Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work and nobody wants

Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by pmiller2 on Sunday December 13, 2020 @04:18PM (#25410381)

If you try to run someone down, and end up killing them, that would be considered murder. If you try, but don't end up killing them, it would be assault with a deadly weapon at the very least, or possibly attempted murder. If you just so happen to kill someone without intending to, it could be considered vehicular manslaughter.

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Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by Rebelgecko on Sunday December 13, 2020 @07:19PM (#25411922)

At least where I live, you can get "vehicular manslaughter" for intentionally running over a cyclist. It's easier to give a murderer a plea deal for a lesser charge so you don't have to take the time to convict them and prove it was intentional. (https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/claremont-woman-who...)

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Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by wutbrodo on Sunday December 13, 2020 @04:22PM (#25410408)

> If you just so happen to kill someone without intending to, it could be considered vehicular manslaughter.

There's an additional constraint of acting negligently. If you're going 45 on a road where the speed limit is fifty and someone sprints out in front of your car, you won't be convicted of vehicular manslaughter (assuming obviously that you didn't have time to react).

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Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by pmiller2 on Sunday December 13, 2020 @04:33PM (#25410507)

Right, that's why the word "could" is in there. All of the crimes I mentioned have an element of either intent or fault attached to them. Coming close to someone, even at speed, without intending to do any harm is not "attempted murder" or assault in any form. This is fortunate, because to pass a cyclist, one often is forced to come within a few feet of them to accomplish the maneuver.

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Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by jessaustin on Sunday December 13, 2020 @04:47PM (#25410644)

... to pass a cyclist, one often is forced to come within a few feet of them to accomplish the maneuver.

Somehow I'm reading "within a few feet" as "six inches". IME bicycles are much narrower than automobiles. If it's safe to pass an automobile, it's safe to pass a cyclist while leaving at least eight feet.

If it's not safe to pass, don't pass.

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Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by pmiller2 on Sunday December 13, 2020 @05:15PM (#25410906)

Sounds like you're a little biased when you're reading "within a few feet" as "six inches."

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Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by jessaustin on Sunday December 13, 2020 @09:21PM (#25412822)

I'm biased by experience. Why did you write "within"? Three feet is an acceptable distance to allow if you're traveling less than 40mph. Less than three feet is not.

This seems beside the point? Above you seemed to imply it is inherently challenging to pass a cyclist. That is only the case if one attempts to pass in inappropriate situations. Cyclists have at least as much right to the road as motorists have.

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Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by taeric on Sunday December 13, 2020 @04:54PM (#25410718)

Cyclist get pushed by the air more than cars. Give a bit of extra room.

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Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by adrianN on Monday December 14, 2020 @05:19AM (#25415364)

Cyclists are also much more likely to swerve because a bee hit their eye or their chain slipped.

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Re:Sharrows, the bicycle infrastructure that doesn’t work an... by daniel-cussen on Sunday December 13, 2020 @04:22PM (#25410415)

Yeah, I think that's the phrase I'm looking for, "assault with a deadly weapon". Happens a lot when marriages break up, from what the person who introduced me to the term described, divorcées-to-be chasing their husbands down in their cars.

We talk so much in America about gun control, why not also car control?

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