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--- Regarding the Share the Road slogan. Given the number of irresponsible cyclists who are making us all look bad, may I suggest expanding the slogan to read:
"Share the Road/Share the Rules"
This updated slogan would educate cyclists that the rules of the road are -also- their responsibility and it would condition motorists to associate the slogan with -responsible- bicyclists.
Is there an official Share-the-Road organization that I could contact to submit this idea?
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By the same token, don't react differently when you see a bike doing something wrong than you would if a car were to do the same thing. Around here the "rolling stop" is the norm, rather than the exception, for cars, but drivers who don't even register the automobile rolling stop act as though armageddon is just around the corner if a bicyclist does the same thing.
Considering that many motorists believe that there is a rule that cyclists should stay off the road, I'm not sure this sends the right message.
Considering that many motorists believe that there is a rule that cyclists should stay off the road, I'm not sure this sends the right message.
Don't forget that many cyclists act as if they believe that such a rule exists. Their behavior perpetuates that belief in our culture.
...may I suggest expanding the slogan to read:
"Share the Road/Share the Rules"
Is there an official Share-the-Road organization that I could contact to submit this idea?
In Georgia, the slogan is, "Same Road, Same Rights, Same Rules."
I don't buy into the "same rules" nonsense. Bicycles are not cars so why should the rules be the same? Red lights as stop signs and stops signs as yield signs makes far more sense for bicycles.
I don't buy into the "same rules" nonsense. Bicycles are not cars so why should the rules be the same? Red lights as stop signs and stops signs as yield signs makes far more sense for bicycles.
There are three choices cyclists have;
use the vehicular rules
use the pedestrian rules
use some hybrid of the two
The problem with pedestrian rules is to do it safely is very ineffecient. Otherwise (not safely, not slowly), it is very dangerous.
The problem with hybrid rules is it makes us unpredictable and less visible. Which rules are we following? It also perpetuates the notion that cyclists are a bunch of idiots who don't deserve the right to be on the road.
That leaves us with the vehicular rules.
By the way, treating a stop sign as a yield is not too far from what many car drivers do in certain circumstances, and hence is arguably "vehicular", but it is a habit you should be careful with.
As far as treating red lights as stop signs... that might work from time to time, but certainly contributes to the notion that cyclists are a bunch of idiots.
There is also the considerable difference of relative degrees of endangerment.
When I ride through a stop sign, I run a far smaller risk of injuring someone other than myself, than if I did the same thing in my car. I feel that the overwhelming risk of my behavior is to my own safety, whereas behind the wheel, such actions could well imperil others.
Not saying I couldn't plow over granny with her groceries on a bike, just that the odds are preponderantly in favor of me endangering myself compared to the same for cars.
Sometimes I'll make a point of obeying the letter of the law on my bicycle just to make an example to motorists.
There is also the considerable difference of relative degrees of endangerment.
When I ride through a stop sign, I run a far smaller risk of injuring someone other than myself, than if I did the same thing in my car. I feel that the overwhelming risk of my behavior is to my own safety, whereas behind the wheel, such actions could well imperil others.
Not saying I couldn't plow over granny with her groceries on a bike, just that the odds are preponderantly in favor of me endangering myself compared to the same for cars.
I used to think this way until I thought about it a little more. What if you ran a stop sign causing a car to swerve into another car? I don't want to be even partly responsible for someone else's injuries in an accident and the best way to ensure that is to follow the rules.
I trained a cyclist this morning... it worked out so beautifully.
I was waiting at a left turn signal just before a university entrance... I was just behind the first vehicle... the light was red. I had been waiting for a bit so I knew the light was going to go green any second.
Some student rode up on the left side of all the waiting vehicles along the center line, past the first car and was just about to run the light... I said loudly: "Don't run that light." He of course ignored me... some raggedy old man waiting in line... ha.
The light turned green just as the student started across... the first car started off and there was the student in the wrong place at the wrong time, blocking traffic because they had run a red. I said loudly: "now see what you have done." The student sheepishly moved to the far right.
I rolled out with the rest of traffic and chided the student: "Next time come up on the right, and stop for the light; it is the legal and safe way."
The student nodded and said... yes, OK... and the lesson was over. Nothing like driving a point home with a clear example. :D
There are three choices cyclists have;
use the vehicular rules
use the pedestrian rules
use some hybrid of the two
The problem with pedestrian rules is to do it safely is very ineffecient. Otherwise (not safely, not slowly), it is very dangerous.
The problem with hybrid rules is it makes us unpredictable and less visible. Which rules are we following? It also perpetuates the notion that cyclists are a bunch of idiots who don't deserve the right to be on the road.
That leaves us with the vehicular rules.
By the way, treating a stop sign as a yield is not too far from what many car drivers do in certain circumstances, and hence is arguably "vehicular", but it is a habit you should be careful with.
As far as treating red lights as stop signs... that might work from time to time, but certainly contributes to the notion that cyclists are a bunch of idiots.
"What many car drivers do in certain circumstances" -- not! It's what nearly all car drivers do in nearly all circumstances, at least around here. As for your comment on stop signs, nah. The wrong way cyclists and the true idiots who do it when it's not safe, they're the ones who gives us a bad rep.
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