[This article is written by Beaverton resident David Murray. Murray is a daily bike commuter and an avid motorcyclist who has toured the U.S., Canada, and many European countries.]
The Other Two-Wheelers
When I first encountered the City of Portland’s “I Share The Road” campaign, I was happy to find a group of people who are active in promoting safety for everyone in our area. Their logo, with a “Portland Shares The Road” inscription, wraps cleverly around a yellow rose. Also included are icons of a truck, train, car, bicyclist, and a parent/child depiction of pedestrians. That’s us. That’s who we are, and where we live. And, for the most part, it’s a good representation.
But, missing from that picture are another significant portion of road users. I’m referring to motorcyclists and the ever-increasing number of scooter and moped riders.
In a time and place where bicyclists generate a great deal of interest and attention, (both the favorable and unwanted) it’s understandable that their agenda comes to the forefront while tying into the notion that all users of public roads have rights and responsibilities. To further this discussion, let’s examine the role of riders utilizing internal combustion powered two-wheelers.
“Naturally, two-wheelers slip to the low end of perceived danger, and are thus often entirely overlooked.”
If we look past many of the current stereotypes applied to motorcyclists (“Outlaws”, “Speed Demons”, “Stockbrokers Gone Wild”) and scooter pilots (“Urban Hipsters”, “Starving Students”, “Pseudo-Euros”) what we find are ordinary citizens of all ages, ethnicities, incomes and affiliations. In fact, there are more than 25 million of them in the U.S. today.
No one is “typical”, and the reality is, most have interests that overlap with our own. Many of these folks also use pedal power. Where the real differences lie are in the challenges faced while traveling our streets and highways.
During my thirty-plus years riding motorcycles, the closest calls (and one unavoidable collision) were caused by motorists turning into my right-of-way. While this is also a concern of pedalers, motorcyclists must always be aware that we can be easily overlooked in a mix of automobiles and larger vehicles. Much of this can be mitigated by diligent lane positioning and making oneself conspicuous, but being in the traffic pattern is inherently more risky than traveling near it.
Other issues are not so obvious.
(Photo © J. Maus)
A diesel spill on the road can quickly dump a rider under the wheels of other traffic. Hard braking or panic stops can only be safely accomplished in a straight line. A balance between front and rear brake application must be attained to avoid “high-siding” and being pitched off the bike. Keeping stability through corners depends on the rate of travel and available traction. The same is true for bicyclists, but normally higher speeds up the ante for the go-by-gas crowd.
Our Northwest climate can have adverse effects too. The difficulty of seeing and being seen climbs during the many rainy months. Modern riding gear helps keep us relatively warm and dry, but dedicated riders regularly cope with elements that are of little consequence to the warm and dry “cagers” on four wheels.
Scooter and moped riders may tell you they live the worst of both worlds.
(Photo: VJ on Flickr)
Until recently, the majority of these smaller motorbikes lacked the power to comfortably keep up with auto traffic. Combine those limitations with less than optimum braking, and the “scooteristi” face a rough go of it (and 100 MPG doesn’t always make up for a general lack of respect on the road).
A problem shared by bikers in every camp has its roots in human evolution. Psychologists have shown that motorists continually perform a sub-conscious “threat assessment scan” and prioritize their engagement strategy. Naturally, two-wheelers slip to the low end of perceived danger, and are thus often entirely overlooked. It isn’t fair, it isn’t right, but we have to account for it or suffer the consequences.
In the final analysis, users of two-wheelers of any sort have a lot in common. We share a passion for our chosen modes of transport, and hope and deserve to be safe every time we venture out. We can all do our part in making that possible by educating others and riding responsibly on our chosen cycle.
As I ride a motorcycle frequently, and continue to ride a bicycle nearly every day, I also look forward to a time when motor-powered bikers are more widely accepted. A place for us on the “I Share The Road” logo is something that will help the cause too.
[Editor’s note: Now the question is, should all two-wheelers unite and use our combined numbers to help make our voice stronger? If so, how should we connect with our motorized brethren? One possible way might be to organize with motorcycle riders for the upcoming Ride to Work Day on July 16th.
