Cyclist harassment law in Missouri town

[uforgot]

WOW! I live in Missouri and the state bicycling association hadn't mentioned it. I will note that Columbia is a college town that is close to the nationally known Katy Trail. Maybe they've had some "bad publicity."

Actually the Mo Bike Fed has kept us all informed about it. If you go to their website and sign up for emails, Brent will keep you posted on all cycling advocacy and activities in Missouri. It's been pretty big news. Columbia was also recently named a Silver-level cycling City by the league of American Bicyclists which means they are pretty progressive where cycling is concerned. No bad publicity, just a town that is trying to become more and more cycling friendly.

Here are a few websites if you are interested in MO cycling and advocacy cunninghamair:

mobikefed.org
getaboutcolumbia.com
stlbikefed.org

[TrekTheKaty]

Interesting--maybe my email subscription expired. I haven't gotten anything in a couple weeks. I'll check it out.

[uforgot]

If you haven't received anything in a couple of weeks, it has definitely expired or it's suddenly going to spam. There has been a bunch of news lately!

[Photoflygirl]

I have to say, disappointingly, that this topic featured on the front page of the Kansas City Star this week, and the comments from motorists in the forum are appalling. I actually considered thinking of the absurd idea of moving to a town that is bicycle friendly. It was really disturbing to see all the negative comments, most complaining about bicyclists being the ones who broke the law and caused the problems that motorists react to.

Here is a link to that article and comments:

http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/1256170.html

[Thorn]

Photo--don't read the comments....it will only depress you...and if it depresses you, you won't ride...if you stop riding, they've won by bullying you. Ride/Drive safe. Share the road.

If you have to read them, then remember to read responses like the following (sorry for the long URL)...

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-7...o-bicycle-tour

Motorists who say it is too dangerous for bicyclists to be on the public roads as they are likely to be hit by a car, are simply roadway bullies exactly like the playground bully who says, "This is my playground and I am bigger than you, and if you get hurt it is your own fault." They are simply blaming the victim.

[TrekTheKaty]

My answer to this is two-fold and we've covered them before:

The law says I have the right to ride my bicycle on the road.

My tax dollars go towards the upkeep of the roads--so no one has a right to tell me I can't use them how I want--within the law.

SO BITE ME (sorry)

I see improvements in attitude towards bicycles in my town--with more people riding bicycles or stopping to ask me questions about my bike. However, I visit Michigan and Colorado and realize we are SO behind the times.

How quickly people forget about the gas crunch........

[TrekTheKaty]

OK, this was interesting. I'm in Colorado with a friend who owns a house out here. We rode up a country road outside Breckenridge that goes up to Boreas pass ON MOUNTAIN BIKES. As we cruise up the middle of the road, pulling over for the few vehicles that come by, I begin to tell her about the law in Columbia and the front page of the KC Star (she has family there).

She says (on a mountain bike, pedaling up the middle of the country road), "I hate bicyclists. They think they own the road. They ride out on Hwy T and I have to slow down to go around them on the windy road--and it takes me longer to get to the feed store."

Huh?

I politely explained the cyclists that were hurt or killed, minding their own business. When this doesn't sink in, I explain the red-neck on a country road that almost clipped my DH last weekend--not because he was taking up the road, but simply for sport.

She argued, "I wouldn't ride on the road." I told her, "I do." So hopefully, next time she passes cyclists she will look closer and realize they are a person with family and friends--maybe one of her friends.

She finally settled with a "I guess there are two sides to the story." So talk to your "non-cycling" friends about this. Be prepared to give a gentle explanation to the rights and dangers of cycling.