It's springtime which means the spandex wearing, Tour De France wannabes are all tuning up their bikes in preparation for months of impeding traffic. In cities where there are bike lanes and large shoulders, you'll hardly notice the bikers are there. In cities like mine, a person on a self propelled machine has to do a LOT of improvising. We bob, weave and pedal to stay alive and we struggle to blend in. In fact, we don't WANT to blend in. We need you to see us!
So, why does a cyclist need to take the whole lane?
Simple, they don't want you to "squeeze" them. A squeeze is when you pass a biker in their own lane. This is actually illegal in most states. You see, a cyclist has the right to take the entire right lane. They can also take the left lane and turn lane when turning left. In Michigan, this law is known as "Same Road, Same Rules". Most cyclists will stay far to the right to allow for easy passing but in narrow roadways, getting squeezed by an SUV is an exhilarating experience that most bikers would rather avoid. So, we put our asses right in the middle of the road and make you pass us the way you would any other vehicle. I personally would rather get sworn at than trust a 17 year old to leave me enough room on the road.
Okay, if road biking is so dangerous, why don't you use the sidewalk?
In some states, this is illegal. In all of the other states, it is strongly discouraged. Look, I know it seems like the biker is just out for a ride around the block. The reality is, cyclists move fast. 15-25 MPH might seem slow in the street but it is dangerously fast for sidewalks (you know, that place where your children play hopscotch?). Also, remember all those times you came to a stop sign, blocked the crosswalk and suddenly noticed there was a cyclist 3 feet from you slamming on his brakes? Now, imagine being that biker, moving at 18MPH and having to cross a street like yours every 20 seconds. On main roads it's even worse. Every building becomes a game of russian roulette with a potential bullet around every corner. It is better to be VISIBLE on the road than INVISIBLE on the sidewalk.
If there is a bike path next to the road, don't the cyclists legally have to use it?
The short answer? NO. They call those awesome asphalt creations bike paths but they are actually used for all recreation. They are DOMINATED by runners. Roller bladers, walkers and bikers all share the path too but, again, the cyclist moves at a much faster pace. Really fast riders are said to have "outgrown" the bike path. It sounds silly but at 20MPH and up that bike path becomes a dangerous place. So, once a biker outgrows the bike path, they go back out onto the road to ruin your day.
So next time you encounter a biker on the road, try to be patient and remember that although he is dressed in the most annoying clothing ever, he is just trying to survive while doing something that his life would be incomplete without.
