[*BCM*] Scooters in the bike lanes

[. nevele]

who the hell cares about scooters? i pass them like anyone else on a bike, so obviously i just see them as other cyclists.. tho slower and lazier. the bike lane serves three purposes for drivers: 1 - a place to drive slowly in order to find a parking spot. 2 - a reeeeally large area in which they can throw their driver's side door open without having to worry about other cars taking it out. 3 - they can double park in the bike lane without having to worry about getting a ticket as the BTD has a very limited understanding of things. 

i guess my point is that roads with bike lanes aren't actually all that much safer for cyclists. the room on the road is nice and all, but i think the best way to take control of the situation regarding cyclists vs. everyone else would be to press for legislation that would include cyclist awareness in the tests folks have to take in order to gain a license for their motor vehicles. 

                        


> Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:54:20 -0400
> From: red at mit.edu
> To: ThoM3 at aol.com
> CC: list at bostoncriticalmass.org
> Subject: Re: [*BCM*] Scooters in the bike lanes
> 
> On Fri, Sep 21, 2007 at 09:23:26PM -0400, ThoM3 at aol.com wrote:
> >  
> > I was NOTin Inman (or not in a conflict there anyhow) this AM-I will  say for 
> > the 2ND TIME. This was Cent Sq at 530PM. The guy gave me the same  response 
> > as you articulate. He also tried to move to the right ontop of me,  without 
> > looking or signaling. Failry reckless and dangerous, considering bulk  and the 
> > machine has hot parts. 
> 
> Whoah, sorry if I wasn't clear, I just thought it was interesting that it 
> was a similar situation. I didn't mean to upset you.
>  
> > I think the law you cited said they are not to go over 20 MPH. 
> 
> 25, I believe, but yes.
>   
> > The question is, why ride something lame like a moped when you can ride a  
> > bike? Better for you, better for the environment and cars and bikers will like  
> > you better. 
> 
> I normally do ride a bike, year-round. I recently had surgery and can't
> walk, as I mentioned before. So... I tried to find the best alternative. 
> I hope to be back on my bike in a few months.  So... I'm riding a moped
> because I _can't_ ride a bike. :)
> 
> -r.
> 
> > In a message dated 9/21/2007 9:12:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time, red at mit.edu  
> > writes:
> > 
> > On Fri,  Sep 21, 2007 at 09:04:20PM -0400, ThoM3 at aol.com wrote:
> > >  
> > >  That was Not me in Inman Sq... and the guy was weaving to pass on the  
> > right  
> > > (you are right) without signaling.
> > 
> > I tend to think  that not signaling, on a bike or on a moped, is lame.
> > It's probably  especially lame on a moped where you can't read the rider's
> > body language  as well. (I wondered if you were that person; I used the
> > bike lane briefly  and a cyclist yelled at me "It's a bike lane!" He was
> > stymied by my  response "It's legal under 50cc." I figured it might be the
> > sort of thing  to provoke this question.)
> > 
> > > I think motorized vehicles are  too big and too fast to be in the bike lane 
> >  
> > > period
> > 
> > Well,  you're welcome to your opinion. If you haven't tried riding a
> > moped in bike  lanes in Boston, I recommend trying it out; my opinion
> > is different based  on that experience.
> > 
> > All the same, I am looking forward to when I am  capable of riding again. ;)
> > 
> > -r.
> > 
> > 
> >  
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
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