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There are just so many problems surrounding this issue. You have motorists who are completely ignorant of the road laws when it comes to vehicles let alone bicycles. You have cyclists who are ignorant of the laws that apply to them on the roadways and think the laws don't apply to them. You have people who live in a bubble world and anything outside of that bubble is wrong and should be removed or penalized (Sam). Cyclists are not road hazards, bad drivers AND bad cyclists are road hazards. Then you have the many types of cyclists that do obey and disobey the road rules. Cyclists who think "I can take up this whole lane because its my right and its safer". It is not your right and it is not safer. By law cyclists on the roadways should stay as far to the right as possible. Just because you are on a bicycle does not mean you don't have to follow the rules. Now, you have different types of cyclsts. Commuters usually stay on the sidewalks with all the furniture (poles, signs, ins and outs). Enthusiasts, who ride for fitness or freedom or fun. Then you have the serious riders who travel long distances and move faster than recreational cyclists and sometimes vehicles as well. We train on and race our bicycles. We are the people in cars, its just we ride our bikes as well where other people run, go to the gym, go swimming. We all have jobs. We are doctors, lawyers, business people, professionals, clerks whatever. We all pay taxes. We all have to follow the laws that apply to all of us. Yes we need bike lanes, but we need awareness and cooperation and acknowledgement from all sides to make anything work. The solution is years away. When the government puts cement pavilions that will barely get any use after festpac, and internal pay raises and selfish personal agendas ahead of the smaller needs of the people of Guam, trust me bike lanes are way down the list of needs of the island. I am a taxpayer who owns a business and rides my bike on the roads of Guam. I actually give a shit about my island and all the people who live. I even care for the assholes that don't care about the next person or who abuse the benefits given them or who litter without a second thought. Unless we all care, until we all care, nothing will happen.
I'm a cyclist and I am a taxpaying motorist too. I have paid, registered and insured in the exact same ways that non cyclists do. The argument that cyclists don't pay their share for road use is ridiculous. I'm just using the roads in a different way.
The fact is that the law is written that bike lanes are to be included with new road construction. The issue is that it's not enforced by our governmental leaders.
I would gladly pay to register our bikes, and so would every responsible cyclist, but bikes are not required to register and there is the problem.There is no cycling plan on island. Leadership has ignored this issue for the 23 years I have been living here. We designed and built the central bike route with no government funds. A $100,000 gift to the citizens of Guam. It is most certainly a total lack of leadership. Everyone pays taxes,everyone should get the benifits. There should not be any discrimination. Elect someone with vision.
Make them get licensed to operate on the road. Register the vehicle like everything else in the road (yearly). Then and only then can the argument of taxes without representation be made.
Cyclists pay taxes like everyone but get zero benifits. Taxation without representation. Was'nt the Revolutionary War fought over this issue? In a few years there will be more cyclists in urben centers of the world than car owners. Guam is way behind the curve on this issue. True leadership is lacking.
Guam is a great opportunity for cycling for transport, exercise, and tourism but we are missing this opportunity because of safety concerns. GovGuam needs to designate bike routes adding bike lanes (like additional shoulders), plan for and add pedestrian/bike trails, and add bold designators like road sharows where an additional bike lane is not an option. The storm drains and uneven pavement mostly due to utility manholes etc is a real hazard on many routes. Yes, most of these solutions cost quite a bit of money.
In the meantime road maintenance could be improved a lot by actually using the street sweeper machines along the current road shoulders to remove road debris and allow bikes to move right as far as possible. Debris is especially a problem at intersections. Police could easily do just a bit of speed enforcement would also make a big difference. Cyclists need to help themselves by following all rules of the road and wearing bright colors and displaying bright lights even during the day. By the way, most cyclists pay taxes, and also own cars and pay license fees, etc.
That small bicycle indicator on the far right side of the outer right lane of route 1 does not suffice for a "safe" lane for them or the motorists using them as well. That's just a bad call from whomever thought it out period.
It's obvious that GovGuam does not support cyclist on the roads.
GovGuam has many excuses as to why Guam doesn't have a bike lane, but I guarantee you won't see any solutions anytime soon.
I think the only way for cyclist to ride safely around the island is to travel in groups with a trail vehicle following them with 4 way flashers on and displaying a sign that reads "Caution - Slow - Cyclist ahead ".
Trail vehicles are mainly used in convoy operations.
I think risk can be significantly reduced if bike groups have a trail vehicle following them , It's serves as a safety barrier as well as making motorist aware of what's ahead.
Lastly, Cyclist, please bear in mind that there are still "Idiot drivers" out there.
Be Safe and God Bless !
The needs of the many out weights the needs of the few. Cyclist are a road hazard do not need a license, do not register, to help pay for roads, have no insurance. They want to share the roads but not the same responsibilities as others.
Government of Guam needs to better the conditions of the roads for cyclists. There are no bike lanes available for cyclists to use and there have been multiple instances in which cyclists have been hit by motorists. I see more and more tourists biking around the island. This is a great way for our visitors to see our island.