I find it very frustrating to see other bicycles doing things that are dangerous.
At the corner of North Broadway and Calumet today in the rain, in the dark, I saw a cyclist who was wearing nothing but black and had no lights on his bike. I had to drive our car this morning since our baby was fussing and Jenn wanted me to take Duncan to day care. I was turning left, he was coming straight toward me and he is lucky I saw him.
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At the corner of North Broadway and Calumet today in the rain, in the dark, I saw a cyclist who was wearing nothing but black and had no lights on his bike. I had to drive our car this morning since our baby was fussing and Jenn wanted me to take Duncan to day care. I was turning left, he was coming straight toward me and he is lucky I saw him.
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One morning as I rode to work in the pre-dawn darkness, I saw something moving on my side of the road far ahead. As I got closer, I realized it was another cyclist riding in the dark without lights or reflectors. He was dressed in a camouflage coverall! I rode with him almost all the way to work, while he complained the whole way about rude motorists. Then he said he was moving to Phoenix and that the bike trails there made two-wheeled travel so much easier. I recommended he get some lights. He found that offensive.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, it's only a $25 fine and court costs if you go without lights. It should be higher and it should be enforced.
I can relate. But do you worry about the impression that's left when other motorists act boneheaded on the streets?
ReplyDeleteI feel stupid sitting at a red light at 6:30am (when there is next to no traffic), but usually, if a driver is around, I won't run it. Some internal pressure to be a positive roll model, I guess.
ReplyDeleteEd - I'd be happy if the police in our city enforced ANY of the traffic laws, honestly. That's a main part of our problem here.
ReplyDeleteFritz - I don't worry about that impression because motorists are the majority voice in policy here. If we want to get anything done, we have to get the motorists on our side as much as possible. And behavior such as this doesn't help.
Smudgemo - I agree entirely. Like I said to Fritz above, we need to take the high road until we get what we need for our safety on the road.