??ࡱ?>?? /1????.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????M ???bjbj?=?= ??W?W? ??????l???????4????? ???????????\^^^^^^$? ?p?????????????????? ????\??\???\??\?? `x???A?????\\?0?\m ?m \????????  Can We All Please Try To Share? Sunday, August 26, 2001; Page B08 In the same week that The Post trumpeted Lance Armstrong's Tour de France victory [front page, July 30], cyclists in this area gathered for the first public meeting of the Northern Virginia Bikeway and Trails Study. Therein lie several ironies. While Armstrong was hailed for winning the grueling race across the French countryside, in his native country cyclists have little protection from road-enraged drivers. While Armstrong was cheered by millions of French men and women, American cyclists endure taunts, screams and sideswiping from motorists who think that cyclists belong on the sidewalk. Most U.S. motorists don't seem to know that laws in every state give cyclists full rights to the roads. Cyclists are required to stay to the right if a car has room to pass, but on secondary roads that may be too narrow for both bikes and cars, cyclists are allowed -- even encouraged -- to take the entire lane. A car must wait until it's clear to pass. Try telling that to the drivers who have cursed at me, thrown things at me and shouted for me to get on the sidewalk. Yet there is much blame to go around. The Virginia Department of Transportation, unlike transportation departments in many other states, including Maryland, rarely builds shoulders on secondary roads. A state official said shoulders are built only if a locality requests it. Cyclists too are often their own worst enemies. When they ignore traffic lights and stop signs, they're saying, "Give us rights of the road, but not any of the responsibilities." Despite many "Share the Road" signs posted throughout the area, some people think the answer to the bike-car conflict is bike trails, and most suggestions at the bikeway and trails study meeting focused on how to separate cars and bicycles. But while such trails serve some purposes, they often become clogged with runners, skaters and dogs. Further, they encourage the idea that bikes belong somewhere other than the road. So while this study may provide some relief for the persistent biker, with dwindling state and local funds for anything but bare necessities, few of its recommendations likely will be implemented. At the end of they day, it's the drivers who must save lives. Frequent signs reminding them of the rights of cyclists, an education campaign by the highway department and enforcement of current laws may go a long way to recapturing the spirit of "Share the Road." Otherwise, most cyclists will need to follow Lance Armstrong to Europe to ride in safety. Not only do they respect you on the road there, they cheer you on. -- Robert J. Griendling cycles 4,000 to 5,000 miles a year on Northern Virginia roads. $%Gx????????0J^JaJ5?CJ$PJ\? 5?CJ$\? jCJ(UaJ %HIJ???????? ? I J ? ? ? ? _`x??????????????????????????????$a$???????$&P1?h??/ ??=!??"??#??$??%?= 0&P1?h??/ ??=!??"??#??$??%? P0??????' 0&P1?h??/ ??=!??"??#??$??%?? DdI???v? ? C ?RA?:?..\RENEW\Media\post flag.gif??b? ??e????0,^g??H?? 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