...I use sidewalks and other "cheats" to minimize the times I have to stop.
For the record, it's totally legal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk according to Washington State law (RCW 46.61.755) and Seattle law (Section 11.44.120).
The road is safer than the sidewalk for one reason. Cars are fairly predictable, albeit irrational, because they're limited by lanes and whatnot. Pedestrians (especially closer to the downtown core) can be completely random, and usually oblivious to everything around them.
Granted, if I hit a pedestrian the pain for both parties is relatively minor compared to getting run over by a car...
The road is safer than the sidewalk for one reason. Cars are fairly predictable, albeit irrational, because they're limited by lanes and whatnot. Pedestrians (especially closer to the downtown core) can be completely random, and usually oblivious to everything around them.
Granted, if I hit a pedestrian the pain for both parties is relatively minor compared to getting run over by a car...
For what it's worth, the places I ride on sidewalks are places like Woodinville, Kenmore, and Lake City. Wide sidewalks, roads with no shoulders, and few pedestrians. I rarely if ever bike the downtown core.
The road is safer than the sidewalk for one reason. Cars are fairly predictable, albeit irrational, because they're limited by lanes and whatnot. Pedestrians (especially closer to the downtown core) can be completely random, and usually oblivious to everything around them.
Another reason roads are safer than sidewalks is when crossing cross streets. When a car turns right, they check over their shoulder to the sidewalk for folks moving at pedestrian speeds. Faster moving cyclists on the sidewalk heading straight are hard to spot at many intersections. If the cyclist was in the road, then the driver would have noticed them when they passed them earlier.
Personally, I find motorists much more rational than cyclists.
Another reason roads are safer than sidewalks is when crossing cross streets. When a car turns right, they check over their shoulder to the sidewalk for folks moving at pedestrian speeds. Faster moving cyclists on the sidewalk heading straight are hard to spot at many intersections. If the cyclist was in the road, then the driver would have noticed them when they passed them earlier.
Personally, I find motorists much more rational than cyclists.
Yeah, that's a good example. Although, I think you're being a bit optimistic about drivers turning right actually watching for peds, much less bicyclists. In general, however, I'm expecting crosswalk traffic to be at pedestrian speeds (often because that's all I can reasonably see), while street lanes I'm looking much further back for traffic at vehicle speeds. If a bike goes blowing through a crosswalk at speed there's often no time to react.
RideCivil promots civility between motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. We signal and stop, smile and wave, ride 2 abreast and yeild to pedestrians. We won't be corking or blocking traffic, just safely cycling our city.
RideCivil promots civility between motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. We signal and stop, smile and wave, ride 2 abreast and yeild to pedestrians. We won't be corking or blocking traffic, just safely cycling our city.
What a concept.
Yeah, the whole thing sounds pretty cool. Naturally I can't agree with them on every little detail, but we are in basic agreement. I really only disagree with one word: Stop.
If cyclists have a license plate and insurance, then they would have the same rights as cars-
If a cyclists cuts in front of me, I hit him, he gets hurt, my car is dented, and the car behind me hits me from behind- well guess who's insurance pays that?
I doubt that cyclists get as many tickets as they deserve to get as well- and they really ought to stick to roads that can accomodate them-riding 4 across a country road with no shoulder and single laned, at 2 miles an hour and holding up traffic for miles- is rude. I grew up having to pedal anywhere I wanted to go, had I done that, someone would have either crept up on me and honked me into the curb(did happen) or told me exactly what they thought-
IF they want to be given the same considerations, they need to have the same registration, insurance and licensing requirements- and a little tact-
If I am towing I do not tow in the middle of rush hour on a single lane road going 2 miles and hour and obstructing traffic- why should they>
If cyclists have a license plate and insurance, then they would have the same rights as cars-
Actually, they DO have the same rights as cars, as well as the same responsibilities. Exactly the same.
If a cyclists cuts in front of me, I hit him, he gets hurt, my car is dented, and the car behind me hits me from behind- well guess who's insurance pays that?
Insurance is not who pays. Responsible parties are. They then pay from insurance or their own personal funds. If they refuse to pay, you have the option of suing.
One needs to see this as a binary proposition. There are three exceptions regarding powered and non-powered (including horses) vehicles on the road.
1. Non-powered vehicles (including ridden horses) do not need a license.
2. Operators of non-powered vehicles (including horses) do not need a license to operate them.
3. Some sections of interstate highways are off limits. And the technical reason this is legally possible is that these roads have a MINIMUM speed limit.