On the other hand, will aligning with motorcycles hasten the regulation of bicycles (which some people feel is inevitable anyways)?
— This article was written by David Murray. If you’d like to contribute a Guest Article to BikePortland.org, send us your story.
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\”Now the question is, should all two-wheelers unite and use our combined numbers to help make our voice stronger?\”
no, we are not motorcycles.
Unfortunately, most of the subject 2-wheelers have 2-stroke engines and pollute the environment. Riding behind them requires one to breathe disgusting, smelly air.
The fact is a great number of neophytes are taking up motorcycling because of the price of gas, resulting in a significant increase in motorcycle accidents.
No, I don\’t think we should unite at all. I identify, in part, as a bicyclist and will defend to the death…
Well, I don\’t know if uniting is the best solution, but we most certainly do have many similar concerns.
My hat\’s off to the motored two wheelers out there.
My initial thought is strength in numbers. My second thought is in regards to licensing all vehicle operators and legally treating all vehicle operators the same. But thats another subject.
Word.
They should redesign the logo with a motorcycle next to the car.
I agree, bicycles are not motorcycles and I would never advocate for aligning ourselves 100%.
But i wonder if there are some issues where it would make sense to unite on (while maintaining a healthy separation at the same time).
sometimes i see the bike movement as a war and we need as many soldiers as we can get… as long as we\’re fighting for the same things.
I don\’t think it\’s as black and white as your answer, #1. I ride a bicycle to work every day and I just bought a motorcycle to share in the 2 wheeled fun.
Absolutely, yes! We should unite. I\’m a bike commuter and a frequent motorcycle rider, and the author has done a great job of pointing out the similarities and differences between the two modes. Visibility and threats from careless cagers are our shared pain.
Another point to consider is that motorcycle/scooter pilots tend to be hyper-aware for their own safety, which is a far cry from your average cager\’s flippant attitude. Increased awareness benefits all road users.
The majority of 2-wheelers on the road have clean-burning 4-stroke engines nowadays. Only a few new 2-stroke models are being sold, and they have 50cc engines max (very small). The older Vespa/Lambretta/etc. models are, yes, rather dirty but are the exception to the rule. The newest full-size models are being built with fuel injection, catalytic converters and other emissions-reducing technology.
Dispelling other imagined facts: Oregon has about half the national average rate of motorcycle fatalities, despite our rapid increase in two-wheeled motorized mode share. While motorcycling is undeniably more dangerous than pedal power, we\’re doing something right here. See below:
http://tinyurl.com/5zdbx9
It reflects poorly on this community that the first two comments are wholly dismissive of growing our coalition due to some in-group/out-group identity thing. This is not tribal warfare, this is transportation policy, people.
I think there\’s a significant difference between motorcycles and bicycles (hence the motor part). One of the things that sets the bicycles apart as a method of transportation is that it is human powered – faster than walking, yet slower than motor vehicles. The fact that we travel more slowly is central to our issues with motorists in many circumstances. Many of my close calls are due to people trying to rush around me (even if I\’m doing 15 – 20 mph) and even if they\’re just rushing to a red light or stop sign.
I fully realize that motorcycles and scooters face similar visibility issues and vulnerability issues (there\’s an old saying along the lines of \”Big pipes save lives\” i.e. loud motorcycles are highly \’visible\’). So in that situation we have common cause, but I think there are too many discrepancies between bicycles and motorized-cycles for us to truly unite.
Lastly, I would like to say that I appreciate people\’s desire to save gas in this day and age, but buying a two-stroke Vespaesque scooter is a horrific purchase. Two-stroke engines (including those horrible leaf-blowers and lawn mowers) spew out carbon and pollutants at an amazing rate.
007- I am not aware of any true motorcycles out there that are two-stroke. Some small-displacement scooters and mopeds are two-stroke, but everything I\’ve seen over 100cc has been four-stroke and had emissions controls.
