How to use the Forum.

My daily commute to work takes me down Shady Grove from Wolf River Blvd. to Mendenhall. One or two days per week I come across riders on this route between the hours of 0630 and 0645. As a rider familiar with this route I am aware the hazards along the way and know what each rider is experiencing. However, as a driver coming upon cyclists, I am aggravated and appalled at the lack of courtesy and safety sense displayed by many riders on the street. Here are a few examples:

While I was waiting to turn left at the traffic light from Wolf River to Shady Grove, a group of riders (about a dozen) crossed from the Greenway and proceeded up Shady Grove. The light changed and as I made the turn I came behind the group finding them as many as four abreast all the way out to the center line.

Another time I passed a group of four riders while approaching the second of the three - three way stop signs. When I stopped at the line, the first two riders in the group went by me and through the stop at what I guess was 15 to 20 mph as they just descended a hill. Not only did they disregard the traffic sign, they aggravated me because I now had to re-pass them on an even narrower section of road. Not making a driver pass you twice goes a long way in the world of auto/cycling courtesy and safety.

Other times I have come upon riders two abreast with the outermost rider making no attempt to move to the right or single up to create a safe clearance area for passing autos. More often than not, I also see riders with inadequate lighting, or no lighting at all. Good lights can be found for less than $30. Bad lights can be found in the same price range or lower. Research them and buy the best to meet your needs. A few extra ounces of weight will not affect your ride and the $50-$60 spent for good head and tail lights are infinitely less expensive than the cost of a car/bike collision.

All of the incidents mentioned above, and others, have been witnessed by me, you, and everyone else from the seat of your car or the seat of your bike. Roads were designed and built years ago for automobiles. High usage by bicycles is a recent development. As a result conflicts can and do result. Your behavior and conduct on the road goes a long way to developing attitudes and relationships between cyclists and drivers. The stuff described above does not build the respect and courtesy you as a cyclist expect. Sharing the road goes two ways. You can ride safely and courteously, building good relationships, or negligently and dangerous, creating a hostile environment. The choice is yours. I hope your choose the former.

Keith Burleson