Bike Texas - Cycling Bans Prompt BikeTexas Response

This is from the Bike Texas website. A few years ago, a Texas legislator introduced a bill to ban cyclists from all the farm-to-market roads in the entire state. The FM designation covers virtually all of what are referred to in other states as county roads. The ban was 'for their own safety', of course, because the cyclists were threatened by the traffic on those narrow county roads.

At the same time, someone argued that we should be banned from busy arterials and highways as well, again, 'for our own safety'.

Why is it that people who object so vehemently to the Nanny State are so willing to use its power to impose draconian rules or outright bans on cyclists?

Here's the piece:

Bike Texas - Cycling Bans Prompt BikeTexas Response

Cycling Bans Prompt BikeTexas Response
Thursday, 29 September 2005


BikeTexas members have informed Texas Bicycle Coalition of two bike bans recently posted in north Texas, one on FM 455 in Anna in Collin County and the other on FM 1709 in Keller in Tarrant County.

Coalition staff is consulting with transportation attorneys and working on a response. Staff plans to contact city officials about these issues. Depending upon the response from officials, the Coalition may need to ask for member action, so please stay tuned for an update in the near future.