{"id":201024198,"date":"2011-05-16T16:03:18","date_gmt":"2011-05-16T16:03:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=201024198"},"modified":"2011-05-16T16:03:18","modified_gmt":"2011-05-16T16:03:18","slug":"another-stupid-share-the-road-means-get-out-of-my-way-letter-response","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.baltimorespokes.org\/?p=201024198","title":{"rendered":"Another stupid "share the road means get out of my way" letter – Response"},"content":{"rendered":"

Perhaps I should appreciate James Rush’s grudging willingness to wait behind road cyclists until it’s safe to pass ("A Clash of Motorists and Bicyclists", May 16). But when he says bicyclists who don’t get out of his way aren’t "sharing the road", he is misconstruing the meaning of that phrase seen on signs around the region. The "share the road" message is simply meant to instruct drivers to allow cyclists to operate in the same space based on the rules of the road. Signs with this message are in no way asking cyclists or anyone else to leave the road, speed up, move over (except where legally required) or behave in some fashion beyond just riding legally. If there’s no opportunity for a driver to pass a slower cyclist, sharing means following behind the cyclist. If there’s ample width, sharing may mean driving next to the cyclist, with certain exceptions.
\nPerhaps jurisdictions should replace "share the road" signs on narrow roads with the message "bicyclists may use full lane". Under Maryland law, a cyclist in a right-hand lane that isn’t wide enough to share side by side with a car may ride in any position within the lane. This law was passed so cyclists could ride in the safest position in a narrow lane, which is most often \u2013 counter-intuitively \u2013 in the middle of the lane. Riders who hug the right edge of a narrow lane encourage drivers to try to squeeze by when there isn’t room, putting the cyclist at great risk. Mr. Rush complains that cyclists at the roadway edge don’t ride in a straight line, but that’s often impossible to do without risk of falling on crumbling pavement or debris that collects there \u2013 another reason why riding in the middle is advisable. Getting sandwhiched between cars and bad pavement isn’t courteous; it’s dangerous.
\nIf Mr. Rush wants to know how to drive safely on rural roads with limited sight distance, it’s to slow down around curves in anticipation of slower vehicles or road hazards ahead. That’s how I was taught to drive.
\n Jack Cochrane
\n
\n.
\nhttps:\/\/groups.yahoo.com\/group\/MontgomeryBike\/message\/9122<\/a>
\nRelated: https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/a-clash-of-motorists-and-bicyclists\/2011\/05\/09\/AFMvhQ4G_story.html<\/a>oldId.20110516160318877<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Perhaps I should appreciate James Rush’s grudging willingness to wait behind road cyclists until it’s safe to pass ("A Clash of Motorists and Bicyclists", May 16). But when he says bicyclists who don’t get out of his way aren’t "sharing the road", he is misconstruing the meaning of that phrase seen on signs around the … <\/p>\n

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