Thursday, November 5, 2009

how to die on a bicycle

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/11/how-to-get-killed-on-a-bike.php

The winner?

A car turning right when the cyclist oncoming has right of way.

BUT.
I cannot believe how BAD cyclists are!
I have only been driving a car, necessary for work, for a few months.
The number of times at night, on the sidewalk, with no lights, the wrong way, a cyclist tries to assert 'right of way' is incredible.
Apparently many cyclists *want* to die.

Cyclists contribute to their own demise about half of the time...

Hard to feel sorry for them.

Don't get me wrong - I strategically break driving rules when I think it increases my safety.
But if I'm on the sidewalk, I'm on the correct side.

A driver who faces a typical hazard begins to react in .7 seconds.
Unexpected? 1.1 seconds.
That can often be the difference between sharply braking and an actual accident.

Of course, the Euro-effect suggests that simply having MORE cyclists would result in safer cyclists.
Car drivers get used to looking for them.

Want that to happen?
Stop building more traffic lanes and new highways every time traffic gets congested. Paired with carrots, this stick will deter drivers who have alternatives.
K-W, of course, is building an incredibly expensive new highway system instead.
Using cyclist and pedestrian tax-base to subsidize those who can afford to own cards.
Regressive fiscal policy.
Congrats, K-W.

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