Letter to the Editor-LAB

Dear Editor, I would like to respond to Steven Leiby's letter "Breaking The Rules" in the Jan/Feb 2009 LAB American Bicyclists. His letter is right on and timely for the situations we are dealing with on our busy roadways. I have been the Chairman of the College Park Area Bicycle Coalition-CPABC for over twenty years and the most asked question about Biking is "Why do Cyclists Break so many of the Rules of the Road when riding their Bikes?". Mr Leiby's letter points out the concern by other Cyclists when they see others doing stupid things when riding their Bikes and seem reluctant to tell the lawbreaker rider to obey the traffic laws. Every motorist stopping at the red lights see these stupid Cyclists doing stupid/dangerous things and its reflects on all the Biking Society, Along these lines when a Cyclists goes to court for their due rights they are often rebuffed by juries because the jury remembers the Stupid Cyclist on their main street and feel you constantly break the laws and now you want the law to work for you. We are now working at our State Capital, Annapolis for a 3' Bubble Bike Passing Bill to keep our Cyclists safer on the road and we are told why do you want more laws to protect you when you don't obey the laws already on the books.

In closing I would like to tell Mr. Leiby and other concerned Cyclists to approach the Stupid Cyclist and tell them we don't appreciate their unlawful behavior because it reflects on all of us. The Bike is a legal vehicle in all 50 states and must obey all rules of the road and they are subject to $50.00 fine for running a stop sign, $65 for running a stop light and $125 fine for passing a stopped school bus. It is our job as sensible Cyclists especially on group rides to correct the Stupid Cyclists and other times we see these unlawful actions because peer presure certainly works. Hopefully the discussion will continue on this important issue. Thanks Bill Kelly Chair-CPABC

by B' Spokes

Like most people I live a hectic life and who has the time for much exercise? Thanks to xtracycle now I do. By using my bike for daily activities I can get things done and get an hour plus work out in 15 minutes extra of my time, not a bad deal and beats taking the extra time going to the gym. In case you are still having trouble being motivated; the National Center of Disease Control says that inactivity is the #2 killer in the United States just behind smoking. ( http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/bb_nutrition/ ) Get out there and start living life! I can carry home a full shopping cart of groceries, car pool two kids or just get lost in the great outdoors camping for a week. Well I got go, another outing this weekend.
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What's sad is that motor vehicle drivers break laws all the time but they think they are entitled, Tom Bruni killed, it is likely that the driver was in excess of the speed limit but that was not considered a cause of the accident (because as we all know cyclists run stop signs.) Yoram Kaufman killed by a speeding diver but again not a cause of the accident because we all know cyclists do not have the right to cross a road safely.
This is Yoram's daughter (sometimes I Google him when I miss him). Just to clarify: he wasn't even crossing the street. Very likely, he veered slightly because he must have heard an SUV barreling towards him at 55 mph on a 25 mph road. Because he veered, the accident was clearly not entirely the drivers fault according to the state law.
Thanks for the clarification (and makes for a better case for safe passing distance.) MD being a contributory negligence state has disastrous implications for cyclists. Sorry about your loss, Yoram will be missed. The lady that worked with Yoram was my girls Girl Scout Leader so his passing had an impact on my family. She was a wonderful inspiration for my daughters but she had to resign as Girl Scout Leader to take on new responsibilities at work.
The most unlawful things you can imagine doing on a bicycle would pale in comparison to the things I see automobiles do on a daily basis. Running a stop sign? Sit on my porch, youll see car, after car, after car running the stop signs near my house. Running red lights? There are some intersections in the city that you cant even drive through with out running them, 33rd and Hillen when school is letting out. I sat through that light about six times trying to turn left, until it was my turn to run it. Wrong way on a one way street? Again, sit on my porch, oyu will see plenty of wrong way car action, I don't think the garbage trucks even consider the direction of the street. Exceeding the speed limit? The biggest problem on our streets if you ask me. You never see the police doing speed traps in Baltimore. Agressive driving the second biggest problem. Distracted driving, the third biggest problem. I think running red lights and stop signs is silly, and dangerous, but I do it at my discretion, I trust my own judgement. Sort of like how most people jaywalk when it's safe and convenient. This is such a tired argument, cyclists react to a poorly designed infastructure by making up their own rules, just like everyone else on the road, including cars, pedestrians.
dcannon that's a good reply! So when can we get you to come down to Annapolis and testify? ;)

Our state legislature needs to know that people are not acceptable road kill. Maryland is in the top ten worst state for the killing pedestrians rate and cyclists are the problem??? I really don't think so.

Poorly designed infrastructure with little hope of repair should be a bigger priority then what it is, especially in light of § 2-602. Public policy.
The General Assembly finds that it is in the public interest for the State to include enhanced transportation facilities for pedestrians and bicycle riders as an essential component of the State's transportation system
and the State's policy that no Federal funds can be used for on-road bike improvements. We have to change the attitude that every road needs to be an expressway as much as possible.