From: jeff@claw.clearpoint.com (Jeffrey J. Griglack)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
Subject: Re: Ignorant Cyclists (was: Hints on commuting by bike?)
Date: 1 Sep 92 18:16:39 GMT
	<16854B8A5.M23231@mwvm.mitre.org> <k2hnh=#.tomk@netcom.com>
Reply-To: jeff@claw.clearpoint.com
Organization: /home/jeff/.organization

On 31 Aug 92 20:28:40 GMT, tomk@netcom.com (Thomas H. Kunich) said:

Tom> In article <16854B8A5.M23231@mwvm.mitre.org> M23231@mwvm.mitre.org writes:

Tom> (comments about riding on the 'wrong' side of the street being stupid)
A
>*************
>But it does *seem* like a more defensive rule. Regardless of which side
>of the road a bicyclist travels on, he is virtually guaranteed that every
>motor vehicle will pass him. He will likely be killed if a collision occurs
>on either side of the road. At least when he's on the left (US) he can see
>what is coming at him. Riding on the right he must rely on poor rear view
>sight and the skill, good will, and alertness of every driver going his
>way.
>*************

Tom> I agree with this. In fact it may very well _BE_ the intelligent thing to.
Tom> Small children, like pedestrians, have a forward velocity low enough 
Tom> that additive energy is  a pretty minor part of the equation. In this
Tom> case it would seem that avoidance is more important than direction of
Tom> traffic.

Yes, avoidance is important.  That is one of the reasons to ride in
the same direction as the traffic.  Even if you are only going 5 mph
you are given an extra split second to avoid the car coming up behind
you (and for him to avoid you).  If you are heading toward the car at
5 mph you loose a proportional split second.

Another thing that is important is predictability.  Most drivers don't
look to the right whey making a right-hand turn onto a main road.
They do not expect a bike to be coming at them and passing in front of
them while they are looking to the left, watching for an opening.
When the bike is going with traffic, it is in the line of sight of the
any other vehicle.

Tom> And, as a pedestrian, I have _jumped_ out of impending doom often
Tom> enough to not believe that "if a car is going to hit you, it is
Tom> going to hit you.

Despite the stuff that I have seen done with mountain bikes, I think
that it is hard to jump a bike out of the way.  The problem here is
one of outlook.  A bicycle is a vehicle capable (in the right hands,
or is it legs) of speeds equal to, or in excess, of the cars on the
road.  A bicycle is _NOT_ a pedestrian.  The bicyclist should,
therefore, follow the rules of the road that apply to vehicles.  

They should signal turns (okay, the cars around here rarly do this),
they should not be on the sidewalks, they should stop at lights and
stop signs, and they should not be on the wrong side of the road.  If
they don't follow these rules (like riding on the wrong side of the
road), like a car, they should expect to get in an accident.
--

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|Jeff Griglack             |"To mess about with typewriters and latch keys    |
|jeff@claw.clearpoint.com  | and call it work!"                               |
|jeff@fang.clearpoint.com  |                          -- E.M. Forster         |
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Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc