The Chainlink

Opposition to a change in the law

You can get the law changed and it's going to really make you feel good about what you've accomplished but the result will be you will piss of the motorists, those other users of the street that can cause you more harm than you cause them.

 

Imagine: if the law were passed, we would all know it.  But the motorists wouldn't.  It might make it to page 13 of the newspaper.  It might be noted in the study-guide for bicyclists or even for motorists who wanted to get a driver's license.

 

In summary, a tiny minority of motorists would know this.  When they saw cyclists legally slowing for a stop sign they would go on to say "There goes another cyclists breaking the law and not following the rules."

 

I don't stop for stop signs, unless it's necessary.  I slow down, I stop pedaling, I look both ways and pedal like hell to cross the intersection where it's necessary.  What will I gain by the passage of this law? 

 

Work for more bike lanes, work for more bike paths, work for more enforcement of the existing laws that the motorists break that harm cyclists but don't spend time, effort and money on a nonsensical law that has no benefit and could perhaps cause more harm than good.

 

That's just my opinion on this.

 

Views: 142

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 26, 2011 at 1:06pm

You are in opossition to repealing a law that you yourself freely admit to regularly breaking...

 

The mind boggles!

Permalink Reply by Spencer "Thunderball" Thayer! on May 18, 2011 at 11:57am
I would argue that like any change in the law the confusion at first will be outweighed by the benefit to society. Eventually the normative behavior will reconcile with the law and we would have a more rational set of rules. If everyone derailed changes in legislation mearly because it wouldn't catch on immediately we would still be teaching King Hammurabi's stone tablets in class.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 22, 2011 at 5:57pm

When the laws themselves become more important (and holier in and of themselves)  than the people they are intended to serve our society has a problem.

 

Laws are made to serve people, not the other way around.

Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on June 24, 2011 at 9:29am

I'm not opposing the law, I'm just stating my lack of support for it.


There are other things I'd prefer to spend my efforts on: more bike lanes, more bike paths, more enforcement of existing laws on motorists who violate the laws, 


James Baum said:

You are in opossition to repealing a law that you yourself freely admit to regularly breaking...

 

The mind boggles!

Permalink Reply by Steve G on October 22, 2015 at 1:27pm

One thing is for sure imo- that public education on bike laws is poorly done in Chicago. Having a good PSA campaign would go a long way to solving the problem of people not knowing the laws, Idaho Stop (if it happens here) included.  

Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on October 22, 2015 at 1:39pm

I agree with you Steve. Communicating laws to motorists, cyclists is critical as well as "cyclists are your friends and loved-ones" campaign would go a long way in Chicago and the surrounding area. There are other cities and states that have more positive relationships between cyclists and motorists. 

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