While I sat at the stoplight on 31st and Chicago, I noted a couple of men with bikes on the corner sidewalk kitty corner to me. One guy looked to be your standard bike commuter type with a road bike, the other a Latino man with a mountain bike. It became apparent that they were "talking bikes" - not to sound like a crab or to project but it's a sight that I have rarely seen.

My experience with the bike culture is that they can be pretty insular and even angry and shaming at people who are not like them.

For example:

People who ride without lights - Yes, I hate this too and recognize that's it's a law as well. But keep in mind that some people who ride bikes are homeless or close to it and can't afford to buy lights or keep replacing stolen ones.
You can generally get a pretty good idea of who is riding sans lights to be "cool" and who is doing it because they are low income. I've actually seen a statement made on a local messageboard (by someone I thought was better than this) regarding low income people riding like crap, without lights, etc.. that said "Poor doesn't have to equal stupid" or maybe it was "Being poor isn't an excuse for being stupid" or something pretty close to this (I honestly don't feel like looking back at the thread - I just felt like that statement was so classist and ignores that sometimes people aren't as emeshed in bike culture as the person making the statement and his friends. I don't understand why the statement was even made.

Maybe a little more outreach and education to immigrant and/or low income communities could remedy some of the issues (not sharing the road, riding on the wrong side of the street, etc..) or how about the idea of holding a headlight drive to donate to low income people/kids/shelters. Maybe having a nice conversation at the corner like I witnessed this morning is good enough - these types of interactions could help educate for cyclists who aren't doing it because they are "Bike People" but because they need to get to work free and fast or around town to the various homeless shelters or whatever their situation is.

I'm glad that the Midtown Greenway Coalition prints a section in their newsletter in Spanish for this very reason - but of course, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. But any effort is better than just complaining. I also will recognize that there is a program that will go out to events or to the schools to help educate people about bike safety and usage. This is awesome and if any of it sticks - SCORE!

People who ride on the opposite side of the street towards traffic, towards others in a one way bike lane or on the sidewalk - Again, I am bothered by this too but keep in mind that culturally, maybe that's how people ride in their homeland and maybe the person hasn't gotten the memo that Americans have a social more for bicycling. Not to mention that a lot of our parents were taught to ride like that in the old days so some parents have passed it on to their kids.

There is no easy answer - there will always be people riding around in ways that annoy other people but taking a minute to consider the possibility of WHY they are doing the things they are doing may help to understand. Trying to reach out and talk to others can help spread the word about expectations and bike safety.