What a cranky old curmudgeon. Try getting your likely fat rump on a bike yourself lady, exercise improves your mood.

"If we all are to share the road, then bicyclists should share in the cost of upkeep by having to be licensed"............

just what we need....road taxes on bicycles. let's look at 'why' motor vehicles pay road taxes....
their weight wears on the road - they leak oil, gas, grease, chemicals (to name a few) which deteriorate the roads - tailpipe emissions undoubtedly don't help either - auto accidents potentially damage roads - i'm sure there are other items related to motor vehicles which cause road damage as well.
on the other hand a bicycle does not seems to contribute to road deterioration on the scale of cars. many people ride bikes for exercise and enjoyment, why should they be discouraged from this activity but having to pay a road use tax ?

As for bicyclists wearing reflective clothing or clothing articles, that is a thought. However, what this LTTE writer notes; "The majority of bicycle riders do not wear reflective clothing. Particularly when riding in shadowy areas such as the two-lane road through the park, they sometimes become invisible to drivers."

ALL bicycles have reflectors on the pedals and one somewhere just below the seat on the read and one in the handlebar area on the front. Now if the bicyclist is "becoming invisible," it appears to me that the driver of the automobile is not paying close attention.

And if an automobile driver frequents an area known for heavy bicycle traffic, then why not slow down and be on the alert more? This is not seeking to justify any potential wrong by bicyclists, rather hoping to help curb any possible accidents.

buz, I like the comments regarding the differences between automobiles and bicycles regarding licensure!

Shalom

I thought cyclists were subject to the same road rules as cars. Why do they pass on the right and jump ahead at red lights?

Hugh – you are right. Cyclists should follow the same laws as cars, including not passing stopped cars on the right, and stopping at all stoplights. I believe the riders who do these things are the exceptions to those that follow the laws. A bicycle is no match for a car, and it is certainly in the cyclist’s best interest to follow the laws, expect the unexpected, and take efforts to be visible to cars using reflectors, bright clothing, and lights.

This being said, I also believe many motorists share the blame in putting cyclists at risk. Cyclists usually (or should) ride about a foot inside the white line marking the outside of the lane. This is not the law, but a guideline primarily as a courtesy to motorists. Cyclists are legally entitled to the entire width of the lane in which they are traveling. Many motorists break the law by pulling up beside riders stopped at intersections, passing at intersections, and especially passing when there is a solid yellow line. You will also see cars pass and immediately make a right hand turn in front of the rider. These and many other dangerous practices are often done by motorists who are obviously driving with road rage because they are inconvenienced by having to share the road.

Both cyclists and motorists should obey the laws and share the road, even those like Liz who think they are the only ones entitled to it because they pay for a license plate for their car. When people don’t obey the laws and share the road, there are accidents. When this happens between cyclists and motorists, guess who normally gets hurt?

She is right!
We do need to share the road. I share Ms. Smigel's desire for saftey, equality, and responsibility for everyone using our roads.
I didn't really understand the importance of saftey until I bought a bike 2 years ago. It is very dangerous out there. I could talk endlessly about traffic laws, distracted drivers, irresponsible behavior, and common courtesy. But we are not really talking about bikes and cars here - we are talking about people. People operate cars, and people ride bikes. These people are your neighbors and fellow citizens.
People should look out for eachother and themselves.
I agree that cyclist should be courteus and safe. Police should deal with the ones who are not. However, some of the annoying behavior that cyclist have on the road is self-preservation. Here are some examples.
1)I sometimes ride towards the center of the lane in order to slow traffic behind me when approching a blind corner or hill crest. I do not do this to be inconsiderate of the drivers behind me. This is a defensive move to discourage drivers from passing in unsafe places. Most drivers do try to pass between oncoming traffic and cyclist. When drivers suddenly encounter an oncoming car half way around a blind corner, they always choose to move to the right, squeezing out the helpless (and courteous) cyclist. My point is that drivers are usually in a rush, and will not wait for a safe passing opportunity. They tend to want to keep going and do not even consider waiting for a safe passing opportunity. Unfortunately, the cyclist is the one who is most at risk in this situation.
If drivers initiated safe behavior by slowing down, waiting, then passing, I would not be forced to make those decisions for them.
2) At traffic lights I sometimes position myself ahead of vehicles with large blind spots in order to assure the driver sees me. One reason is that as I am entering an intersection drivers may turn left in front of me. People don't always use turn signals, and those trailers will squash you against the curb!
Basically, I would like readers like Ms. Smigel to help make things better by slowing down, and being courteous to all the other people on the road. Bicyclists are a part traffic, so we all need to conduct ourselves appropraitely.

I've been through this conversation too many times but I just want to add how much laughter I get out of seeing guys riding bikes and smoking cigarettes at the same time.