The Best "Share the Road" Logo



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Jym Dyer

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[Also sent to bicyclism]

=v= Various parts of the U.S. have "Share the Road" programs, which intend to promote the
coexistence of bikes and cars on the same streets. The name has been problematic, though, and I've
heard from several quarters about motorists shouting "Share the Road!" while using vehicular assault
to discourage bicyclists from taking the lane.

=v= Compounding the problem, these programs usually feature logos showing a bicycle hugging the
right side of the road, or right next to a car, in the door zone. Everyone knows that bicycles are
usually supposed to keep to the right, but there's widespread ignorance about the times we're
permitted to (and should) take the lane. These logos don't address that problematic ignorance, and
may even be taken as support for the "bikes keep to the right no matter what" misperception.

=v= The best StR logo I've ever seen is in Pennsylvania, which shows a bike IN FRONT of a car. You
can see it on the cover of their bike manual:

http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Internet/hwyIntHS.nsf/frmBikeManual

They even put this on their envelopes, so every license renewal, etc., shows it! Let's hope it
educates motorists. <_Jym_
 
In article <[email protected]>, Jym Dyer <[email protected]> wrote:

snip
>
> =v= The best StR logo I've ever seen is in Pennsylvania, which shows a bike IN FRONT of a car. You
> can see it on the cover of their bike manual:
>
> http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Internet/hwyIntHS.nsf/frmBikeManual
>
> They even put this on their envelopes, so every license renewal, etc., shows it! Let's hope it
> educates motorists. <_Jym_>

As a Pennsylvania rider I can tell you of a different view of this logo.

It shows an enraged driver hunched over the steering wheel while attempting to run down a
fleeing cyclist.

I guess it all depends on where you ride...:)

HAND Ride Safe

--
³Freedom Is a Light for Which Many Have Died in Darkness³

- Tomb of the unknown - American Revolution
 
Jym Dyer <[email protected]> wrote:
> =v= Compounding the problem, these programs usually feature logos showing a bicycle hugging the
> right side of the road, or right next to a car, in the door zone.

I haven't seen this style of "share the road" sign. The three types of signs I've seen have been:

+ "Share the road" with a car above the text and a bicycle below the text, as shown in the photo at
the top of the following story: http://www.svcn.com/archives/sunnyvalesun/20020807/sv-news.shtml

+ "Share the road" with a dark silhouette of a car, and a light silhouette of a bicycle superimposed
on the car. It looks a bit like the bike and car are driving side-by-side.

+ Text-only signs that say "Bicycles may use full lane" or something like that, with a reference to
the CVC. I've seen these in Sunnyvale's downtown, where the rightmost lane is narrow and extends
right to the gutter.
--
Darin McGrew, [email protected], http://www.rahul.net/mcgrew/ Web Design Group,
[email protected], http://www.HTMLHelp.com/

"FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION. It comes bundled with the software."
 
In article <[email protected]>, Robert J. Matter
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I think these Chicago share the road signs
>
> http://pages.prodigy.net/rjmatter/gallery/sign.jpg
>
>are the best of any because they explicitly tell cagers to yield to bikes.

My only worry is that they imply that the current location is somehow special in this respect. (Why
would they bother to put up signs identifying particular stretches of road as having "shared lanes"
if lanes were meant to be shared everywhere?)

--Bruce F.
 
Robert J. Matter <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I think these Chicago share the road signs
>>
>> http://pages.prodigy.net/rjmatter/gallery/sign.jpg
>>
>> are the best of any because they explicitly tell cagers to yield to bikes.

J. Bruce Fields <[email protected]> wrote:
> My only worry is that they imply that the current location is somehow special in this respect.
> (Why would they bother to put up signs identifying particular stretches of road as having "shared
> lanes" if lanes were meant to be shared everywhere?)

I have the same reservation about the "Bicycles may use full lane" signs around here. It's easy for
motorists to assume that this lane on this street is somehow special, and that bicycles can not use
the full lane elsewhere. The advantage of the "share the road" signs is that their message seems
more universal.
--
Darin McGrew, [email protected], http://www.rahul.net/mcgrew/ Web Design Group,
[email protected], http://www.HTMLHelp.com/

"Nice is different than good." - Sondheim (LRRH, "Into the Woods")
 
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