Re: Rights v Responsibilities

On Tue, Feb 8, 2011 at 7:59 AM, Rod Skeggs <touringindochina-/[email protected]> wrote:
> Of course, no matter where you go you will always get
> self centered imbeciles who believe their rights exceed
> your rights

Yes.

There's also civility and cooperation that go along with
rights and responsibilities...

On roads, I'm generally slower than other traffic.  I
generally try to let faster traffic pass without delaying
them unnecessarily while not encouraging unsafe
passing.  I try to ignore any verbal abuse.

On multiuse paths, I'm faster than many other
users.  I don't zip by, passing too close, or
yell...  I slow down, say hello, and wait until
it is safe to pass.

> "stop the vehicle and get out so we can discuss it like
> men!  Sadly, those types rarely stop?

I hope you mean engage in the mutually respectful
exchange of ideas through polite conversation.  %^)

My roadside efforts in this respect have not met with
much success.  Entertaining, yes.  Successful in
changing contentious driver behavior, not so much.

A friend and I did were waiting in line at a stop light.
Stopped side by side behind two or three cars.  The
driver of the vehicle in front of us steps out of his car
to 'let us know' that we should not be riding in the
road.

I said, "I'm sorry, but you are mistaken, cyclists are
allow to ride in the road..."  He replied that his police
officer friend had told so and that we needed to "get
out of the road'.  I suggested his friend might need to
review Texas transportation code regarding bicycles*.
He said, no, we were wrong, he was right.  We
offered to call police and wait for them to arrive, but
he declined to wait.  %^)

* we were within 'code'
- The lane was less than 14 feet wide.
- We were no more than two abreast.

and (under non-bicycle-specific part of the code)

- We were not impeding traffic.  (we were waiting for
the traffic light to change)

Jon