Road Rats in South OK and Similk.

[twobits]

Well if yer that old maybe just stay home and solve 2 problems...lol

Not that old, well maybe to you lol. Tech just advanced too fast for me to keep up or care about. That's what employee's are for. BTW, I have a cell phone that has got to be 20 yrs old now. No camera, no data capability, but it still works great as a phone and the primary reason I originally bought it. And one two hour charge gives me 7 to 10 days of use. Bet your ph won't do that lol.

As to staying home....nah. I have decided to employ a different tactic. When I see a group of comfort pants approaching a grade, I'm gonna get in front of them and drop to a basement gear, hog the right lane and shoulder were there is one, and make them pass me in the left lane. We'll see how much they like playing that roulette game they have forced me to play.

Edit to add- Do I not after all have an equal right to that right hand lane, just as comfort pants do, no matter how fast I choose to or am capable of travelling? If a 60 yr old cyclist can only do 3km/hr up a grade and take up a lane of traffic legally, this 60 yr old truck driver is going to exercise the same right.
Go fer it, pass me on the left.

[Symbonite]

Well Get ready for Granfondo LOL....

http://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton/ ... dy-to-roll

http://www.granfondoaxelmerckx.com/

[Donald G]

Big bucks for the community. Not too much in gas sales though.

[twobits]

Big bucks for the community. Not too much in gas sales though.

I am not against the race. It is a great thing for local business. I will happily stay home for the day and let them have the roads. I will gladly stay home 12 times a yr for such events. My only wish is a better system on the road network for the local trainees that does not mean the lowest common denominator on the roads is a cyclist.

[Donald G]

To twobits ...

That sounds reasonable but I do not think that, at the present time. there are enough bicycles on the road to warrant the huge road upgrades needed to make the situation more compatible for cyclists and motor vehicles.

Kind of like being 17. Too old to be considered a kid but too young to be considered an adult. Caught in between what is best for the cyclists and best for vehicle drivers because of inadequate numbers of each as compared to other areas of the province.

[twobits]

To twobits ...

That sounds reasonable but I do not think that, at the present time. there are enough bicycles on the road to warrant the huge road upgrades needed to make the situation more compatible for cyclists and motor vehicles.

Kind of like being 17. Too old to be considered a kid but too young to be considered an adult. Caught in between what is best for the cyclists and best for vehicle drivers because of inadequate numbers of each as compared to other areas of the province.

Agreed. There are not currently enough of them to justify huge road upgrades. Until then we need some changes in the laws that do not give cyclists the right to a lane of hwy and make that hwy and all of the traffic that uses it bow to that lowest common denominator.
We make that distinction on designated freeways for a reason. No cyclists, no hitchhiking to ensure the movement of vehicles be it commuters for work, or provision of goods and services. We need to extend that reasoning, or a hybrid of it, to include our hwy's.
Farm tractors and equipment are also allowed on our hwy's even without road insurance if they are going from one land plot to another or a repair shop. Here in the South OK and Similk we are very familiar with them. There are thousands of them yet I have yet to come up behind a farm tractor that was not completely respectful of the traffic they might be impeding. They will pull over at any time they are impeding traffic flow.
They have exactly the same right to be on the hwy as a comfort pants cyclist but apparently are not as arrogant to expect the traffic to move at their limited speed capability and force them to wait until there is a safe passing opportunity. What is the reason? Shave another minute off the last ride time so screw the traffic?

[cv23]

Around 275 children ranging in age from 1 to 13 participated in the 2015 Kids’ Piccolofondo at Gyro Park.
"It gets them out participating, and it's fun to see all the kids having a good time," said Nancy Telford, the team captain for volunteers at the event.The Piccolofondo was one of the highlights of the Granfondo weekend in the city.The young riders rode between 400 m and 5 km (depending on age division) on a circuit that shares the same start/finish line as Sunday’s Granfondo, Mediofondo and Cortofondo courses.

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... htm#143945

As to staying home....nah. I have decided to employ a different tactic. When I see a group of comfort pants approaching a grade, I'm gonna get in front of them and drop to a basement gear, hog the right lane and shoulder were there is one, and make them pass me in the left lane. We'll see how much they like playing that roulette game they have forced me to play.

Sad to see that age has absolutely nothing to do with maturity for some users of our roads isn't it?

[Steve-O]

Instead of wasting time ranting and raving on this forum twobits, why not google road biking in the south okanagan and see if you can't find who is leading these groups of cyclists and present your concerns to them? You're not going to change any laws from here but if you try being respectful and courteous to these groups, you may have a little luck impacting their behaviors. As a suggestion, don't start with calling them road rats. Just a thought.