I don\’t see a united front between cyclists and motorcyclists emerging any time soon, but it would be nice to acknowledge a little kinship. And if we can help each other get Cali-style lane splitting rights…
#2 – The VAST majority motorbicycles are 4-stroke.
I am not too proud to unite with any group that seeks to increase safety for all road users.
If we could replace most single occupancy cars with motorcycles we\’d be better off from so many standpoints. It\’s certainly much easier for a bicycle and a motorbike to share the road.
jonno – interesting point about the new motors, I\’ll have to check that out and I tentatively retract my previous (last paragraph) statement about Vespa engines.
I will readily say that I\’d much rather be sharing the road with a lot more motorcycles/scooters than more cars. Even riding along Skyline and getting passed by a group of bikers (motorcycles) flying along is a safer experience than one impatient driver while going around a corner.
Yes, lane-splitting is awesome. If a coalition accomplished only that, it would be a good thing, IMHO.
There are plenty of issues of connection between motorcyclists and bicyclists, even if there are many divergent ones.
Probably the biggest is making sure drivers are aware we are out there & pay attention to us on the roads.
There are plenty of electric motorized vehicles out there besides gas powered motorcycles. As the author points out, there are scooters & mopeds on the road too, many of which do not foul our air with combustion.
There are many people out there who need some level of motorized assist in their transportation & we should look to our points of connection there as well to get the strength in numbers to get better transportation facilities out there.
This makes a lot of sense to me. I often think of how similar motorcycles and bicycles are. In fact, I have been trying to think of ways to make my bicycle more like a motorcycle… Do you know where I can find a big enough downhill section so that I can ride my bicycle at 134mph too? Or better yet, is there any way I can modify my freewheel in order to be loud enough to set off car alarms? One thing that I have already figured out is that thanks to Taco Bell, I now have a way to nasally offend all of the people I share the road with…
Ok, all kidding aside, we do face many of the same issues, and anything to get all road users to be more respectful and safe is worthwhile.
I personally have more of an issue with people on their mini motorcycles and gas powered scooters…. They do have two wheels, so are they entitled to the road as well?
Don\’t forget those other, other two wheelers – the Segway! I saw one tooling down the bike lane on Murray the other morning. You don\’t see that every day (unless you\’re in the Chicago airport).
We do share visibility issues with motorcyclists to a degree, but our means of using the road is different. A driver knows a motorcyclist is going to be in the middle of a lane and may move into a left turn lane with a blinker. A bicyclist, on the other hand, has to contend with the driver\’s ignorance of the law (announced by a \”ride on the sidewalk\” shout) when in this scenario. And nobody expects a motorcycle in a bicycle lane, let alone (frequently) a bicycle (or Segway for that matter ;).
Bicyclists also face a larger stereotype challenge than motorcyclists, or at least we have things shouted and thrown at us more often.
The thing we most share with motorcycles is having two wheels, other than that we are all humans in traffic. I don\’t see how the bicycling public could convince the car-driving public otherwise.
This article, on the other hand, is well written, informative, and good for provoking thought and discussion. Thanks David!
Two-Wheeled Friends,
Nice article Dave, and I definately appreciate your input. It\’s worth noting that the City has been working with the motorcycle/scooter community for some time now, in fact just last year the Council formed one of the nation\’s first Motorcycle and Scooter Citizen Advisory Committees. The committee has met several times and is actively working to address a variety of issues identified in a 2006 survey of over 1,000 motorcyclists in Portland. You can find minutes from the meetings, stats, news, studies and survey results on the City\’s motorcycle and scooter website,
http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=40219
The Governor has also formed a motorcycle safety advisory committee which has been very active to date. I encourage you all to participate in one of these forums.
We (the City) chose to form this group in recognition of the growing number of motorcycles/scooters in Portland, and in recognition of the issues unique to the mode which include parking and safety. That said, we are stopping short of actively encouraging motorcycle/scooters use right now. The primary reason for that is air quality; motorcycles built today, with the most recent EPA standards, emit 40X more green house gas than an SUV built today…new standards on are in the works, but for now the benefits of motorcycle/scooter use are primarily to the user who realizes savings at the pump.
