ILTB, kudos to you for riding on that road. And for being willing to be the only one riding to your work every day. Both show a fortitude shared by precious few.
I like your bike and style of riding, too. Both similar to mine. I don't try to convince anyone else to cycle either, except by example. I'm glad I don't have to ride on that road.
These mile-in-your-shoes insights make it easy to understand where you're coming from. If I commuted on that route, and the city/county built a bike path or MUP beside the highway, I'd use it. I wouldn't consider it unwelcome "segregation", but a very welcome
escape. I might lobby to get such a path built.
I know where Steve Goodridge is coming from on the bike lanes in the NC Triangle area, too, and there (and in many similar places) I can see his point. There, most of the bike lanes were carved out of existing WOLs. I ride similar streets with WOLs here in Statesville, without the bike lanes, and I prefer the ones here. Hard to say where I prefer to ride overall, though. Lots more riders in the Triangle, which is a big plus. Less traffic here.
All of which I bring up only to note that different places are...different. With different advocacy needs and with different appropriate styles of riding. I do think almost all best practices for almost all places would fall under a big, loosely-defined "vehicular" umbrella.
But I agree with you that insisting upon one narrow, dogmatic interpretation of VC or one approach to "facilities", for everyone, everywhere at all time is a Bad Idea.
And I also agree with you that joining LAB could be a Good Idea, in addition to a primary focus on local advocacy, since there are some commonalities in cycling which are best served by a vigorous national organization.
BTW, thanks especially for stating a little of what you are
for. I admit I get frustrated when people say only what they're
against.