View Full Version : "Share the road" is misleading
slowandsteady
09-01-06, 11:53 AM
Maybe it's just me, but I hate the "share the road" signs. The implication is that cars are supposed to share a lane with bikes, which isn't really true. They should never try to occupy the same space. I think it encourages cars passing too close or yelling at us to get on the shoulder.
I am not sure what other slogan should be used. What do you think is a better slogan?
Some one on here has the sign "bike has right to full lane" for their avatar, I always liked that.
But with the proper training, "Share The Road" makes perfect since. We have just as much right as they do, so we should share.
AlmostTrick
09-01-06, 01:12 PM
Some lanes are wide enough to share and some are not. We don't have any share the road signs around my area, but I wish we did. I think it would help our motorists understand that we do belong. Since they hardly ever see a cyclist on the road in the lane, they figure we don't belong there.
Dogbait
09-01-06, 01:21 PM
"I Share The Road" (http://www.isharetheroad.com/)
trekets
09-01-06, 08:50 PM
Many cagers think the "share the road" signs are to remind the bicyclists that the road is for cars also.
tomcryar
09-01-06, 09:13 PM
Maybe the sign should simply say "watch for bicycles".
Many cagers think the "share the road" signs are to remind the bicyclists that the road is for cars also.
Yes, I've heard stories about bicyclists having cagers yell "share the road!" at them. A simple change to the signs would suffice: "Drivers: share the road!". Anyone up for making "Drivers:" stickers to put on these signs? Not sure about the legality of doing this, but it would certainly help to clear up the confusion.
tomcryar
09-02-06, 01:28 AM
How about spending the energy it would take to do this, putting it toward actually getting the locales to change their signs? It's a good message, but it would be even better to get the "lawmakers" behind it.
How about spending the energy it would take to do this, putting it toward actually getting the locales to change their signs? It's a good message, but it would be even better to get the "lawmakers" behind it.
That would be a much better idea, and would likely cause less anti-cyclist feeling among the cagers and their ilk. Don't want them thinking we're all just a bunch of vandalising hippies (with apologies to the actual vandalising hippies out there :)).
tomcryar
09-02-06, 03:10 AM
No offence taken or granted. If you you want to change it, go to your rep.
The Human Car
09-02-06, 05:43 AM
Here we have the caution sign with a picture of a bike and below that the sign that says share the road. So the whole thing reads “Bikes share the road.” I had a very “energetic” SUV driver point that out to me and he “politely” offered the following advice: “So get out of my way!”
I prefer if those signs were used separately or if they used the sign “Share the road with bikes” but overall I think the signs help.
The Human Car
09-02-06, 06:03 AM
As for what signs I like (that avoid the share the road slogan):
Watch for bikes
http://www.marylandroads.com/businesswithsha/bizStdsSpecs/desManualStdPub/publicationsonline/oots/pdf/W11-1(1).pdf
Or the more standard:
Caution bike (symbol)
http://www.marylandroads.com/businesswithsha/bizStdsSpecs/desManualStdPub/publicationsonline/oots/pdf/W11-1.pdf
Daily Commute
09-02-06, 01:04 PM
Some one on here has the sign "bike has right to full lane" for their avatar, I always liked that.
But with the proper training, "Share The Road" makes perfect since. We have just as much right as they do, so we should share.
Thanks.
And to me, "share" is something you do voluntarily with stuff you own, often against your wishes ("You need to share your toys with your little brother.")
Sharing the road is not voluntary. It's the law. And it's not "your" road to share. It's everybody's.
+1 for "Bicycles allowed use of full lane" on signs.
slowandsteady
09-05-06, 02:43 PM
And to me, "share" is something you do voluntarily with stuff you own, often against your wishes ("You need to share your toys with your little brother.")
Sharing the road is not voluntary. It's the law. And it's not "your" road to share. It's everybody's.
+1 for "Bicycles allowed use of full lane" on signs.
Exactly! Sharing sounds too voluntary. Drivers of cars seem to think we don't belong in the road. They need something more than the subtle "share the road" signs. They need to be told we belong in the road. The "...use of full lane" signs do this well.
