How would you have responded to this??

[onimity]

It's hard to respond to someone that self-centered and ignorant without expressing some irritation, I think, but if you can keep emotion out of it and act as if she were asking an innocent question it's probably the better tactic. It might make her think twice about her opinions, whereas something she views as an attack will likely increase her anger. And it sounds like she drives a large weapon rather regularly!

I'd say something like, I understand that it can seem dangerous to have cars and bikes in such close proximity, but did you know... and then cite the state driver's handbook, that bikes are vehicles and have the right to use roadways just as other vehicles (ours explicitly states that bikes don't belong on sidewalks) and perhaps throw in some stats too, that sidewalks are in fact much more dangerous than roads.

Hopefully she'll e-mail you and perhaps the two of you can have a cup of coffee and a friendly discussion about why bikes might want to be on roadways in spite of the danger posed be people that (ahem) do things like park in the bike lanes. It's possible that you may be able to show her how her perspective is off, but it doesn't sound like she likes to have her opinions challenged.

Anne

[mimitabby]

yeah, meet somewhere that she has to WALK to because there's no place for her car! that'd be the day in the USA!