Posted on 04/23/2008 8:41:43 AM PDT by buccaneer81
Injury accents bike-car tensions Wednesday, April 23, 2008 3:21 AM By Aaron Beck and Tim Doulin The Columbus Dispatch
David Krohn knows all about the tensions between bicyclists and motorists sharing the road. A run-in with an angry group in a car Friday left him with a broken jaw and a gash in his head. "They think we're supposed to be on the sidewalk," he said. Proper pedaling
* Bicyclists must follow the same traffic rules as those driving motorized vehicles, including stopping at stop signs and red lights and observing the speed limit. * Bicyclists must ride in the direction of traffic; they cannot ride against traffic. * Bicyclists must ride as near to the right curb as is practical and safe. * Bicycles must be equipped with a white headlight and a red rear reflector and red light when used at night. * No more than two cyclists can ride abreast in a lane, but they must move to the right if they are slowing traffic. * Bicyclists can move out of the curb lane to turn left after signaling. * Bicycles are not allowed on freeways. * It is illegal for someone to ride on the handlebars or anywhere other than a seat on a bicycle. * Bicyclists must signal a turn, unless they are in a turn-only lane. For a left turn, extend the left hand and arm horizontally. For a right turn, extend the left arm with the forearm and hand turned upward, or extend the right arm and hand horizontally. * Bicyclists can pass slower-moving vehicles such as horse-drawn buggies and farm vehicles.
Sources: Ohio Revised Code, Columbus City Code David Krohn was stopped on his bicycle in traffic on N. High Street in the Ohio State University campus area Friday night when a car behind him started honking.
He pulled over to let the metallic-blue convertible pass. As it did, the four college-age men inside hurled obscenities at Krohn. Then he did something that apparently infuriated the men: He touched the car to steady himself on his bike.
One of the men bounced a plastic bottle off Krohn's chest and, now on foot, chased him as he pedaled down an alley off Frambes Avenue.
"The next thing I remember is waking up in the ambulance," said the 64-year-old Krohn, who had suffered a broken jaw and gash on his head.
The attack is an extreme example of the tension that exists between cyclists and motorists, and confrontations could escalate as the weather warms.
Some cyclists complain drivers are unwilling to share the road. Drivers say cyclists don't follow the law when riding in the street.
"They are both right," Columbus Police Lt. Edward Devennish said.
"I see motor-vehicle operators who treat bicyclists without any respect, and I have seen bicyclists do stupid things and violate the rules of the road."
Drivers must realize bicycles and motorcycles are "extremely vulnerable and they have as much right to the roadway as you do in your car," Devennish said.
Bicyclists have a right to an entire lane of travel on a road, he said.
"But be considerate of the other drivers who are going to be able to go faster than you. You don't gain anything from slowing them down."
Krohn was attacked as he was on his way home after performing with Columbus Dance Theatre at its Downtown location.
He said witnesses told him that he was hit from behind in the alley, probably with a beer bottle.
An avid cyclist, Krohn said he was assaulted about four years ago. He was riding down Cleveland Avenue in a recumbent bicycle, in which the rider pedals in a reclined position, when a pedestrian, a young boy, punched him.
"What seems to offend people in cars is that we're on the road," Krohn said. "They think we're supposed to be on the sidewalk. It seems that in the Midwest there's a car thing. A car is an extension of the personality, and any infringement on that is like a slap in the face."
Cyclists are not without blame. Two years ago the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission analyzed crashes between bicycles and vehicles in central Ohio over a five-year period. It found that in 29 percent, the most common contributors were bicyclists who improperly crossed or failed to yield to the vehicle. Motorists failed to yield in 14 percent of the crashes.
Bicyclists often don't follow the traffic rules, cutting through red lights and dodging in and out of traffic, said John DeFrank, a Whitehall resident who works Downtown.
"I just almost saw one right here," said DeFrank, 51, motioning to the intersection of Broad and High streets.
"The light turned red, but the guy on the bike went through the light and somebody almost hit him. In the last few weeks, with the way gas is going, the number of bikes you see on the road is just increasing every day."
Matt Young, 34, commutes by bicycle on W. 5th Avenue from his Upper Arlington home to work at Battelle. His biggest concern is traffic suddenly pulling out from a business or side street.
Young tries to make himself visible by wearing a reflective vest and blinking lights on his helmet. His bike is equipped with lights.
"I pretty much try to follow the law and hope that I gain some credibility for cycling in general," he said.
Columbus Dance Theatre has started a fundraiser to help Krohn pay his medical bills.
