Bicyclists are safety hazards
On Sunday, my husband and I were traveling northeast on Route 202 from
Oakland to Mahwah. This road is a narrow, two-lane road. A bunch of
cyclists going southwest toward Oakland would not yield to any cars.
Drivers who wanted to pass them had to use the opposite lane. Cyclists
just laughed as one oncoming auto almost hit our car.
Something has to be done about this. Cyclists need to be licensed and
have to pay insurance if they are going to ride the much-used main
roads. Licensing will bring much revenue to this state.
Bicycling is wonderful, but it causes hazards on our main roads. When a
bunch of children are killed on a winding road because of cyclists,
then maybe someone will wake up.
Betty Callahan, Mahwah
Bergen Record story-wrong or right?
Wed, 03/08/2006 - 6:17am
Wed, 03/08/2006 - 7:03am
#1
NJ drivers are scary, even licensed ones
That section of Route 202, also known as Ramapo Valley Road, has solid double yellow lines painted. And it goes without saying, if such were not the case - passing with oncoming traffic is a recipe for disaster.
http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/driver_manual/Chapter_4.pdf
Wed, 03/08/2006 - 7:31am
#2
Also part of the Law
"From the New Jersey Driver Manual:
""Driving Too Slowly
Try to keep up with the normal flow of traffic. Some accidents result from driving too slowly and backing up traffic. When road surfaces and traffic are normal, New Jersey law prohibits blocking traffic through slow driving.""
I imagine this could apply to bicycles as well. It's difficult to know from the original article whether the cyclists were riding double file and intentionally blocking cars, or whether a single line of cyclists riding a foot or two into the lane from the right-hand line would still have blocked traffic. But even though we have a right to the road and safe passage on the roads, we shouldn't be intentionally blocking traffic if it would otherwise be safe for cars to pass."
Wed, 03/08/2006 - 8:18am
#3
Agreed and some more perspective
"To put this in a _little_ bit better perspective, not only are there double yellow lines, and by her own comprehension a ""narrow road"", there's also plenty of blind spots (winding turns and hills) on that road particularly in the section bordering Oakland and Mahwah.
There's also Ramapo college which has big, grassy athletic fields on both sides of the road, a State Park (excellent hiking I might add) and an equestrian center or folks with property containing horses (my memory is foggy about this last detail). Point is, I used to run and cycle down this road frequently years ago and it was common to have slow moving vehicles, complete with the orange triangle reflector on the back, on this roadway, including tractors and the like. I don't recall drivers getting into a big huff while incurring slow moving traffic.
I know times have certainly changed and drivers are less tolerant. Perhaps she was running late for religious worship on Sunday. :-) (There are a couple of churches on that roadway as well)
Agreed the cyclists do bear responsibility for riding in traffic. That said, assuming the worst - that being cyclists were being completely inconsiderate and blocking traffic, under *no* circumstances should a motorist be passing while there is oncoming traffic. That puts both drivers and cyclists at risk of fatality.
Two wrongs do not make a right (but three lefts will).
"
Wed, 03/08/2006 - 8:06am
#4
single file
I believe somewhere in NJ traffic law there is an exception that allows a motorist to cross a double-yellow line to get around an obstruction. Regardless, NJ law does not allow for cyclists to ride two abreast (if in fact that is what the letter writer was referring to)
From NJ traffic statute 39:4-14.2. Keeping to right; exceptions single file:
[Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway may travel no more than two abreast when traffic is not impeded, but otherwise shall ride in single file except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.]
Thu, 03/09/2006 - 7:26am
#5
Betty Callahan is a twit
"and the Bergen Record is a rag for printing her letter.
It wasn't the cyclists that her car almost hit head-on, it was another car ignoring the double yellow line. The recklessness and fault lie, then, not in the cyclists, but in the other driver trying to make a dangerous pass.
I doubt she really heard the cyclists ""laughing"" through the sealed windows of whatever suburban water buffalo she was trying to steer. More likely they were yelling at the danger of a combined five tons of steel torquing impatiently in front and behind them.
As for her morbid fear of ""a bunch of children being killed by cyclists"" -- I wonder how many cyclists it would take to roll a loaded school bus over. Even a minibus. Even a minivan."
Fri, 03/10/2006 - 5:51am
#6
I'm always amazed
Amazed at how often drivers are adraid to pass a cyclist or cyclists until they come to a blind spot where they can't see if there is oncoming traffic. Then they cross the line and pass– usuall much wider than needed.
Of course, if they go head-on into another car, it'll be the cyclists fault.
Fri, 03/10/2006 - 11:55am
#7
courtesy
Whenever I am biking on a narrow road and car is coming up on me, I will simply wave the driver around me if I can see that the path is clear. Or if there is oncoming traffic I will take more space in the lane and motion for the driver behind to wait. My calculus says the driver squeezing to pass between me and another car will most likely want to hit me and not the car. I'd rather avoid that possibility and it really doesn't take anything out of my day to communicate nicely with the drivers.
Fri, 03/10/2006 - 12:53pm
#8
Allowing motorists to pass
David has the right idea, waving motorists to allow them to pass. If enough cyclists did this it might ameliorate the antagonism generated by poorly disciplined cyclists hoggin the road. Such behavior is a disservice to all cyclists.
The use of helmet mounted mirrors gives cyclists advance notice of overtaking autos and provides time to move to the right.
Sat, 03/11/2006 - 7:17am
#9
Maybe
If you're riding alone or with one or two others, ok, but with 4 or more people there's the possibility that someone who's too timid to pass in the first place is gonna freak out if a car comes along in the opposite direction, and swerve back over to the right cutting into the line of cyclists.
The bigger the group, the greater the liklihood this will happen. I've seen it - fortunately no injuries - and it's ugly.
Fri, 03/10/2006 - 12:54pm
#10
Allowing motorists to pass
David has the right idea, waving motorists to allow them to pass.
If enough cyclists did this it might ameliorate the antagonism generated by poorly disciplined cyclists hogging the road. Such behavior is a disservice to all cyclists.
The use of helmet mounted mirrors gives cyclists advance notice of overtaking autos and provides time to move to the right.
