This was just sent to the Iowa State Senate:
I am writing to you in response to the law that has been proposed
yesterday, Feb. 4th. regarding bicyclists and their safety. The reason I'm voicing my opinion on this is simply because it appears that only the bicyclists are the priority when it comes to "rights" on the road/streets/highways. Where in this proposal are any "rules" being addressed to the cyclists?
As much as I appreciate the very idea of bicycling and would never want to end up hitting one, I want to express my concerns over the bicyclists arrogance and refusal to move out of the way when vehicles are approaching on the rural highways. Every year, we have the our own county "event" here and have also had RAGBRAI go through our area in the past. I want to express to you that the residents of our area do indeed make every effort to give them plenty of room to get around them, etc.
However, the cyclists do NOT give any regard to the vehicles that come up upon them, refusing to move out of the way, taking up the lane on a two lane highway, 3-4 across on winding, hilly areas, causing any traffic to slow down until we can pass safely. I cannot express to you how many times I have come upon bicyclists during these "events" and even though they realize that vehicle traffic is approaching or are right behind them, they absolutely refuse to move over to the shoulder area to allow a vehicle to get around them. Again, why aren't these issues being addressed also? Where is the common sense of this entire proposal? All of us pay road taxes and we are all responsible for the safety of others, much less the safety of ourselves as a whole. However, I don't see anywhere where this proposal states anything about enforcing the bicyclists to use some sense when using the highways in any area (rural or urban) to watch for and give the vehicles room to pass them safely. All of this is focused on making the drivers of vehicles responsible for bicyclists that refuse to use any intelligence for their own safety. In other words, this legislative proposal opens up a can of worms that will present the possibility of frivolous lawsuits because the cyclist has more rights than a vehicle on the highway/street. Allow me to expound upon the very idea that I'm not stating that vehicles have more right of way, but mine and others experience(s) during RAGBRAI and other local cycling events has been frustrating when having to cope with a mass of bicycles on the highways.
In my opinion, this latest action and proposal give bicyclists MORE rights to the highways, thus putting them in extreme danger, than making them responsible for using some common sense for their own personal safety.
I personally invite each and every one of you to come to our county during one of these "bicycling events" and take a vehicle tour following the designated route during the event. What stands out to me at this point, is the fact that this proposal does NOT incorporate ANY "rules" for the bicyclists to follow or heed to, such as "if vehicles are approaching from behind, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY". Very few bicyclists take those of us that have business and other needs to attend to when traveling the highways while they are present, specifically during these "events". I can't expound enough on the danger they present to themselves when they are on a 2 lane highway on the downside of a hill or on a curve, a vehicle approaches them from behind and we are braking suddenly because they do NOT move to the side to allow safe passage.
On a personal note, I do slow down as most of the general population of drivers do here. Anyone in their right mind would never want to hit a cyclist, yet vehicles are not given any courtesy during these times of bicycle events and I will add, RAGBRAI cyclists are the most obnoxious of them all. During the last RAGBRAI event, the route that followed county road X-xx through our county, cyclists were observed stopping and relieving themselves in our corn fields and other private properties. This in itself is disgusting behavior and it seems that the
revenue that is produced for the counties involved is more important than simple respect and courtesy of the communities that host them. I thank you for your time and hope that you will take some of these points into consideration when this proposal comes up for legislation.
Sincerely,
Moi
I wonder if I'll get a response...........
I am writing to you in response to the law that has been proposed
yesterday, Feb. 4th. regarding bicyclists and their safety. The reason I'm voicing my opinion on this is simply because it appears that only the bicyclists are the priority when it comes to "rights" on the road/streets/highways. Where in this proposal are any "rules" being addressed to the cyclists?
As much as I appreciate the very idea of bicycling and would never want to end up hitting one, I want to express my concerns over the bicyclists arrogance and refusal to move out of the way when vehicles are approaching on the rural highways. Every year, we have the our own county "event" here and have also had RAGBRAI go through our area in the past. I want to express to you that the residents of our area do indeed make every effort to give them plenty of room to get around them, etc.
However, the cyclists do NOT give any regard to the vehicles that come up upon them, refusing to move out of the way, taking up the lane on a two lane highway, 3-4 across on winding, hilly areas, causing any traffic to slow down until we can pass safely. I cannot express to you how many times I have come upon bicyclists during these "events" and even though they realize that vehicle traffic is approaching or are right behind them, they absolutely refuse to move over to the shoulder area to allow a vehicle to get around them. Again, why aren't these issues being addressed also? Where is the common sense of this entire proposal? All of us pay road taxes and we are all responsible for the safety of others, much less the safety of ourselves as a whole. However, I don't see anywhere where this proposal states anything about enforcing the bicyclists to use some sense when using the highways in any area (rural or urban) to watch for and give the vehicles room to pass them safely. All of this is focused on making the drivers of vehicles responsible for bicyclists that refuse to use any intelligence for their own safety. In other words, this legislative proposal opens up a can of worms that will present the possibility of frivolous lawsuits because the cyclist has more rights than a vehicle on the highway/street. Allow me to expound upon the very idea that I'm not stating that vehicles have more right of way, but mine and others experience(s) during RAGBRAI and other local cycling events has been frustrating when having to cope with a mass of bicycles on the highways.
In my opinion, this latest action and proposal give bicyclists MORE rights to the highways, thus putting them in extreme danger, than making them responsible for using some common sense for their own personal safety.
I personally invite each and every one of you to come to our county during one of these "bicycling events" and take a vehicle tour following the designated route during the event. What stands out to me at this point, is the fact that this proposal does NOT incorporate ANY "rules" for the bicyclists to follow or heed to, such as "if vehicles are approaching from behind, MOVE OUT OF THE WAY". Very few bicyclists take those of us that have business and other needs to attend to when traveling the highways while they are present, specifically during these "events". I can't expound enough on the danger they present to themselves when they are on a 2 lane highway on the downside of a hill or on a curve, a vehicle approaches them from behind and we are braking suddenly because they do NOT move to the side to allow safe passage.
On a personal note, I do slow down as most of the general population of drivers do here. Anyone in their right mind would never want to hit a cyclist, yet vehicles are not given any courtesy during these times of bicycle events and I will add, RAGBRAI cyclists are the most obnoxious of them all. During the last RAGBRAI event, the route that followed county road X-xx through our county, cyclists were observed stopping and relieving themselves in our corn fields and other private properties. This in itself is disgusting behavior and it seems that the
revenue that is produced for the counties involved is more important than simple respect and courtesy of the communities that host them. I thank you for your time and hope that you will take some of these points into consideration when this proposal comes up for legislation.
Sincerely,
Moi
I wonder if I'll get a response...........
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