It's common to see in the news that another poor soul has lost their life in a traffic accident. Squashed while riding a bicycle. I remember years ago when the Florida Statutes gave bicycles the same stature in traffic as an automobile. A bad idea that gives some demented pedalers the idea that they can get right in the thick of traffic and cars will respect them. Get serious! They get less respect than a Hummer gives a Smart Car.
(About that time, the University of Connecticut did a study to determine why car drivers would pull out in front of motorcycles, or otherwise cause them to wreck, when the cycle should've been clearly visible to the motorists. The conclusion was their brain told them to discount the cycle. If there was a collision, they were in little danger. Usually.)
(About that time, the University of Connecticut did a study to determine why car drivers would pull out in front of motorcycles, or otherwise cause them to wreck, when the cycle should've been clearly visible to the motorists. The conclusion was their brain told them to discount the cycle. If there was a collision, they were in little danger. Usually.)
We would see some with long whip-antenna-looking things, with a red flag flapping in the breeze, happily chugging along at 20 mph in a 45 mph zone. The flag was so they could be identified in traffic. They thought. Trouble was some frustrated dude to the rear of the dude behind the bicycler, could only endure the slow speed so long, and not seeing the real culprit, whiz around car in front, shaking his fist, then being real surprised to see the a pedal-pusher. Some time they were able to stop. Mostly, it was time to call the Cops to bring the sponges and blot up what was left of the amateur Armstrong.
Now they have bike lanes marked beside many roads. Trouble is they're still on the highway and only marginally safer than being directly in the mix. A sixteen-wheeler flying by can send bike and rider sailing off the road, into the underbrush. Think not? A former Deputy named Kris had himself, his wife, and his huge motorcycle blown off the road like they were a dixie cup.
Me, I ride on the sidewalk. I get off if a pedestrian shows, then get right back on. It may not be kosher, but you won't find any road burns on my ancient ass.
We finally gave up on telling bike riders they were fools to ride in traffic. They were unappreciative, with a common retort, "I have a right to be there!"
We used to reply, "I'll see if I can get Hodges (the funeral home) to engrave that on your headstone. 'He had the right-of -way.'
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