You know, I agree with you. Bicycles should be
afforded a 'better' set of rights as users of a roadway.
We are putting out physical effort, perhaps for a
cause as worthy as reduction of pollution, congestion,
or consumption. Perhaps not.<br><br>Riding on the
roadway can be scary, but I find it less frightening than
riding on the sidewalk. Pedestrians are slow and
lumbering when you are on a bicycle. Vehicles (at least in
my town) routinely pull across the sidewalk to wait
for a space to enter traffic. They rarely look for
me. Perhaps the worst part of riding on the sidewalk
is when cars turn across a lane of traffic into a
parking lot, such as from a turn-lane. They are looking
at oncoming traffic, not bicyclists on the sidewalk.
At least when you are in the lane of traffic, cars
get stuck behind you. You are in their way, forcing
them to see you. I feel that provides me some degree
of safety. Besides, sidewalks are always full of
stuff like poles, sandwich boards, and trees.<br><br>I
have seen cops stop a bicyclist only twice, and both
times (local law) it was for offenses that make you
wonder how such a cyclist is alive to begin with.
Imagine... riding a bike without any brakes, wearing
headphones with the volume very loud (i could hear it from
across the street), and you approach an intersection. If
you had looked, you would have seen a car coming from
your right, as well as your left. But you don't look.
You press one foot against the ground, slow slightly,
and cruise on through the intersection, narrowly
missing getting hit by a pickup, and a patrol car! Anyone
that stupid deserves some sort of cop action! What
makes it comical is that the dude on the short little
bike couldn't hear the cop addressing him on the PA! I
would like to think he may have been deaf, but i don't
think so...<br><br>I don't really know what I am trying
to say, I just wanted to relate this happening. I
found it both hilarious and very, very frightening.
Bicyclists are simply to vulnerable to allow themselves the
luxury of inattention. A lack of attention is bad enough
when encased in two tons of steel. It's inexcusable
when on a bicycle in traffic (or on the
sidewalk.)<br><br>You mention courier witchhunts. Were the cops getting
down on couriers for a while. For what kinds of
offences?