Last year I suggested to the local Bike-and-Ped-group, that "Share the Road" came across more like, "Share the Lane" to motorists, because I found that motorists try to squeeze themselves in the lane with the cyclist. They completely lambasted me. To me it's a shame that we can't all agree about this, because we're such a small group to begin with, that divided we have no weight to throw behind any action we might resolve to take.
* jack *
09-05-06, 03:10 PM
I agree. Something like, "Same Roads, Same Rules, Same Rights" seems much better.
Or what about something with 'folk' appeal like, "This Lane Is My Lane", ala Woody Guthrie.
I'm pessimistic about any change, however. Motorists tend to ignore most signs, Speed 'Limit' for example.
Drivers won't alter their behavior unless laws and regulations are adequately enforced.
JohnBrooking
09-05-06, 03:44 PM
Funny this should come up now. I was just on vacation in northern NY state and saw for the first time a lot of signs that said simply "Shared Roadway" with a picture of a bike. I realized that I liked that so much better than "Share the Road". It's the difference between a statement of accomplished fact versus a mere request. I'm really interested in these signs now. Anyone else seen them?
powerhouse
09-05-06, 06:06 PM
Yes, I've heard stories about bicyclists having cagers yell "share the road!" at them. A simple change to the signs would suffice: "Drivers: share the road!". Anyone up for making "Drivers:" stickers to put on these signs? Not sure about the legality of doing this, but it would certainly help to clear up the confusion.
Certainly. I'll start by recommending it to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine (BCM) a bicycle club which not only has members in Maine but in other states and Canada.
gpsblake
09-05-06, 07:33 PM
Maybe it's just me, but I hate the "share the road" signs.
Maybe it is me but when I see those signs, it usually means it is going to be a bad road for a bike to be on with plenty of traffic. I know when I toured through Milledgeville, GA, when I saw that sign, the shoulder disappeared and traffic increased megafold.
I never see these signs on quiet backroads.
DCCommuter
09-05-06, 07:46 PM
I agree. Something like, "Same Roads, Same Rules, Same Rights" seems much better.
I haven't liked that one since a motorist yelled it as he buzzed me. Lots of motorists believe that cycling on the road is vaguely illegal, and it's too easy to turn that around into two wrongs make a right; i.e., "that cyclist shouldn't have been riding in the lane so I brushed him -- same roads same rules, after all!"
I'd like a slogan that conveys that cyclists have the right to use the road. Something like "Cycling is not a crime."
Exactly. It'll never be as easy as a new sign. Whatever the message, it's getting the word out about the law that will make the difference.
I like "This Lane is My Lane" though.
joejack951
09-06-06, 07:26 AM
Maybe it is me but when I see those signs, it usually means it is going to be a bad road for a bike to be on with plenty of traffic. I know when I toured through Milledgeville, GA, when I saw that sign, the shoulder disappeared and traffic increased megafold.
I never see these signs on quiet backroads.
I found out that in Delaware most of the Share the Road signs were erected after a cyclist was injured/killed on that section of road. Some of the signs are on heavily trafficked arterials and some are on quiet backroads.
I think Share the Road signs fail as they come across as merely a suggestion, just like those speed signs on on/off ramps that are completely ignored. And some motorists interpret them as a warning to cyclists to move over out of their way (a small, but vocal minority). I'd prefer an official sign telling cyclists to use the full the lane and telling motorists to pass on the left. Not a warning, not a suggestion. DO it.
LittleBigMan
09-06-06, 09:38 AM
Maybe it's just me, but I hate the "share the road" signs....What do you think is a better slogan?
How about, "Change Lanes to Pass Bicyclists"?
AlmostTrick
09-06-06, 09:52 AM
How about, "Change Lanes to Pass Bicyclists"?
Best one yet. I'd like to see that on some of my roads.
slowandsteady
09-06-06, 01:42 PM
How about, "Change Lanes to Pass Bicyclists"?
Perfect!!
How about, "Change Lanes to Pass Bicyclists"?
What if it is a two lane road and there is not a passing zone in the area? As a cyclist I do not need to get out of their way (up to a point), but I also do not need to put car drivers into danger by forcing them to change lanes to pass me. Personally, I think that I would rather be buzzed than have a ringside seat to a two car accident.
