[mohshee]

So I recieved an email this morning from a Texas bicycling advocacy group. Apparently, this small city in north Texas, near Dallas, is banning cyclists from riding on the roads. At least, that is what the email claimed. This group was encouraging all cyclists to attend this big meeting to help overturn this ban.

Well, my initial reaction was, 'wow! that is nuts. Why would an entire city ban cycling on the road?'. So I did some research into this and it turns out that it is only a section of one particular road largely due to construction and what not (unsafe conditions?). Frankly, I think that there are lots of roads that cyclists shouldn't be allowed to ride on (poor visibility, no shoulder/bike-lane, high traffic, etc). And there are always dumbasses that ride these crazy-busy roads anyways and gripe about cars not seeing them and such.

But I was a little disgusted with the "sensationalistic" email making it sound as though cyclists' rights have been enfringed upon. Like, "oooh -- we have a cause and we should all jump on board and demand our rights as cyclists". And I wasn't crazy with how their own advocacy website limited the facts of this ban and made it out to be an issue much more serious then it actually is. Maybe I am totally wrong on this.

anyways, just a rant.

 

[laura]

I think that you will find that most advocacy groups are sensationalistic and reactionary. Its unfortunate for those of us who have a low key approach to advocacy. You don't have to pissed off/piss others off to make a difference.

 

[mohshee]

it just seems kind of unfortunate to me, in that good intentions are perhaps being channeled in the wrong way. I think advocacy groups have the potential to be useful. But I haven't had much experience being actively involved with one. In large part, for fear of their crazed issues.

We have had a rash of road cycling related accidents here lately in Austin it seems -- several deaths and multiple injuries. -Many of which are the fault of the auto drivers. But some cyclists can be to blame too.

It is just something that kind of bothers me. I am, in addition to being a mud hunnie, a road rider and work-commuter and see a lot of stupid drivers and cyclists.

 

[sanjuro]

So I recieved an email this morning from a Texas bicycling advocacy group. Apparently, this small city in north Texas, near Dallas, is banning cyclists from riding on the roads. At least, that is what the email claimed. This group was encouraging all cyclists to attend this big meeting to help overturn this ban.

Well, my initial reaction was, 'wow! that is nuts. Why would an entire city ban cycling on the road?'. So I did some research into this and it turns out that it is only a section of one particular road largely due to construction and what not (unsafe conditions?). Frankly, I think that there are lots of roads that cyclists shouldn't be allowed to ride on (poor visibility, no shoulder/bike-lane, high traffic, etc). And there are always dumbasses that ride these crazy-busy roads anyways and gripe about cars not seeing them and such.

But I was a little disgusted with the "sensationalistic" email making it sound as though cyclists' rights have been enfringed upon. Like, "oooh -- we have a cause and we should all jump on board and demand our rights as cyclists". And I wasn't crazy with how their own advocacy website limited the facts of this ban and made it out to be an issue much more serious then it actually is. Maybe I am totally wrong on this.

anyways, just a rant.

I'm not sure why this was posted in the MH forum, but here some local stories: (http://www.biketexas.org/content/view/710/71/ and http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/collin/frisco/stories/DN-annabikes_19cco.ART.North.Edition1.22bda1ac.html)

First, it looks like two different towns had bike bans, Keller had a temporary ban due to road work (which was lifted), and Anna imposed a ban on a 2 lane, 55mph, state road.

It sounds like this road thru Anna is not exactly a dreamride. However, commuters may have to ride it or it might be a connector to a better route.

This could be a "give an inch, take a mile" fight, where if cycling is banned from one road, then other roads might also be restricted.

As for the "sensational" aspect of this protest, it seemed pretty level headed to me, although the Dallas News article was easier to read.

 

[S.K.C.]

laura:

I think that you will find that most advocacy groups are sensationalistic and reactionary. Its unfortunate for those of us who have a low key approach to advocacy. You don't have to pissed off/piss others off to make a difference.

Very well put.

Here in State College the roadies/XC people from the area get together every once in a while for something called a "Critical Mass"... and oddly enough, all of the riders who participate in this don't seem to see the irony.

Basically, as an effort to raise public awareness of cyclists on the street, they all get together (20 to 50) and ride in one big group down the middle of main street which is College Ave. Hence the name Critical Mass: "We are important to share the road with too". Now, College Ave. is a one-way 2-lane street that is EXTREMELY busy, with parking on either side near the curb, bus stops that handle the campuses busses which make stops every 10 minutes, and pedestrian crosswalks galore.

So imagine if you will, being anyone OTHER than the "Critical Mass" cyclists on this street, stuck in traffic because a bunch of college kids are trying to get some point accross by riding their bikes down the middle of the street.

I'm from NJ right outside of NYC, and if they tried to pull this on the streets of Manhattan, they would be:

a.) Mowed down by a Taxi
b.) Mowed down by a bus
c.) Mowed down by a commuter
d.) Shot
c.) Stabbed
e.) Beaten
d.)......................................etc.

So unfortuntely their "Critical Mass" is really more of an apropos title for the anger level they bring forth in the drivers around them.

 

[sanjuro]

laura:


Very well put.

Here in State College the roadies/XC people from the area get together every once in a while for something called a "Critical Mass"... and oddly enough, all of the riders who participate in this don't seem to see the irony.

Basically, as an effort to raise public awareness of cyclists on the street, they all get together (20 to 50) and ride in one big group down the middle of main street which is College Ave. Hence the name Critical Mass: "We are important to share the road with too". Now, College Ave. is a one-way 2-lane street that is EXTREMELY busy, with parking on either side near the curb, bus stops that handle the campuses busses which make stops every 10 minutes, and pedestrian crosswalks galore.

So imagine if you will, being anyone OTHER than the "Critical Mass" cyclists on this street, stuck in traffic because a bunch of college kids are trying to get some point accross by riding their bikes down the middle of the street.

I'm from NJ right outside of NYC, and if they tried to pull this on the streets of Manhattan, they would be:

a.) Mowed down by a Taxi
b.) Mowed down by a bus
c.) Mowed down by a commuter
d.) Shot
c.) Stabbed
e.) Beaten
d.)......................................etc.

So unfortuntely their "Critical Mass" is really more of an apropos title for the anger level they bring forth in the drivers around them.

Not to start a CM defense here, but there is a critical mass in New York City. It is the most contentious CM in the world, having 100+ arrests during the one right before the Republican National Convention and continual undercover police intervention.

People ride in Critical Mass for various reasons. I do it because it is fun. I know the "advocacy for bikes" is a bs reason, and I don't offer it to anyone.

As for your run down of what can happen on a bike in Manhattan, as someone who is from NYC, I used to commute from Throgs Neck to the Lower West Side.

 

[OGRipper]

Critical Mass stirs dialogue about cyclists rights wherever it occurs. It's a basically harmless, somewhat organized form of civil disobedience that works partly on the old "any publicity is good publicity" theory. It challenges drivers to chill out and think for the five minutes or so they might get delayed if they happen to be in the wrong place once a month. Maybe I'm just a hippie but I wouldn't want to live in a town that won't tolerate something like Critical Mass.

I am not a militant crusader, and the people who are most vocal at the Masses I've done don't really speak for me. But it's fun and raises awareness. Most of the people stuck in cars are laughing and honking horns in support. The others should unbunch their panties and lighten up. It's no different from any other traffic jam most will mindlessly tolerate just about every day.