Originally Posted by Helmet Head
It's probably representative of cycling Portlanders!
The "we're special" and "we should be treated specially" sanctimonious attitude exhibited by many cyclists is breeding more and more resentment. Big surprise.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Bike lanes reinforce the notion that cyclists have an obligation to stay out of the way of motorists, and that's the last notion cycling advocates should be looking to reinforce. To the contrary, we should be putting our efforts and resources towards quashing such a notion, and instead emphasizing that we are equal users with the same rights and responsibilities of vehicle drivers. But you're all tired of the same ol' song, so I'll stop.
There is no need for the "probably," you could read the letters. Most are actually from the driving public, though there are a significant number from the cycling public as well. Remember though, that letters in forums, blogs, and the editorial page are not necessarily representative of the entire public. The volume and subject of these posts simply point out that this subject is one which raises emotions on both sides.
Like I said in the OP, you can sing your song, but bring something new to the table. What personal experiences have you had where bike lanes were reinforcing the notion of a obligation to stay out of the way, and why do you think this behavior was caused by bike lanes specifically? You have spoken very little about your 30+ years of experience, surely in that time and in your cycling in other states and countries you have some tales to tell which allowed Forester's (and other's) words to ring so true. I want a discussion on these topics, but one grounded in personal experiences and not on theory and semantics.
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Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --
the tiniest sprinter