The League of American Bicyclists calls our attention to an op-ed piece in the San Francisco Chronicle that was published in reaction to media coverage of the tragic deaths of Matt Peterson and Kristy Gough in Cupertino earlier this month.
Leah Shahum, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, writes that there's a “looming prejudice” against those who ride bikes.
There have been media reports about which streets are “most dangerous” for bicycles, the frequency that bicycles are considered at fault by police and reports of cyclists not following the rules of the road.
“The Cupertino tragedy has been portrayed as a “bicycle safety” story, instead of what it really is, a story about the risks of dangerous driving. …
“Yet, the public dialogue has not focused on which streets are most dangerous for driving, bad behavior by drivers, or the fact that 40,000 people a year are killed in motor vehicle collisions in our nation.
“I believe the over-emphasis on bicyclists' responsibility stems from the mistaken belief that bikes do not belong on the road, that a bicyclist is asking for trouble if she rides out in traffic, that a “good” bicyclist knows her place and gets out of the way of “legitimate” road users in cars.”
Shahum goes on to explain that bicycle riders and motorists share the same rights and responsibilities on the road.
Shahum also cites some interesting facts:
–Nearly half of all trips in the US are a half-mile or less;
–For every year of life lost in a bike crash, 20 years are gained by the healthy side-effects of bicycling;
–As more people ride bicycles, the rate of bicycle fatalities and injuries has diminished.
As usual, the comments following the article show how far bicyclists are from getting the the respect they are due.
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