Bike riders abuse their road rights
In answer to a May 2 letter:
I wholeheartedly agree with the letter writer. And to carry it further, they (bike riders) should be prohibited from using walking trails completely. It seems the bike riders of today have the opinion that they own wherever they choose to ride.
When I was growing up (and there was a lot less traffic then) bicycle riders got out of the way of automobiles.
That is not the case where I live near Tigerville. Plus, I live near a four-way stop. Do you think the riders stop?
Today, with gas prices getting close to $4 a gallon, bike riders should consider that every time an auto has to slow for them it takes more gas to get their speed back.
I think maybe making them purchase a tag for street use might be a good idea. Heaven knows the county could use the extra money to improve the roads.
Let me start by saying that I do see some pretty unsafe bicycling: mainly, the roads are too narrow and twisty, and have no shoulder. In addition, there's a "perimeter" road around the industrial park near work that bicyclist favor -- and here, they tend to ride in packs ... and not go down to single file or anything, even when a car comes. Given these conditions, I personally wouldn't choose to ride a bike, and it does make me want to get around them as fast as possible when I see them. But people do it - either for exercise, or for enjoyment, and I respect that, as long as they are willing to accept the risk and responsibility. (And yeah, lots of them don't wear helmets, either.)
But this guy is just over the top!
I'd like to put a camera at his 4-way stop and see how often he comes to a complete stop ... because even in our neighborhood, the "rolling stop" is about all you get.
Right ... bike riders are the inconsiderate ones ... My favorite is the line about "bike riders of today have the opinion that they own wherever they choose to ride." Now, he says this in reference to riding on walking/hiking trails. But now when he starts talking about bikes on the roads, he is in fact saying that he owns the roads, and that bikes should get out of his way.
And bike licenses? Are you crazy? What are you going to do, arrest a 10 year old? C'mon...
I'm sure with his concern over gas prices that he drives a hydrogen powered car. Because, by making him use extra gas, bike riders are actually contributing to (dare I say causing?) global warming. And as you learned in part one of our series, all the extra oxygen they are using in physical exertion is undoubtedly causing drought and famine.
Between smokers and bike riders, our planet is doomed.
1 comment:
He didn't mention the global warming, just the gas prices, which makes me really want to tell him that he could save $4/gallon by parking his car and riding a bike instead! And, for every person riding a bike instead of driving a car there is one less car he has to wait for at the 4-way stop. Especially since the bicyclists don't stop, thereby not wasting his time further.
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