There is one more that applies to all two wheeled vehicles (and horses) as well: Insurance is not mandatory. 'Course, it wasn't for cars for decades either. The requirement is totalitarian.
I doubt that cyclists get as many tickets as they deserve to get as well- and they really ought to stick to roads that can accomodate them-riding 4 across a country road with no shoulder and single laned, at 2 miles an hour and holding up traffic for miles- is rude. I grew up having to pedal anywhere I wanted to go, had I done that, someone would have either crept up on me and honked me into the curb(did happen) or told me exactly what they thought-
I agree with that statement. I will add, however, that if I was followed around while driving my car by a cop every day I would probably end up with over a thousand tickets by the end of the month. Actually, now that I do the math, probably more like 850.
IF they want to be given the same considerations, they need to have the same registration, insurance and licensing requirements.
That is definitely an opinion. And one I strongly disagree with. We need LESS government, not more. We need LESS laws, not more. I'd love to see them abolish the helmet laws, etc.
If I am towing I do not tow in the middle of rush hour on a single lane road going 2 miles and hour and obstructing traffic- why should they>
They take up less room. They can be completely off the road and on the shoulder. At least they SHOULD be at 2 mph. The only place on the STP where bikes really have no choice but to block traffic is on the Longview bridge. That is because there IS NO SHOULDER. It is something I will be giving up when I move to Kentucky. The roads there are a motorcyclists paradise, but most of these amazing roads have absolutely NO shoulder. But then, the traffic is so light it is probably not necessary. IOW, if a road is a rush hour thoroughfare it should either have some sort of shoulder or, like Coal Creek parkway, a bike lane. Makes it easier for everyone.
On a side note, I have gone down a hill at 40 mph in a 30 mph zone and people pass me angrily because they feel I am a da@# bicyclist slowing them up. Kinda funny, isn't it.
If a cyclists cuts in front of me, I hit him, he gets hurt, my car is dented, and the car behind me hits me from behind- well guess who's insurance pays that?
The car behind you will be ticketed for Following Too Close. Their insurance company will be responsible for that damage.
2 MPH? WTF? I can walk 4 MPH. Anybody riding 2 MPH would almost certainly be on a sidwalk getting passed by people with walkers. Until the training wheels came off, of course.
Running over bikes and then your concern is what if someone bumps you from behind?
Thanks for the reminder and warning that folks like you still exist, leaveseattle. I just took a job that will have me commuting on my bike downtown again, after a 5 year hiatus. I need the proper fear instilled in me so I can live to see my boy graduate from pre-school.
I agree with most of what you said, Robroy. Ain't it swell when cars speed by you, then you are forced to eat their exhaust when they realize you are going faster than they want to, and have to hit the brakes?
So, you get to ride your bike and get all the same rights to use the roads, but not pay for insurance, licensing, etc- because you want to bike?
What is good for the goose is good for the gander-
Just think, if you paid for your right to the road, they could use that money to build you special paths just for you to rule as you see fit- I would think that would be the best solution for your health and well being-safe, no pollution in your face, no angry drivers-seems to be a good solution. I know while in Olympia I took advantage of their bike paths-it was a relief to me and if it cost me 50-300 a year I would be thrilled to get off so cheaply to be healthy-
It's hard to believe people like leaveseattle are still out there. Saying cyclists should stick to roads that can accommodate them is as ridiculous as saying cars should be restricted to certain roads. Roads are there for everyone to get where they need to go, and should be open to everyone no matter what mode of transportation they choose.
Motor vehicles have insurance and licensing requirements because they are multi-ton killing machines. Licensing requirements are needed to avoid having unqualified drivers (such as an 8 year old boy) out there killing people with a car. Such is not true for bicyclists, thus no licensing is needed. When was the last time you heard about a bicycle causing the death of someone else?
And seriously, 2 MPH?? I hate it when people have to exaggerate to get their point accross. In my mind it completely discredits anything else you say. The slowest cyclists out there ride around 10 MPH, and those are the ones that stick to the sidewalks cause they're scared of drivers like leaveseattle. The ones brave enough to face the street are going around 15 - 25 MPH. When I ride my bike in rush hour traffic I'm usually going the same speed or faster than cars cause their big and bulky and stuck in traffic, while I can just ride by them.
So, there are no unqualified cyclists? Isn't possible that a less then professional cyclist could cause a traffic accident? Because they were not familar with the laws of our causeways?
How do I know that you are wearing glasses if you need to them see traffic signs?
How do I know that you do not have medical issues like seizures that could cause you to land on my windshield no fault of my own? Of course, when your body blinds me and I hit another car, the accident will go against me regardless of whether I am at fault,
How do I know you are old enough? How do I know if you know how to even read the road signs?
