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So....driving down Weston Parkway in Cary frequently, I come across a jogger or a group of joggers running IN THE ROAD.......One question.....WHY?
It's not that it is an inconvenience to me as a driver, but why put yourselves in danger by jogging down a 45MPH four lane highway......surrounded by parks, green-ways and sidewalks???
The town offers so many convenient places to run...but these idiots insist on running IN THE ACTUAL ROAD. Sure it would make sense if they were running in the street of a neighborhood, business park, or any other low speed limit road....but not a 45mph four lane business parkway that passes through multiple parks surrounded by picturesque habitat with plenty of designated areas....Just dumb.... I guess if they want to jog in car and diesel exhaust while risking their lives it's up to them...I just question the logic behind it....how is that even enjoyable?
Maybe they're cyclists who are cross training. Because, honestly, they have no problem whatsoever commandeering lanes anywhere in the Triangle, regardless of the risk.
Static - perhaps they're long-distance runners using Weston only to connect between greenway paths or more suitable neighborhood roads. When I run, I generally stay on the asphalt even when a sidewalk is present due to asphalt having more give and being easier on the knees. I don't generally run on roads like Weston Pkwy, though.
NYC2RDU - A bicycle is considered a vehicle and is entitled to the entire lane of travel. Cyclists are not "commandeering" anything but rather using the lane they are legally allowed to use. It is common courtesy to stay to the right side of the outer-most lane when riding but there are times when that isn't safe or suitable (i.e. - bad shoulders, potholes, excessive debris, etc...). Also, I think more cyclists are riding closer to the middle of the lane of traffic now as it increases their visibility to cars approaching from behind, thus actually minimizing their risk.
And if they're like the ones in my neighborhood, they dress from head to toe in black, with no reflectors, when they run after dark.
We also have people running in the road in my neighborhood of Brier Creek, mostly inside the Country Club. A few of them are smart enough to have *some* reflectors on their clothing. It's still jarring to find someone running in the road when/where you don't expect it. I've heard several people tell me the same thing that running on the road is easier than on the sidewalk. Just because you can do it doesn't make it a good idea.
Static - perhaps they're long-distance runners using Weston only to connect between greenway paths or more suitable neighborhood roads. When I run, I generally stay on the asphalt even when a sidewalk is present due to asphalt having more give and being easier on the knees. I don't generally run on roads like Weston Pkwy, though.
NYC2RDU - A bicycle is considered a vehicle and is entitled to the entire lane of travel. Cyclists are not "commandeering" anything but rather using the lane they are legally allowed to use. It is common courtesy to stay to the right side of the outer-most lane when riding but there are times when that isn't safe or suitable (i.e. - bad shoulders, potholes, excessive debris, etc...). Also, I think more cyclists are riding closer to the middle of the lane of traffic now as it increases their visibility to cars approaching from behind, thus actually minimizing their risk.
The law should be changed, we don't live in the type of society where bicycles are generally used as a mode of transportation, but rather as a form of exercise. And so if cyclists are entitled to a lane, so to should joggers, walkers, skaters, and people out walking their dogs. Because honestly, I wouldn't find having to sit behind a jogger any more annoying than a cyclist when they're blocking my side of a two-lane road.
The law should be changed, we don't live in the type of society where bicycles are generally used as a mode of transportation, but rather as a form of exercise. And so if cyclists are entitled to a lane, so to should joggers, walkers, skaters, and people out walking their dogs. Because honestly, I wouldn't find having to sit behind a jogger any more annoying than a cyclist when they're blocking my side of a two-lane road.
If we were basing laws on what we found annoying then I wouldn't see this ridiculous argument against bicycles using publicly funded roadways. I would bet that the overwhelming majority of bicyclists also own a car, pay taxes on that car, and are therefore paying their fair share of use for the PUBLIC roadway. In fact, if that person is riding their bicycle instead of driving their car, they are causing far less where and tear on the road surface.
I can't count on one hand the number of times I've been "inconvenienced" by a cyclist in the 8 years I've lived in the triangle and driven thousands of miles. On the other hand, I could go on and on about distracted drivers, lookie-loos, and Sunday drivers who've made me question the future of our species.
The bicyclist's reason for using the road is none of your business, none of my business, and should have no bearing on their right to use it. Sometimes I like to ride my bike to the store or commute to work as a means of transportation AND exercise. You can't separate the two, and to suggest that bicyclists have no right to use the road because it doesn't fit your narrow definition is narrow-minded and arrogant.
Last edited by TheKlunk; 01-08-2015 at 01:49 PM..
Reason: misused apostrophe
NYC2RDU - A bicycle is considered a vehicle and is entitled to the entire lane of travel. Cyclists are not "commandeering" anything but rather using the lane they are legally allowed to use. It is common courtesy to stay to the right side of the outer-most lane when riding but there are times when that isn't safe or suitable (i.e. - bad shoulders, potholes, excessive debris, etc...). Also, I think more cyclists are riding closer to the middle of the lane of traffic now as it increases their visibility to cars approaching from behind, thus actually minimizing their risk.
Like NYU2RDU said, this should be changed and hopefully in the future it will. We live in America, not for example in an Asian country like Thailand, India, etc where bicycles are plentiful and are a major mode of transportation. And actually, it seems drivers are just going faster and faster these days and having a slow moving bicycle on the road is just ridiculous.
What time is this? I wonder if it is a group that work in Weston and run together. I notice there are no sidewalks in most or all of it, though there is a pretty extensive greenway system in there that connects to the Cary system as well, because my wife and I use it often.
This reminds me of when I started dating my wife and I lived in Raleigh and she in Cary. Used to use Weston to get there and 20 years ago, you could drive 90 MPH through there on the weekend and never see a car. Things are definitely different now.
As far as bikes, I would be pretty surprised if they ever changed that law too much, personally. I wouldn't mind if they made an exception in the no passing on double lines if it could be seen to be totally safe, but I am not holding my breath on that one either.
Last edited by Sherifftruman; 01-08-2015 at 01:58 PM..
Like NYU2RDU said, this should be changed and hopefully in the future it will. We live in America, not for example in an Asian country like Thailand, India, etc where bicycles are plentiful and are a major mode of transportation. And actually, it seems drivers are just going faster and faster these days and having a slow moving bicycle on the road is just ridiculous.
Did you read what you wrote? So because car drivers are being reckless we should ban bicycles on the road?
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. I guess if they want to jog in car and diesel exhaust while risking their lives it's up to them...I just question the logic behind it....how is that even enjoyable?
