I had actually come on this thread to post about how on the Dark Helmet Brewery Drive today we came across a group of bike riders and how I thought we did a good job of respecting their right to be on the road. It appeared to me that both drivers and bicyclist were trying to accommodate each other.
Peddle Bikes do not belong on roads or have any rights to be on them PERIOD.
If they want special they should have to: register them ($), Insure them ($) get the inspected ($) take a Public Road awareness test and get a bike license ($).
Without doing the above they can all go ride in a park for all I care that's free and open to them.
Unless there is a law stating it is illegal for them to be on the road, I would say they have the right to be on them. I agree that it could be beneficial for there to be some type of registration/test for bicyclist.
Do we really need a law for everything ? Do we need a law to tell you not to drive your car on railroad tracks? No, we all know not to do that because its called common sense.
So we need a new law for peddle bikers from the government, is that what you really want because we can not make a decision for ourselves?
Sorry they are closed for new business because they can't even agree.
There are signs here in TX that say bicycles have a right to the whole lane, so I would assume there is a law to that effect. Now, if you disagree and want to change the law, go for it.
I believe the last part of your statement can be attributed to people wanting to challenge themselves. That is not just something bicyclist do. People climb mountains when there are perfectly good walking trails and climbing walls. Others go on drives and try to nail the perfect set of turns at higher than posted speeds won public roads when there are auto cross and track days that would be safer.
