Often times when a bicycle and an automobile are involved in a collision, people start pointing fingers, looking to assign blame. Did the cyclist run a stop sign? Did the driver of the SUV change lanes without signaling? While determining fault can be important for legal or insurance purposes, in terms of preventing accidents, it shouldn't be the main focus.
During Bike Month 2014, we urge San Diegans to practice awareness, and share the road. Often times, this is misconstrued as a message geared only towards motorists, but as cyclists, we are also responsible. Running stop signs, and other unlawful maneuvers antagonize drivers, and give cyclists a bad rap. If we ride lawfully, motorists are more likely to respect our right to the road, and give us more breathing room. Disrespectful drivers will always be out there, but at least if we ride lawfully, we can say we did our part.
Starting this month, let's bridge the gap between motorists and cyclists, and share the responsibility of keeping our community a safe place to ride. For more tips about bike safety or to review a copy of the rules of the road visit our website.
No comments:
Post a Comment