I think these discussions, however heated, are helpful and necessary.

I've discovered two things:

1) The commonality among cyclists in their experiences;

2) The differences among cyclists in their experiences.

If we keep open minds, we might hash out future solutions to developing problems. We don't throw out the old, but integrate it into new and developing situations.

Someone will make decisions regarding how and where cyclists will ride in the future. I just hope it's cyclists, not politicians with freeways on the brain.