Mayor Parker calls cyclists' rights legal and 'good policy' - Houston weather, traffic, news | FOX 26 | MyFoxHouston

Mayor Parker calls cyclists' rights legal and 'good policy'

Houston has long been a 'driving city,' but while the amount of people using bicycles to commute is going up, some rules to protect them are still catching up.

The city has more than 300 miles of marked lanes and trails for bicycles. While the state transportation code makes it legal to ride a bike on Texas roads, Governor Perry vetoed a bill that would have mandated a three-foot buffer between cars and bikes.

The Houston Chronicle reports that most of the state's major cities have enacted local ordinances that do the same thing, and Houston mayor Annise Parker says she's asked the city attorney to look into it.

"Bicycles have a right to the road," says Mayor Parker, "I know that a lot of car drivers don't believe that, but it is the law and it is good policy."

A survey by the League of American Cyclists finds 0.5 percent of Houston commuters travel by bike. While it's a small percentage, it keeps pace with the national average and is among the largest rates in the state's major cities.