Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Bike Safety

How about a shorter post today? A rant perhaps? Okay then, a rant it is.

It really bugs me when bicyclists don't act like cars. They want other cars to share the road and treat them as equals, fine, I'm completely fine doing that. Then don't blow through stop signs just because it's a pain for you to stop and start! Yes it's a pain but if you don't want to spend the energy to stop and start, ride on a bike trail or drive your car.

Would I rather not have to stop? Sure I would; especially when I'm in a hurry. But I stop. And when I come to a four way stop, I expect you to stop too. Because it's the law! Because California Vehicle Code says: Bicyclist Rights (CVC 21200) Bicyclists have all the rights and responsibilities of vehicle drivers. If you want the rights, then you're stuck with the responsibilities.

This weekend I seriously saw a gang of 30 bicyclists ride into a left hand turn lane, bypass three cars and swarm around the front car. When the light changed, they all just moved out in front of the car and turned. Are they allowed to do that?! It was so dangerous! The poor car in the front couldn't move at all because the bikes were all around him, some sitting in his blind spot, some right in front of him. If a bicyclist is in front of me in a turn lane, fine, I give him space, I treat him like a car because he's behaving like one. We have mutual respect for each other. And yet there are bike gangs taking over the streets of LA. What can you do?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Bicyclists at high speeds shooting across Stop signs and red lights shock me each time. Wouldn't you want to at least check if a car is coming rather then trust a car to make an emergency stop on a green light?

All those cyclists look so delicate; exposed skin ready to smear across the pavement, bones to be crumbled under tires, and brains to be knocked into retardation. Still, the stop-light-runners don't seem to blink.

A competitive bicycle friends told me that he has gotten into many crashes with cars. Yet, he doesn't hesitate after a crash downhill at 30 mph and being run over by following bicycles or a car totaling one of his bikes.

Yet, the nurse from the Marina Del Rey hospital tells with horrified eyes, how many people end up in really bad shape from the beach bike path alone.

An interesting tidbit is the home page of a SF bicycle organization. It has a lot of emphasis dedicated to helping bicyclists fight stop sign/red light tickets.


- Thomas