January  2010

Stop for a Reason

Last month when I wrote about “How to be an Organ Donor”, I meant the bike rider, not a pedestrian.  A November article in the Seattle Times mentions a 32 year old bicyclist that was charged with vehicular assault and hit and run.  He was riding his bike down First Ave and passed several cars and proceeded to go through the red light.  He hit and severely injured a 6 year old boy. The boy had a fractured jaw and had to have it wired shut.

I didn’t receive any emails from readers about my belief that all bike riders should stop at all stop lights and stop signs. That’s because everyone understands that a safe bike rider follows the law of the road and the laws are there for a very good reason; prevent injuries or worse, death.

The point I want to get across is; THINK while you are riding and be safe for yourself and others and Stop for a Reason.

Want to comment?  chinstrap@bikesclub.org

Ride Safe, 

Chin Strap

          _____________________________________________________________________

—Time for a conversation. / An Op-Ed by BIKES CRANK
 ( a sometimes thing)—

In the last few editions of Chainwheel Chatter, Chin Strap has made some very good points regarding safe riding and personal safety as a cyclist. I want to consider a slightly different take on some of it.

There are over 40,000 traffic deaths in the US each year. Most of these accidents are caused by impairment from alcohol or drugs, distracted driving, lack of skill or attention for the conditions present and some by road rage. You are more likely to hear of an accident involving a cyclist in the news than the 100 plus average deaths from motor vehicle accidents every day. 

MUPs, or multiple user paths, are built for walkers, joggers, roller bladers, families with children and strollers, horseback riding and cyclists.  All are legitimate users but statistics show a much higher accident rate for cyclists on MUPs than the public roads so my choice is to not ride the MUPs unless it just happens to be part of a ride I am doing.

I won’t get into what is termed the “helmet wars” except to say if I were to fall from my bike at speeds of 0 to 15 miles per hour my helmet may protect the gray matter that doesn’t regenerate in my head and I have few enough brain cells as it is.

People like to say cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles.  This is not exactly true. Bikes can ride two abreast in one lane and motor vehicles cannot, even if there is room (RCW 46.61.770).  Legally, at night bikes only need a reflector on the rear; a bicyclist may change to pedestrian mode and location and return to a vehicular mode at will; bikes are prohibited from a number of the most expensive public roads built called designated Freeways( RCW 46.61.261)( RCW 46.61.235)( WAC 308-330-555)( 46.61.780).  And according to ( RCW 46.61.790) being an Intoxicated bicyclist is not grounds for a DUI infraction.

I also believe there is a difference between blowing through a stop sign or running a stop light and approaching a stop sign and slowing to a near stop as a pedestrian would, yielding the right of way and proceeding.

I do not mean ignoring the law as this video shows http://warren-t.blogspot.com/2008/09/stop-ii.html or a cyclist breaking the law by running down a pedestrian. (RCW 46.61.235) (RCW 46.61.261).

I do mean more like this site shows http://www.bicyclelaw.com/blog/index.cfm/2009/3/7/Origins-of-Idahos-Stop-as-Yield-Law .  The Idaho stop law that Oregon tried to pass last year has been in affect in Idaho since 1982 and there has been no measurable accident /injury increase in the 27 years and Idaho law enforcement likes it.

Laws are laws and I would not suggest you obey the laws you want and ignore those you don’t; but as has been pointed out elsewhere, in a democratic society we can reexamine our laws and change them to what works best for us all.

As was said in comments from the Idaho stop video, drivers are no longer required to switch off their ignitions at intersections like they had to do in the early days, for fear of  scaring horses, or more recently freeway speed limits are no longer limited to 55 mph.

I have ridden over 6500 miles the last two years, most of it on the public roads.  I cannot agree more that one has to be aware of surroundings and diligent about staying out of dangerous situations while traveling on an infrastructure designed for motor vehicles.  And in my view the enjoyment and benefits of bike riding far outweigh the real and perceived risk of doing so daily on the public roads.