Jake Bigham
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This is not intended to throw fuel on the fire of controversy but I
have always thought it odd that people refer to "same rules".
There are not the same rules:
I don't think motorists are supposed to pass other motorists in no
passing zones with oncoming traffic.
I don't think 13 year olds are allowed to operate motor vehicles on
public roadways
Motorists are not supposed to use bicycle and pedestrian paths; they
are not supposed to use bike lanes either.
doesn't the law allow for cyclists to ride two abreast in some
instances (not that I think it is a safe idea)?
bikes do not (to my knowledge) need insurance or registration.
I think there are a lot of differences in the rules and rights and in
many places (not Oregon, I guess) there are many roads that are
prohibited for use by cyclists and pedestrians as there are (far fewer
miles of) pathway that are prohibited to use by cars and trucks.
I am not sure I get the connection between obeying stop signs and the
hit and run described in the first email
-Jake Bigham
On Jan 26, 2005, at 10:40 AM, Robert Nobles wrote:
Susan,
?
Unless someone asks you for advice or you are leading a group ride, I
don't think?people will?be too receptive to?legal pointers?on?how to
ride. Especially if they are not endangering anyone (but themselves)
by breaking some of the more minor car traffic laws that they believe
don't make sense for bikes due to our slow speeds, small size,?and
good lines of sight.
Susan Otcenas <sus-@teamestrogen.com> wrote:
Apologies in advance for cross-posting to more than one e-list.
Yesterday, the Oregonian published a Letter to the Editor that I wrote
after
reading about the latest hit-and-run here on the west side. Should you
care
to read it, here's a link to my letter
http://www.oregonlive.com/letters/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/
110639
8840172300.xml
as well as the original article
http://www.oregonlive.com/metrowest/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/
metro_west_new
s/110544844993880.xml
Predictably, yesterday evening I received an anonymous phone call from
"Jack" who wanted to talk about my letter. Luckily, he wasn't a
nutcase,
and we had an hour-long conversation about the differences between the
way
cyclists and motorists see the world. It was a productive conversation,
with both of us conceding a few points.
Jack's biggest beef with cyclists was the way in which cyclists often
seem
to flaunt the rules of the road. Running red lights and stop signs,
riding
3 abreast or in packs that do not move over when vehicles approach from
behind, failing to signal, etc. We demand "respect" and assert our
"rights", yet fail to observe the rules ourselves. Frankly, I agree
with
him. Sure, motorists break the rules all the time, but it doesn't
matter.
WE CAN NOT OCCUPY THE MORAL HIGH GROUND WHILE NOT OBEYING THE RULES
OURSELVES.
I want to start a discussion on a "code of conduct" of sorts.
### Note:
- If you wish to debate the evilness of autos, please start another
thread.
- If you wish to debate the war in Iraq, please start another thread.
- If you wish to debate the FAIRNESS of said rules, DON'T start a
thread.
Pony up the bucks to join the BTA, or better yet volunteer your time
with
them to advocate for change.
###
The fact is, the rules are the rules, such as they are. If we ever
wish to
gain the respect of the motorists, we have to do a better job of
obeying the
rules of the road. And we have to figure out a way to politely tell our
fellow cyclists that certain behavior is not acceptable. There's a lot
to
be said for peer pressure.
In response to a recent post about police ticketing cyclists who were
not
stopping at a particular intersection yesterday, I would very much
like to
commend the OBRA members who pointed that no e-mail "warning" should be
necessary. My favorite was:
"Remember the "three R's" of cycling:
Same road
Same rules
Same rights"
For myself, I'm making a pledge to do better. I know I can't/won't be
perfect. But I'm going to re-double my efforts to stop at every stop
sign
instead of sometimes rolling through when it's "clear". I'm going to
ask
friends on group rides to be more conscious of approaching vehicles so
that
we can be courteous to our fellow citizens by allowing them to safely
pass.
I'm going to re-read "Pedal Power, A Legal Guide for Oregon
Bicyclists" so I
can be sure of my rights and responsibilities (free download available
at
http://www.stc-law.com/bikepower.html ). I'm hoping that some of you
will
also take some time to look at how you use your bicycle, and see if
there
isn't some small way in which you can improve as well. Every action we
as
individuals take is seen as representative of our entire
class--especially
if it's a negative action, which reinforces what motorists already
think and
expect.
So, I pose two questions:
1) What's the best way for individual cyclists to communicate with
other
individual cyclists, on the road, about behaving?
And
2) What would be the most effective way for an organization (like the
BTA,
OBRA, the Wheelman, etc.) to do broad outreach to the cycling
community on
this issue?
I apologize if this e-mail has come
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This is not intended to throw fuel on the fire of controversy but I
have always thought it odd that people refer to "same rules".
