Is it illegal to "bumper sticker" someones car?

[JWC]

I don't live in NC and the regulation against souped up golf carts (ie: Th!nk) is a federal one.

Additionally, this wasn't really a controlled access highway, but it does have exits and such (but no access road ).

True, bike riders have  access to more highways than NEV's do that are  limited to 25mph.

But, from your description of the highway you were traveling on, and depending on local/state rules, this rider appears to have been within his rights to ride that highway.

Locally, designated bike routes run right along highways with speed limits of 55mph and do not have bike lanes. Why they are even "designated" I have no idea.

Personally, I'd like to see education of bike riders regarding highway laws and rules starting in first grade. The government is concerned about their safety enough to require helmets, but not enough teach them the proper way to ride. I've tried to talk to riders who are traveling on the wrong side of the road because they think they governed under pedestrian laws, but they don't care.  I'd also like to see the police crack down on some of these riders. Likewise, I'd like to see some enforcement regarding drivers, like the ones I encountered.

[TBR]

I just don't see why he couldn't have ridden more on the shoulder. He was already technically breaking the law so why not go a little further over to much improve his safety?

Bikes just plain aren't cars, the government can say that the same regulation apply to both, but that shouldn't be the case imho, at least in places with speed limits above 30 or so.

[Rupert]

Bikers should do everything possible to avoid hindering the flow of traffic as well as protecting their own safety. [...]

Bullshit. Bikers should do everything they can to not get hurt, but damn the flow of traffic! Of course, the two usually overlap. Getting in the way of the flow of traffic is often the first step in getting hit, but there are times when it is the safer thing to do. Bikes are traffic. I really think you should get out there and ride your bike as a primary means of transportation for a few months before you start talking about what bikes should and shouldn't be doing.

[TBR]

I live in a very rural area, it isn't practical.

And, yes, I agree that safety is much more important than the flow of traffic. But, interrupt the flow of traffic and you're putting the drivers at risk as well.  

[JWC]

I live in a very rural area, it isn't practical.

And, yes, I agree that safety is much more important than the flow of traffic. But, interrupt the flow of traffic and you're putting the drivers at risk as well.

I live in a rural area and the safest place to ride is on the highway, not in town.  Both of the incidents that started this thread was in town. Also, unlike a Th!nk, I'm not limited to 25mph.  A local cop swears that he clocked a cylcist doing 53mph in a 55 zone this past summer. (Better rider than myself for sure).

It isn't the fact that the cyclist is on the road, it is the impatience of the car driver that endangers the rider and other traffic.

[TBR]

Because the car driver wants to go the speed limit?  

[Rupert]

I live in a very rural area, it isn't practical.

And, yes, I agree that safety is much more important than the flow of traffic. But, interrupt the flow of traffic and you're putting the drivers at risk as well.

Then you shouldn't be talking about what bikes should and should not do.

[JWC]

Because the car driver wants to go the speed limit?

It is unfortunate, but true.  I've seen impatient drivers pass stopped school buses, blow horns at school buses, take extremely dangerous chances trying to get around tractors and combines.

Last summer a farmer was killed moving a tractor to another of his farms when someone came up behind him at 55 and found that he couldn't get past him because of oncoming traffic and didn't allow enough time to stop.  A elementary school student was killed this year when a driver didn't bother to stop, but preceded past the school bus.

I suppose though that the tractor had no business on a highway trying to get to a farm half a mile away and school buses shouldn't stop to pick up children and shouldn't be governed to a speed limit of 45-50mph.

Not only that, but if you have children, you shouldn't live in a house that is on a highway. That's just irresponsible on the parent's part.  Driveways should have exit and on-ramps so you can get up to speed to merge into traffic and not slow anyone down.  

Highways are for cars only and only those going the speed limit.  Cars shouldn't have to contend with anyone getting in their way or slowing them down.  

Of course, I see it differently. Every 15-20 miles I put on my bike is a gallon of gas saved for those people that would rather drive 10 miles to work instead of cycling. Every mile I put on is less pollution deposited into the air we breathe. Every mile I ride means less doctors visits and less health care cost for everyone.

Maybe instead of complaining about bikers, you should look at it as, wow, that guy is riding his bike and the more people to do that, the less demand for gas...the less the demand, the less the price.  Not only are they getting a benefit, but they are helping me keep driving my car economically and whenever I want.


