Can't We All Just Get Along?

Those famous words uttered by Rodney King years ago come to mind when I think of bikers and automobiles co-existing on the roads these days. At least in North County, bike riders are more ubiquitous than ever before, and many drivers like me, are scared to death of hitting them.

The reality is that many (not all) bike riders ride as if they own the road, especially when they ride in groups. Does the group give them a sense of power and protection? Maybe so. I have noticed them to be very aggressive, giving drivers the finger, yelling at drivers, and trying to intimidate drivers into getting out of their way. There are bike lanes and bike paths for the bikers. Cars have lanes to drive in, and bikers should not be in the car lanes. I know that when riding in certain areas I am extremely careful, as you never know what some of the bikers might do. Bikers often go through lights and turn when they're not supposed to, although they are supposed to follow the automobile rules of the road. Coast Highway 101 is one of the most dangerous roads to ride if you're a biker. Another dangerous area is El Camino Real near Leucadia Blvd. It seems that almost every month a biker is killed in one of these areas.

Can't we all just get along? Can't the bikers follow the rules of the road, stay in their lanes and obey traffic rules? Can't cars stay in their lanes, respect the bikers and not try to run them off the road? It's a lot better to follow these rules, than to end up dead. Bikers shouldn't try to challenge cars. They'll never win.