My name is Paul and I live in Houston, Texas. I just turned 50 this year (woohoo!) and I've been riding a road bike since about 1973.  I love my bike.  Not because it's light, has pretty paint, and precision components, but because it is a gateway to my riding experience and my fitness.  I ride solo and I ride in small groups and I ride in those huge organized events.  They all have a place in my life.  I just love to ride.

Over the years, I've had a few close calls with motor vehicles, but none too severe.  I remember once in the 70's having to break quickly and flipping over my handlebars because an older lady needed to make a right turn in front of me (I was on a legal bike lane).  I've had big-gulps filled with ice and sticky drinks tossed at my back, oncoming cars "jokingly" cross the centerline, unknown items whiz by my ear, and truck mirrors nearly take me out -- and of course, startling horn blasts, hand gestures, and lots of sounds yelled from passing cars.  No big deal compared to some other alternatives.

Every time I go out I worry just a little -- not enough to ruin my ride or make we think twice about going.  But honestly, it does cross my mind that any ride could be my last ride.  I could say that about any trip I make in my car -- but the difference is, I know I'm many times more vulnerable on a bike than I am in a car and the survivability of a car-bike accident is much lower.  I mean, it's not steel on steel as in my car -- it's flesh and bone on steel.  That's just reality.

Not too long ago, it dawned on me that cyclists and motorists seem to coexist in a stalemate.  Each wants what they want, whenever they want it.  Cyclists want a portion of the road and motorist want every portion, it seems.  I guess all the publicity over the Texas Safe Passing law failure a few months ago really got me and everyone else thinking that there has to be a way to resolve this.

So I was walking in the hallway at work a couple of months ago and it just popped into my head -- Polite and Right.  Both motorists and cyclists need to defer appropriately, follow the rules and start getting along. Cyclists need to take only what they need and do it politely -- and rightly (lawfully) and motorists need to see that we are doing it right and that we appreciate that the roads were "created for them" (no point in arguing that, even though we cyclists pay taxes too and the law supports us also) -- and each make room for the other.  It's a fine line, but it's also fine line -- it could fix the problem.

I think it will take a campaign on our part. It will take cyclists who subscribe to the concept, motorists who hear about the idea and see us ("Polite and Right" riders) -- behaving as advertised.  Motorists will understand we have an organization and creed behind us and yes, there will be a deterrent factor I hope, but that's how better mentalities are trained and evolve.

Yeah, I know I keep saying the same things 5 different ways, but I feel so strongly about it, I just want to make sure everyone gets it!

-Paul