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From: ellis@FLAIRMAX.UUCP (Michael Ellis)
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: Re: bikes and cars. Hear! Hear!
Message-ID: <222@FLAIRMAX.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Sep-83 06:43:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: FLAIRMAX.222
Posted: Wed Sep 21 06:43:08 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 21-Sep-83 23:37:34 EDT
Organization: Fairchild AI Lab, Palo Alto, CA
Lines: 35

As a left-side bike rider, I cannot understand the abuse constantly
received from the more daring right-siders -- I guess they feel honor bound
to punish cowardice. Still, left-sided cowardice has higher rewards. In the
~2 years I spent as a left-sider, I cannot remember one close call with a
car (or bicycle)! And in those two years, the bicycle was my only form of
transportation.

It's true that the two varieties can get in each other's way. An
intelligent left-sider, though, will realize his/her minority status by:

1. keeping to the sidewalks on busy streets -- this is in accord with the
   left-sider's timid nature.
2. becoming a right-sider on bike lanes. No true left-sider rides in
   these death-traps, except for short stretches when there is no
   safe alternative (usually bridges).
3. ignoring any abuse from right-siders on deserted sidestreets, where
   the whole issue is irrelevant, anyway.
   
Actually, conflict between the two types is automatically minimized when
you consider that:

1. Right-siders tend to stay on the road, since they believe they are cars.
2. Left-siders tend to stay as far from the road as possible, since they
   think they're pedestrians. Left-siders who ride in bike lanes are
   are stupid, and deserve the abuse they receive from right-siders.

To conclude...

Left-siders can at least see the enemy. Right-siders actually TRUST auto
drivers, who tend to treat bicyclists as part of the pavement (or sidewalk,
when they're drunk).  I admire the courage of any bicyclist who actually
rides in automobile-infested traffic. Through your blood, you make the
world safer for bicyclists of all faiths.

-michael