This is an email received on 04.11.02.
Make a response if you wish and it will be posted. Respond >

It seems to me that the major complaint I hear against bicyclists is that
they don't obey the laws. Your ride described in City Pages would leave
critics thinking that your civil disobedience is just more of the same.

Also, I'm under the impression that civil disobedience is to break the laws
the protesters feel are unjust. To me, Minnesota's bike statutes look
reasonable. The problem I'm aware of is that some motorists are ignorant of
them, think bikes are toys, and should be off the streets. So what I think
you are protesting is driver ignorance and attitude, not the statutes.

It seems to me an effective protest would be for the riders to strictly
follow the laws. Stay to the right or in the marked bike lane, single file
if two abreast interferes with normal traffic, and make all turns from the
appropriate lane. That last one would allow for plenty of disruption.
Imagine 150 bikes, single file, on the right, changing lanes to make a legal
left turn. Of course, if a lane is too narrow for a bike to be passed
safely, riders my move out into the lane to claim it.

Back to motorists complaints against bikes, that they break the laws. Most
riders I've seen have no defense. They do break the laws. On the other
hand, motorists are no better at following the laws... and probably worse.
They are kettles calling we pots black. Maybe while all the riders are
following the laws, you can get the administration to have police cite every
motorists who speeds or violates any other traffic law.

Think of the citation scoreboard. Instead of bikes: 13, cars: none, it
might be cars: 50, bikes: none. How much better perspective could you hope
for?

A second advantage would be the opportunity to teach riders the laws so they
can follow them and with reasonable press coverage, you might teach
motorists bike laws as well.

Speaking of motorists and bike laws, the state driver's handbook includes
bicycle laws, but to me, they seem to be there for readers who plan to ride
bikes. The heading should be something like WHAT EVERY MOTORIST ABSOLUTELY
MUST KNOW, and bicycle law questions should be on the driver tests. I've
written to my legislators about this. Have you?

Good luck.

John