Allysa Rueschenberg is a high school senior who gets it. This track star from San Luis Obispo High School in California rides for fitness, riding "95 percent of my mileage on regular roads." She can give some lessons, though, on how cyclists should use the paths.
I live near the Bob Jones Bike Trail, so this path starts and finishes my ride. I expect pedestrians. I ride with my hands on the brakes and call, "on your left." People get out of the way quickly and politely, often offering a "hello" or "good morning." Sometimes, I have to slow to a crawl or even stop completely for kids on trikes weaving around or speed walkers taking up both lanes, but I do it patiently and with a smile because a few years ago I had training wheels, and I love to see people and families getting exercise and having fun.
Allysa also refutes the common argument that gasoline taxes are used to fun bicycle facilities.
Mr. Anderson claims that funds for these trails come from "gas taxes auto owners pay, not bicycles." This argument does not make sense. Is this an assumption that pedestrians own cars and pay taxes, but cyclists do not? And is money even the issue here?
And what about them darn cyclists who all break the law?
I don't deny this, but I can guarantee that there are as many jaywalking pedestrians and reckless drivers as there are careless cyclists.
You go, girl.
Read the entire essay here.
1 comment:
car drivers are so hypocritical in their sensitivity to cyclist running stop signs...
the car driver can exceed the speed limit as a modification of the law
most every car driver fails to make a complete stop at 4 way stops
and a cyclist rolls through a stop sign after checking to see that it is clear in an effort to maintain flow of traffic
and well
the car drivers a banging on the steering wheel, honking their horns, and yelling instructions out their window
they want it both ways
but
they really don't want cyclists behaving like cars
taking the whole lane
forbidding cars to pass
making complete stops at stop signs
thus forcing a slow accelleration which cars would have to endure
man
I hate this stuff
people make me mad
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