Teresa Toro, who knows a thing or two, writes about how to make streets livable (hint – it’s not just about painting bike lanes). She also addresses an issue that is increasingly a problem – assholes on two wheels:

As bike use has spiked, bad cyclist behavior has become a huge issue… cyclists frequently don’t cede right of way to pedestrians, or behave in a way that’s appropriate to the street they’re traveling upon. These cyclists’ behavior is a lousy way to thank an administration that has finally done the right thing and acknowledged cycling as an important mode of transportation. Bad behavior keeps cycling on the fringe in terms of public opinion, instead of in the mainstream where it belongs.

Like motorcyclists insisting that loud pipes save lives (they don’t – they just really piss off people), bikers (of the non-motorized variety) are often their own worst enemy when it comes to PR.