The Place Where Ludington Talks
Complaints About Bicyclists: EXPLAINED
The above letter made the Reader's Forum in the Ludington Daily News on Friday, August 19, one day before the local MAD Ride for charity that occurred right here in Ludington. This event attracts around 100 riders each year and is the main fund-raiser for HELP Ministries, which provides much needed supplemental programs for the area's needy. I rode the 100 mile route of that event, and had a blast this year among my fellow bicyclists, who also happen to be fellow motorists.
Typically, when I see a letter to the editor title like that I want to read it to find out what the complaints are about, and the perspective of the writer. I am familiar with the author, lived by him for awhile, and know he is not a bicycle rider, so I figured it would be based on his experiences with the bicyclists he interacts with on the road with his motor vehicle. I had hoped the complaints would be well thought out, and reasonable, to be placed in the LDN one day before the County's premiere bicycling event of the year. I was disappointed.
I encountered many of those cyclists who went through the area a week ago, and here's what I noticed. Some of them had wanted to get out to places where bicyclists want to get, like Dairy Queen, McDonald's, supermarkets, Wal-Mart, etc.-- most in PM Township east of Jebavy. To get to those areas, they need to travel on US 10-31 (unless they are very familiar with the area and want to travel extra miles) which has no supportive structures for bicyclists. I presume it is this highway or further down Ludington Ave. that the author speaks of, for this is where you see conflicts occur between the two.
Cyclists have to travel the narrow right lanes (there are no shoulders), and if they don't want to be forced into the curb by the voluminous weekend traffic, they need to 'claim' more of the lane. It's simple math: the lane is eight feet wide, a cyclist takes up 2-3 ft. of space, and a car/truck takes up 6 ft. or more of space.
This also justifies the bicyclists riding two abreast, which is within the law Two Abreast Law, and the lane is too narrow to support three riding abreast on this road safely. A common tactic for riders is to 'draft' each other or ride in echelons, where several will ride close together to reduce wind drag, and this is probably what the author saw. This actually is more conducive to the flow of traffic, since otherwise you would have to pass the cyclists one at a time.
This addresses the first problem, he then complains about them failing to yield proper right of way. A bicyclist who fails to yield proper right of way on a summer weekend in Ludington is a dead or seriously injured cyclist period. It's simple physics: 4000 lb. vs. 20 lb., and the stopping distance for the 4000 lb. object.
Then he calls a bicycle a slow moving vehicle; first off, a bicycle is not a vehicle MI Vehicle Definition it's a device MI Bicycle Definition and it is never legally called or referred to as 'slow moving'. A bicycle travelling legally down the road has as much right to be on that road than an automobile that travels five times as fast. Just like, unless it is prohibited by a traffic control device, the cyclist can travel down any public sidewalk Bicycles on Sidewalks.
The author then makes the obtuse distinction that drivers are taxpaying citizens on their way to work who pay for the roads cyclists ride on. Almost all the people on this bike tour were grown-ups with cars who I would guess, if the participants of the MAD Ride are any indication, have jobs and buy gasoline. Even though he says the roads we ride are skirted with designated bike paths, there is less than one mile of such in Mason County, a glorified shoulder with no purpose. I would not call this 'many' or a big expense.
He then finishes off with some more fallacious material. He seems to think having a route for bicycling is a bad thing, something that motorists should say 'No Way!' to. What special privileges does the author think bicyclists will get? More laws that restrict our rights?
His defense is predicated by the seeming imbalance between the regulations and enforcement as regards motor vehicles and bicyclists. Here is the reason why that defense is flawed. A cyclist is said to have the same rights and duties of a motorist, except those that by their nature do not apply to them plus many special regulations Rights and Duties-Bicycle Here is a list of the State's special regulations that apply to bicycles State Bicycle Law. If that isn't more regulations, the state actually allows each locality to create their own regulations for bicycles but not for vehicles Even More Bicycle Laws(section 1(i)). Here is the rules that only apply to bicycles inside the City of Ludington, many courtesy of Police Chief Barnett :
Sec. 58-156. - Dismounting required.
Sec. 58-157. - Riding on sidewalks.
Sec. 58-158. - Operation of coaster toys.
Sec. 58-160. - Registration; license
Sec. 58-161. - Application, approval, registration and license, fees.
Sec. 58-162. - Term of license.
Sec. 58-163. - Registration and license records; transfer of fees.
Sec. 58-164. - Serial number; license plate or decal; removal or al...
Sec. 58-165. - Transfer of ownership.
Sec. 58-166. - Rental agencies.
So there are actually more regulations that apply to the bicycle rider, as for enforcement, I find it illogical for more police resources to be used to enforce bicycle laws that are mostly made to protect the cyclist, not to protect others from their negligent riding. Someone who is drunk, drowsy, distracted, driving recklessly, speeding, passing improperly, not yielding the right of way, etc. is dangerous to others when they wield a couple tons or more of metal.
A cyclist not coming to a complete stop at a clear intersection endangers nobody, and yet non-bicyclists love to point at them as if to encourage their own unsafe driving around cyclists. This is also firmly ingrained in most police officers and reporters, and so be prepared to be blamed for any accident you are involved in if you are a cyclist The Only Good Cyclist...
As a motorist and a bicyclist, I am appalled when I see youths riding their bicycles in blatant disregard for their safety, against principles of traffic flow, and traffic laws. But at the MAD Ride and with these other visiting cyclists I see nothing they do that should warrant complaint, particularly anything the author pointed out.
