Comments on: People Cause Accidents

by: k.see

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:57:48 +0000

Thanks Stephan,
i really do have a ton of hatred towards “car-culture” and the automobiles on the street. And I try and direct my energy towards the most effective outcome in individual situations. (not the most thought out response, I wanted to assert that I agree that Autos are a gigantic problem)

by: stephan

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 05:22:12 +0000

k.see, you write with compassion, you are a compassionate person. You are also someone who
tries to make balance. Anger comes easily to me as a result of years of survival riding. I’ve had
a few accidents I’ve been lucky, perhaps, and I know I’m highly skilled on city streets, mostly as
a result of working as a messenger for years. But I can’t have a leisurely ride in NYC, anywhere.
Cars, peds, rollerbladers, skateboards, other bicycles, and it’s mass chaos, fun to negotiate
through up to a point. After that, it’s nuts. But one thing I’ll argue always, and it’ll never change
is that in any conflict with the steel killer machine and its mechanistic world view,
which I gave up as a matter of principle years ago, the driver’s claim that he didn’t see me will
always stand, even if s/he is lying, as an acceptable and effective defense against manslaughter.
The car isn’t a symbol to me anymore…it doesn’t represent anything. It’s a stupid, dangerous
machine with the implicit support of all but a few humans who are really only freaks: the support
of the law, the police, the government, even a whole lot of cyclists who believe in compromise.
As if it’s really possible to compromise with 2,000 pounds of steel with 2,000 times my momentum
containing a human servomechanism in a complete euphoric state of security and confidence
while I ride in the open air on gossamer wings of steel, 190 pounds total.
Cigarette smoking is finally outlawed… finally…maybe some day driving.
And it

by: Jun

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 13:56:47 +0000

Having recently taking up bike riding to university I was really surprised at the extent to which cyclists are second citizens on the road. Apparently they don’t get things like right of way. But I’ve also heard the objection adam stated above that many cyclists are also reckless. While I’m sure this is true and that fault can be found on both sides I think it’s worth keeping in mind that if a motorist has a crash usually only their car gets damaged, while with a cyclist injury is almost guaranteed and fatality is a very real possibility. There’s an initiative to create a bike lane separated by traffic islands on some of our major arterial roads here in Melbourne, called a Copenhagen bike lane that I think would be an ideal solution to the problem. In general though I feel there just needs to be a higher level of awareness in motorists. Strange that this doesn’t happen as often in countries that have made bike-friendly policies a pointed government initiative e.g. the Netherlands and Belgium

by: k.see

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 22:29:42 +0000

And its people that cause accidents, watch out for each other.

by: Adam

Wed, 30 May 2007 16:20:03 +0000

I think you underestimate how difficult cyclists make it on drivers. I have seen a ton of cyclists
riding their bikes in such a way that I know they have caused accidents. I feel bad for these guys.
The cyclist and the driver, but accidents are usually a 2 way street. If your on a bike you need to
know there area a ton of blind spots on cars and it is especially hard to see cyclists. Furthermore,
in cities, bike paths usually go right past intersections and turns onto streets and cyclists bomb
through these even though a car in front of them is about to take a turn. While I know many
people drive recklessly and probably don’t pay enough attention to everything around them, I think
cyclists are naive to think that drivers should be constantly on the lookout for them. If your cycling
in a high traffic area you need to watch out for yourself.