4 ms·

"We should be building more protected bike lanes" is one obvious takeaway that I 100% support and vote for. My comment is another takeaway that isn't discussed

"We should be building more protected bike lanes" is one obvious takeaway that I 100% support and vote for. My comment is another takeaway that isn't discussed enough.

Retric 4y ago
Sure, as long as you take that same view at every single deadly car accident. A cyclist died, let’s ban cars is an equally valid view as a cyclist died, let’s ban bicycles. Yet, most people defend cars subconsciously.
90-00-09 4y ago
Interestingly, parents also drive with their children in the car and sometimes get into accidents. What a bizarre world we live in!
- sidfthec 4y ago
  Interestingly, they drive vehicles with a massive amount of technology like crumple zones, and buckle them into specially designed seats so that if they get into an accident they have a good chance of surviving. Bikes are extremely exposed in comparison. One small tap could be devastating.
  - mslate 4y ago
    They drive vehicles that cost $10,000USD per year to own. And maybe they need two, if they have 2 or more children(!). Cars are a great technology, but a city cannot scale with everyone owning their own car, and families cannot build wealth paying $20,000+/year for their 2-car transit lifestyle.
mslate 4y ago
You are implying that the parent you saw biking with their child is at fault for endangering their child. No, the drunken driver and traffic engineering is at fault. Some parents cannot afford a car or two, especially living in a city like San Francisco. You assume that they can. This is what's not discussed enough.
- notch898a 4y ago
  I think you and I agree, but it's an interesting question. Neglect laws in the US are incredibly vague. Driving a vehicle for some unnecessary reason like to take a child to a water park for fun could be construed as abuse/neglect, as it unnecessarily exposes the child to danger. Our neglect, and child reporting laws, badly need overhauled because common sense it totally removed. People have been arrested for as little as letting the kid walk or be at the park independently. Things need reworded to make it clear it isn't neglectful unless the child is facing certain and imminent serious injury or death, or something along those lines.
trgn 4y ago
I disagree with you, but I wouldn't downvote your thoughts for sure. It really is a catch22. Biking is often not safe on existing roads. But what is the alternative? Not bike at all and wait until we have bikelane utopia? It's just not going to happen. What about people who don't have an option, aka no money? What about people who do not need a car because they live close enough to their destination? What about the cosmological stupidity of only having one viable option for personal mobility in face of climate change, rising fossil fuel prices, local and global pollution due to cars, ...? Something needs to happen, shaming people for trying to get around on bike, such a small thing, yet, so odious to so many, it isn't helping.
- twblalock 4y ago
  The OP didn't shame anyone. Why are you making this wild accusation? Read what was written. No shaming is there. You seem to be reacting to something you ascribe to the OP, but there is simply no logical path from statements in the OP's post that leads one to assume anyone is being shamed or blamed.

"We should be building more protected bike lanes" is one obvious takeaway that I 100% support and vote for. My comment is another takeaway that isn't discussed enough.

Retric 4y ago

Sure, as long as you take that same view at every single deadly car accident. A cyclist died, let’s ban cars is an equally valid view as a cyclist died, let’s ban bicycles. Yet, most people defend cars subconsciously.

90-00-09 4y ago

Interestingly, parents also drive with their children in the car and sometimes get into accidents. What a bizarre world we live in!

sidfthec 4y ago
Interestingly, they drive vehicles with a massive amount of technology like crumple zones, and buckle them into specially designed seats so that if they get into an accident they have a good chance of surviving. Bikes are extremely exposed in comparison. One small tap could be devastating.
- mslate 4y ago
  They drive vehicles that cost $10,000USD per year to own. And maybe they need two, if they have 2 or more children(!). Cars are a great technology, but a city cannot scale with everyone owning their own car, and families cannot build wealth paying $20,000+/year for their 2-car transit lifestyle.

mslate 4y ago

You are implying that the parent you saw biking with their child is at fault for endangering their child. No, the drunken driver and traffic engineering is at fault. Some parents cannot afford a car or two, especially living in a city like San Francisco. You assume that they can. This is what's not discussed enough.

notch898a 4y ago
I think you and I agree, but it's an interesting question. Neglect laws in the US are incredibly vague. Driving a vehicle for some unnecessary reason like to take a child to a water park for fun could be construed as abuse/neglect, as it unnecessarily exposes the child to danger. Our neglect, and child reporting laws, badly need overhauled because common sense it totally removed. People have been arrested for as little as letting the kid walk or be at the park independently. Things need reworded to make it clear it isn't neglectful unless the child is facing certain and imminent serious injury or death, or something along those lines.

trgn 4y ago

I disagree with you, but I wouldn't downvote your thoughts for sure. It really is a catch22. Biking is often not safe on existing roads. But what is the alternative? Not bike at all and wait until we have bikelane utopia? It's just not going to happen. What about people who don't have an option, aka no money? What about people who do not need a car because they live close enough to their destination? What about the cosmological stupidity of only having one viable option for personal mobility in face of climate change, rising fossil fuel prices, local and global pollution due to cars, ...? Something needs to happen, shaming people for trying to get around on bike, such a small thing, yet, so odious to so many, it isn't helping.

twblalock 4y ago
The OP didn't shame anyone. Why are you making this wild accusation? Read what was written. No shaming is there. You seem to be reacting to something you ascribe to the OP, but there is simply no logical path from statements in the OP's post that leads one to assume anyone is being shamed or blamed.