[MCL1981]

Really? I’ve been saying throughout this that I am speaking of people who operate their two or four wheeled vehicles with reckless disregard for human life. I haven’t changed or re-written anything. For some reason, some of you are trying to downplay this by comparing it to a motorist who accidentally almost hits someone making a right turn on red. That is comparing apples to bananas.

@MCL1981 22533 wrote:

If a motorists blows a red light and mows down a pedestrian, then yes I think they would be charged in the same manner.

@MCL1981 22546 wrote:

That is not really the same. Not saying it’s an excuse. But that is not the same thing. A driver saying “screw the red light, I’m not stopping because I’m special” then mowing down the contents of the crosswalk would be the same thing. Making a right on red and not seeing the ped is stupid and inexcusable, but it isn’t a willful reckless act.

@MCL1981 22621 wrote:

…This idiot’s own account also that the situation is NOT the same as someone making a right on red and not seeing the pedestrian. This guy, and everyone else on two wheels that does this all the time, sees the peds, sees the red light, and decides to just plow through with reckless disregard….

[MCL1981]

@mstone 22626 wrote:

Yeah, it’s completely different from the line of cars turning through an intersection in disregard of the walk signal and the pedestrians in the intersection that I see EVERY DAY. And it’s completely different than the excessive speed I see on the roads EVERY DAY. Because, you know, this guy was on a bike and must have reckless disregard, whereas the cars are just engaged in the normal kind of lawlessness that doesn’t matter because it’s normal.

So you’re saying that you see motorists intentionally mowing down pedestrians on a daily basis? It doesn’t sound your talking about the same thing I am.

[MCL1981]

Which further makes my point for me. His arrogant own the world attitude is not rare. Its a wonder more peds are mowed down my morons like him. He would probably blame the driver if a car with a green light hit him after he ran a red. This idiot’s own account also that the situation is NOT the same as someone making a right on red and not seeing the pedestrian. This guy, and everyone else on two wheels that does this all the time, sees the peds, sees the red light, and decides to just plow through with reckless disregard. I hope he rots in jail and they mount his bike on a poll as a warning to others.

[MCL1981]

I’m not sure why these are such a problem, especially the yellow ones. They’re to keep vehicles off our paths. Is it really that difficult to stay to the right or left of them?

[MCL1981]

That is not really the same. Not saying it’s an excuse. But that is not the same thing. A driver saying “screw the red light, I’m not stopping because I’m special” then mowing down the contents of the crosswalk would be the same thing. Making a right on red and not seeing the ped is stupid and inexcusable, but it isn’t a willful reckless act.

[MCL1981]

If a motorists blows a red light and mows down a pedestrian, then yes I think they would be charged in the same manner.

[MCL1981]

My morning commute has me on a portion of Old Georgetown which is 2 or 3 lanes in each direction and a median. I started off on the street in the right lane for the same reason you do. But after a while, I started to feel like a fly waiting be squashed. The flow of traffic is just too fast for my comfort. I now ride the sidewalk and I think I’m legitimately safer. You just need to be extra cautious approaching intersections, even with a walk signal. Drivers are looking for fast moving traffic on the road, not the sidewalk. Keep your head on the swivel, get super bright flashing lights for the front and back. Never careen into a crosswalk, even on a walk signal, without visually confirming that there isn’t someone about to roll through it looking at the road instead of you. Also, the ped traffic in that area is very light to non-existent so that isn’t an issue.

[MCL1981]

You’re thinking logically and suggesting something for the good everyone on the trail. Unfortunately, I’ve found that the vast majority of cyclists on the trail are not logical, and they do not give a crap about anything or anyone but themselves and their pace. They can not and will not be bothered by everyone else around them. That bell weighs too much and adds air resistance. Speaking would make it appear as if they care. So unfortunately, the likely outcome, even after a death, is that nothing will change.

[MCL1981]

@jnva 22472 wrote:

Wow. I couldn’t disagree more. It’s not a road.

Can you elaborate? You took one sentence out of an entire detailed reply with no context.

[MCL1981]

He spoke of pedestrian responsibility prior to that paragraph. The reason I only quote this cyclist portion is…

1. This is the Washington Area Bicycle Form, not the pedestrian forum.
2. We can’t control what peds do, we can only control what we do.
3. If cyclists don’t control themselves, how can we expect or be angry at peds who don’t control themselves?

There is a reason cyclists get a stereotypical arrogant profile. We demand everyone else do what a large number of us refuse to do.

[MCL1981]

I would love if everyone on two wheels would read and understand this portion of Mark’s column

Cyclists, understand this: You are to pedestrians on the trail as cars are to you on the road. This means that you have the responsibility – as the ones who can do the most damage – to not only observe the pedestrian’s right of way on the trail, but to anticipate and avoid dangerous situations. If that means slowing to a crawl for a few moments because you think that couple ahead of you might take the left turn without looking — do it. You know how motorists can wait for a few seconds when you need to take the lane? Same thing here.

Cyclists are also in the driver’s seat when it comes to signaling a pass. My recommendation from last year remains the same – get and use a bell. They’re cheap, they’re easier to hear than voice warnings, and they’re not subject to misinterpretation.

[MCL1981]

That’s awesome. I wonder if he actually uses a sled in the winter.

[MCL1981]

I had one of the little gooseneck ones on my handlebar before I smashed it off my accident. I find it is too small to see much in daylight. At night they are great because headlights stick out.

[MCL1981]

And when they’re with their babies, they get PISSED.

[MCL1981]

I cruise along the 5-8 mile downgrade portion of the CCT about 18mph in the morning. Along that stretch, I pass peds in both directions. I pass them wide, all the way over to the side of the far lane. With 2-3 or more bell dings from a very far out distance when overtaking. Burning off speed from 18mph down to a walking pace to crawl passed every single pedestrian is completely unreasonable, unneccessary, and impractical. I would be burning through brakes, burning through my legs, and burning through the clock for absolutely no reason or functional benefit. In fact, it is more likely to CAUSE an accident cyclists behind me end up doing something silly because this ridiculous maneuver.

What I do not do is “shoot the gap”… passing in the middle of two way traffic. I slow down and wait for the oncoming lane to be clear. Unlike some people… ok unlike a lot of people… I don’t mind slowing down to allow this to happen.

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