Quote:
Originally Posted by perrjojo
Those who do not want bicycles on the road will never change their minds. Some just don't understand why a cyclist wants to ride on the road. Let me shed a little light on their reasoning. As a serious cyclist my husband and I rode about 2500 miles per year. That would be quite a task on the interior streets and multi modal paths. Most cyclist ride for cardio benifts. Riding thru tunnels, over speed bumps and around internal streets will not allow for a good cardio workout. It's true that some cyclist blow thru stop signs but so do other drivers. No, they should not do so but a cyclist doing so has a far better view of on coming traffic than other modes of transportation. IMO, Most claim that they worry about the cyclist Saftey but in most cases the cyclist just annoys them because they have to slow down or because it makes the driver nervous to pass them. As far as not paying for their share of road maintenance, cyclist also own vehicles and pay to drive those. Let's be reasonable. A 12 pound bike causes very little wear and tear on the roadway as compared to a 3000 pound vehicle. Share the road...it's the law. It's also the nice thing to do. Oh, and cyclist do get traffic citations just as other vehicles.
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Actually, there is likely to be more cardio conditioning benefits from using tunnels and slowing and accelerating than just constant tempo. Studies have shown that intervals of higher anaerobic intensity, such as hill climbing and acceleration, increase cardio capacity more than constant aerobic intensity. As a cyclist (with a mirror), I have found I don't have better visual awareness behind, and on the side of me than I do in my car with side view and rear view mirrors. In fact, I find I have trouble turning my head far enough around to clearly see behind me and at the same time keep my eyes on the situation in front of me. How would you feel about requiring a license and registration with accompanying taxes and fees, just like motorcycles, to use the roadways?