May 18, 2005: After my rather mean-spirited look at our cultural and asphalt-bound adversaries, I thought I'd take the opportunity to broach an uncomfortable and taboo subject: our own deprecations.

Pogo and Us

Much can be said about anti-cyclists. Most of my sporadic columns focus on the hostility directed at us by hypocritical right-wing columnists and the hoards of the uneducated, who translate this spewed hatred into palpable rage.

So today, we turn our attention from the Ann Coulters and Bubbas of the automotive verses cycling rights debate and turn a critical eye onto our own behavior in a quest to answer the question, are we really so pure ourselves?

There is little doubt as to the wonders of the velocipede, a marvelous machine that translates human energy into forward motion with remarkable efficiency. Unfortunately, we Americans dwell in a country infected with the twin cancers of power and profit. In such an environment, the efficient, relatively inexpensive and vulnerable bicycle continues to invoke the scorn of Wall Street and bitter drivers alike.

I must confess that I am frequently guilty of casting too dark a shadow over this activity. The hostility that manifests itself on the roads of Western Pennsylvania is not unlike that which I encountered in the Finger Lakes 20 years ago. Today, cyclists ply the roads around Honeoye and Canandaigua in large numbers, and by most accounts, they remain undisturbed by the local drivers.

So I am convinced that it is possible for cyclists and drivers to peacefully coexist. Granted, there will always be the morons spewing obscenity and garbage from the safety of their vehicles, but it is possible to substantially reduce these confrontations.

One of the better ways of accomplishing this is through a twofold recognition: first, that we have the same rights as motorists, and second, that defending and maintaining those rights is contingent on our ability to exercise them in a responsible fashion.

A critical self-examination is invariably an activity fraught with peril. There is a very real risk that, by acknowledging a group's, movement's or ideology's failings, a well-meaning supporter might inadvertently give the opposition additional ammunition. However, I believe that the alternatives, intellectual stagnation and the perpetuation of behaviors that paint us into a corner, are far worse.

While I've invoked Pogo's spirit, I can say with a fair degree of confidence that cyclists are not their own worse enemies. But there are those among us who do little to advance the activity of pedalling a flyweight chunk of steel, aluminum, carbon fiber and/or titanium among the behemoths of the American roads. Granted, there is a very real and frustrating double standard at work. Drivers violate traffic laws with numbing frequency: one is likely to encounter numerous instances of inconsiderate, obnoxious, illegal and downright dangerous behaviors on a two mile trip to a local grocery store. Drivers are often pampered, spoiled creatures who, safe in their metallic wombs, exhibit behaviors most would deem unacceptable in their 12 year old children. They are the products and perpetrators of a consumer culture that rewards irresponsibility and aggression. In recent years, this aggression has even turned toward responsible drivers, the folks who refuse to cut others off or run through red lights.

So the question is, if there are so many irrational people sitting behind the wheels of fast, powerful and heavy weapons, why would we antagonize them? If we hold to the belief that we have the same right to the road—as we legally do—why would we give potentially hostile people more ammunition against us? This makes little sense, and the consequences of a cyclist's vehicular transgressions are far reaching indeed.

I follow the rules of the road as fastidiously as possible, whether I'm behind the wheel of a car or the handlebars of my racing bike. I so this because traffic laws generally make sense, and because I refuse to succumb to the general sense incivility infecting our roadways. I also recognize the fact that without responsibility, rights become meaningless. If I get frustrated at the road hogs who swerve 2 feet into my lane as they round a corner, then why should I exhibit the same irresponsible behavior myself? If I cringe every time a driver flies through a red light seconds after the traffic signal changed, why should I do the same in a reckless effort to shave a minute or two off of my drive time?

If we commit the same infractions we condemn, how do we expect others to take us seriously?

Yes, we labor under a double standard. A typical suburban driver will witness a host of dangerous incidents as they drive around town, and forget them all. Yet when she sees a cyclist creeping up on the right side of her car, or a multi-colored host of club riders rolling blithely through stop signs, she'll remember the spectacle, simply for the fact that we're different. She may then choose to vent her frustration at the riders who do behave in a considerate fashion, or worse, she might pressure her town board to ban a local race, or to place additional restrictions on riders of all stripes.

