Gary Hoover wrote:
I agree with Jeremy here. We need to share the road. Bike lanes need the protection of pro-active law enforcement. Some folks do not believe bikes have a right to be on the road, and so ignore the law regarding this matter, endangering bikers.
I've always taken the position that to hit anyone or anything while driving one's bike/car/truck/bus is the BIG mistake. Thus driving is a cooperative experience. To do that, one has to have a certain regard for the laws. Bicycles, in my often aghast observation, seldom stop for red lights and stop signs, ride on the sidewalks, will ride against the traffic, and, even with bike lanes clearly marked, will insist on riding on the other side of the street where no bike lane is marked or expected. They have no headlights or tail lights, nor do they wear reflective clothing uniformly.
I've been bent out of shape on many occasions because there is no accepted protocol at corners where autos will be turning, bicycles could be turning (arm signals are not often practiced to, at minimal, give the driver behind a clue about something happening), and cars are parked right up to the edge of the sidewalk.
In my estimation, bicycle traffic is so erratic in behavior that it's the devils own time trying to figure out what a bicycler is up to. So, I don't think that putting the onus on the police is going to be entirely successful. Put some onus on the bicyclers as well. Get the state to pamphletize the metro area on a set of protocols. The whole situation is very, very iffy.
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