Alex, you are only partially correct. I’ve seen many of my fellow cyclists ride like jerks. I’ve also been the target of harassment while riding and had drivers point their 4-ton vehicle straight at me and veer away at the last minute while I was riding safely and lawfully. There are laws that already exist that govern the conduct of cyclists and drivers. However, bikes are considered legitimate users of the road by state law and have the same rights AND reponsibilities as drivers. Cars don’t come first, both are equal. Sadly, you are correct in pointing out that many cyclists forget that “share the road” goes both ways. I’ve been on group rides and totally embarrassed that when somebody shouts, “car back!” (the customary signal to ride single file and allow the car to pass safely without and anxiety of the driver) nobody does anything and everyone continues to ride in a big blob formation while chatting. Somebody didn’t get the memo in this town. Both cyclists and drivers should review the Oregon driver’s manual, as dorky as that sounds, but it lays it all out pretty clearly what responsibilities we all have on the road, regardless of what type of vehicle we are piloting. The best the a driver or cyclist can do if confronted with aggression or unsafe road behavior is to pick up the phone. Cyclists should report aggressive and threatening drivers immediately to law enforcement, and likewise drivers should report cyclists who create a hazardous situation for drivers and themselves. Better yet, if you see an organized group of cyclists with matching team jerseys, call the business that’s in the largest print on the jersey and tell them how their riders conduct themselves. They’ll listen. Businesses sponsor teams for good publicity, not bad. And if a cyclist might lose his or her prized team discount at the local bike shop or the team loses their sponsorship, they’ll think twice about hogging the road. There’s plenty of education that can go around between cyclists and drivers. Drivers need to recognize cyclists as legitimate users of the road, and cyclists need to hold up their end of the deal also.

With nearly two million miles of driving under my belt, it is my opinion that the average auto driver is way more courteous than the average bike rider by a factor of about ten. A non-scientific poll taken by me down at the senior center and one at a busy pizza joint, showed 100% concurrence with my gut reaction.

Bike riders should understand that it hurts to be ran over and ride accordingly. It’s really stupid to presume your personal awareness of your own relative physical vulnerability necessarily translates to the same concerned awareness of any random idiot haphazardly piloting a speeding projectile in your immediate vicinity.

The real issue is that biking groups are engaged in conversation rather than really concentrating on cycling. They all bunch together and take up the driving lane because everyone in the group wants to gossip and interact vocally. Its like a rolling coffee clatch…. The obvious solution is to get cyclists to purchase ear piece intercoms systems that allow for the gossip and chatter in a single file formation.

Awesome. name-calling. fantastic. not exactly part of the “share the road” spirit, though. Give drivers who don’t know the law, the benefit of the doubt and try to educate them. Name-calling means that even angrier driver may not squash you, but they may squash me instead. Thanks.

Roady…. Now that’s funny LOL. I for one ride on the pavement and dirt. But I must agree a few of the roady’s are over zealous in using the “car lane” and not staying in the “bike lane”. This would only seem to be common sense as not to become a target for a cell phone using driver.