Finally, I think there are many issues the two-wheeled community can collaborate on in terms of advocacy. Sharing the road is certainly one, but I see a lot of opportunities in terms of road maintenance and construction practices as well.
Thanks,
Dan Bower
Transportation Options Policy Program Manager
Portland Office of Transportation
we should also remember that, historically and technologically speaking, motorcycles are our children, and we wouldnt want to be deadbeat parents, now would we? 🙂 and hell, bicycles here in the us spent the better part of 40 years last century (1918-1960 or so – the balloon tire era) trying to *be* motorcycles… and what of the whizzer/electric bike/power assist grey area then? if we would eschew motorcycles, where does that put them?
as david points out in his article, there are substantial similarities between motorcycles, scooters, and bicycles, mainly in the field of both being vulnerable road users – whatever our feelings towards the whole internal combustion engine thing and all its permutations, there is nothing but gain to be had by aligning ourselves with other vulnerable road users in attempts to raise awareness about *all* of us. it doesnt mean we have to agree on everything, or back all their causes (or vice versa), but there are potential benefits to making allies in the motorcycle/scooter camp on an issue-by-issue basis.
I personally came to the cycling thing via the motorcycling community. I, to this day, feel that since my first exposure to traffic as a newly licensed and endorsed 16 year-old, I was better prepared for life on a non-motorized two-wheeler.
007 #2, I have compelling anecdotal evidence that contradicts your assertion that most, \”Subject\”, (Not sure what you mean.) motorcycles are, in fact, 4-cycle and not 2-cycle. A large number of older scooters and mopeds are 2-cycle, but comprise a pretty small minority. The bad-press high-efficiency 2-cycle engines have received has led to that market, even, turning away from the ring-dings. Most newer small displacement scooters and mopeds utilize vastly less efficient 4-cycle motors. IMO
ANYTHING but even the smallest car, is a good thing to REPLACE a car on the road with. Plus, I\’ve often wondered why these two communities don\’t cooperate more. Bicycles are an incredibly tough sell to motorcyclists, again just a personal observation. Plus, when the rhetoric, and policy, is anti-car many motorcyclists feel this includes them as well; and have been very alienated by things like bike-boxes, where they don\’t enjoy the same exempt status cyclists do, for making the turn on a red. Not my usual bike-box-bashing bs here, I\’m just saying that when a group deliberately deploys policy that negatively impacts motorists, motorcycles are sanctioned as well. Lotta\’ P.O.d motorcyclists out there right now.
In terms of awareness campaigns related to vulnerable users, I\’m behind pointing out motorcycles in this group. Beyond that, it seems our differences are somewhat stark.
One fear in alignment is how this may impact off-road use. Mountain bikers, myself included, contend that we\’re much like hikers in our impact to trails and wildlife and other users. Sure there\’s the occasional skidding yahoo that does damage on all three counts but that\’s the exception. Mountain bikes are currently excluded from all wilderness areas.
If we align with the motorized set, we can make our case for trail access even more difficult.
While this topic is purely about road users and safety related to that, the potential fallout for this related cycling activity is worth mentioning.
Sure, bicycles and motorcycles have some obvious similarities, but the differences are glaring for me. I used to own a motorcycle, and for a couple years I was pretty excited about it, but after a while I got tired of the fact that it\’s just another mode of transportation based on internal combustion. In fact, many motorcyclists don\’t use their rides for daily transportation, but save them for leisure time. Touting the fuel economy doesn\’t make much sense when someone travels hundreds of miles in a weekend just for the sake of being on the motorcycle (and burning fossil fuels). It\’s not as if most of those same people would have driven their cars that same distance if the motorcycle wasn\’t available.
