More Letters to the Editor

As a follow-up to an earlier letter to the editor in the SunHerald that I mentioned in a previous post, the bicyclist in question responded.

Law requires drivers and cyclists to share the road

Responding to [name withheld]’s letter of Nov. 17, “Few Coast streets are built for bikes and cars to share,” I am the menacing cyclist [name withheld]refers to. I cycled to work during the 1970s, ’80s and early ’90s before retiring. Setting the record straight I maintained a 1- to 2-foot distance from the road edge to avoid being side-swiped by passing cars.

Many motorists do not share the road. To protect myself I checked my rear-view mirror and, when seeing an approaching car, I moved toward the road edge to allow the motorist safe passage. Such defensive strategy protected both driver and me. I steer away from the road edge to avoid debris, stones, broken glass and holes which invite a flat. [Name withheld] should understand there are very few places to pull over on River Road.

Newspaper readers may remember “Mississippi Jack.” He complained about “the arrogant biker who, instead of driving on the extreme right, demanded the center of the one-lane Frederic Street Highway 90 underpass” and motioned for Jack to stay behind him. Yep, I was the arrogant biker trying to avoid being side-swiped in the curved, narrow underpass, which was lined with broken glass and debris, until I could ride through and move out of his way. Another example of a motorist refusing to share the road.

Mississippi state law says cyclists must ride as close as is safe to the right-hand edge of the roadway. A driver when overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction is required to leave a distance of not less than three feet between the motor vehicle and the bicycle.

More cyclists ride today than ever before. Riders, wear helmets, obey all traffic laws, signal when slowing, stopping, or turning. Ride in the same direction as auto traffic, stay as close to the right edge of the road as possible, walk across busy intersections. And to all the drivers, do not view cyclists as a traffic obstruction. Resist succumbing to road rage. We may be “losing money to a ticking time clock or missing appointments” or trying to meet a deadline. Thank you for your courtesy and consideration.

Name and location withheld.

SunHerald, Saturday, December 13, 2008

Then, the next day, I read this lovely piece.

Some people grow old, but they don’t grow up

Someone told me that I should exercise at a gym rather than walk or cycle outside. Sorry, lady, but although it might be too embarrassing for you to be seen bicycling in public, I like to inhale fresh air. Also, it is not scary for me as it might be for you. This is probably why I see a lot of women walking in pairs across the Ocean Springs bridge.

A lot of males think it is “macho” to honk, yell or say stupid things to me when I walk or cycle. I can understand such lack of maturity in a youngster, but many of these people are over 70 years old. Isn’t it time to grow up?

Name and location withheld.
SunHerald, Sunday, December 14, 2008.

Amen to that. To both authors: I will ride with you, any time, any place.