How do I know that you are informed of the laws of the road and how to obey traffic laws?
I think a lot of assumptions are made that if you are a cyclist you somhow need zero proof that you are safe to use the roads- where as anyone with a motor is-
Again- for the same reasons I need to prove I qualified to be on the road- you should as well.
And, 10 mph on a 35 mph road will significantly increase traffic jams, which causes more stop and go traffic and more idling cars, which will cause twice as many emissions as you save by cycling-
cyclists are not motor vehicles any more then my daughters big wheel- she can go pretty fast on her big wheel to her friends house, but I am not sure anyone would be happy to see her trucking down the road in rush hour traffic-
Bike paths throughout the city would provide the cyclists with a safe and mostly likely quicker way to go about their business. Perhaps, they would be more valued for what they do daily to help reduce the cost of gas, and environmental impact...
Or, maybe Seattle might figure it out that their highways, freeways, roads need desperate improvement and expansion, drivers might not be so worried about being delayed by a cyclist who is trying to contribute to a healthier environment, as a driver, every minute i am stuck on the road and made late for work costs me gas, and potential my job-Not to mention, I am worried enough about crazy drivers, and to add to it, I have add tiny little bikes weaving in and out of traffic- it is like space invaders gone totally wacky-
Cyclists should be insured, licensed and registered. I think we would all respect them and trust them a bit more if there was some accountability and quality control. It would help pay for better roads and perhaps environmental causes- fair is fair-everyone should pay for the use of the road.
Life is dangerous and not fair. Maybe you shouldn't be driving if you worry so much about bad things happening. Or maybe you should get a prescription for some anti-anxiety medication.
Life is dangerous and not fair. Maybe you shouldn't be driving if you worry so much about bad things happening. Or maybe you should get a prescription for some anti-anxiety medication.
Heh, heh. That pretty much sums up what I was thinking.
Most people don't think about the fact that on two lane roads, you are constantly passing cars within a few feet of you where the relative speed difference can be over 100 mph. But once one of those cars crosses the centerline and nails you, assuming you live, you may become like leaveseattle. Nothing wrong with it, but it may be hard for you to drive again, psychologically speaking.
Life is unpredictable - and risky. That is what makes it worth living.
Ain't it swell when cars speed by you, then you are forced to eat their exhaust when they realize you are going faster than they want to, and have to hit the brakes?
Heh, heh. Yep. I leave drivers a lot of slack though (attitude wise). When they flip me off I just smile and wave. We're all just a bunch of kids on the playground. Some have better social skills than others.
Riley Geary has analyzed U.S. Bicycle Traffic Fatalities from 1994 to 1998 using the NHTSA FARS database, concluding that
...adult urban cyclists now constitute the dominant modality among bicycle traffic fatalities in general, and that nighttime fatalities comprise at least half the problem in this class. This is out of all proportion to the amount of urban cycling actually being done at night, and strongly suggests more attention needs to be given to the entire nighttime bicycle conspicuity problem.
Twenty-four percent of bicyclists killed in 2006 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent. This percentage is one-third higher than in 1982.
Age and gender
Deaths among bicyclists younger than 16 have gone down by 84 percent since 1975, while deaths among bicyclists 16 and older have more than doubled.
More than 7 times as many bicyclist deaths in 2006 were males compared with females. At every age more male than female bicyclists were killed and the rates of bicyclist deaths per million people were higher for males than females. The highest rate of bicyclist deaths per million people occurred for 50-54 year-old males.
Where they died
Many more bicyclists were killed in urban areas than in rural areas in 2006 (71 percent compared with 27 percent). In 1975, bicyclist deaths occurred equally in rural and urban areas.
Bicycles are one of the leading statistics in auto accidents. Many are fatal. Most others result in more serious injuries, often catastrophic injuries with life long effects. Are you included in these statistics? Below is a "do's and don'ts" guide to help you protect yourself after having been in a bicycle accident.
Here are some of the errors that bike riders frequently commit which greatly increase the chances of a collision with a motor vehicle:
1. They do not follow the traffic laws for vehicles when operating a bicycle. Instead,
a) they may use the traffic laws for pedestrians and thus ride on the sidewalks or the wrong way on the streets,
b) they may follow the traffic code for vehicles part of the time but not all of the time,
c) they may adopt a policy of hiding from motor vehicles rather than riding in the traffic lanes,
d) they may be guerilla cyclists deliberately breaking the law,
e) or they just might not think about how they are behaving.
