GSO News & Record editorial Re: Dave Sherman's death
oro...@aol.com
In case you haven't read it... This is a well written editorial about this infuriating horrible event and it's aftermath
http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/11/05/article/editorials_sad_tragic_outrageous
J. Scott Dillon
JKLM
November 6, 2009 - 10:09 pm ESTI disagree with the writer of the article that bikes can share the road with cars. No matter what additional bike lanes are installed and what the laws are, bikes and cars are not capatable.
SocietasEruditorum
November 7, 2009 - 12:52 am ESTJKLM: You are apparently unfamiliar with the bicycle-friendly culture present in North American cities like Davis or San Francisco, CA, Portland, OR, Tucson, AZ, Chicago, IL, Minneapolis, MN, Madison WI, Boulder, CO, or Canada's Montreal, QC and Ottawa, ON. Unlike Greensboro, and much of the southeastern US, these communities value and respect bicycling as an important part of the entire transportation system. You are apparently also unaware that in many European cities, bicycling is the dominant mode of transportation for short (under 3 miles) trips. In cities like Amsterdam and Groningen in the Netherlands; London, England;' Berlin and Munich, Germany; Paris, France; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Barcelona, Spain -- bicycles are not simply tolerated, they are absolutely everywhere. Those motorists who actually are out on the roads understand that roadway traffic would be exponentially worse if not for the road space saved by the sheer number of people on bicycles instead of on cars. Bicycling is acknowledged as a major part of the solution to urban transportation and resource conservation challenges, rather than a part of the problem. Greensboro is going through some growing pains right now -- the number of bicyclists on the road has increased (due to increased fuel costs, incremental improvements in bicycle infrastructure, growing environmental awareness, etc.) while at the same time the number of motor vehicle miles traveled has actually logged a decrease probably for the first time since the mid-70s. And it's not just the number of bicyclists that is growing -- the Greensboro Transit Authority has nearly doubled its annual ridership levels in just 5 years! Clearly the tide is (slowly) turning away from single-occupant motor vehicle travel as the "logical" or "preferred" option for Americans to get from point A to point B. But there's a steep learning curve involved. Most motorists on the road today have no idea how to safely interact with anything other than a traffic stream composed of 100% motor vehicles (and in many cases, even that much is a stretch -- although it's hard to put all the blame on their shoulders, since the driver's license exams rarely include any mention of bicycles). Unfortunately, a large number of bicyclists also are unaware of and untrained in safe bicycling practices (these are the folks who pulled the dusty Huffy 10-speed out of the basement for the first time in 20 years, or the non-English speaking immigrant trying to get to work, who can't afford a bus pass, much less a car). Compounding the problem are the bicyclists who are well aware that all traffic laws apply to them, but choose to ignore, or selectively obey the law, or who ride erratically or aggressively in a mis-guided attempt to claim their "right to the road." When you really get down to the root cause of the conflicts between motorists and bicyclists on Greensboro streets, it is not a matter of inadequate traffic law enforcement, it is not a matter of inadequate bicycle facilities (per se), it is not a matter of safety education (per se), and it's not a matter of whose rights to use the road are superior. The real problem is that we're all way too focused on claiming, asserting, demanding, and maiming or killing each other over our "rights," when instead we should all be examining, understanding, and fulfilling our responsibilities as road users. Responsibilities include using the road in a safe and prudent manner at all times, and ensuring that no other road users come to harm as a result of one's own carelessness or selfishness. Is it justifiable for a motorist to mow down school children as they exit a stopped school bus, because they're in the way? No. Is it justifiable to a motorist to endanger the lives of bicyclists by attempting to pass them in an unsafe manner or in an unsafe location? No. Is it justifiable for a bicyclist to run red lights or change lanes without signalling, causing attentive and careful motorists to brake or swerve suddenly, in order to miss the bicyclist, and potentially being struck by the next car back? No. These are all selfish, irresponsible, and immature behaviors, that do not merit a "right" to use the road. So, getting back to your statement that "bikes and cars are not capatable," [sic] I strongly though respectfully disagree. It's all a matter of widespread behavior modification through safety awareness and education, stricter and more consistent enforcement of traffic laws, improved bicycle infrastructure, social marketing that emphasizes responsibilities over rights, and . . . time. And a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens would be a big help, too!
From: triadc...@googlegroups.com [mailto:triadc...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of oro...@aol.com
Sent: Saturday, November 07, 2009 12:11 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients
Subject: [Triad Cycling] GSO News & Record editorial Re: Dave Sherman's death
Tiger Gmail
Sent from my iPhone
jess...@gmail.com
Sidewalks are now required on new development in Greensboro. yes, there has been bad development in the past, but local government can only mandate new sidewalks on new development or provide construction funding for retrofitting existing development, including getting landowner agreements. New construction funding is costly and slow, but you as a citizen can talk to your elected official about providing more funding for sidewalks and multi-use paths to retrofit existing development.
the State DMV is in talks with the state bicycle committee to get more content about sharing the road into the driver education courses. in addition, changing the test for new drivers to include more content about sharing the road, pedestrians, etc. is also being worked.
I hope this helps.
-Jesse Day
On Nov 8, 2009 8:39am, Tiger Gmail <tiger...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Greensboro city government has apparently allowed developers to build without planning or building for sidewalks. I have never been in a city with so many busy roads without sidewalks - are developerthane city planners that careless?
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> It is extremely dangerous to walk, cars do not even stop for crosswalks, cars are running over cyclists...
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> Local goverment development policies, automobiles and there careless and poorly trained drivers are the issue. The discussion needs to begin with finding a way to properly license drivers to make sure they are properly trained to stop for pedestrians and enforcement needs to have zero tollerance for drivers actions against pedestrians or cyclists. Stat ticketing autos that do not stop for pedestrians or try to unsafely manuever around cyclists. I am positive we can find a way to allow cars to use streets with cyclists and pedestrians. It is going to take proper testing for licensing, proper enforcement, and the support of the community.
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> Sent from my iPhone
> Tiger Kennedy Cosmos
> Photographer
> Greensboro, North Carolina
> http://www.tigercosmos.com
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> On Nov 8, 2009, at 6:44 AM, "J. Scott Dillon" j...@crlaw.com> wrote:
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> I thought this reply (copied below) to JKLM's
> comment was balanced and well-stated. It was in the comment string of
> the N&R editorial Dale references.
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> I disagree with the writer of the article that bikes can share the road with
> cars. No matter what additional bike lanes are installed and what the laws are,
> bikes and cars are not capatable.
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> Reply to
> this comment
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Tiger Gmail
cyclists must be asking about.
I am amazed with the lack of accountability the average automobile
driver displays on our roads. I work at the Friendly Center and see
cars make pedestrians wait to use cross walks - at busy pedestrian
street crossings and in the center as well. It is ingained in the
auto culure.
More signs stating it is a state law to stop for pedestrians at
crosswalks would help. There appears to be confusion or lack of
attention.
Additionally a sign in regards to there being a law to providing
cyclist space. And it should be enforced.
One other bit of licensing and driver ed training - it is or should be
illegal to honk your horn in an offensive or assertive manner.
Honking should be restricted to emergency defensive action used to
avoid an impending accident. The horn should not be used to threaten
or assert right of way to cyclist/pedestrians, hurry cyclist/
pedestrians, or even used in traffic in any offensive or assertive
fashion.
My morning rant done it is time to cycle to work.
I am all for cyclists having a bicycle license if it would fund
training and state programs that support safe riding and cycle
friendly education in communities.
Sent from my iPhone
Tiger Kennedy Cosmos
Photographer
Greensboro, North Carolina
http://www.tigercosmos.com