Who really owns the roads? Cars or Bicyclist?

[INTELBYTES]

Poll question: Who really owns the roads? Cars or Bicyclist?

Let's face it, bikes should never be on the road unless they have a specific lane built just for them. I have seen more near-accidents because of people trying to get around them as I have seen for City busses - which I also loathe.

But I digress, who do you think the roads belong too?

(If this aint flame-bait material, I don't know what is.)

[randr]

1. The guy with the snow plow

[camero]

2. Oddly

According to Florida Law, they have to use the roads. If they use their bike on the sidewalk they get a ticket. Which for me is probably the most unsafe thing a bicyclist can do. Also, you have to go with the flow of traffic which means you can't see traffic behind you.

Luckily in my county there is a trail that goes the length of the county but the area is sorely lacking in bike lanes.

[INTELBYTES]

3. All you people that voted for "hugging and sharing" get a life!!

Screw the cyclist!!

...and the city busses!!

[DS1]

5. Screw you and learn to drive

:eyes:

[Fovea]

11. Like Spring, I celebrate the arrival of $3/gal gas to your neighborhood

As I, a disabled cyclist who can no longer drive, pedal on by you in the upcoming return of the block long gas lines.

Sure I share the road with cars, but many of them don't share it with me. So I wish all those who feel like yourself a grand time pushing that Ford Excessive down the road to NIMBYVILLE and walking to work when gas shortages start this summer.

[HuckleB]

27. Is this a sick joke?

Or should I just...

:eyes:

?

[theoceansnerves]

4. by law

in california cyclists must ride on the road, even if there isn't a bike lane. in 99% of the cases there wouldn't be "near accidents" if people were a little patient and waited for a safe spot to drive around a cyclist. you hate public transportation too-- so whats everyone supposed to do, walk or buy a car?

[gyopsy]

6. Think of all the problems biking would solve

Obesity, traffic, oil woes, auto insurance costs, etc. The list goes on.

[Racenut20]

7. When bikers pay fuel and road tax they can have the r oad.

Until then, get the hell out of the way.

[theoceansnerves]

10. okay

so by this logic someone with a car that gets really good mileage should have to use the road less because they pay less in fuel taxes? someone with an electric car shouldn't be able to use the road at all because they pay no fuel taxes?

[Fovea]

12. Most bikers also own a car.

They also pay for your gasoline hogs by breathing your pollution.
So until you route your exhaust pipe under the driver seat, perhaps you might consider sharing the road.

I saw a great bumper sticker that I would love to put on all the new SUV's in Box Store Mall. It says --

"I'm changing the climate! Ask me how!"

[HuckleB]

23. Do you really think that pays for all roads?

Sorry, but if you want to play that game, let's play who does the most damage to roads and make cars pay their fair share. Cyclists are subsidizing roads for automobile drivers. So get off your high horse and into reality.

[Nikia]

8. The sad thing about biking

I don't have statistics but my college chemistry book has a few page blurb about relative risk. One of the examples is that any health, life extending benefit received by biking is offset by the rate of bicycle accident fatalities.
When I biked 7 miles to work for my first post college job, most motorists showed no consideration to me. They rode ridiculously close to me even though I stayed to the far right side of the road. They stayed fully in their lane as they drove past, most slightly speeding on the 45 mph road. I ended up riding most of the way on the lightly graveled shoulder of the road once I got out of town even though it made the trip much more strenuous.

[HuckleB]

25. Wrong.

That's an old wives tale that doesn't pan out to the test of the statistics, especially when one compares cycling to automobile driving for both a lack of exertion and the accidents that lead to death and injury between autos.

[absyntheNsugar]

9. THE PEOPLE!

We fn' paid for them....they belong to us whether on a bike, foot, unicycle or automobile...

[pmbryant]

14. The most sensible answer!

Bicycles are allowed on the road (most roads, anyway) and thus have as much right to them as do automobiles, motorcycles, etc.

We all pay for them.

