Responsibility & Accountability On Our Streets 33

I think you need to turn the dial a bit further on the responsibilities of drivers. Was it necessary to use a car at all for the trip? Because, no matter how carefully you drive (or think you drive), actual accidents do sometimes happen, and the consequences (for others) when they happen in a car, are larger than they are using alternate forms of transport.

For example (all real-world examples), a moth could fly in through your window and hit you in the face, causing you to lose control and hit a tree (not me, a friend). The wheel could come off your car, and who knows what it might hit? Your fuel line could come loose downstream of your fuel pump (loss of power, gas vapors everywhere, freeway traffic). Your hood latch could fail at speed, and suddenly, you see nothing. Rarely, but repeatedly, you will hear some horrible story of someone driving their car over their own child, in slow-speed parking maneuvers. There’s a small but non-zero chance of something completely unexpected going wrong, and when it does, the plausible outcomes are worse in a car. What would be a bruise with a bicycle, becomes a trip to a hospital with a car, or worse.

If you can shift 10% of your commuting to a bicycle, that’s a 10% reduction in bad surprises. If that 10% also happens to be the travel that is most likely to put other people at risk (i.e., surface streets, neighborhoods) that’s even better.

If I used a chainsaw for all my woodworking, sooner or later, something bad would happen, and at that point, people would cluck their tongues and shake their heads, and the stupidity of someone who would gratuitously use such a dangerous piece of equipment when safer tools suffice. But that’s how most people use cars on this continent, almost all the time. (And at least in the US, we like to adjust our stereo and take calls on cell phones, while wood-working with a chainsaw.)

Great post, James.

Too many people are inpatient in our modern world – and for no good reason. Small delays & concessions never really ruin our days – we’re just told they do… but they certainly improve the lives of others and, indirectly, our own lives.

Regarding the photo:
Perhaps another reason why we don’t consider children in cars driven dangerously more upsetting than that child on the bicycle (which I think is lovely and not common enough btw), is that we don’t ever really see the occupants of cars.

A bicycle is visible, the rider is visible, the HUMAN is visible (even more so when you don’t hide behind glasses, helmets, lycra). The rider’s vulnerability is obvious.

When people look at traffic, they see machines – dangerous, overpowered, potentially lethal machines. I don’t think people even consider that there is a human behind the wheel sometimes – not until their rage is out of control.

If all drivers were forced to be visible (drive convertibles?), I wonder how much calmer our streets would be? Removing all the equipment to protect the occupants might also help calm everyone down as well.

Safety features may make occupants of motor vehicles safer… at the expense of everyone else’s safety.

@Paul – Great points – cars are indeed far more anonymous and invisible than bicycles. I think Mikael’s recent post detailing a conversation with his 3 year old daughter sums it up nicely:

“When people are in cars, you can’t see them, can you?”

“No, you can’t”, said Daddy. “But you can see people on bicycles, can’t you? And people walking and those people on that motorbike.”

“Yeah… cars are silly, aren’t they, Daddy? You can’t see the people in them. That’s silly…”

@SheRidesABike: I agree that all road users should be responsible and follow the law. But there are some laws that just don’t make sense for bicyclists and should be altered. I find myself often crossing at certain pedestrian crossings because the automobile left turning lanes are too dangerous and stressful for a bicyclist. So in this case, I’m breaking the law, but I’m not putting myself or anybody else in danger.

I don’t like it either when a bicyclist is breaking the law and putting somebody else in danger, but if they are riding the wrong way on an empty one-way street, I don’t see the big deal (if they aren’t harming anyone else).

To be quite frank, I see far more motorists here putting other people’s lives at risk than I see bicyclists even mildly annoying others or putting them at risk.

I would much rather a bicyclist wear an iPod on her bike than a driver listening to loud music with his windows closed, unaware of everything going on around him. I just couldn’t see myself getting upset with a bicyclist wearing an iPod.

Riding at night without lights is different, because it puts themselves at risk and it puts others at risk.

Even though the chain stores are full of bikes to choose from and their prices are sometime quite tempting, they may not be the best choice. These bikes are not always the best quality so if your child is going to be doing some distance riding with their mom and dad, then it would be best if you visited your local bike shop.

I think you need to dial a little more responsible driver. Was it necessary to use a car for the ride at all? Because, no matter how carefully you drive (or do you use), then the real accidents sometimes happen and the consequences (for others) when they occur in a car that is bigger than what they are to use alternative forms of transport.

I think that helmets should always be worn when riding a motorbike or just a bike. Thanks.

Always take precaution whenever you hit the road. Wearing the right materials can protect you in such accident.

wites & kapetan