August 27, 2007

Round and Round

A reader of The Tennessean is asking if cyclists should be banned from riding on the road through Percy Warner Park, one of the greatest natural parks in any city in the world, after a few collisions between cyclists and walkers. To which a commenter on the paper's website responds...

I do not think that a public road should be closed to cyclists. Maybe the roads should be closed to walkers and runners. As mentioned in the article there are many miles of trails that are off limits to cyclists. Walkers and runners hog the road, many times 4 or 5 people wide, creating very dangerous situations for everyone on the roads. If anything, there should be a walking lane. We live in an absolutely illogical, two year old pouting in the candy isle society that apparently is incapable of thinking straight on the most basic issues. Ms. Sands and other walkers are not thinking clearly when they complain that a vehicle on a road, designed for vehicles, hits them or nearly hits them. Roads are for vehicles with wheels! Trails and sidewalks, notice the word 'walk' is found in the word, sidewalk, are for, you guessed it, walking. I can't believe that I have to waste time answering such a foolish argument. Maybe I should complain that every time I ride my bike of the sidewalk rude walkers keep bumping in to me.