To Encourage Biking, Cities Lose the Helmets

I knew you'd show up

You can hear "Hurtful Names" new single on Sirius/Xm's Spectrum

 

Can you ride a bike with training wheels on the sidewalk, or is that illegal, too?

 

Did he signal his lane change?

 

Not that I saw. He might have. But that's another huge difference that cyclists often dismiss -- they aren't as visible as cars. A person with the best of intentions and driving habits still may not see them.

 

He should have been in the right-hand turn lane unless he planned on turning left quickly once getting onto the next road.

 

And a biker using hand signals doesn't keep them up until the turn or lane change is complete, because you generally need both hands to execute the turn.

I wish we taught children the proper biking rules to ingrain it in their heads and to avoid having kids riding like idiots.

 

From the City of Toronto's website:

A City bylaw allows cyclists with a tire size of 61cm or 24 inches or less to ride on the sidewalk. The intent of this bylaw is to allow young children to cycle on the sidewalk while they learn to ride

Happy?

 

I live in America!

Anyway, it sounds like I can stop worrying about the logistics of teaching my son to ride a bike amid city traffic.

 

He should have signaled. Even a quick index finger pointing to where he's headed would have helped you.

It's up to him to ride as if he's invisible to cars - which he is. It's up to you to see him, because he has as much right to the road as you do.

 

And that's where idealism meets reality, Az -- I did see him, but a lot of people wouldn't have. Maybe not a majority of potential road-sharers, but a high enough percentage that he was taking a big risk, one that easily could have been avoided had he merely crossed at the nearest intersection to the left or right.

 

Believe me, no one regrets or resents knuckleheaded or thoughtless cyclists as much as other, better-versed cyclists. A cyclist in urban traffic has to obey the same rules as the motorist.

That said, drivers need to (learn to) see bicycles and motorcycles and pedestrians.

 

We've asked the judges for their ruling and their verdict is that the cyclist is an idiot. Not a chance I would do that - he should have been in the right hand left turn lane behind you.