response 1 of 46:

Sep 14 12:43 UTC 1991

I've had more problems with people in the bike paths than with cars.
(Of course, I try to be courteous to car drivers, so they seem to be
returning the favor.)  People on other bikes who don't scootch over
a little, walkers who don't move, parents on family walks who let their
kids wander around randomly (i.e. in front of my bike)....

response 3 of 46:

Sep 16 11:37 UTC 1991

I didn't mean to imply that you had to make a left turn out of the
bike lane.  The way I read it, though, you do have to stay in the bike
lane if you are proceeding straight down the road.

response 5 of 46:

Sep 17 07:39 UTC 1991

Heh...you must not ride the paths much. The newest (fuller-gallup-
dixboro) is a decent one, but the rest of them haven't been touched since
they were laid down. I challenge Dan Romanchik to ride his bike on the 
path on Huron Parkway from Plymouth to Washtenaw without screwing up his
rims.
        And all they seem to require of a "sidewalk bicycle route" is 
something that looks vaguely like curb cuts. AA-EMU via Packard is a good
example of this. Most of the curb cuts are 1" or greater lips.
        And the sidewalk itself is no less trashed than any other.

        Anyway, there are definitely time on the "official" biek routes
that it's safer to ride in the street.

        Conversely, there are any number of idiots who ride in the street when
there's a perfectly fine sidewalk path alternative. I see this 
every day on Fuller. The blind, no-shoulder part by my apt buildings has 
a mediocre but more than rideable, amply wide sidewalk. But idiots 
still insist on riding in the street. Sometimes even against traffic.

        So, uh, I don't know what my point is. Excpet the obvious
obsession.

        Oh, and that they don't spend near as much as you think on the 
paths. 

response 7 of 46:

Sep 17 11:23 UTC 1991

Why should I ride that bikepath?  As I believe I said somewhere else,
bike paths are generally unsa, and in this case, poorly maintained.
As I live on the west side of town, I can avoid Huron Pkwy altogether.

As to city ordinances, I don't believe there are any that require
cyclists to use them.  I did not live in AA before they were put in,
but it sounds like good intentions not jibing with reality.

response 9 of 46:

Sep 17 22:36 UTC 1991

Legally, yes, if they're in the street.

For safety and courtesy, they MOST DEFINITELY should, if there are any cars,
pedestrians, or anything at or close to the intersection. My rule of thumb 
is, if I can see a car, I obey the signs. The only time I don't is out in the 
middle of nowhere, or on hills when every direction is completely clear (so
as not to lose all momentum when going uphill).

I wish to hell Ann Arbor cops would start ticketing bicyclists in town. I 
realize they've got other things to do, but it's at the point where it's an
extreme safety hazard. The eplosion of mountain bikes on the scene, and the
"ecologically correctness" of biking has put so many more idiots on the 
road it makes my head spin. If you hear someone yelling "one way street!",
"Stop sign!" or "red LIGHT!!!" it's probably me. Going to work I saw, oh, 
about 20 people disobeying laws in dangerous ways. The non-dangerous (just
obnoxious) ones were to numerous to mention.

        Oh, and a safety tip: 

        *** Be aware of what type of lane you're in, as a cyclist! This is
an exception (sort of) to the keep-right rule! If you are in a right-turn-
only lane, EVERY car in that lane is going to turn right! If you go straight,
and are on the right side of these cars...You will get hit! Especially 
dangerous because people turning right very often are looking exclusively
to the LEFT, watching for traffic! Keep to the right IN YOUR LANE, but be 
ready to change lanes when neccesary, signaling first, of course! ***

        And at any intersection, when stopped, you should be IN THE MIDDLE
of a lane, anyway. If you come up on the right (or left) side of cars, they
may very well not notice you, and turn into you. Even if they're not signaling,
it doesn't mean they're not turning. Once you're across the intersection, 
move back to the right side.

response 11 of 46:

Sep 18 07:41 UTC 1991

A fairly treacherous area. 
Oh, and Dan, I was saying you should ride Huron Parkway so you'd see 
why I tell people to get mountain bikes. I have to ride that a couple of
times a month, usually, and every time, I say "boy am I glad this bike can
mostly take this". Of course, with all the bouncing I'm doing on the path,
you can hardly make out what I'm saying...
There are stop signs on the gallup path at Fuller, and some people actually 
stop! I am stunned each and every time!

response 13 of 46:

Sep 19 03:27 UTC 1991

The path is okay from Plymouth to Geddes...and after Washtenaw.

response 15 of 46:

Feb 22 13:26 UTC 1993

In general, I'm against most laws.  I prefer education instead, though this
is more difficult to adminester than a law.  Licensing means little.  Just
look at the way some licensed drivers drive.  Since drivers education is
required in most states, maybe some mention of bicycling should be made 
there.  Often even the police are not aware of laws r.e. bicycles.  Perhaps
literature could be included with every bicycle sold and 1 of the 10 questions
asked of drivers for re-licensing could pertain to bicyclests.  I also feel
that social views on bicyclists plays an important role.  The people in Ann
Arbor are quite tolerant, and often respectful of bicyclists.  Get out towards
Whitmore lake and beyond and it's like stepping back in time.  Last summer,
while riding west of Whitmore, I had 3 people yell at me while I was out 
riding around the lakes there.  One of them was mowing the lawn in his front
yard!
Reuben Chapman is the current Bicycle Coordinator to the best of my knowledge,
though I think it's part time.

response 17 of 46:

Mar 5 12:15 UTC 1993

Maybe the AA police should make one day each quarter "bicycle
enforcement" day and ticket cyclists breaking traffic laws.  The
penalty for infractions could be a bicycle safety class.

response 19 of 46:

Apr 11 00:32 UTC 1994

responf
respond
ke and he got hurt, and I knw that cars are very dangerous.  If i went in the
road i  would follow the signs, but i don't, and when i'm on the sidewalk i try
 d people, but what pisses me off is a*holes wallking on the street who take up
the whole f*king sidewalk, i cant get around, i especally hate it when they are
coming towards me and don't move.

response 21 of 46:

Apr 11 11:54 UTC 1994

I think he was talking about a group of people taking up the entire
sidewalk.  I've noticed that lately, too.  People are getting very impolite.

response 23 of 46:

Apr 12 11:56 UTC 1994

Life in the big city  :-(