🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <laskaCz8uuz.97F@netcom.com>, laska@netcom.com (Andrew Laska) wrote:

>Texas law specifically states that bicycles have the same rights and 
>obligations to obey laws as motor vehicles on roadways. 

For the third or fourth time, here are three obligations which motorists
have under the law which cyclists do not have: vehicle registration,
vehicle inspection, and operator licensing.  As for obeying traffic laws,
yes, of course cyclists must do that.  I've never denied that.

>I do not have the study in front of me but I will try to remember it as 
>best I can. I remember mostly the conclusions.

Interesting conclusions, thanks for sharing them.

>You may think that riders have no rights. 

I never wrote anything asserting this.  In fact, I have frequently
acknowledged that they do have rights.  I've been contesting their
responsibilities, word slips on my part notwithstanding.

>The unfortunate fact is that in many locales police officers are unaware 
>of these facts. In fact in many locales they are unaware of bicycle law 
>in general. In Dallas for example the Police Department was so ignorant 
>in the early 80's that the Greater Dallas Bicyclists had the chief of 
>Police draft a letter stating bicyclists rights.

On the UT Austin campus, the situation is almost the reverse.  Bikers get
away with just about anything down here.  They ride on the sidewalks and
run over pedestrians.  They run stop signs with wild abandon.  They speed
on the downhill slopes (campus speed limit is 15 mph), and pass cars
illegally while doing so.  About two years ago, UT hired some bicycle cops
to help tame these people and they have had an impact, but not nearly
enough.  It is this sort of behavior which engenders such hostility toward
bikers.  I recognize and appreciate the responsible bikers when I see
them, but around here that isn't very often.

                                ++Don Nash

Internet: D.Nash@utexas.edu     The University of Texas System
THEnet:   THENIC::DON           Office of Telcommunication Services