2. They don't have lights mounted on their bikes when riding at night.
3. They ride along in the gutter or weave in and out between cars.
4. They don't pay attention to nearby vehicles.
5. They haven't learned how to control their bicycles effectively.
6. They panic when motor vehicles approach.
7. They don't keep the bike in sound mechanical condition.
8. They ride when too tired (or even drunk) to do so safely.
While there are both dangerous and clueless motorists, the vast majority have no desire to harm cyclists and attempt to drive safely and appropriately when cyclists are around. Motorists nearly always obey the traffic code, except for driving too fast, and they usually will cooperate with the cyclist.
Wow, your list could sort of apply to drivers as well (which is what most cyclists are as well, btw). My son, when a bike messenger, went to two friends funerals. Both were killed at intersections. One was the cyclists fault, the other the drivers fault.
The good news about the bicycle fatalities, however, is that when the bicyclist was drunk careless or otherwise being less than careful, the only fatality was their own. If that ain't personal responsibility in action, I don't know what is!
BTW, a serious problem today is cell phones and texting. The way I see it, out on the roads now it is ALWAYS 15 MINUTES AFTER THE BARS CLOSE SATURDAY MORNING.
It is and always has been about DEFENSIVE driving/riding. That has saved me on my bike, on my motorcycle and even in my car. I can do crazy stuff on my bike if I am PAYING ATTENTION. I can in my car as well.
Fewer than 10 cyclists die annually in all of the state of Washington. Virtually every one is caused by an automobile running into them where the driver was at fault.
That tells me two things:
1) I pretty much don't need to worry about dying, as the risk is insignificant.
2) The onus is on the drivers and those in charge of infrastructure to stop killing bicyclists.
We should encourage as many people to bike as possible, and creating roadblocks, spending 10s of millions on dollars on needless bureaucracy instead of bike lanes and paths, and blaming the victim serves only to placate loudmouth drivers who can't stand having to tap their brakes and wait a second and a half before they can pass a bike safely and get back to the serious business of tailgating the car in front of them.
I've been knocked off my bike half a dozen times in this town by an inattentive driver. Every single time, they have been very apologetic and clearly at fault, and every time I've graciously accepted their apology. In general, Seattle is a great place to ride a bike. Just watch their eyes.
If you see one looking too closely, with eyes dilated, grinding their teeth and veering dangerously close to you, it's probably leaveseattle. Dive onto the nearest patch of grass and run for you life.
It's been a long-running dispute around the Bay Area. Bicyclists complain that drivers don't share the road; drivers complain that bicyclists ignore traffic laws and get in the way. The issues fuel the monthly Critical Mass rides in San Francisco and in cities across the country, and tensions are rising after recent clashes here. So, "we wanted to get to the cold, hard facts" as we reported tonight at 11pm.
The latest CHP data on car-bike collisions that resulted in injury or death shows, most often, the cyclist is at fault. Take a look for yourself at the CHP statistics covering more than 11-thousand accidents around the bay during the past five years. Sixty percent of the time, the cyclist caused the crash. The most common violations that led to accidents were riding on the wrong side of the road, refusing to yield to an automobile's right of way, unsafe speed and ignoring traffic signals and signs. Cyclists who caused collisions were nearly three times more likely to be under the influence of alcohol, compared to drivers who caused accidents.
The police are notoriously anti-bicycle, so I don't find value in those statistics.
I have personally known 2 people hit by a car taking a right on red. Both times the biker has been cited and the driver has not, even though the driver was clearly at fault.
I agree bicyclists, especially young, inexperienced bikers, tend to have tryouts for the Darwin awards for the first year or two of biking in traffic. They either win the award, and some driver has to clean a bit of paint and blood off their bumper, or they learn to respect cars a bit more and become responsible cyclists.
Same rules apply for drivers, except the consequences of their actions are much more dire for those involved in an accident with them. That's why we make some attempt to license them.
A 25 year-old East Texas man is dead after being killed in a car wreck. The wreck happened Monday night on Highway 190, 1.7 miles east of FM 2500.
Polk County authorities say Chris Tucker rode his bike in front of a truck driven by Priscilla Thompson of Livingston.
You've probably been told to look both ways before crossing the street, but that's not always enough, especially for pedestrians.
"You need to wear some type of reflective material," DPS trooper Greg Sanches says. "Make sure you get way off the roadway and be looking, be observant, because you never know what can happen on the roadway."
Just because you're not in a car, doesn't mean you should count on drivers to watch out for you. It's your job to make sure they see you.
