This Summer's Car- Bike War, or "My Hurry Is More Important Than Your Hurry"

Recent articles from the NY Times, from the Seattle Times, from the Oregonian, and from Newsweek commonly touch on a issue that's become extremely topical in the wake of the "going green" trend and this summer's cycling-favorable weather.  

With more people converting to bikes as a means of alternative and cheaper transportation (especially in Portland, where a nation-leading 6 percent of the population relies on two-wheels), there's also been an increase in the number of (often-violent) confrontations between cyclists and motorists competing for their share of the road.  Here's a video capturing of one of the recent incidents in Portland.

The three articles linked above cover the issue in ample detail, but what's most significant in this debate is that as long as gas prices keep soaring and "going green" options become more viable, the number of people trading in their keys for some handlebars will only continue to rise, further legitimizing the need for more bike-friendly roads and policies.  Obviously, cars will remain the dominant majority for a long time to come, but it will interesting to witness how cities, states, and perhaps even the federal government respond to and accommodate the biking movement.  

Chalk this one up as another case of acting for change versus practicality.  Maybe Barack knows what to do?  

Until then, see you out there on my 1984 Nishsiki.