Originally Posted by
MB_Commuter
"Mommy? How did my daddy die? Was he killed in a war?"
"No honey."
"Was he a fireman who died rescuing people from a burning building?"
"no sweetheart, he wasn't a fireman."
"Was he a policeman who got shot trying to catch a bad guy?"
"No honey, he wasn't a policeman."
"Well, if he wasn't a soldier or a fireman or a policeman, then how did he die?"
"Well sweetheart, your daddy rode his bike on the road with cars even though there were sidewalks he could have used. He insisted that because it was legal for bikes to be on the road, they should be able to ride on the road with cars."
"Didn't daddy ever learn about matters of dejure and defacto?"
"Yes, your daddy was very smart, he knew about those things, but he was stubborn."
"I like my new daddy. He's a Republican who drives a big gas guzzling SUV with W stickers on it. He'll never get run over on a bicycle."
If you wanna fight that fight, go right ahead man. I'll take my chances and stay alive for my kids. I don't think bicycle road rights is a cause worth dying for. I don't wear any commuter gear other than a backpack and for the .5 miles of sidewalk I use before I get to the bike trail, I slow down or stop for pedestrians if I do happen to encounter them. (I don't encounter any in the morning.)
As your tag says 'newbie', your ignorance will be somewhat overlooked. What will you do when some old lady or child pops out of a store and runs under your front wheel? I hope your insurance covers that civil suit. Riding the roads isn't a political cause being fought, it's where we ride, because it's the safest place for everyone involved, not perfect but definitely the safest place. 1/2 mile on the sidewalk, slowing down and stopping for peds? Madness, get roller blades.
*edit* You move off trail to let two other cyclists pass? You are unclear on the concepts aren't you?
Humour? hmmm debatable.