Have I done it? Have I started to transform the culture of my fellow Tennesseans?

From Chattanoogan.com:

Outdoor Chattanooga Warns Drivers of Bicyclists
posted April 3, 2007

As gasoline prices go back up, drivers and bicyclists using Hamilton County streets must remember two very important things: bicycles are a form of transportation and the people who ride them are operators of vehicles. They are recognized as such by the laws of Tennessee.

Road bicyclists are afforded the same rights and privileges as the drivers of motorized vehicles. They are also required to follow the same traffic laws, e.g traffic lights and stop signs. Tennessee code states:
(a) Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway is granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter and chapter 10.

Tennessee State law also requires that bicyclists ride as far right on the road as is “practicable,” which means as far to the right as the bicyclist considers feasible without endangering his or her safety.

a) (1) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway, except under any of the following situations:
(A) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction;
(B) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; or
(C) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge. For purposes of this section, "substandard width lane" means a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.

For their own safety, road bicyclists should wear brightly colored clothing and always wear a helmet. However, they are not required to wear a helmet unless they are under the age of 16. Bicyclists are required to use head lights and rear reflectors if they ride after dark, and they should always signal their intentions clearly in traffic.

This spring and summer, Hamilton County drivers will see more and more bicyclists take to the roads, not only for recreation but also for transportation. Many of these bicyclists will be children and teenagers. It is important for both bicyclists and drivers to take responsibility for everyone’s safety.

Visit http://kba.tripod.com/tncode.htm to see the Tennessee Code for bicycles and excerpts from the Tennessee State Drivers Manual on sharing the road safely with bicycles.