tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955311294411328562.post4745194358661198067..comments2023-08-18T11:40:19.852-06:00Comments on Los Alamos and Santa Fe Bikes: Bicycling-unfriendly?Scotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10105951751896463667noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955311294411328562.post-69955379586148033902008-09-19T10:03:00.000-06:002008-09-19T10:03:00.000-06:00When people tell me about such-and-such anecdote, ...When people tell me about such-and-such anecdote, I try to get more details from them about what precipitated the crash. Usually I can find some avenue for explaining some Road I principle. Typically it boils down to "cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles".<BR/><BR/>I know it's naïve to think that <I>all</I> crashes are preventable, but I like to look at things optimistically: many crashes are preventable, and here are some techniques you can use to get a leg up on the statistics.<BR/><BR/>I particularly enjoy when I can explain why someone's notion is completely backwards, like "riding through the construction zone is scary". Due to the lower speeds and higher congestion, the construction has actually made cycling more pleasant.<BR/><BR/>Making a statement that bucks conventional wisdom, then backing it up with well-reasoned arguing, seems to be a good technique for getting peoples' attention; it worked well for me in high school English class, anyway. Khal points out one such statement that seems to be an easy way to grab attention: lots of folks are of the opinion that "cars are scary" and it's best to do whatever possible to get out of their way. Pointing out why this is a terrible idea can be a great lead-in to Road I.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06362538022783086545noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955311294411328562.post-11532972427897053782008-09-19T07:07:00.000-06:002008-09-19T07:07:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10694497871809031398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955311294411328562.post-78079119987977420392008-09-18T16:23:00.000-06:002008-09-18T16:23:00.000-06:00I suppose everyone knows of someone who has been h...I suppose everyone knows of someone who has been hurt by a crash. And, while overtaking crashes are rare, they can be severe. A college friend of mine was rear-ended by a car while he was riding his motorcycle and he suffered a fractured neck and broken back. So I too have some "unfortunate incidents" to report.<BR/><BR/>But statistically, one is more likely to be right/left hooked. And those can be catastrophic too. My own crash which resulted in a severe concussion and a lost semester was a vehicle overtaking/hooking crash. I've since learned to avoid some of those. <BR/><BR/>Bottom line is there is no absolute safe zone. One has to use good form, situational awareness, and one also has to address the root causes of a lot of crashes. The root of a lot of them is apparently driver inattention.The same inattention that can lead to overtaking crashes can easily lead to hooking crashes. <BR/><BR/>I think Forester also has a point with the "cyclist inferiority complex". To wit, cyclists deem themselves out of place as traffic and want to be as invisible and out of the way as possible to avoid causing motorist impatience. Trouble is, that doesn't necessarily make you safe. Just invisible. And, marginalized. Might should not make right. Neither should buying a car make one person more worthy than someone else.Khalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11866897914538110672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955311294411328562.post-19408376104390221472008-09-18T07:35:00.000-06:002008-09-18T07:35:00.000-06:00I'm starting to hear comments from people about yo...I'm starting to hear comments from people about your letter, and the main theme is that they're shocked that they need to be *out in the road*. It sounds like, logically, they know they have a right to be there, but putting it into practice is a huge leap for them. I heard from one individual "But, the cars can't pass you in the lanes with the bulbouts!" To which I replied. "No, they can't." And smiled. I pointed out that faster traffic stays on Trinity anyway, but I I think it's important to point out here that it is absolutely within their rights to be assertive, get out into traffic (that isn't going much faster than you are anyway) and that car drivers here are pretty respectful.<BR/><BR/>I know that Neale and I have both heard the "but, (this unfortunate incident) happened to my friends/husband/sister when they took the lane" and I'd love to have a good stock answer for that kind of thinking. Such as, be careful how you generalize from isolated incidents, because they're not necessarily representative of biking here in LA. Consider how *you* were riding, what mistakes you might have made, how you reacted. <BR/><BR/>Oh yeah, and take Road I, folks.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10694497871809031398noreply@blogger.com