Share The Road
 

Here's a interesting read I found at the car site Jalopnik.com. Currently at 391 replies. Enjoy...

Let?s Revisit What It Means To ?Share The Road?

If you actually read it, it's not that bad. He's just saying bikes should have lights at night (true, IMO), and that sometimes cars will need to be in the bike lane briefly. It's not really an article that says much.

I think it says a WHOLE lot in its "us and them" attitude and its generalizations about bicyclists. If someone had stereotyped a particular race of people or followers of a religion this way, we'd be all over him/her for it.

Us cyclists often label motorists the same way. I can see potential negatives, but I can also see that basic descriptors are easy way to get points across and are not, in and of themselves, a negative stereotype.

Good article, pretty funny. It actually highlights some of the problems with bike lanes, namely poor sight lines for motorists pulling out from driveways and side streets, and the potential for vehicles blocking the lane as they're trying to pull out, causing you to have to go around, or even stop if you can't safely go around. Then of course the idiot confrontational cyclists, with no lights, who pitch a fit about the car in the bike lane, just to pitch a fit about it - like that dude in Seattle who had the little episode with the woman and her car a week or two ago. If you see an obstruction from a considerable distance, just go the hell around and don't be a dick about it!

Glad to hear the author will calmly pass a cyclist without making a big deal out of it when he sees a cyclist in the traffic lane. Good job!

Ahh... heck... one stops for cars all the time. Ever notice that few bike paths have stop and yield signs, but bicyclists, joggers, and walkers seem to survive. Yet, get out on the road, and one ends up sitting and waiting for stop lights to change colors to impart a magical sense of safety. Even when the only car to be seen is painted with a funky black and white color scheme, and is full of donuts?

I realize that a car has to cross a bike path at times, and I dislike passing cars on the right with a right turn blinker on (especially if they are at the front of a row of cars). On the other hand, mid-block, stopping and obscuring a bike path is often not necessary. And when bounded by a curb, there is often no place to go, especially when pulling a trailer.

Some cars seem to realize the issues... some don't.

Why would it be more "proper" for a delivery truck to park in a bike lane than to park in the middle of the road? So, it is ok to inconvenience bikes, but not cars?

Newsflash, sometimes cars, delivery trucks, etc. block the regular travel lanes as well. And you know what? People get over it, and go on around.

Stopping as far right as possible still partially blocks the travel lane which still leaves room for cyclists to pass and motorists still need to change lanes, so it causes the least disruption to all road users. Even not blocking the bike lane, the driver must still cross the bike lane with freight handling equipment, and freight.
Keep in mind when the driver is making a delivery they are a pedestrian, but exposed to many more dangers than a pedestrian while handling freight in the street

IMO, the idea that riding without a light in a well-lit urban area is particularly dangerous is a myth. There is no forest of ghost bikes in my neighborhood despite the fact that it positively teems with ninjas. I myself have somehow survived numerous rides at night sans lighting. I kid you not.

Ninja cyclists and pedestrians are not going to disappear so motorists simply need to accept that driving more slowly and paying closer attention is necessary at night. I mean for pete's sake, if a road is posted at 25 mph would it kill someone to drive 20 mph at night?

Around here the roads are 55 MPH roads.
There enough deer and other animals on the road that it is worth it to take care in the evenings, but not all cars do.

I'd rather give cars adequate time to prepare to pass, rather than having them slamming on their brakes every time they come up on me.

There are enough dead animal carcasses along the road that it is obvious that not everyone stops in time. I don't wish to join them.

You missed this bit: well-lit urban area. Philfy, for example.

Parts of Eugene-Springfield are duelling banjos territory (albeit with more tie-dyes, roots music, and organic produce).

I had no problem with the article. We are all partners on the road and it sounds like Mr. DeMuro sees it that way.