Road Rats in South OK and Similk.

[twobits]

It appears we already have very well defined laws regarding rights and duties regarding cycling.
We have similar well defined laws regarding the operation of motor vehicles too but as we all know not everyone obeys the laws all the time. The issue is not the laws themselves but the lack of enforcement by the police.

That, we can absolutely agree on. And I would add that cyclists have been given a pass for far too long. If cyclists actually operated by the rules you posted, much of the conflict could be avoided. Even by myself.
Until John Law actually starts pulling some of these non conformist cyclers over and fining them, the flippant attitude of a few is spoiling the whole "share the road" notion.
In the Hwy 3a example I posted of the senior bike group.....I honestly think that those riders had no clue that what they were doing was actually wrong. I fully believe they thought they had a right to a lane of traffic despite a clean and very well defined 4 ft paved shoulder.
Whose responsibility is it to educate them as to the proper laws and requirements? Just maybe some licencing and a basic test before you can ride on a hyw or secondary hwy?

[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.

[cv23]

That, we can absolutely agree on. And I would add that cyclists have been given a pass for far too long. If cyclists actually operated by the rules you posted, much of the conflict could be avoided. Even by myself.
Until John Law actually starts pulling some of these non conformist cyclers over and fining them, the flippant attitude of a few is spoiling the whole "share the road" notion.
In the Hwy 3a example I posted of the senior bike group.....I honestly think that those riders had no clue that what they were doing was actually wrong. I fully believe they thought they had a right to a lane of traffic despite a clean and very well defined 4 ft paved shoulder.

What both you and I have said equally applies to all those using our roads today including a very large portion of the motorists and supposedly "professional" drivers.

" And I would add that truckers have been given a pass for far too long. If truckers actually operated by the rules you posted, much of the conflict could be avoided. Even by myself.
Until John Law actually starts pulling some of these non conformist truckers over and fining them, the flippant attitude of a few is spoiling the whole "share the road" notion.
In the Hwy 33 example I posted of the trucker convoy.....I honestly think that those truckers had no clue that what they were doing was actually wrong. I fully believe they thought they had a right to a lane of traffic despite a clean and very well defined 4 ft paved shoulder. "

[twobits]

Well I have seen far more truckers, motor homes etc use that 4ft shoulder to let traffic pass when it safe to do so than I have seen cyclists pull over when there is no shoulder and safe to do so to let traffic pass.
To me, the notion of share the road means being cognizant of traffic that is capable of travelling faster than you and giving them the "pass" at the earliest safe opportunity. You cannot in god's green earth argue that a cyclist's definition of a safe place to allow traffic to pass is anywhere near that of a vehicle that is up to 8 ft 4 inches wide.
I would also suggest that cyclist's being one of the slowest vehicles permitted on the roadway, have a higher duty to be cognizant of traffic they are impeding as per the MVA. Instead we get an "attitude of rights to the roadway" with a total disconnect to the rules as spelled out by the MVA that say thou shalt not impede traffic where a safe opportunity exists to let that traffic pass.

What that conflicts with in "cyclist sport", is your timed runs. Who would pull over for traffic when the desire is to better your last time?

[cv23]

And I experience the exact opposite. My travels are slowed by bigrigs and RV's who refuse to pull over and let the long lines of traffic behind them pass far far more often than I am ever inconvenienced by cyclists.
I guess the difference between us is that I am not so self entitled that I feel my rights should trump those of others and because of this I am willing to share the road with the all others no matter their form of transportation, how fast or slow they may be travelling, their following or not of the letter of the law or even their apparently often questionable mental state.

Life is far to short to get all worked up about something you can not and never will change, that is unless you are prepared make more of an effort to effect a change than incorrigibly ranting in an anonymous small town internet forum.