To All My Cyclist Friends - Why we should not get the $%^&* out of the road...Part 1

Today I was verbally assaulted by a man for riding my bicycle in the road. This is not the first time I have heard profanity in reference to my means of transportation. I can only assume that it comes from

(a) frustration over sitting in traffic while commuting. The average commute time in this country is over 100 hours per year, which is more than the two weeks vacation most workers get.

(b) frustration over gas prices, now over $4.00 gallon on average.

(c) frustration over the fuel inefficiency of their vehicles, guzzling down that expensive gasoline

(d) frustration over not getting enough exercise, less than 16% of Americans exercise on any given day...a common reason given is long commute times.

and finally

(e) a lack of understanding of laws applicable to bicycles

I can't really do anything about frustrations a-d, other than say, "get a new job, closer to your home and ride your bike there. You will save mad time and money and even get some exercise to boot." But frankly, that sounds snarky.

So instead, I'll direct your attention to the Pennsylvania Bicycle Laws.

It's not that complicated.

Bikes are considered to be vehicles, and therefore have a right to be on most roads. Bikes are considered to be vehicles, and therefore have a responsibility to follow traffic laws.

I will let everybody digest that one for a minute.

Stay tuned for Part 2.