Why don’t we encourge drivers to pay more attention and follow the rules of the road, which include making way for bike riders?

Where streets are laid out in a grid pattern, there are alternate routes to get where you are going. When all the side streets just curve around within subdivisions, you can’t use them and you are left with only the main roads to get where you are going.

Solution: Sue the developers, force them to rebuild the developements in a COMPLETE GRID pattern.

I am all for drivers and riders sharing the road, but I am tired of hearing that drivers need to pay more attention and follow rules. Countless times I have seen bikers riding down the center of a lane at 15 - 20mph holding up traffic, and when they get up to a stoplight, simply proceed through regardless of green or red status. Bikers need to pay attention, wear clothes that make them more visible, and be more curteous to drivers who are trying to pass them without running them over.

Dave,
Everyone needs to follow the rules and it is indeed a two way street, but do not blame the minority of bike riders for the rest of them.

For example, today on my way into the city I saw a yellow VW weaving in and out of traffic, run a stop sign, and fail to yield. Should we ban or disregard all yellow cars? All VWs? Of course not.

At a time when roads are expected to see more congestion we should be encouraging alternate modes of transportation. These must include, carpooling, bicycling and public transportation.

Fatcyclist.com

About a month ago, I wrote a little something called “An Open Letter to the Passenger in the Green SUV Who Screamed as He Went By Yesterday.” Basically, it was my reaction to some guy who — as a prank — screamed at me from his car as he went by. This post clicked with a lot of riders, and it still gets comments from time to time, most of them from people sharing similar experiences, as well as outrage that someone would do something so dangerous.

Yesterday, though, I got a different kind of comment on that post:

I live in Colorado and every weekend (when the weather is nice) there are cyclists EVERYWHERE!!!! The area I live in has only two-lane roads and NONE of the cyclists are going anywhere near the speed limit much less the speed of traffic. They do not follow the traffic laws, they do not ride near the side of the road, and they do not even move over to the side of the road when there is a line of cars behind them. However, they do weave in and out of cars waiting at stop signals, they do impede the flow of traffic, they do cause drivers to tale unnecessary and sometimes dangerous ‘evasive action’ just to get past them, in short they’re RUDE… I don’t condone any violence or retaliatory action… but please, please FIND A F$%*@ING trail or a bike path and get the hell out of my way. — Becky, August 25, 9:53 AM

My initial reaction was to completely tear Becky apart, line by line. It would be easy; Becky leaves herself wide open. I mean, calling cyclists “RUDE” right before you say “FIND A F$%*@ING trail or a bike path and get the hell out of my way” is one of the most beautiful examples of irony I have ever seen.

OK, I guess I still intend to bust Becky’s chops a little. But that’s not all I’m going to do. I’m also going to acknowledge that she has some valid points, and try to see both sides of the story. I’m going to do my best to look through both sides of the windshield.

What Becky (and Other People in Cars) Needs to Understand About Cyclists
Becky might not be such a strong candidate for anger management counseling if she considered the following:

* You’ll see things differently if you try riding a bike. Most cyclists have a pretty good idea of what’s going on in drivers’ heads, because most cyclists are drivers sometimes. The reverse isn’t true, however. Becky, your perspective might change a little bit if you got out of your car and onto a bike. You might notice different things about the road. You might perceive speed differently. You might even find that cars break laws and endanger cyclists as often as (or maybe more often than) cyclists break laws and endanger cars.
* Some people act stupidly, whether in a car or on a bike. The people who do stupid things on bikes — and yes, Becky, I know they’re out there, because I’ve seen them too — also do stupid things when they’re in cars. Or when they’re at work. Or whatever. Some people are just stupid. Don’t go applying the specific to the general, OK, Becky? Saying no cyclist obeys traffic laws because some idiot nearly got himself killed by shooting out in front of you is like me saying all SUVs are populated by teenage homicidal idiots because one tried to startle me into the guardrail. Or like me saying all pickups are populated by homicidal cowboys because a few have tried to swipe me with their side mirrors. Or like me saying that all cars are populated by homicidal drunk idiots because a couple have thrown beer bottles in front of my bike as they go by.
* Sometimes we have a good reason for being out in the road instead of hugging the side. It’s possible — make that probable — there’s glass or scattered nails on the edge of the road. You can’t see all the crud from your car, but it’s there.
* Cyclists have a right to be on the road. We have a legal right to be there, and moreover, it’s the right place for us to be from a common sense point of view. If a road cyclist gets on a bike path, he’s a danger to pedestrians and cyclists on cruiser bikes — we’re just going too fast for foot and slow bike traffic. Try to stop thinking of cyclists as being on “your” road. We’re all paying taxes.
* We are afraid you aren’t looking for us, and that you’ll kill us. My friend dug has been hit twice by people in cars who weren’t looking. I’ve known two cyclists who have been killed by people in cars who weren’t looking. So, some cyclists have adopted the tactic of riding right in the middle of the road, where you can’t miss them. You may be inconvenienced, but you won’t sideswipe and kill someone. Isn’t that nice?
* We’re not causing you to take “unnecessary and sometimes dangerous evasive action.” If it’s unnecessary, it’s optional. You’re doing it because you want to. Guess what: your unnecessary evasive action you’re blaming on the cyclist is really just you being a poor driver. Sorry about that.

What Cyclists Need to Understand about Becky (and Other People in Cars)
I believe every cyclist already knows the following, so this is mostly just a reminder. And I should be clear: I don’t think the below list is true of every driver. In fact, it’s not true of most drivers. But you’ve got to assume it’s true of every driver anyway, because you never know which car is being driven by Becky.

