To the editor:

I feel for Jeanne Adams and her ongoing victimization at the hands of cyclists (“Not equal,” Public Forum, Oct. 6).

Admittedly, not all cyclists follow the rules of the road, but the generalizations she draws are misleading. Traveling as if they own the road and failing to heed stop signs and crosswalks (to make no mention of speed limits) are not problems particular to bicyclists. The vengeance in her conclusions – a desire for licensing, registration, property taxation and insurance requirements – underscores her true aim: sole ownership of the road.

By framing the situation as one where passenger cars must share “their” road with cyclists, rational thought gives way to passion-driven thought. In actuality, many of our present roads were originally horse and wagon trails. The efforts of cyclists, themselves challenged by these rutted roads, led to the paving of roads in America.

We all need to view roads as “ours” rather than “mine” or “yours.” To paraphrase Ms. Adams, maybe then we all would have a little respect for others. Share the road.

Kris Graves,

Lawrence