A Roadmap to "The Marginalization of Bicyclists"

This is a historical account of roadway access from the US cyclists perspective, it shows how the motorized vehicle gained dominance of the roadway through popularity and negligent policy decisions.

  The Very Short Summary

The Marginalization of Bicyclists

•  1897: In the beginning, bicycles were vehicles and bicyclists were drivers
•  1930: Bicycles are declared non-vehicles
•  1911 – today: Road lane-lines become common
•  1944: If you can’t keep up, you don’t belong (in the lane)
•  1968: Motorcyclists not bikes entitled to full use of a lane
•  1975: Bicycles redefined as vehicles not entitled to full lane (the Far to Right rule)
•  1975: Exceptions are made to FTR rule for road hazards and left turns
•  Today: Conflicting FTR rule and laned roads exclude bikes

Get a longer historical summary here.

For the full narrative see: 

"The Marginalization of Bicyclists", Robert M. Shanteau PhD, Brian DeSousa, Keri Caffrey ,  www.iamtraffic.org