Bicyclists want to derail Black Hawk's ban

The Denver Post ^ | 6/15/10 | Jason Blevins

[Kenton]

I've read this thread a couple of times, and it took me a while to decide where I come down on it.

Bike traffic and motor traffic are not the same thing because of any number of obvious reasons, like the great differences in speed, vulnerability, and survivability in an accident, and licensing/insurance requirements.

It seems that there is a legitimate safety issue involved with bike traffic on this particular stretch of road, and local authorities would be negligent to not address it. The fact that these inherent differences in traffic characteristics are creating conflicts between cyclists and motorists is reason enough for the town to take action.

Widening the roads to establish dedicated bike lanes is one answer, but that is a tax burden the local people shouldn't have to bear to support the hobbies of people passing through town.

Until that issue is resolved, I don't see any easy answer to this question short of a tax on bikes to pay for the additional resources they require, combined with rigorous local enforcement of safety laws to ensure that bicycle traffic does not impede motor traffic (similar to boating regulations that large craft have the right-of-way over small pleasure craft).

[Nervous Tick]

>> their activities impinge on the rights of others to use the roads in the manner for which they were designed.

Roadways were designed with bicycle use in mind. Every state allows bicycles on most public roads.

Is it your informed libertarian position that because sharing the road with a bicycle that has every legal right to be there is an inconvenience to YOU, then the bicyclist’s liberties should be curtailed? Please explain.

[handmade]

Bicyclists mostly arrogant elitist....

Yeah that’s why we have the BRAN rides for charity, going across the state of Nebraska. Have a different ride coming up also that is for getting clean drinking water for countries that do not have...

Isn’t it fun to lump everyone you dislike into one camp so you can make ignorant statements.

Biking is like everything else. There are those that are stupid and there are those that are sensible. It is kind of silly to paint with such a broad brush.

[FrankR]

"It's funny that you actually know NOTHING about what vehicles I own and use and how much taxes I pay."

Actually, I don't really care if you own "United Van Lines".

Your answer is the typical answer I get from bicyclers; they think if they pay taxes on their car, it makes it ok to used the roads to bicycle for free.

Meanwhile, motorcyclists have to buy tags, taxes and insurance...and they cause very little damage to the roads.

You are not paying for that bicycle to USE USE the road.

It's not "funny" that I know "nothing" aobut your other vehicles, it's normal...how would I? That does not negate the fact that your bicycle is NOT paying to use the roads. Your bicycling friends then want to protest when a city bans you from the sidewalks...which are for PEDESTRIANS.

When you buy a license plate, pay taxes, get insurance and a license for your bicycle, you'll have an argument...until then, you just have your spandex panties.

[hoosierham]

Bikes are banned (as are pedestrians,horses,and other slow-movers) from the interstates because mixing slow speed and high speed traffic leads to inconvenience,delays, collisions, and deaths.

When the infrastructure was being established no room was left for the old way as each new way took over the task of moving the most goods and people quicker.

Bicyles on the road are like the $2 bill and $1 coin -there just isn't a place to put them in the established commerce.

[FrankR]

I give to charities, but I still have to pay gas taxes, ad valorem taxes, license fees, registration fees, and insurance...so "riding for charity" does not give bicyclists carte blanche for "demanding" highway rights.

You can rationalize it to death, but until bicyclists pay their fair share of using the roadways, don't expect me to have very much respect for you.

Everyone wants to be Lance Armstrong look-alikes.

[from occupied ga]

Bicyles on the road are like the $2 bill and $1 coin -there just isn't a place to put them in the established commerce.

There are a reasonable number of roads around here that have bike lanes, but the bicyclists seem to avoid those roads, and frequently avoid the bike lanes as well. When they're in a group, they don't run on the bike lanes single file, but spread out into the traffic lanes as well.

[from occupied ga]

Everyone wants to be Lance Armstrong look-alikes.

So THAT explains all the spandex.

[Paladin2]

Get out of your automatic transmission vehicles. Owners of same are dangerous and a pox upon the country.

Give up on your statist mentality and note that you also know nothing about my wardrobe. Given that ~ 50% of Americans support the other half, trying to extract a gov't theft from bicycles in addition to all the other theft perp'd by gov't is a losing proposition.

[tioga]

why can’t the town build a bike trail through it.......so they can avoid the narrow roads with the trucks.

[handmade]

My point wsa not all bicyclists are as you describe. However you can justify your attitude any way you want. And for the record there ain’t no way I would ever look like a Lance Armstrong.

[FrankR]

"Get out of your automatic transmission vehicles."

This debate is ended, you lost. You're not paying your way, and that's it. And by your repetitive, non-sensical reference to automatic transmissions (which have been around since the 40's), I think you're a nutcase.

Go "pedal" your nonsense to someone else, I'm done with you.

[Paladin2]

BTW, where’s your license and tax receipts for walking on the sidewalk, comrade? Papers Please!

[Nervous Tick]

>> This debate is ended, you lost.

Well, that’s certainly the *easiest* way to “win” a debate, if not the most convincing.

[Paladin2]

"You're not paying your way, and that's it."

Wrong. Please lay out the incremental costs of riding a bicycle on public roads. Include road damage, space usage, Locality tax revenue loss from tickets, etc.

[Melas]

It happens to all of us brother. I once argued that a .40sw was more powerful than a .357 because I misunderstood something I’d read. Embarrassing is the operative word for that one.

[Melas]

A little sensitive today are you? Btw, you did not win that exchange no matter how emphatically you declare that you did.

[FrankR]

It’s called SALES TAX, County Tax, City Tax, and property tax...or don’t you pay those either?

[Paladin2]

So, you do drive automatics? How helpless.