Comments

1. Sonny Kwan

   July 29, 2011

   If Seattle is to remain one of the friendliest bike cities in the U.S. , Motorist need to be aware that they need to allow a full lane when approaching or near a cyclist or motorcyclist. There are so many instances where vehicles will pass a cyclist in the same lane. Mike McGinn, Ron Sims, Legislature, Please! Please ! pass an ordinance that makes drivers who are negligent on the road to cyclist a felony. I have had altercations with people in cars saying ” get off the road” and I reply ” If your child was riding here, would you want someone telling them what you just told me?”

   This is the second Cyclist accident in July. What are we going to do to make motorist more aware and be careful?

   Reply
2. Leslie

   July 29, 2011

   Start fining motorists that are negligent of cyclists, pedestrians and other road users.
   It Will; save lives, bring in much needed revenue for the city, and make Seattle a safer place for everyone.

   I ride Dexter to and from work most days. It is a very busy bicycle commuting road, and it is great that the city is promoting the use of bicycles on Dexter Ave. Unfortunately, promoting the use of bicycles only works if drivers on Dexter are educated also. Many vehicles have little understanding, (and/or) no respect for bicyclists in the city. In particular, those parts of the road between two white lines that have symbols representing bicycles in them have little meaning to many drivers.

   Every day I will see at least 1 vehicle either; driving in the bicycle lane; parked in the bicycle lane forcing bicycles out into traffic and as for the green markings indicating that vehicles may cross the bicycle lane – they have no more meaning than the white lines indicating a pedestrian crossing to most drivers.

   Which brings me to – vehicles parked ON the sidewalk on Dexter every day. Vehicles that do not respect the pedestrian crossings – ignoring people crossing, or even parked on the crossing meaning that pedestrians have to walk into traffic to cross the road.

   Today is Friday. I guarantee that I will have to cycle or walk into traffic on my way home from work today because at least 1 vehicle is blocking a pedestrian crossing or a bicycle lane on my 2 mile commute home.

   IT doesn’t even require a police vehicle – any officer on foot can simply hand out tickets to these drivers. These drivers are not going anywhere.

   Thanks for listening to my rant,

   Leslie.

   Reply
3. Steve

   July 29, 2011

   Although the motorist is clearly at fault in this situation, and the death of this cyclist is tragic and unfortunate, how about opening up a debate that addresses a more common issue–that of negligent cyclists and those who believe that they are immune to the rules of the road and freely choose to behave as vehicles, then pedestrians, then seemingly neither as deemed convenient. Lets start fining them!

   All too often I’ve come across bikers who blow through stop signs and red light intersections–if a car were to do that: ticket. Should a pedestrian do that: jaywalking ticket. But bikers seem to be immune to prosecution? As sad as this event may be, and while it sounds as if this cyclist is clearly not at fault, I must say that when I hear of a cyclist – motorist accident, I’m not surprised. Too often the cyclists adopt an attitude that they belong in both the bike lanes and the traffic lane, and that somehow cars are villanized for being there–rather than sharing the lane.

   If you as a cyclist are going to weave back and forth between traffic, ignoring hand signals and traffic signs, then it is only fair to expect that you may get hit. No lights at night? Hit. Zipping in between cars or riding along in the blind spots? Hit. I also believe that, just as a motorist must try and anticipate if a pedestrian might step off into the street at an approaching intersection, it is partially the responsibility of a biker to gauge whether a driver is committing to make a right turn–we can’t always see you. Don’t try to zip past a turning car, then wage war against the evil car for hitting you (when in fact you likely hit the car…)

   Passing a cyclist in the same lane? Well how about this. If you’re ignoring the bike lane, and going 8mph in a 30mph zone, you’re infuriating motorists behind you. If a car were going 8mph in a lane, they’d receive a ticket. If I were running 8mph in the middle of a lane, I’d get some sort of ticket too. If you can’t Lance Armstrong it up the hill fast enough to maintain a safe traffic flow, then get off the road.

   While I realize that this position is extremely unpopular here in Seattle, and that it may be a bit crass coming on the heels of the recent events, it’s a valid issue and concern nonetheless. Bicycle-car safety is a joint effort, as we all have equal rights to the road.

   Reply
4. Farkyou

   July 29, 2011

   Frakyou Steve,

   Someone hit someone with a car and then sped away. Farkyou for excusing it.
   Frakyou.

   Reply
5. Arty

   July 29, 2011

   Steve seems to think that there are police everywhere. Where are the police when cars, many, many, many cars fail to come to a complete stop at a stop sign? Where are the police when cars block intersections? Where are they when pedestrians don’t stop walking on sunny days right off the curb, into a crosswalk and hold up Western Ave. at the Pike Place Market’s North end?

   By the way, hand signals are not always safe. How about you take two wheels off your car, put the others in the center and then steer the front wheel with one hand while braking/covering the brake with the same hand and jogging…

   Reply
   1. Arty

      July 29, 2011

      I meant to also say that my condolences are with the bicyclist. Dexter seems to be a very popular route into Downtown and at the very least this should convince the city that a light is needed at that intersection.

      Why again are there not dedicated local access only (20 MPH)/bike streets in Seattle?

      Reply