* People in cars remember every stupid thing they have ever seen a cyclist do, then assume every cyclist does that all the time. Becky here has clearly seen some cyclists do some stupid, illegal things, and now — right or wrong — she’s got it in her head that all cyclists do illegal things all the time. So, those of you doing stupid, illegal things: cut it out. You’re building up road rage in people like Becky, and they aren’t really careful about who they vent their anger at. And I’ll take it one step further: those of us who have friends who take stupid, illegal risks while riding need to tell them to cut it out; they’re souring the automotive world on bikes (That’s big talk for me; I have a couple riding friends who I’d need to lecture; so far I never have).
* People in cars are bugged when cyclists ride right on the line of the shoulder. And rightly so. I see this all the time when I’m driving — cyclists have a nice wide shoulder, but they ride right on the line. If you can get over, do.
* People in cars think you’re much wider than you actually are. They think they can’t pass you, even if they can. Signal them forward to let them know they have room.
* People in cars expect you to adhere to laws much more closely than they do themselves. Cars roll stop signs all the time, but they resent bikes doing it. And they hate seeing bikes worm their way through traffic — it reminds them that they’re just sitting there, and that the $45 they just spent on gasoline is just floating up into the atmosphere, not actually moving them anywhere.
* People in cars look where they’re used to looking for things they’re used to looking at. Cyclists aren’t where they expect, aren’t what they expect, and aren’t going at a rate they expect. If you haven’t made eye contact, assume you have not been seen. Seriously.
* People in cars aren’t enjoying the ride like you are. They’re in a hurry. They resent being delayed even for a few seconds. If you can get out of the way and let them pass, do.
* People in cars convert their worry about being in an accident into anger. Lots of people in cars have had near misses with cyclists. That scares them — most of them don’t want to kill us, after all — and then that fright turns into anger.

OK, I see my attempt to be even-handed about Becky’s post wound up a little bit lopsided. Maybe I should have just said, “Hey, we’ve all got to do our best to get along. You chill out, and I’ll do my best to be safe and legal.”

Maybe you’d like to try your hand at replying to Becky yourself.

Many people do not use their bike only for exercise. There is a substantial community in the St Louis area who uses their bikes for transportation.

MODOT is the MO Dept of TRANSPORTATION, not the MO Dept of Cars. Bikes ARE transportation and should be treated as such. A throughly conceived transportation system would take into consideration all modes of transport; be it a car, bike, bus, motorcycle or scooter. All the state of MO seems to consider is transport only by car.

If people want to use bicycles as means of transportation the same as a car then they should be licensed and insured just as the rest of us have to be. They should have all of the very same restrictions and limitations of people who ride motorcycles AND be wearing some sort of identifiable vest or flagging of some sort. I find it ridiculous that people think they should have some kind of special privilege above people that are in motor vehicles on which the road was built for in the first place. I don’t drive in your park or woods so keep off my street is my opinion. Obviously a lot of you don’t agree with that but there are plenty that do. This share the road crap has got to go in my opinion. For the life of me I can not figure out why someone who wants to get out and excercise would choose to do so while purposely putting themselves in harms way of 4000 lbs of speeding metal all the while sucking in the exhaust fumes that they leave behind. Then there’s the separate but equally disturbing point of the apparel that some of these people where. Spandex is not for everyone and should only be made up to a certain size. Call me shallow or overly cynical, maybe too judgemental. I think I have some very valid points. Bikes are no place for congested traffic, end of story; this is not something that needs to be debated.
And I’ll add to that, especially with impatient people who have poor driving skills and short attention spans and tempers.

“…this share the road crap has got to go…”

I agree. Get Jimmyrussel off the road

“…4000 lbs of speeding metal..”

because he admits to breaking the law by speeding

“…keep off my street…”

Where is your proof of ownership?

“….bikes are no place for congested traffic…”

Poor grammar. Also, more bikes = less congested traffic

“…impatient people who have poor driving skills and short attention spans
and tempers…”

Now THERE is the real danger. To EVERYONE on the road.

I commute to work by bicycle whenever I can because I like to do my
part to save the environment for the future (i.e. for YOUR kids) and because
I am a true patriot that minimizes the amount of dollar$ that I send overseas to
countries that do not have the best interest of the USA in mind.

I love my country

I love my world.

Therefore, I cycle

Why do cyclists desire to ride at the busiest times on the busiest streets down the middle ?? Is it some sort of thrill or what; I just don’t get it. Go to the Katy Trail, use your subdivision streets or drive on the shoulder if you must. Tired of seeing your tighty pants…

“Why do cyclists desire to ride at the busiest times on the busiest streets down the middle..”

Why do auto drivers desire to drive at the busiest times on the busiest streets down the
middle?

If there is room for cars to pass safely, I ride far to the right.

If there is NOT room to safely pass, then I ride in the middle of the lane,
which I have the legal right to do.

Why do auto drivers talk on their cell phones, put on their make-up, eat
food, and read while driving? Don’t they know that all is dangerous?

Or do they just not care who they kill?

Maybe a cyclist.

Maybe an elderly pedestrian

Maybe a “mom” and her baby in a mini van.

Why do auto drivers habitually exceed the legal maximum speed limits.

Why do auto drivers run red lights?

Why do auto drivers change lanes without signaling?

Why do auto drivers fail to yield when they are required to?

Why do auto drivers continue to send oil money to the mid-east where it
can be used by terrorists against us?

Why do auto drivers continue to send money to Hugo down in Venizuela?

Don’t auto drivers care about the future of the USA???

Don’t auto drivers care about the world they are leaving their children?

Evidently not, from the responses posted here.