First - my cycling history:
Age 59 - began riding Pgh. streets at the age of 8.

Stopped for quite a few decades and began riding again in the early 90's when I bought my first helmet
and began building my own bikes from scratch, and a few for others.
I've ridden Boyce Park and many other trail systems and can do a 20 mile, in city, ride with ease.

In other words, I've got a lot of miles under my belt and plenty of experience, on not only city streets

but also major highways.

I always am aware of, and stay out of the way of traffic that is behind me and traveling faster than I am.

It's not only common sense, but it's courteous.

I don't believe I have the right to slow anyone else down nor do I believe that I have any special privileges,

rather I believe I have a greater responsibility because my vehicle ( the bike ) is much more delicate and much

Second: These are my personal and subjective observations:

What I have recently ( last 5 to 8 yrs. ) observed, mostly when driving an automobile,
is a shocking lack of common sense exhibited by many (not all) cyclists when they are interacting with traffic.

The "I own the road" mindset that becomes apparent from actions like the following sequence(*F1)

not only endanger the cyclists, and motorists, but perpetuate the potential for resentment and even hostility towards

all cyclists.
I am a cyclist and have been for decades, and I look at behavior like the below sequence

as irresponsible, childish and egotistical and with a flagrant disregard for the impact that actions like these

have on the consciousness of others involved. And yes, I do mean involved, because everyone that

sees you, or shares the road with you, is involved.

The sequence of events I observed this morning involving 3 cyclists traveling West on Penn Ave.

at the intersection of Penn and Penn Circle:

A) Seeing a red light and backed up traffic the pack of 3 form a single line, barely reducing speed,

and skirt the line of automobiles on their right hand side and travel through the intersection just as the

light turns green, putting them selves at the front of all traffic.

I observed them in my rear view as they approached and watched them until they were 1/2 way to

the next intersection.

Now I can pretty much guess from my years of past observations, that it was only pure luck that the light turned

green when it did. If it was still red, and there was no cross traffic, then the cyclists would have ignored the red light

B) After passing the intersection the cyclists immediately fanned out in a triangular formation that took up the full width of the lane,

blocking the possibility of any automobile passing them, even though they were traveling well below the speed limit.

Common sense begs the questions ... what is wrong with this picture?
What impression are you (the cyclists) making on others that are now stuck behind you and limited to your

below the speed limit pace?

Is there a "pack mentality" being exhibited in situations like this that is trying to prove something?

My observations have shown me that the cyclists most prone to exhibit an "I own the road" mindset
will be riding in groups of 2 or more, will be dressed in the now typical cycling "style", and will be riding

street(road) bikes, as opposed to off road bikes, beach bikes, or junkers. So motorists beware!

The cyclists exhibiting the most common sense, that I have observed, are usually individuals or groups riding
mountain bikes, hybrids, or older junkers with baskets on them and are typically dressed in their
I was just out gardening, or sitting in the back yard, clothes.

In conclusion:

I do see individuals riding road(street) bikes, that are courteous and sensible and some of them are

even typically dressed in "the style" ,
but it is not the norm, especially when I see them in groups of 2 or more and dressed in "style."

I have never seen someone riding a mountain bike, beach bike or junker that has appeared

to exhibit bad road etiquette.

This may appear to be "stylistic profiling" on the surface, but I suggest you look a bit deeper and

compare your own observations of the environment on the streets before pegging me as a biased

profiler.

If this needs discussion then please post a response to the list.

I won't be responding to any personal emails about this as it would be fruitless in my opinion.

Thank you and Sincerely,

Steve Karl