The Bogus Poll is Back

I watched this develop and was lucky to already have the camera in my hand. The first pick-up truck (a fire department vehicle) passed the cyclist and cut in front of him to parallel park. The cyclist had to hit the brakes. Fortunately, the following pick-up also braked and allowed the cyclist to swerve into the lane. This kind of conflict is common in bike lanes, and especially on Edgewater Drive.

Today’s article by Dan Tracy (another very good piece on this issue, thank you Dan) contains the same poll we posted about a few weeks ago. While Dan’s article is very good (containing excellent explanations by Mighk), the headline is inflammatory:

Cyclists want right to ride in middle of road like cars, will fight bike-lane law

As can be seen in the comments, it has attracted cyclist-haters, thus pushing the poll back against cyclist equity.

19 replies
  1. JohnB
    JohnB says:

    “[Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim] Montes said she supports bike lanes because ‘it defines for drivers and bicyclists where each is supposed to be. It’s less confusing.'”

    In other words, they reinforce the idea that bicycles and motor vehicles should naturally be separated, instead of sharing a common space. She says it’s “less confusing”, but what I hear is “the motorists don’t have to think”.

    • Keri
      Keri says:

      And that’s exactly how it works!

      I’m sure it’s much easier on the poor motorists when they can put the bicyclist in his box and disregard him. Then he doesn’t have to slow down, move over, pay attention or do anything deliberate. He can just continue on with cell phone to ear… “Oh Wait, I missed my turn!” CRUNCH.

      BTW, the group we were escorting back from the Mayor’s ride was pulled over by her husband, who is also an FHP trooper. He claimed we were impeding traffic (on a road with 3 lanes in the same direction). I was shooting video off the back. There were no cars behind us when he pulled us over. There were 2 cars behind us prior to the intersection we went through before he stopped us. Probably because they were planning to turn left.

      There were 8 or 9 of us.

      Since human powered vehicles are defined as traffic, I have to ask — what was the speed of traffic?

      • MikeOnBike
        MikeOnBike says:

        Keri said: “He claimed we were impeding traffic (on a road with 3 lanes in the same direction). I was shooting video off the back. There were no cars behind us when he pulled us over.”

        It’s interesting how often “impeding traffic” is a victimless crime.

        • Keri
          Keri says:

          Apparently he wasn’t impeding traffic while his patrol car was stopped in the middle of said left lane for 10 minutes while we read the statute together.

          To his credit, he did allow me to explain the statute and he did allow us to go on our way as we were.

          But that knee-jerk reaction is what Sgt Montes is spouting in the Sentinel article. OMG! OMG! Cyclists are going to get in the way!

          I’d just like her to accompany me to I-4 some afternoon and point out the cyclists. Surely there must be cyclists there, since traffic is crawling along at 10mph and backed up all the way from Deltona to Disney.

          • MikeOnBike
            MikeOnBike says:

            Keri said: “I’d just like her to accompany me to I-4 some afternoon and point out the cyclists. Surely there must be cyclists there, since traffic is crawling along at 10mph and backed up all the way from Deltona to Disney.”

            Heck, just bring up Google Maps and click the Traffic button. How many of those yellow and red sections are caused by cyclists?

            Google Maps had a Traffic button long before it had bike directions. 😉

  2. Eric
    Eric says:

    Because we are a minority of the minority, nobody listens.
    I don’t know what to do about that.

    • Marty Cohen
      Marty Cohen says:

      Get on the same page as everybody. As long as there is a bike civil war, everybody else will sit on their hands with the status quo until it gets worked out.

      • Keri
        Keri says:

        Whose page, Marty?

        Should the people who have developed sound reasoning through research and observation abandon their informed position to be on the same page with people who adhere to an uninformed orthodoxy?

        To what end?

        Sorry. I’m interested in changing the damaging car-centric belief systems that inhibit safe cycling, helping people make true and total use of our public roads via human powered transportation and (hopefully) saving the lives of cyclists who would otherwise have no idea about the dangers of door zones and and turning trucks.

  3. Laura M
    Laura M says:

    I think I’m just as appalled by the truck driver’s inability to correctly parallel park. My belief is that everyone should be required to parallel park and know how to drive a manual transmission in order to get a DL.

    • Eric
      Eric says:

      Parallel parking used to be a Florida driving test requirement, but I recently read that it has been removed.

      I assume it is because most people can’t park SUVs or big pickup trucks and flunking people slows down the processing.

    • Mighk
      Mighk says:

      Laura: The fire dept. driver had plenty of room, so he was able to pull straight into the parking space rather than back in. The problem was just that he couldn’t be bothered to wait until the bicyclist had passed his target space.

  4. bencott
    bencott says:

    no amount of rational appeal will ever put a dent in people’s assumptions and ignorance. i gave up trying to reason with and inform people a long time ago. now i just do what i have to do to stay safe, and i prepare myself for the worst. i don’t need anyone’s permission or agreement to ride safely and legally, so why should i ask for it? they honk, yell, throw things, pass too close, etc.., and i just smile and wave. i love using my bike for transportation, and i won’t allow anyone to turn it into a negative experience.

  5. Rick Jongema
    Rick Jongema says:

    I have to agree with Bencott on this. After I read the comments after the Sentinel article, I was initially depressed and felt a little fear. I rode anyway. I had some extra time this week and spent more time on the road than usual. I had only one incident of a honk.

    I think those that spew their venom online are mostly talking big talk and when it comes down to it will hopfully not act like they talk. I’ve read that only 3% of drivers would willfully try to hurt a cyclist. I won’t be intimidated or threatened off of using the route that I choose to go about my legitimate business

    • Keri
      Keri says:

      Rick,

      I agree.

      I don’t even read the comments.

      I have a good relationship with 99% of the motorists I encounter. A very large percentage of those seem to be exceptionally courteous. Most rides have at least once instance where someone in a car has deliberately tried to make it EASIER for me, even if it meant inviting me to “get in their way” for a few seconds. I have ridden on some fairly busy roads in the last month and I can’t even remember the last negative experience.

      • Marty Cohen
        Marty Cohen says:

        Maybe thats why you think the poll is bogus. If you look at the comments it’s about what the public believes.

        • Keri
          Keri says:

          I think the poll is bogus because it’s asking a majority, with no stake, no experience and no insight, what should be required of an unpopular minority.

          • Laura M
            Laura M says:

            It’s also not exactly scientific and is worded to be as provocative as possible. Same with the ‘public’ that bothers to leave a comment.

Comments are closed.