Sunday, June 26, 2011

Why we can't "ride in the bike lane!!!!"

Motorists who aren't yelling "Get that thing on the sidewalk!!!" are sometimes yelling "Stay in the bike lane hippie!!!" I was followed by a guy in a white pickup truck for about half a mile until he could roll his passenger window down and yell the last one at me. I simply responded, "I can't. And you're too close." He can't see or doesn't care that there are rocks, glass, and sand bags in the lane. It was worth it to him to nearly kill me with his vehicle to make a point, and he was completely wrong. I could ride in the middle of the lane, but I wasn't. By state law, Vehicle Code 21202 (a), I am to ride "as far to the right as practicable." Not as far right as "possible." Someday I will post my back and forth with the editor of the local newspaper's transportation column on that issue. She was wrong, she argued with me that she shouldn't have to correct her column, and then relented and was forced to quote a CHP officer who agreed with me. It's the law.
This link goes to a great video of the kinds of things we seen in "bike lanes" (quotes added for emphasis) around Temecula.  
http://vimeo.com/21580758
Check it out. Thanks Zak!

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