Originally Posted by
Helmet Head
But the implication of what you argue is that because motorists often do not follow the rules, that danger is NOT mitigated.
Your arguments and statements leave the impression that the only way to mitigate those dangers sufficiently to make cycling reasonably safe is for motorists to obey the rules significantly better than they currently are... that the level of compliance with rule-following by motorists is currently not good enough to make cycling reasonably safe; that the current amount of non-compliance is "unacceptable" (not to mention "annoying" and "irritating"). Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is what I understand you to be saying.
In other words, (again, correct me if I'm wrong) I don't ever recall you saying anything that ultimately amounts to meaning that motorists currently follow the rules well enough for it to be reasonably safe to be a bicyclist out there, as long as you pay attention, and follow the rules and best practices yourself. That's my argument, and every time I make it, you disagree.
I love your caveat there... "as long as you pay attention...;" you also state that you take the effort to ensure that you are safe... Why? What effort is required if it is an inherently safe environment. You also indicate "best practices," of which I have no disagreement... as long as all involved are utilizing "best practices."
Perhaps we are dancing on the head of a semantic pin here, but the reality is that driving is an inherently dangerous activity, which oddly enough you finally acknowledge:
Originally Posted by Helmet Head
I mean, I explicitly state that the environment IS inherently dangerous, and here you are asserting that I've argued the opposite.
But others can judge whether you denied it or not by their reading.
I simply stated that mixing cars and bikes together is an inherently dangerous activity, that is mitigated by rules. You went on a rampage to get me to deny that... and I cannot as it is the truth.
Now as to your further claims/comments/gestures/commentary... Do I believe that cycling in traffic is dangerous enough that some changes need to be made... Yes, in a certain sense I do... Cycling around on low speed streets with little traffic is not a dangerous activity... mixing it up with high speed dense traffic involves more danger (and thus more skill), but there is an asymptote too, under certain conditions, motor traffic can be too dangerous for a cyclist to be safe.
I also firmly believe that motorists generally do not use "best practices," but instead chose "minimal practices" to just get by... AND this is the basis for my arguments here... not the physics aspect, but just the basic "best practices" aspect... which when not followed by all, requires that the cyclist take extraordinary steps to protect themselves.