Yet, during the MAD Ride, drivers violated my rights on the road quite often. I was often passed at unsafe areas, with little space, and when I was at a stop sign out in the lane yielding the right of way to traffic to go across the road a car that was behind me went out in the other lane and around me then turned right in front of me when I had already started to go-- very dangerous.
The author would no doubt find this behavior appropriate, but it really should not be tolerated in a society that should be encouraging the conservation of gas, the health benefits, the pure enjoyment, etc. that cycling grants us.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lisa O'Brien on
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Seriously, you have to register and license a bicycle in Ludington?
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Permalink Reply by XLFD on
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That's what the law says, but in its eight years of existence I have heard of nobody having a registered bicycle here. The friendly receptionist would probably give you a blank look if you went to the LPD station and requested to register and license your bicycle.
I am thinking I would be able to get a special exemption from this law anyway, as I cannot set foot there-- I'm way too dangerous.
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Permalink Reply by Sweater Cows! on
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He needs to go ride a bike, then re-evaluate his perspective. and also, why does he think cyclists have no right to the use to the road? It sounds as if he would rather have nobody ride bikes at all and just sit inside and watch TV and play video games, that way they would not be in his way and he would not have to be an alert and responsible driver, it would be easier for him if the bikes weren't there and he did not have to pay attention for them when driving.
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That does seem to be the theme, too fast for sharing the sidewalk with pedestrians, too slow for sharing the road with motorists. Ride your bicycle on the four city blocks of bike lane skirting Mason County and be happy.
I shared the article's wisdom with a couple of other riders and had a little fun with it going through Pentwater's main street, complaining faux-indignantly about the slow moving vehicles in a heavy group in front of me totally blocking the lane, their parked carcasses blocking the side of the road, and shooting toxic combustion fumes my way as the weekend stop-and-go traffic inched along.
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Permalink Reply by Marty Redman on
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I'm sick of all the rush hour mess I have to deal with 5 days a week and would love to have a bicycle route into the area I go. I probably burn about $10 in gas a day just in waiting. Before Ludington grows larger, I hope they look beyond the auto. They sure should put something for walkers and riders up east of the city, I get frustrated with the bike riders I see like Mr. Yennior. But its not their fault they're trying to go that way.
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It has been years since I have used a bicycle in an urban area but my adult children do daily. This may be a bit off-topic but will share my thoughts. Living near and frequently traveling the M22 corridor I encounter cyclists daily during summer. 98% follow the rules and safely enjoy their time traveling Northwest Michigan. State funds have provided cyclists lanes from Manistee to I think TC or slightly South. May extend to the Bridge. To suggest my point, I encountered a lone (hardcore, garb, packs) cyclist riding the fog line and in my opinion, being a dick. However…I can understand not using more of the bike lane. These lanes are established at considerable expense but not maintained by the respective counties so trash accumulates (rocks, etc.) the further you go right in the lane. I can only speak for Manistee County but their sweeper tractor sits on the shoulder out in the middle of nowhere months at a time. The groups that schedule these trips should be in touch with the respective counties and demand the paths be maintained. The 2%? Many use well traveled secondary roads to avoid the rigors of M22 in my area and for some common sense doesn’t apply. Three, four abreast, weaving, shootin the shit, oblivious to what is going on around them Ruins the respect others have earned.
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There's a sizable amount of members of the biking community called 'vehicular cyclists' who sincerely believe that bicycles do belong on the road and will usually avoid bicycle lanes. Safety statistics usually bear out that riding on the road is actually safer than riding in the bike lanes or on the shoulder. I can believe that in most instances.
Yet I find that riding on the shoulder or bike lane when available is more desirable as it helps with traffic flow (for motorists) and leaves less hard feelings towards bicyclists from them. The first couple feet of the shoulder is actually about as clear as the roadway, as the passing of larger vehicles pushes the accumulated junk in the road towards the outer part of the shoulder.
But the visionaries at the MI DOT put rumble strips in these areas so as to make them unavailable for bikes to ride on or cross safely. And so broken mirrors, glass, tires, litter, and pebbles thrown out from the motorists accumulate in the traversable bicycle lanes. Then they put those damn strips in the center of streets without shoulders, so that motorists try to pass pedestrians and cyclists without leaving the lane.
The main problem that has developed in Mason Co. is on the stretch of PM Hwy. between U.S. 10 and the south Ludington exit ramp for U.S. 31. Heavy traffic, rumble strips all over, accumulated debris in the shoulder on the steep downhills into the PM river valley (there has been big remnants of tires on the shoulder south hill all this week), and parking near the bridges which covers all the ridable shoulder. Hansen Road and First Street used to be safe bike routes from Scottville, now they have been split by the highway, or made dangerous by the addition of s-curves and thin lanes.
If Bicycling wasn't so enjoyable in its own merits, it would be positively annoying-- but it would be so awesome for both motorists and cyclists if they didn't have to put up with the other.
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I am terrified of bike riding out of any 25mph zone. My kid ends up missing out on the relaxation and exercise bike riding provides due to my own fears of the dangers cycling entails. Sort of sad really.
My cousin is an avid cyclist and has come up with a great new business for the Detroit area. It's really neat.
There is a nice video towards the bottom of the page of the above website.
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Bike riding can be a scary experience when you think about it. You trust, whether they are moving fast or not, some unknown motorist who could be distracted, drunk, drowsy, distressed, etc. in over a ton of metal coming from behind you to go around you in a safe manner. And you have no airbags, no seatbelts, no metal shell.
How's your cousin's business doing; there are a lot of frustrated bicyclists in that area I would believe.
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lol, I forgot about the avatar, actually, not sure I'll stick w/ the name. trying to think up a new one for a while now and not having any luck.
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