[Steve-O]

That's cool about the Piccolofondo CV. Took the family to Squamish a few weeks back and rode the Test of Metal and the kids did the Mini Metal the next morning. We had to ride their route several times so both could ride it with the GoPro on their bikes. Squamish is a community that has embraced cycling to their benefit, both on and off road. Cycling groups on wine tours are big business in California. The Okanagan is well situated to reap these same rewards.

[twobits]

Sad to see that age has absolutely nothing to do with maturity for some users of our roads isn't it?

Apparently tongue in cheek sarcasm eludes you. I would never intentionally endanger anyone on the road.....even a road rat.

[cv23]

Apparently tongue in cheek sarcasm eludes you.

Sorry to hear that you find even the idea of intentionally endangering a cyclist, simply because of their attire, to be in some warped way humorous. Just plain sad and immature but I guess the elderly self entitled sector of the population needs to find something to chuckle about no matter how sick and twisted the idea may be.

I really like the idea of lanes on our highways specifically designated for cyclists. Since it is motor vehicle drivers, specifically truckers, who feel they are so self entitled that they should not have to share the road with the cyclists who have every right to use the roads, the cost of these new cycle only designated lanes should fall soley to the motorists and truckers. Obviously truckers want this the most so should have no problem paying the largest share of the cost to create the cyclists only designated lanes. A new dollar per liter tax on diesel and 50 cents a liter on gas would be a good "start" to get them what they want and seeing that double annually would make it possible for more and more cyclist only lanes built making more truckers happier every year.
The far less costly alternative would be for everyone to simply share the roads and respect the rights of all other travelers also using them.

[twobits]

I really like the idea of lanes on our highways specifically designated for cyclists. Since it is motor vehicle drivers, specifically truckers, who feel they are so self entitled that they should not have to share the road with the cyclists who have every right to use the roads, the cost of these new cycle only designated lanes should fall soley to the motorists and truckers. Obviously truckers want this the most so should have no problem paying the largest share of the cost to create the cyclists only designated lanes. A new dollar per liter tax on diesel and 50 cents a liter on gas would be a good "start" to get them what they want and seeing that double annually would make it possible for more and more cyclist only lanes built making more truckers happier every year.

And I like the mature attitude that says if you want to use the roads, expect to pay something for them. Maybe like licencing and a tax on your carbon fiber 5 thousand dollar recreation road bike toys, that is dedicated to paying for shoulders or pathways you can travel on that does not conflict with motorized traffic or trucks trying to bring groceries and spare bike parts to local stores.

It's funny that we can all recognize why skateboarders and long boarders do not belong on the roads, yet somehow recreational road bikes get a pass. Why is that? They are after all both purely recreational activities.

[cv23]

And I like the mature attitude that says if you want to use the roads, expect to pay something for them.

Cyclists already have use of the roads and thanks to the provincial governments "General Revenue" all branches contributing to and feeding at the same trough method of funding/financing who is to say they are not indeed paying for that right? I guess its to late to remind you that it is you who has advocated for taking away cyclists rights in favor of giving your group exclusive use of the roads. Exclusivity has a hefty price associated with it especially if you expect to gain that exclusivity from taking away something, especially something as significant as a right under the law, from another. Those seeking this type of exclusivity will have to compensate those who are to be excluded from their existing rights and that compensation should be to provide an alternative.
Maybe another alternative to truckers and motorist funding bike lanes for disallowing cyclists on roads might be creating more private pay for use roads like the 407 in Ontario for the exclusive use of trucks and cars you want? Either way those who want the exclusive use of the roads will be the ones paying not those who are happy to share our roads with others as we do now.
If you really are serious and want to continue on your crusade to see cyclists banned from the roads contacting your MLA would be the place to start. Please keep us abreast of the proceeding by posting copies of all correspondence both sent and received.

If you can't figure out the skateboard thing here's a hint: "mechanical form of propulsion"

[twobits]

If you can't figure out the skateboard thing here's a hint: "mechanical form of propulsion"

Neither have an engine. Both rely on the power of humans be it arms or legs. Or gravity.

So again, why are skate boards banned from road lanes and bikes are not? Skate boards also have friction brakes like a bike. Why are you privileged to a lane of traffic and they are not?

[cv23]

So again, why are skate boards banned from road lanes and bikes are not? Skate boards also have friction brakes like a bike.

I'm sure when it comes to why certain things are not allowed on our roadways your MLA can answer your question on a level you can comprehend, either your MLA or a ten yearold.