I sold my motorcycle and bought a nicer bicycle several years back. My attitude has changed so much since. Many motorcyclists have so much pride in their form of transportation, yet at the end of the day, you\’re still not DOING anything and it\’s just another internal combustion tool. I know it\’s difficult for most people to get by in today\’s society without a car, but at the times that you don\’t need to rely on a car, get off your buts and find something to do that doesn\’t use gas, pollute, and isn\’t so damn loud.
Don\’t even get me started on dirt bikes versus mountain bikes.
The gap between scooters and motorcycles is huge to me. Most of these complaints don\’t really apply to scooters.
Most of the subject 2 wheelers are motorcycles…therefore they have four stroke engines and pollute far less than your average four wheeled vehicle.
Although scooters are smelly two stroke machines they are still far better to have on the road next to you than a car…(I imagine they hurt less when they hit you)
–
Before my bicycle life in Portland I was an avid motorcyclist and I can not begin to convey the amount of \”street smarts\” I gained during my days on a motorcycle that I use everyday on my bicycle commute.
I don\’t think anybody is suggesting that we join ourselves at the hip with motorcyclist and scooterists, but one cannot ignore the fact that they suffer from many of the same \”visibility\” problems that we suffer from. What is also important to realize is the fact that they have been fighting this fight alot longer than we have and over the years have gained not only safer roads for themselves, but respect from most other motorists. In short, we can learn much from what motorcyclists have gone through to get to their respected place on the road.
It\’s important to know that not everyone can commute via bike (physical problems, distance to work, etc.), and it should be commended that some would be SUV and car drivers are opting to ride a motorcycle or scooter instead…not only does it help reduce their use of gas (okay, not as much as a bike, but hey, at least they\’re trying!), but their heavier presence on Portland\’s road makes us safer much in the same way more bikes on the road make us safer…
THE MORE SMALL OBJECTS ON THE ROAD, THE MORE YOUR AVERAGE CAR DRIVER WILL BE LOOKING FOR SMALL OBJECTS.
–
I live by and love my bike, but stop with the xenophobia towards obvious allies.
Even if they still use gas.
David, thanks for writing. An article on this subject is long overdue.
I agree that in terms of visibility, and issues of stability on two wheels, bicyclists and motorcyclists share the same concerns. I could envision the groups uniting on these fronts.
However, I feel bicyclists and motorcyclists are worlds apart in terms of getting respect on the road. This is because motorcycles use gas instead of muscle power. Being able to use a throttle to increase speed can do as much to keep a rider out of danger as braking. But not many bicyclists are strong enough to pedal themselves to a burst of speed to stay safe in traffic. Similarly, motorcyclists have no challenges to maintaining speed on arterial streets, where bicyclists are routinely harassed for going slower than the average speed of traffic. Without any personal experience riding a motorcycle, I am also going to guess as well that car drivers are more prone to respecting motorcyclists\’ right to a full lane.
I\’d like to see the motorcycle community acknowledge these privileges that bicyclists do not share, before they attempt to recruit bicyclists\’ support on the shared disadvantages you point out. I will not abide any assessment that motorcycles are as downtrodden as bicycles, and I think it would be wise for the motorcycle community to acknowledge that before any attempt to recruit bicyclists\’ support.
I am both a cyclist and motorbike rider.
I think you will find that quite a few are.
Alot of the motobike racers I know at the track ride road bikes for transportation , fun, and or off season training.
I quite often wave at cyclists when riding my motorbike on the back roads. Motorcylists, like cyclists, are certianly more in tune and aware of other vulnerable road users.
jonno,
I take issue with your statement that the majority of motorized 2-wheelers out there are 4-stroke. Definitely not true. Shop for a scooter and you will find most are 2-stroke and you will have to pay quite a bit more for a 4-stroke. I just followed a smelly 2-stroke this morning.
And for the record, I have been right hooked by a motorcyclist.
I have to agree that I don\’t feel a great deal of love for the motorcyclists. From my perspective, just trying to get to work, or across town, they\’re just another big roaring metal obstacle that I have to avoid.
