It is the warm season here in New England, which means the proliferation of bike riders on the roads. It also means the increase of bicycle caused accidents and injuries.
Don’t get me wrong, I applaud people who want to be healthier who ride for exercise. I also applaud people who ride their bike to work, school and errands to help save gas or be kinder to the environment. I also recognize that for every 25 cars on the road, one is going to be careless near a bike.
What gets me is the tendency of bicycles to think they own the road, or that they deserve to do whatever they wish because they are making some perceived self sacrifice in riding a bike, or, worse, when bike riders are careless. The careless bike riders put not just themselves at risk, but drivers and pedestrians as well.
Things I’ve seen so far this year:
• Bicyclists riding 5 across on a two lane highway, blocking a line of cars behind them and flipping off the drivers when they rolled their windows down to ask them to ride single file.
• Bike riders who refuse to stay on the outside of the white line, away from cars, swerving in and out of the narrow roads unpredictably, making it difficult to pass them for their own safety.
• Bike riders who punch the hoods of cars as they go by.
• The riders who choose to ride on the most rural of roads. If there is not a white line, and not enough room for cars to pass, much less a bike, you shouldn’t be on that road. It’s a hazard for bike riders and those driving.
• People who ride and talk on a cell phone. I mean, do I really have to spell out why here?
• Bikes who crowd walkers into the street on the rural roads here. You’re faster, pass a walker on the left quickly, then get back on the outside of the white line, or preferably onto an off-road bike trail instead.
There are many more things that I’ve seen bicycle riders do that put themselves and others at risk. Bike riders, don’t be a hazard. Make it EASY for us not to injure you or ourselves trying our best to avoid you.
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