From: CJ-<\/p>\n
As a cyclist, I really must take issue with the unregulated driving
\nhabits of motorists within this city. Today, I was treated to the
\nincivility of a woman who honked at me as I descended Lake Avenue
\ntowards Falls Road. She was behind me. Any cyclist reading this post
\nknows that you’re going approximately 60kph per hour down that hill at
\ntop speed when the speed limit is 30mph which translates to about
\n45kph.<\/p>\n
Ill-advisedly, I allowed myself to escalate things by having words
\nwith the driver, who tried to preface by mentioning her “miles of
\nriding experience”\u2014my response to which I can’t publish. I “mentioned”
\nto her that at that speed how dangerous it would be for her to pass,
\nto which her response was “she was late for work”. BTW, she took time
\nout of her busy schedule to argue with me.<\/p>\n
As someone who’s not connected to government(and never likely), nor is
\nactually on the MBAC board, I fortunately have the ability to speak
\nfor myself in recognizing the questionable will set forth by the city
\nin putting bike lanes over potholes, failing to enforce vehicle’s
\nspeed limits through most of the city, while efforts are put in place
\nto encourage people to dust off their bikes to cycle to work and make
\nit a part of their everyday life.<\/p>\n
If someone were to ask me where to cycle as a beginner (or relative
\nnewcomer), I’d tell them to go to the airport or the county. There
\nreally is no safe haven for cyclists here.<\/p>\n
The myth about bike lanes is that it implies that a cyclists is to
\nmake way under all circumstances\u2014at any speed. And unfortunately, I
\nfeel that this is misleading and the true circumstances is more
\nsimilar to road racing where slower vehicles make way when the speed
\nis completely dissimilar and the road is safe (ascending hills, etc.)
\nCyclists are vehicles and in traffic conditions are to make certain
\nthat they use the road in a manner that makes the road safe for them.<\/p>\n
Knowing that motorists would be completely fine running a cyclist off
\nthe road or rolling through a stop sign at the disadvantage to a
\ncyclist changes some of these issues with respect to a cyclist’s
\nsafety. I’m loathe to criticize because my history in cycling is one
\nof fend for myself and have learned to do so quite adroitly. Some of
\nmy instinct and action goes beyond the recreational nature of painted
\nlines, etc. And that it unlikely to change.<\/p>\n
Also, who deals with sewer grates? On the Falls Road bridge heading
\nnorth, there is a sewer grate that would swallow any cyclists unaware
\nof it. I say all this knowing that there a few people who do actually
\nride AND have a connection to City Hall and whatever they call
\nheadquarters in the county. There is a major difference between some
\nof the recreational implementations taking place and their ability to
\nmake things safer for real cyclists. Until that gulf is bridged, the
\nBaltimore region will continue to live in question of what it could be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From: CJ- As a cyclist, I really must take issue with the unregulated driving habits of motorists within this city. Today, I was treated to the incivility of a woman who honked at me as I descended Lake Avenue towards Falls Road. She was behind me. Any cyclist reading this post knows that you’re going … <\/p>\n