If we're going to claim our rights to the road, then we must not give our opponents ammunition by the truckful. There are precious few riders plying the roads here in western Pennsylvania, and it does us no good when some wag suffering from God On A Bike Syndrome (GOABS) decides that the traffic laws simply don't apply to him. He's just made a memorable scene, evoked the rage of moribund car dwellers, and assured that those of us who actually stop for traffic lights will face the wrath of automotive righteousness from some disgruntled sot.

It isn't enough for us to assert our right to the road. We need to assure that we enter any debate about equal access by taking the moral high ground, and that means reigning in Mr and Ms GOAB. This means that we have to conform to the rules of the road, and we have to make sure that other cyclists conform as well. This means that the following must apply:

• Learn you state's laws! The Bicycle-Access Council has Pennsylvania's vehicular laws listed on their website.
• Remember that you are operating a vehicle, not a toy! While I support the concept of recreational paths, I'm annoyed by those who suggest that I restrict my activity to a path or trail. We're more likely to be treated with respect if we recognize that our bikes are vehicles. Probicycle maintains an excellent site that advocates vehicular cycling.
• Do not blow through red lights. I've seen this far too often, and it galls me every time.
• Stop signs aren't optional. Come to a full stop, or practice your track stand, but unless you have one of those bizarre "Stop, except for right turn" signs unique to this region, you have to heed the red octagon.
• Don't weave in and out of stopped traffic. This isn't just a surefire way to annoy trapped drivers, it's a dangerous practice.
• Stay on the road. Pedestrians belong on the sidewalks, vehicles belong on the roadways. If we're going to argue that we're operating vehicles and therefore entitled vehicular rights, then we can't swing into pedestrian mode at a whim.
• Don't block the road. Don't stop to let a car pass, and don't be too timid, but there's no need to ride down the center of a lane to prove a point. Stay to the right, within reason and safety.
• Don't flip off or antagonize road cretins—on the road, anyway. Vent to the local newspaper or your blog, but it's pointless to scream obscenities or gesticulate in a vulgar fashion, no matter how justified your anger might be. The moron who just howled "faggot!" wants a reaction. Don't give him the pleasure! Besides, we're often dealing with an irrational lot of people. The woman who blew through a roadblock at a local race could have annihilated a substantial pack, but this reality no doubt escaped her recollections. Instead, her story of woe most likely centered around the 4 letter explicative a frustrated marshall (justifiably) hollered in her wake. That race is now defunct, in part because some of the locals complained about the poor behavior of riders and marshalls. Bullies always see themselves as victims when the tables are turned.
• Control those kids! Wayward children jeopardize their own lives, and their antics reinforce the perception that bikes are toys, rather than viable means of transportation, sport and fitness.
• Be nice to your fellow cyclists. I'm thrilled whenever I see another rider on the road—unless they're ignoring the law. More cyclists mean more visibility, and drivers frequently become more accepting once they become accustomed to the presence of cyclists on the road. If we're going to be labelled as snobs, let it be for our keen use of intellect and rhetoric, rather than our contempt for anyone riding a $300 Schwinn.

Let's face reality: some people will never accept our presence on the roads, no matter how civil or responsible we are. I will go so far as to say that we shouldn't bother reaching them. However, we have to look at reality: we're outnumbered and outgunned. A water bottle tossed in frustration could lead to a crushed frame and a dead cyclist.

What I can't advocate is timidity. Being congenial doesn't mean sublimating "doormat" onto your Assos jersey. In fact, by pulling off of the road or backing down, we're sending the message that we don't have the right to be where we are. This is counterproductive. But we need to think about implementing the most effective ways to protect our rights and to ensure that our riding experiences are as safe and pleasant as possible.

This means confronting zoning boards and town meetings, challenging bigoted editorials and exposing double standards. Most importantly, it means rejecting the obnoxious, consumerist sense of entitlement and being a good citizen in every sense of the phrase.