Darby OGill wrote:
> "Brian Nystrom" <brian.nystrom@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:a5qRh.9046$hI4.8448@trndny08...
>> Judging by the list of newsgroups this crap was spammed to and the fake
>> return address, it appears that the real point of this post is to piss off
>> as many people as possible. This is TROLL, nothing more.
>>
>> As a cyclist, this is aggravating as it's hard enough to get drivers to
>> share the road without some moron like this guy encouraging them to "knock
>> us off".
>
> As a motorcyclist, I know where you're coming from.
> Everyone seems to think courtesy is for the other person.
> Patience is a virtue.
>
> PS-I seen some sanctimonious cyclist too. I'm sure not you!(or me)!

Sure. No road user group is completely without blame. Jerks are jerks,
regardless of what they're driving or riding and you're always going to
encounter them.

What most motorists don't realize is that in most states, bicycles are
considered to vehicles, just as cars, trucks and motorcycles are. As
such, we DO have the right to use a lane if need be. From a practical
standpoint, we typically try to stay out of the way and use shoulders
where they're available and in adequate condition, so we don't impede
faster traffic. Staying "as far to the right as practicable" is often
also required by law.

Although I do most of my riding solo, when I do ride with groups, we
ride single-file unless the shoulder is wide enough to permit us to
double up without intruding into the travel lane.

What amazes me is the amount of harassment I get from people driving a
5' wide car in a 10' wide lane that don't think they have enough room if
I'm riding near the white line on the edge of the road. This past
summer, I even had some brain-dead "bimbette" driving a Jeep that her
mommy and daddy must have bought her try to tell me that I should be
riding on the sidewalk (which is illegal here). At the time I was on a
road with 2, 10' wide travel lanes and a 6' wide shoulder. Apparently,
that wasn't enough room for her.