I liked 'Shared Roadway'.
joejack951
09-06-06, 04:18 PM
What if it is a two lane road and there is not a passing zone in the area? As a cyclist I do not need to get out of their way (up to a point), but I also do not need to put car drivers into danger by forcing them to change lanes to pass me. Personally, I think that I would rather be buzzed than have a ringside seat to a two car accident.
I liked 'Shared Roadway'.
In these circumstances, if traffic and sight lines allow for it, I prefer to be treated as an obstruction (assuming I'm significantly below the speed limit) and passed in the opposite lane. Double yellows can be crossed to pass an obstruction per the vehicle code assuming it is safe to do so. The alternative is to pull over when traffic backs up to a significant degree and let them pass. In my area at least, cyclists are passed on double yellows all the time and assuming the passer has reasonable judgement, it's perfectly safe. I'd much rather have drivers leave the lane entirely to get by me than to have them try and squeeze past especially at speed. I do what I can to try and keep the idiots from passing when it's not safe. Hand signals work to some extent although a few stubborn folk pass anyway which requires me to slow and move right to avoid any debris should the opposing driver not slow in time. If someone wants to risk their life to save 30 seconds, I'm ok with that. I'm not ok with them risking clipping me just so that they can avoid having to make the call for themselves.
Rocky_R
09-08-06, 08:46 PM
Kentucky has a license plate you can buy with a beautiful graphic of two runners on one side and a cyclist on the other. It says "Share the Road". I think most people understand what that means: the road doesn't belong to just motorists.
http://mvl.ky.gov/MVLWeb/IS?ARC=images/img.jar&IMG=License_Plates/Plate_Detail/sharetheroad.jpg&TYP=JPG
tomcryar
09-08-06, 08:57 PM
Florida has a decent plate--with 15,000 registered.
http://www3.hsmv.state.fl.us/Intranet/dmv/specialtytags/a.cfm?id=76
Rocky_R
09-08-06, 09:06 PM
I like the Kentucky graphic, but the Florida plate's message is easier to read. Looks like the Florida guy is about to fall off the Howard Frankland Bridge.
tomcryar
09-08-06, 10:14 PM
I wish bikes were allowed on the bridge.
Gojohnnygo.
09-09-06, 07:59 AM
Funny this should come up now. I was just on vacation in northern NY state and saw for the first time a lot of signs that said simply "Shared Roadway" with a picture of a bike. I realized that I liked that so much better than "Share the Road". It's the difference between a statement of accomplished fact versus a mere request. I'm really interested in these signs now. Anyone else seen them?
I have seen the green and white signs and I like the message "SHARED ROADWAY". They should make the signs larger, They are a bit small. I will go out and take a picture of one Tomorrow.
DCCommuter
09-09-06, 08:09 AM
Florida has a decent plate--with 15,000 registered.
http://www3.hsmv.state.fl.us/Intranet/dmv/specialtytags/a.cfm?id=76
I would like this better if his lane position were a little more to the left. We need to fight the perception that cyclists have to stay in the gutter.
Gojohnnygo.
09-11-06, 11:43 AM
I have seen the green and white signs and I like the message "SHARED ROADWAY". I will go out and take a picture of one Tomorrow.
Here it is. Click on image for bigger view.
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/5866/img2gg4.th.jpg (http://img178.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2gg4.jpg)
JohnBrooking
09-11-06, 11:54 AM
Here it is. Click on image for bigger view.
Thanks, johnny. The ones I saw were just generic, without the detail about leading to a specific location, but that's the one. I really really like these signs! I've only ever seen them in NY state. Are they new? Has anyone else ever seen them?
[Update: AHA! Madison County, Iowa (http://www.madisoncountycycleclub.org/events.htm), for one!]
Gojohnnygo.
09-11-06, 12:05 PM
I think they have been around for 10 years or more? I would love to see them done in that orange and black paint from the site you posted.
Helmet Head
09-11-06, 12:14 PM
Florida has a decent plate--with 15,000 registered.
http://www3.hsmv.state.fl.us/Intranet/dmv/specialtytags/a.cfm?id=76
That's a horrible plate. All it does is reinforce the misperception that "share the road" means "cyclists - get and stay out of the way!".
tomcryar
09-11-06, 02:07 PM
How?
