RE: Rights vs. Responsibility

Yes, there are rights and responsibilities, for both motorists and cyclists.
As a cyclist I always have to consider whether I should be cycling some
place, snow or not.  The biggest point I have to consider as a cyclist, in
all conditions, is MY health and well being.  If there is an accident, I am
almost certainly going to be hurt, but most likely another motorized vehicle
(or person) will not be harmed to any significant extent.  By contrast, when
I am a motorist, if I am involved in an accident, it is roughly equally
likely that another vehicle/person will be harmed to the same extent (or
worse).

So, it is arguably just as important if not more important for motorists to
consider THEIR responsibility under poor conditions.  If a motorist causes
an accident it is much more likely that an innocent bystander/vehicle will
bear the brunt of the damage.  With a cycling accident, the cyclist is
unlikely to walk away unharmed.  That means that a cyclist is MORE likely to
consider whether to cycle under more dangerous conditions, out of natural
self preservation motivation.  But how many motorists consider the risk they
are introducing to other motorists under less safe conditions?

When I cycle in snowy conditions it is only on side streets where traffic is
very low (and rarely any two-way traffic) and the speed also low (eg, 30mph
or less).  If I see traffic in any questionable situation, I just pull off
to the side until the traffic is gone.  I know under those conditions if I
fall that no one else is going to be involved.  And, strangely, falling,
while more likely under snowy conditions, is also usually less harmful.
There can be some cushioning affect due to the snow.  Or what I have found
more likely, is that I won't suffer any road rash - the road is slicker so
there is much less friction.

Denis

> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Strong [mailto:stronghold42002-/[email protected]]
> Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 2:19 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Rights vs. Responsibility
> 
>    Okay, I am all for bicyclist's right to the roads and am an avid
> cyclist myself, but there is a point where we all need to balance common
> sense with that right. With recent weather conditions I feel it is a
> matter of common sense to not ride when you have to ride down the tire
> ruts to get anywhere. There are times when we would be better off and much
> safer to ask a friend for a ride or travel in our own car until the
> conditions improve. I mean, what are we trying to prove by riding in
> unsafe conditions anyhow? I know that there are some out there that only
> have a bike for their sole form of transportation, but if you are riding
> unnecessarily in terrible weather, then I feel you are not only putting
> yourself in danger, but also endangering auto drivers, truck drivers, bus
> drivers and any others that have to quickly slow down or swerve to avoid
> hitting a "crazy biker" that is riding in a snowstorm or blowing rain just
> to prove a point. With rights come
>  responsibility and lets all use some common sense. We lose enough
> bicyclists without doing stupid things to aggravate things. What do you
> all think???
> 
> 
>