From: rlewis@muskwa.ucs.ualberta.ca (Robert Lewis)
Subject: Re: Stubborn Cyclists
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 20:04:33 GMT

atovorni@engr.UVic.CA (Andreas  Tovornik) writes:

You might be surprised but most serious cyclists would agree with most
of your points, with one major exception.

>It gets that way [i.e., slow and congested] when cyclists use the whole 
>right lane in congested traffic, and that's what I'm complaining about.

The reason cyclists take a whole lane is because they have learned that
hugging the right edge of the road (i.e., 6"-12" from the curb) results
in cars squezing past when there isn't room.  Even the Canadian Automobile
Association has suggested riding at least three feet from the curb or
from the line of parked cars.  In light traffic cars pass simply in the
inside lane.  In cogested traffic you  may have to slow down a bit but
the delay is usually more apparent than real, at the next light you'll
find your self stuck right behind the same car you were behind before
you passed the cyclist.  What determines the average speed of cars
(below the speed limit) is the number of cars on the road.  Remembering
that a cyclist takes up much less road space than a car and that the
reasons cyclists are on the sort of roads described here is the same as
those of car drivers (i.e., to get somewhere reasonably quickly), if 
there are a few cyclists then having them switch to cars probably won't
make any difference to the average speed of traffic (unless the road is
already very close to gridlock).  If on the other hand there are lots of
cyclists using the road then switching them to cars will cause a slowing
of the average traffic speed as the road approaches gridlock.

>Pedestrians should be on sidewalks where they belong, like bikers should
>be on bike paths.

If bike paths were quicker, more convenient, and safer than the roads
then cyclists would use them.  As they are not (no not even in Holland,
in a nutshell, like cars most bike accidents take place at intersections
and bike paths make intersections more dangerous) most serious cyclists
don't use them if they can help it (in Holland they can't help it, its
the law).

>Isn't your bike equipped with a little generator and light? Those things
>exist for a purpose.

Exactly, bikes at night should, and usually by law must, have lights.  Try
to get the cops to enforce this.  In this city cycling groups have
consistantly asked to police to enforce traffic laws, their response has
been that they don't see it as a serious problem, i.e., a serious
problem for cars.  When you are riding at night (yes with a light, 10W
halogen front, 3W halogen rear, more than a generator can handle), make
a right turn (yes signalling first) and you have to suddenly swerve to 
miss some dick head riding on the wrong side of the road without any
lights you come to realise why cyclists do see it as a serious problem.

>No, not illegal, I use lane change signals and make sure there's lots of room.

Then no serious cyclists will have any problems with you.

>Not likely. I haven't hit one yet. And I usually give them lot of room.
>It's waiting at red lights that gets me too close to bikers, when they pass
>inches from the car, just to get up to the intersection. If they waited behind 
>my car, I would treat them just like other traffic.

In Canadian Cyclists Association courses we teach this (as they do in
the League of American Wheelmen), in books on proper riding techniques
in traffic, and from most serious cyclists you will hear don't pass
stopped cars on the right at stops signs or lights.  Whether it is
illegal (which in some places it is) or not it is unsafe, stupid, and
will gain you only the few seconds of time the length of those cars
represents. 

What is amazing is that most of the people you see riding a bike like
an idiot have a driving licence, own a car, and if they were in that car
would be cursing riders just like them, situaltional ethics at its
finest.

Do everyone a favour, ask the cops to start enforcing the important laws
relating to bikes:  lights at night, signalling turns, no riding against
traffic, no riding on the sidewalk, no running lights, etc.

Robert M. Lewis
Department of Sociology
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada