Posted on 12/13/2010 11:23:36 AM PST by SmithL
We've finally become resigned to the fact that we're under home lockdown the entire day, due to the riders' total disregard of traffic laws, lanes, etc.
Ditto! There is an over-abundance of cyclists here and they just run red lights when they want to. It is crazy. I cycled in Germany, the rules were pretty simple, stay on the path, obey the rules and watch out. These folks want special privileges because they are under the assumption they are better than us. Germans didn’t seem to have two sets of laws, one for cyclists, one for cars. In addition, they drive on narrow, winding, mountain roads here (to “try out the gears”), it is dangerous for both cars and cyclists, but they don’t have the courtesy to pull aside or anything. Riding a bike on a highway or roadway should be illegal without specific bike lanes. My apologies to all law- abiding, courteous cyclist.. so both of you can calm down.)
Classic political economy. if you shake down a few people for large sums of money, people don’t put up a fight. You slow-cook the frog. This is like ancien-regime style tax farming. Better to have a statewide discussion about levels of taxation - and what we want to spend it on - rather than do it this way. But someone’s gotta pay for those 90% police and firefighter pensions...
What’s the fine for farting?
>>Some people think they are above the law<<
I ride a bike and drive a car. I always stop at stop signs with my car. I don’t even slow down when on my bike - IF visibility is good and there are no cars. Otherwise, I do it like when I am in my car. So many of our laws are “lemming” laws, anyway, and I confess that even in my car I take that in consideration - like when I backed up one half mile on I-405 (during a complete traffic stoppage) so I could get to the previous exit and take an alternate route. That is a reckless driving ticket, btw. I just chanced that there would not be any cops and the traffic was ao light (It was 4 in the morning) that I would stop when I saw a car coming, and then start backing when there were none.
It does not mean I think I am above the law. It means I consider most laws to be designed for the worst common denominator (16 year old, or little old lade on meds) and that the cops are aware of that too.
The zero tolerance attitude is always repulsive, but it can bring the school some cash for a while, kinda like red light cameras.
We have bicyclists riding on the roads in our mountains and they are a nuisance. They don’t abide by the laws, and there is no way to identify them.
I wish they had to register their bikes and have license plates like cars do. Let their licensing fees pay for the bike lanes that they demand.
They ride two and three across on our little two lane highway. Cars are required to pull over if there are three or more cars needing to pass, but bikes will stay in the lane as long as they darn well please. I once passed one (going the opposite direction) that refused to let traffic pass, and I passed hundreds of cars that were stacked up behind him. I passed that line of traffic for 20 minutes. This was morning rush hour, and all those people were late for work.
We have bicyclists riding on the roads in our mountains and they are a nuisance. They don’t abide by the laws, and there is no way to identify them.
I wish they had to register their bikes and have license plates like cars do. Let their licensing fees pay for the bike lanes that they demand.
They ride two and three across on our little two lane highway. Cars are required to pull over if there are three or more cars needing to pass, but bikes will stay in the lane as long as they darn well please. I once passed one (going the opposite direction) that refused to let traffic pass, and I passed hundreds of cars that were stacked up behind him. I passed that line of traffic for 20 minutes. This was morning rush hour, and all those people were late for work.
If he doesn’t like it just remind them of this when the contribution letters show up after graduation.
Of course, if safety was really a concern at some places with a lot of bike traffic, the school could design one of those things I've seen where a cyclist wouldn't even be able to travel without dismounting. It's basically an arrangement of staggered barriers on a bike path leading to a crosswalk across a busy road that forces cyclists to dismount.
Here's a photo of a simple one:
A metal pipe that gets “accidentally” shoved into the spokes of one of those bikes may give them a good reason to alter their route next year, eh? :-P
Dr. Ferris - “Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed? We want them broken.” ...”The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens?”
This is rich! Liberals upset with the rules of their own police state.
Hey, I do agree these fines are excessive.
But we drivers have to deal with those excessive fines and associated increased insurances costs too.
And the principle of punitive or consumption taxation has now been enshrined - meals taxes, sin taxes, sales etc etc.
We’ve proven to the politicians that as long as it is someone else’s ox getting gored, we don’t mind.
Froggy sez water all nice and warm, what’s the problem, just some cyclists getting justifiably nailed.
There will be settling eventually in the form of reduced pensions....there’s no other way.
I ride a Segway and detest bicyclists. I’ve been knocked down by some effete a$$hole who came round a blind corner on the sidewalk full-tilt boogie. No regard for what may lie in wait around the bend...Stevie666
I think I remember that story. It seems the railing was along a handicap walkway and the bike was impeding wheelchair access. He/she was told twice not to do it anymore. I think in one case the front wheel was removed and he/she had to go to some administrator’s office to get it back.
Here in Boston we have adult bicyclists riding the sidewalks. They feel safer than being on the street with cars. They endanger pedestrians especially children. I was forever incensed to see them pedal past the Science Museum where thousands of families with small children daily had to run a gauntlet of bicyclists with a state police station only a few hundred yards down the road. Bicyclists need regulation. Adult ones should also pay fees for road maintenance.
I do the same. When there is no crossing traffic, I think it is safer for a cyclist to not stop to avoid being hit from behind. It's a bit of a catch-22, though. Cyclists run stops, drivers then expect that and can be caught off guard if we do stop. The only time I've been hit was from behind while stopped at a light.
Several states have changed their laws so that cyclists can treat stop signs and lights as yields. It's safer for cyclists and improves traffic flow.
Welcome to the world of Big Sister Government...or worse...Big Mother!
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