Pedal vs. Metal

squir999, you and all the others who don't understand that cyclists have a legal right to use the road need to get your heads out of your fundaments and learn how to drive. Yes, cyclists need to follow traffic laws, but they don't deserve to get "hit hard" and get severely injured or killed because they don't. Also lane splitting is legal and helps traffic move more smoothly. Runningbug - virtually all cyclists already have a license. They prefer to ride a bike. Grow up and share, like your mommy tried to teach you while you were still in diapers.

In Wichita Ks. you are required to ride in the street, it is against the law to ride on the sidewalk

Here in Wicita Ks. you are required to ride in the syreet, it is against the law to ride on the sidewalk.

I live and work in Portland. In the past 3 years I have had my vehicle pounded on by cyclists while at a dead stop at a light just because I was driving I guess. I ride although I do not commute because I have to have my small truck in case I have to run for parts.
I am ashamed of the way my fellow cyclists here act. There is a holier than thou group which I beleive has been spawned by higher gas prices and the Al Gore fanatics. Their philosophy is that you a driving and therefore you are evil. They will not follow the rules of the road or use common sense, you are just suppose to know what they are doing. There is a total disregard for stop signs in 2 days worth of police stings heres what they found:
(In the first blitz, police issued warnings to 60 cyclists and to seven motorists, including a citation for a person who was driving with a suspended license.

On Day Two, police issued warnings for 51 cyclists and eight motorists. Two other cyclists received citations -- one ran through a stop sign so fast that he overshot the bicycle lane and nearly caused a collision in the next traffic lane over, The second cyclist failed to stop for several blocks after the police officer tried to pull him over.

I am from Portland and a lot of the bike riders are very inconsiderate and I have yet to see a cyclist obey the rules of the road. If you are going to be sharing/using the roads along side automobiles than I suggest you read up on the traffic laws and obey them. I'm sure most drivers will be accomodating to the cyclists after that, I know I would.

Everyone who rides a bicycle on public streets should be required to obtain a license. This would assure that they know that their cycle is a real vehicle and subject to the same laws that cars are. Motorists who disregard the rights of cyclists should be punished severely, inclusive of the removal of their driver's permits, for repeat violators. It's a small number of both motorists and cyclists that are causing the problems for everyone.

From what I see,(Indiana)we have advide bicyclist that use the road ways. Often in packs, riding side by side, with an aditiude of (hay, I'm here.Better than you,'cause I'm on a bike) blocking traffic. I don't mind sharing the road...but remember, same rules apply to them ...not going the speed limit,,move the ##$#% over....P.S. ...I'm 40 & still ride Apx. 30 miles a week...

I am an avid bicyclist in Colorado, and obey traffic laws, even if they're inconvenient. I don't wanna die. When driving my car in Boulder, I often have to hit my brakes to avoid hitting a bicyclist who has zipped in front of me w/o warning, or has run a red light/stop sign. One day in Boulder I saw a bicyclist nearly get hit -- his fault. The driver was a young woman with a couple of children in the car. She had to nail her brakes. Not cool.

It's hugely important for bicyclists to follow the same rules of the road as all other vehicles, and for cars/trucks to pay closer attention to their fellow road travellers. This may seem a bit far-fetched, but perhaps bicyclists who share the roads with other vehicles should be required to carry a road license. It may be about education and expectations.

When you share the (traffic control) laws, I'll share the road. Until then, do NOT expect me to be nice to or give the right of way to bicycles. Especially the ones who routinely run red lights and cruise in between actual lanes (filled with cars) in order to do so. If you pull stunts like that, you DESERVE to be hit. Hard.

When you share the (traffic control) laws, I'll share the road. Until then, do NOT expect me to be nice to or give the right of way to bicycles. Especially the ones who routinely run red lights and cruise in between actual lanes (filled with cars) in order to do so. If you pull stunts like that, you DESERVE to be hit. Hard.