Geraldo
09-11-06, 05:28 PM
All it does is reinforce the misperception that "share the road" means "cyclists - get and stay out of the way!".
I think if you asked the average person, they would say that the meaning is that cyclists want their part of the road. Given your interpretation of this plate, I'd like to hear what you think the meaning is of the other zillion message plates Florida offers.
Edited to add-My vote for signage is "Do not kill you fellow human beings with your motor vehicle."
Keith99
09-11-06, 06:02 PM
I think if you asked the average person, they would say that the meaning is that cyclists want their part of the road. Given your interpretation of this plate, I'd like to hear what you think the meaning is of the other zillion message plates Florida offers.
Edited to add-My vote for signage is "Do not kill you fellow human beings with your motor vehicle."
HH does have a point. If you look at the road shown on the plate the cyclist is riding almost on the limit line at the shoulder. Very far to the right.
Ov course I wonder if most people look all that closely. Also the whole cyclist and road is in the middle of the plate so it does not give nearly the impression of the cyclist pushed off the the right as it would if that part was to the right of the plate.
Here it is. Click on image for bigger view.
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/5866/img2gg4.th.jpg (http://img178.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img2gg4.jpg)
I spoke not long ago with a traffic engineer with CalTrans (California Dept. of Transportation), asking him about their requirements for placement of "Share the Road" signs on a stretch of road nearby.
Oddly enough, the traffic engineer said that most roadside signage is nowadays considered "pollution" by professional traffic managers. Nobody reads the signs anyway, and they just clutter up the environment and make more work for the highway crews.
Although we as cyclists might like those signs, I can see his point.
tomcryar
09-11-06, 07:44 PM
That's a horrible plate. All it does is reinforce the misperception that "share the road" means "cyclists - get and stay out of the way!".
How?
"Beware of bicyclists - they may cost you more than your paintjob"
I don't know, in NYC I don't think any sign would help. Most of the cab drivers don't even speak English...
tomcryar
09-11-06, 08:03 PM
Could you imagine the size of the sign if we were to put "share the road" in every relevant language? Around here, it would billboard-sized.
Share the road sign is fine, we have that on the MUP with the bicycle and pedestrian side by side.
Dahon.Steve
09-11-06, 09:33 PM
Maybe it's just me, but I hate the "share the road" signs. The implication is that cars are supposed to share a lane with bikes, which isn't really true. They should never try to occupy the same space. I think it encourages cars passing too close or yelling at us to get on the shoulder.
I am not sure what other slogan should be used. What do you think is a better slogan?
That "Share The Road" sign is usually the result of some advocacy group that complained or a cyclist who was killed. That sign is not really for the motorist but for YOU to be aware that traffic is going to pic up speed and you travel at your own risk. Be extra careful whenever you see that sign.
Maybe they should have the law printed on the sign below it.
Like ARS.26.125 (not reald) which would point to our three foot law.
Share the road
ARS 26.125
I think this does two things it tells the driver it is the law to share the road, and two it gives a reference to which they go look it up.
tomcryar
09-12-06, 10:49 AM
That's a horrible plate. All it does is reinforce the misperception that "share the road" means "cyclists - get and stay out of the way!".
How?
Gojohnnygo.
09-12-06, 11:15 AM
I spoke not long ago with a traffic engineer with CalTrans (California Dept. of Transportation), asking him about their requirements for placement of "Share the Road" signs on a stretch of road nearby.
Oddly enough, the traffic engineer said that most roadside signage is nowadays considered "pollution" by professional traffic managers. Nobody reads the signs anyway, and they just clutter up the environment and make more work for the highway crews.
Although we as cyclists might like those signs, I can see his point.
I believe its sign pollution to! But these signs come in handy in a court of law if you have been run down.
Your Attorney: Your telling the court that you didn't see these signs for the last 10 years. All with a life size picture of the sign in the background.
Remember its up to all road users to be aware of all signs and read them. You are right in saying most don't read these signs. How to make them read them? Thats anybodies guess.
Johnny
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