I think we need to be diligent about getting license numbers when we
can, and pursuing a complaint with the police. Sometimes that is the
only way to get someone's attention when they clearly do not care about
your rights or in fact endanger you. If we are more aggressive in that
regard, I think it will help.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Jenkins [mailto:mark.so-@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 12:54 PM
To: Schreck, George
Cc: news4-@gmail.com; shi-@lists.riseup.net; ob-@topica.com
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] BTA unveils 5-part safety plan
I agree for the most part. Of course, riders who treat their bikes
like vehicles and not like toys, who respect right of way, who use
common-sense principles of self-preservation are the kinds of cyclists
that promote the activity as a legitimate transportation alternative.
If more cyclists did that, then perhaps drivers would slowly gain
respect for the idea that bikes are vehicles, that they should be
figured in rights of way understanding, whatever.
I still haven't heard a way to address the more back-brain elements of
the problem, though -- drivers and passengers are frequently overtly
aggressive in ways that seem to have more to do with the vulnerability
of cyclists rather than the quality of their riding. That's a serious
problem and it gets at notions of resentment and anger that aren't
going to solved by sharrows, signage and education.
Why did the 11 year old kid throw fireworks at me from the front seat
of his car the other day? Why did his 40-ish Laurelhurst-looking
parent not intervene, even when she clearly knew what was happening?
Why did he then proceed to the next cyclist up the road and do the
same thing, again, with no intervention? What about the people in the
Mercedes SUV in civilized Lake Oswego who came up as close as they
could behind me and cut loose with an air horn? Was that because some
cyclist ran a stop sign in front of them sometime in the past? I don't
think so. I think they were hunting, actually, for a cyclist to try
that on. Coming down Cornell Sunday, I was going 35mph, probably the
legal speed limit or better -- why did the driver behind me feel it
was necessary to make a big show of swinging out, passing me, and
cutting back in front of me -- in the tunnel!
It's not because I was inhibiting traffic flow, violating right of way
or making aggressive gestures. It was because I was vulnerable and
they were daring me to react.
I commute a significant distance -- well over a hundred miles per week
-- year round. Experientially it seems to clear to me that aggression
toward cyclists increases the more cyclists are on the road, and
cyclists of varying abilities. That is to say, it's worse in the
summer. I think that it's less that inexperienced cyclists violate
drivers' sense of order and law; I would suggest that they provide
easy targets for redirected anger and resentment of all kinds.
So how do you deal with that? There's a true problem there and when I
think of what makes cycling dangerous, I think of that first.
And that being said, BTA is doing great policy work, and I applaud
their efforts.
Mark Jenkins
On 8/9/05, Schreck, George <george.-@pacificorp.com> wrote:
I agree. We cannot expect drivers to be responsible if we do not take
responsibility for our conduct as well. When I am commuting on my
bicycle, I often see cyclists riding the wrong way at night without
lights and helmets, wearing all black clothing. In a few cases I have
nearly had head on collisions with them in my bicycle. To expect a
car
to see you in not reasonable. In addition, I often see cyclists
running
red lights and stop signs. It reinforces in drivers minds that we are
not responsible and should not be on the roads. If we want to be
treated a vehicles with rights, we need to behave as such.
I am not suggesting that any of these were reasons why these
fatalities
occurred. In fact, I suspect they were not. Nevertheless, every time
drivers see one of us behaving irresponsibly, it works against our
efforts to be treated properly, and suggests to drivers that in
accidents, the cyclist probably was at fault.
I would agree that in addition to BTA's five points, we need a sixth
regarding training for cyclists.
-----Original Message-----
From: Joel Morrissette [mailto:news4-@gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, August 09, 2005 10:40 AM
To: shi-@lists.riseup.net; ob-@topica.com
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] BTA unveils 5-part safety plan
Sorry....misread your mail. I see you meant to add comments on the
*blog* post and not this one.
-Joel
On 8/9/05, Joel Morrissette <news4-@gmail.com> wrote:
I think this is a good start. I particularly like that funding for
bike-related improvements and driver education are on the list. The
fair-share law is long overdue. Kudos to BTA for going after this
one. That said, I'd like to know a little more about the accidents
that occured this year before assessing it too much..
Specifically, were the cyclists obeying the rules of the road? Were
they wearing helmets? For those of us who ride and race regularly,
I
these 2 points are habit. From what I can recall, I don't believe
any
of the 5 riders killed on the road this year were wearing helmets.
I
may be wrong. We need to work on this. Driver culpability was well
addressed in the 5-point plan - that's why I'm addressing cyclists
only here.
First, I'd like to see a major push in the community for cyclist
education about the rules of the road and our rights as riders. The
plan mentions making this part of driver's ed. I'd argue that many
of
the riders in my neighborhood (and around Portland) are riding bikes
either because they don't have a license, or because they lost it
(DUI). In the first case, they're not going to get the information.
We need to find a way of getting it to them. For the remainder, we
need to find a non-confrontational way of getting the rider safety
message out.
I'd like to see the police have the ability to ticket people riding
improperly (on sidewalks, against traffic, etc). Every day I see
officers drive by poeple on bikes riding the wrong way down
sidewalks
I have yet to see one stop. This leads me to believe they either
don't care or don't have the means for enforcement. If the law does
not provide that ability or is vague about where/how to ride, some
clarification may be in order. Bikes are a vehicle - let's start
treating them as such legally. On the flipside, we have to be
careful
not to make life difficult for people riding - we want to remain a
bike-friendly community, and having law enforcement appear hostile
to
riders won't help there.
Second, we need to approach the issue of helmets. I know Oregon has
a
long and heated past with helmets and motorcycles, and I don't want
to
stir up the hornet's nest here. Oh...why not.
This entire summer I can count on one hand the number of riders I've
seen wearing helmets. And I see hundreds of bikes go by my house
every week. I don't buy the "I'm and adult, it's my choice, it's my
life" argument. When you get hit by a car and end up in the
hospital
with a head injury and no health insurance, it becomes my problem.
Should we look into a helmet law for all riders? I think so. Would
it pass? I doubt it. Doesn't hurt to try.
Thanks for the read. (Dons flame-retardant gear).
-Joel
On 8/9/05, Jonathan Maus <jona-@bikeportland.org> wrote:
Greetings bike community,
The BTA is stepping up to the plate for us. They have issued a
statement
that outlines their response to the recent bicycle fatalities.
You
can read
a summary of their "5 part plan" and the full press release here -
http://bikeportland.org/2005/08/08/bta-responds-to-cyclist-deaths/
Please feel free to leave your comments below the post...it would
be
great
to have a constructive and open dialogue that people not on these
lists can
read. Thanks.
--Jonathan
--------------------------
Jonathan Maus
BikePortland.org: To inform and inspire.
http://bikeportland.org
(503) 283-8855
cell (503) 706-8804
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