They may also suffer from the image problem fixed gear riders have: it\’s often a very ostentatious \”style\” or \”lifestyle\” choice, rather than a practical means of transportation. Sure, a motorcycle can be a practical means of transportation, but often those users are identified with the kitted-up riders of gigantic amplified Harleys that rattle everyone\’s windows as they tool by. (An auditory equivalent of the lime-green powdercoated rim brakeless top-tube-padded fixie guys? Or am I drawing this metaphor out a bit thin?) Anyway, sure, they\’re somewhat better than cars from several perspectives… just not a whole lot better.
Modern 2 stroke engines are MUCH cleaner than those in the marketplace through the 70s and 80s. If I\’m not mistaken, I believe most of the Tri-met busses are running 2-stroke engines. I\’d much rather see a 2-stroke scooter on the road than even the thriftiest of econo-cars. The volume of polution release by a 100cc engine will beat the car every time.
If we cared about our air, we\’d be wondering why DEQ measures poisonous gases as a percent instead of by volume. An econo-car may pass the emmissions test in the bay right next to a monster SUV with the same % CO2/NOX coming out the tailpipe. It\’s pretty easy to predict which of them will produce more pollution, however.
To the original topic…I think it prudent to partner with any/every group possible on any given issue. Strength in numbers. Additionally, the groups partnered with become invested in the given cause as well. …Not only to meet their ends, but an awareness of ours as well. Speaking figuratively; I don\’t have to dismiss my neighbor because he lives his life differently than I. Instead, I can work to understand and support his efforts and seek his empathy when it comes to my own. Community.
i never saw a fixie rattle windows unless it was from a ulock! LOL
We should support alliance with motorized two wheelers and I think it is ill advised not to recognize that we share many of the same perspectives as our motorized cousins. One direction might be to work toward adding motorcyclists to the definition of \”Vulnerable User\” contained in ORS 801.608 so as to qualify for inclusion in the enhanced penalties provision for careless drivers who injure or kill a vulnerable user in ORS 811.135. The idea for enhanced penalties was actually started by motorcycists in the AMA and has been a part of their campaign in many state legislatures.
Thank you for the article. As a bicycle commuter and motorcyclist, I can attest to the similarities. #16 > Where the hell did you get that idea from? Certainly not from the road. Passing a motorcyclist while \’sharing\’ the same lane is very common. It\’s worst when approaching red lights and the line next to you is shorter so they squeeze by while you\’re both braking. Motorist also typically don\’t have to contend with bicycles in the next lane when changing lanes. People may check there mirrors, but much less often do they check over their shoulder to see who\’s next to them.
Bicyclists, I would say, get more respect on the road due to more media attention.
Most new motorcycles being sold are in fact 4 stroke and fuel injected. Catalytic converters are also being phased in. (Fortunately, my Bonnie still has carbs, whoops!)
I\’m the type that thinks anything on two wheels is good, and I know I\’m not alone. I also think that there is much more of a crossover between the two than many \’true\’ cyclist may think.
Oops, forgot to add that it would be nice to see a motorcycle next to the bicycle on the logo.
Dan (#17) –
I\’ve seen this quoted elsewhere, but it doesn\’t make any sense to me:
\”motorcycles built today, with the most recent EPA standards, emit 40X more green house gas than an SUV built today\”
My 650cc street bike gets 50 mpg, although it\’s carbureted and doesn\’t have a catalyst. How can it be emitting 40x more greenhouse gas (I assume this means C02) than an SUV which gets 15 mpg? The SUV is clearly turning more hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide over a given distance.
Did you mean to say 40x more air pollutants? That I could see (due to the lack of pollution controls on the bike), but basic chemistry says the bike wins when it comes to carbon dioxide emissions.
I\’ve found a huge amount of disdain among motorcyclists for bicyclists. This happens when the motorcyclists make fun of you while waiting for the ferry (Seattle) or they buzz by you in the same lane much closer than most cars. I see no common cause with motorcyclists.
On the other hand, cars are not allowed to pass in the same lane as a motorcyclist yet they are allowed to do so with bicyclists. This is especially strange since the speed differential is so much more between the latter than the former.
