As biking picks up, so do crashes: Collision data shows county'saccident hot spots

On 05-10-2012 09:04, gpsman quoted:
By Jason Hoppin - Santa Cruz Sentinelsantacruzsentinel.com
[snip]
Jackson said bicyclists riding on sidewalks is also an issue, adding
that local officers are not shy about citing two-wheeled drivers.
Fines can be the same for bikes as they are motor vehicles.

"You're sharing that sidewalk with the elderly and the disabled and
the very, very young," Jackson said. "If it's a toddler with training
wheels, that's a totally different story. But a 25-year-old going 25
mph does not need to be on the sidewalk."

Reposted for the benefit of folks who refuse to read long articles.

[snip]
"I would argue that if you're a well-equipped cyclist and careful
about what you're doing, that it's actually safer" than driving, said
Micah Posner of the bicycle advocacy group People Power.

I don't want argument, I want empirical evidence.

[snip]
In 2008, the nonprofit Ecology Action studied a year of local
accidents and found that 43 percent were the fault of the cyclist and
37 percent the motorist, with the rest having no fault assigned.

Not surprised. Idiocy is a common characteristic in all classes of
humanity. At least drivers have to pass a test.

--
Wes Groleau

“To compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation
of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors, is sinful and tyrannical.�
— Thomas Jefferson

On 05/15/2012 08:09 AM, Wes Groleau wrote:
On 05-10-2012 09:04, gpsman quoted:
By Jason Hoppin - Santa Cruz Sentinelsantacruzsentinel.com
[snip]
Jackson said bicyclists riding on sidewalks is also an issue, adding
that local officers are not shy about citing two-wheeled drivers.
Fines can be the same for bikes as they are motor vehicles.

"You're sharing that sidewalk with the elderly and the disabled and
the very, very young," Jackson said. "If it's a toddler with training
wheels, that's a totally different story. But a 25-year-old going 25
mph does not need to be on the sidewalk."

Reposted for the benefit of folks who refuse to read long articles.

[snip]
"I would argue that if you're a well-equipped cyclist and careful
about what you're doing, that it's actually safer" than driving, said
Micah Posner of the bicycle advocacy group People Power.

I don't want argument, I want empirical evidence.

[snip]
In 2008, the nonprofit Ecology Action studied a year of local
accidents and found that 43 percent were the fault of the cyclist and
37 percent the motorist, with the rest having no fault assigned.

Not surprised. Idiocy is a common characteristic in all classes of
humanity. At least drivers have to pass a test.

Quebec updated the highway code to prohibit bikes from riding on the
side walk (sorry Dan) or on the road against the flow of traffic. Both
of these are good in my opinion. My wife is currently in physio because
some idiot ran into her when she walked out of her office. The idiot
was doing 25kph on a sidewalk in downtown Ottawa at rush hour.

The fines are around 40 bucks but most include demerit points on a
drivers license. There's a 5 year life on demerits so if you don't have
a license at the time, but get one within 5 years, you get the points.
I was not happy about that at first but it seems to be having some
affect. 40 bucks is one thing but 5 years of increased license and
insurance fees is something else.

Wes Groleau wrote:

[snip]
"I would argue that if you're a well-equipped cyclist and careful
about what you're doing, that it's actually safer" than driving, said
Micah Posner of the bicycle advocacy group People Power.

I don't want argument, I want empirical evidence.

Well, I know of several studies that determined that the benefits of
bicycling greatly outweigh the risks. I believe those were comparing
cycling to sedentary activities like driving. I also recall one study
that determined that cycle commuters had significantly lower mortality
rates than motorists.

There is more risk of some sort of crash when on a bike, compared to in
a car. But apparently, car travel piles on so many health negatives
from inactivity that bike travel easily comes out on top overall.

