LETTER: Bicyclists don’t need more special treatment

In spite of the tragedy in the deaths and injuries of the bicyclists on U.S. Highway 95, we need to stop pretending it was simply a bike/vehicle confrontation. It was the result of impaired driving. I am not downplaying the deaths and injuries — it was horrific and appalling — but to use the accident to create more trouble between motorists and bike riders is not fair either.

Bike riders have been given a lot of protections that are not provided for others involved in recreational activities, such as joggers. We would think joggers who run on a busy highway were careless. I have no problem with the three-foot rule when it is feasible. But, unfortunately, it isn’t always practical.

On state Route 159 near Red Rock, many of the bike riders ride double in the traffic lane. With the amount of traffic on that two-lane road, it is sometimes impossible to use the oncoming lane to pass them. They should stay on the shoulder, single file, as far to the right as they can get rather than forcing drivers to crawl behind them. If bike riders want more protection, they should have to pay license fees so that the government can provide wider shoulders and bike lanes.

Bike riding on highways is a recreational outlet, so let us also make sure bike riders are being respectful and safe, too. Most bicyclists are courteous, and more drivers should make an effort to share the road with them. But let us not turn a impaired driving tragedy into a rally that may lead to more special treatment for a recreational pastime.