I thought this area was bad for motorcyclists but...

[biker_rach]

They have insurance, so I don't care what they do.
You still haven't answered my question as to why a motorcyclist has to pay to use the road (via registration and insurance) and a bicyclist doesn't.

You know the answer why, as well as I do.

Cuz that's how the laws are written.

Besides...you gonna make a 8 year old register and insure their Schwinn?

I agree. This is one of the silliest agruments I have ever read.

There are many differences between bicycles and motorcycles that warrant the later paying insurance and registration while the former does not. Starting with 1. BIKES ARE NOT MOTORIZED VEHICLES.
2. They are light (cause no damage to the roads while a motorcycle does damage roads).
3. They do not pollute (whilst a motorcycle Does). I'm sure this has less bearing on the matter though.
4. Other reasons I can't think of right now 'cause I'm just baffled that someone has to argue this point.

The government tries to ENCOURAGE people to ride bikes rather than cars when possible. It has nothing to do with how many other vehicles the person owns/ pays insurance on or whether the person is driving to work or for leisure.

You REALLY think that every Tom Dick and Mary needs to pay registration and insurance to go out for a stroll on their bike? No joke? You _really_ think that? It's people like you who get into politocs and screw everything up. Lets tell all the bicycle owners to get registered and insured (or just tell them they can't ride on the roads). That ought to help eliminate bicycles and help global warming and obesity along their way.

[WheelieGrip]

Anyone in this forum that is bitching about bicycles on the road, do any fo you ride bicycles? Oh. Thouht so.

[Bachstrad37]

I get a kick out some of various peoples' responses to this thread. All this law being thrown in without any use of common sense or courtesy is making me pass gas.

As a rule, slower traffic keeps right - in any book. This claim of "I have the right to be on the road because I pay taxes, and you didn't" is just plain arrogant. And some motor vehicle driver use their massive vehicle in intimidating manner to show their ignorant point. Ooh yeah, that'll teach em! That same philosophy gets used with big arse SUVs on motorcyclists (us) and some of you using the same rationale with bicycles! Where does it stop? Fact is, any idiot can get behind a big vehicle and intimidate lesser sized vehicles. Do you see the logic here?

I'm not siding with idiot bicyclists not obeying traffics laws either. As a former bicycle road racer, I've seen plenty of idiots not obeying traffic signals, driving against traffic, running stop signs, hogging the middle of the lane while driving 12mph, etc. etc. - and this like any other vehicle is a rider issue. Don't fog your judgement by categorizing/stereotyping the type of vehicle they drive. There's a level of skill and know-how on how to operate everything from your kitchen toaster to driving an 18-wheeler.
Do everyone a favor and educate yourself and love ones on how to properly operate these devices instead of posting blame and use of big arse metal vehicular objects to justify your right for being on the road.

There's plenty of risk of driving a motorcycle or a bicycle on public roads. We educate ourselves to minimize the risk. No matter what vehicle we use, the problems start when people lay blame instead of driving responsibly and respectfully. If you want to blame anything, blame it on people's ignorance in properly doing their part.

[basshole]

I do. So whats your point?

Anyone in this forum that is bitching about bicycles on the road, do any fo you ride bicycles? Oh. Thouht so.

[CNF2002]

I thought most laws were just responses to people's stupidity and lack of responsibility.

[The Grinch]

Part of the bad attitude motorists have towards bicycle riders is caused by the cyclists themselves.

I've ridden a bicycle on the road for 30 years and have been a road racer (not professional, but a Cat. 2 amateur racer), and I try to observe what my fellow riders do. I'd say that at least 90% of them run red lights, totally disregard stop signs, and generally feel that traffic laws are for everyone else except them.

Then they b!tch and moan that motorists don't respect them as equals. Duh! With the hypocritical view that traffic laws don't apply to them, why do cyclists feel motorists should treat them as equals? If they want respect from other road users, they'll have to start obeying the same laws that eveyone else obey.

[flynrider]

I don't have a bad attitude towards cyclists (i am one myself on occasion), but XM23 does point out why some do. I often have had close calls with bicycles that were running red lights and stop signs. Amusingly, the bicyclists seemed to think I was somehow at fault for the near miss.

On the two occasions that I've made contact with cyclists they were confident that I was in the wrong, even though one had run a stop sign and the other was doing 20 mph down a tree lined sidewalk (impossible to see from where I was). Both got a rude awakening when the cops arrived and ticketed them. As an aside, neither one ever paid to fix the dents they left on my truck.

The one thing that cyclists could do to improve their image would be to follow the rules of the road.

[Dichotomous]

road taxes are a large part of the gasoline price, so technically us on motorcycles, which is all of us here, have less "right" to use the roads as hummers and supercharged vipers and whatnot.
cyclists on the street are considered pedestrians whenever that benefits them, and considered cars whenever it benefits the walkers, its a chain of priority that gives MUCH more weight and legal right to the road to those that dont have the immediate "might" of 2 tons of steel at high velocity. Must be pretty important to the lawmakers and regulatories that people stay safe then, considering how car crazy this nation is, heck, we'll even incinerate and bomb other countrys to get the fuel to be a little cheeper to play with our cars, cause they are SO cool......

I only ignore stop signs on right hand turns when I'm not in anyone way, otherwise I practice track stands

[Bachstrad37]

Man, it is sad isn't it?

[Mintbread]

BIKES ARE NOT MOTORIZED VEHICLES.

You are kidding, right?

If that is in fact the case I am going to have to rethink my entire argument.