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Bicycle Safety and Licenses
While riding around the past several days I've noticed some amazingly
unsafe riding by what I assume are not serious cyclists. I saw a rider ride through a red light into a busy intersection while several cars stayed stopped at a green to keep from hitting him. I saw riders riding down the wrong way on a one way street against traffic. I routinely saw riders blast off the sidewalk through the intersection without looking or stopping. Further, these where the majority of the cyclists I saw while riding through my neighborhood. All of this made me think that bicycle safety statistics have almost no meaning to the serious cyclist. After all what does the accident rate of this group have to do withj the way I ride ? Alligator hunting is probably as relevant. It also made me think about why drivers get so angry with cyclists. And once again, these drivers' anger spill over to safe cyclists. How do people feel about licenses to ride a bike ? |
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Bicycle Safety and Licenses
: : It also made me think about why drivers get so angry with cyclists. And : once again, these drivers' anger spill over to safe cyclists. How do : people feel about licenses to ride a bike ? When we were in Germany, my sons were 10 and 7 years old. When a child is 10, they have to take a bicycle riding class, get a grade, and work to get an official license. In Frankfurt am Main, where we were, there is a little "town" set up just elementary-school-age-children size and they practiced riding their bikes through the little streets with traffice lights, etc. It is against the law to ride on sidewalks there. We need something similar to this in the U.S. Too many people here think bikes are toys and there are no guidelines that apply to the use of these toys. I routinely see grown men riding their bikes on the sidewalks as well as against traffic. These, however, are not serious cyclists (you can tell by their bikes and their clothing). Children here in Texas behave as if there are no rules whatsoever when it comes to bicycles and frequently ride at night without lights. It's a wonder more cyclists aren't killed! Pat in TX : |
#3
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Bicycle Safety and Licenses
mcahill wrote:
I've noticed some amazingly unsafe riding by what I assume are not serious cyclists. I saw a rider ride through a red light into a busy intersection while several cars stayed stopped at a green ... I see "serious" cyclists running red lights all the time. They slow down to almost a track stand, and then dart across when they see a gap. I would say more "serious" riders do this than not. It also made me think about why drivers get so angry with cyclists. And once again, these drivers' anger spill over to safe cyclists. I agree. How do people feel about licenses to ride a bike ? I don't think it's practical or necessary. What's needed is enforcement. When scofflaw cyclists start getting traffic tickets, they'll think twice about running red lights. Art Harris |
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Bicycle Safety and Licenses
Doesn't this post belong in rec.bicycles.soc or rec.bicycles.misc ? It seems
off-topic here since it does not concern technical issues. Respectfully, Blake |
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Bicycle Safety and Licenses
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#6
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Bicycle Safety and Licenses
Please don't have this discussion here -- it belongs in
rec.bicycles.soc. Thanks, JT **************************** Remove "remove" to reply Visit http://www.jt10000.com **************************** |
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Bicycle Safety and Licenses
stayed stopped at a green to keep from hitting him. I saw riders
riding down the wrong way on a one way street against traffic. I Why is it safer to ride to the direction of traffic rather than against ? If you always ride at the side of road or side walk and cross the street just like a pedestrian rather than like a car, isn't is safer if both cyclist and driver can see each other ? I am just curious of the reasoning behind the rule. Is this a universal rule or only in US ? |
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Bicycle Safety and Licenses
On Thu, 14 Jul 2005 20:28:53 -0700, "yk"
wrote: stayed stopped at a green to keep from hitting him. I saw riders riding down the wrong way on a one way street against traffic. I Why is it safer to ride to the direction of traffic rather than against ? If you always ride at the side of road or side walk and cross the street just like a pedestrian rather than like a car, isn't is safer if both cyclist and driver can see each other ? I am just curious of the reasoning behind the rule. Is this a universal rule or only in US ? Dear YK, In many U.S. cities, the speed limit is 25-30 mph for cars. It might be a bad idea to have bicycles coming at them in the other direction at 15-30 mph as the cars turn right down side streets or to pull over to park--or to have the bikes turning left across the path of the oncoming cars. Even the slower bicycles need to ride on the right in the U.S. If you've ever come around a blind turn on a one-way street in a bike lane with a car next to you and met someone coming the wrong way in the bike lane, you'll understand. (An illegally double-parked car blocking the bike lane is one thing--someone coming at you head-on at 15 mph is quite another. Quick, which way do you dodge, right or left?) And think of the fun for parked cars trying to pull out into traffic. The driver looking over his shoulder is likely to smash head-on into a bicycle that wasn't visible a moment earlier. The same reasoning applies to motorcycles. Carl Fogel |
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Bicycle Safety and Licenses
yk wrote: stayed stopped at a green to keep from hitting him. I saw riders riding down the wrong way on a one way street against traffic. I Why is it safer to ride to the direction of traffic rather than against ? If you always ride at the side of road or side walk and cross the street just like a pedestrian rather than like a car, isn't is safer if both cyclist and driver can see each other ? I am just curious of the reasoning behind the rule. Is this a universal rule or only in US ? I don't know if it's universal. Who knows what's happening around Alpha Centauri? But it's certainly the rule in all developed countries. Here's something our club passes out. I think it was adapted from a Bicycling magazine article: Ride RIGHT! The traffic laws in Ohio and every other state say: Bicyclists must ride on the RIGHT side of the road, WITH traffic - not against it! Why is this? Why NOT ride facing traffic? 1. Drivers of cars, walkers, and other cyclists never expect to find you there. 2. You can't see traffic signs or signals from the left side of the street. 3. If you're riding toward the cars, you come together faster. There's less time to avoid a crash. 4. If you're riding toward the cars, you'll hit much harder if there's a crash. 5. When drivers of cars pull into the road (from a stop sign or driveway), they won't look for somebody coming the wrong way. They'll pull right in front of you. And it'll be your fault! 6. If there isn't enough space for the car to pass you on the road, the driver can't wait until it's safe to pass. You'll get forced off the road into the ditch - or worse, into a head-on crash. 7. A wrong-way bicyclist is a real problem for another bicyclist riding correctly. Someone has to go into the ditch or into traffic. 8. Riding against traffic is one of the leading causes of serious bicycle accidents. 9. Riding against traffic is against the law. But don't worry about this one. They won't arrest you unless you're alive. Is there any reason you SHOULD ride on the left, facing traffic? 1. You can see the driver's look of surprise just before he hits you! IF YOU WANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON TRAFFIC, GET A REAR VIEW MIRROR. - Frank Krygowski |
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