Road Rules
In a slowing economy and a world where gas prices are out of control, I noticed many commuters seeking alternate forms of transportation. Some are carpooling or taking the bus to work. Some are buying the Toyota Prius, which I have seen a high ratio driving on the streets recently; seriously, I spot at least one Prius daily (and it’s not the same vehicle, either). Some are parking their cars to drive newly purchased scooters. Nevertheless, out of all these forms of transportation, I have noticed the largest increase with people biking to work on bicycles.
It’s not unusual for me to see people riding bikes in my city, but I typically notice them near the college campuses and on Sundays where people are masquerading as Lance Armstrong in the Tour de France. However, I have noticed bicyclists sharing the road with motorists in places where I previously didn’t see them. My city has had bike lanes for years on certain highways, but you never saw any bikers using them until the gas price scams hikes. While I’m all for people who choose to bike around the city, some are doing so at the expense of their lives.
While I’m sure bike messengers and bikers (in general) dying in New York and other larger cities is a common experience, that’s not the case where I live. My city is downright small when you compare it against New York, Los Angeles, and even Miami. However, my city is large enough where we have busy morning rush hour and evening commute traffic jams between 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. In fact, there has been an alarming rise in bicycle deaths and serious accidents over the past few months, enough to garner ongoing coverage in the newspaper here. Based on what I’ve read, the bicyclists who are getting hit by motorists are almost always at fault. They weren’t following the rules of the road and as a result, they are landing in hospitals with serious injuries or worse because of it. As motorists, we have an obligation to share the road responsibly with bicyclists, but in many cases, the bicyclists don’t seem to reciprocate. I think some believe they have the right of way at all times and that it’s okay to break the rules of the road. It’s either that or they’ve seen too many underground bicycle videos and think they’re in an alley cat race (with non-existent bicyclists) when they’re on the road.
As a public service announcement, I just want to tell the “newbie” bicyclists who are commuting to work that the road rules apply to you as well. No one – unless they’re road raging or insane – wants to purposely hit a bicyclist. So be safe, wear reflective clothing, and remember that looking out for each other (motorists and bicyclists) is a two-way street.