Sharing the Trails

[jkhunterid]

Sounds to me like Ten Bears was more than courteous in what was a multi-use area. I for one don't change my plans just because everyone else in the world doesn't schedule with me. In the morning I'm going fishing. If there are other people fishing in the river I'm not going to turn around and go home. I will treat them and their exprience with respect, which is what I expect from them. I think some people needed some more lessons on sharing whin they were little.

 

[MattK]

Hangar- If everyone just road bicycles, you wouldn't have much pavement. They pay little tax, only a license fee and that is not state wide. I do agree with you about bicycle lanes, now they need to be taught how to use the damn things instead of the sidewalk where PEDESTRIANS are supposed to be. How many bicylclists have you seen obey all the laws? NONE! I have never seen a bicyclist stop at a stop sign, unless cars are coming and even then it is seldom. It should be required that a person takes bicycle safety before he ever gets on the road.

 

[Washington Hunter]

You know I've heard that a lot (people on bicycles don't stop at stop signs) and personally I don't see what the big deal is. If they get hit by a car and killed because of it, then oh well. I doubt if many are dumb enough to not stop and ride out directly in the path of 50 mph traffic. I agree with Hangar18's views. Sure bicycles may be annoying when you're in a hurry and they are in the way. But you've got to give them credit for using a form of transportation that doesn't pollute the air and isn't using up our limited supply of oil.

 

[ELKCHSR]

The problem with the bicyclist getting run over that the blame is usually always put on the driver of the vehicle, no matter what the two wheeled idiot was doing and how wrong it was...

Most people on Bicycles don't carry run over insurance, so it is left in the courts to put the burden on the auto, bicycles kind of run on the pedestrian rules in court...

 

[Ten Bears]

There's a time for bicycling and a time for motoring, and I'ma not gonna tell others which time it is. This whole story is about ATV riders making a point about sharing the trail with bicyclers.

MATTy, I'm still waiting for you to put up some numbers.

 

[Hangar18]

Matt,

I don't even pay a license fee. I do sink about $150-200 a year into maintenance on my mountain bike because I use it for recreation and as a commuter bike 8 months out of the year. I put an average of 6500 miles a year on my truck, 75% of which is from hunting and snowmobiling. The bike gets around 1200 a year.

I also don't weigh very much (me + bike = ~220 lbs) so I have virtually zero impact on the road, therefore not impacting the costs of maintenance. I am also not belching exhaust (CO), congesting roads, not creating a demand for new roads, and not requiring demand for more parking area.

As for traffic laws, you might check what they are in Montana. If bicycles not stopping at stop signs is annoying, that is not the problem of the bicyclist. In Idaho, the law states I am not required to come to a complete stop at a stop sign, and I can run a red light after stopping. Most state laws are similar so most likely they are obeying the laws in Montana as well. In Idaho, people are encouraged, not required, to ride on the road where it is safe to do so. Otherwise they can ride on the sidewalk. There is no where in Boise that it is illegal to ride a bike on the sidewalk. Downtown, it is unlawful to ride skateboards and skates/blades on the sidewalks.

There are other things I do in traffic for my own safety that probably annoy other drivers. But I am within the law every time. Every once in a while there are a few leters to the editor about bicycles and what they do on the roads. Every time, the things people complain about are in fact lawful.

Like in all other walks of life, the few assholes make the rest of us look bad. Being polite goes a long way.



edit - here is the statute for Idaho

http://www3.state.id.us/cgi-bin/newidst?sctid=490070020.K

TITLE 49
MOTOR VEHICLES
CHAPTER 7
PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLES
49-720. STOPPING -- TURN AND STOP SIGNALS. (1) A person operating a
bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a stop sign shall slow down and,
if required for safety, stop before entering the intersection. After slowing
to a reasonable speed or stopping, the person shall yield the right-of-way to
any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely
as to constitute an immediate hazard during the time the person is moving
across or within the intersection or junction of highways, except that a
person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the right-of-way if
required, may cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection
without stopping.
(2) A person operating a bicycle or human-powered vehicle approaching a
steady red traffic-control signal shall stop before entering the intersection,
except that a person after slowing to a reasonable speed and yielding the
right-of-way if required, may cautiously make a right-hand turn without
stopping or may cautiously make a left-hand turn onto a one-way highway
without stopping.
(3) A person riding a bicycle shall comply with the provisions of section
49-643, Idaho Code.
(4) A signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given during not
less than the last one hundred (100) feet traveled by the bicycle before
turning, provided that a signal by hand and arm need not be given if the hand
is needed in the control or operation of the bicycle.