General Cycling Discussion - Taming of the shrew

I have, unapologetically speaking, observed the lack of restraint motorists exhibit on a habitual basis.

It is not my intention to analyze this situation. Rather, let it serve as an illustration of the need to put these mavericks (although a maverick is more an individual, not descriptive of the behavior of a pack of lawless, impulsively driven motorists, which could more aptly be described as a "stampede,") firmly in their place.

We have become numb to the carnage on our roads. In the 1960's and 1970's, the United States' foreign policy in Vietnam (otherwise known as the "Vietnam War," a term used, undoubtedly, because "police action" was already archaic,) was totally redirected, for good or ill, by the sentiments of a nation weary of television pics revealing Americans and innocent Vietnamese slaughtered on a daily basis. Yet, we tolerate, on an annual basis, almost as many Americans slaughtered on our roads as were killed during the entire span of that foreign campaign--about 40,000 American deaths annually--while the Vietnam War lasted about a decade.

I grieve over a young man or woman who is killed serving his/her country. But is the life of a 7 year-old, whose bloody shoe is left at the scence of an auto accident, any less precious?

Multiply that by 40,000, each year.

:mad:

We are turning the other cheek all too frequently. Tomorrow, it may be someone we know (if not us.)

Q: What is the leading cause of death among American teenagers?

I think we all know the answer to the Q: . The question is, what are people actually prepared to do about it? Let's face it, people have become totally desensitised to carnage on roads. Motorvehicle accidents don't even make the news in this country unless there are multiple fatalities.

Even then, they will just look for someone/something else to blame (hence the NSW government is set to waste $270million+ on a stretch of the Pacific Highway that was already fine).

We need to keep pushing and advocating for greater accountability for motorists. MADD has been very successful in the U.S. If they do not want to dilute/expand their charter to take on incompetent, careless, distracted, and aggressive motorists, then perhaps a parallel advocacy organization (of motorists and pedestrians, as well as cyclists) is needed. In California, and, I suspect most other states and civilised countries, driving is legally a privilege, not a right. The judicial system needs to wake up to this fact.

I am blessed to live and work in a region in which bicyclists and on-road joggers are plentiful and generally respected, but even San Diego, one of Bicycling Magazine's top ten U.S. cities for cycling, could be alot better. I figure it is up to us to make it so.