Cycling in a street with cars is frightening. I have a bike that sits practically unused (except for pleasure riding) because of this. I tried it once, and nearly got pushed off the road by some idiot in a car small enough that she had no right to be so far over. It's really frustrating, because there is nothing you can do!

I have seen some bike paths that are on the other side of a parked car lane (so the parked cars are between traffic and the biker, and the biker is right alongside the sidewalk). These are bliss - everybody is happy. UNTIL you have to cross the street with traffic and someone turning right nearly knocks you down because some idiot parked in the empty space that was reserved just so right-turning motorists could see you waiting with the light!

Yep, this is a very incindiary issue.

Posted by: Lydia on August 21, 2002 05:30 PM

 

Here in Holland, MI we have an awesome bikepath network, seperated from the roads by 6-8 feet, all relatively new, miles of them to ride, even along the lakeshore.

The problem? It ain't cool. At least to the bikers most likely to be out riding with the insecto-gear on. For some strange reason, pride, coolness, stupidity, whathaveyou they choose to ride on the roads, playing in traffic, ignoring the empty, purpose-built-with-our-tax-dollars-eve-plowed-in-the-winter lane a few feet over.

I think they should get tickets for *not* using the provided bikepaths.

Posted by: Boyink on August 21, 2002 09:23 PM

 

http://www.critical-mass.org

Posted by: Ron Zeno on August 22, 2002 04:08 PM