NYS DMV

I was at the website of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles today looking for a current city location (I have to renew my driver's license...what a racket that is...almost seventy bucks, more if you request an "enhanced" license). Anyhow, I spotted a section on bicycles and thought I'd check out what they had to say, below is part of a section cut-and-paste directly from their site (I added the italics to the second sentence to highlight it).

I found this interesting for a few reasons. Firstly that they list info for skaters and bikers together (I guess that's not that bad...I'm just being nit-picky). Also, I wish there were billboards of this sentence all over the city (with grammar corrected) so I could point at one every time a motorist tells me to get off the road (or honks continually or gives me the finger). What I found most interesting, though (and here I'm being nit-picky again) is the grammatical content of the sentence...does anyone else see what I see in the second sentence. This is the website that represents our state, do they not have editors? Anyhow, sorry about the rant...I know there are errors on this blog--probably this very page--all the time, but this is a state site. On the flip side, after reading this I'm going to try to follow all vehicular laws to see how it affects my ride (no more jumping red lights or coasting through stop signs); I'll let you know how it goes. Anyhow, to see the actual site, click here.

Are there special traffic laws for bicyclists and in-line skaters?

Bicyclists, in-line skaters, and motor vehicle drivers must all use and obey the same traffic laws. A motorist must recognize that a bicyclist or in-line skater has the same rights as any another motor vehicle driver. Bicyclists and skaters must obey all traffic signals, signs and pavement markings. The bicyclists must use a signal to turn on a roadway, a bike lane or bike path. The bicyclists and skaters who break the law are subject to traffic tickets. Parents are responsible for the violations committed by their children who less than the age of 18.