is one of my personal pet projects. Tis slow going.

~

On the subject of bending the laws, let me again recommend the fantastically done Myth of the Scofflaw Cyclist.

I can’t believe how many (generally inexperienced) cyclists around here do that, it seems too many people are afraid to ride on the roads so they ride on the sidewalks (even though it’s illegal) – especially when there’s a row of newspaper boxes and a bus bench near the corner, how on earth am I supposed to see them on time when they don’t even slow down to ride through the crosswalk (again illegal)…

the right Schumacher claims to have, which would be
1) cyclists may admittedly deny to have doped even though they tested positive twice, and are the only rider who tested positive for that substance who still deny it, and have an abnormally large head.

is that until gas goes through the roof again, too few people actually commute by bike year round, therefore negating any impact this Bill of Right might have.

C’mon, really, does anyone really believe that this lovely vision will actually become a reality?

The truth on the road out there is that you, as a cyclist, have to make you own right on the roads, because the driving masses would prefer to see you not there. And you have to take your safety into your own hands and abilities. If I get run over for doing some dumb shit, I take full responsibility- remember, I wanna come home every night too!

I’ve been commuting into D.C. the same 10.65 miles for ten years and anyone that lives in the area will testify to the traffic flow on Connecticut Ave. at 8:00 a.m.

As I mentioned in my “transitional” story, in those ten years I only crossed words with a handful of drivers.

and I still see some of the worst car and bike violations everyday. Tons of normal people on bikes running stop signs, traffic lights, riding on the wrong side of the road in the bike lane, etc. I’ve gone from rolling stop signs to stopping completely and at the least, ensuring there are no cars that will kill me. The worst is the right turn in front of me without signalling or checking blindspots. How come there are never police around when some driver is being a jerk?

Group rides are a joke too. We have a centerline rule which everyone claims to enforce until the crosswinds kick up. They talk about echelons at the start but those same people who talk ensure they make the front group and don’t help start a second echelon. There is lots of turning left in front of cars and running stop signs with cars waiting. Once the first person turns in front of a car, everyone follows, just like a flock of sheep.

All I can figure is to make good decisions when by myself or at the front of the group and hope everybody else does the same. But these are the people that are making us look bad.

google “bicycle license plate.” Now think “intersection camera.” If bikes had to have visible, rear-mounted, unobscured license plates to ride on the road (and sure, that’s doable) then running a red would get you your (reduced price) bicycle moving violation ticket in the mail, and (because they can’t pull the license that you don’t have) an eventual booting (U-locking?) of your bike if you don’t pay them.

Don’t think I really want that, but sure, it’s doable. And if you don’t want it to happen, don’t make drivers want it to happen.