Cyclists entitled to their place on area's roadways
Kevin Cowherd's column "Biker dude, move it over" (July 15) rants about a bicyclist who had the gall to actually ride on York Road. I want to show my support for that bicyclist and every bicyclist who attempts to navigate this area's roadways.
Mr. Cowherd acknowledges the cyclist's legal right of way, but dismisses this because bikes are smaller than the cars with which they share the road. Might makes right -- that's a super philosophy; unfortunately it seems to be prevalent among area drivers.
I've bicycled hundreds of miles in this city and have yet to find a road where I can ride without being honked at, screamed at or run off the road.
I have given up bicycling in this city because of drivers such as Mr. Cowherd who think that the right of way of the automobile is sacred above all others.
They think that bicyclists should ride in the gutter, through glass, roadkill, and sewer grates that run parallel to the curb.
The attitude of motorists in this area is sickening. It does not have to be that way, and it isn't in other cities.
Cassandra Moe, Baltimore
People ride bikes for many good reasons, but I don't know anyone who does it for the sheer fun of risking his or her life or to challenge a driver's delusion that roads are only for cars. That assumption is actually an annoying and sometimes deadly fact of life for cyclists.
It is irresponsible for a newspaper columnist to joke about the threat of injury and death faced by cyclists -- even if he did have to change lanes.
In Maryland, cyclists are entitled to an entire lane on any road where the speed limit is 45 mph or lower. The cyclist on York Road does not have to justify his chosen route any more than Mr. Cowherd has to justify his.
Unfortunately, as Mr. Cowherd notes, "it comes down to the laws of physics" and cars always win. Many people think this is natural, but roads existed for many years before cars took them over.
I think people get so upset at cyclists because deep down they know that cars and the lifestyles they breed corrupt our air, our communities and our spirits.
When a cyclist shares a lane with you, return the favor by not honking, cursing, swerving or revving your engine at him or her. When you get out of a car, check for cyclists so they don't have to swerve into traffic to avoid running into your door.
Glenn Simpson, Baltimore
Cycling promotes health and a cleaner environment
I am not the "biker dude" Kevin Cowherd mentioned, but I do cycle, make a 12-mile commute by bicycle when I can and run some errands on the bike. I find that motorists today, on any road, are more impatient than they have ever been and have poor tolerance for cyclists.
While no biker would choose a busy thoroughfare such as York Road for a leisurely spin, sometimes it is necessary to use busy roads. It would be better if motorists and cyclists could be more understanding and courteous.
At a time when we ought to be tolerant of people who occupy the road without using an air-conditioned, gas-guzzling SUV that contributes to global warming, I think Mr. Cowherd's article was in poor taste.
Perhaps Mr. Cowherd could write something that could address the real problem, instead of just criticizing the cyclist. Perhaps an article about how our county and urban planners should take into consideration that bicycling promotes good health and doesn't pollute.
Michael D. Treger, Lutherville
Women's soccer triumph: a crucial moment of grace
The names are inscribed in our hearts already: Mia, Brandi, Briana, Joy, Julie, Shannon, Michelle. Their faces -- at times fierce, always feminine, and, ultimately victorious -- are splashed across the newsstands.
We won't soon forget Briana Scurry's and Brandi Chastain's moments of triumph, or the incredible rush of adrenaline we all felt as a perfect game ended perfectly.
When the U.S. women's soccer team won the World Cup July 10, we witnessed a moment of extraordinary grace. These women built a team in the finest sense -- combining their talents, ambition, energy and sheer love of the sport to produce a championship for all of us to celebrate.
They did it with guts, humility, humor, and intelligence and changed forever what it means to say "you play like a girl."
In our turn-of-the millennium America, the World Cup win means more than any of the players could ever have imagined. Their victory is an emblem of the strength, leadership, commitment and values of women.
As president of a women's college, I am especially aware of the priceless gift the women's soccer team gave us: America's daughters, granddaughters, wives, sisters and mothers have been reminded of their capacity to do something extraordinary.
And, the world is, indeed, watching.
Mary Pat Seurkamp, Baltimore
The writer is president of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.
Title IX creates quotas instead of gender equity
Last Friday, The Sun printed an excerpt from a Boston Globe editorial that contained the common misconception that the 1972 Title IX legislation requires equity only in sports funding ("Soccer win a result of Title IX," Opinion Commentary, July 16).
Title IX can apply as easily to engineering, nursing or choir. The result of a more universal interpretation of Title IX would be arbitrary quotas on the number of men and women in all aspects of education.
Everyone applauds the success of the U.S. women's soccer team, and women athletes in general. Unfortunately, the U.S. Department of Education's interpretation of Title IX has created a system of gender quotas, rather than gender equity, in sport.
The result has been the destruction of opportunities for men, without a commensurate increase in opportunities for women.
Steve Hayleck, Dayton
'Driving while black': part of security's price . . .
I was disappointed with Dan Rodricks' column on "driving while black" ("Legislator pays a price for 'driving while black' " July 14). I believe the black man described in the article, Del. Talmadge Branch, is fortunate to live in a country where he is free to be elected or appointed to office and drive a fancy car.
This is a privilege that few of us, white or black, will ever experience. These freedoms are not free. Our liberties require that the police be vigilant against those who would deny us our rights, through theft and other crimes.
Mr. Branch should be grateful that we have vigorous cops like Officer Norman. We never know just how many crimes are prevented by police who take positive steps to prevent crime before it happens.
Shawn P. Day, Baltimore
. . . or an inexcusable form of discrimination?
I was impressed that Dan Rodricks addressed "driving while black" (DWB) in his article about Del. Talmadge Branch's unfortunate and inexcusable experience with Baltimore's finest.
It is important that the majority understand that African Americans are consistently pulled over for owning cars considered incongruous with their skin color or visiting an exclusive neighborhood.
We are discouraged that so many minorities are daily subjected to the overtly racial policies of police departments across America.
African Americans and other minorities are entitled to the same rights and freedoms as the white majority. We will not limit our car purchases and choice of neighborhoods to what white America feels is fitting for our race or creed.
Since DWB occurs with pitiful regularity, I challenge its victims to speak out, to be the squeaky wheel. Policy will not change unless we insist that it change.
Sheri Scott-Redwood, Lutherville
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Pub Date: 7/21/99