I used to live in Montverde, Florida. I moved because of the cyclist. All roads in and out are two lane, curving back country roads. Although I don't ride, millions of my tax dollars went to putting in a concrete bike trail. Instead of using the trail, they insist on riding the back roads. I could not leave my house without riding at 10 - 15 miles per hour behind someone on a bike, often a group of bikers stretched out across the road. The posted speed limit on this road is 45 mph. One morning I left my home and it was slightly rainy. I turned a corner and one woman on a bike was smack dab in the middle of the road. I hit my brakes and went sliding. A red datson truck coming the other direction, hit his breaks and went sliding. We landed, drivers door to drivers door, so close we could reach out our windows and shake hands. The "beep" on the bike flipped us off and kept riding. Anyone who knows me, knows I have never been in a physical altercation in my life, but that day, if I could have gotten out of my car quickly enough - it would have been my first. I think what ticks me off the most is that if I had actually beaten the crap out of her, I would have been the one in trouble. Justice.

I would still like to know; WHY aren't cyclists required to have a license tag on their vehicle so it can be identified by the police? Also why aren't cyclists required to pass a 'rules of the road' test or at the very least , take a safety class? Why are they allowed to interrupt the flow of traffic? Why are they allowed to disregard traffic signels?

Cyclists have the right to use the roadways when they pay road taxes. Let users pay for these bike paths. Require bikes to pass safety inspections to be licensed to use roadways at cyclists expense. Require cyclists themselves to be licensed and subject to the same traffic laws and consequences as motorists. Personally I believe cycling is great but far too many cyclists act as if motorists have to cowtoe to them because motorists have to give them the right of way.

1. The rights and duties of persons operating bicycles upon a roadway are the same and the rights and duties of the driver of any vehicle on the roadway.

2. Any person operating a bicycle shall obey the instructions of official traffic control signs, signals, and markings controlling vehicles on the roadway. When dismounted the bicycle operator shall obey all rules pertaining to pedestrians.

These 2 rules (laws) seem to be common to all states.

Any bicyclist with a brain should follow every single rule of the road the same as a driver of a car--or else you will tick off some car driver, who will then try to run your ass and your bicycle's ass off the road and kill you! I always keep that in mind while riding my bike! People on bicycles are at a disadvantage and out-numbered by a few tons of metal---so if you are stupid, then you are at fault!

Cyclists have a right to ride on the road onbly when they pay road taxes and obey traffic laws. In addition they should be required to license their bikes after the bike has been safety checked as well as the cyclists them selves being required to be licensed and subject to the same policies and procedures as motorists are.

Any bicyclist who ticks off the driver of a great big car, is as stupid as the day is long!!! All bicyclists should obey every single traffic law while driving on the road the same as a car driver. If you don't, then some angry driver will run your ass and your bicycle's ass off the road and possibly kill you! When riding my bike, that is what I keep in mind!

Well, judging from the article, it seems there are faluts on both sides of the issue. Some motorists are not recognizing bicyclists have some rights to the road, while bicyclists should ride with the same respect to the law, stopping, yielding, etc. Portland should really crack down on both sides, no matter how powerful the cyclist lobby are in the city. Safty comes first, and if a cyclist does not care for the laws of the road, fine the person! A bicycle is a moving vehicle as much as a car is, and if the person doesn't respect the laws, the person will likely hurt himself/herself or hurt others.

It doesn't matter where you live, the law applys to any vehicle on the road. Blow through a red light in either one and you risk you life (more so on a 2 wheeler). These people who do this are asking to meet their maker and I don't think stupidity gets you points. Throwing trash out of a window is illegal. When you dirve
(car/motorcycle/bike) courtsey on the road is a must and obeying the laws is required. How many of the incidents in the above article were cause by disregarding the laws? How may through shere stupidity? Take
away both and i'll wager that the death toll would be cut in half at least. If someone doesn't take saftey seriously (NO HELMET) then it's his brain that will be in the bucket. An alcholic will always drink no matter what his mode of transportation. Arrest them and get them off the street. No one has the ownership of the town/city roads, your use of them is a privilage - not a right. Yes you pay for it through taxes and no the idiot behinde the wheel of a vehicle isn't making costs go up - that's just an excuse people use to justify their attitude. Face it - y'all need to get it together and stop the sencelessness. Tomorrow still comes, your life still goes on and rage at some one who is "SLOWING ME DOWN" just doesn't make your day more profitable, just more miserable. Yes i've been angry and frustrated and yes i've said a few words about the
"stupid people who are going to get us/themselves killed", but words dont' cause physical damage, that's caused by a lack of control. Still life goes on, people do stupid things and the world keeps turning. Only way i see to change the "Portland problem" is take'em to court, slap a HEALTHY fine on them (or jail if required)
until they see the light and start acting in a responsible manner.