Raymond Dunton of Bangor, ME I have read the comments on both sides of this issue. Being a bicyclist, I would tend to agree more with them, but I do also agree that if bicyclists want respect from motorists, we are going to have to follow state laws as required. This is an incident that has happened to me two or three times in the past couple of weeks in Bangor. Similar incidents probably happen through out the state, but perhaps not. I work the overnight shift at a convenience store, so I was riding my bike at night. I have a headlight and a tail light as required by state law. I was in the correct lane to turn left. The motor vehicle beside me was in the WRONG lane to turn left. That vehicle didn't even have the turn signal on to go left, but when the light turned green, the motorist proceeded to turn left and cut me off. If I hadn't noticed them, I would have gotten seriously injured due to their bad judgement. In another incident, I was riding my bicycle down the road on the far right during daylight hours. I was passed with only 6 inches of clearance, when the law that was passed last year mandates 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicyclist and even allowing the motorist to go over the yellow line to pass a bicyclist when necessary and safe to do so. However, if bicyclists are riding two and three abreast, this is a very dangerous practice which should not be happening and may even be against the law. Both motorists and bicyclists need to be respectful to one another. This way, we can both share the road safely. In addition, according to state law, bicycles are considered to be a vehicle and the proper place for bicycles to be ridden is on the road. Therefore, bicyclists do not need the harrassment of motorists and/or passengers in a vehicle yelling out the window to get on the sidewalk where bicycles belong, because that is not where bicycles belong.report abuse

hardtail of Gray, ME I loved the comment on made during a Bill Greene report on WCSH last night. A bicyclist said something along the lines of it's safer for them to "take the lane" and force cars to stay behind the group of riders when the bike lane is too small or deteriorating.

Eventually someone with severe road rage is going to catch up with that mentality and there will be mass casualties along Route 9 or where ever that person and his group ride in Cumberland. Won't be pretty and bicyclists will lose.report abuse

XPortlander of Nunya, ME Let's see 15lb metal bike or a large SUV....yep bike should get the heelll out of the way. Bikers abide by the laws of the road....when they want toreport abuse

? ! of Portland, ME The more angry, anti-bike comments I read, the more I start to think that bikers DO need more protections.

I used to think that the new passing rule was over the top, but I can see now why it's necessary. Wow.report abuse