E
Eric Vey
Guest
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/23/ED54VOGGP.DTL
I am startled by a looming prejudice against those who choose to ride
bikes, particularly in the media.
Though it is clear that these cyclists were not at fault when they were
killed by a deputy sheriff veering across the road, what has surfaced is
an inexcusable "blame the victim" sentiment.
We have seen articles about which streets are "most dangerous" for
bicyclists, stories about how often cyclists are deemed at fault by
police in collisions, and reports of bad cyclist behavior.
The Cupertino tragedy has been portrayed as a "bicycle safety" story,
instead of what it really is, a story about the risks of dangerous
driving. If that deputy had veered across the road into an oncoming VW
Beetle or Mazda Miata instead of a line of cyclists, the occupants of
that car would likely be seriously injured or dead, as would the driver
himself.
Yet, the public dialogue has not focused on which streets are most
dangerous for driving, bad behavior by drivers, or the fact that 40,000
people a year are killed in motor vehicle collisions in our nation.
I believe the over-emphasis on bicyclists' responsibility stems from the
mistaken belief that bikes do not belong on the road, that a bicyclist
is asking for trouble if she rides out in traffic, that a "good"
bicyclist knows her place and gets out of the way of "legitimate" road
users in cars.
Yet the law is clear that bicyclists have the same essential rights and
responsibilities as drivers. We not only belong on the road, we even
sometimes belong smack-dab in the middle of the road, if that is the
safest place to be.
California law states that a motorist must allow at least 3 feet of
space when passing a bicyclist, and that he should not pass on a narrow
lane. And bicyclists should ride at least 2 feet from the curb and 3
feet to 5 feet away from parked cars to avoid the danger of colliding
with opening doors.
Of course, bicyclists do bear responsibility for our own behavior. Our
organization encourages safe riding among thousands of bicyclists each
year through free bike education classes, safety materials, and by
winning more dedicated bike space, which is proven to increase safety.
Above all else, we are working to increase the number of people biking
responsibly because we know, unequivocally, that that there is safety in
numbers. More people biking means more awareness and visibility of
bicyclists, which makes conditions safer, which encourages more people
to bike, and so on.
Contrary to the media's coverage, bicycling is far safer than most
people think. As the number of people of biking has skyrocketed in
recent years, the rate of collisions and injuries has diminished.
And research shows that not biking can kill you. Many studies testify to
the aggregate positive health benefit of bicycling. A study conducted
for the British Medical Association by celebrated transport researcher
Mayer Hillman showed that for every year of life lost to a bike crash,
20 years of life are gained from stress reduction, greater
cardiovascular fitness, and improved mental health.
I believe that most of us share the common goals of better health, a
cleaner environment and safer communities. We can achieve these goals in
the Bay Area by switching more trips from driving to bicycling. In San
Francisco, we have seen a 15 percent increase in bike trips in the past
year, with polls showing that 16 percent of San Franciscans, or 120,000
people, are biking regularly for transportation. And given that nearly
half of all trips in this country are half a mile or less, these trends
are replicable in other communities.
However, this cannot be accomplished without unified support. For your
health, for my health, for the health of our environment and our
communities, I encourage those of us driving to give those of us
bicycling the right of way we deserve.
Leah Shahum is the executive director of the 8,500-member San Francisco
Bicycle Coalition, which is working to create safer streets and more
livable communities by promoting the bicycle for everyday
transportation. For more, see www.sfbike.org
I am startled by a looming prejudice against those who choose to ride
bikes, particularly in the media.
Though it is clear that these cyclists were not at fault when they were
killed by a deputy sheriff veering across the road, what has surfaced is
an inexcusable "blame the victim" sentiment.
We have seen articles about which streets are "most dangerous" for
bicyclists, stories about how often cyclists are deemed at fault by
police in collisions, and reports of bad cyclist behavior.
The Cupertino tragedy has been portrayed as a "bicycle safety" story,
instead of what it really is, a story about the risks of dangerous
driving. If that deputy had veered across the road into an oncoming VW
Beetle or Mazda Miata instead of a line of cyclists, the occupants of
that car would likely be seriously injured or dead, as would the driver
himself.
Yet, the public dialogue has not focused on which streets are most
dangerous for driving, bad behavior by drivers, or the fact that 40,000
people a year are killed in motor vehicle collisions in our nation.
I believe the over-emphasis on bicyclists' responsibility stems from the
mistaken belief that bikes do not belong on the road, that a bicyclist
is asking for trouble if she rides out in traffic, that a "good"
bicyclist knows her place and gets out of the way of "legitimate" road
users in cars.
Yet the law is clear that bicyclists have the same essential rights and
responsibilities as drivers. We not only belong on the road, we even
sometimes belong smack-dab in the middle of the road, if that is the
safest place to be.
California law states that a motorist must allow at least 3 feet of
space when passing a bicyclist, and that he should not pass on a narrow
lane. And bicyclists should ride at least 2 feet from the curb and 3
feet to 5 feet away from parked cars to avoid the danger of colliding
with opening doors.
Of course, bicyclists do bear responsibility for our own behavior. Our
organization encourages safe riding among thousands of bicyclists each
year through free bike education classes, safety materials, and by
winning more dedicated bike space, which is proven to increase safety.
Above all else, we are working to increase the number of people biking
responsibly because we know, unequivocally, that that there is safety in
numbers. More people biking means more awareness and visibility of
bicyclists, which makes conditions safer, which encourages more people
to bike, and so on.
Contrary to the media's coverage, bicycling is far safer than most
people think. As the number of people of biking has skyrocketed in
recent years, the rate of collisions and injuries has diminished.
And research shows that not biking can kill you. Many studies testify to
the aggregate positive health benefit of bicycling. A study conducted
for the British Medical Association by celebrated transport researcher
Mayer Hillman showed that for every year of life lost to a bike crash,
20 years of life are gained from stress reduction, greater
cardiovascular fitness, and improved mental health.
I believe that most of us share the common goals of better health, a
cleaner environment and safer communities. We can achieve these goals in
the Bay Area by switching more trips from driving to bicycling. In San
Francisco, we have seen a 15 percent increase in bike trips in the past
year, with polls showing that 16 percent of San Franciscans, or 120,000
people, are biking regularly for transportation. And given that nearly
half of all trips in this country are half a mile or less, these trends
are replicable in other communities.
However, this cannot be accomplished without unified support. For your
health, for my health, for the health of our environment and our
communities, I encourage those of us driving to give those of us
bicycling the right of way we deserve.
Leah Shahum is the executive director of the 8,500-member San Francisco
Bicycle Coalition, which is working to create safer streets and more
livable communities by promoting the bicycle for everyday
transportation. For more, see www.sfbike.org
