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Re: Driving Pet Peeves
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Subject: Re: Driving Pet Peeves
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From: ddg@cci.com (D. Dale Gulledge)
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Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995 21:08:20 GMT
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Followup-To: rec.autos.driving,rec.bicycles.soc
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In-Reply-To: bradley@seismo.gps.caltech.edu's message of 15 Jun 1995 21:09:31 GMT
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Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving, rec.bicycles.soc
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Organization: Northern Telecom Inc., D&OS
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References: <1995Jun12.084415.24643@freenet.victoria.bc.ca> <3rk8v0$5gd@CUBoulder.Colorado.EDU> <3rq7ib$o78@gap.cco.caltech.edu>
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Sender: root@sunsrvr6.cci.com (Operator)
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Xref: news.clark.net rec.autos.driving:72460 rec.bicycles.soc:19949
In article <3rq7ib$o78@gap.cco.caltech.edu> bradley@seismo.gps.caltech.edu (Brad Woods) writes:
How about some kind of nation-wide bicyclers group to effect legislative
reform with regard to road safety? Mothers against drunk drivers have been
fairly successful at tightening-up drunk-driving laws and enforcement.
Well, why not BADD: Bikers (Bicyclers if you wish) Against Dangerous Drivers?
The first law could be federal zero-tolerance for car phone, i.e. use one
and lose your car and license. Car phones are a lot more dangerous to a biker
or pedestrian than a joint. The guy that hit me (he was turning right at a red
light was on his car phone, but didn't smell like he had been smoking-out or
drinking.
I have the same feeling about this that I have about the annual flurry of
legislative activity called the federal crime bill. I don't honestly think
that our country is badly in need of new laws. We simply need enforcement of
the existing ones. When a car hits a bike and the driver is at fault, charges
should be filed and the sentencing should be no different than when a car hits
another car. Too often, this is not the case.
I'm dead serious here, folk. Anyone who has been hit by a car while on their
bike or knows someone else who has knows what I mean.
I bike to work most every day (I'm lucky, I live in SoCal). I help to keep
the level of air polution down, I help to lower the amount of traffic, I
help to keep the demand, hence price of gas down, AND if I should hit anyone
(which I haven't done yet in about 14 years of heavy bike-riding) I will
not kill or cripple them, SO I want some respect and some rights on the
road.
I'm rather proud of being in my 6th summer of bicycle commuting. I consider
the fact that my Motobecane is on its 3rd saddle and just had its bottom
bracket worked over to be badges of honor. I earned those with lots of
peddling in three cities. I'm happy to say that the majority of drivers I
meet share the road rather amiably. But the respect that I deserve is not
earned by doing anyone else a favor. My taxes help to pay for the road I am
using. Like every driver and pedestrian on it, I am entitled to use it within
the constraints set down by law to maintain safety. As long as I stay under
the speed limit, right of center, signal properly and so forth, I have as much
right to a piece of the road as anyone else doing the same.
- Dale
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'95 bicycle commuting season: 45 days, 370 km
Weather today: cold, drizzle, overcast. Of course I rode to work!
--
ddg@cci.com, D. Dale Gulledge, Software Engineer, Northern Telecom,
Directory & Operator Services, 97 Humboldt St., Rochester, NY 14609