Every day as I drive to and from class I dodge bicyclists who seem to have no idea what the Illinois Vehicle Code means.

These blissfully ignorant creatures see no problem with ignoring stop signs, traffic signals, or just generally disobeying the law. After all, there often isn’t any reason for them to obey the Vehicle Code, on account of their low carbon footprint and concern for the environment and stuff.

Let me give those poor, misguided souls a hint that will help keep them safe and let me get from my apartment to CRCE with minimal delay, even though I could easily walk there – WHEN YOU’RE ON A “HIGHWAY” THE ILLINOIS VEHICLE CODE APPLIES TO YOU. If you don’t want to follow the rules of the road, stay off. You wouldn’t pedal your bike in the opposite flow of traffic, would you?

Oh wait, you already do that.

Now that you know that the Vehicle Code applies to you when you travel on public highways, you may begin to notice these “highways” everywhere. You’ll also notice other, less enlightened bikers plodding along with their Timbuk2 messenger bags, completely unconcerned that they generally cause traffic pandemonium in their wake. You might even see me swerving so as not to collide with you and leave a dent on my newly simonized late-model import. So please, before you curse me out for honking at you, look around and make sure you’re obeying the Illinois Vehicle Code when traveling on public highways.

Oh, and also: please, before you start throwing stones, make sure you don’t live in a glass house – just good advice for life, you know?