Originally Posted by
CB HI
Buzzman noted part of the reason for the opposition. The likelyhood that some lawmaker would soon after pass a law for mandatory use of the path. At the time, there were other states and counties around the country who were attempting exactly that type of legislation.
This is part of the reason, another part (at least for me) is that it reinforces the notion among drivers that bicycles don't belong on the road. It's bad enough hearing "get on the sidewalk" which is finally fading away, but I don't want it replaced with "get on the bike path".
There's also the belief that many paths are designed in such a way that there's a good chance of increased accidents at intersections, which can become fodder for increased regulation or restrictions "for your own safety".
So many experienced cyclists feel that we don't need more segregation, but better approaches to shared use. I (for one) am not categorically opposed to cycle tracks, I simply prefer that they are limited to situations where they are absolutely necessary, or where the benefits very clearly outweigh the drawbacks.
Overall, some of don't believe that