hostile attitude toward cyclist in rural Oregon

[smilingcat]

I received a flyer from County Land Use Planning and Transportation Division. They wanted public input on their comprehensive Plan and transportation system plan from the "rural community" near and around my farm. Obviously, I HAD TO GO!!

Transportation portion of the discussion was very interesting (Land use affects me a great deal with my farm but not much interest to those here). To listen from those living in nearby communities, the comments made by the hostile crowd was eye opener but at the same time, I have/had to wonder if there was some conspiracy to show up in mass to skew the discussion. The crowd decidedly were all very hard core libertarian. Don't tell me what I can do and not do with my land. We don't want no tax (double negative here but I get the gist). Not well informed.

So the consensus of those out here toward the cyclist and not just toward the spandex crowd:

It's a public road so stay the hell away from using the public road.
They don't pay taxes so they shouldn't use the road.
Who is going to pay for the proposed bike trail
They wanted licensing and registration for cyclists.
They were very angry at all and every cycling events where the traffic were either closed off or where it encumbered the cars.
They didn't want their tax dollar going to paying for trails because it wasn't about commuting and it was more for recreation and because it was recreation, they were angry that they are having to pay for someone else's recreational cost.

After the meeting, most stumped off in anger. They don't want any regulation that may affect their "rural way of life" ...
So I had a chance to talk with the gal who was working on the cycling aspect of the transportation. I told her that not everyone out here feels that way and told her that I really appreciate her and the planners to be inclusive of the cyclists. Trails would help get the bicyclists off the street etc. She said thanks and I told her to be not discouraged by the anger.

I wish local bicycle advocates had attended the meeting so they could have better understanding of the "rural community". We need better PR and public awareness.

So bike haters are not just in the cities, they are everywhere. Sad to say.

[Pax]

Oh yeah, in rural IL where I'm from, they loath cyclists. Very common to have the younger ones try to clip you with their mirror or "roll coal" at you as you move along a basically empty road. If you're a guy you'll also have things thrown at you with an accompanying "FAG" shout.

[OakLeaf]

Here I thought it was mostly a rural thing. After all, no one's likely to be cycling on a 55-mph road in a city. It's been a very long time since I did much in-town riding, but I never really had any trouble. How little we all understand how the "other half" lives ... (and how much the same it turns out to be ...)

[Pax]

I always find it funny, in rural IL the ones hating on cyclists are usually farmers... the same ones who drive combines and tractors pulling huge implements on those county roads. And strange how those pieces of equipment don't have to have plates and the people operating them are not required to have a driver's license.

[Crankin]

My DH used to get the thrown things and "fag," when he first started riding, in around 1999. Once he was sitting on a bench wit DS, who was about 15, and they called both of them fags, because they were wearing bike clothes! This was right in front of our locally owned pharmacy; not out in the boonies.

[rebeccaC]

we just drove through eastern oregon on numerous side roads parallel to hwy 84 on our way to arches national park and there are some beautiful quiet riding roads there....saw the cycle oregon group, talked to some of the riders and they were having a great ride

but yeah, strange attitudes in some of the small older out of the way towns though....like this wall sign with the 'all white help'
in huntington