Here are details:
20:1 benefit: Mayer Hillman, "Cycling and the Promotion of Health,"
Policy Studies, Summer 1993, Vol. 14 (2) states that the years of life
gained through cycling exceeds the years of life lost through cycling by
"around 20 to one." This includes benefits to non-cyclists from reduced
road and pollution hazards.

7:1 benefit: Jeroen J. de Hartog, "Do the Health Benefits of Cycling
Outweigh the Risks?", Environmental Health Perspectives, 118(8), Aug.
2010 found a benefit to risk ratio of seven to one for just the cyclists
themselves in Britain, and nine to one for cyclists in Holland.

77:1 benefit: David Rojas-Rueda, "The health risks and benefits of
cycling in urban environments compared with car use", British Medical
Journal 2011: 343: d4512 found 77 years of life gained to each one lost,
for those who used Barcelona's bike share system instead of a car.

18:1 benefit: Ari Rabl, "Benefits of shift from car to active
transport", Transport Policy 19 (2012) 121-131. Cycling was found to
confer an average of 1310 Euros per year due to health gains, versus
only 72 Euros detriments due to pollution exposure and crash risk.
Benefits exceeded risks by 18 to one.


--
- Frank Krygowski

On May 15, 5:53*am, Duane wrote:
On 05/15/2012 08:09 AM, Wes Groleau wrote:









On 05-10-2012 09:04, gpsman quoted:
By Jason Hoppin - Santa Cruz Sentinelsantacruzsentinel.com
[snip]
Jackson said bicyclists riding on sidewalks is also an issue, adding
that local officers are not shy about citing two-wheeled drivers.
Fines can be the same for bikes as they are motor vehicles.

"You're sharing that sidewalk with the elderly and the disabled and
the very, very young," Jackson said. "If it's a toddler with training
wheels, that's a totally different story. But a 25-year-old going 25
mph does not need to be on the sidewalk."

Reposted for the benefit of folks who refuse to read long articles.

[snip]
"I would argue that if you're a well-equipped cyclist and careful
about what you're doing, that it's actually safer" than driving, said
Micah Posner of the bicycle advocacy group People Power.

I don't want argument, I want empirical evidence.

[snip]
In 2008, the nonprofit Ecology Action studied a year of local
accidents and found that 43 percent were the fault of the cyclist and
37 percent the motorist, with the rest having no fault assigned.

Not surprised. Idiocy is a common characteristic in all classes of
humanity. At least drivers have to pass a test.

Quebec updated the highway code to prohibit bikes from riding on the
side walk (sorry Dan) or on the road against the flow of traffic. *Both
of these are good in my opinion. *My wife is currently in physio because
some idiot ran into her when she walked out of her office. *The idiot
was doing 25kph on a sidewalk in downtown Ottawa at rush hour.


If the solution to careless, idiotic behavior was to deny everyone the
activity that they undertook carelessly... well, there's no end to
that until we're all just curled up somewhere to die alone. Solution?

The fines are around 40 bucks but most include demerit points on a
drivers license. *There's a 5 year life on demerits so if you don't have
a license at the time, but get one within 5 years, you get the points.
I was not happy about that at first but it seems to be having some
affect. *40 bucks is one thing but 5 years of increased license and
insurance fees is something else.

On 05/15/2012 01:57 PM, Dan O wrote:
On May 15, 5:53 am, wrote:

snip

Quebec updated the highway code to prohibit bikes from riding on the
side walk (sorry Dan) or on the road against the flow of traffic. Both
of these are good in my opinion. My wife is currently in physio because
some idiot ran into her when she walked out of her office. The idiot
was doing 25kph on a sidewalk in downtown Ottawa at rush hour.


If the solution to careless, idiotic behavior was to deny everyone the
activity that they undertook carelessly... well, there's no end to
that until we're all just curled up somewhere to die alone. Solution?

Thought that would get your attention g But now you sound like the
"Danger! Danger!" guy. Defy the law and defend your right to ride on
the side walk! I don't agree with you though.

