Let me start by saying Thank You to the 90% of drivers I encounter on the roads in San Antonio that “get it”. They’re patient, they pass me with plenty of clearance, they yield the right-of-way to me when applicable, etc. What’s comforting about all of this is that I know, from experience, that the majority of drivers I share the road with are not represented by the uninformed, mean and sometimes downright malicious comments that a very small minority of motorists feel compelled to make every time a cycling-related article is posted online by the local newspaper.
So, I’m going to ask that small minority of drivers out there and anyone else that’s interested to tune in, for a few moments, on some facts. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. That’s a right we all share and can exercise freely as Americans. But an opinion and a fact are two different things.
This is the first in a series of posts about Sharing The Road that I hope will educate and inform both motorists AND cyclists.
Myth #1 : “Get on the sidewalk you idiot!”
For the two or three drivers that have shouted this to me while passing, this section is especially for you. First, let’s start with the law in San Antonio, Texas (where I live). This is straight from the San Antonio Police Department’s article on bicycle safety : “In addition, in San Antonio, City Ordinance does not allow bicycles to be ridden on sidewalks (except for law enforcement and emergency personnel) [City of San Antonio Ordinances Sec. 19-286]”. Any questions?
But why would the City do something like this??! It’s simple. The Texas Transportation Code clearly states that when riding on a public road, “A person operating a bicycle has the rights and duties applicable to a driver operating a vehicle…[TTC 551.101]”
Simply put, a bicycle on a road = a slow moving vehicle and should be treated as such. Do these same drivers shout and yell at construction workers driving heavy machinery on the road in front of them? I bet they don’t and that, I find very curious. Like that heavy machinery that ends up in front of you in the lane ahead, a cyclist is likely to cause you a very brief inconvenience. Seriously. Time it. I doubt any slow moving vehicle, including a cyclist, creates a delay of more 30 seconds and that’s being conservative.
Need even more evidence? There are these signs you might see on your drive home. They have a bicycle on them and they’re yellow. One variation of this sign says, “Share the Road”. Not “Share the Sidewalk”. Exactly. A traffic sign, created with your hard-earned tax dollars and created by your government, is trying to inform you that you may see a bicycle on the road or in the lane near you and it’s OK.
From personal experience, the two car-bike accidents I have almost witnessed involved cyclists riding on the sidewalk in the opposite direction of the flow of traffic. They approached a driveway where a motorist was trying to make a right turn and by a huge amount of luck the driver caught them in their peripheral vision and jolted to a stop before running over them.
And finally, let’s not forget that bicycles are very efficient. That means I reach speeds of 25-30mph on some downhill stretches of bike commutes. I am sure joggers, walkers and other sidewalk users might have a word or two about how uncomfortable they would feel being approached by a cyclist who might be doing 15-20mph
Myth #2 : Those bicyclists don’t pay vehicle registration and other fees so they shouldn’t have access to the road
This is a popular argument by folks that believe bikes don’t belong on the road. It’s weak for a couple of reasons. One, most cyclists own a vehicle and pay the same taxes, registration fees, etc. that everyone else does and that’s whether their car is used everyday or sits in their garage as a dust magnet. Secondly, a big part of these taxes and registration fees is used to maintain and repair the road – according to the Texas Department of Transportation, “Vehicle registration fees contribute almost $1.3 billion a year to build and maintain state and county roads.” Bicycles are lightweight with a very small footprint on the road (my tires are less than 2” wide). Bicycles are not wearing down the road, creating pot holes, etc.
Hope this has helped. Sharing the road is a dual responsibility. Cyclists have to do their part by using hand signals, riding in a predictable manner and obeying traffic signals and signs. More insights coming soon in Part II…
As a car owner (family fleet = 4 vehicles) who also bicycles, the "no fees/taxes" argument rings hollow. I drove over a million miles in 18 wheelers as a young man, so if the taxes argument comes up, I propose something equitable – like Trucks get all the lanes on the freeway, and the 4-wheelers (cars) get one lane on the access road. Hey – it's the relative amount of taxes/fees paid, right? Then the bicycles can ride down the shoulder in safety – Trucks know how to share the road.
Phil Y
Bicycles impede traffic, why should bikes bellowed to do that when cars can't.
Actually, bicycles – by law – are not allowed to impede traffic. Meaning, if a cyclist sees that he has created a mini traffic jam behind him, he is obligated to pull over when it is safe to do so and relief the congestion.
Now, that said, a cyclist is not impeding traffic if there is ample opportunity for a driver to pass safely or switch into another lane to pass the cyclist.
Sharing the road means just that. A healthy give and take by both motorists and cyclists. It can and does work…