It\’s also funny to see moped riders try to ride like bicyclists. They cut up the lanes, but much faster than bikes. They also try to park on the sidewalks or lock themselves to bike racks. They just can\’t get any respect! It\’s no wonder that motorcycling is five times as deadly as bicycling and mopeding is 10 times as deadly as bicycling.
This whole two stroke/four stroke discussion is just a ruse. Motorcycles and mopeds are not subject to emissions controls and can run as dirty as they like. http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/CARS/Automotive_Pages.htm
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/vehicle/emissions.shtml
No, the motorcycle community is just trying to piggyback on the tremendous good will given to bicyclists. Don\’t let them. The average Harley only gets the same gas mileage as a Camry anyway. Don\’t buy it.
Toby, not sure if you\’re saying I\’m not a \”true\” cyclist or not, but I get the idea (#16) from many, many miles of driving, bicycling, and motorcycling on roads in Oregon, Massachusetts, and California (primarily). I haven\’t registered a motorcycle in Oregon, but rode and bicycled in Massachusetts and California. By comparison Oregon road users are much safer than in those states, and I\’ll bet a paycheck motorcyclists\’ injury and death rates are an order of magnitude lower. As I said, I agree with the visibility issues to a degree, but if you\’re getting right-hooked on a motorcycle you\’re breaking the law and shouldn\’t be driving anything. Bike lanes are a big difference between motorcycles and bicycles. Drivers who aren\’t looking out for motorcycles are often as unaware of other drivers, whereas most drivers simply aren\’t looking out for bicyclists or I daresay aware of our rights to be in their flow of traffic.
And for the record, I think motorcycle lane sharing should be legal here as it is in California. It works.
well I guess PDOT\’s omission of motorcycles in their share the road literature makes up for ODOT\’s omission of bicycles in their share the road literature.
#34 the only disdain I see right now is clearly a cyclist toward motorcyclists.
I wasn\’t aware that cars were legally allowed pass \’anybody\’ while in the same lane. Thank you for setting me straight.
Ruse? No it was correcting peoples misinformation. And currently no emissions testing is required, but again, times are changing. And to say they can run as dirty as you like is false as well. You still can\’t legally tamper with emissions control devices including fuel mixtures. There\’s just currently no system in place to check whether or not someone has. And motorcycle = Harley? Puhleeze! Even if that stat was correct, it does nothing more than say something about you, not the efficiency of scoots. Evidently, \’Share the Road\’ doesn\’t mean the same thing to everyone.
No piggybacking involved either. Motorcyclists have been fighting for respect on the road since forever and day. Like you said \”Don\’t buy it\”
Pete, I just noticed that what I copied from #16 didn\’t get pasted. I was really only referring to the idea that cars expect motorcyclists to be there. I misunderstood what you meant. Thanks for clarifying, i do agree with you there. The \’true\’ cyclist remark was a generalization that many bicyclists have about themselves, because I think they do. I just don\’t agree with it. Like I said, two wheels is good wheels! 😉
And lane sharing, as in lane splitting, isn\’t really legal, it\’s just not specifically illegal. I know many that have received citations for it. I have done it, but only if it\’s 110F and traffic is creeping at 3-8mph and I\’m in full leathers.
#33 jonno:
Carbon dioxide isn\’t the only greenhouse gas, and it is actually a pretty minor one per molecule, it is just that we put out a lot of carbon dioxide so it adds up. On a per molecule basis though, methane (CH4) is 62 times worse than carbon dioxide (CO2.) If you look at the chemistry, burning methane looks like this: CH4 + 2 O2 = C02 + 2 H20. So the best thing you can do with methane, (besides keeping it underground in the first place) is to burn it…
Unfortunately, one of the easy ways to produce methane is by burning gasoline incompletely, which is what smaller engines tend to do a lot of…
Now, I don\’t know how they get 40x worse than an SUV. Even if you turned all the carbon in gasoline into methane (instead of carbon dioxide) in a motorcycle, the higher mpg should translate into it being only about 20x worse than a SUV per mile. But I have no trouble believing that small engines do produce more GHGs than an SUV per mile.
