Cyclist's Rights vs. Reality...

Just read "Florida Bicycling Street Smarts:  Riding Confidently, Legally, and Safely", published by Rodale Inc. and Rubel Bike Maps.  It is distributed by the Florida Department of Transportation (who I am not a fan of) and the Florida Bicycle Association (who I am a fan of).


Now that I've finished reading it, I must say I am even more frustrated than ever.  The emphasis is on a cyclist's rights.  That's nice in theory.  However, as I've ranted about on more than one occasion, our "rights" are different from our "reality"!  And this is from a cyclist who spends most of her ride time on bike paths so I only come face to face with cars at intersections.  This publication is written for cyclists who are riding on the roads with cars!  I fear it was written with a much more optimistic perspective than actually exists out there, especially where I live!


Here are a few annoying quotes that assume drivers will not mow you down...


"Usually, the next driver will have time to react to your signals. If you make your intentions clear, the driver will almost always let you into line."
Where I live, most cars don't yield to each other, so I seriously doubt a South Florida driver is going to be happy to let a slower moving bicycle in front of him!


"Some motorists may think that the bike lane is "your space" and you should stay in it. Your safety is more important. Bike lane or not, follow the lane positioning guidelines in this booklet."
And to hell with the cars around you.  That is, until they send you to the emergency room.  Make sure you lift your head off the pavement to get the license plate of the one that hit you and kept going.


"Giving in to this bullying will slow you down and leave your self-esteem in shambles. Stand up for your rights. Don't let rude drivers spoil your trip. Outbluff them."
Are they seriously encouraging me to play chicken with a motor vehicle?!!

"You outbluff a driver by making it clear that you don't intend to stop. Continue to move forward - and keep pedaling, since your turning pedals are a clear signal to the driver. Meanwhile, figure out when you'll have to hit the brakes, in case the driver pulls out in front of you anyway... 

In 999 cases out of 1000, the driver will stop and wait for you before you have to brake."

No way!  Did they really try this 1000 times?!!


"Be wary - many people including police officers and insurance officials do not understand bicyclists' rights to the road and this may cause them to have a bias against you."
Great!  How am I supposed to stay safe if motorists, police officers and insurance agents don't even know what my rights are as a cyclist?!!  Can this really work if I'M the only one who knows the rules?!!


I don't mean to sound pessimistic.  I see it more as realistic.  And, that's a shame.