer own a car. Period. Up from 1 in 20 twenty years ago.
05-24-2013, 09:15 AM
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n/a posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheHurricaneKid
Actually it's possible for bikers to steer into a cars path.
So? That's not what the poster described.
Quote:
Boston, sorry, dont believe it for a second. Your perception may be that, but the reality Im sure, is nothing close to that.
I'm not buying it either. I live in the Northwest where biking is a popular form of transportation (and no, they're not "toys" for people who are "low of the totem pole"). I can't even recall the last time a bike caused a traffic issue. Keeping up with cars in downtown areas is a non-issue. There are dedicated bike lanes on higher speed roads. If anything, the bikes make traffic move faster because there are fewer cars clogging up the roads.
The only issue I commonly see on my morning/evening commute is people in giant SUVs and pickup trucks swerving across the bike lanes without looking.
Quote:
Bicyclists should pay user fees the same as auto drivers do. Those user fees (registration in their case?) should be used to fund dedicated bicycle trails.
We're already paying. It's called income taxes.
Or were under the mistaken fantasy that gas taxes and vehicle registration came anywhere close to paying for the roads?
As a liberal, I am all about being "green". I love riding my bike, taking it to the grocery store, and using it for exercise and fun. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who hate my kind.
There are people who say there should be no bike lanes
There are people who say bicycles belong on the sidewalk and not on the road
There are people who say bicycles belong on the road and not on the sidewalk
There are people who say bicyclists should be fined for using the side walk
There are people who say bicyclists on the road should be hit by cars
There are people who say that bicyclists should either walk or drive unless there is a bicycle path
...Clearly a few people hate us, though some have legitimate reasons for that, like people not being able to stop at stop signs.
So...
...What should a cyclist in this country ought to do?
I think I, like most Republicans, couldn't care less if you rode a bike or not? I think they are fine so long as they don't impede traffic. However, I do see your point about the sidewalks as sidewalks are apparently something most buildings and planners in the South are allergic to. Sidewalks make for well, a walkable community. Novel.
Personally, I wish we were more moped/bike friendly in design and I would cheerfully pay more taxes for more BROAD sidewalks that would accommodate both (6-7' wide). When I was a kid, it was nice to be able to go across town on a sidewalk and not have to fear getting hit by a car. Adding broad paths that would accommodate low-powered scooters would be helpful as well for those lucky enough to live within a few miles of where they work or play.
Get more cars off the road. Not a bad thing. Short of actually having sidewalks, riding in the street is your only option. Bike paths have limited value but, I see the point. I've never been in such a hurry that having a bike in the road has ever bothered me. If fact, I take the OTHER opposing lane when I pass as a courtesy to the biker if that lane is safe to "borrow" for the pass. I do it more so they don't have to endure any more hot exhaust gasses blowing on their legs as well in case they "wobble" while I'm passing. It's a simple, human, courtesy.
Costs nothing, and noooooooo one gets hurt. What's wrong with that? I see most drivers do the same. It's pretty much a non-issue. Shame we didn't have more of a scooter/bike friendly venue in Atlanta. Traffic is so bad I would encourage ANY forms of alternative transportation. Just get more cars off the road.
Most Republicans would agree with you. As long as it doesn't disrupt traffic flow, have at it and ride safe.
In conclusion. When it's dark out and you have a lit sidewalk available to you with no one walking, ride on the damn sidewalk. Not on a road with many curves.
As a liberal, I am all about being "green". I love riding my bike, taking it to the grocery store, and using it for exercise and fun. Unfortunately there are a lot of people who hate my kind.
There are people who say there should be no bike lanes
There are people who say bicycles belong on the sidewalk and not on the road
There are people who say bicycles belong on the road and not on the sidewalk
There are people who say bicyclists should be fined for using the side walk
There are people who say bicyclists on the road should be hit by cars
There are people who say that bicyclists should either walk or drive unless there is a bicycle path
...Clearly a few people hate us, though some have legitimate reasons for that, like people not being able to stop at stop signs.
So...
...What should a cyclist in this country ought to do?
I don't hate bicyclists, I just hate idiots on bikes.
You know the ones, they don't follow the rules of the road, they run freaking red lights and stop signs, they ride three deep on a busy road, then act surprised when traffic backs up behind them, you know...those guys.
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