"Even if you have a crosswalk, you gotta remember cars are coming down that roadway," Trooper Sanches says. "You may have the right of way if you're in an area where there's a crosswalk, but still, you gotta be looking left right left and make sure that somebody is not about to run over you. Make sure you can get in a safe location before you are hit."
Bike riders are supposed to ride along with traffic, following the same rules that apply to cars and trucks. Pedestrians should walk toward traffic. That way, you can always see what's headed your way and avoid becoming the victim of a preventable tragedy.
Research shows about 75 percent of bicyclists are at fault in fatal accidents involving a car.
A christ. Now we can expect the spam of articles delineating the dozen times in all history that a bicycle has seriously injured anyone besides himself.
Do you understand relative risks, leaveseattle? My guess is you never leave your house, for fear of being attacked by a pack of basset hounds, or being trampled by wild horses.
The police are notoriously anti-bicycle, so I don't find value in those statistics.
I have personally known 2 people hit by a car taking a right on red. Both times the biker has been cited and the driver has not, even though the driver was clearly at fault.
I agree bicyclists, especially young, inexperienced bikers, tend to have tryouts for the Darwin awards for the first year or two of biking in traffic. They either win the award, and some driver has to clean a bit of paint and blood off their bumper, or they learn to respect cars a bit more and become responsible cyclists.
Same rules apply for drivers, except the consequences of their actions are much more dire for those involved in an accident with them. That's why we make some attempt to license them.
That is why, when that red Corvette hit me (turning right) I just kept on going. A reliable attorney friend once said that the last place you want to find yourself is in criminal court. Whether you are found guilty or innocent has virtually nothing whatsoever to do with your guilt or innocence.
I stretch it to civil cases of my own accord. I just prefer to leave the state out of it unless I am severely impacted by the event. In my case, the corvet had a pedal induced rip in his fiberglass fender but I was uninjured. There was no need to hang around.
Leavingseattle's last post is a very poorly written story regarding the event itself. Regarding the "safety tips" section, I rack it up to the equivalent of "if we would all check the air pressure in our tires we wouldn't have to drill for oil" type of Captain Obvious drivel.
In the 60's, there was a defensive driving commercial that ended with this simple phrase, "yeah, he was right. Dead right." Defensive driving. That is the answer. Period. Nothing has changed here.
You want to stay safe? we need no more laws and could even do away with most of the ones we have. Just assume that every car/bicycle around you will probably do something stupid any second. It has worked for me the many times it turned out to be correct. How else can one keep getting hit by cars without goind down?
A christ. Now we can expect the spam of articles delineating the dozen times in all history that a bicycle has seriously injured anyone besides himself.
Do you understand relative risks, leaveseattle? My guess is you never leave your house, for fear of being attacked by a pack of basset hounds, or being trampled by wild horses.
I just get frustrated that many cyclists tend to be so focused on being good to the environment and to themselves that they tend to forget that despite their best efforts they do leave a fingerprint-we all do.
Cyclists are not motor vehicles, and should not be on the roads with motorists unless they have the same laws-and they don't. Registration, licenses, bicycle inspections for safety should be required before they are allowed to share the road with those that must pay the extra funds and provide the extra documentation to prove that they have tried to reduce the risks-
Comments
Heh, heh. Safe compared to what?
Granted, if I hit a pedestrian the pain for both parties is relatively minor compared to getting run over by a car...
Another reason roads are safer than sidewalks is when crossing cross streets. When a car turns right, they check over their shoulder to the sidewalk for folks moving at pedestrian speeds. Faster moving cyclists on the sidewalk heading straight are hard to spot at many intersections. If the cyclist was in the road, then the driver would have noticed them when they passed them earlier.
Personally, I find motorists much more rational than cyclists.
Yeah, that's a good example. Although, I think you're being a bit optimistic about drivers turning right actually watching for peds, much less bicyclists. In general, however, I'm expecting crosswalk traffic to be at pedestrian speeds (often because that's all I can reasonably see), while street lanes I'm looking much further back for traffic at vehicle speeds. If a bike goes blowing through a crosswalk at speed there's often no time to react.
If a cyclists cuts in front of me, I hit him, he gets hurt, my car is dented, and the car behind me hits me from behind- well guess who's insurance pays that?
I doubt that cyclists get as many tickets as they deserve to get as well- and they really ought to stick to roads that can accomodate them-riding 4 across a country road with no shoulder and single laned, at 2 miles an hour and holding up traffic for miles- is rude. I grew up having to pedal anywhere I wanted to go, had I done that, someone would have either crept up on me and honked me into the curb(did happen) or told me exactly what they thought-
IF they want to be given the same considerations, they need to have the same registration, insurance and licensing requirements- and a little tact-
If I am towing I do not tow in the middle of rush hour on a single lane road going 2 miles and hour and obstructing traffic- why should they>
One needs to see this as a binary proposition. There are three exceptions regarding powered and non-powered (including horses) vehicles on the road.
