As technology gets better and cheaper perhaps we’ll see more of this. As usual, though, the biggest cost is of course the labor and integration/installation, not the technology itself.

And sorry Thomas for my part in this divergence, if you will.

http://groups.google.com/group/bicycledriving/web/faq#15

Of course we have rights. So did women, blacks and gays. Blacks had the right to drink water, just not from the same fountains. Women had the right to shop, just not to vote. Gays have the right to cohabitate and love each other, just not get married. All of these official manifestations of bias create and reinforce bias in the culture at large. And so it is with bicyclists today.

The problem is never NO rights, it’s no EQUAL rights. Bicyclists are not treated equally with respect to movement rights on the road. There are reasonable rules for regulating the movement of slow moving vehicles, and in some states those are the laws that apply equally to bicyclists. But in most states, including California, the law goes beyond that, and creates undue restrictions that apply specifically to bicyclists, which allows biased officers and judges free reign to interpret those laws with their anti-bike bias, and puts the onus on the bicyclist to prove he is innocent. You should know this better than anyone. Nobody should have to go through what you did. By the way, is that officially resolved yet? I never heard a final official outcome beyond the letter from the city attorney.

I also never said that there is a conspiracy to strip us of our rights. But, I will note that there does appear to be a high correlation between countries which have a lot of segregated cycle facilities and countries in which bicyclists are banned from riding on roads.

I never said all bike lanes are “bad”, nor did I ever say they should not be allowed. My main concern about bike lanes is not the bike lanes themselves, but the support for them and, in particular, what that implies about their understanding (and lack thereof) of bicycle traffic safety. There are many legitimate concerns about bike lanes, which are explained here:

http://groups.google.com/group/bicycledriving/web/faq#15

Of course we have rights. So did women, blacks and gays. Blacks had the right to drink water, just not from the same fountains. Women had the right to shop, just not to vote. Gays have the right to cohabitate and love each other, just not get married. All of these official manifestations of bias create and reinforce bias in the culture at large. And so it is with bicyclists today.

I also never said that there is a conspiracy to strip us of our rights. But, I will note that there does appear to be a high correlation between countries which have a lot of segregated cycle facilities and countries in which bicyclists are banned from riding on roads.

AJ, I am involved with county, state and national organizations and efforts to fix the laws that unduly restrict bicyclist movement, but part of that effort is trying to gather support for such efforts within the cycling community. Most people have no idea the role the type of riding encouraged by bike lanes plays in causing conflicts in the streets and are so enamored with bike lanes that they don’t care that they’re required by law to ride in them. Many are resistant when those like myself point out the problems.

No one here is saying all bike lanes are bad or should not be allowed.

Yes, cyclists have rights now, but these rights are limited by CVC 21202 and 21208 – the latter requiring use of bike lanes when present (except for the little-known and often ignored-by-law exceptions).

I’m very glad you won, but it was wrong you had to go through that process, and in your case there should have been no question that what you did was lawful. In many other cases it’s not nearly as clear.

As I stated a week ago, do not email me any more. It is now border line harassment. And you are, fittingly, on my spam filter now.

Bike lanes are acceptable, and in most cases very safe for most riders. Having bike lanes will not erode our rights. Bike lanes will not force us into riding into small places on the roads at all times. Bike lanes are not the end to “cycling freedom”. There are places where bike lanes are no wide enough, or over poorly paved surfaces, but those places are just like most other roads, some good, some bad. Labeling all bad is not accurate.

Again, in the context of what’s posted above “cycling is only safe if you do it our way, and we know best”. In accurate, untrue, divisive, exclusionary and not fit to what San Diego feels, wants and can do.

For every example you post a story too, we can counter point with a situation that contradicts that example. But there is no need for a tit for tat exchange, which seems to be favored by keyboard cowboys such as yourself.

Texas is by far the best example of the extreme version of VC that failed, and caused delay on decent bike support. One person stated “I know what’s best” and set back a city there for years.

It’s funny how you co-opt AJ’s ticket into how “we need VC”. No, we’re going to have cops, and judges who do stupid things. The fact you some how link your ability to ride in the middle of the street to issues such as civil rights. This indicates you somehow feel you are insufficient. I ride a bike, I’m perfectly fine with it, and no one has taken away my birthday, my testicles, my right to vote, or anything else. With in reason, I ride exactly where I need to be safe. This has not an inclining of a link to the rights of minorities. It is wrong to attempt to tag your issue to that. VC might be a “minority”, but cyclist are not.

It’s not that some of the tenants of VC are wrong, indeed, there are some good. But the wholesale philosophy, the extreme extent of which it is pushed on EVERYONE at any instances, and the “arranging deck chairs on the titanic” way that it is done is with out exception, dumb.

I’ll give you this Serge, you’ve again brought your debate to other places, and rallied your small group of sycophants from around the country. Great job, once again, trying to divide a group of people trying to be a community. Great job, really, at pushing away new people. You’re the reason that the people who are currently riding the streets EVERYDAY don’t join the bike coalition. But that suits you, as you wouldn’t want dissent against your opinion.