"We're getting responses from all over the country because people hear the story and go, 'Oh my God!' " Artistic Director Tim Veach said. "It's ridiculous. Who would beat up a 64-year-old mime? That's about as low as you can get."
abeck@dispatch.com
tdoulin@dispatch.com
LOLOL!! You can't make this stuff up!
I ride my bike on the sidewalks whenever I can. It’s safer......But people get kinda upset if the get burned by the mufflers........
Who wouldn't?
Ask the good Lt. How many bicyclist they prosecute for violating the law?
I've got 10 bucks that says he touched the car with a clenched fist traveling downward at high velocity.
That's probably what got him the a**-kicking.
“Drivers must realize bicycles and motorcycles are “extremely vulnerable and they have as much right to the roadway as you do in your car,” Devennish said.”
That may be, but common sense should tell all cyclists that since they are extremely vulnerable and will always lose in any collision with a car or truck, the burden of exercising greater caution falls on them, rights or no rights. Unless you or your surviving relatives win the insurance/lawsuit lottery, your “rights” as a cyclist aren’t going to mean much when you are lying in a grave or in the hospital with multiple fractures, or spending the rest of your life maimed or crippled.
One thing we run into here in the mountains is that the bikes are on two lane roads. At times, we haul a 20’ stock trailer loaded. The speed limit is 55. When we come around a curve and see a bunch of bikes, we can’t slow down fast enough. We need to go into the on coming traffic lane to miss them. Luckly, we haven’t run into anyone. They should only be allowed where there are bike lanes.
He said. Not the police said, not the witness himself said. I'll wait for some corroborated facts.
Who would beat up a 64-year-old mime? ..."
Probably nobody. The old guy probably hit the car with his fist then rode off so scared that he fell off his bike and hurt himself.
Most cyclists I know are EXTREMELY courteous around cars, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize who will lose in any encounter. There are times when cyclists are in the wrong, but in my experience, there are FAR more times when some jerk in a car or (worse) pickup truck or (worst of all ) pickup truck pulling a boat - just gets nasty and aggressive for no reason. My motorcycle-riding friends say the same thing happens to them. Road rage coupled with a feeling of “entitlement” to go as fast as they wish on any road at any time.
So let’s just apply the Rodney King rule and try to get along, ok? As for spandex, it’s functional. Bright colors improve visibility, and the padding comes in pretty handy.
If you want to tax bicycles, fine - tell your representative to enact a law, and we’ll happily pay. But I doubt this will change bad behavior - on either side.
Never bring a knife (bike) to a (car) gunfight.
I used to live about 7 miles outside the city, and had to travel some rolling hills to get to work each day.
Many times I would crest a ridge only to find a group of those spandex-wearing jack@sses riding three to four abreast right down the center of the lane.
There were a number of times I had to slam on the brakes or jerk my car into the oncoming lane to avoid hitting them - and they would look at me as if I were the problem.
The speed limit is only that, the maximum limit. Especially when operating large, heavy commercial (?) vehicles, it is your responsibility not to drive “faster” than the distance you can see.
If you have not caused and accident yet, I hope your luck holds out for your sake, your passengers, stopped or slowed vehicles, pedestrians, children, wildlife and yes even the occasional spandex wearing bike nut. I’m not lawyer, but I’ve taken a few law classes and I have little doubt if you repeated what you said in your post to a witness or police officer after an accident at the very lest you would be out a lot of money and maybe doing jail time.
The U.S. does a lot of things right, but we could learn a thing or two about “professional” drive (strict liability) standards like those enforced in Japan and other countries. I’ve seen to many wrecks over the years because folks just won’t slow a few miles per hour.
There’s not a bike-car problem in the US, there’s a lack of civility and respect for others problem. If someone wants bikes off the road or wants them to pay taxes, write your congressman. In the mean time drivers and cyclist need act like grown ups.
When I see you obey the traffic lasws as much as I have to on my two wheel 18-speed, then I’ll say you have a gripe, but when you pass me on the left and cut me off in a right turn when we both arrive at a stop sign simultaneously, you deserve to be yanked out of your cage and beaten with rods.
LOL. If you saw me from behind on my bike you'd want to hang an SMV sign on my Dollar General jeans.
I aint no Spandex homo!!
And, YES, you do have to register a bicycle in my town...I just dont have to pay as much as I did my truck...so, since you already registered your vehicle, as I did, just what have you got up on me that I owe you obecience on the road??
(How do you spell that word, anyways?)
Besides, hitting me on my GIANT 18-speed road bike is like hitting a Moose in Maine, so, watch it, buster! :)
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