4 ms·
I've done both biking in the city and driving. City governments need to push both parties to be better on the road. In Toronto, bikes are considered slow motor
by eumenides1 12y ago
I've done both biking in the city and driving. City governments need to push both parties to be better on the road.
In Toronto, bikes are considered slow motor vehicles. We have these kinds of problems. I think from a biker's perspective, it's dangerous because their life is on the line. But from a car's perspective, bikers are a danger to them finacially.
The problems IMO is asymetrical. Bikers put themselves on the line, but it's low cost (realatively) and no pre-requesite knowlege on how to behave on roads (no bike exam vs driver exam). A Car has low risk to themselves on the road, but it's costly (car cost + insurance + maintenance), and they have to past an exam on how to behave on the road.
To a driver: Bikers pretty much break the rules of the road and there isn't much consequence execpt an accident. I've never seen a cop pull over a bike for behaving badly. Bikes also have this thing where they can behave like cars sometimes, then behave like pedestrians when convienient. To me this needs to stop. Cities need to police bad bikers, and maybe have some training course/licensing for cyclists. There is a right way to behave on the road and I've seen alot of good cyclists, they just have to be more of them.
To a cyclist: Drivers need to be punished for dangerous actions against cyclists. Like not checking your mirrors before opening doors, or changing lanes. There needs to be civic campagins from the government urging drivers in the cities to be aware of cyclists and to remind drivers how to co-exists with cyclists.
I've thought of both sides of the arguement, I've changed the way I drive and cycle. Driving rules are pretty clear, but when I cycle, I just pretty much act likes a car with my hazzard lights on and hand signal like my blinkers are broken. I take up a lane and people can pass me when they can do so safely. Does it imped traffic? Yes, but I don't see anyone complaining about heavy trucks on the road.
- jev 12y ago> .... where they can behave like cars sometimes, then behave like pedestrians when convienient. To me this needs to stop. Cities need to police bad bikers, and maybe have some training course/licensing for cyclists. There is a right way to behave on the road and I've seen alot of good cyclists, they just have to be more of them. Biked in Europe for 20+ years, and now live in North America. The problem is exactly your attitude: that there is only one "road", that there is one right way to behave on it, and both drivers and cyclists should follow it. It's like North Americans can't wrap their head around the fact that driving is just one mode, cycling is another, walking is yet another, trains are yet another, etc. and what you call "the road" is the disproportionate part of the pavement that you dedicate uniquely to drivers.
- kps 12y agoeumenides1, since you're clearly trying to drive and cycle well: on your last point, the Ontario Highway Traffic Act explicitly requires a cyclist to move to the right to allow a faster vehicle (or horse!) to pass (with the passer likewise required to move left to pass safely). Yes, certain cities imply otherwise, but cities don't make traffic law. Of course, as you also note, there is absolutely no chance you will ever be ticketed for it.