🚀 go-pugleaf

	I fully agree that couriers tend to give bike riders a really
bad name - and I know pedestrians (including one famous incident) who
have been injured by Madhatpann sidewalk bike-riders - and I've seen
my share of taxi-vs-courier accidents (where I have been amazed how
quickly the ambulance chasers pop up like vultures with cameras).  But
as a semiburban bike rider who never (ever) rode his bike west of the
Flushing (LI/NYC) River, I have often been subjected to auto drivers
essentially insisting I break the law because I was inconveniencing
them (I, in turn, threaten them with harassment lawsuits!). In one
case, on the long road between Pt Washington and Manhassett, I hand
signalled that I was changing lanes because of road construction and
one chap nearly pushed me into the ditch. I honestly don't think most
NYC drivers are aware what the laws for bikes are. I wish some of the
cops on bikes were undercover, to encourage some fear-of-deity on all
sides. These are quality-of-life crimes where folks feel they are
surrounded by law-breakers - if everyone felt the laws were rigorusly
enforced for all concerned, this situation would radically improve -
but if you single out one side, you will only encourage more anger and chaos.  
				  --
Vasos-Peter John Panagiotopoulos II, Columbia'81+,Bioengineer-Financier, NYC
   BachMozart ReaganQuayle EvrytanoKastorian http://WWW.Dorsai.Org/~vjp2
               vjp2@{MCIMail.Com|CompuServe.Com|Dorsai.Org}
   ---{Nothing herein constitutes advice. Everything fully disclaimed.}---