Re: Rights vs. Responsibility

I have an opposite viewpoint on this. If the roads are "bad" then I
will most certainly take my bike over driving. Why attempt to take
control of my 3500 pound vehicle that can easily maim or kill others
when it looses control on snowy roads? Far too many people drive
during snowstorms that I see spinning out all over the place that
clearly don't know how to control a vehicle in those conditions.
Should they really be behind the wheel of such a potentially dangerous
steel cage?

I have yet to fall while cycling on roads and I commute year round in
all conditions, putting on 10k miles in the last 3 years. I can say
with absolute confidence that if that were to happen, I will not be
maiming or killing anyone else. I've learned how to ride safely and
appropriately for all conditions, so it's still my instinct to grab
the bike when I've got somewhere local to go. I take the lane to avoid
inviting a car to pass when it's too dangerous, and found that drivers
are very understanding in poor conditions. I've yet to be honked or
yelled at in winter conditions. In fact, I probably keep the roads
safer because it keeps the traffic speed down, and no car should be
driving the speed limit in winter conditions anyway.

I do have a car, but in order to drive it to work I would need to
remove the snow, get out of my uphill driveway onto a state road (hard
enough on this busy road in perfect conditions) drive across town, and
hope to find a place to park remotely close to my office. Usually the
best parking is still about 5+ blocks away, so I still have to walk
5-10 minutes when I get there. Or I can just grab the bike and get
there in 20 anyway, staying very warm from biking on the hills.

Andy
On Sun, Feb 6, 2011 at 3:19 PM, John Strong <stronghold42002-/[email protected]> wrote:
>   Okay, I am all for bicyclist's right to the roads and am an avid cyclist myself, but there is a point where we all need to balance common sense with that right. With recent weather conditions I feel it is a matter of common sense to not ride when you have to ride down the tire ruts to get anywhere. There are times when we would be better off and much safer to ask a friend for a ride or travel in our own car until the conditions improve. I mean, what are we trying to prove by riding in unsafe conditions anyhow? I know that there are some out there that only have a bike for their sole form of transportation, but if you are riding unnecessarily in terrible weather, then I feel you are not only putting yourself in danger, but also endangering auto drivers, truck drivers, bus drivers and any others that have to quickly slow down or swerve to avoid hitting a "crazy biker" that is riding in a snowstorm or blowing rain just to prove a point. With rights come
>  responsibility and lets all use some common sense. We lose enough bicyclists without doing stupid things to aggravate things. What do you all think???