For the safety of others, please keep off the highways

Some poor motorist who had to wait 5 seconds has posted her anti-bike
diatribe for your amusement.

Here is the link to the full article; below that is an excerpt:

http://illinoisleader.com/columnists...iew.asp?c=6972

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MORRISON: Beware of bicycles
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
By Joyce Morrison )

OPINION -- Beware of bicycles - they could be hazardous to your
health.

There are 55 bicycle trails in Illinois.

In fact, within "bicycle distance" of where we live is the Chain of
Rocks bridge. This bridge crosses the Mississippi River, which
connects the Illinois bicycle trail beginning at Pere Marquette State
Park near Grafton, Illinois, to the well-known Katy Trail in Missouri.
The Chain of Rocks Bridge was recently renovated especially for
pedestrians and bicycles and was paid for by we the taxpayers.

With that wonderful recreational provision, why would 4,500 bikers
(mainly from St. Louis) choose to make a 100 mile bike ride on roads
already heavy with tourist traffic that are two lane, curvy, hilly
roads under construction?

That is what Derry Brownfield of the Common Sense Coalition would call
"ignorance gone to seed."

Last Sunday on our way to church, we had the "privilege" of having our
patience tested. We were behind one batch of these bikers going up a
normally busy road with a steep winding hill, blind curves, no road
shoulder. And these bikers were not about to budge out of the way. To
top it off, the road was freshly milled in preparation for a new
surface.

To see these two wheelers peddling up the hill with rear ends stuck in
the air in tight fitting britches is a humorous sight. But it wouldn't
have been funny to have seen one stretched out along the road with
tire marks across him. These Sunday road warriors were literally
risking their lives to prove they had the right.

We were in our car. We had our seat belts on as required by the law -
our insurance and license fees were paid. We had paid fuel tax when we
purchased our gasoline. Now wouldn't you think that would give us a
bit of a priority?

What was that biker's investment that would give him the right to go
down the middle of the highway? Bikers have no license, no vehicle
insurance, no seat belts, no fuel tax. They are not making any
contribution into the local economy in the way of tourism dollars.
They had their own manned rest stops that furnished them with food and
water, and they certainly can't pack home much from the local shops on
the back of their bikes or in those tight britches.

. . .

Bicycles have been around for a long time and brought joy to many. If
used responsibly, a bicycle is a wonderful source of exercise and
recreation. But are we being prepared to be forced to use bicycles for
our major mode of transportation? Could it be this activity is
purposely being placed into an elitist status with no restrictions and
licensing in an effort to lure people into this mental mode?

If you are a biker, please ride responsibly on a trail that has been
provided for your entertainment, and for your own safety and the
safety of others, please keep off the highways.
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--Brent
bhugh [at] mwsc.edu