Click here to subscribe today or Login.
Would it be a good idea to …
… call a truce between bike riders and motorists?
Our editorial in last Monday’s edition, in which we advocated for the local expansion of bike share programs like the one to be introduced this spring in Philadelphia, inadvertently ignited the old who-owns-the road debate.
One reader posted this comment: “I think that if they implement this program, bicycling traffic laws need to be stressed to all who borrow a bike. Too many bicyclists have no respect for the fact that they have to obey traffic laws and signals. …
“I see a lot of anger toward cyclists in general,” the statement continued, “and it is usually based on a bad experience with a cyclist who had no respect for the rules of the road. Most cyclists know and obey the laws, yet they face misplaced anger due to the few cyclists who do not. Adding a greater number of cyclists who have little to no knowledge of how to safely and legally ride on the road will not only pose safety hazards, but it will likely have a negative impact on cyclist/driver relations as well.”
The online message soon drew this retort:
“If you actually believe that, get a bike and go for a ride,” it stated. “You will see it is the car drivers who don’t obey any laws. This is a challenge. I guarantee you will have a whole new outlook on the matter.”
Before long, fuel was added to the fire by someone seemingly bothered by “the bicycle lobby.”
“The stuff they push, such as Vision Zero, relies upon poor traffic engineering and predatory enforcement,” the comment stated. “It also causes severe congestion, reduces capacity, tickets safe drivers and causes altercations. Most people do NOT ride bikes for transportation. For recreation there are great zero- or low-traffic areas. When you put the bike lanes in, where do you get the space from? A travel lane or parking? I NEVER see anyone using the one in Mountain Top on state Route 309. What a waste. The handful of bikes now can just use the normal roads.
“If these people want to pay a fee to drive on the road, have a license plate and insurance, then we can accommodate them better. I am not sure where they think they have all this say as to what we do.”
Can Northeastern Pennsylvania’s bicyclists and people behind the wheel find philosophical common ground, then learn to better share space on the streets? As spring approaches, and cyclists get in gear for another riding season, it’s a conversation worth having – for safety’s sake.
Give us your feedback by sending a letter to the editor or by posting comments to this editorial at timesleader.com.
Likewise, tell us your ideas for improving the community and making area residents’ lives better. Maybe we’ll spotlight your suggestion in a future editorial and ask readers, “Would it be a good idea to …”