Editorial: Motorists, bicyclists can peacefully coexist

Apparently, the polarization of society spreads to bicycles, too.

It seems that any development related to pedaling sparks rage among people who view the roads as the sole purview of automobiles. Over the weekend, Spokane staged its annual celebration of bicycling called Spokefest. It was, by all accounts, a positive, fun-filled event.

In reporting on the event, this newspaper asked participants to finish this sentence: “Bicycling in Spokane is …” The responses invoked words such as “a thrill and a pleasure” … “relaxing exercise” … “good for the community.”

It’s a good thing the anti-bike community wasn’t in attendance, or the responses might’ve been “irritating” … “out of control” … “unfairly subsidized!” The evidence is the online comments that follow any article that is bike-related.

We’ve all heard the complaints about bad drivers, but nobody suggests cars should be removed from the roadways. But it only takes a few bad bicyclists (and there are more than a few) to set off cries of “bikes don’t belong on the roads.”

State law is clear that except for freeways and a few other restricted areas bicycles can legally access roadways, and all of the traffic laws applicable to motorists also apply to bicyclists.

One of the problems is that many bicyclists don’t seem to know or care about the rules of the road. So they blow through four-way stops and red lights and turn without signaling. Law-abiding bicyclists should not be blamed for these actions. Just as good drivers shouldn’t be lumped with the bad.

Society needs to reach some sort of transportation détente, because bicycling is growing, and that can be a healthy development. For one, it’s a positive development for an increasingly obese nation. For another, it takes more cars off the road, which reduces the wear and tear.

This year, Spokane will add 13 more miles of separate paths or dedicated lanes to the more than 100 miles already available. More and more, transportation budgets are carving out cash for bicycling. Traffic engineers are redesigning roads to accommodate bikes.

As the roads become more welcoming, more people consider pedaling instead of driving.

Most bicyclists also drive cars, so the complaint that they don’t pay for the roads is false. In Spokane, street maintenance is paid for with property taxes, not gasoline taxes. In addition, maintaining bike and pedestrian paths is a lot cheaper than a road that’s open to all traffic.

Bicyclists can help keep the peace by riding with traffic and as far to the right as safety will allow. If they are using a full lane on a one lane road, they should consider moving over as cars stack up behind them. And while riding on sidewalks is legal in most areas (not in downtown Spokane), it can be irritating for pedestrians.

If motorists and bicyclists practice common courtesy and common sense, they can coexist amicably. It goes back to that first lesson taught in elementary school: sharing.