--Peter

[IronLionZion]

13. The guy with the best lawyer

It takes huge balls to ride a bike on busy roads

[DS1]

16. Is that why I had to get a different seat?

:evilgrin:

[SOteric]

15. Tax payers. Now get over it, all of y'all.

[Ookie]

17. I live mere miles from the "bicycle capitol of the world"

Redmond, WA that is. It would be nice if there were a LOT more bike lanes, and if cars were a bit more accomodating to bikes, but the fact is in a confrontation between a car and a bike, the bike will lose every time. If you do ride a bike in traffic, PLEASE remember that. I used to commute through Freemont (near Seattle - lots of bikes) and was frequently amazed by the HUGE chances taken by those on bikes.

[HEyHEY]

18. You wanna ride a bike on the road? Move to Bejing!

Seriously though, I think bikes that are riden in traffic should have to pay a certain amount of insurance. Because I have seen a couple accidents caused by bikers, which I'm sure the car driver was blamed for.

[HuckleB]

24. What does having insurance have to do with blame for the accident?

Heck, if the auto driver had insurance, then he or she would have someone to back him or her up, if the accident was really the cyclist's fault.

By the way, since most cyclists also own cars, they have insurance policies. Their auto insurance also covers them on their bicycles.

[INTELBYTES]

26. Finally a voice of reason.

Also, you pay taxes to drive your car on the road. You did not pay taxes so they would build a road for your bicycle. Learn how how to drive like the rest of modern civilization!

[HuckleB]

28. You might want to do your homework.

Cyclists do pay a heck of a lot for the roads they drive on. Those fuel taxes and license fees don't cover it all. In the end, automobile drivers are seriously subsidized by cyclists. So if you want to play that game, then get out of my two-wheeled way or start paying your fair share!

[baldguy]

19. Speaking as a cyclist who was once hit by a car.

Cyclists do. Or, they at least should have the right-of-way, Most automobile operators have no friggin' clue what is going on around them. A Chinese dragon could be fucking a T. rex on the hood on the car and they would continue to talk on the cell, or eat their hamburger, or play with their radio. Some are even belligerent toward cyclists. I've been cut-off, crowded, cut in front of, sworn at, and much more.

According to the law, a person on a bicycle is a vehicle with the same rights and responsibilities as an automobile. I pay my taxes. I've got the same right to be on that public road with my vehicle as anybody else.

If you have a problem with cyclists, it's because YOU'VE got you head up your ass.

[The Lone Liberal]

20. Long Haul Trucks

With the driver on speed.

[ashling]

21. The truth is

that I own the roads, and its time that you people started paying for their use. I accept small bills only.

[NashVegas]

22. Earthquakes, Floods

"he who has the power to destroy a thing …"

[sweetheart]

29. Britain has set an interesting precedent

British bicyclists are protected by laws that make the car
driver UBER responsible for any traffic collision... basically
if you touch a cycist with your car, you are in serious trouble...
VERY SERIOUS trouble.

I've watched cars queue up behind cyclists on 2 lane roads that
they could pass around them. The law has made a huge huge factor
of saafety for cyclists.

[DS1]

31. I get that a lot here in liberal oasis Mass

People will truck behind me for blocks before passing, sometimes even ignoring me waving them on. Granted there's the mandatory share of MASSHOLES.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

30. Other - Pedestrians

Don't they generally have the right-of-way over bikes or cars? There's no situation where you are allowed to just run down a pedestrian. Highway, busy intersection, wherever, you are not supposed impede a pedestrian with your vehicle and that includes bicycles.

[Nikia]

32. I feel safer walking/running on the road than biking

I have much better position consciousness when on foot as opposed biking. I walk into traffic as opposed to with my back towards traffic like biking. I have an easier time jumping out of the way on foot if I need to (and unfortunately I have needed to jump to avoid being hit by a car who was obviously intent on running me down).

[arewethereyet]

33. trucks, the bigger the better