Enraging Stories like this make me reconsider cycling
04-26-14, 10:33 AM
#27
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04-26-14, 11:46 AM
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This is why every one of us should be running a BRIGHT red blinkie, such as a Serfas Thunderbolt. Best $45 you'll ever spend. Think about it- a texting driver is still glancing up; still using their peripheral vision. These blinkers are bright; they will catch the eye of Ms. TextyPants and save your life.
The rider in the story needed to call the police immediately. $5000 bike, injuries, driver admitting fault (which will change once people start telling him to STFU).... rider screwed up there.
The rider in the story needed to call the police immediately. $5000 bike, injuries, driver admitting fault (which will change once people start telling him to STFU).... rider screwed up there.
04-26-14, 12:08 PM
#29
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I simply reject the notion that roads these days are nearly as dangerous as some people seem to believe.
Of course there's some risk, but there's always been. Have cell phones increased it, possibly oe maybe even probably, but the actual risk level is still relatively low.
There's a big difference between being reasonably cautious and being paranoid. In the big picture, cycling on public roads is still a relatively safe activity.
Of course there's some risk, but there's always been. Have cell phones increased it, possibly oe maybe even probably, but the actual risk level is still relatively low.
There's a big difference between being reasonably cautious and being paranoid. In the big picture, cycling on public roads is still a relatively safe activity.
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Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
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04-26-14, 12:33 PM
#30
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This is why every one of us should be running a BRIGHT red blinkie, such as a Serfas Thunderbolt. Best $45 you'll ever spend. Think about it- a texting driver is still glancing up; still using their peripheral vision. These blinkers are bright; they will catch the eye of Ms. TextyPants and save your life.
The rider in the story needed to call the police immediately. $5000 bike, injuries, driver admitting fault (which will change once people start telling him to STFU).... rider screwed up there.
04-26-14, 12:37 PM
#31
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04-26-14, 12:38 PM
#32
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04-26-14, 05:11 PM
#33
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I went out two nights ago and saw a guy riding his bike no-hands and texting. There are plenty of idiots to go around. I really worry about riding nowadays. If I meet my demise on the bike and go to that last road in the sky my wife gets $300,000 from on policy and $250,000 from another one. No surprisingly she supports my riding.
04-26-14, 08:04 PM
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I used to think that females were more likely to be texting/chatting away while driving. I wondered if I was falling victim to observation bias, so my wife and I started to note the gender of the folks playing with their toys while driving. My gender bias was shown to be just that. It was pretty close to 50% for each gender.
We then set about noting the gender of the next two thousand motorists we encountered, assuming that we were riding around at about the same time of day and locations as when we were counting the toy addicts. Predictably, the gender balance of the motorists was also even.
Even though I'm sure most of the folks blaming young females for being the only drivers texting were just joking, the stereotype just didn't hold up where I live, at least it didn't three years ago.
We then set about noting the gender of the next two thousand motorists we encountered, assuming that we were riding around at about the same time of day and locations as when we were counting the toy addicts. Predictably, the gender balance of the motorists was also even.
Even though I'm sure most of the folks blaming young females for being the only drivers texting were just joking, the stereotype just didn't hold up where I live, at least it didn't three years ago.
04-26-14, 08:06 PM
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Maybe the OP should avoid going out for ice cream too: SUV rams people at ice cream shop; 1 dead, 6 hurt - SFGate
04-26-14, 08:57 PM
#36
Cycle Year Round
Stories like this do NOT tell you anything about how many people actually text while driving, or bicycle safety rates.
E.g. the actual rates of distracted driving, and using electronic while driving, haven't actually increased since 2010.
Similarly, the numbers of bicycle fatalities has dropped over the past ~20 years. According to FARS, the number of bicycle fatalities in 1994 was 802; in 2011, it was 677. The rate has stayed consistent at 2% of all crash-related fatalities. Your friend's incident doesn't tell you anything about this, either.
It's good that we become more aware of distracted driving, and we should do more to get people to pay attention when behind the wheel. But one unfortunate incident involving someone you know (who, in turn, apparently wasn't smart enough to call the police when it happened) doesn't tell us anything at all about the behavior of the general public.
E.g. the actual rates of distracted driving, and using electronic while driving, haven't actually increased since 2010.
Similarly, the numbers of bicycle fatalities has dropped over the past ~20 years. According to FARS, the number of bicycle fatalities in 1994 was 802; in 2011, it was 677. The rate has stayed consistent at 2% of all crash-related fatalities. Your friend's incident doesn't tell you anything about this, either.
It's good that we become more aware of distracted driving, and we should do more to get people to pay attention when behind the wheel. But one unfortunate incident involving someone you know (who, in turn, apparently wasn't smart enough to call the police when it happened) doesn't tell us anything at all about the behavior of the general public.
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04-26-14, 10:38 PM
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04-27-14, 07:24 AM
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Frankly if I had not seen how many drivers appear to be staring at phones during their morning commutes, I might not be so concerned.... but while out walking my dog, I see far too many motorists doing something other than driving. I have however also noticed that texting doesn't appear to be such an attraction during later hours or on weekends.... it seems to be the domain of folks driving in the 7:00-8:30 AM time slot around here. That tells me that other times and other roads are more likely to be safer for cyclists.
04-27-14, 09:13 AM
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05-06-14, 09:28 AM
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I don't think it is "insanely dangerous" out there. There is merely risk that needs to be managed. I was raised by an agoraphobic and thereby by fear. I lived in fear the first third of my life and once it was gone I started really living. I love riding and take reasonable precautions.
05-06-14, 09:49 AM
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Wow, if I saw the driver texting after he hit me because of texting, I would have grabbed his phone and thrown it out the window. Of course, I would never have accepted a ride from him in the first place. Police would have been called.
05-06-14, 10:43 AM
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05-06-14, 12:13 PM
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05-06-14, 09:21 PM
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05-07-14, 05:54 AM
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I try my best to ride through neighborhoods or areas with lower speed limits.
When you're on a fast moving road, ride quickly, stay vigilant and hope for the best.
And when someone hits you because they're texting, and ruins your bike, call the authorities, don't ask for a ride home. People aren't going to learn unless they face some type of consequence for their actions.
When you're on a fast moving road, ride quickly, stay vigilant and hope for the best.
And when someone hits you because they're texting, and ruins your bike, call the authorities, don't ask for a ride home. People aren't going to learn unless they face some type of consequence for their actions.
05-07-14, 07:43 AM
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The point you make is the absoute truth. Twenty years ago no one was talking or texting on a cell phone, and the world kept on turning.
That is why I say that cell phones should shut down when they are moving faster than 10mph. If they did, I can 100% assure anyone that the world will continue to turn just as it did before cell phones.
The point you make is the absoute truth. Twenty years ago no one was talking or texting on a cell phone, and the world kept on turning.
That is why I say that cell phones should shut down when they are moving faster than 10mph. If they did, I can 100% assure anyone that the world will continue to turn just as it did before cell phones.
05-07-14, 08:21 AM
#49
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It would depend on the road... if the 20 car per hour was a narrow two lane, double yellow line, and with no shoulder, and the 200 car per hour was a 4 lane with a wide shoulder, the 200 car per hour road could be proven to be the safer option.
05-07-14, 09:12 PM
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On average, the road with 20 cars is going to be way safer than the 200. There are exceptions as you mentioned, but in my case I can assure you I am way safer on the roads I frequent that if I were to take some of the roads with hundreds of cars passing each ride.