Comment on The Shoot Out

Sunday, I gave you some information about a ride called "The Shoot Out". Click here to read it.

As part of the cycling community, it is easy to get caught up in protecting our rights. We have a right to riding peacefully and without harassment from motorists and police. This isn't occurring in Pima County. In fact, the right to ride through the local reservation might be taken away.

Cyclists, like motorists, have laws to follow. We are to follow all the basic traffic laws and some additional laws that pertain only to bicycles, like riding as far to the right as practicable, and riding no more than two abreast. Taking the lane is only to be done when moving at the speed of traffic, or the speed limit. I personally think these are reasonable. These laws are necessary to create harmony among motorists and cyclists. If everyone follows their own rule, we have a problem.


Motorists can't share the road if we don't share as well. Sharing is not one-sided.

In the VeloNews article, it is brought to our attention that riders are riding more than two abreast, even through the reservation where the law is single file. Complaints have been made about indecent exposure when cyclists relieve themselves in not very discreet places (not just number one, but number two as well). They offend others and impede traffic.

On the flip side, these cyclists have been harassed by drivers and police. Accidents were caused by police, one case being when the cop swerved his vehicle into the lane of the cyclists (oncoming) causing the front cyclists to brake hard resulting in the middle of the peloton to go down. Bad injuries were incurred. The cop showed no remorse, and reprimand from the police department is unlikely. Motorist's behavior is encouraged by the police with a pat on the back.

I was disappointed in the VeloNews article in the respect that, although the offenses of the cyclists were outlined, the police and motorists seemed to be more to blame. I agree that what they are doing is very dangerous and quite unacceptable, and the job of the police is to, well, police. They are to be the mediators between the offenders and the victims. What I don't like is how my viewpoint never really came up.

I believe that both parties are wrong. We know that the motorists and police simply have to quit harassing the cyclists. It's not just an irritating game, it's a potential death sentence for the cyclists. None of this is important enough to incur a death.

What many cyclists fail to do when they are facing a situation such as the Pima County conflict is look at what they can do to change the behavior toward them. Many residents don't like the cyclists, police included. There have been many complaints about the cyclists, complaints for behavior that I believe is completely unacceptable (read the VeloNews article for a nice survey of the offenses). These cyclists continue to break several laws and have no regard for other traffic on the road, yet they want respect. They want people to like them.

If we, as cyclists, want others to respect our right to share the road, we have to be willing to respectfully share as well. This is something of great importance to consider as we head into National Bike Month.