I think the scooter lobby should be complaining loudly about the Columbia River Crossing. For $4.2B, you\’d think that could design it so that scooters could cross the river, especially in an era of higher gas prices making people look into more fuel efficient vehicles…
Vance-
Where is your evidence? I would like to read it for myself. Compelling and at odds with science, sounds good.
007- Just for the record, I have been right hooked by cyclists (yes, plural).
Instead of trying to alienate ourselves (cyclists) from every other group, couldn\’t we try to work together on something?
Mike
Motorcycle rider/bike commuter/racer
I am both a bicyclist and a motorcyclist though I ride the bicycle quite a bit more. The motorcycle I own, which I bought new in 2004 is an ultra low emission vehicle and has catalytic converters, O2 sensors and fuel injection so you can get a clean (by internal combustion standards) motorcycle. However, when I last checked there were no federal emissions standards governing motorcycles so even new models have the potential to be really dirty. And that can have a really sickening and damaging effect on our friends in the bike lane.
Choose your mode wisely!
If you\’re on two wheels you\’re a friend o\’ mine.
Any movement on the automobile/bicycle continuum towards the bicycle end of things should be encouraged. Motorcycles are a step away from automobiles and a step towards bicycles. If we can find some common cause with motorcyclists that strengthens both groups, let\’s do it.
They should take the truck off that logo and replace it with a motorcycle.
More bike lanes and bike facilities?
More room on public transit for bikes?
Tax incentives to bike commuters?
bicycle bridges?
etc.
Which of these is relevant to a motor vehicle with two-wheels traveling in the existing lanes?
Gas powered vehicles and human powered vehicles are wholy different and do not have the same objectives.
This article should have made a better case for shared interests, because I frankly don;t see it.
Graham #44
Agreed! I rode a scooter for two years before hopping on a bicycle. If not for those 2 years of honing my perception skills in the rain, wind, and cold, I would have never considered doing my 40 mile round trip commute on a bicycle. I do it now every day! Motorbikes are the ultimate gateway drug for cycling. We should pass em out like candy!
Everyone is entitled to their opinion on whether or not bicycles and motorcycles should collaborate with one another on these issues.
But one thing we should NEVER do is create more animosity between people who share the road. The last thing we need is people \”hating\” one another or another group just because their mode of transportation is different.
Let\’s keep it positive, people.
Oh, motorocyclists… right. Thought for a second when reading this subject that maybe we were talking about mountain bikers. *chuckle*
Who cares about those other two-wheeled riders, they don\’t need any places to ride right?
Mike #41. Um ya. Evidence of what, smart guy? Which of the SEVERAL unsupported assertions in my comment would you be referring to? Did you not read the parts of that comment that contained phrases like, \”my opinion\”, and words like, \”anecdotal\”. I\’d be happy to provide you links to whatever resources I can find on the definition of, \”anecdotal\”, and, \”opinion\”, if you like. Certainly wouldn\’t want ya to miss an opportunity to look smart in front of the emo-girls.
If you are going to be a smart-a**, you could at least be clear about what it is you are being a smart-a** about. Or not. Sheesh.
Divided we fall.
Bicyclists can\’t unite with one another, let alone any sort of motorized transportation. No matter what advantages it may or may not offer. As an avid commuter, racer and collector of bicycles, I can say in my honest opinion that I have never seen a more divisive and \”us vs. them\” mentality then in Portland\’s bicycle \”community\”.
I don\’t currently own a motorcycle but have ridden them since childhood and look forward to owning another. Thank you David for your article and efforts to bring together bicyclists and motorcyclists.
#47: Hooray! A sane voice! I don\’t understand why people are so up in arms at even the THOUGHT of aligning with motorcyclists on some issues. Cyclists should be looking for any and all friends they can get. Some of the posts on this board almost justify some of the opinions that non-cyclists have of cyclists. Can\’t everyone work together for a common goal of safety on (and off) the road?