There are not the same rules:
I don't think motorists are supposed to pass other motorists in no
passing zones with oncoming traffic.
I don't think 13 year olds are allowed to operate motor vehicles on
public roadways
Motorists are not supposed to use bicycle and pedestrian paths; they
are not supposed to use bike lanes either.
doesn't the law allow for cyclists to ride two abreast in some
instances (not that I think it is a safe idea)?
bikes do not (to my knowledge) need insurance or registration.
I think there are a lot of differences in the rules and rights and in
many places (not Oregon, I guess) there are many roads that are
prohibited for use by cyclists and pedestrians as there are (far fewer
miles of) pathway that are prohibited to use by cars and trucks.
I am not sure I get the connection between obeying stop signs and the
hit and run described in the first email
-Jake Bigham
On Jan 26, 2005, at 10:40 AM, Robert Nobles wrote:
<excerpt>Susan,
=A0
Unless someone asks you for advice or you are leading a group ride, I
don't think=A0people will=A0be too receptive to=A0legal pointers=A0on=A0ho=
w to
ride. Especially if they are not endangering anyone (but themselves)
by breaking some of the more minor car traffic laws that they believe
don't make sense for bikes due to our slow speeds, small size,=A0and
good lines of sight.
<bold><italic>Susan Otcenas <<sus-@teamestrogen.com></italic></bold>
wrote:
Apologies in advance for cross-posting to more than one e-list.
Yesterday, the Oregonian published a Letter to the Editor that I wrote
after
reading about the latest hit-and-run here on the west side. Should you
care
to read it, here's a link to my letter
=
http://www.oregonlive.com/letters/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1106=
39
8840172300.xml
as well as the original article
=
http://www.oregonlive.com/metrowest/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_west_n=
ew
s/110544844993880.xml
Predictably, yesterday evening I received an anonymous phone call from
"Jack" who wanted to talk about my letter. Luckily, he wasn't a
nutcase,
and we had an hour-long conversation about the differences between the
way
cyclists and motorists see the world. It was a productive conversation,
with both of us conceding a few points.
Jack's biggest beef with cyclists was the way in which cyclists often
seem
to flaunt the rules of the road. Running red lights and stop signs,
riding
3 abreast or in packs that do not move over when vehicles approach from
behind, failing to signal, etc. We demand "respect" and assert our
"rights", yet fail to observe the rules ourselves. Frankly, I agree
with
him. Sure, motorists break the rules all the time, but it doesn't
matter.
WE CAN NOT OCCUPY THE MORAL HIGH GROUND WHILE NOT OBEYING THE RULES
OURSELVES.
I want to start a discussion on a "code of conduct" of sorts.
### Note:
- If you wish to debate the evilness of autos, please start another
thread.
- If you wish to debate the war in Iraq, please start another thread.
- If you wish to debate the FAIRNESS of said rules, DON'T start a
thread.
Pony up the bucks to join the BTA, or better yet volunteer your time
with
them to advocate for change.
###
The fact is, the rules are the rules, such as they are. If we ever
wish to
gain the respect of the motorists, we have to do a better job of
obeying the
rules of the road. And we have to figure out a way to politely tell our
fellow cyclists that certain behavior is not acceptable. There's a lot
to
be said for peer pressure.
In response to a recent post about police ticketing cyclists who were
not
stopping at a particular intersection yesterday, I would very much
like to
commend the OBRA members who pointed that no e-mail "warning" should be
necessary. My favorite was:
"Remember the "three R's" of cycling:
Same road
Same rules
Same rights"
For myself, I'm making a pledge to do better. I know I can't/won't be
perfect. But I'm going to re-double my efforts to stop at every stop
sign
instead of sometimes rolling through when it's "clear". I'm going to
ask
friends on group rides to be more conscious of approaching vehicles so
that
we can be courteous to our fellow citizens by allowing them to safely
pass.
I'm going to re-read "Pedal Power, A Legal Guide for Oregon
Bicyclists" so I
can be sure of my rights and responsibilities (free download available
at
http://www.stc-law.com/bikepower.html ). I'm hoping that some of you
will
also take some time to look at how you use your bicycle, and see if
there
isn't some small way in which you can improve as well. Every action we
as
individuals take is seen as representative of our entire
class--especially
if it's a negative action, which reinforces what motorists already
think and
expect.
So, I pose two questions:
1) What's the best way for individual cyclists to communicate with
other
individual cyclists, on the road, about behaving?
And
2) What would be the most effective way for an organization (like the
BTA,
OBRA, the Wheelman, etc.) to do broad outreach to the cycling
community on
this issue?
I apologize if this e-mail has come
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - Find what you need with new enhanced search.
<color><param>0000,0000,EEEE</param>Learn more.</color>
</excerpt>=
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