Quote:
Originally Posted by Vicegrip
Lately I have been taking the lane on the smaller roads as I can maintain the posted speed limit on almost everyting but hills. If I am doing 25 in a 25 and the lines next to me are double yellow I am taking the lane. If I can move over so a car can go by without going over the lines I do so.
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And there's my problem. On level ground I can hold 15-18 MPH, and 12 MPH on gradual hills. I'm too damned slow (fat). I cannot with a clear conscience consume a full lane of traffic chugging my fat azz up a hill at 10 MPH.
And that's the crux of the whole debate. Pedestrians are in conflict with runners, they're both in conflict with recreational bikers, they're all in conflict with serious bikers, and bikers are in conflict with cars -- all because of speed differential. Bikers do need more exclusive riding space.
I just spent a week in Italy (Como/Milan) and the bike riders in the cities are using pedestrian surfaces and roadways interchangeably because as is typical in Italy, there's almost no speed differential between pedestrians and cars!