Posted on 07/31/2008 2:12:30 PM PDT by fightinJAG
IT'S murder out there if you like to walk. The bike people won't repeat this. But those who enjoy hoofing it on city streets stand a good chance of experiencing a close encounter with a kamikaze rider who treats stoplights like suggestions, and pedestrians like speed bumps.
And some of you will die.
"Some guys are out for a quick buck - but you're always going to have that in New York," bike messenger Gilbert Diaz, 38, told me cheerfully after zipping along Chelsea's Ninth Avenue bike path.
"I have [hit a pedestrian]," Diaz confessed. "You can't help it!"
Each year, an average of one walker - most over age 60 - dies after being struck by a bicyclist somewhere on city streets. Last year, two died.
Plus, an alarming number of pedestrians - 500 a year, according to a bicycle-advocacy group - get struck by a bike in the city, and live. Which means more than one person a day is potential road kill for the cyclist in a hurry.
Why don't we hear about this?
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
No kidding. I live in the NOVA area, not even a metropolis and they own the roads. Especially on the WOD trails.
Insane.
These bikers will run your car right off the road here in Colorado. They have more right of way than the cars. I’ve even seen them on I25! Of course, they’ll flip you the bird, if you get too close to them, but you have to risk accidents to swerve into other lanes to avoid them!
There’s been a spate of articles recently on how dangerous some cyclists make the roads (and sidewalks) for others. (Geez—they are killing pedestrians in NYC.)
I’m wondering if maybe the gig is finally up for some of these antics.
If cyclists obey the traffic laws, fine. If not, they should be ticketed and prosecuted just like other vehicles.
Yes, you can.
Downtown Chicago is a headache now. These @ssh*les go down the wrong way on one way streets and expect you to see them. They cross on red and will drive straight into you.
I’ve heard that if you’re stopped and they hit you, you’re responsible.
No bike can run ME off the road. I will run clean over them before that day will come.
This is a perfect example of when the truly new New Media should jump in.
I mean citizen bloggers, with camera phones and video, posting reports. It might start small, but I think it would get quite an audience through word-of-mouth. And you might accomplish something constructive for the city.
Find a few folks to get out there and document stuff for a blog. And ask readers to send in reports. You might be surprised at the good work you could get done!
If somebody started a "Cyclists Behaving Badly" blog and accepted submissions, they would crash the internet.
There was an officer that tackled a rider in a Critical Mass ride in NYC. Officer was found not at fault, and the rider got charged with I don’t know what.
The guy was just riding in the street and he gets tackled. I haven’t really RODE a bike in years, but I give cars and pedestrians the right-of-way.
You are obviously not enforcing the Law of Gross Tonnage and are thereby upsetting The Natural Order of Things.
Durn’ freeloading cyclists.
I'm pretty sure it wasn't me that spun and back-kicked his rear wheel.
Kinda sure
Maybe.
Seattle bicyclists purposely hold up traffic once a month...not even a slap on the hand. Well, another good reason to AVOID dippy Seattle.
I have more issues with joggers and speed walkers who insist on walking in the street instead of the sidewalk.
There’s been more than one time I’ve had to swerve because of one of those idiots.
Good thing that wasn’t me. Though I don’t ride at the moment.
That was the old news.
After a tourist posted a video of the incident on YouTube, it was evident that the tackle was a dangerous and unprovoked cheap shot on the cyclist, that the cop lied in his written report and that the cop had filed false charges.
As a result, the cop is now in deep kimchee.
VIDEO: COP BODY-CHECKS BICYCLIST. OFFICER STRIPPED OF BADGE, GUN
Remember the old “clothesline” tackle in football? A thing of beauty when properly performed by a master. Would work great against a speeding, kamikaze cyclist.
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