On Apr 12, 3:07�pm, "Shad O'Shay" <shados...@elsewhere.invalid> wrote:

My "biases" are based on my experience the same as yours. I agree that
you may have all the legal rights as a motor vehicle, no question.
But! Too many times I have seen bicyclists ride between me and the
curb to get to the front of the line at the light. THAT is illegal and
dangerous. <~~~possible reason for bias.

As an RV'er, motorcyclist, auto, and truck driver, I don't think ALL
cyclists do this. I have also seen motorcycles split the lanes in
order to pass other vehicles at over 80 MPH. That doesn't mean ALL
motorcyclists do it.

If you let this unfounded hate for RV'ers build up in you, you may
suffer some serious health risks that will over ride your effort to
stay in shape by riding a bike.

To help me overcome my biases, explain to me why there are miles and
miles of bike trails being made in every city, but cyclists continue
to ride only on the roads?

Hank <~~~~not too old to learn

There are trail bikes and there are road bikes. I prefer road bikes. The
so-called bike trails aren't really bike trails at all. They are
multi-use trails. Horses use them, people jog on them, people walk their
dogs on them. People roller skate and roller blade on them. I've even
seen people running backwards on trails (what's that all about???)
Lately people are walking around with two walking sticks. In other words
it's next to impossible for a professional cyclist to train as hard as
he needs to train using trails. His races are run on roads and roads are
where he needs to train. That's it in a nutshell. When on the road as a
cyclist I am engaging in my profession. Other than professional truckers
and those commuting too and from work who can say they are doing
anything by recreational activities on the road? Since when has it come
about that a person engaged in recreation come to believe his recreation
takes precedence over my job?

You mentioned bicycles passing vehicles on the right. You seem to think
it's illegal. It's not in some cases. Here is one of them:

● Paved shoulders – Where a curb is not present,
the right-hand edge of a roadway is the line
between the roadway and the shoulder. Since the
definition of "roadway" excludes the shoulder
[§316.003], cyclists are not required to ride on
paved shoulders, although they may prefer to do so.
A cyclist may ride only along a right-side paved
shoulder, i.e., must ride in the direction of traffic,
since this is the only practical way to comply with
the requirement to obey all applicable traffic signals
and signs [§316.074].

So if the cyclist prefers to ride to the right side of the white line on
a paved shoulder it is totally legal for him to do so. And, it is
totally legal for him to pass a line of stopped cars on the roadway.

And here's another one:

WHEN OVERTAKING ON THE RIGHT
IS PERMITTED [§316.084]
Overtaking on the right is permitted upon a street or
highway with unobstructed pavement not occupied
by parked vehicles, of sufficient width for two or
more lines of moving traffic in each direction. The
driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another
vehicle on the right only under conditions permitting
such movement in safety.
A cyclist traveling in a bicycle lane, or in a lane wide
enough for motor vehicles and bicycles to share
(see "Roadway position" above) may pass motor
vehicles on the right, but must take care to avoid
turning vehicles. Passing is allowed in these
cases since there is sufficient width for two lines of
moving traffic (one of which is bicycle traffic).
20

See how you had no real clue as to bicycle law? And you seem to be one
of the open-minded people. But you just assumed certain things against
bicycle rights that are just plain wrong. A simple reading of bicyle law
would dispell these widely held misconceptions. Sadly, I don't know of a
single drivers license written test that even mentions bicycle law and
bicyle rights and motorists obligation to treat cyclists as they would
any other vehicle.

BTW the above are taken from:

FLORIDA BICYCLE
LAW ENFORCEMENT
GUIDE
A review of
Florida’s bicycle traffic laws
to help with warnings,
citations and crash reports
September 2006
All citations are to the 2006 Florida Statutes

Feel free to Google the pdf and read it for yourself. Florida law is
typical of most state laws because of uniform traffic control.

Shad O'Shay