“Are cyclist required to have lights on the bikes? No.”
Tye, here in Oklahoma bicycles are required to have lights on them if they’re ridden after dark. I only ride in the daytime, so I don’t know all the specs, but the rules are there.
The rules and the common sense that it takes to make sharing the roads work for everyone do exist. It just so happens that not everybody is using them.
Someone mentioned in this thread that bicycles should/will be required to carry insurance.
I found out through an unfortunate accident that in the State of Washington if a pedestrian or a bicyclist is involved in an accident with a vehicle and the pedestrian or bicyclist is at fault, the vehicle?s insurance company is still responsible for the pedestrian?s or bicyclist?s medical bills. How about those apples?
[This message has been edited by Kerry Stratton (edited 15 September 2005).]
Dear Board,
I don’t know why this is turning into a contest between cyclists and drivers?
When you get behind the wheel of an automobile you are responsible for everything that happens in front of your vehicle - period. It’s your job as a safe driver to anticipate what the idiot in front of you is going to do. It’s pretty easy to do if you look further down the road than the end of your hood.
That is the only way to approach driving, for there are far too many idiots of all stripes using the roads.
Everyone who uses the roads has to pay their undivided attention to the task at hand. That was drilled into me at an early age and I have seen too many examples of tragedies caused by inattention to think differently.
Regards,
Tim Murphy
Well put tim. When I learned to drive the proper name was DEFENSIVE driving.I was like the Boy Scout moto “Always Be Prepaired”.Plan your escape and in an emergency activate your plan. Seems now that the advise given is more to the lines of Damn the torpedos FULL speed ahead or the bumper sticker I saw thatr said “Don’t like my driving then GET OFF THE SIDE WALK”
I walk my dog around the neighborhood (no sidewalks or shoulders)I have dove in a ditch,jumped a ditch,stood in a ditch (dry and full)been cussed had bottles thrown trash thrown cans thrown ect ect ect and thats on 2 lane roads with NO oncoming traffic. Then people scream at you for standing in thier yard after they CHASED your butt there.Been on 2 waks of 1 mile each tonight with the dog.Wished I hadn’t love the walks hate the idiots on the roads.
sorry for the length but this was not a good evening as anyone who sees this nice shirt I am wearing now has a nice rip in the side from a MIRROR on the last walk(time of the walk 9:20 pm) time of post 10:05pm central. Thank God no blood ohhhhh no appology either Dogs fine thoughnever stoped peeing. Sorry had to vent
I just had to post this because of 5 separate incidents I observed while driving yesterday. In each one(except #5) I cannot fathom what these people were thinking.
Man(seemed young and all decked out with racing clothes, helmet & glasses) riding a racing cycle on a state highway. The road has curves so severe there were posted speed limits of 20mph in spots. This road also has about 2 miles of downgrade so bad that trucks are not permitted. He rode in the middle of the lane(1 lane each direction). He was traveling downhill at a speed faster then posted for vehicles. Fortunately I saw him coming at a somewhat straight section.
Two girls walking along that same road decided to run across. Even though I slowed down, I had been going a little less than the speed limit at the time, they shouldn’t have crossed in front of me. There were no other cars and they could have waited till I had passed.
3 & 4. In separate incidents, two kids(teenagers?) were riding their bikes in the street while traveling in the opposite direction of traffic.
Anyway, can’t you just see an accident waiting to happen in any of the top 4 situations?
If you want to ride a bike or take a walk do it where it’s reasonably safe, obey the rules and use common sense. You may have that right but what good will that do you if you’re dead? Right?
Allan
[This message has been edited by tyeflies (edited 19 September 2005).]