1. Non-powered vehicles (including ridden horses) do not need a license.
2. Operators of non-powered vehicles (including horses) do not need a license to operate them.
3. Some sections of interstate highways are off limits. And the technical reason this is legally possible is that these roads have a MINIMUM speed limit.
There is one more that applies to all two wheeled vehicles (and horses) as well: Insurance is not mandatory. 'Course, it wasn't for cars for decades either. The requirement is totalitarian. I agree with that statement. I will add, however, that if I was followed around while driving my car by a cop every day I would probably end up with over a thousand tickets by the end of the month. Actually, now that I do the math, probably more like 850. That is definitely an opinion. And one I strongly disagree with. We need LESS government, not more. We need LESS laws, not more. I'd love to see them abolish the helmet laws, etc. They take up less room. They can be completely off the road and on the shoulder. At least they SHOULD be at 2 mph. The only place on the STP where bikes really have no choice but to block traffic is on the Longview bridge. That is because there IS NO SHOULDER. It is something I will be giving up when I move to Kentucky. The roads there are a motorcyclists paradise, but most of these amazing roads have absolutely NO shoulder. But then, the traffic is so light it is probably not necessary. IOW, if a road is a rush hour thoroughfare it should either have some sort of shoulder or, like Coal Creek parkway, a bike lane. Makes it easier for everyone.
On a side note, I have gone down a hill at 40 mph in a 30 mph zone and people pass me angrily because they feel I am a da@# bicyclist slowing them up. Kinda funny, isn't it.
And don't even get me started about RV's!
The car behind you will be ticketed for Following Too Close. Their insurance company will be responsible for that damage.
Running over bikes and then your concern is what if someone bumps you from behind?
Thanks for the reminder and warning that folks like you still exist, leaveseattle. I just took a job that will have me commuting on my bike downtown again, after a 5 year hiatus. I need the proper fear instilled in me so I can live to see my boy graduate from pre-school.
I agree with most of what you said, Robroy. Ain't it swell when cars speed by you, then you are forced to eat their exhaust when they realize you are going faster than they want to, and have to hit the brakes?
What is good for the goose is good for the gander-
Just think, if you paid for your right to the road, they could use that money to build you special paths just for you to rule as you see fit- I would think that would be the best solution for your health and well being-safe, no pollution in your face, no angry drivers-seems to be a good solution. I know while in Olympia I took advantage of their bike paths-it was a relief to me and if it cost me 50-300 a year I would be thrilled to get off so cheaply to be healthy-
Motor vehicles have insurance and licensing requirements because they are multi-ton killing machines. Licensing requirements are needed to avoid having unqualified drivers (such as an 8 year old boy) out there killing people with a car. Such is not true for bicyclists, thus no licensing is needed. When was the last time you heard about a bicycle causing the death of someone else?
And seriously, 2 MPH?? I hate it when people have to exaggerate to get their point accross. In my mind it completely discredits anything else you say. The slowest cyclists out there ride around 10 MPH, and those are the ones that stick to the sidewalks cause they're scared of drivers like leaveseattle. The ones brave enough to face the street are going around 15 - 25 MPH. When I ride my bike in rush hour traffic I'm usually going the same speed or faster than cars cause their big and bulky and stuck in traffic, while I can just ride by them.
How do I know that you are wearing glasses if you need to them see traffic signs?
How do I know that you do not have medical issues like seizures that could cause you to land on my windshield no fault of my own? Of course, when your body blinds me and I hit another car, the accident will go against me regardless of whether I am at fault,
How do I know you are old enough? How do I know if you know how to even read the road signs?
How do I know that you are informed of the laws of the road and how to obey traffic laws?
I think a lot of assumptions are made that if you are a cyclist you somhow need zero proof that you are safe to use the roads- where as anyone with a motor is-
Again- for the same reasons I need to prove I qualified to be on the road- you should as well.
And, 10 mph on a 35 mph road will significantly increase traffic jams, which causes more stop and go traffic and more idling cars, which will cause twice as many emissions as you save by cycling-
cyclists are not motor vehicles any more then my daughters big wheel- she can go pretty fast on her big wheel to her friends house, but I am not sure anyone would be happy to see her trucking down the road in rush hour traffic-
Bike paths throughout the city would provide the cyclists with a safe and mostly likely quicker way to go about their business. Perhaps, they would be more valued for what they do daily to help reduce the cost of gas, and environmental impact...
