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

Comments (5)


Baltimore Spokes
https://www.baltimorespokes.org/article.php?story=20090223183001245