Make cyclists move over if they won't voluntarily

Published Monday, November 2, 2009

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During the gas shortage in 1973, out of necessity I became a bicycle commuter from James Island to downtown Charleston five days a week.

We cyclists quickly learned the dangers of meshing with vehicular traffic and practiced defensive riding. However, today's cyclists have a totally different attitude. With bike paths available, they instead choose to ride the highways, frequently edging into the righthand traffic lane when adequate space (paved) is to the right of the "fog line."

The Cross Island Parkway is now open to cyclists. The problem comes when they insist on hugging up to the line while there is 5 to 6 feet of pavement to their right. If a vehicle's wheels are within the righthand lane, but it has trailer mirrors, there is the real possibility that a bicyclist could be clipped off their bike unless the motorist swerves out of their lane to avoid them. How insane is this?

Perhaps Hilton Head Island needs to take a proactive approach in reducing the possibility that a cyclist is injured or killed by passing an ordinance stating that if a bike path is available on the road being traveled, it is the bikers' responsibility to use it and require them to be on or to the right of an orange hash mark painted down the middle of the emergency pull-off lane of the Cross Island Parkway.

Such an ordinance could easily protect individuals from their own poor choices, much like the ban on smoking in all bars and restaurants.

Buck Creighton

Hilton Head Island

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Governor’s Office, State House, P.O. Box 12267, Columbia, S.C. 29211
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Senator Tom Davis(R-District 46)
P.O. Drawer 1107, Beaufort, 29901-1107
(843) 252-8583
602 Gressette Bldg., Columbia, 29201
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Rep. Curtis Brantley (D-District 122)
194 Bees Creek Rd., Ridgeland, 29936
(843) 726-5998
314D Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-2965
Rep. Richard Chalk (R-District 123)
326C Blatt Building, Columbia, S.C. 29211-1867
Office: (803) 734-3067; Home: (843) 842-5985
15 Goldfinch Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
Rep. Shannon S. Erickson (R-District 124)
(843) 986-1090
306A Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3261
Rep. Bill Herbkersman (R-District 118)
P.O. Box 11867, Columbia, S.C. 29211
Office: (803) 734-3063; Home: (843) 757-5424
151 Gascoigne Bluff, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
Rep. Kenneth F. Hodges (D-District 121)
PO Drawer 355, Green Pond, 29446
(843) 525-9006 Home (843) 844-8756
434B Blatt Bldg., Columbia, 29201
(803) 734-3062

Beaufort County

Rick Caporale (R-District 1)
17 Salt Wind Way, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 680-9999; fax: 681-6700
Steven Baer (R-District 2)
10 Heather Lane, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29926
Office: 689-3570; fax: 689-3569
Stu Rodman (R-District 3)
27 Baynard Park, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29928
Office: 363-470; fax: 363-6472
Weston J. Newton chairman (R-District 4)
P.O. Drawer 7049, Hilton Head Island, S.C. 29938
Office: 842-6111; fax: 706-9981
William McBride (D-District 5)
P.O. Box 77, St. Helena Island, SC 29920
Fax:(843)838-8303
Home:(843)838-2264
Gerald Dawson (D-District 6)
64-A Horace Dawsone Drive, Seabrook, SC 29940
Fax:(843)846-4738
Office:(843)846-4830
Paul Sommerville vice chairman (R-District 7)
1509 Pigeon Point Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-7115
Office:(843)379-7114
Herbert N. Glaze (D-District 8)
P.O. Box 4053, Burton, SC 29903
Fax:(843)846-3601
Home:(843)846-2845
Brian Flewelling (R- District 9)
25 Petigru Drive, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-9806
Office:(843)379-9805
Jerry Stewart (R-District 10)
11 Teaberry Lane, Bluffton, S.C. 29909
Office: 705-4753; fax: 705-4723
Laura Von Harten (D-District 11)
166 Fuller Parkway, Beaufort, SC 29902
Fax:(843)379-1380
Office:(843)379-1367

Beaufort County School District

District Office: 1300 King St., P.O. Drawer 309, Beaufort, SC 29902
Office: 322-2300; fax: 322-2371
Hilton Head Island office, 689-4635; fax: 689-4617

Beaufort County Board of Education members

Fred S. Washington chairman (District 11)
PO 325, 804 West Street, Beaufort, SC 29901
(C) 843-524-8404
Bob Arundell vice chairman (District 2)
198 Woodlake Villas, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8502; work: 7855-8040; fax: 785-3056;
Joan Deery (District 1)
5 old Fort Drive, Hilton Head, S.C. 29926
Home: 681-8968
Wayne Carbiener (District 3)
Home: 843-363-2113
Laura Bush (District 4)
P.O. Box 172, Bluffton, S.C. 29910
Home: 757-2638; fax: 757-2638
Michael F. Rivers, Sr. (District 5)
734 Seaside Road, St. Helena, SC 29920
(H) 843-838-2277
FAX 843-838-1192
Earl Campbell (District 6)
93 Bruce Smalls, Grays Hill, P.O. Box 768, Lobeco, SC 29931
(H) 843-846-4531
(C) 843-476-7512
FAX 843-846-1373
Jim Bequette (District 7)
4 Broomfield Lane 2532, Beaufort, SC 29907
(H/C) 843-263-8327
Herbert Burnes (District 8)
95 Pine Grove Road, Beaufort, SC 29906
(H) 843-846-445
(C) 843-263-2776
Ronald Speaks (District 9)
3121 Palomino Dr., Burton, SC 29906
(H) 843-525-1163
(W) 843-525-8277
FAX 843-525-1163
George Wilson (District 10)
20 Osprey Circle, Callawassie Island, S.C. 29909
Home: 987-1234; cell: 812-9870

City of Beaufort

Mayor Billy Keyserling
771 Ribaut Rd., Beaufort, SC 29902
(843) 986-2444 (Work)
(843) 521-2600 (Home)
Councilwoman Donnie Ann Beer
P.O. Box 1171, Beaufort, SC 29901
379-6099 (Home)
379-2750 (Work)
Councilman Gary Fordham
860 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC 29902
524-3334 (Home)
Councilman Mike Sutton
809 Craven St., Beaufort, SC 29902
252-5687
Councilman Mike McFee
2302 Wilson Dr. Beaufort, SC 29902
843-321-0556 (Work)
843-522-1528 (Home)

Town of Hilton Head Island

Town Hall: One Town Center Court, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928; 341-4600

Town Council

Mayor Thomas D. Peeples
4 Hartford Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928-3922
Home: 686-4138; office: 681-2600; fax: 689-3229
Bill Ferguson (Ward 1)
634 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 686-2863
William Harkins (Ward 2)
3 Old Fort Lane Hilton Head Island, SC 29926
263-3261 - cell
Drew A. Laughlin (Ward 3)
5 McIntosh Road, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 689-5723; work 689-5700; fax 689-9300
John Safay (Ward 4)
19 Starboard Tack, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 785-4489; work: 785-4696; fax: 785-4696
George Williams (Ward 5)
8 Braddock Cove, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 363-6601; fax: 363-6604
Ken S. Heitzke (Ward 6)
3 Audubon Place, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928
Home: 681-8182; fax: 681-9864