Or, maybe Seattle might figure it out that their highways, freeways, roads need desperate improvement and expansion, drivers might not be so worried about being delayed by a cyclist who is trying to contribute to a healthier environment, as a driver, every minute i am stuck on the road and made late for work costs me gas, and potential my job-Not to mention, I am worried enough about crazy drivers, and to add to it, I have add tiny little bikes weaving in and out of traffic- it is like space invaders gone totally wacky-
Cyclists should be insured, licensed and registered. I think we would all respect them and trust them a bit more if there was some accountability and quality control. It would help pay for better roads and perhaps environmental causes- fair is fair-everyone should pay for the use of the road.
Most people don't think about the fact that on two lane roads, you are constantly passing cars within a few feet of you where the relative speed difference can be over 100 mph. But once one of those cars crosses the centerline and nails you, assuming you live, you may become like leaveseattle. Nothing wrong with it, but it may be hard for you to drive again, psychologically speaking.
Life is unpredictable - and risky. That is what makes it worth living.
Heh, heh. Yep. I leave drivers a lot of slack though (attitude wise). When they flip me off I just smile and wave. We're all just a bunch of kids on the playground. Some have better social skills than others.
...adult urban cyclists now constitute the dominant modality among bicycle traffic fatalities in general, and that nighttime fatalities comprise at least half the problem in this class. This is out of all proportion to the amount of urban cycling actually being done at night, and strongly suggests more attention needs to be given to the entire nighttime bicycle conspicuity problem.
Twenty-four percent of bicyclists killed in 2006 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent. This percentage is one-third higher than in 1982.
Age and gender
Deaths among bicyclists younger than 16 have gone down by 84 percent since 1975, while deaths among bicyclists 16 and older have more than doubled.
More than 7 times as many bicyclist deaths in 2006 were males compared with females. At every age more male than female bicyclists were killed and the rates of bicyclist deaths per million people were higher for males than females. The highest rate of bicyclist deaths per million people occurred for 50-54 year-old males.
Where they died
Many more bicyclists were killed in urban areas than in rural areas in 2006 (71 percent compared with 27 percent). In 1975, bicyclist deaths occurred equally in rural and urban areas.
Bicycles are one of the leading statistics in auto accidents. Many are fatal. Most others result in more serious injuries, often catastrophic injuries with life long effects. Are you included in these statistics? Below is a "do's and don'ts" guide to help you protect yourself after having been in a bicycle accident.
Here are some of the errors that bike riders frequently commit which greatly increase the chances of a collision with a motor vehicle:
1. They do not follow the traffic laws for vehicles when operating a bicycle. Instead,
a) they may use the traffic laws for pedestrians and thus ride on the sidewalks or the wrong way on the streets,
b) they may follow the traffic code for vehicles part of the time but not all of the time,
c) they may adopt a policy of hiding from motor vehicles rather than riding in the traffic lanes,
d) they may be guerilla cyclists deliberately breaking the law,
e) or they just might not think about how they are behaving.
2. They don't have lights mounted on their bikes when riding at night.
3. They ride along in the gutter or weave in and out between cars.
4. They don't pay attention to nearby vehicles.
5. They haven't learned how to control their bicycles effectively.
6. They panic when motor vehicles approach.
7. They don't keep the bike in sound mechanical condition.
8. They ride when too tired (or even drunk) to do so safely.
While there are both dangerous and clueless motorists, the vast majority have no desire to harm cyclists and attempt to drive safely and appropriately when cyclists are around. Motorists nearly always obey the traffic code, except for driving too fast, and they usually will cooperate with the cyclist.
The good news about the bicycle fatalities, however, is that when the bicyclist was drunk careless or otherwise being less than careful, the only fatality was their own. If that ain't personal responsibility in action, I don't know what is!
BTW, a serious problem today is cell phones and texting. The way I see it, out on the roads now it is ALWAYS 15 MINUTES AFTER THE BARS CLOSE SATURDAY MORNING.
It is and always has been about DEFENSIVE driving/riding. That has saved me on my bike, on my motorcycle and even in my car. I can do crazy stuff on my bike if I am PAYING ATTENTION. I can in my car as well.
So far, so good....
That tells me two things:
1) I pretty much don't need to worry about dying, as the risk is insignificant.
2) The onus is on the drivers and those in charge of infrastructure to stop killing bicyclists.
