From: timf@eskimo.com (Timothy R. Flanagan)
Subject: Re: Bicycles are Vehicles
Organization: >>> Eskimo North (206)-FOR-EVER <<<
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 06:11:54 GMT


In article <1992Dec11.022425.13943@eskimo.com> wix@eskimo.com (Dennis Wicks) writes:
:In article <1992Dec10.031248.17806@eskimo.com> timf@eskimo.com (Timothy R. Flanagan) writes:
:>                             I only ride on the sidewalk when I have to
:>(bicyclists *do* have to, as we aren't allowed to park anywhere else).

Well, I received an email reply emphasizing the fact that lots of covered
off-street parking facilities *do* have bike racks, and they *do not*
charge bicyclists to use them (better to give us greasy monsters free
parking than have us block the entrances to nice clean office and retail
establishments with our filthy machines:-).  Anyway, I didn't really make
myself clear originally.  I just meant that the bike version of "on street"
parking *is* the sidewalk, in most cases.  Sometimes, it is a bike rack
on the sidewalk, which makes it pretty clear that bikes are intended to
be on the sidewalk by *someone*.

:>When I am on the sidewalk, I ride at a velocity equal to that of the
:>pedestrians, sometimes slower so as not to frighten them.  (There's nothing
:>quite so unpredictable as a wide-eyed pedestrian trying to jump out of the
:>way of a bicycle.  They *always* seem to jump *into* one's path.)
:>
:There is nothing quite so unpredictable as a cyclist wobbling
:down the sidewalk at a speed so slow they can barely keep their
:balance.  They always seem to wobble right in front of you.

Actually, this is also true (although I am personally capable of
maintaining a track stand at 0 mph on any incline, for several minutes,
with no hands on the handlebars, but that's another story).  And
I do not "ride on the sidewalk" anymore than a car "drives on the
sidewalk" when it pulls into a garage, for instance.  The sidewalk is
a pedestrian concourse which wheeled vehicles must occassionally
traverse.  The law, however, *does* recognize the "right" (?) of bicycles
to travel on the sidewalk.  I simply do not agree with that portion
of the law, and choose instead to behave as if I were a "motor vehicle".

This evening, I had an interesting traffic encounter which illustrates my
original point.  I was northbound on Broad, about to cross Denny.  I was
waiting for the light, occupying the left-hand lane.  A motorist to my
right asked why I was in that lane.  I told him it was because I was
going straight through, not turning right.  As a general rule, whether
I'm operating a bicycle or an automobile, I don't like to occupy the
right lane at a light when I'm going straight, because I *must* wait
till the light turns green, whereas the person behind me might be turning
right, and may be able to do so while the signal is still red.
So if I sit in front of them, I force
them to wait through the light when they may not have had to.  It's just
a small courtesy I try to excercise.  I'm sure the vast majority of
motorists never even notice that I *intentionally* got out of their way.
Anyway, a right-turner had prevented this driver from making the light
in the right lane, and I prevented him from slipping through in the left
lane.  He indicated that I "fucked up" since I could go straight through
from the right lane as easily as the left.  He was not interested in my
explanation.  Not knowing how unstable this individual may have been, I
unzipped my coat, offering immediate access to my SIG-Sauer P-226 9mm
pistol and 31 rounds of Winchester Silvertip jacketed hollowpoint ammo.
You see, I am keenly aware of how efficient a weapon a car can be, so
I still considered my self hopelessly "outgunned", if things really got
out of hand.  Anyway, I continued to attempt a rational explanation of
my actions, and offered to show the motorist a copy of Title 46 of the
Revised Code of Washington (I carry the relevant page with me).  His
response (which I thought rather clever, actually) was "Well I know
what *your* title is."  The light turned green at this point.  Being
rush hour, however, no auto can make any better time than a bike, so
I was right next to him at the next light (5th and Broad), as well as
the next (5th and Mercer).  To make a long story short, he was pissed
because "You bikers" (me included) "always run lights", etc.  I told
him flat out that *I* do not do this, and after going over this point,
he stated that "if you guys are going to use the road, you've got to
obey the same laws as cars."  To which I replied "I understand that,
and that's why I yell at bicyclists when they run lights."  "You do?
Well, you're OK then."  Basically, we parted on pretty good terms.

Just another in a continuing series of everyday commuting adventures.

-- 
Timothy R. Flanagan				
ACLU  EFF  NRA
tim@reed.edu  
timf@eskimo.celestial.com