08-23-2006, 04:07 PM
[quote davester][quote M A V I C]...Well, they know how, but they don't know the rules of the road.
The first no-no I see often is people riding bikes on the sidewalk. My understanding is that's illegal in this state...
Do you know the rules of the road? What state do you live in? My understanding is that in most states (California, Oregon and Washington for sure) there is no state law prohibiting riding on sidewalks, although many municipalities have laws regulating sidewalk riding (usually restricting such riding to residential areas and/or to children).
I definitely agree that the cyclist as scofflaw stereotype causes a lot of rage among "A-type" car drivers, in some cases justified, but in most cases not. Many car drivers just seem to get bent out of shape because the bike rider is getting away with something that they don't feel they can get away with. I'm definitely a "stop at the stop sign/traffic light" type, but I also think that in many cases this one size fits all law is silly. There is a lot of incentive for a bike rider to coast through such intersections when the coast is clear because it takes so much energy to stop and start (it's also more hazardous in many cases to unclip, put your foot down, then start up again than it is to simply slow down). A bicycle coasting slowly through a stop sign where sight lines are clear and no traffic is around is not hurting anybody, and is not a threat to anybody. However, a car driver who expends no effort coming to a stop and starting up again is driving a two ton WMD, has a restricted view of the world around and in almost all cases is travelling dramatically faster than a bike rider when approaching an intersection.
Another thing to consider is that bike riders learn to ride on the street many years before they can get a driver's license and there is virtually no instruction available to these people as to what the rules of the road are...they only learn the rules when they get a driver's license, many years after their riding habits are established. I'm not sure why there is so little emphasis on bike safety in the US. I don't know if it is still this way, but when I was growing up in England, bike safety was taught in school, usually in sessions given by the local police, and using simulated roadways and signage laid out on the playground. However, when I moved to the US, it was apparent that bicycles were considered toys, and not serious vehicles as they were in England.
very well said, the only time i ride on the sidewalk is when streets are too hazardous for whatever reason.....i don't usually obey stop signs, and when i do motorists are more than willing to wave me through, when they actually stop of course...
The first no-no I see often is people riding bikes on the sidewalk. My understanding is that's illegal in this state...
Do you know the rules of the road? What state do you live in? My understanding is that in most states (California, Oregon and Washington for sure) there is no state law prohibiting riding on sidewalks, although many municipalities have laws regulating sidewalk riding (usually restricting such riding to residential areas and/or to children).
I definitely agree that the cyclist as scofflaw stereotype causes a lot of rage among "A-type" car drivers, in some cases justified, but in most cases not. Many car drivers just seem to get bent out of shape because the bike rider is getting away with something that they don't feel they can get away with. I'm definitely a "stop at the stop sign/traffic light" type, but I also think that in many cases this one size fits all law is silly. There is a lot of incentive for a bike rider to coast through such intersections when the coast is clear because it takes so much energy to stop and start (it's also more hazardous in many cases to unclip, put your foot down, then start up again than it is to simply slow down). A bicycle coasting slowly through a stop sign where sight lines are clear and no traffic is around is not hurting anybody, and is not a threat to anybody. However, a car driver who expends no effort coming to a stop and starting up again is driving a two ton WMD, has a restricted view of the world around and in almost all cases is travelling dramatically faster than a bike rider when approaching an intersection.
Another thing to consider is that bike riders learn to ride on the street many years before they can get a driver's license and there is virtually no instruction available to these people as to what the rules of the road are...they only learn the rules when they get a driver's license, many years after their riding habits are established. I'm not sure why there is so little emphasis on bike safety in the US. I don't know if it is still this way, but when I was growing up in England, bike safety was taught in school, usually in sessions given by the local police, and using simulated roadways and signage laid out on the playground. However, when I moved to the US, it was apparent that bicycles were considered toys, and not serious vehicles as they were in England.
very well said, the only time i ride on the sidewalk is when streets are too hazardous for whatever reason.....i don't usually obey stop signs, and when i do motorists are more than willing to wave me through, when they actually stop of course...