(Brent P)
OK, that post is one where I described my own ride to work on a bicycle. Could you point out the part where I claim that legal pedalcycling is unworthy?
And I stand by that statement. Around here, the bike lanes were designed into the roads - they are not afterthoughts like you are used to in Chicagoland; they are not "glorified shoulders" but separate lanes in their own right, wide enough to drive a car through (and cars do drive through them, since the bike lane also doubles as a right turn lane near some intersections). There's nothing legal whatsoever about driving a vehicle - ANY vehicle - on top of the lane separation line so that half of the vehicle is in one lane and half is in another. And, as I stated in the first post you quoted, I have no problems with these mysterious "debris" that you claim are causing pedalcyclists to eschew the bike lane. When I ride my bike on these same roads, I can ride in the bike lane just fine - I'm not slipping and sliding or getting flat tires on these phantom debris.
The Runaway MFFY 4275Chicago streets with their odd width are actually quite good for bicycling unless some dumbbutt paints...
Bottom line (pun intended), there is no justification whatsoever for the pedalcyclists who ride on top of the lane separation line. They are required by law to remain entirely within the bike lane or, if they can maintain the 40 MPH minimum speed of the 65 MPH road, they can legally ride in the rightmost traffic lane. Although I wouldn't consider that a particularly smart option, I suppose it *is* legal...
-- Life is short - drive fast!