We should encourage as many people to bike as possible, and creating roadblocks, spending 10s of millions on dollars on needless bureaucracy instead of bike lanes and paths, and blaming the victim serves only to placate loudmouth drivers who can't stand having to tap their brakes and wait a second and a half before they can pass a bike safely and get back to the serious business of tailgating the car in front of them.
I've been knocked off my bike half a dozen times in this town by an inattentive driver. Every single time, they have been very apologetic and clearly at fault, and every time I've graciously accepted their apology. In general, Seattle is a great place to ride a bike. Just watch their eyes.
If you see one looking too closely, with eyes dilated, grinding their teeth and veering dangerously close to you, it's probably leaveseattle. Dive onto the nearest patch of grass and run for you life.
Bike_ax_052307
It's been a long-running dispute around the Bay Area. Bicyclists complain that drivers don't share the road; drivers complain that bicyclists ignore traffic laws and get in the way. The issues fuel the monthly Critical Mass rides in San Francisco and in cities across the country, and tensions are rising after recent clashes here. So, "we wanted to get to the cold, hard facts" as we reported tonight at 11pm.
The latest CHP data on car-bike collisions that resulted in injury or death shows, most often, the cyclist is at fault. Take a look for yourself at the CHP statistics covering more than 11-thousand accidents around the bay during the past five years. Sixty percent of the time, the cyclist caused the crash. The most common violations that led to accidents were riding on the wrong side of the road, refusing to yield to an automobile's right of way, unsafe speed and ignoring traffic signals and signs. Cyclists who caused collisions were nearly three times more likely to be under the influence of alcohol, compared to drivers who caused accidents.
I have personally known 2 people hit by a car taking a right on red. Both times the biker has been cited and the driver has not, even though the driver was clearly at fault.
I agree bicyclists, especially young, inexperienced bikers, tend to have tryouts for the Darwin awards for the first year or two of biking in traffic. They either win the award, and some driver has to clean a bit of paint and blood off their bumper, or they learn to respect cars a bit more and become responsible cyclists.
Same rules apply for drivers, except the consequences of their actions are much more dire for those involved in an accident with them. That's why we make some attempt to license them.
A 25 year-old East Texas man is dead after being killed in a car wreck. The wreck happened Monday night on Highway 190, 1.7 miles east of FM 2500.
Polk County authorities say Chris Tucker rode his bike in front of a truck driven by Priscilla Thompson of Livingston.
You've probably been told to look both ways before crossing the street, but that's not always enough, especially for pedestrians.
"You need to wear some type of reflective material," DPS trooper Greg Sanches says. "Make sure you get way off the roadway and be looking, be observant, because you never know what can happen on the roadway."
Just because you're not in a car, doesn't mean you should count on drivers to watch out for you. It's your job to make sure they see you.
"Even if you have a crosswalk, you gotta remember cars are coming down that roadway," Trooper Sanches says. "You may have the right of way if you're in an area where there's a crosswalk, but still, you gotta be looking left right left and make sure that somebody is not about to run over you. Make sure you can get in a safe location before you are hit."
Bike riders are supposed to ride along with traffic, following the same rules that apply to cars and trucks. Pedestrians should walk toward traffic. That way, you can always see what's headed your way and avoid becoming the victim of a preventable tragedy.
Research shows about 75 percent of bicyclists are at fault in fatal accidents involving a car.
Do you understand relative risks, leaveseattle? My guess is you never leave your house, for fear of being attacked by a pack of basset hounds, or being trampled by wild horses.
I stretch it to civil cases of my own accord. I just prefer to leave the state out of it unless I am severely impacted by the event. In my case, the corvet had a pedal induced rip in his fiberglass fender but I was uninjured. There was no need to hang around.
In the 60's, there was a defensive driving commercial that ended with this simple phrase, "yeah, he was right. Dead right." Defensive driving. That is the answer. Period. Nothing has changed here.
You want to stay safe? we need no more laws and could even do away with most of the ones we have. Just assume that every car/bicycle around you will probably do something stupid any second. It has worked for me the many times it turned out to be correct. How else can one keep getting hit by cars without goind down?
Not that it may not happen someday.
I just get frustrated that many cyclists tend to be so focused on being good to the environment and to themselves that they tend to forget that despite their best efforts they do leave a fingerprint-we all do.
Cyclists are not motor vehicles, and should not be on the roads with motorists unless they have the same laws-and they don't. Registration, licenses, bicycle inspections for safety should be required before they are allowed to share the road with those that must pay the extra funds and provide the extra documentation to prove that they have tried to reduce the risks-