🚀 go-pugleaf

Robert Coe wrote:

>  As a pedestrian, I find that I'm much more likely to have a close
> call with a
> bicycle than with an automobile.  In Cambridge, for example, where
> most
> motorists are super-polite to pedestrians (because they know they'll
> get the
> book thrown at them if they aren't), many bicyclists ride too fast,
> ride on
> the sidewalk, ignore traffic signals (especially walk lights), and
> never give
> up the right-of-way to a pedestrian under any circumstances.

Lucky for you in Cambridge.  Doesn't apply in New York.  I find that on
any walk I take through the city of over twenty minutes, I will almost
always have a close call with a driver, usually one who runs a red light
or tries to cut me off in the crosswalk while I have the "Walk" sign.

> At least cars usually stay in the street.

Of the over 250 pedestrians killed in New York last year (250!), I
believe 9 were killed on the sidewalk.

> I realize that bicyclists have a legitimate beef
> over the way they're treated by motorists.  But that doesn't excuse
> the fact
> that a pedestrian who exercises reasonable caution crossing streets is
>
> arguably in more danger from bicycles than from cars.

Sorry, but your statistics are just wrong.  Number of pedestrians killed
by motorists last year (as above) 250+.  Number of pedestrians killed by
cyclists: one (actually a roller-blader in the park who was a) wearing
headphones and b) lost control of her skates).  There's no excuse for
what some cyclists do to pedestrians, but the dangers from motorists are
so much greater as to make the cyclist "problem" seem negligible.

Christopher Stephens
stephens@interport.net