Alright, in my state there's a huge trend amongst bike riders and drivers called "Share the Road". Basically it means that bikers respect the space and avoid crowding the drivers while following general traffic laws like stopping at red lights, not taking up the whole street, and stopping on the side of the road if there's cars behind them. Cars at the same time are supposed to slow down and keep a respectful distance away from the bikes. There's also been hundreds of bike trails and adjustments made to the roads such as a wider and longer side of the road for the bikes. The problem is, I often see a lot more bikers disrespecting the rules and the cars than following the rules. They say share the road and have bumper stickers. But they're downright rude to the drivers, one was calling out insults to my mom when we were driving ahead of them and too slowly. They were also taking up a whole half of the road and ignoring the drivers behind them. They then cut across a intersection without looking while the cars for their side was stopped. I've seen this happen again and again with bikers. I have seen some bikers who respect the drivers and keep to the side of the road and/or pull aside and let cars pass when they're blocking the way, but more often then not I see bikers causing dangerous even deadly near-accidents with their actions. So I'm curious: Do you think Share the Road is good or bad? Oh yeah, bikers in this case=bike riders. Though motorcycles are allowed too. I meant bike riders in my earlier comments.
I think it's good. The fault of dangerous driving lies on both sides: it's sometimes more noticeable with bikers (especially the yelling) simply due to the nature of bad driving/road rage in a car. For example, if someone cuts me off I'll say something to myself. But in my car, with the windows rolled up, going 60mph, nobody is going to hear me unless they're in the passenger seat. Bikers drive dangerously too. It's not attached to what sort of vehicle they're driving, it's them as a person. Those in cars definitely need to be more aware of bikers, as there is a much great danger for bikers in an accident (though that's something they should consider before getting a motorcycle). I do think bikers need to be more aware of blind spots in a car, though. That's the only issue I've seen from them--some do drive recklessly (swerving in and out of lanes, going between cars, etc.) but people do similar things in a car too.
I meant bicycles, but you bring up a good point with motorcycles so I'll allow both. =3 Yeah, we have a biker bar outside of our town and we get a ton of motorcycles. It really bothers me because they usually remove the muffler which makes the noise unbearable for me. I've seen them do the same thing with motorcycles. It gets more dangerous with it and can cause more accidents because they're on the road completely with no rules other than the regular ones usually. I've seen several nasty accidents involving them, sadly. Though I don't know who's fault it was.
Neutral, it is a good idea as it will be a bigger road than it would if it were divided, thus better trafic, and yet troublesome! The problem is one: People are ******bags! Driving cars, on bikes, motocycling or even by foot! Everyone can be a pain in the ass. When someone doesn't do their part the others suffer. I heard about a country that take out all the traffic signals and people had to drive using common sense, apparently it gone well.. just to show that no matter how many rules are there if the people aren't trying to follow them it won't work. A car can try to pick the green light at the last moment just as it turns red, cut someone to get where they want, or even drive where they shouldn't to save some minutes. The same can be said of bikes, motocicles and walkers (trying to cross the road out of the proper place, basicaly going over the cars). Some is based on the culture that only cars and motocycles should need a license to drive (thus classes, and tickets if you do anything wrong), and I can pike a bike or start walking like an ass without any care.. but this is just some of the problem. The truth is the 'car' is the deadlyest thing in the road (comparing with the motocycle, bike, people) so "With great powers, comes great responsabilites!" the car SHOULD ALWAYS pay attention to the others, because the fault will probably befall him, even if it wasn't entirely his fault! If one car STOPS at the middle of the road , and the back car bumps into it is HIS FAULT even though the car in the front was being an ass is the car from behind responsability to watch what the other is doing and have a safe distance. The same applys with Bikes , motocycles, people... always the "stronger" one should be more responsible than the weaker so the fault goes: Car>Motocycle>bike>People because if a weaker thing makes an error they will probably just end up hurting themselves not the stronger one, that's why you should always be aware of the others are doing and specially what the "weak" are doing. Its funny that when I see people driving it seems that they were born driving, and never once walked the streets, It is more common that the CARS doesn't respect the walkers than the other side around... Think of it next time there is someone trying to cross the streat and you don't stop for them.
In Israel, motorcycle drivers are pretty awful. They will drive between lanes, between cars, speed. It's really dangerous and scary to drive with them around because they just zip on by.
