I have to agree with those whose approach to obeying traffic laws is pragmatic, since sometimes these laws don't fit well with the situation; this applies in spades to cycling where, IMO, one's own safety is paramount after that of others for which you are responsible, and where following the strict letter of the law can be death (as St. Paul teaches us. Wait a minute ...).
I live 1/2 mile north off an access road from a major E-W artery, which it is necessary to cross to get to the city's major N-S bike/recreational trail. The artery is divided at the intersection, with provision only for cars heading West and turning South. I have with full deliberation, for lo these 16 years, violated the traffic law by using this left/South turn lane as a way to turn East toward the bike path. Until I carped and nagged at the City to put in a ped crossing a few yards East of the intersection, there was no realistic legal way for a cyclist to make this crossing. They did put in said ped crossing, but it's a half-assed (tech term in project management) solution that requires the cyclist to walk or ride East across the mouth of the access road just where cars behind him are piling up to turn right/West, and cars approaching from the East may well be planning to turn right/North. So I continue to violate the law happily unless traffic his really heavy, in which case I walk the bike as described to the new ped crossing. So sue me! (When I gently suggested that the City install a zebra crossing, or at least a ped crossing sign, either at the junction or a few yards north, the rep said, "Nope, 'cause that would give pedestrians the idea that they had a legal right to cross there." Or meaning to that effect. Again, dumbass half assery predicated on the principle that the car is real and that nothing else is.) -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Patrick Moore Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/CALuTfgvGBsqboZwjPJrDpmMM2LbQJ8aPLqAHBUCMwtTPok%2B%2BHg%40mail.gmail.com.