I really think opinions like those here are in the minority. My bike is parked next to  my service desk at work. It is amazing how many customers ask about it, how far I ride, and how many wish they had the stamina to ride. I do my best to promote the sport/hobby.  A vast majority of my customers commute less than two miles to work everyday.  Besides ruining their automobiles, they are ruining their health.  They are contributing to traffic congestion and poor air quality.

I could easily turn this around. Since the benefits of cycling out wiegh that of driving a fossil fueled automobile, maybe the state should close some highways and streets to such automobiles and allow only cyclists and pedestrians.  Really, what would it matter to a driver whose only concern is avoiding such traffic. They can take the long way to work. All they have to do is sit there, stay between the lines, and listen to Barry Manilow on the radio. :D  

[TBR]

Except in cities where there are low speed limits a biker shouldn't block a lane, unless absolutely necessary, a tractor has too. I agree more patience on the road was be beneficial, but when you have a vehicle like a bicycle that can easily be ridden out of the way of cars it should be done imho.

Frankly, I don't see how riding would change my mind. You had better believe I wouldn't be right on the white line in a 55 mph zone. And you had also better believe that I wouldn't get a ticket for doing it either.

[TBR]

By the way, I really do admire you all for riding your commutes as much as possible. I wish I had the ability to do that, but I honestly don't have enough stamina to keep up decent speeds for 15-20 miles.

[JWC]

Except in cities where there are low speed limits a biker shouldn't block a lane, unless absolutely necessary, a tractor has too. I agree more patience on the road was be beneficial, but when you have a vehicle like a bicycle that can easily be ridden out of the way of cars it should be done imho.

Frankly, I don't see how riding would change my mind. You had better believe I wouldn't be right on the white line in a 55 mph zone. And you had also better believe that I wouldn't get a ticket for doing it either.

A biker is supposed to stay as far right as possible, but stay within the marked boundaries of the roadway.  Unless, the biker is making a left hand turn.

[TBR]

Well I wouldn't, and I have a hard time believing a police officer would give you a ticket for it, at least not when there are plenty of speeders available for their entertainment

[Rupert]

You don't see how riding would change your mind because you haven't ridden. Have you ever ridden a bike with 18cc tires down the wide shoulder of a country road? It doesn't take very much to blow out those tires and it does take a lot of unpredictable swerving to avoid all the debris on that wide shoulder. It's not about not getting a ticket, it's not about cars only.

And you don't have the stamina to ride a long ways at a decent rate of speed because you don't do that regularly. If you rode everyday for 20 miles and pushed yourself as fast as you could for a month, you'd have plenty of stamina and would be going plenty fast.

[TBR]

You don't see how riding would change your mind because you haven't ridden. Have you ever ridden a bike with 18cc tires down the wide shoulder of a country road? It doesn't take very much to blow out those tires and it does take a lot of unpredictable swerving to avoid all the debris on that wide shoulder. It's not about not getting a ticket, it's not about cars only.

Then get thicker tires <_<

And, I never said it was about cars only. In this situation I was a hell of a lot more concerned about the biker's safety than I was about getting where we were going on time. Ultimately, for every few people that are careful around bikers there are quite a few who aren't. Some so preoccupied with children or cell phones that they might start to drift a little and not even see the biker there. Perhaps I never made this clear, but  I am not arguing for convenience here, I am arguing for the safety of bikers and drivers alike (slow down too much because of a biker and that cell phone talker/kid yeller might rear end you).

[JWC]

I've never purchased tires, of any kind, based on their thickness. Handling, wear life, yes. Thickness, no.

As Psilos hinted, consistency is the key.  All bikers need to follow the same rules, otherwise, drivers don't know what to expect. That is more dangerous than any thing else. The unexpected is a hazard.  Knowing what a biker is supposed to do, and the biker doing just that, is a very important rule. I've seen the inexperienced travel from one side of the road to the other, thinking they are avoiding traffic, yet faced with two cars, each heading in the opposite direction, they confuse the drivers. On at least one ocassion, this resulted in the kid being hit by a vehicle.  

[sparkplug]

You know what would be worse than bumper stickering someone's car.

Glueing their car door shut. hehehe.

[Raza]

I've got a friend who is a chemist who can get an epoxy that won't come off until it eats through the car.

[JWC]

I've got a friend who is a chemist who can get an epoxy that won't come off until it eats through the car.

I was at the bike shop last weekend and mentioned this. The guys there said they have considered carrying a stick with a permanent marker attached to the end and let it run down the side of the car as they pass.

[JYODER240]

Permanent marker would come off pretty easily