Coming home yesterday, a young man about driving age or older was riding his bike on the sidewalk, and I was riding mine in the lane.

"Get on the sidewalk!" he corrected me.

I replied, "Bicycles are legal vehicles on Georgia roads."

"For real?" he asked. I could tell by the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice that this really was the first time he heard the news.

It made me wonder how widespread the myth is that cyclists actually belong on the sidewalk. I wonder if people who shout, "Get on the sidewalk!" from their car windows actually think they are correct.

It would be as simple as including those facts into drivers-ed classes and books

Of course they think that they are right. Education might help.

I met a cop last week who insisted that my bike was not a vehicle because it was "moved by human power" (actually, it's propelled by human power, making it different than say a wagon or baby stroller) and it did not have a motor. He dug out the DE traffic code book and read the part aloud to me that bikes are a "class of vehicle" at which point I stopped him as obviously we had heard all that was needed to be heard about bikes being vehicles. He then threw his hands up in the air and walked back to his car. Not sure what to make of that exchange.

It would be as simple as including those facts into drivers-ed classes and books

They already are in the official study materials that the state of Georgia supplies to anyone free of charge. Its also online at their website and the information is clearly stated at the DOT website (or at least it was last time I checked). Basically, in the state of Georgia, anyone who does not know that bicycles belong on the road is either too lazy to read or too hard headed to follow the law.

Yes eduction can help. And having it in writing where people can find it can help more. For some reason it often seems on bikes as vehicles the people who have it dead wrong are the ones who are most sure and vocal. So vocal many are reluctant to disagree unless they are sure and have proof.

The next question is what points are most important, which ones you want to hammer into heads. I'll go with.

1) Bikes belong on the road
2) Bikes are subjest the all the normal rules of the road, esp. riding in the same direction as cars.
3) Bikes can be going much faster than you think.

I'm open to a couple more, but if a list gets longer than 5 or 6 then I think the importnat points get diluted.

When I was getting my driver's license, I had to take a test on 10 questions about the rules of the road. I think if even one of those questions was about cyclist's rights, it would be a big step forward.

When I was getting my driver's license, I had to take a test on 10 questions about the rules of the road. I think if even one of those questions was about cyclist's rights, it would be a big step forward.

Having a few more than 10 questions for at least initial licensing would be a more important step. At 10 questions I doubt bicycling will ever make the test. Right of way at stops, speed limit in school zones, when can you pass (really not pass is the important part) a school bus....

Far too many things that rate higher on the list to have on the test.

BTW a few years ago I renewed and it was one of those times (like every 4th time, every 16-20 years) where I had to take the test. Because it was a renewal I only had to do half the questions. Even that was 16 or 18 questions.

The next question is what points are most important, which ones you want to hammer into heads. I'll go with.

1) Bikes belong on the road
2) Bikes are subjest the all the normal rules of the road, esp. riding in the same direction as cars.
3) Bikes can be going much faster than you think.

I'm open to a couple more, but if a list gets longer than 5 or 6 then I think the importnat points get diluted.


4) "Sometimes you may have to slow and wait behind a cyclist for a few seconds until it is safe to pass."

When I was getting my driver's license, I had to take a test on 10 questions about the rules of the road. I think if even one of those questions was about cyclist's rights, it would be a big step forward.

Only 10!!! No wonder US driving standards seem to be so low.

Only 10!!! No wonder US driving standards seem to be so low.

Things are just so much better in Ontario... they ask 20. :rolleyes: For added effectiveness in weeding out the incompetent, the written tests are administered by private companies who obtain their contracts by being the lowest bidder. Just inspires so much confidence...........

Gosh, I'm sure I remember at least two dozen questions in New York state, circa 1983. Don't remember if any of them were about bikes, but I'm pretty sure it was at least covered in the manual. Don't remember the details, though...

Bicycles are in the driver's handbook, although I didn't realize it until years after taking the test. The test, I believe, was only 10 ?s and you only had to get 6 right. I don't know why so many people think bikes belong on sidewalk. Growing up, my mom (not a cyclist) kicked us off the sidewalk when we were 8 or 9. She told us it was illegal to ride on the sidewalk with a big bike. I wonder where she got that from?

It would be as simple as including those facts into drivers-ed classes and books

so you think. Not really. no. Driver's ed isn't exactly "taught". At least, not in Ohio. I think the most relevant we ever got to roads was when one of the "students" told a story about how he and his friend managed to talk their way out of a speeding ticket. First we need to get Driver's ed taught, THEN we can work on those facts beeing intertwined with the program.