Bicyclists push back against proposed National parks and forests rule

Here we are in the second decade of the 21st century, and bicyclists are forced to petition their Senators to retain their legal rights to the road.

The draft Senate transportation authorization bill, perhaps misnamed “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act,” includes a provision that bans bicycle riders from park roads if there is a trail nearby.

What is it with the US Senate and bicycles?

Earlier this fall, two Senators on separate occasions offered amendments that would have removed federal funds for bicycle and pedestrian projects. Those measures were roundly defeated.

Bicycle Safety?

Now this Senate bill — S. 1813 —  reduces overall funding for bicycle projects and creates a so-called “side path” law that bans bicyclists from park roads if there is a trail or path within 100 yards.

Here's the provision under the ironic heading, “Bicycle Safety:”

(d) BICYCLE SAFETY.—The Secretary of the appropriate Federal land management agency shall prohibit the use of bicycles on each federally owned road that has a speed limit of 30 miles per hour or greater and an adjacent paved path for use by bicycles within 100 yards of the road.

This isn't an amendment offered by a couple of crackpot Senators looking for publicity, it's language included in a bill written and approved by members of the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee, chaired by Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.

Dangerous and wrong

The League of American Bicyclists executive director Andy Clarke writes that the “side path” provision is dangerous and just plain wrong.

The law is rooted in a couple of mistaken philosophies. One such idea is that it’s just not safe for cyclists to sharing the road with cars going more than 30 mph and thus, for our own safety, we should have to use a path that is provided. This paternalistic (at best) approach is guilty of not only blaming the victim but simply doesn’t make sense unless every higher-speed roadway has a path alongside it.

The second principle at play is the idea that “we provided this path for you, you’d darned well better use it”. To which our response should be…if the path is any good, you shouldn’t have to force anyone to use it; they will use it voluntarily because it works.

Write your Senators

The League of American Bicyclists has prepared an email petition form that bicyclists can send to their Senators to express their feelings that forcing bicycle riders onto paths is a bad idea.

As of Monday morning, more than 4,000 bicycle proponents have emailed their Senators about the topic.

Although it's not set for a floor vote anytime soon, Clarke says writing your Senator now will “get the issue on their radar” for a big push later. The League of American Bicyclists and America Bikes are working together on the side path issue and funding cuts for bicycling projects.

Photo above from Google Maps Street View in Yosemite Park, California.