Bikes and cars will always have problems in this area. U-turn or no U-turn. Why?; Because this area (metro & beyond) is full of foreigners who come from countries where drinking alcohol and driving is alright, speeding and other dangerous behavior while driving a vehicle is alright. Now undocumented folks can waltz, tango, do the cha-cha or macarania, into the MVA and obtain a drivers license.
Education will not work, unless we do like the Germans and other Euro’s and teach it early, teach it in school- How to cross the street ride a bike, etc.. Your not teaching a thirty-something year old how to interact with a bike or simply drive responsibly when he/she was not doing that at all to begin with.
Remember in school they taught stranger danger… Why can’t we teach our youth about this stuff.
So, we cannot fix the problem over night. I say change the laws and make moving infractions something very serious in nature. Serious fines, serious penalties including incarceration. Make it serious business.
Go to another country and do ….. wait I know we are in America…. never mind.
I’ll end this with an example of what I’m saying- Remember back in the day when you didnt want to pay for parking in the city? What did you do: you parked your car on the street and got that $25 parking ticket. It was worth it right? Why pay to park when it was cheaper to get a ticket. Now look where we are, we (well the city) got serious. Parking enforcement attacks on bikes, segways, and on foot, vans pull up and 15 of them jump out waiving ticket machines all over the place. Parking enforcement cars use police technology and drive around with tag readers to find those cars with outstanding tickets and get-em.
Its serious, and thats were we as a society and country need to be on transportation. SERIOUS.:mad: Until then, I’ll see you all amongst the bollards & sharrows.
