From: ncherry@cbnewsg.cb.att.com (neil j.cherry)
Subject: Re: Politics of Cycling Speed
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 1992 16:36:58 GMT

In article <71508@cup.portal.com> JForester@cup.portal.com (John - Forester) writes:

A note before we start, this is not a flame. And I tend to get confused by
the long postings that cover alot of ground. I think John is basically stating
that I shouldn't have anything to fear, if I was a good cyclist. I claim that
I consider myself a good cyclist but that the events around me will cause a
certain amount of fear in anyone.  And so on goes this thread.

>   Many questions are being asked in this thread, some about the
>nature and effect of fear of traffic.
>
>   There are two kinds of fear. [ Deleted description of fear ]
>
>   I maintain that cycling in traffic has so low a level of danger
>that there is no point in fearing it.

John, please describe the types of traffic you've driven in. I'm familiar with
the Sunnyvale area (but I haven't riden there). The types of traffic I ride
to work in vary from open road (majority of the 25 miles to work), to major
roadways (like El Camino Real at rush hour). If you can ride these roadways
and not feal fear then you must be doped up! As for my description of keeping
an eye on the mirror, well I guess I must have over exagerated. I do keep an
on the roadway infront of me, a major amount of the time.

>.... However, the person who says that he will not cycle to work
>because the traffic is too dangerous deserves very little more
>respect for his judgment than the person who telephones his
>supervisor and says, "I couldn't drive my car to work today; I've got
>too frightened of the traffic." 
>                         [ .... ]                          but we
>don't consider that driving to work involves more than the slightest
>danger, and the pleasures of cycling more than compensate for its
>slight added danger. 

John I'll pick several roadways and a distance of less than 7 miles and you
ride them, let see how long you live. John there are just certain places where
riding a cycle is just TOO Dangerous. Luckily the easiest thing to do is to
find an alternate route. But there are times when that is not possible.

Now I live in 'Jersey (USA) and I don't consider the drivers here to be the
worst (Mass gets my vote.). But you really have to consider your safety when
cars cut in and out of traffic to get to work on time. When I drive my car I
have a fear of getting into an accident. On average I see at least 1 major
accident per week on these roads. (yes these are the back roads not the main
roads. Would you consider riding you bike on 101's slow lan (not the shoulder)?

> [ delete my use of mirrors ]   . I don't know what bad cycling
>habits Cherry has, but many people who express bicycle safety in the
>terms that he does are both incompetent cyclists and bikeway
>advocates. The excessive fear of being hit from behind causes people
>to avoid proper cycling technique, such as moving to the center of
>the road before turning left, and to advocate facilities that
>minimize the already small danger from behind at the cost of greatly
>magnifying the already major dangers from ahead and both sides.
>Consider Joe Sweeney's words: "My measure of fear is what keeps me
>alive .... If I had to get into left turn lanes, or lots of turns, I
>don't know if I would like to ride to work ..." 
>

John there really is a simple way to solve this problem, if you are ever in
'Jersey give me a call (908 238-4796). I'll go riding with you and I'll show
you areas where riding left will get you killed 9 out of 10 times. I'll also
show you places that what you recommend is very important to do. If I'm doing
something wrong let me know, I never said I was perfect.

>That assumes that the roads are a battlefield in which ...

Now you've got the spirit of driving in 'Jersey. It is a battlefield, its a
place specificly made for auto's (cars and trucks). Cyclists are never given
consideration in it design or use. The roadways which have shoulders now will
soon no longer have them. This is because the initial design has been
overexceeded in use many years ago. Right now these roads are too dangerous
for auto traffic. It just too much traffic for the road system. So were do
bicycles fit in? And what can we do about it. If you say complain and organize
you're wasting you breath. They can't even expand these systems. So I guess
I have nothing to fear!

NJC

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.soc