Re:Cyclists Now Outnumber Motorists in City of London
by chucksmash on Monday March 20, 2023 @08:29PM
(#35240892)
I occasionally see a bike towing a wagon with two kiddos in it going up First Ave in NY. More power to them, but not something I'm comfortable with. It's in a protected (separated) bike lane, so the problem isn't just "cars bad" though. If someone was a numbskull car driver, they'll probably be a numbskull E-Bike (or moped or scooter) rider when they switch. You can't go 10 blocks without coming across someone riding along on their phone not paying attention while they look up their next delivery, someone riding the wrong way in the bike lane to cut a block off their trip, or a bike rider coming off a street into the avenue without checking that it's clear first.
And also "cars bad" too. Lots of people making left turns across the bike lanes without checking their mirrors (probably happens once per thirty minute ride), people executing half a left turn and then blocking the bike lane to wait for pedestrians, people parking in the bike lane. It's been 20 years since I had a car wreck so I can be reasonably sure when I put my kid in their car seat that it will be an uneventful trip. City biking is always at least a little eventful and there's a lot less protection though. If society has given me a nice lane to ride the bike, is it still society's failing that my fellow occupants of the lane act the way they do?
And also "cars bad" too. Lots of people making left turns across the bike lanes without checking their mirrors (probably happens once per thirty minute ride), people executing half a left turn and then blocking the bike lane to wait for pedestrians, people parking in the bike lane. It's been 20 years since I had a car wreck so I can be reasonably sure when I put my kid in their car seat that it will be an uneventful trip. City biking is always at least a little eventful and there's a lot less protection though. If society has given me a nice lane to ride the bike, is it still society's failing that my fellow occupants of the lane act the way they do?