Why
is traffic safety ONLY the responsibility of the driver of the car?
It
is not my intention to pick on bicycle riders.
I’m
just sick-and-tired of being picked on BY them.
As
usual our government goes off half-cocked in their attempts to convince us that
they have
our best interests at heart.
Don’t
just encourage people to ride bicycles for their health . . . Encourage them to
do it safely by obeying traffic laws and using common sense.
How
about riding at night without lights or reflectors and wearing dark clothes.
Maybe
common sense isn’t so common any more.
My
dad taught me that “horse sense” is just “stable thinking”.
Numerous
times, while driving, I have narrowly avoided a collision with a person riding
a bicycle on the street. Usually it’s
because that person is doing something patently unsafe and illegal, like running
through a yield sign, stop sign, or red signal light. On each of these occasions the cyclist: 1. Glared at me; 2. Yelled at me; 3. Gave me the one-finger salute; 4. Occasionally all three.
I
have no doubt that, had a collision occurred, the cyclist would have sued ME
even though it was his/her fault.
I
assume they expect drivers to grant riders ownership of the road and declare
them above the law. “Share the road”
means just that - SHARE. Using the
public streets safely is the responsibility of EVERY participant.
When
are we going to require adult bicycle riders to attend traffic safety classes,
take a test, be issued a license, and procure liability insurance before riding
a bicycle on a public thoroughfare?
Motorcycles
only have 2 wheels and THEIR riders have to meet strict
requirements.
To
be fair, bicycle riders should have to meet the same requirements as operators
of motorcycles, cars, and trucks; including maintaining liability insurance.
Don’t
even get me started on pedestrians who cross the street in the middle of the
block without looking. Or cross against
the red light or the “Don’t Walk” sign.
How
about the ones who force cars into oncoming traffic by walking two or three
abreast in the street when there is a perfectly good sidewalk not 2 feet
away???
Maybe
they just don’t understand: SIDEWALK. As
in WALK on the SIDE of the road . . . where it’s safer . . . DUH.
My
rant for the day.
Coming up: A review of Spencer's Restaurant in Palm Springs.
Coming up: A review of Spencer's Restaurant in Palm Springs.
Thanks for the commentary. As an avid cyclist who probably spends more time on a bike than in my car I wholeheartedly agree with your comments about irresponsible bike riders. Whenever I see someone doing the stupid things you describe, it makes me angry because it causes ill-will towards us all who obey the laws.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is, in CA cyclists have the right to use public strreets just like cars They also have the duty to obey ALL traffic laws, the same as cars. All to many folks on bikes remember the first part and ignore the second.
That being said, there are many drivers who willfully cut off cyclists at corners and drive too close when overtaking. Some drivers may not like it, but the law is very clear that, if the only safe place for me to ride is in the middle of the lane, then I can do so. Fortunately, that is rare, especially in PS, as we have many miles of bike lanes. Nonetheless, I've been carefully riding in a bike lane painted on the street and had a careless or thoughtless driver turn right in front of me.
Safety training for cyclists and auto drivers alike is a good idea.
Hunter > Thanks for your message. It seems that some drivers know about the requirement to merge into the bike lane at least 200 ft before making a right turn, but, not the part that says: WHEN IT'S SAFE TO DO SO.
DeleteSometimes people only hear what they want to hear.
I think road courtesy is waning. Have a safe ride.
Red, some of what you say is true and we must all work on the issues of bikes obeying the traffic laws. Those that do not make it bad for the rest of us who do. And let's face it, some of the people who ride at night with dark clothes and no lights will never learn until they are dead. Not much anything that we as a city can do.
ReplyDeleteI am a commissioner on the PS Sustainability Commission and my job there is mainly bikes. Bike infrastructure and bike safety. We have projects in the pipeline that will add still more bike lanes and you should see that all happening within the next 2 months. I co-chair the Active Transportation subcommittee so I get to work very closely with city staff and planning on how we can make this work better for everyone.
My only critique of what you have written is that we see as many or more motorists doing dumb things (running lights, illegal turns, speeding, etc) as we see cyclists so what we really need is a lot more enforcement of the vehicle code. Without that, we are sunk.
Good news is we are also working with PSPD on safety and enforcement. And we are working with Sunline for more safety PSA messages on the busses.
Lots going on, lots to do. Lots already done. Stay tuned.
Vic Y 514 Jade
Vito
DeleteI value your input and you're right about more drivers doing stupid things. Of course, there are more drivers on the road. I was trying to make the point that at some juncture the bicyclists have to start taking responsibility for their unsafe actions instead of everyone being asked to create more infrastructure to protect them. I'm still waiting for the day when a bicyclist is in court for running a stop sign.
You're absolutely right . . . a lot more needs to be done on BOTH sides.
The infrastructure the city is building is being done to promote cycling so that more people ride their bikes as a way to exercise and to hopefully get some to use their bikes for short errands and thus save car trips. We are trying to promote safer cycling and we are trying to educate drivers all at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry but your comment back to me is still laying blame on cyclists to "start taking responsibility for their unsafe actions" and that we are building infrastructure to protect the cyclist from himself. Sorry, but that is not why we are building a better bike infrastructure.
We are trying to make it safer for those who feel intimidated by drivers. Yes, drivers. They are distracted, drive to fast and do crazy things on the road so in may cases, people will not ride.
I have already granted that both sides must obey laws and I'll tell you that I have seen a cyclist get a ticket or be stopped by a cop for breaking the law. Because you did not see it doesn't mean it hasn't happened.
When you look around the city, we are working on roads to make them better for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. Its time to stop singling out one group as a way to attach fault.
Vito, I've attended several Sustainabiliy Commision meetings but not heard too much about efforts to increase cycling. Are the committee meetings you mentioned open to non-Commissioners? I'd be interested in attending working groups as much or more than the full commission meetings.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as a private pilot, one of the first things I learned was the maxim "See and be seen." If both drivers and cyclists thought about that when using either kind of vehicle, it would go a long way towards increasing safety.
I'm not sure what the stats are on car-bike accidents, but some communities put up "ghost bikes" as a stark reminder on such accidents.
Finally, and probably a different rant, I think the city could balance its budget if there were serious enforcement of no texting or hand-held cell phones. I know cyclists are guilty of this, too, but I feel that at least half the time when a driver has veered too close or cut me off, I have seen some sort of electronic device in plain view.
Thanks for all the good work you are doing on the commission.
Hunter
Vito > As I said before . . . "You're absolutely right . . . a lot more needs to be done on BOTH sides."
ReplyDeleteBe careful about the pot calling the kettle black:
“We are trying to make it safer for those who feel intimidated by drivers.”??
~ ~ ~Is this not playing the "blame game"?
Please tell the commissioners to concentrate on this:
“It’s time to stop singling out one group as a way to attach fault.”
(both quotes from your reply).
Please read Hunter Johnson's reply . . . he makes a lot of sense
Red, take my words that way if you prefer. I am not trying to lay blame on anyone. Rather I'm accepting that its everyone's job to obey the laws and play safe.
ReplyDeleteYou choose to make me sound like I'm taking the side of a cyclist. We know that a cyclist on a 20 pound bike is intimidated by 4000 pound cars driving at 40 MPH so we are trying to build a safer place for all to cycle.
I've said all I can say. Peace.