Actually, your analogy about denying everyone the activity ... sounds
familiar. I mean, after all, no one is talking about outlawing
gardening, even in face of the high levels of danger encountered.

On May 15, 11:30*am, Duane wrote:
On 05/15/2012 01:57 PM, Dan O wrote:

On May 15, 5:53 am, *wrote:

snip

Quebec updated the highway code to prohibit bikes from riding on the
side walk (sorry Dan) or on the road against the flow of traffic. *Both
of these are good in my opinion. *My wife is currently in physio because
some idiot ran into her when she walked out of her office. *The idiot
was doing 25kph on a sidewalk in downtown Ottawa at rush hour.

If the solution to careless, idiotic behavior was to deny everyone the
activity that they undertook carelessly... well, there's no end to
that until we're all just curled up somewhere to die alone. *Solution?

Thought that would get your attention g *But now you sound like the
"Danger! Danger!" guy.

I do not ride on the sidewalk because I'm afraid to ride on the road.
I like (lots of) options. I ride *everywhere*. Sometimes that puts
me on the sidewalk for a ways.

*Defy the law and defend your right to ride on
the side walk!

No defiance about it; I have the legal right to ride on the sidewalk,
and defend it for all responsible bicyclists.

*I don't agree with you though.


I can understand - particularly in light of your wife's incident with
the careless idiot. Bicycling *is* prohibited in most core downtown
areas around here where pedestrians actually *use* the sidewalk, and I
am on record here saying people should walk their bikes in such areas
anyway.

The sidewalks that I am apt to ride on are unused - empty and open -
with no adjacent buildings.

Actually, your analogy about denying everyone the activity ... sounds
familiar. *I mean, after all, no one is talking about outlawing
gardening, even in face of the high levels of danger encountered.

Bicycling is freedom to me. Some dig gardening. Live and let live.

REMEMBER THE rational or arguement for banning riding against traffic flow ?

On 05-16-2012 10:55, Dan O wrote:
No defiance about it; I have the legal right to ride on the sidewalk,
and defend it for all responsible bicyclists.

It IS illegal in some areas. It is foolish in some areas.
It is malicious in some areas. It is dangerous in some areas.

These are not mutually exclusive.

Of course, there are probably areas where riding on the sidewalk is
legal, safe, comfortable, and harms no one.

I have no guess how many of those areas exist, but I know I do not live
in one.

--
Wes Groleau

“Missing a train is only painful if you run after it!�
— Nassim Nicholas Taleb

On Wednesday, May 16, 2012 9:46:11 PM UTC-5, Wes Groleau wrote:
On 05-16-2012 10:55, Dan O wrote:
No defiance about it; I have the legal right to ride on the sidewalk,
and defend it for all responsible bicyclists.

It IS illegal in some areas. It is foolish in some areas.
It is malicious in some areas. It is dangerous in some areas.

These are not mutually exclusive.

Of course, there are probably areas where riding on the sidewalk is
legal, safe, comfortable, and harms no one.

I have no guess how many of those areas exist, but I know I do not live
in one.

Riding on the sidewalk is illegal in many (if not most) downtown areas. (It's explicitly illegal in downtown Houston.) It's also illegal to ride in the street in some highly illogical places, like Hunter's Creek Village (a Houston suburb), where traffic is light, sidewalk maintenance is nonexistent on some streets, and state law explicitly gives cyclists access to the street - but the HCV tickets have never been overturned in state court.

sidewalk statutes or ordinances are usually enforced by the local situation.
Ordinaces were imposed from problem areas and these areas are where the ord is enforced as shopping centers, museum grounds ......

and enforced around commercial areas involving sidewalk traffic...

see ?

cyclists should inquire and find the local accident study, use it, broadcast it, copy it and hand it out, post it.

If there are no studies, start one, speak with your rep., ask for funding, speak with the sheriff, the ER, the FD....